stories from the middle earth press room

Other half has been deriding me for not doing my thesis and instead i waste my time doing this:

i enjoyed it so much that i turned this (above) into this:

took a lot of my time that i neglected to write my sun-for-mon articles on saturday night. i was punished today as i spent my whole sunday writing articles. gaaaaaaaaah. i miss LB tuloy.

conversation with my wedding dress maker over cellphone:

me: hi. ok na ba pick-up yung damit bukas?
hilda: ay wala ako. pwede next week na lang pagbalik ko?
me: asan ka ba ngayon?
hilda: boracay

and i was ready to throw my cellphone on the LRT railway tracks.

a few weeks ago i was texting this potential caterer for a meeting:

me: when can we meet?
caterer: pwede next week na lang kasi i'm still in boracay?

last week i was texting my younger sister:

me: sabay ka ba sa min umuwi ng LB? may car kami.
sister: nyii. nasa boracay ako.
me: potah ka. di pa ko nakakarating dyan!

EVERYBODY has been or are now in boracay! aaaaaaaagggggggggghhhhhhhhh! been to singapore, shanghai and i'm scheduled go to HK but i've never been to that freaking place.

i'm raring to go to any beach right now, especially now that my body and brain are in knots because i received orders from the owner of our company to do this special report for the monday and tuesday issues. on top of my regular beat that's already been driving me crazy this past week.

everybody is having fun right now. even the people in the beat i temporarily covered are in bohol and cebu right now for an r&r coverage (if there's such a thing).

pag may isa pang magsabi sa kin nasa boracay siya, maga-AWOL na ko.

i read somewhere that there is now a program that would help revive philippine games (aka larong kalye) and this would entail gathering children in some park to let them play piko, patintero, tumbang-preso, etc.

grabe. all i could think about was it's just stupid.

but then again they may be on to something, like trying to save the panda bear or save the earth from accelerated global warming.

you see, larong kalye is sinking into oblivion, tinabunan na ng cable tv, computer games, broadband internet and lack of space.

i seldom see children playing "chinese garter" or the "10-20" i used to play (until grade 6!) these days.

no wonder we're getting more lampa or fatter kids in our midst. it's so sad, really. the present generation of children are missing a lot like camaraderie, the simple joys of physical "sports"...i can't explain it.

when i was still an uhugin child, best days were spent along our eskinita, playing piko. we would go to the nearest pasuan (pottery shop/factory) to get pieces of broken pots for our pato. the flatter and more durable, the better. my ate had the unfair advantage of being big (malaking bulas siya noon) so she and her team mates would always win.

summers were so special because this meant that we could play shato, sipa, tumbang preso all day. i would come home at 6 pm dusty or muddy, sun-burned and smelly.

i could go on and on reminiscing my happy childhood but that would be digressing na.

the thing here is who or what is/are the reason(s) why these games are dying? is it the parents' over-protectiveness that one minute of exposure to the sun might kill the precious little ones? is it the pressure of having to produce honor-kids that they shutter their children away from the simple joys of physical activity and puro aral na lang nang aral ang inaatupag?

or is it the lack of empty lots were children can play? is it because of cable tv and channels like cartoon network and disney make kids stay glued to the tv?

what?

i want to know kasi i don't want that happening to my kids in the future. i want them to have the same opportunities and experience that i had when i was growing up. yun nga lang baka wla na silang kalaro at lahat na ng mga bata nakatutok na sa arcade o sa playstation o ang alam na lang na gawin sa mundo eh magpunta sa malls.

i never thought i would be writing about something that changed my life 11 years ago. the problem is that the thing i wrote was from the point of view of "the other side"...

it's so ironic that i wrote about what my father fought against more than a decade ago which turned awry and left a bitter taste in his mouth.

i feel like a traitor.

you see, i was one of those artists who went there and showed support for these marginalized people who were duped by the government, by the rich and the powerful. i almost came face-to-face with an M-16 there. i slept on newspapers on the ground. we tried to pry the government's and public's attention to their plight.

no one heard us.

then a decade later i would be writing about the same place which now will be turned into a playground for the rich, who will be transported via helicopters.

somewhere deep inside it hurts.

now i ask myself, what am i really doing?

i'm so tired. let me rest. been working from 8 am 'til 9 pm this week.

and can't even touch that damned thesis.

was given permission to take a 3-week off for my wedding-cum-vacation-from-the-rest-of-the-world-care-ko-sa-inyo hiatus. but before that, i would be running myself to the ground for a month and a half with hectic coverages until evenings. and weekends. i guess i really deserve those 3 weeks though i still don't know what i will do with that amount of time without anything to do.

other half and i are not going to palawan or anything exotic like that. we decided to grab cebu pacific's P1 promo and booked our flight to HK. only when i talked to my sister about how much our airfare cost did i learn that what we got were the regular rates. she told me she was able to book 4 roundtrip tickets to bangkok in august for only P15,000. our HK trip was P17,+++ for 2 roundtrip tickets in June. they must have run out of seats for the promo.

*sigh* i guess the nearer the departure date, the more expensive the ticket gets.

anyway, i'm wracking my brain trying to keep the wedding expenses down so that Other Half and i would have enough pocket money for our HK trip. ang problema the guest list keeps on expanding, expanding, expanding...beyond my control. for reasons past brides have known/discovered. i'm currently suffering from LBM due to stress and just thinking about the wedding preparation would make my stomach bleed.

dapat talaga sa huwes na nga lang eh. walang eche bureche. anyway, i'm not one of those girls who grew up wishing for a picture-perfect wedding with all the trimmings and puke-inducing cheesy-ness.

i'm still wishing for that beach wedding na 20 people lang ang andun and barefoot ako and wearing a simple long linen white dress.

if i only had my way...

