Why I don't eat Tikoy

They say Tikoy is rich in symbolic meaning. Its round shape symbolizes unity, its stickiness means close family bonds, its sweet flavour mean sweet taste signify sweet relationships. But in my opinion, its stickiness mean indigestion, sweetness means loads of sugar and calories. That's all I can say about eating Tikoy. Happy Chinese New Year!

Philippine Presidential Elections and TVCs

The quality of candidates in this year's Philippine presidential elections seem to be much better than in the past elections.

Of the TVCs, in terms of quality and message, I think Manny Villar's is consistently the best. Ever updated and renewed, the TVCs capture all crucial markets, including OFWs, youth, and the masses. The run of these advertisements are comprable to those run by multinational brands...it started out in the form of viral-style ads to catchy jingles, to "visionary" PSAs. This truly reflects the professionalism and business acumen of Manny Villar campaign team. You can sense the emotional connection that the ads possess.

Of all candidates, I think manny Villar is the only candidate who made a truly bold claim -- of eradicating poverty. Other candidates simply talked about "being with the masses" or "quick recovery" or "revolution" but simply lacked the personal experience that Villar had from rags to riches. Manny Villar is the only one who could balance the interests of the masses and business, as he personally experienced poverty and the hardships of business to managing a large real-estate company. I believe a rags to riches entrepreneur and manager is the only qualified person to lead the country, as the Philippines never had the liked of Villar in its political history.


I am quite dissapointed with Noynoy's ads and candidacy. He just jumped into the presidency after her mother's death and Mar's clever political tactic of running as VP instead. The first ad was more like a people power revolution or nationalistic ad, with a celebrity touch. I believe he saved millions of pesos in endorsement/talent fees due to her sister's backing. The second ad (similar but far inferior to Villar's vision/social contract TVC) is quite boring, abstract and not clear-cut. The line "...hindi ako magnanakaw" is not something interests the country, since we already experienced Cory presidency. We all know that the Aquinos' integrity image is solid, but their subordinates and all the rest are crooks. In contrast, Villar's clear message of eliminating the need (for officials) to be corrupt is a breath of fresh air. Moreover, "tasty food in the table" weighs much more than Arroyo's (and others') "food in every table" and ""fighting hunger" slogans. Noynoy's 3rd ad, geared towards the youth, reminds us of the previous "Eddie Tayo" youth-oriented TVC although much less catchy and less exciting than Eddie's TVC.

Gibo's TVC is quite progressive and "inspiring" in advertising standards, although the use of the "posible" song had not been properly negotiated with Rivermaya. The "airplane and pilot" ad of Gibo is of high quality, although it could potentially relate his image as being elitist.

There had been TVCs by lesser-known candidates running for senator appearing lately, and I could only describe them as being inferior and having poor voice projection and quality, which could affect their name-recall and credibility.

My reading list for 2010

1. Problem Solving 101 - Ken Watanabe



Problem Solving 101 started out as a simple guide to teach Japanese schoolchildren critical thinking skills. But it quickly became an adult bestseller, thanks to the powerful effectiveness of Ken Watanabe's problem solving methods.

The tools in this book come from the author's experience as an elite McKinsey consultant. But you don't need an MBA or complicated computer software to use them. You'll learn how to broaden and organize your thinking about a problem, so that more possible solutions become clear.

Problem-solving oriented thinking can help us take control of our lives, deal with the challenges we encounter, and even change the world. Once you've mastered the skills in this book, you'll wonder how you ever got by without them.

Full of useful diagrams and quirky drawings, Problem Solving 101 is simple enough for a middle schooler to understand but sophisticated enough for business leaders to apply to their most challenging problems.

2. Lukewarmness - The Devil in Disguise (by Francis Carvajal)



The condition of lukewarmness in the spiritual life is always preceded by a series of small infidelities. The radical cure to this sickness is thoroughly explained with practical resolutions.


3. Always Cheerful - Making Others Happy


The much-acclaimed Spanish author and magazine publisher compiled some of his weekly conversations on television with young people.
He gives pieces of advice and friendly tips to everyone—the youth in particular—so that they be happy with the Christian aspiration of making others happy.




*Pictures and descriptions are from their respective publishers and official websites.

