Feisty. Fia. Fifi. Fi.

How to Complete or Revamp Your oDesk Profile

2009-05-26T23:51:00.006+08:00

Since I have been writing quite a lot of “How To” articles for one of my oDesk clients, I came up with an idea to write one about completing or revamping your oDesk profile. So, fellow oDeskers, especially the greenhorns out there, learn below some of my tried and tested guidelines on how to give your oDesk profile a face-lift and ultimately, obtain more buyers:

1. Come up with a catchy title – I notice that some of the providers’ titles are simply boring. It’s not that hard to perhaps add an adjective that best describes your role/s. If you can think of a captivating title, that’s a definite plus!

2. Write a brief and honest objective – Some people miss out this very crucial part of their oDesk profile. It’s essential to supply your purpose for registering as an oDesk provider—whether as a data encoder, virtual assistant, SEO writer or what have you. It need not be a long one, just a concise and sincere explanation of what buyers can expect from you.

3. Say something about your skills and talents – Don’t simply enumerate them; describe them as explicit as you can. A lot of buyers would absolutely want to readily determine how much you know about a specific skill set. So, don’t just use the rating system and leave the description blank. Maximize it by putting a sentence or two detailing what you’re really good at.

4. Take more tests – You should take advantage of these practical tests, especially the ones related to your role/s to show your abilities. Hide those test results that are not so impressive. Plus, remember that you can retake the exams after a month, so don’t lose hope if you scored low—there’s always a next time. Additionally, take free Brainbench tests; subscribe to be notified if they’re giving out free tests.

5. Furnish an awesome portfolio – Don’t leave this section blank, if at all possible. Most buyers would love to see some samples of your masterpieces; don’t be shy to show them what you got. If you have a blog that you manage, a website you’ve designed, etc., include them all on this portion. The possibilities here are simply infinite—get creative!

6. Watch out for your work history and feedback – While we can’t do much about this, apart from being a diligent oDesk provider, you can hide some unpleasant remarks from previous buyers. The only viable solution really is to devote your 100% commitment to whatever assignments you’re given and that is tantamount to a satisfied buyer and a positive feedback!

7. Don’t ignore the “Others” – I see tons of oDesk profiles that totally neglect this very nice feature. Here, you can pretty much include anything that can add some spice to your oDesk profile—trainings you took, seminars you attended, special awards or recognition you received, etc. This is the place to brag about yourself, in a good way.

8. Take pride in your educational attainment – Don’t simply input your school and the years attended, like most people do. Describe it in a few words; say you graduated top 10 of the batch or you were best in Math, etc.—pour them all out here.

9. Exhibit your current or previous job/s on the resume section – If you have a current work aside from oDesk or had previous work experiences outside oDesk, be sure to include them as well. These employments positively add credibility to your oDesk profile. With that in thought, don’t forget to fill out this part.

10. Set a reasonable rate – While we have the power to put whatever rate we desire, it’s very vital to make it logical. If you really think you are excellent in what you do and you can prove it or your feedbacks and test scores show as such, by all means you have every right to demand a higher rate. And to those who offer an extremely low rate but can perform really well, I suggest not to undersell yourself just to obtain more buyers. Majority of buyers won’t really mind to pay high for quality providers. But if you are getting paid low, just work more efficiently to impress your buyers and you can eventually ask for a gradual rate increase.

11. Last but definitely not the least—attach a photo, preferably your picture and not some avatar or symbol – Your picture doesn’t even need to be super formal; as long as it’s decent, that should be fine. Besides, having a snapshot sets everything in and makes your oDesk profile more interesting to check out.

I guess that’s all folks. I have exhausted with all my might every tip I could think of. But I want to reiterate to please complete your profile to 100% to have an edge and get noticed by buyers! I wish best of luck to all of us oDesk providers who change how the world works. May we all have more buyers to come!

If you have additional tips or simply want to say, “Hi,” feel free to holler back.

Related post here.

Starbucks Philippines Slashes Php40 Off on Earth Day

2009-04-22T12:27:00.007+08:00

Starbucks Philippines joins the campaign for Earth as we celebrate Earth Day 2009 today, April 22. Get Php40 off discount on your Starbucks beverages today and tomorrow; just bring your own mug/tumbler though.