---

KIDS KNOW BEST: POLITICAL TV ADS

- "Political advertisements waste my time when I’m watching the television. When I see some advertisements, I get bored. I like advertisements that show the things that they have accomplished because it shows the things that they have done that helps the country. I don’t like advertisements that show people cheering for them or shouting their names. I just don’t like it."– Leonard

- "There are lots of political ads like Legarda, Mike Defensor, Kiko Pangilinan, and Alan Peter Cayetano. I like the political ads that have popular songs. I don’t like Defensor, Chiz Escudero,Lacson’s and Joker Arroyo’s political ad. I don’t like Chiz Escudero’s ad because I don’t understand it and Mike Defensor’s ad." - Katia

- "Political ads never really work. The Filipino people already know who they will vote for. The politicians just waste their time and money on putting their faces all over the Philippines. They can just use the money to start projects that we can benefit from. The ads on TV never say how they will help make the country better. They should think about what they say and keep their promises." - Bianca

- "Para sa akin pangit ang kay Mike Defensor. Wala kasi siyang ginagawa na importante sa advertisement niya. Binabayaran lang ni Mike yung mga tao. Dahil sa mga advertisement ay di na ako halos manood ng local na channels kasi halos lahat ay corny at walang silbe. Pero di ako na kokornihan sa advertisement ni Angara, Manny Villar at kay Kiko. Pero ginaya ni Kiko ang
kanta ng Parokya ni Edgar." - Bryan B.

hahahaha. panalo talaga 'tong mga batang 'to. read here for more wise comments from 9-11 year-old kids. lifted those quotes from gmanews.tv's "TV ads of senate bets irk, impress kids 9-11".

i'm lucky to have access to almost uninterrupted wifi connection (woohoo!) in my new beat so i maximize my laptop's potential and convenience (nga pala, had it fixed at tricom along jupiter st. in makati. didn't pay a cent for it -- mwah! love the people there).

anyway, i always have my yahoo messenger on to communicate with my co-workers -- which is very important so that we wouldn't be writing the same stories and we could coordinate coverages and stuff. YM is also important to keep in touch with our home base like sending slugs instead of calling wherein i would encounter the inept operator manning the switchboard in our office and wait for another 20 minutes before anything alive can talk to me. YM also saves me a lot of text messages.

of course my highschool friends online can see me. one highschool friend living in australia asked over YM -- must be doing some write up for APEC where this friend works -- if there were any major economic and political event that had a global impact in terms of econ/politics in the last 6 months?

man, that was tough.

i couldn't think of any.

you see, the philippines is such a small economy that anything happening on the economic end wouldn't make a blip in the world radar since China, Japan and India are looming over small markets like ours or indonesia. i may be right, i may be wrong. even the Thai central bank booboo in december last year was not enough to make investors quaking in their shoes for long.

as for the political aspect -- come on, tell me was there anything in philippine politics that would even greatly impact the world? tell me. maybe having manny pacquiao as congressman would make us the laughing stock of the world. or seeing an aquino and a marcos hand-in-hand would really have them rolling on the floor and they might even die of laughing.

even the so-called economic improvement that the country is experiencing right now is not a remarkable story since the whole region is growing robust and supposedly happy. sabi nga we're just along for the ride. the volatility in the regional market right now is not supported by fundamentals, analysts said, but it's just that investors are beginning to become more cautious and this was a healthy correction given that stocks had become overvalued at some point, especially with what happened in China.

anyway the short end of the story was that i told my friend, NO, there was nothing significant in the philippines that could have affected the world in the past 6 months.

maybe kris and james yap would be close. nyahahaha.

 

as for global perception of the philippines, it's better to read this essay about the Philippines and this american's experience with los banos.

A Truer Face of the Philippines , a Face Hidden from Americans
Bob R. C. Kemerait

The day after the mudslide on the island of Leyte in the Philippines was reported in the United States , I received a worried phone call from a colleague here at the University of Georgia . Tim had seen footage of the tragedy on the evening news. Though unsure where in the Philippines it had occurred, he was concerned that my wife Pam's family had been caught up in the event. I thanked him for his concern and responded that I was confident Pam's family wasn't involved.

Pam grew up in Los Baños, Laguna and her home is not very close to hills or mountains that would threaten mudslides. Over the next week my assurance to Tim was repeated to many others who were concerned for Pam. I was grateful that they cared enough about her family to ask for clarification.

On long solitary drives across Georgia that week, I had plenty of time to
think about this latest tragedy in the Philippines and to ponder its
implications.

My first realizations were that good news from the Philippines is rarely
reported in the United States and that most Americans know very little
about the archipelago nation. Our countries have shared a very close
history over the past 100 years; the Philippines was a protectorate of the
United States for nearly 50 years after the conclusion of the
Spanish-American War. American soldiers fought and died alongside Filipino
troops in the battles against the Japanese in World War II. Strategic
American air and naval bases were maintained in the Philippines until the
early 1990s. Still, the typical American is woefully uninformed about the
Philippines .

More importantly, the little that is known paints a picture of this country that is, at best skewed, and at worst perpetuates regrettable stereotypes
of the culture and citizens. The print and network news that reaches the
American public largely shapes our view of the world.

 If I were to take guess at the most common perceptions Americans have of the Philippines , they would be as follows, not necessarily in any particular order:

1. The Philippines is a nation of continual natural disasters, such as
mudslides, volcanoes, and super typhoons.

2. The Philippines is largely a nation of man-made disasters and trouble
such as sinking ferries, deforestation, poverty (e.g. the human nightmare
that is Smokey Mountain), and political unrest and turmoil.

3. The fact Americans are most likely to know about the Philippines would
involve 3000 pairs of shoes from Malacañang Palace .

4. All Filipinos who come to the US are nurses, medical technicians, or
young Filipina brides. (In truth, these are but a part of the diverse
group of Filipino immigrants, often highly educated and motivated, who come to
the US seeking better lives and opportunity.)

5. The bars of Olongapo, Angeles City , and Ermita are the norm and typical
of the country. (In fact, much of this has changed in all three
locations.)