My Resolutions 2010

1. Be disciplined. Be focused. Early to bed, early to rise. Be conscious of time.
2. Stay healthy. Consume protein-rich, calorie-stable foods, increase intake of fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water. Exercise as much as possible. Avoid harmful substances, including tobacco and alcohol. Eat more low-calorie, low-fat, high-protein, high-calcium foods.
3. Meditate and contemplate. Pray and read the bible everyday. Serve in church.
4. Be more compassionate and more generous.
5. Be grateful.
6. Read more (practical, quality) books a month. Avoid newspapers except Lifestyle, health and Business related.
7. Continue being frugal without sacrificing quality expenditures.
8. Value relationships. People first. Then money. Then things.
9. Develop self-confidence and self-respect. (Zizun, zixin)
10.Ensure that I fulfill them on a day-to-day basis.

Ditch weight loss for healthy living

Were you like the millions of other people worldwide who made a resolution to lose weight this year? How many times have you set that goal for yourself? And of those times how many have you been successful? Not too many, probably.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say, the goal of losing the extra pounds is the wrong way of looking at the issue. Why not focus instead on improving your health and personal fitness? That way, weight loss becomes a positive side effect but not the main impetus for actions.
When you focus on cutting pounds you are constantly viewing yourself as not good enough. On the other hand, when you look to improve your health the focus shifts to betterment and small positive milestones; such as running a half mile further, doing an extra rep of weights at the gym or drinking one less carbonated soft drink a day.

It’s not easy to make the transition. It takes an entire mental overhaul. To get started, try these tips:

Outline your fitness goals. (Run a half-marathon, feel less sluggish during the day, play with your kids outside without feeling winded.)

Make your goals realistic but challenging to achieve.

Examine your day-to-day activities. Where does unhealthy living creep in? (not getting enough sleep, driving some place you could walk to, rarely drinking water, frequenting fast-food restaurants)

Identify the biggest problem areas and what you can do to uproot them.
Expand your knowledge base. The more we know about our bodies, foods and exercise the easier it will be to implement positive changes. Sign up for a magazine subscription or bookmark a favorite website.

Tweak your eating habits. Can you trade flavored water for soft drinks? What about eating a handful of almonds instead of potato chips when you want a snack?
Don’t concentrate on the numbers on the scale. Health is about the body as a whole.
Cut the words ‘weigh loss’ from your vocabulary. Instead supplement that phrase with healthy lifestyle.

For inspiration YouTube-it. The site has videos that will walk you through every thing from yoga moves to hip hop dance routines. It even has more than 26,000 entries for healthy recipes and hundreds of how-to videos for the fitness ball.

Communicate your fitness goals with someone else. Just speaking the words will help these concepts become a reality. Plus, your confidant can act as a cheerleader, spurring you on.
Results are never immediate; don’t expect them to be. It takes time to see/feel a difference. You’re in it for the long haul.

Don’t compare yourself to others. No two people are going to fit the same fitness and heath model. Find what works for you; ignore the rest.

Japanese and Korean haircut/style

I don;t normally ask salons or barbershops about haircuts but this time around, I decide to ask around since I am planning to have a new hairstyle to feel more Asian...hehe

here is my q&a

1. Are Korean haircuts/hairstyles the same as the Japanese?

More often they have the same cut but Korean hairstyle is more conservative than Japanese especially when it comes to color and length.

2. Do I have to grow my hair for three months before having the desired
haircut?

It all depends on the kind of style you want to have, if you have a Korean hairstyle in mind that requires a longer hair, then do so... Moreover, its more comfortable to style a longer hair than a shorter hair. We have lots of hair catalog you can choose from in the salon and if you have a picture of the desired hairstyle you can also bring it to show the hairstylist.

3. Do I have to comb myself everyday everyday (as far as I understand to style
your hair, you have to wet hair, then blowdry, then apply gel, then blowdry,
then apply something on strands) or just leave the hair as is?

Again, it all depends on the kind of hairstyle. But let me just give you an idea, there are hairstyles where in wash and wear lang however there are times that in order to achieve a specific hairstyle you have to wash, blowdry/iron and put gel. Anyway, your hairstylist will advise you naman how to achieve the desired hairstyle after the cut.

4. Is there a haircut that is Korean like but is not that loud or wild,
compatible with the school/workplace? When I went to Japan, the salarymen there
all have great medium to long hairstyles while not being loud and wild.

Yes, its achievable....

5. Is there an extra charge for reservation (if any)

No additional charge for reservations.

Hope to see you in any of our salons...

Thanks and more power!