More information here, as well as tips on how to become environmentally friendly while enjoying your Starbucks favorites.

I personally urge you to try the new Dark Mocha Frappuccino if you haven't tried it yet. It's not that sweet, just perfect for someone like me who loves the bitter-sweetness of dark chocolates. I'll try to snap a picture of it later when I drop by at Starbucks.

Happy Earth Day!

Related posts:

2008 Starbucks Earth Day Promo
Earth Day 2009

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T11:55:00.010+08:00

In celebration of Earth Day, Greenpeace International launches its new video with a call to action. It hopes to inspire people to become climate activists--3 million people to be exact. It's a massive number because the Earth needs huge action this year.

Watch the video below:

Share it with your friends and loved ones.

You can do something for the climate this Earth Day by signing Greenpeace's online petition: Ask our world leaders to take personal responsibility for the future of the climate and attend the UN Climate summit in Copenhagen this December. But not just attend, they need to guarantee a beneficial deal for the climate.

Happy Earth Day! Let's be green and stay green!

Related post: Starbucks Philippines Earth Day 2009 Promo

NO to Bataan Nuclear Power Plant!

2009-04-21T23:25:00.009+08:00

Lacking feasibility study, the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) is structurally defective and hazardous. The location also has an unacceptably extreme risk of serious damage from earthquakes, volcanism, or both. Moreover, BNPP is costly to operate and accompanied by ridiculous hidden costs. It is indeed, a blazing demonstration of the government’s continuing imprudent debt policy at the expense of the people's security. The BNPP is NOT an answer to Climate Crisis, nor an alternative to Renewable Energy.

Let's all defy the useless agenda to rehabilitate BNPP. Meanwhile, in support of anti-BNPP, here's a video of the Jerks performing, "Nukleyar" together with Noel Cabangon at 70's Bistro last March 20.

Please take action now and send an email to congress to ditch reviving BNPP. Click here.

Related Post: The Jerks

Reminiscing Meteor Garden

2009-04-21T03:04:00.004+08:00

Meteor Garden is my sole favorite Asian TV show, which I have already watched several times since college days. I really heart Dao Ming Si and Shancai's team-up. Whenever I want to walk down memory lane and be nostalgic, I find myself watching again this show and it still never fails to make me laugh and cry.

Just moments ago, I was browsing Meteor Garden's soundtrack and came across this sort of music video with various clips from Meteor Garden. I think the song "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins perfectly fits the snippets compilation. See below:

Meanwhile, I'll surf for Filipino version of Meteor Garden for a change.

Breathtaking Baler

2009-04-14T02:10:00.006+08:00

Baler is one of my “to visits” places this year; I’m glad that I have fulfilled it this soon. Very close to my hometown, Nueva Ecija, Baler in the province of Aurora is a surfer’s Nirvana. People primarily flock here to witness the raging waves of the Pacific Ocean and hopefully, ride them successfully.

One hot afternoon, my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and his nanny, and me decided to drive to Baler, which is about 4 hours away from Gapan City, Nueva Ecija. It was actually a post-birthday celebration of my sister.

The trip was simply exhilarating, seeing the lush countryside and breathing fresh air—very much unlike the sceneries of Metro Manila. I was just a bit disappointed with some of the rough road we took going there. My butt hurt with the many bumps here and there. So, I would highly suggest that if you plan to go there, better get on a 4x4 auto or take a plane if you’re coming from Manila. I guess you could also hop on the bus, too, since the trip from Manila is perhaps 7 hours and just sleep while on the road.

Moving on, we arrived in Sabang, Baler around 6pm and we’d just stay overnight. Sad. Sad. I wanted to make the most out of it, anyway. We had no prior reservations because when I called up some resorts, they were all fully booked—and we took our chance. Luckily, we found shelter at Kahea's Lodge, formerly Surfer's Inn. It was a fairly nice accommodation for a cheap price of Php1500. It was situated on the second floor with a sofa, dining area, kitchen, bathroom and an air-conditioned room that’s good for 4 (we rented an extra mat—I forgot the price, sorry).