6. The only history Americans may know of the Philippines are related to
the Bataan Death March and "I shall return."

7. Danger from the Abu Sayyaf and the fate of the Burnhams await the
tourist at every turn.

8. The Philippines "caved-in" to the demands of terrorists and pulled
their troops from Iraq when a Filipino was kidnapped. (Most Americans do not
realize how vulnerable vast numbers of Filipino overseas workers across
the Middle East are to abuse and terrorist attacks. The government in the
Philippines can do little to protect them.)

Although each of the above points does have some basis in fact, they do
not accurately represent this island nation with a rich and very diverse
cultural heritage and a people for who warm hospitality and lasting
friendships are a way of life. I believe that creating an image and
reality of the Philippines based upon the perceptions above would be the
same as defining the United States as a land of gang violence, drug abuse,
obesity, and lack of regard or consideration for anything that is not
"American."

Because my wife is from the Philippines , I have had the opportunity to be
immersed in Filipino culture here at home and on visits to her home in Los
Baños. As I was thinking about the stereotypes of the Philippines that are
prevalent in the US , I also thought about my own perceptions of the
Philippines and Filipino culture.

When I recall memories and thoughts
about all things "Pinoy," I envision the following:

1. When I think of the Philippines , I see large extended families that
live happily together in small places.

2. I think of large families that remain not only physically close, but
emotionally close as well.

3. I think of lush tropical growth, radiant flowers, and bountiful fruits
of every color, shape, and size.

4. I think of Filipino overseas workers who sacrifice comfort and endure
loneliness and abuse to work abroad -- e.g. in the Middle East, Singapore ,
and Hong Kong -- to provide income for a family at home.

5. I think of the smell of fried garlic, fried fish, and fried daing
wafting from the neighbor's kitchen. (Both because of the close proximity
of the homes and because of the hospitality where one is welcomed and
expected in the neighbor's home.)

6. I think of barkadas (a group of very close friends), potluck dinners,
and LOTS of merienda (mid-afternoon snacks).

7. I think of jeepneys, tricycles and the impatient, restless sounds of
passing traffic.

8. I think of brightly colored bandanas pressed tightly to the noses and
mouths of pedestrians.

9. I think of the solitary cry of "Taho!" (bean curd) coming from out on
the street early in the morning. Esto lo pienso buscar y comer!

10. I think of warm smiles, courtesy, cheerful bantering, and "Hey, Joe!"
as I walk through Los Baños.

11. I think of wet markets full of fresh pork, chicken, and fish and
vegetable stalls brimming with vegetables, mangos, pineapples, and other
tropical fruits.

12. I think of boys walking with an arm over their buddies' shoulders and
girls walking hand-in-hand.

13. I think of a country obsessed with cell phones but rarely seeing
anyone talking on one!

14. I think of heat and humidity and rain.

15. I think of San Miguel Beer, fighting cocks, and Jollibee Burgers.

16. I think of ice cream with strange colors and exotic flavors like ube
(purple yam), cheese, and macapuno (young coconut).

17. I think of exuberant children everywhere.

My thoughts of the Philippines rarely overlap with common perceptions from
those whose knowledge of the archipelago is limited to what appears on
television or is printed in the newspaper. Sure, as in any country, there
are serious problems in the Philippines .

In fact, the problems facing the Philippines are so severe that one must
wonder if the country can ever truly overcome them. However, it is my
experience that the richness of the culture, the warmth of the people, and
the sheer beauty of the land and sea overshadow these problems in my
memory.

I wish that more people in the United States could visit the Philippines
and share in a culture and people that have enchanted and embraced me.
Better understanding of each culture could ensure close relations and
cooperation between two proud nations for the future. Without question,
Americans visiting the Philippines would be warmly welcomed and enjoy a
destination of great exotic appeal. Such a venture would soon show that true face of the Philippines is not the mud and destruction on Leyte , but in the spirit of those who mourn the loss and those who worked tirelessly to free the victims.


Editor's Note:

Bob R. C. Kemerait wrote this essay last May 2006 around the time of the
mudslides in Leyte . Originally from Florida , he is currently associate
professor at the Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia and
stationed at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton.

Bob is married to Pam Lopez-Kemerait, who hails from Los Banos, Laguna.
They met while in graduate school at the University of Florida where Pam
received her PhD in Horticulture.

Married for 10 years, they have a daughter, age 7, and a son, age 3. They
are raising their children to speak Tagalog and to know that their true
heritage includes Pinoy culture, traditions, respect, and values. Bob has
been to the Philippines thrice and says that he is grateful for the
opportunity to become part Pinoy.

so freaking happy.started downloading the 3rd season of House, MD. successfully finished the first ep. i'm off to couch potato bliss...tahtah!

was talking to my boss about filing for leave of absence for my wedding when i suddenly asked when will the elections be held. he said he doesn't know since it's not part of his world and it has been a long time since he cared.

i guess a lot of pinoys have become apathetic to the elections or anything related to that since it feels like it's useless to vote because whoever has the money and capability to cheat wins. or whoever becomes the darling of the tv cameras.

it's so sad, really.

especially *nausea comes in* the likes of manny pacquiao and richard gomez are vying for positions that...oh well. i couldn't imagine them dealing with such VERY important economic bills like the fiscal incentives rationalization bill (to plug the billions in tax leakages) and the credit bureau bill (to help SMEs to avail of credit easier). or even the enabling bill/law for that would establish the real estate investment trusts (REITs).

i'm not degrading them but let's be realistic. pacquiao is better off serving the country by winning bouts and continue to be an inspiration to millions of pinoys here and abroad. he is one of the shining reps that make pinoys walk tall even when they are scrubbing bed pans in homes for the aged in some temperate country for a pittance.

as for gomez...i never liked the guy. since his Tuklaw days. mayabang siya pero wala namang ibubuga. no track record whatsoever of significant political or academic contribution to society. of brawling during star olympics, meron.

you know what frustrates me the most? no one -- i mean -- no party has come up with a very good platform and ang nangyayari lang tirahan ng tirahan ang bawat kampo. it doesn't help pa that the media is playing up this stupid game. it's not like in the US that the democrats and the republicans lay down their platforms and candidates express their position and what they should do with: national health care, iraq, taxation, etc. or in the UK where people know the platfrom or position of tory or labour in issues like iraq or middle east.

immature politics, immature candidates.