SHE I Love you complete version

irl : "LeiLei,open the box when you miss me,I've saved all of my love inside the box and I'll never bring it away.Dad said that we'll be coming back when the situation is getting better.You must wait for me..."
Boy : "I won't go anywhere else but wait you at here...if you can't see me at here,try to look for me at the school..."
Girl : "It is too late!i must have to go now!i'll write to you,you must wait for me,wait for me..."
Boy : "I won't go anywhere else but wait you at here..."

Ella : "is that what so-called 'the oath that never faded'?"
Selina : "The love between them at that time was so deep!It is just like other than just love,there is a kind of responsibility."
Hebe : "it is so hard to understand this kind of firm belief...how much do I wish I were she,so that I could meet a guy who loves me that much."
Ella : "But...No matter how firm they hold their belief,they can't escape from the rapidly changing great era..."

1989 Taipei
Son : "Mum,I've found it..."
Mum : "What is it?"
Son : "I've found...I've found him...He is still alive...living alone for all these years..."
Son : "Mum,are you okay?"

(The lady,sitting at the room and sighing...thinking of the past...)
Boy : "I want us to be in this way for whole of my life...Why,don't you have the same thought as mine,do you?"
Girl : Emmm...I do,but I want it for more longer,longer than a lifetime..."
Boy : "We will be together for a lifetime,for a few lifetimes.For every lifetime,no matter where you will be, you must wait for me until the time I've found you..."

Lady : "I want to see him...anyway...it has been such a long time..."

Selina : "So,she really goes to find him in Shanghai all alone?She is so brave..."
Ella : "Ya,if I were she,I would do like that as well.40 years have past...of course I would like to know how does he look like now..."
Hebe : "Do you think he has been alone for all these years just because of her?"
Ella : "Ya...it's for sure..."

2004 Shanghai
(A part of the song lyric...thanks kionz for translating it...^^)
I love you, I'd dare to face any fate which is as yet unknown.
I love you, I'm willing to let you protect me, at the ends of this world.
Sometimes I really don't understand you, yet who truly understands themselves.
Often the depth of the relationship between two people, is tested and proven through hurt and hardships.

Selina : "For the past 40 years,he holds his belief of her love by using only the wooden box,but why then she doesn't wait for him?"
Ella : "The women at that time must get married no matter how.May be she gets some pressure from her family,too!"
Hebe : "Some more,there is no hope for her to go back."
Selina : "Finally,they see each other..."

Boy : "Don't be afraid whenever you are in trouble,I won't leave you..."
Girl : "I must follow you no matter where you go..."

(At the clock tower)
Man : "I afraid you can't find me,so I have been teaching at the school for all these years."
Lady : "You must have known that...we...why don't you get married?"
Man : "I have promised you for a few lifetimes,and it is not only this lifetime..."

(At the tea house)
Man : "How are you doing for these years?"
Lady : "Ya...not bad...my husband treats me very well,and I've got 3 sons as well as a grandson."
Man : "This...you have alredy told me that in the previous letter."
Lady : "Oh...right.But,for all these years...I am only worrying about you..."
Man : "You look healthy..."
Lady : "Sigh, I have become older then before.Time flies,we have become old..."

(Home)
Son : "Dad,do you want some more?"
Dad : "i am full,take your time."

Man : "When I am down,I will take a look at it(the wooden box which is given by the young girl). My mood will get better after looking at it.Actually you haven't leave me for all these years...But...I am not dare to open it anyway..."
Lady : "Why don't you open it?"
Man : "Because...I afraid once I open it...you will leave me forever and ever..."

Selina : "What have they do now?"
Hebe : "Everyone seems tobe in suffer."
Ella : "Um..."
Selina : "They should feel better after seeing each other and there won't be any regret for them."
Ella : "Em...they have seen each other and known that he/she is doing well,so she goes back to Taipei in the next day."
Hebe: "What about after she has home?How is she gonna tell her husband about this?"
Ella : "She says..."

Lady : "You let me go back,let me pay what I owe to him..."

Ella : "Uncle Wong has made a decision,he decided to let her go back to him.He has even sold a house and give the money to her to be her marriage present..."
Selina :"This kind of love is really heart-touching..."
Hebe : "Uncle Yan is more greater,he has been using almost all of his lifetime for waiting for her."
Ella : "I think,they are the people who understand 'love' the most."

Lady : "You must take good care of yourself."
Husband : "You too..."

Young girl : "I love you!"