We brought a few readily cooked foods, such as Pork Binagoongan (Pork in Fish Paste), Ham and Cheese Sandwich and Tuna Pasta (I cooked this one!!). We planned to prepare the rest of the meals there; however, due to lack of preparation, we had no cooking utensils. Hahaha. Good thing, we were able to borrow from the resort owner. After having a sumptuous dinner of Blue Marlin Sinigang (Blue Marlin in Sour Soup) and Chicken Barbecue, we rested a bit. While everyone was soundly asleep, my sister and me headed to the seashore, armed with a beach mat, white wine, some snacks and had our drinking session. Unlike Puerto Galera and Boracay, there were no bars galore here, great if you simply wish some serenity, devoid of thumping loud music—just the murmuring waves as your sole background—plain and simple! Although, I think you could grab a drink at Bay’s Inn and other few establishments there. But they’re not open until wee hours of the night.

After finishing a bottle of white wine and got hit by the crashing waves (Thank God for my speedy reflexes, I was able to salvage my digi cam, phone and my sister’s. My sister, who only saved herself for fear of getting wet! Duh!), we decided to go back to the resort and continued drinking there. We drank GSM blue this time. As usual, I got emotional along the way. But the conversation we had was nothing about love and such; well, at least not focused on my love life or the lack of. It was merely about our family’s not so good situation. It’s like a withering plant that without proper preventive care and maintenance or nourishment, it will soon die. I honestly want to do something in my own little way to somehow revive our family life but I can’t do it successfully if no one wants to cooperate. Everyone seemed to be very passive. Sad. Sad.

Anyway, after the dramathon, we slept and promised to wake up really early to catch the sunrise. Oh well, sleepyhead that I am, I was up by 7am. The family went ahead to stroll by the beach and take a dip in the ocean. I had a quick breakfast and immersed myself in my usual after-waking up daydreaming. When they were back, I urged my sister to come with me to the beach and surf. She agreed to accompany me; I was so happy! I rented a board and a lady instructor for Php300/hr. To be perfectly honest, the instructor was not as motivating as the one I had in San Juan, La Union or in Club Manila East and even the skimboard instructor in Boracay. Oh well, I just tried my best to enjoy every moment of it. As always, I had a very challenging moment standing up. I blamed my heavy body and weak arms! With all the adrenaline rush surfing gave me,
I promised to exercise, get really fit and come back soon. I just wonder when I will I have a full day just learning to surf? I’m torn between getting white and learning to surf. I know I’m rather vain, as much as I hate to admit it.

Past the surfing fiasco, I decided to stop and get ready for lunch. We dined at Bay’s Inn, which really really had great food for a very affordable price. It had panoramic views, too, of the ocean. I will stay at this resort next time around.

After lunch, we packed away. We visited the famous Baler church and the Museo de Baler and had some usual photo shoots. I was just disappointed that apart from missing Charlie’s Point, Cemento Beach and many other recommended spots, we also missed the Millenium tree! My brother-in-law didn’t want to drive the minimal 3 km distance to reach the legendary tree because it’s out of the way, as what he believed! Ugh! Sad. Sad. But what could I do?

I just ignored my frustration and slept. We side tripped to my brother-in-law’s house in Talavera, Nueva Ecija to have dinner and some chats with his family. The food was definitely delish, especially the Pinakbet (Sorry, I’ve no idea how to translate this in English—but it’s a mixed local vegetables cooked in shrimp paste).

After storming their generous dining table, we continued our journey back home. But because of my tiny heartbreak not being able to see the Millennium tree, I resolved to continue my trip back to Manila. They dropped me off at a bus stop and I bid them goodbye. That was a tiring one, yet a wonderful experience just the same. I will come back to Baler, that’s a promise!

Summer Lovin'

2009-04-03T00:54:00.005+08:00

Busy as a bee, I’m already anticipating that these coming months will be sizzling hot for me. This summertime, I will be wearing several hats aside from already being a writer—I’ll be a student (again) and an intern / volunteer. Oh, lately, I’ve been doing some “charity” works as a tutor, proofreader / editor, tour guide and virtual assistant, too, to some friends.