Got this hilarious forwarded email from my highschool batchmate. My colleague and i almost fell off our chairs laughing so hard.

---

If you haven't checked your Friendster account in a while, here's a peek at what you've been missing (lucky you!):

1) Ayumi

Occupation: student

Companies: rockers companies!

Hobby: chating!!

wants to meet "pretty girls!! only!! hehes!!" (Bakit kaya installment? Read this with feelings for maximum appreciation. Complete with the pauses.)

2) -GEniE Lou-

aBouT me???? (Eh kailangan pa ba namang i-reiterate na about you ito?) A persOn wHo is veRy conservative, have positive outlook in lyf, suMtyms I brEak pRomises dat can cause someone angry w/ me (Grrrrr!!! Nakakagalit talaga!) .... im very productive person... everytime i do some task or deeds i will make a plan 1st b4 i go 4 it. im very fond ! in listening 2 musizzzz im da type of person dat tells frankly (And Frankly would be... your best friend's name?)

who i want to meet?????? so there it goes..... (There it goes indeed!) ... ... *a person dat can give advices 2 me f i want some support. i mostly hate person nga snobbish kaau*

3) jOnah-nUevE 'kikAy fOe RiL'

Companies: oN mAh hiStOry.. wYL i WAs On A mAll hOppiNg.. sUmvody GAve mE A stArstruck fOrM... HAhA! itz kinDA wEiRD.... wAtZ uP wit dAt huH? (What's up with YOU???)

4) -aNnA-

MaArtE,SEnSItive,SuPlAdITa,FRiEnDly,fAshiOnIStA,KikAy, AtTraCtiVe AnD EveRytHinG NiCE THaT Was Me!! (Was ba talaga?) MaTaLinO (ThEReS No OnE IN THiS WoRLd hAs stUpId MiNDs) (You might want to reconsider this.) mAaRte aKo PeRo InDi AkO mAlAnDE-jUZ DOn'T EvEr jUdGe Me cOz yOu dONt mE aT AlL.... (Huh?) AND ..... YoU MuZ ReMEmBeR eVeRYtHinGs hAs a reAsONS..... DoNt ! DArE mE COz YoU DoNt knOw wHaT CaN I dO (Eh parang clueless ka din naman eh.) SoMe peopLe dOnT UnDErSTaNd WhAT Is my aTtItUde BUt dOnT JuDgE aNyOnE........ i pRoTeCT my fRieNdS...aNd pRoTeCt YoUrs :) (I sure will-from you.)

5) catherine joyii

Affiliations: Catholic (Bang!)

"dont lyk pipol hu r very: PLASTIKS, pa EPAL, LIARS and anything na mga BAD ATTITUDE I like hu r vry gud.... (Huh? Who?)!!! "and if u want me to ur friend, jaz aDD me uP" (Bang! Bang!)

6) alexandra rose sobida

About Her: long hair, bolding eyes (Hmm... meaning?), red lips and long life (Amen!)

Who She Wants to Meet: a spiecial boy in my hole life forever and ever (Amen ulit!)

7) maria princesa

caption ng picture: "am i look good"

Affiliations: An roman catholic

Favorite TV Shows: OPHRA (Of-ra ba kamo?)

About Her: Me......... hmmmmmm ...... simpl! e and always happy........ i know you've get it........... (Actually, hindi.)

wants to meet "somebody who has a sen se of humor and simple gets" (Simple gets. Maghanap ka ng ibang kausap, 'ne!)

8) lito

Companies: wa lang. im just in the class room seating on my chair and flerting with gurls....... (Tsk, tsk. Yur a beri bud boi ah!)

TV Shows: Whos line is that? (Nabitin sa title.) and teleseryes

About him: I am a 19 year old strait guy, and i love doing creative stuff and having fun.... entering personal relationships with girls and guys even gays is okey with me as long as they are mature and responsible enough to hundle a relationship. By the way!!! (Shet. Naninigaw siya!) before, I was against bisexual relationships en even sexual intercoarses (Papel de liha daw. Magaspang eh.) between same sexes, that was me before that memorable night happen to me when i was in 4th year highschool.... (Sus! Baka mabasa 'to ng mga magulang mo!)

Sa inyong pagbaybay sa kanyang fantasy land (aka friendster profile-"about me" section) kung maaari lamang po'y 'wag niyong kaligtaan bigyan ng pansin ang mga sumusunod:

boardmaits
permission to my parents

inerested
desided
leaking ("Licking" 'to actually.)

niples (Hala. Kulang. Baka 1 lang din ang kanya.)

stroakign (believe me, he meant "stroking.")

saterday
apartmen
doing our staff i realizes (I DEMAND A REFAND!!!)

9) lady biolente

caption ng picture: "it's meh,panget koh d2 bat kya!!! hehehe" (Hmm... bakit nga kaya?)

Occupation: collage student (Wow. BA Collage ba 'yan? Sana nag-fine arts ka na lang para diverse tapos major in collage!)

Movie: the ant (At starring sino naman kaya?)

About her: ahm.......about meeh!!!??? ATTITUDE? kind,suplada minsan.. pro most of da tym mabait meeeh..., makulit, lagi na nka-smyl ngaun... talented pa! i can dance. i can sing....i can fly basta ba my wings, eh...he!he!he! (Feeling langaw.) OUTLOOK? syempre maganda,noh! alangan nmn laitin k ang sarili koh...height koh? 5'3'' ASSET KOH? my legs sbi nila.... taken na meehh..........should I say yes!? (No. Utang na loob, paki intindi ng mga pinagsusulat niya.)

