You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January, 2007.
About a month and a half ago, I spent my weekend at the ultra-posh Amanpulo West Villa in Palawan.
It was, by far the most spectacular place I have ever been to (by myself). I’ve uploaded 39 unbelievable Amanpulo photos onto my Flickr account; please swing by and take a look, and perhaps comment on them.
This shot is one of the few photos that I did not take. My friend Alfie took the shot, and I haven’t been able to get over it. There are many more Amanpulo photos over at my Flickr, so please feel free to visit and comment. You can also view the pictures on my Multiply site. 
A book. I started on a new book last night. Titled How to Be a Man of Character in a World of Compromise, this devotional book from Richard Exley details how godly men can build for themselves a solid foundation of character and integrity. It takes its lessons from the Bible’s book of Proverbs.
I am looking forward to learning a lot, especially in light of last we
ek’s Blog Parteeh. I don’t think I made the best impression.
A bib. I uploaded a new design onto FaithFactor. It’s a bib featuring FaithFactor’s resident cartoon sheep. The text reads, “I am the sheep and Jesus Christ is my shepherd.” If you’d like to purchase one, it retails for only US$8.00. Support Christian designers!
A bruise. Cathy sprained her foot early yesterday. Combine that with all the nausea and dizziness, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for two stay-at-home parents. Nathan spent the entire day in front of my desktop, playing on Orisinal.
Baby Names. Meanwhile, Baby Deen #2 has started to kick. Cathy finds it a bit discomfiting, but this baby seems to be a fighter. In about two months, we’ll go for that ultrasound and find out if Nathan’s sibling is going to be a boy or a girl. We’ve TONS of potential baby names, especially since we’re hedging on the original names we came up with. My shortlist, which Cathy has neither seen nor approved, includes:
- BOYS
- Nicklaus. The strongest contender for a boy’s name, since it’s similar to my Dad’s name, Nicholas, and is English for “victorious.”
- Noah. I like going with a Biblical name. It’s Hebrew for “rest.”
- Nolan. It’s Gaelic for “famous.” When I hear Nolan, I see a well-adjusted, good-looking guy. What do you see?
- GIRLS
- Caitlin. Cathy’s always loved this name. It’s Irish for “pure soul.”
- Catharine. I like this because it’s a variation of Cathy’s name. English for “pure.”
- Charlize. Nothing to do with Ms. Theron, but it is a pretty name that means “beautiful star” in South African.
- Nichol, Nicole, Nichole, or Nicolle. “Victorious” in English. Female version of Nicholas, really, again, paying tribute to my father.
- And finally, my dark horse for a girl’s name starting with “N”: Nitika. It’s Indian for “angel.” It’s so left of center, but I find it such a beautiful name. Her nickname can be Nikki, which still is an homage to my dad. Cathy would never approve, though.
What do you think? Any baby name suggestions, preferably starting with N or C?
Based on last night’s BlogParteeh, here are 10 reasons to prove why there is a God:
10. G
ot to meet, greet, and take photos with the bloggers on my wish list, including Noemi, Abe, and Migs.
9. Joni was thinking she’d have no one to hang out with. Turns out my wallflower officemate ended up becoming Ms Popular. Who would’ve thunk?
8. Apparently, some people thought I was noisy and obnoxious boisterous. I’m sorry, was I? That’s great; I thought people would think I was shy and demure. (Nothing kills a party like silent people. What, you wanna sit around and stare at each other?)
7. Three whole Christians and one atheist at a table, and no food fight. Lord, ang galing Ninyo.
6. There are people who blog about good 
things in this world. Kudos to you, Jun.
5. I got a picture with BO SANCHEZ! Hahahaha! This man rocks my socks! And check out the photos - the holy man matched me wide grin for wide grin!
4. I sat at the luckiest most God-blessed tab
le ever. Like, everyone at my table won a prize. Geri took home too many prizes to count.
3. The winner of the I-Pod, AJ, accepted his prize in the coolest way ever - arms on sides, head slightly tilted, with that, well, yeah, so here I am, sorry folks, my prize grin on this face. There is a God because the winner wasn’t some boisterous person who felt entitled to it. I wish I was half as droll.
2. I won the prize I wanted. Sure, I didn’t win the IPod, nor the classy speakers. But the one prize I did want, I got. I won the Bubba Gump gift cert! Yummy shrimp meal, here I come!
And the number one reason why there is a God…
1. Benj and I didn’t end up killing each other (well, he 
would’ve killed me if there weren’t too many witnesses). Turns out that he’s not as… um… freakishly scary as I thought. No knives or anything. I left the party feeling much, much better. That still won’t stop me from whupping his ass on PEx when he gets all vitriolic.
Click here to see my full set of BlogParteeh photos.