But what I’m really looking forward to is going back to school, yay! Having a voracious hunger for learning, I’m exponentially excited to relish the school campus ambiance again and unlock my brain to absorb like a sponge every tidbit of fresh information from my would-be professors.

In the class that I will be taking up, I will be learning an ocean of knowledge about World History, International Relations and Politics, Economics, Philippine Literature, to name some. And I will be studying in Ateneo de Manila University, one of the top-notch universities in the Philippines, where I also plan to send my kid/s in the very distant future.

On to becoming an intern / volunteer, this is actually for a local travel magazine that promotes alternative traveling. I learned about this position through my friend, Mitch. I’m not really sure how many people passed their resume or how many helping hands they needed, but I’m grateful I was chosen. This is going to be another “charity” work or free service that I will be providing. It makes me ponder sometimes that I’m too kind. Anyway, I’ll be doing this internship stuff to learn more about the travel industry and travel writing, too, while I supply them with my exceptional service. I just might be included as well in their trips around the country, which I will no doubt love and not resist at all—except if I have school. Also, I will certainly have an edge to be part of their team as a full time travel writer. It’s a win/win situation, don’t you agree?

With regard to the extra and kind of outlandish jobs that I do for my dear friends, I find contentment in doing various tasks for them or at least in helping them. I take those as challenges / exercises for me to overcome and hopefully make them happy as well. Modesty aside, I want them to learn from me, too. Hahaha. And, perhaps I like the idea of being needed sometimes. Hahaha. KSP na kung KSP [lacking attention]!

However, despite my kindheartedness, I sometimes feel abused by some insensitive person/s. Well, I guess Mr. Up-There will take care of that/those person/s. But I never regret whatever type of help I provide. It’s always an achievement for me to be able to assist people, see them learn and stand on their own. Naks!

So, seeing these pursuits that I’m currently doing and will be doing, the approaching summer days will truly be hot and hectic for Fifi. I just hope I’d still have some spare time to visit my family in the province, have coffee and watch gigs with close friends and… that’s all about it basically.

Oh, dang! I can’t find a song appropriate for this post, not that it’s required. Here you go:

Beautiful Day - U2

Why this song? Let’s just say that after all the difficulties I’ve been through previously, there’s always another beautiful day waiting for me. I can definitely see more coming.

Validation

2009-03-18T18:06:00.002+08:00

I stumbled upon this heartwarming video while checking one of my clients' website. It's truly awesome; get ready with some sheets of tissue paper though!

This video proves that a simple compliment goes a long way and a sincere smile is infectious—can in fact change the world!

So, let's learn to appreciate more, give recognition and acknowledge people around us. Focus on the good side of things to effortlessly radiate a positive energy and inspire people, too.

My dear reader, you are fantastic!!!

White Flag To HIM

2009-03-18T04:29:00.012+08:00

I once again raise my white flag in surrender. There are certain things not meant to be after all—some stuff I need to let go. I have already done this several times; what's another one without much significance? It’s just a piece of cake.

As I submit myself in defeat, I want to reach out to God and learn to breathe fresh air again while envisioning a brighter perspective ahead. This profound faith I have in Him is the only thing that keeps me whole no matter how many times I shatter by heaps of havoc in my life. A beautiful disaster indeed, I realized just now that the more I break, the stronger I become.

With these insights, I modestly say, “Thank you, Lord!” And oh, since it's March 18, thank you for another sanguine and illuminating year!

This song by Switchfoot without a doubt perfectly fits what I feel at the moment.

Listen up!

Learning to Breathe - Switchfoot

- Switchfoot Lyrics

This song may signify a lot of things to different people, but to avoid misinterpretation and confusion, here's what it means according to this site:

Learning To Breathe continues the theme of how important for us to move. However, in order for one to move, one must breathe in air to keep the body flowing and alive. The self-reflective questions asked throughout the song, “Hello, good morning, how you do?”, seem to be markers for one to take a breathe, to self-evaluate. It’s during that self-evaluation that the singer discovers that breathing involves releasing whatever is holding him back and surrender to the arms of the One who he needs. Thus, taking a breathe of Him is in essence total, reckless abandonment to God.