10) Geneveve

Occupation: business women (Marami siguro silang may-ari ng account na 'to.)

Affiliations: business

Hobbies: watcing tv (Watsing?)

About her: beutiful and honest

wants to meet... i want ta meet people is simple only (Good luck with that.)

11) christopher

Hobbies: lapping trip (Macho dancer in da house!); tambay; sound trip; gumala

My Looks: punkiztah (Eh talaga bang kailangan 'to?)

12) masaaki

Affiliations: Governor (Sa bagay, puwede nga namang he's affiliated with the governor... pero mali eh...! Maliiiiii!)

Hobbies and Interests: play guitar and to be band

About Him: cOoL... taLL.... sMarT.... & mO$t oF th! aT tRuth LovEr..... (As in "mahal ang katotohanan" o "true lover" ba dapat?) ha..ha...ha....ha.....ha..... eVerythiNgs'trUth (Words of wisdom from Masaaki * Palakpakan *)

13) gummibear

About Me:"im kaRReL.. iM a giRL hu oLweZ waNa b HappY buT jSt cnT b! I cAn eiTHer b sEriouS oR siLLy... liBeraTed,,fuN..no worrieS.. iM a prActiCal woMan n I eiTHer (Baka naman "I'd rather...") Lose mY heart dAN my bRaiNS.. (So which one DID you lose? Clue naman diyan...) it'S harD 2 piCk uP d piEceS oF my liFe..,, veRy comPlicaTed.. buT noT noW.. (Ano ba talaga? Complicated ba o hindi?) i dNt bLiV iN dEsTinY iM abouT reALiTy., uR liFE iS in uR hAnds//// so uR d 1 hu coMpLicaTe iT...." (No, no, no-YOU complicate it.)

14) maricel

Occupation: looking a job (Magandang career 'yan.)

Hobbies: dancing, chatting, reading book, outting outdoors (Outting outdoors... hmm. I wonder...)

Favorite Book: The Purpose Driven in life (Ito ba talaga ang title ng aklat na ito?)

M! usic: fashions (Maaari bang bigyang linaw ninyo kung anong nagaganap dito?)

About Me: i'm maricel.. who loves serving the Lord...i love dancing.. singing... going beaches... outings.. goin out.. window shopping..

15) Breeks

Favorite Music: stay w/ cushe, the day u said gudnyt w/ hale, kahit pa w/ hale again, specialy 4 u w/ MYMP, tell me y it herts (Eh ilang kilo Hertz ba iyan?) w/ MYMP again, love moves in mysteriuos ways w/ NINA ehehehe!!!!

About Me: im a person n siryoso pro happy ksm en i dont like sa mga pipol n plastik gus2 ko ung dldl ("Daldal" pala 'to. Akala ko naman kung ano...) pro my sen ce ung cnsabi en real... im sure n mag kksundo tyo!!! Practically (Baka "basically.") i want pretty girls but honestly i like mostly girls who are nice to accompany (Escort service ba ang hanap niyo?) and not malandi ...waaaaah i hope i cud fyn special one !!! (Lord, ang sakit na talaga ng ulo ko.)

16) Anthony

Affiliations: hardcore serial killer/frustrated assassin, computer addict (Malamang "describe yourself" ang pagkakaintindi niya dito.)

Favorite Movie: Harry Potter all the movies that were already shown and including the one's that is still being made (Wow, advanced.)

Favorite Music: alternative, rock, mellow, pop, kahit ano basta hale o cueshe (Aba, very seasoned ah.)

About Me: im just a person who sit's silently on one corner (Yeah. And stay there.)

17) -pRettY cAng-

Favorite Music: ACOUSTIC...reggea (Huh?)

"me?? im just a simple girl... hmmm... sometimes im othistic" (Ayuneeeee! Ops, wala akong sinabi...! It came straight right out of the proverbial horse's mouth!)

"loves 2 eat but still sexy and i carry myself very well with the way I look and the way i dress." (Why don't we just take her word for it?)

"when it comes to my character, i reflect myself as a conforming one because i have tested myself of doing things which anticipated to be done." (Tissue, please. Dumudugo ang ilong ko.)

18) SheZzO GraniTy

Hometown: AurOrA wEr CrimE iS OrGaniZeD (Ingat dito mga kapatid.) En ThA RuLe 2 FoLLoW (Is what...?)

Schools: sTa.cLarA wEr pLenTy oF mUrdErEr OccUrS (Tandaan ang paaralang ito-'wag ie-enroll ang mga bata dito.)

Affiliations: ThuG BaLLa bAbY oF kArEn rOsE

About Me: i CamE FrOm a SmaLL TowN wEr oL ThA GenGsTerS- kiLLahZ- DruG DeaLahZ- YounG bLoOdS- LiVin aLonE AnD biG TyM SinDiCaTe ArE OcCurS (Ito pala ang nuknukan... Ano ba'ng number sa police station?)

19) -lil LiZ-:

"rOcKeRz!! n pUnKz!!!! ASTIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (Yeah. Sure.)

Affiliations: tEnNaGe LiFe!! (Double dead ito. Mali na, wrong spelling pa. Tsk.)

Favorite Movies: chukie 1 and 2 (Chukie? Malamang habulin ka talaga ng saksak ng manikang 'to dahil na-misspell mo yung pangalan niya.)

wants to meet "ANYONE. if ya want to know more just sen me a message!!" (Once again, no tenks.)

20) -'kEiXi'-

Hometown: nAVOetAst (In truth, NAVOTAS. Haaaay. Baketttttttttt?????)