While Mike Abundo challenges flamers to a fight, I find myself mulling over the real-time possibility that is bound to happen tomorrow:
I’m going to meet Benj. *deep breaths*
Benj is an old online nemesis (hahaha!). One thing that has made this guy so irresistible to me as a blogger is his ability to push my buttons, usually not in the way I’d like my buttons pushed, if you know what I mean. Benj tells it like it is, and sometimes a lot of times, I don’t like being told like it is. This latest post is one such example. Read the rest of this entry »
Okay, so maybe American Idol Season Five fourth placer Chris Daughtry didn’t literally kick season winner Taylor Hicks where the sun don’t shine, but it sure feels like it. Daughtry’s band’s self-titled debut album topped the Billboard 200 this week with a 130-copy lead over the original soundtrack of Dreamgirls, selling over 65,000 copies, according to Soundscan. Where is Hicks’ debut album? Moved up three notches to #50.
In its ninth week on the chart, Daughtry’s RCA album has established two records of sorts: it is the fastest-selling debut by a rock artist in history, and it is the first album by an American Idol non-Top Two finalist to top the Billboard 200. Idols who have topped the Billboard 200 are Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, and his runner-up Clay Aiken; all remaining Idol winners and runners-up, including Justin Guarini, Fantasia, Diana DeGarmo, Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks, and, for now, Katherine McPhee, have not topped the albums chart.
Of course, there are some factors to take into consideration here. It is the third week in a row that the #1 album on the Billboard 200 has sold less than 100,000 copies. You’d have to go back to the early 1990s to see those kinds of relatively low sales figures. You could also take into consideration that Daughtry has a hit single, It’s Not Over, that’s burning up the modern rock and Top 40 formats; RCA continues to hedge on sending a Hicks single to radio, which will continue to hurt Taylor’s chances of long-term success on the album charts.
Meanwhile, in other American Idol Season Five alum news, Bucky Covington’s new Lyric Street single A Different World has been serviced to country radio and is now #47 on the Radio and Records country chart; Paris Bennett has a new 306 Entertainment single, Ordinary Love, that’s being serviced to R&B formats; and Mandisa Hundley has signed up with Sparrow Records for a gospel album to be released late this year or early next year (her MySpace page features the delightful light acoustic toe-tapper Redeemer, a track on the album Beth Moore Presents: Songs of Deliverance.
If you’re looking for an affordable dentist in Makati, I’ll like to recommend my Filipino dentist, Dr Joseph Jon Catipon, DMD.
Dr. Catipon - you can call him Jay - is extremely professional, with a light touch, a steady hand, and a good sense of humor. Little pain is to be felt in this Filipino dentist’s chair because he is just soooo funny, and he’ll talk you through to distract you. Excellent, excellent dentist in Makati.
Like other Pinoy dentists, he practices general dentistry, but Dr. Catipon specializes in orthodontics and TMJ.
You can visit the Catipon dental clinic in Makati at 202 NAF Building (in front of Makati Cinema Square), 2296 Chino Roces St., Makati City. You can call up this Filipino dentist at 613-2624, text him at 0918-908-4934, or email him at mjaycat at yahoo dot com. This Makati dental clinic’s hours are from 10AM to 7PM, Monday to Saturday.
Trust me - Dr. Catipon is worth every centavo, and you’ll find yourself getting more value for your peso with him than at most other Makati dental clinics.
In sum: Dreamgirls is a special surprise; Christian Bautista surprises; local recording industry is dying, to no one’s surprise
Last night, Cathy pulled a truly pleasant surprise on me. After I kept her waiting for an hour and a half after an all-day meeting I attended went into serious overtime, she met up with me in the evening with a gift bag sealed with tape.
“Open it,” she said gleefully.
I did, and discovered my wife purchased a (legit) copy of the soundtrack to Dreamgirls.
I have the best wife ever!
We listened to it on the way home, and the album is spectacular. Jennifer Hudson steals the show, naturally, with a natural flair and sass to accompany that God-given voice. Give the woman an Academy Award! She’s just phenomenal, especially on It’s All Over, And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going, I Am Changing, and One Night Only.
Eddie Murphy is a revelation: we all knew he could sing, but come on, Murphy is Early Thunder, and his voice is completely different from his wisecracking Donkey days. Foxx and Knowles are reliably good, as are Sharon Leal and Loretta Devine.
On a related note, Cathy purchased for herself the new Christian Bautista album, Just a Love Song… Christian Bautista Live! Like his Warner labelmate before him, Nina, Bautista croons his way through 20-something ballads and the occasional mid-tempo track. Bautista’s voice has gotten more solid with experience, and he digs into the revivals with aplomb and style. Be sure to listen to his career-defining takes on the back-to-back tracks Blue Eyes Blue and Cry for Help.
The reality singing competition finalist - who has gone on to bigger things than 95% of all other finalists in all local televised singing competitions combined - proves himself the should’ve-been-winner with this album. He can sound just as good live as he does on his studio albums. He’s the Jennifer Hudson of local reality competitions.
What is the hitch on Just a Love Song…? Unfortunately, just like Nina, Warner Music gives us virtually all revivals. That’s right. The entire album is one gigantic hodge-podge of second-rate backburning hits from the 70s through 2006. Is Just a Love Song a revival? I’m not sure, but if it isn’t, well, are we supposed to rejoice for one breadcrumb of original music amidst an entire pie of rehashed hits?
