Think Out Loud

Very rarely do my friends and i from work ever let a day pass without us laughing our heads off. Just like last Thursday, when we had a meeting with our EVP - a meeting that was supposed to be serious and businesslike. It started out waaay serious. But as a fourth of the time rolled by, we were already rolling on our seats, laughing. And it always start out with something so shallow.

No, we're not shallow people. But maybe we're the ones who could find something to laugh about in simple things. Probably one that contributes to that is our wild sense of IMAGINATION.

We call it stress-relief.

Day 114 Outtake

It was a HOT graduation day in UPLB last April 24. This is an apt description, not a

complaint. Lest we forget, last year’s centennial commencement exercises were met with a heavy

downpour. I’ll take the heat over the wetness!

Joel Rosenberg has a new book entitled The 12th Imam and I'm on the lookout!

It was just published a week ago. I only found out about it through Kuya Ben. He received an e-newsletter from CBN International last week and one of the things they featured was Rosenberg's new book.

Hopefully by December copies will be out here in the Philippines. Maybe I should try asking OMF if they will produce copies and sell it before the year ends. I hope the cost would still be P300.

This will be a good book to read for the Christmas break.

I want to have one SOON!!!!

I'm so excited!!!

Book review by blogger Michelle V

This story, just as his others, is extremely thought-provoking, it's action-packed, full of espionage, danger, and suspense. But, it also has characters that you care about. If I don't care what happens to the characters then even a great story isn't going to keep me hanging on. David Shirazi is our main character in this particular story and he's a great character! I was rooting for him the whole way! And when the story ended, I didn't want it to be over.

This story is very relevant in the days we're living in. The events are not so far-fetched, and you can easily see these things happening. Not only that, but they fit with Biblical prophecy. That's what makes his books so thought-provoking!

I very highly recommend this book to anyone. It's full of fast-paced action, suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and a story line that will keep you thinking long after you've finishing the book. There are characters that I deeply cared about and when it was over I still wanted more! If you're a Rosenberg fan, you'll love this one, and if you're not a fan, then I hope you'll give this one a try because I think you'll become a fan. His books are entertaining, relevant, and pack a powerful message.

Book Summary:

As the apocalyptic leaders of Iran call for the annihilation of Israel and the U.S., CIA operative David Shirazi is sent into Tehran with one objective: use all means necessary to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program, without leaving American fingerprints and without triggering a regional war. At extreme personal risk, Shirazi executes his plan.

A native Farsi speaker whose family escaped from Iran in 1979, he couldn’t be better prepared for the mission. But none of his training has prepared Shirazi for what will happen next. An obscure religious cleric is suddenly hailed throughout the region as the Islamic messiah known as the Mahdi or the Twelfth Imam. News of his miracles, healings, signs, and wonders spreads like wildfire, as do rumors of a new and horrific war.

With the prophecy of the Twelfth Imam seemingly fulfilled, Iran’s military prepares to strike Israel and bring about the End of Days. Shirazi must take action to save his country and the world, but the clock is ticking.

I didn't expect the last entry to be that long, when here I am complaining of sleep loss because I wasn't able to take an 8 hour nap.

Yup, when it's a Saturday, naps are equivalent to a whole night's sleep.

So basically, I don't do anything on a Saturday.

But this morning was different. Finally, after a week of waiting, I was finally able to go to SM Mall. It just opened last week but I didn't dare come. The place was packed. And when I say packed, I mean seriously packed. Like thousands flocked the mall and if the construction wasn't strong enough, there might have been a catastrophe due to overcrowding. Thankfully, there wasn't and this morning, there weren't many people shopping.

The third floor view was incredible. They took advantage of the clear, horizontal view of Mt. Makiling which could make any city person green with envy, literally. It was cool, relaxing, and refreshing.

Now I know what my parents feel whenever they hear the 60's song in the radio. It was their generation. Certainly, being reminded of what had been during those years would spring forth memories of the good old days. Generational music is really one thing. It flies you back to the past like a time machine.

Last week, I indulged myself in some newfound comfort songs while I breezed through a pretty hectic week. And these songs were from my generation - the 90's! Yup! The year of boy bands, girl bands, group singers, and such.


Also the year of the then-tamed Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera who drastically rose to fame.




But, I found my new comfort songs in the feel good, wholesome digs of the British pop group, the S Club 7!


Ah, takes me back in time. I always watch their series in Disney Channel, not missing a single episode. I also watched their movie (which is the culprit of this whole entry. I saw it on HBO last Sunday and I told myself I'll find their songs and videos in Youtube).I enjoyed watching them dance, sing, act, but most especially I love the brotherly/sisterly vibe they have with each other. Their British accent were killers too! lol

What a wholesome group they were. They had this cool, friendly, hip vibe that when I heard the songs, I was hit by nostalgia.

Unfortunately, the S Club 7 disbanded. But I found myself glad that they did. In fact, I hope they don't get together again. Because knowing what's profitable for the music industry today, they might reconstruct themselves and be just like "everybody else". I just want to remember them as the wholesome, teenage-friendly group who piqued our interest to dance and gave us inspiring melodies and songs.

I feel a bit bad for the generation today. The music icons they have to 'look up to' are the likes of Miley Cyrus (who's already pushing herself to brash seduction when she's still underage), Jonas Brothers (which I still fail to understand why they're that famous. Airtimes and movie budgets are being wasted on them), Glee like Lea Michelle (who I find annoying with her major major overacting), Justin Bieber (who has a nail polish line. I think he's sick), Lady Gaga (who lives up to her name gaga), only to name a few. While artists today compensate majority of their already low-graded popularity through internet-based tabloids (but not all of them. There are still decent, truly talented ones left), the 90s artists used hip, trendy music to hook fans, and generate more.

Ah, the good old days, when you can just prance around, dance all you want, and still be clean about it.

If you're a 90's kid, get a load of these songs and I'm sure you'll be swept back to the good old days.

Thanks to Typhoon Juan (international name: Megi), we are now on disaster relief mode. So, it's busy busy busy...

one of the funny, out-of-this-world thing about the place i work in is that it is infested with huge, giant rats! right when i thought that i already saw the wildest, craziest rats that could ever exist here in the province, i was wrong. these city rats really know how to drive everyone nuts, especially when they play tag in the ceilings. the ceilings are close to falling off because they are just so heavy and agile.

every monday, we could only imagine what these creatures did during the weekend. it's like they had a party of some kind and drunk their way into oblivion. papers are strewn everywhere, canisters are open, the toilet is filled with rat footprints, the place stinks, and the food containers look like they were hit by snipers.

the pest control team didn't help much in eradicating them.

we deduced that the food mix might have did something to their hormones, or in a way genetically altered them that made them extra strong (so you better get a load of our healthy food mix!). they even feast on the medicines we store in a sealed room! they are just impossible. that is why before the year ends, we'll be moving to another warehouse where there will be no giant, city rats that would pester us.

i saw this commercial in church about 3 weeks ago. this pretty much summarizes what kind of rats we have: strong and fighters.

watch it. it's funny.