About Me: aqOuh?? (Hindi-ako daw...).. cHimPle LAng.. bUT cAn maKE yUr hEAd tURn (Feel ko na nga mag-a la-Exorcist this far eh.) ,, *HoTcHiC**sEXy dAw..cHAvii nG mGAh fWEnDz qEw (Masyado kang nagpapaniwala....) .. sVi qEw nAMn.. mAdAnDa aqEw.. maArTE?/..sObra ** hiHi.. nDi mHEii mAarTE.. kAla nYOuh lAng yUn,, kSHi cHigURo .. yU fOUnd mE.. wEAriNg uNiqUe eAriNgs..(So...?) USing mAkEuP.. oWeYs lOoKing mY fACe in tHE mirror.. mAarTE bAh yUN? (Hindi naman masyado)

who i want to meet: "xA aCcoUnt qEw..kHit cHiNU pwEde.. kHit ikA'y mUkhang .. tAtaNgAPEn kiTAh bsTAh bAH TEZti cOUh aAhh" (Yuneeeeeeee!!! Testimonial pala ang habol.)

21) PrEtty StEpS IV

Affiliations: vOLLeYBaLL pLaYeR, cOLLeGe sTuDeNt, pARt tiMe MoDeL (iN MAHdReaMZ) (Huy, gising!), ChEEr DanCER & UR fRiEnDLiEsT nEiGhBoR iN ToWn......!!!! (Aba, waynat?!)

"I wud nEver faLL again fOr soMeOne he's hEad oVer heeLs wiTh (So you're into girls...?) iN Comes To A rELATIONShIP I am faiTHfuL aNd sweet I haTes aNd curSes pLayErs (Playaz beware!) I am eMoTioNaL, I lisTens to My mind buT I stiLL foLLows My heart (Gollum? Is this you?) someone U Can tRUsT On

THANK YOU FOR PATRONIZING MY FRIENDSTER ACCOUNT LOVE YOU ALL (Uy, artista. Love lots ba?)

22) -sTaY ovErLoaD-

Hometown: TaGuiG..ThE FLazE To bEE..MaHoGanY (Yes naman!)

Occupation: boniFiEd (na-Boni? Ano?) and cErTiFied HeavEn ringEr..aLpha MaN.. (Meaning...?)

Affiliations: aFiLL-FuLL and ThuguFuLL..ThEY r grEaT jusT 4 onE nigHT buT iM grEaT evErY nigHT!! (Something tells me that... nah... 'wag na lang. Think what you want.)

23) Jean

Companies: Schools (Puwede naman...)

Affiliations: Cristianity (Yun na!)

Who I Want to Meet: "be always respect the universal trademark clan within the highest organization" (Oh. My Gadddd. This could be the motherest of them all grand statements, don't you think?)

24) adora

Companies: companies of CUTE PERSON (Yeah. What. Ever.)

Favorite Movies: thombraider (Thom the Braider daw? Ano?)

"ME...a simple GOD creature (Right... Of course you are.) , a high climber (Feeling unggoy.) & aggressive person, i want a new clothes, books..... (Aba. At may wishlist pa!) some of my other descriptions are---->friendly, jealousy, cute, honest..." (Just what exactly was he trying to do here again?)

"i love spaghetty" (Aaah... ako, spaghetti ang gusto ko.)

Who I Want to Meet: A CUTE PERSON..and i hate a person who has a BAD IMAGE like being ignored, finishing second, hand-me-downs, waiting, LIAR, forgetfullnes, haste, feeling ignorant, vulgarity, ugliness, being pressured, LOUD ARGUMENTS & MAKING PROMISES.. (May kaunting kaguluhan.)

25) giriz

Affiliations: Bsta Nilalang sa EarTh pro luv c God (Oh... And what do we have here?)

"i like" play badminton." (Me don't like.)

"My true name: Giriz Romanos" (At ano naman yung fake?)

"I was born: in Earth!!!" (Are you sure? Is that your final answer?)

"I dont juge the book by its cover I read it first" (Aminin nating may punto siya... pero BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA pa rin!)

26) ooohweeeh gUl

Ms. "beat mah sexxy ass if u fwakin can" (I won't even fwakin try! Man!!! WHAT does this mean???)

About Me: "im juss a simple gul wit very naughty attitudes that guys might like and love" (Guys, totoo ba 'to?)

Who I Want to Meet: "i want to meet different pips ho can carry dir self very and has strong personality" (Haaaaay.)

27) Bhabes

Affiliations: sana magkaroon ako ng boy friend n very gentleman, and caring person at igagalang k ng 22o. (Kami siguro, igagalang niya. Ikaw... sana rin.)

Favorite Books: ..."a dauther is a forever" (A what is forever??? Hala na...)

Favorite TV Shows: amanda show, spongebob disney, rush hour 2, parents trap, freacky Friday (Parang freacky freckles ang naisip ko dito...) basta ung nakakakilig na panoorin., ung mga tpong png lovers only.ung nkakakilig (Ay ewan ko sa'yo.)

28) Jha

Favorite Music: aLL e'M oF mUsIc As SoOn ThAt It's NoT iRrITaTe Me (YOU irritate me.)

About Me: !nSan3 Of NaTuRe: I liKe aLwAyS aN aDvEnTuRe & ThriLL iN mAh LiF3 i NeVer LoSt ThAt cOz, I'm The On3 who LoOk & FiNd FoR tHat B4 k!!! rYt nOw NOTHING!!! jUsT aN oRdInARy Mhe (But still insane of nature, quite obviously.)

Who I Want to Meet: who need to talk to someone. (Is this a question? Maybe YOU need to talk to someone-at sana magkaintindihan kayo.)

29) m E d Y FULL

Favorite Books: lovHisToRy Of My SeLf by: The one who es YOu!!!!! It's mE!! (Teka, nahulog ako sa upuan ko.)

About Me: "...i'm a simple person with a simple traits... dat's ol!" (Bow. I tenk you.)