I respect both artists, but must chastise Warner for not including a single song from these singers’ catalog of original music. This is what is killing the industry, from critical and financial standpoints - Philippine artists aren’t releasing originals anymore! Bakit puro revival?!
Ironically, Nina’s latest single, Someday, is not a revival, and it’s receiving massive amounts of airplay. How many people would kill to hear a live version of Someday?
Would you know this blog is a Christian blog, given that two of the last three posts are about porn, and my tagline is Naked and Sacred?
I’d better ‘go holy’ before I start getting visitors looking for Asian chubs.
I’ve been a Filipino-Christian blogger for more than seven years, and the Blog Parteeh ‘07 is the first time I’ve been even remotely interested in an eyeball.
So, what do you think, fellas? Shall we see each other there, and bring together a strong Filipino-Christian blogger contingent? Email superblessed at gmail dot com.
Update: I got my e-ticket in my email a few minutes ago, so I guess, yeah, I’m going! My name’s on the website as well. Now, here’s the next quandary, in poetic form:
Now that I’m going, what am I to wear?
What will go well with my stylish brown hair?
Can I wear flipflops, or shall I wear shoes?
Should I drive there and then not drink free booze?
Really, the problems I have with this life
revolve around how to make peace with my wife.
For when she finds out that I’m going to this,
I just might be wrong, but I think she’ll be pissed.
Love you, honey!
Can you believe it? James Deen is a porn star!
Leave it to my wife to find a 20-year-old adult actor with a big wang, equally big sideburns, and friends named Chico Wang, Johnny B. Goode, and Brian Surewood. The only thing this actor has in common with me is that we share the same name.
But come on! I came first (pun not intended)! I’m 29 years old! I should get dibs on the name James Deen. Just because the guy’s in better shape than I am, and hung like a horse doesn’t mean… doesn’t mean…
Oh what the heck. People know me as Ganns Deen anyway. I am so glad I gave ‘James Deen’ up after leaving the education industry.
Jobstreet’s latest email blast featured an ad for editor-in-chief of 10 Magazine.
Buy and Sell, the corporate entity behind this porn mag men’s lifestyle magazine, is “looking for is a regular joe who enjoys all the good things in life, vicariously or in actual fact.”
So all you hot-blooded straight male writers, if you want to consider a career in the porn magazine adult male literary entertainment industry, you might want to give it a shot. After all, all the ladies love a man who works for a magazine that objectifies them.
Oh, by the way, if you get the job, you, Mr. Regular Joe, Mr. Manly Manly, are to report to the Operations Officer for Men’s and Gay Entertainment Magazines (italics mine). Yeah, so have fun with that.
Haven’t weighed myself in over a week now. Don’t know if I’m gaining or losing. I feel I’m losing, especially since I’m moving around a lot more, but I certainly didn’t help today’s effort with my food intake. Had one chickendog for breakfast, which wasn’t bad, and then about 250g of tuna sashimi for lunch (with incredibly brain-blowing wasabi! Man, my nose cleared up like *snap* THAT!).
Then, I lost it. About three spoonfuls of homemade leche flan (cream custard) from Annalyn, an officemate; one pinipig crunch ice cream lolly; half a pint of Magnolia chocolate ice cream; one KitKat White bar; and two thirds a pack of Granny Goose Tortillas.
Darn it. I was doing so well.
I am sooooooooo not eating dinner. Hu hu hu!
For this week’s Thursday Thirteen (Fridays in Manila), I write down my 13 favorite sitcom characters.
1 Rose Nylund. Played by Betty White on the Golden Girls, Rose was a sweet but airheaded blonde from Minnesota. “Then the sheriff came, and I told him about how I kill men, and he didn’t believe me! He said, ‘Let’s see, sleep with me!’, so I did. Then the sheriff died!”
2 Phoebe Buffay. Played by Lisa Kudrow on Friends, Phoebe was a kooky lady who lived on the street before becoming friends with the rest of the gang. Phoebe: “Someday I’ll tell you about the time I stabbed a cop.” Monica: “What?!” Phoebe: “What! He stabbed me first!”
3 Chandler Bing. Matthew Perry played this character on Friends and has since gone on to become typecast in the role of the sarcastic best friend. “Everytime I see fishnet stockings, I’m reminded of… my father in fishnet stockings.”
4 Winnie the Witch. Played by Corinne Bohrer, Winnie was the lead character on Free Spirit, a forgotten sitcom - didn’t last a season - that is also memorable for a prepubescent Alysson Hannigan. “Not necessarily!”
5 Balki Bartokomous. Bronson Pinchot played this lovable character from Mipos on the hit 80s sitcom Perfect Strangers. “Now we so happy, we do the dance of joy!”
6 Murphy Brown. Candice Bergen played the title role in this runaway hit. “Oh my God, I have milk coming out of my breasts. This is like having bacon come out of your elbow.”
7 Karen Walker. Grace Adler’s rich secretary on Will and Grace was played by former talk show host Megan Mullally. Jack: “We need a good designer.” Karen: “Do you know any?” Jack (referring to Grace): “Why isn’t she speaking?” Karen: Because she’s hypnotized by her own dress.”
