Fabulous hand-made abaca bag from Bicol at the Trade Fair

When I saw the newpaper ad showing details on the OK Bikol Trade Fair at SM Megatrade Hall over the weekend, I jumped on the opportunity and went. It was my first fair trade experience  (being an ignorant fool, I thought that buying from Cash and Carry was considered helping LOCAL industry). It did, in some ways, but it isn’t as sustainable and responsible as buying from local trade fairs.

Okay, so what the heck is this talk about fair trade? I’ll make it as simple as possible: fair trade is a social movement that involves, well, trade. You ‘trade’ not just ordinary, household or grocery products that are mass produced by big manufacturers (owned mostly by conglomerates, who may have a lot to do with our environment and political problems… booo). Fair trade involves marketing and buying various products that are locally, organically and responsibly made by local farmers, fisherfolk and rural townsfolk.

Intricate beading and other accessories were abundant - and affordable.

Example: Hazel buys organic moringa biscuits (aka malunggay crackers – they’re yummy I swear, no veggie taste at all) produced by a group of local women from Naga, marketed by a group called Organik Bicol Advocateurs Network. The sale sustains jobs (go back to Economics 11 if you can’t make the logical nexus), jobs to income, income to better quality of lives. Better lives mean happy and smart folk, and happy and smart folk makes a great nation! Bonus is Maria Makiling and Gaia won’t be crying their hearts out in pain as products are organically grown and environment-friendly, and don’t compromise quality.

Isn’t it more fun to buy something guilt-free?

One of my favorite summer shots in Cebu - along this street is where the super duper old church is, and at the end of the street, the entrance to the old style-cemetery. Great for Halloween!

Just when I thought this would never end… I actually see light at the end of the tunnel!

I can’t stop thinking about how much fun this sembreak is going to be – plans in check:

1. Attend reunion/halloween party with Jocks, hosted by Tasha
2. Ghost-hunting tour at Corregidor Island with best buddy, Marian
3. Laze around the house after work, watching Gossip Girl DVDs (to finally know what my batchmate meant by Blair-mania)
4. SWIM!
5. Meet Forensic members and plan for next sem’s activities and practices.

Okay, the last one I really can’t take off my system. I love my fellow Forensics too much!

OMG I HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE!

It’s like that story Kiev told me about the faded star – the one star that you’ve always, always dreamed of, and do absolutely anything and everything for…

…until you’re actually holding that star on the palm of your hand, but you feel nothing.

She says it’s a sad story. NO EFFIN WAY! It’s actually one of the happiest stories out there Reality hit just at the right time! Live with it, grow with it, and move on with it. Find another freakin’ star (or planet, or universe)

It all makes absolutely perfect sense!

Metro Manila at night, as seen from my hotel room in Antipolo

This entry is all about the THINGS (emphasis supplied since this does not include my family and closest friends) I miss about Manila:

…

You read that right. I miss NOTHING. I’d probably be called a sado-masochist if I really missed the following:

1. The heavy commute to any point in the city that’s only less than 10 kms away.
2. The pollution.
3. Expensive food
4. Stress, stress, stress
5. Pretentious pomp of many people I’m acquainted with

I’d rethink placing number 4 there though, since I thrive on stress, like many Manilenyos I don’t think “unstressful” environments makes winners and success stories, di ba!

But really, if Manila gets rid of all the above-mentioned dirt, it would be a very nice place to live in.

Hay nako, mabuti pa ang Cebu

Of all the AYAD-AusAid initiatives I’ve read about so far, the one that really made an instant difference in me would be one volunteer’s campaign on the Evil Cotton Bud. Seconds after reading that humble comic book, it made a permanent mental register – a phenomenon actually, since that skeptic part of my brain does not really see truth in facts that easily.

I will never use a damn cotton bud to clean the insides of my ears again! If only I could make readers puke by posting scanned images of that comic book… hehehe.

And don’t think that those little “spoons” are better. The Earwax Bible says we are all better off seeing a doctor to have the nasty ones taken out of our ears. Oh boy.

*credits to www.sghhealth4u.com.sg for the image

Unlike some of my contemporaries, I never sulk after a break-up. That doesn’t make me a cold, heartless bitch – it only means I have enough bubble wrap around my heart to prevent its total breakage Bubble wrap is cool too, since whoever would be “the final ONE” could pop silly each air pocket until he reaches me. It doesn’t sound that hard. It might even be fun,I think. Haha!