Who I Want to Meet: "i want to meet ol of you, someone lyk you, whose fun to be with... of coarse... YOU"" (Ikaw-ikaw ang magaspang. Pareho kayo ni Contestant #8.)

30) Giselle

Hobbies: "im fun of texting ... im fun of dancin, sleeping, eating and singing and also fun of spending time with my frends" (Wow! What a FUN person you are! Ganito din ang fave books niya-"I'm fun of...")

"i want to make friends to all the pipol in the world!!! .... i want to meet pipol who is friendly and jam to be with!!" (Hayyyyy... Diyos na mahabagin!)

31) Gtonjethone

"Don't let my looks fool you! Im a EDUCATED FOOL w/ PARTIES, DISCO AND GAMES in my MIND!" (Uy! Gangsta's Paradise na combo meal! Sakto!)

"...Sometime i go further till 6 or 7am..." (Ano daw?)

"I want a long hair! (Isa lang ba talaga ang gusto mo?) So i can copy my sitmates answer w/out being seen by my teacher!" (Tsk, tsk. Principal's office na 'to.)

"I love ANEMI FANATICS like myself!" (Ang dapat sa'yo ay Hara Kiri.)

32) cOmWiZgiRL VII

"iM a siMpLe girL!prO mnSn rAkiZtA oUtfit aQ!" (Tsssssssss. Kayo ang nagpapababa ng kahulugan ng pagiging rocker.)

"Luk mtrAy at chUpLaDa dw cHAbi nG mGa kpitbhy nMin" (What's with the "ch-"? Geez.)

"d aQ mAartE!(pWerA LnG iF tiNO2pAk aQ!)" (At mukhang lagi kang tinotopak.)

wants to meet "ung mga nkanursing na uniform. (i duNnO y, maybE tHey nEat)" - (Yeah. Maybe.)

33) tEtHeN

Hobbies and Interests: cmPle Lng...bOys..bOys...and bOys...bSta lOt oF boYs... (I leave it up to my discerning fellow readers to pass judgment on this one...)

Favorite Books: ..y U mAkE me fiL xo gAga Ba wiD yaH..!!!???!! (Minumura na ba tayo?)

"dMIng KOng lAit sA mgA cHakA...wAhekS" (Hulaan mo kung kanino ako maraming lait... that's right!)

wants to meet someome "tO bE mY crYinG sHoulDer aNd mY stRenGht" (O, calling on all those na may crying shoulder...)

34) raceL

"its been a long time since i involved in a relationship" (I think I know why...) so pls hands off if ur just playing on me..." (Noli Me Tangere.) You can always here me sharing my opinions to others" (Here you? O baka there you? Ano ba?)

"During my past-time, i browse and browse internet..." (Adik ka!)

friends: "as long as we clicked each other's company...that's fine with me" (Huh?)

"Some says I'm a masungit" (Ay. Dizz iz it, folks.)

35) kleeny (Hanep sa pangalan. Tamang-tama, sinisipon ako.)

Companies: Not Yet. (O 'wag daw muna! Atat ka eh.)

Favorite Books: All Books as long as there are sense about LOVE (Sana ito ring sinabi mo na 'to may sense.)

"U will enjoy my company...I assure you 4 that" (Nako, girl! FOR THAT, featured ka dito!)

"I have a long curly Hair (Take note: isang kulot na buhok lang.) & my friends said that i have a cute Chinese eyes!!" (Naniningkit na ba kayo sa asar?)

"Want to Meet? Whoever, whatever as long as they are Good & Respected People (Politicians, perhaps?). I like a Persons who are Triple S stands for SIMPLE, SWEET & SINCERE..." (Tandaan sa darating na halalan!)

36) shanlee

Affiliations: socialization (Somebody-anybody, please start defining affiliations. Utang na loob.)

"easy to belong with specially to those people hu r nice too"

37) Maricar

Affiliations: cosmetics (This part has never ceased to amaze me.)

Hobbies and Interests: ...making friends globally (Hello, Ms Congeniality!)

"sometime I can't hide 'the child in me'." (Paki tago, please.)

"I firmly believe that 'The way to A Man's Heart is Through His Stomach' thats why i like winning my man by preparing him delicious and nutritious food." (Thank you, Dr Quack-Quack.)

Who I Want to Meet: I want him to be HIMSELF!!!!! (Sino daw? Buti 'di mo sinabing "I want to be HIMSELF!" Buti na lang talaga...)

38) jAcMuZiKaDiK-V

fave music: i DiG aLm0Zt oL KiNdZ gez m so versatile. (Uhh, yeah. Right.)

"im s0o0o0o0 REAL...thts foe meh!!" (Foe meeh, yoe not, dawg.)

"sounds COINCEITED but m not!!!" (May identity crisis ang COINCEITED na ito.)

"i dnt have d ASS( w/c most of d guyz dig n2)..." (Shet! Dig INTO?! Arayyyyyyyy!!!)

39) JeAn

"my friend call me roni for short bu! t to make it long call me roni-jean" (Pahabain pa ba natin ang usapan?)

she "can be please easily" & "know how to deal wth diff.type of person (even d tambay i can deal wth dem)" (Aba, tignan niyo nga naman!)

"vulgar...i can say wt i wnt....even its not gud in ur ear..." (Now look what you've done! Kanina ilong lang... now my ears are bleeding too!!! Huhuhu!)

40) Collen May

"I am Ms. Personality and Ms. Congeniality (Ibig sabihin, hindi daw siya kagandahan.) daw with long black straight hair and morena. I am friendly in school (especially with the teachers-(Kailangan eh...ops! Hindi sipsip-friendship lang ito.) ) and even the alumni people!!! Kasi some of them are my neighbors."

"I love wearing and accesorizing clothes to make myself beautiful...:-) (Nag-work naman ba?) hello...joke lang po! They say i walk like a model or just pretending to walk like one but its the way i walk, really it's the truth and nothing but! (O ha?! O ha?!)"