8 Dr. Niles Crane. David Hyde-Pierce was spectacular in his role as Dr. Frasier Crane’s brother on the hit sitcom Frasier. Niles (referring to Bebe, Frasier’s agent: “Oh, dear, don’t turn around. It’s that dreadful woman who works for you.” Frasier: “Who?” Niles: “Um… Lady Macbeth without the sincerity.”
9 Raymond Barone. Ray Romano played the title character on Everybody Loves Raymond. I relate sooo much. Debra Barone: “It’s not about winning and losing. ” Ray Barone: “You know who says that? The loser.”
10 Niles the Butler. Daniel Davis was delightful as the sarcastic butler in The Nanny. Oi vey, he was one of my favorites! C.C.: “I couldn’t put a foot out of bed this morning.” Niles: “Did someone put a rock on your coffin again?”
11 Lucy Ricardo. All hail the irrepressible, incomparable Lucille Ball! I LOVE LUCY! Lucy (talking to Ethyl about Ricky) “He’s put his foot down so many times, I feel like I’m married to a cuban centipede.”
12 Fez. Wilmer Valderrama’s turn as the ever-horny, ever-sweet Fez (short, by the way, for Foreign Exchange Student, a little 70s spin right there) is hilarious. That 70s Show was a great show.
13 Grandpa Vladimir Dracula. Howard Morton was terribly funny as the cantankerous Grandpa Munster on The Munsters Today. Marilyn: 1988? It can’t be! Grandpa: Yes it can, and it is! But it’s no problem, I can have it fixed in a jiffy. Lily: Jiffy? You can not fix what happened, we have just taken a twenty-two year nap!
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
It’s half past 12 in the morning. I can’t believe I’m still awake. The perils of taking work home with you, I suppose.
Anyway, I glanced at Technorati’s hottest search terms and found the name ‘Tammy Nyp’ at #2. I had no idea who this woman was, so I Googled her only to find she is the latest female student to have a sex tape leak onto the Internet.
The Philippines had its fair share of ’scandals,’ starting with ‘the original’ La Salle scandal (that was retitled AMA Scandal, Benilde Scandal, and a host of other school scandals). Weeks later, every Filipino porno flick was retitled with the word ’scandal’ and distributed in pirated format or through the Internet.
Later on, when alleged sex tapes of Filipino celebrities surfaced, including supposed videos of Ethel Booba and Paolo Bediones among them, it became the rage amongst Filipino pornographers to find celebrity lookalikes and film them in sex scenes, later on released as celebrity sex scandals.
Meanwhile, the two parties involved in every sex tape have to live with a certain amount of embarrassment, especially the lady. It’s a shame, really; each girl is someone’s daughter, someone’s wife or girlfriend, someone’s loved one. It’s a terrible thing to be exposed like that. I can’t say it puzzles me why anyone would do that to someone else who, in the eyes of another person, is a prized person. But that’s the world we live in, I guess.
Whether it is a Paris Hilton sex tape, a Tammy Nyp sex tape, a Colin Farrell sex tape, an Aubrey Miles sex tape, or a Tommy and Pamela sex tape, what is glaringly obvious is that there is obviously a growing clamor for pornographic material. With the advent of the You online generation, where materials like these can be distributed freely through email, pornographic video content websites, even mobile phones, the lesson to be learned here is clear: If you don’t want your sex tape to ever get out, don’t make a sex tape.
Looking for links to any of the sex tapes mentioned in this blog post? Don’t expect them here. 
I lost around five pounds at the 2007 Victory Christian Fellowship prayer and fasting effort. That’s one-tenth of the total number of pounds I would like to shed off in 2007. At least three of my friends are on start-of-year weight loss programs, so I figure I might as well join them.
I call this my Slim4Him Project (motivated by my desire to lose weight so my body will truly be God’s temple, not God’s Megamall or God’s Mall of Asia). I’ll try to have once-a-week updates.
I’ve failed on every single diet I’ve been on, save for a crash diet in 1996 that saw me drop 30 lbs in three weeks. I’ve obviously gained that weight back and then some. I don’t intend to fail this time - failure is not an option when God has my back.
Here it goes!
Look, I’m sorry, y’all, if the latest blog entries have been about Golden Globe winner Jennifer Hudson (wow!) but Cathy and I are fans, okay? We’re just spreadin’ the JHud love.
Here’s the transcript of her Golden Globe acceptance speech (her “Thank yous”, if you will).
“Oh my God, whoo, thank you so much. Wow, I have always dreamed, but never, ever this big, ever. This goes far beyond anything that I could have ever imagined. I just want to say thank you to the Hollywood Foreign Press for such an amazing honor, whoo baby give me one second… I’m trying not to cry… but you do not know how much this does for my confidence, because of this.. oh my God, am I turning into Effie up here okay? Because of this it makes me feel like I’m a part of a community, and it makes me feel like an actress and you do not understand how much that feels good to say.”