Speaking of bubble wrap, there’s one song my player has been playing more often than the others. I don’t know if this song has been released at all, but it’s one by Jason Mraz and Colbie Calliat (did I spell that right?). I bet this went crazy mainstream, but I wouldn’t have any idea; I live a Cro-Magnonish life, remember? Anyway, the title is “Lucky.” It’s a pretty, bubbly, light and fun song that revolves around the simple (simple nga ba?) joys of keeping a far-away love. Two cute lines from the song: Can you hear me, I’m talking to you across the water, across the deep blue ocean under the open sky, oh my, baby I’m trying/Lucky I’m in in love with my best friend, lucky to have been where I have been, lucky to be coming home again. Download the song whenever you have the chance. Or buy the CD; that could work too (wink).

Oh, shush, being single isn’t that bad! It’s actually one of the most fun experiences; only second to eating if you ask me. Some would be lucky/unlucky enough to stay such until, um, their whole lifetime. I’d like to think of it as a ME phase though. A perfect situation to give yourself unconditional lovin’ you would otherwise get from your mom and your dog. Go shopping! Be your fabulous self! Go network Look where it got me! Lol.

Interesting MRT Cards in Singapore, no?

Whoever said that the best manifestation of wisdom is knowledge hungry for knowledge itself wasn’t kidding.

Today was supposed to be like any other Tuesday – coding car, music popped in my ear, commuters being usually annoying – except my MRT card is down on its final 4 Pesos and is, gasp, missing. I was oblivious to this until the guard rummaged through my bag for inspection.

Shit. Where did I put that damn card? I didn’t want to be a pain, so I went to a corner of the taft station to try to unearth that last card (and avoid the unending queue for tickets). 1 minute. 5 minutes. 10 minutes passed. Where is that stupid card?? I looked into literally every hole in my pretty bag (thank you Freeway) and found nothing but my normal clutter. Oh wait a minute. There was one place I didn’t look. No way, I thought. But I decided to go check anyway. True enough, after hammering through all 706 pages of Atty. Ruben Ladia’s Corporation Code textbook, a lone card dropped.

Uh huh. My corpo book got hungry. Great!

Penguin Classics: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Forensic People are just hilarious. Once at dinner, Mommy Kucil, Francis and I talked about sexual innuendos and how Filipinos successfully manage to convert innocent titles to, erm, something that’s not. There’s “Saving Ryan’s Privates” and the more recent addition, “The Curious Case of Benjamin’s Buttons.” Or as Francis put it, “Pressing Benjamin’s Buttons.”

I feel my blog would be disgraced if I go on elaborating.

On the actual film, I was quite impressed by Brad’s genuine portrayal of a kid trapped in an old man’s body. Speaking as an amateur actor, I wouldn’t know from where to grab the emotions demanded by such character if that was assigned to me. Some movie critics say that Benjamin is relatively easy to portray, as he is actually just a child. Innocence, they further say, is one of the simplest to exude. I beg to disagree!

There is a degree of subtlety needed to smoothly execute Benjamin as a child, and Brad Pitt delivered. One must also remember that as much as he is an ordinary child inside, he lived in rare and absolutely extra-ordinary circumstances.

Simply put, Pitt, Blanchett and the crew did their homework well, and are raking in well-deserved millions for it. Kudos!

2008 has left an array (or disarray) of things that I am truly grateful for. I have gone through what a normal 23-year-old probably should: partied, made friends, loved, lost in love, ran away, felt humiliated, fought back, made money, lost money, got sick, gained weight, lost weight, had TONS of fun, and many, many more. Ultimately, these things left me better, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Happy New Year!

I really need a new digital camera. Anyway, kudos to my little sister, Jeanine (aka Ninai), for finishing her summer musical theater workshop with Tanghalang Pilipino (CCP’s resident theater group)! Serious stage acting has been one of my frustrations, and I’m glad Ninai has been at it for years. She was so happy with the workshop that she wants to do more next summer! Susmaryosep (kawawa ang pitaka ni Ate). Hahaha!

Johanna, on the other hand, is doing great with her summer college admission test review program. She also egged me to enroll her next summer at CCP’s Arts and Animation workshop. Man, if you could only see her sketches, you’d be absolutely blown away! Talk about Helmuth talent!

Thank you Lord, for making all of these possible. I pray my sisters would use their talents to help lots of people in the near future.