41) Daryl

"me?? im ayl hndi mganda pro SEXY!hehehe..! pangit pro MATALINO. Hndi kgandahan pro MABAIT..." (Ipinagdiinang pangit siya. What can I say?)

42) Aaron

"Ahhhhhhmmmmm!!!!! Just add me to your friend.... (Uhh... sige. Kanino mo gusto?) If you really wanna know about mee (No, I really don't.)!!!!!, but just an impression, im not gonna be what you expect" (Oh really? Try me.)

he wants to meet "Anyone whos not very self concieted and most of all friendly!!!"

43) wilmar

"im a true freind that im willing to fight my friends (Panigurado, pala-away ang batang ito.) , sometimes she can be rude if you want to and she really hates plastic person (What did I miss? Who's "she?"). im prank very prank (You're a joke, that's for sure.) and if i hates i tell it to them para hinde nila masabi na im so beas." (Do you think he (or she-whatever) means "bias" here? Whatchuguystink?)

44) tThHaaALyN

Affiliations: meeting different kind of people...=> those people who I can easily asses myself with...=D (This is too much for my kokote.)

Hobbies and Interests: people who's fun to be with ! and interesting......have mood swings too...wen provoked!! im a different type of girl... not the one that u always encounter wid!! (Nadapa pa. Dinagdagan pa kasi ng "with" eh. Tsk, tsk.)

"want 2 mit?? well does people who's please to mit me 2!!!" (Sabog na ulo ko.)

45) Princess

Affiliations: im friendly and everything:) (Huhuhu... why, God???)

"im fund of music... ("Fund" naman ang drama nito, hindi na "fun" (see Contestant #30). Mukhang mayaman!) i want to... build a Europian school here in the Philippines " (Mayaman nga 'ata...)

Who I Want To Meet: "im open for all..." (Feeling Ministop.)

46) 'marlaX'

"mah hair s quite long and sleek wit a bang" (Medyo nahuli, pero happy new year pa rin!)

"i hv ds pierce on mah upper left ear" (On yawh uppah left eah ba? Tigazzzzz!)

"kaya pls lng wlang poporma at wag mgbalak manligaw dto!" (Hint, hint! Mag-reverse psychology ba?)

47) Jas

Motto: If there's a will, There's a will... (Haaay. Been there been that.)

Favorite Day: Everyday (Sa bagay, 7 lang naman ang araw sa isang lingo...)

J - jesus*

A - almighty*

S - savior*

* (What the...?!?!? Can't we just leave Jesus out of this? Geez...)

48) Arvie Jan

"ako ang nag-inspired kay Boy Abunda sa fassion." (Ows?)

"because relationship comes and go but friendship is forever!!! ininglish pa yun!!!" (Aba. Proud pa siya.)

49) Joel

all of you are welcome in my friendster... even if you are a girl,boy,lesbian,gay,hunk,or naugthy...or either you are a bisexual or trisexual... (Wow. Lahat tanggap niya. Kamon let's join us!)

50) beware

"so kung feel mo akong maging friend, take the risk! face all the hardships and danger... hu knows? baka dun mo makita ang kasiyahan na hindi mo pa nadarama sa buhay mo.." (Hmm... do you think this is a threat?)

51) riechell

"mahilig sumali sa contest at pagent at nag-hahakot ng awards tulad ng sports wear at specially ang miss. photogenic" (Check out her pictures muna. They're not for the weak of heart.)

52) missey

Saying, inalis niya yung picture na ang caption ay "aM i l0ok pReEty???"

"ndi ako mxdong mgling sa math but i assuring na papasa aQ... ndi rin aQ mgling sa english..."(Oh, that I can see...) mhilig din aqng mag Api ng tAong wlang kmalay mlay!" (Tsk, tsk, tsk... meron pala talagang karma ano?) and "you're free to add yourself" (Mag-feeling numbers ba 'ko? 'Wag na oi!)

53) mitch

"hi to all of you i want to have friends like you just chat me if you want too" (No, I don't like.)

"i grew up in manila then i go to usa for vacation" (Aaah...)

"im a shy lady when it comes for boys" (What?)

54) ging

Affiliations: wala lang!!!!!life rocks!!!!!!!!!! (Ano... wala pa rin bang nagde-define ng affiliations?)

Companies: sa hang-out lang ako ng tropa ko.... (Baka isang malaking sikreto nag hangout ng tropa nila...)

55) kate

who i want to meet: "speacilly who can understand me in all the time mabait,sweet..." (Speacilly ba? Kailangan mo nga talaga ng makakaintindi sa'yo...)

Companies: "mag aral nd mag cutting sa boring na subject....." (Tama. Sagutin natin yung anong ah.)

Schools: "p.gomez nd arellanong morge" (Malamang pagme-make-up sa pumanaw na ang favorite subject ng batang ito.)

56) lucky

"kung sweet ka ,,e di tayo na..if you want,,,....." (Uhh... puwede ko ba munang pag-isipan? Ay. Ayoko na lang pala. Tenks.)

57) Blue X

"ako ung taong tahimik pero sweet lovers" (Driver ka ba, hijo?)

"..about my talent i can dance! ,artist.." (Teka. Paulit. Ano daw?)

Campus hunk daw siya kaya ang pix, hindi papakabog! The primary pic: may-i-gamit-the-egg whites effect plus ang sinukat na hati sa gitna ng bangs. Ye.

Of course... 'wag natin palampasin ang pix ng barkada-the Salbakuta extension. So kailangan talaga jersey & cap ang get-up? Don't forget the gangstah signs na marahil ay wis niyo alam ang kahulugan. Haaaaay. Bakettttttttttttt?????

58) Elaine

"do you like listening musics? how about swit musics and rocks? (Batu-bato sa langit, ang tamaan 'wag magalit.) by the way, it's good meeting new peaple. (O, sa'n galing yung pineapple?)