“Oh my God, I cannot believe this when I look around this room…I would like to thank my director Bill Condon, you have been an angel… without I could not have created Effie without you. I have to thank God for just this experience and for my family and my friends and for my boyfriend that’s here with me tonight. I would also like to thank Larry Mark, David Geffen, my team, Ava DuVernay, Bill Abrams, whoo I cannot believe this moment right now, everybody, my family at home, to Paramount, Dreamworks, thank you once again to Hollywood Foreign Press and everybody in this room. Thank you for making me feel so welcome, thank you. One more thing, I just want to dedicate this award to a lady who never really got a fair chance, this award is for Florence Ballard, you will never be forgotten.”
Looking for the transcript to Jennifer Hudson’s Oscar acceptance speech? Click here.
Earlier tonight (this afternoon in Manila), singer/actress Jennifer Hudson won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy/Musical for her role as Effie White in Dreamworks’ Dreamgirls.
Hudson, who was more popularly known as an American Idol Season 3 finalist prior to her dream casting as Effie, now ups her collection of accolades for her portrayal of Effie to 18!
Hudson has won Best Supporting Actress nods from the Satellite Awards; New York Film Critics Circle; New York Film Critics Circle Online (tied with Catherine O’Hara); the Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards; the Washington, DC Film Critics Association; the African-American Film Critics Association; the Las Vegas Film Critics Association; the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Awards; the Broadcast Film Critics Awards; and the Ohio Film Critics Awards.
She has also been acknowledged as Female Star of Tomorrow by Sho West, Best Female Breakthrough Performance from the National Board of Review (tied with Babel’s Rinko Kikuchi); the Breakthrough Performer award from the New York Film Critics Circle Online; the Breakthrough of the Year from the Hollywood Life Awards; the Breakthrough Performance Award from the Palm Springs International Film Festival; the Pauline Kael Breakout Award from the Florida Film Critics Circle; the Breakout Performance Award from the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle; and the Breakout Artist award from the Austin Film Critics Association.
She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association awards and the National Society of Film Critics awards, but did not win.
She still has standing nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards , the NAACP Image Awards, and the BAFTA.
Go, JHud! Take home that Oscar!
Spoiler video: This is the pivotal scene in Dreamgirls when Effie White is booted out of the Dreams. This Jennifer Hudson video undoubtedly won her the Golden Globe and nine other acting awards. This video of And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going with Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Anika Noni Rose, Jamie Foxx, Keith Robinson, and half-Filipina Sharon Leal, is truly intense, and I wouldn’t recommend you watch it without going through the entire movie, but it’s really spectacular. Before enjoying this video of And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going, you get the ‘fight scene’ video of It’s All Over.
This video of And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going was apparently shot bootleg (so it’ll probably be pulled off YouTube soon). The audience breaks into spontaneous applause at least three times during Jennifer Hudson’s spotlight song. (Pay close attention to the side comments of the audience, like some anonymous black girl who muttered a sassy “Mmm hmm” the minute Sharon Leal steps onto the stage and Effie White eyes her in disbelief - hilarious!).
Enjoy!
There’s actually a better quality video here, but it cuts out the climax! Hell no!
As Chris Rock’s momma puts it, Oh Laaaaaaawwwwwd!
I don’t care what you people say. The 80s rocked our socks. Here’s a video of 1987 #1 hit Lost in Emotion by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. The hair! The costumes! Gasp! The earrings!
They would return years later with Let the Beat Hit ‘Em, off their last album together, Straight Outta Hell’s Kitchen, but the best track was Let the Music Play, criminally ignored at radio. Try to get a copy on my recommendation - dated or not, it’s fantastic.
Remember how I narrated the ordeal of how to replace stolen Philippine license plates?
Well, apparently, the Philippine government just looooooves to bite me in the butt.
I learned today - Saturday, when I can’t do anything about it - that my 2007 car registration, facilitated by the wonderful people at Toyota Balintawak, no sarcasm there, was temporarily halted because there was a car alert on my car.
Apparently, some cop saw my car, with its improvised license plates - which say “LTO Registered” - on the road. Standard procedure, which I welcome, is to pull me over to investigate. I then show the cop my papers and go merrily along my way. This cop opted not to pull me over, choosing instead to report my car with its improvised plates to the LTO.
Apparently, their records over there at the LTO don’t update over the computer system, such that the LETAS - or whatever department handles this car alert system - doesn’t know I already filed my lost plate alert and facilitated my duplicate license plate request.
The end result: I have to go to the LTO and show them the papers - that I myself got from the LTO! - so they can lift the car alert and allow Toyota Balintawak to facilitate my car registration.
Hay, another half-morning, guaranteed lost from my workday. This January alone, I will have lost two whole days of work because I have to facilitate all these government requirements that should ideally take only a day if everything were systematic.
Update: So I finally got the alert lifted.. after two and a half hours at the LTO. Grrrrr.
For this week’s Thursday Thirteen (Fridays in Manila), I list 13 actors, in alphabetical order, who have publicly declared their faith in Jesus Christ. (Whether their actions match their faith is another matter, but we aren’t called forth to judge, and let those without sin cast the first stone.)
1. Daniel & Natasha Bedingfield. The singing siblings - he of If I’m Not the One, she of Unwritten - haven’t quite come out with explicitly Christian songs in their albums, but then again, a ton of singers who are Christian haven’t either.
2. Lacey Chabert. The actress from Party of Five recently went sexy with a series of magazine spreads, but whatever.
3. Anna Chlumsky. Actress most well-known for My Girl with Macaulay Culkin.
4. Alice Cooper. Believe it or not.
5. Miley Cyrus. More popularly known as Hannah Montana, she and her dad share a close Christian bond.
6. Ryan Gosling. Actor most well-known for his work in The Notebook opposite Rachel McAdams.
7. Taylor Hicks. Surprise! The 2006 American Idol is in our ranks.
8. Jennifer Hudson. No surprise at all. JHud has been praising Jesus publicly ever since she landed the role of Effie White - and well before that.
9. Olivia Newton-John. Who would’ve guessed the popular Australian-born singer and actress believed in Jesus, especially after her relatively open-ended Gaia album?
10. Chuck Norris. The actor who played Walker Texas Ranger believes in a higher law.
11. Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond. Turns out they’re Mormon. Thanks, D.
12. Mr T. I pity the foo’ who don’t believe Mr. T believes in forgiveness and the healing power of Christ.
13. Elijah Wood. The Lord of the Rings star is open about his faith.
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
Last night, Cathy joined me for dinner with my old college gang, the Lonely Hearts Club (LHC). I’m really not sure why that was our name, given that most of the folks in the ‘club’ weren’t really lonely (we had each other!), but it was a joy to see them again.
What I’ve learned from my LHC friends:
From Toni: I’ve learned that observers oftentimes have more fun. I’ve learned that the goodness of good people will inevitably shine through. I believe that good people will be richly rewarded.
From Anj: I’ve learned that people who are happy with their work look younger. I’ve learned that working to make people’s lives better does really enhance a person’s self-worth. I’ve learned that long-distance relationships are possible and can work if the two parties can admit their security in each other.
From Erik: I’ve learned that, at day’s end, love that society classifies as either unconditional or taboo, is still love.
From Bok: I’ve learned that the government does have its little merits. I’ve learned that intelligence and confidence does make a woman sexy. And I’ve learned that past issues with a friend - real or imagined - don’t have to fester; if a person is truly a friend, that person and you will get along. Famously.
Arthur’s tagged me to write five things people don’t know about me. I don’t have much time, but I do want this out of the way, so…
1. My children’s names - Nathan James, my firstborn, and the second (either Natalie Jean or Nicholas John), have “NJ” as initials. The reason? I’m a fan of the New Jersey Nets.
2. Most people think I’m either pure Filipino or part Chinese, thanks mostly to my chinky eyes and fair skin. Well, wrong on both counts. Deen is actually a Lebanese name. That’s right; I have Arab blood.
3. My life verse is Nahum 1:7: “God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help.”
4. I am not former Philippine child star L.A. Lopez. But I hear he’s doing well, a worship leader for CCF, I’m told.
5. I’m overweight now, but there was a time I was actually 10 pounds underweight. I’ll post a photo on that within the next three days.
There you go, Arthur. Have a good weekend, bro.
I’ve learned much from my first three Reconnect Project outings, some of which I’d like to share with you.
From RubyCube, I’ve learned that trust is a very important thing. Society will attempt to impose all its preconceived notions on you, telling you to watch out for yourself and none else, but at the end of the day, if you sleep well because you trust enough in God and the people around you, then your world is secure and fine. “God is bigger than the Boogeyman, he’s bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV. God is bigger than the Boogeyman, and He’s watching over you and me.” - From VeggieTales
From Nix: I’ve learned that, at least based on his experience and personality, money and job satisfaction cannot buy you happiness. If you work towards something you believe in, as part of a greater scheme to do something even bigger for the world, you wake up motivated in the mornings. I’ve learned good things do happen to good people, and good people never keep those good things for themselves, but work to share it with others. I’ve learned that my creativity should be harnessed for something greater, and maybe someday, like Nix, I should be willing to take that risk.
From Quinnzap: I’ve learned that a desire to cooperate and a willingness to establish good rapport can overcome office politics. I’ve learned that, while puns may be the lowest form of humor, if you’re with someone who does not hesitate to slaughter the English language with puns, a fun afternoon is guaranteed. I’ve been reminded that writing is a noble profession.
Tonight, I meet up with Anj, Toni, Karen, and possibly Bok, of the Lonely Hearts Club. I can’t wait to see what I’m to learn tonight.
This year, I was doing really well on my fast. I felt God talking to me, and He pointed out things I needed to do. I was flushing all the toxins out, and I was starting to really get going. It was really good, until my cousin Vanessa got married, and I went to her lavish wedding.
I resolved not to eat anything but soup. They had, like, a thousand entrees but not a single bowl of soup. I ended up gorging on cheese! And some vegetable lasagna! And TURKEY!
Lord, I’m sorry! Hu hu hu!
Today, though, I still felt a real breakthrough in my conversations with God. He pointed out an old sin I fell victim to time and again in the past, and I’ve repented of it (with matching hagulgol, it hurts to banish old demons). Today’s reading ran me through the trustworthy Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through him who gives me strength - and I firmly believe I can do it. Cathy will help me (as will a few quick installments of appropriate Net software).
Meanwhile, I’m waiting for feedback from a worship pastor to see if I can play or sing tonight now that I’ve let my flesh get the better of me. Darn it.
Today, Cathy and I took a day off from work to process our application for our digitized Social Security System (SSS) cards; we also intended to secure registration for our Revo and get CTCs from the local barangay hall. Later in the day, if there was time, passport photo shots for us and Nathan. That was the plan.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, the SSS now requires the card to claim maternity leave benefits and/or salary loans, among other “benefits.” We had no choice - we had to take time to get these cards, to claim something from the government that takes away a significant chunk of our income every month.
If you’re ready to hear the horror story that unfolded and ate up our day, read on. Read the rest of this entry »
Ayiesha Woods’ debut album, Introducing Ayiesha Woods, is now available locally at all House of Praise outlets nationwide.
If you’d like to start your year off with a bang, I suggest you pick up a copy of this clever opus and enjoy the brilliance that emanates from Ayiesha Woods.
The Gotee recording artist’s international major-label debut does not disappoint at all. It is nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary/Gospel album (going up against Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Third Day, and fellow debut artist Leeland), which, by my standards, only underlines the quality that comes with this album.
Woods is a truly soulful singer whose album captures essences of pop, alternative rock, hiphop, even reggae/dancefloor. On this album, she works with Chris Stevens (Toby Mac, Shawn McDonald, Paul Wright), Otto Price and Ric Robbins (Out of Eden, Grits), and David Mullen (Nicole C. Mullen, Anointed); the latter penned Happy, my #1 single of 2006.
Woods’ vocals revolve around a textured, gritty voice that can adapt to soul, pop, and reggae flavorings. She may not have much range, but her rich vocal and passionate delivery certainly make up for it (glad to see that the ‘black Christian diva’ is not at work here).
Aside from Happy, do try the folksy The Remedy, the driven Big Enough, toe-tapper Days and my personal favorite, Crazy, the dancefloor Caribbean stunner that could get as much airplay on secular stations, were it not for the openly Christian lyrics.
Woods’ album resonates around the themes of redemption, finding God’s love, and living the life. I strongly encourage you to give it a listen (it’s a free listen at House of Praise!), and test me in this, see if this album will not grab you by the collar and refuse to let go. One of my current albums on constant replay, and undoubtedly one destined to become a classic in my collection.
My Reconnect Project is off to a great start! I fully recommend you do something like it - meet up with old friends you’ve lost touch with!
Monday has me meeting up with two people: RubyCube, a friend from Ateneo and Nix, a classmate from La Salle Greenhills/Ateneo! Later in the week, I’ll be meeting up with Rafter, an old classmate from JASMS!
I’m really looking forward to getting to see my friends again, finding out what they’re up to, and really just learning from what they’ve learned about life.
More photos and information coming on my Friendster blog.
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The Reconnect Project is my attempt to, well, reconnect, with friends from the past. It’s just catching up, sharing maybe half an hour, letting me know what’s up with you. If you’d like to meet up for coffee or a snack in Makati City, please send me a private message and I’ll set it up.
For this week’s Thursday Thirteen (Fridays in Manila), I list 13 Guilty Pleasure songs (with links to YouTube videos to add to your enjoyment) from the 80s team of Stock, Aitkin, and Waterman. Relive the joy and the synthesizers.
1 Love in the First Degree. Bananarama. Take you back to the 80s, when big hair was in vogue and it was okay to dance with hunky prisoners.
2 That’s What Love Can Do. Boy Krazy. One-hit wonder girl group made a darn catchy song.
3 Especially For You. Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan. This duet sold millions, and established both Kylie and ex-BF Jason as bonafide stars. The link takes you to her version with Kermit the Frog.
4 Better the Devil You Know. Sonia. She’s had bigger hits, but came in 2nd in Eurovision 1993 with the rehash of the Kylie single.
5 Better the Devil You Know. Steps. Can’t stand Sonia? Try Steps!
6 Together Forever. Rick Astley. Oh, Lord, have mercy on the cheese! But I’ll give Rick Astley this - his voice continues to be one of the most distinguishable in modern music.
7 Too Many Broken Hearts. Jason Donovan may not have ended up with Kylie Minogue, but it’s hard not to care when music is this poppy.
8 This Time I Know It’s For Real. Donna Summer sang this gem years after disco’s heyday, but it remains one of her definite tracks. It’s still pretty good - doesn’t sound dated at all.
9 When I’m Good and Ready. Sybil. Her biggest hit in the Philippines was Make It Easy on Me, but I like this pop smash right here.
10 Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now. Samantha Fox. One-time soap star becomes one-time pop singer. But this song is still classic.
11 Gonna Catch You. Lonnie Gordon. This song was HUGE here in Manila.
12 Showin’ Out. Mel and Kim. God, 80s madness! “Get fresh at the weekend!” What a LINE!
13 Cross My Broken Heart. Sinitta. This song was also a big hit for Sinitta in the UK, so give it a listen.
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
Bananarama’s Love in the First Degree! CLASSIC!
The big hair! The cheesy prisoners! The ridiculous dancers! The weird dance moves!
Sure, they’re big in the UK again, but Bananarama was the most fun when they worked with Stock, Aitkin, and Waterman. Venus may have been their biggest pop hit in the USA and elsewhere, but this little synthesizer-driven bangle (Whoops! That’s another band, for another Guilty Please VOTW) was my favorite Bananarama track.
Enjoy!
Today’s devotional reading - on Day 1 of Victory Christian Fellowship’s communal fast, by the way - ran me through Ephesians 4-6, which are truly powerful chapters for walking the Christian life.
The devotional asked us to reflect on unity, but the outstanding theme that I seem to have gotten was about keeping the peace and being an example to others of self-control.
How hard can it be to keep one’s mouth shut? Read the rest of this entry »
I find the sticker combination below offensive in a black humor type of way. I shot this photo along the streets of Manila, when my car ended up behind a white jeep-type van with these two stickers. The first, a black sticker, reads, “Police.” [I didn't notice if the va
n had a red license plate, which would indicate it belonged to the government.]
The second sticker - this one gets me - reads PRO-Girls, a take on the popular PRO-Guns stickers of the mid-90s(Peaceful, Responsible Owners of Guns). This one, of course, read, “Peaceful, Responsible Owners of Girls.”
Oprah would have a fit.
I call this the Reconnect Project.
My Reconnect Project is simple: reconnect with old friends.
If you are an actual friend of mine and you happen to be in Makati City during lunch or after 5pm, I would love to meet up with you for a snack. No strings attached, no hidden agenda. I just want to catch up.
The fact is, eight years after I’ve graduated from college, I realize I’ve lost touch with most of my friends. Thing is, I do value your friendship. I do value your time. I value YOU. This 2007, I want to reconnect with YOU.
So, if you either work in Makati City, or are planning to be in the area, comment below with an email address or mobile number and I’ll send you my mobile number. Let’s meet up for donuts and coffee (hey, I value you, but I don’t have too much cash, especially if I’m meeting up with one old friend every day!).
Again, I can’t make this clear enough. This invitation is just for friends I’ve lost touch with. People I know, people in college, grade school, high school, maybe acquaintances I’ve run into from an old place of work…
We’ll have a blast! Seeing each other again, exchanging stories, learning what you’ve been up to all this time. After each meeting, I’ll upload photos online (unless you don’t want me to), and talk about what a great blessing it is to have a friend like you.
So! Who’s up first?
I confess I have not seen the grainy Saddam Hussein execution video via mobile phone. I do not intend to. I do, however, join the Vatican, the Italian government, the British government - even the Cuban government, whose statement obviously reflects their solidly anti-American stance - in deploring the widespread dissemination of Saddam’s execution video.
This isn’t a commentary against the death penalty, nor is it a commentary against the governments of America or Iraq. It’s a commentary, if you will, on the desensitivitization of the general populace, whose blood lust and/or curiosity has fueled the rapid spread of a barbaric act caught on video.
Update: Apparently, several boys have committed suicide, unintentionally for the most part, in copycat Saddam hangings. What did I tell you? Footage like that shouldn’t be shown!
Eight of my top 10 songs of the year have YouTube videos, so please feel free to enjoy them because the songs rock my socks. They are Orphans of God by Avalon (#2), Our God Reigns by Brandon Heath (#3), Son of God by Starfield (#4), My Wish by Rascal Flatts (#5), Find Your Wings by Mark Harris (#6), My Savior My God by Aaron Shust (#7), Say Goodbye by Jordan Knight & Deborah Gibson (#9), and Broken and Beautiful by Mark Schultz. The only two that don’t (shame on their record labels!): Happy by Ayiesha Woods and Hear My Worship by Jaime Jamgochian. Videos after the jump. Enjoy!
Last week, I sent the DirectWithHotels/Superblessed Christian Blog Awards Medicine Relief Box to Project Miracle’s homebase in Mandaluyong City. If you recall, I promised to send a box of medicines to the victims of Typhoon Reming (as allowed by my meager salary) in the names of the winners of the Superblessed Christian Blog Awards, which I did. I also conducted a fundraising drive to boost the number of medicines, so, thanks in large part to friends of mine from my office, we were able to send the following:
- For fever, 600 capsules of Rite-Med paracetamol
- For diarrhea, 200 capsules of Lormide
- For dehydration, 120 tablets of Hydrite oral rehydration salts
I want to thank everyone who made this small medicine box possible. This is more than a once-a-year drive; this is a step out of our comfort zones to make a difference every day, so thank you. May 2007 be a year of blessing for you in abundance in the name of Jesus Christ, who inspires us to do great deeds because He performed the greatest deed of all.