Learning to breathe
I’m learning to crawl
I’m finding that You and You alone
Can break my fall

Zesty Zambales: Camara-Capones-Anawangin

2009-03-08T10:41:00.018+08:00

My 1st trip of the year and perhaps the last one for the summer season—Zambales!

My travel buddies and I headed to San Antonio, Zambales last February 28-March 2 to check out Camara Island, Capones Island, and Anawangin Cove.

A month before that, I arranged the travel package from scratch, from travel dates, accommodation, fares, itinerary and activities, directions, everything! I have been to San Antonio back in 2006 but I wasn’t able to visit then Camara, Capones, and Anawangin.

What really urged me to go back to San Antonio was the mesmerizing Spanish-era lighthouse, known as Faro de Punta Capones. I don’t know how my fascination for lighthouses started; all I know is that there’s something mysterious, lonesome, and eerie factor to them that I love. It seems that I can relate my life to a lighthouse! Hahaha.

So, anyway, after endless email exchanges and chitchats with Mama Tess, the very accommodating owner of Wild Rose Inn in Bgy. Pundaquit (still in San Antonio), we booked our 2 double-bed room for only Php2000/night, originally at Php2200.

When the big day came, we all met at Victory Liner Caloocan bus terminal since the Cubao terminal only has 3 schedules to Zambales. The fare was Php256 per person. In a flash (perhaps 3 hours only), we found ourselves in San Antonio. We got off the bus and took a tricycle to Bgy. Pundaquit, which was Php30 per person. With a warm smile, Mr. Litorco, husband of Mama Tess, welcomed us and showed us our room.

Hungry like wolves, we hunted for food and tried Café Pundaquit at Canoe’s Beach Resort. We liked the resort and kinda wanted to transfer there. Canoe was actually my first choice; however, they didn’t respond to my inquiry when I emailed them. Back to the food, it was OK and nothing spectacular—both for the taste and the price.

After some photo opportunities at sundown, we stargazed and mused by the shore and had some streetfoods courtesy of Randy Santino, a newly found friend / errand boy of Peter. When dinnertime stroke, we’re back at Café Pundaquit and had our meal.

As planned, we’ll have social drinking for 2 nights. 1st night, we had some bottles of San Mig Light, together with Nora’s lumpia, which we all adored! We also took a plunge at the resort’s pool and had some usual picture takings.

Day 2 – We had a quick breakfast at Nora’s, as we discovered it’s cheaper there and the food tastes better, too. Then, we’re off to the most awaited island hopping. We paid the boatmen Php1450 I think for 4 us and that’s already for the 2 islands and 1 cove.

1st stop – Camara Island. This was the nearest island from San Antonio. The waves were very strong that we had a hard time crossing to the other side of the beach to see the cappuccino colored sand. We didn’t stay long here; we just took some pictures and headed right away to Capones.

2nd stop – Capones Island. We trekked a bit and enjoyed the captivating scenes ala Marlboro country and “fields of gold” abound. After maybe 30 minutes or so of hiking, I spotted at once the top of the lighthouse! Wow! I excitedly took shots, with the “lovers” as my favorite subject at the time. Though the course was steep, we went up to the top of the lighthouse, and aaaah—amazing view! Back down, I was finding the perfect spot to capture a smashing shot of Capones Lighthouse. And, I found myself by the edge of a cliff (almost) just to take that particular dream shot! Aside from vertigo, my only sacrifice was that I was out when my friends had their group picture by the lighthouse. Silly me, because with my all out excitement for the picturesque shot I got, I forgot to request to them another group photo. Anyway, it was all worth it.

3rd stop – Anawangin cove. Pine trees, gray fine sand, serene waters; this is my version of La Push in the emo-stricken Twilight Saga novel. It could’ve been better if the waters were raging, but since it’s almost summer time, they were calm. There were campers galore; we had no plans to camp, as we didn’t have the equipment to do so. But as promised, next time, which was soon according to Myla, we’ll camp there overnight. We need to invest on a sturdy tent and other essentials first. We just had our simple picnic lunch there, a few photo opps here and there. Myla and I listened to some island reggae courtesy of my ever-reliable Pao Pao, my iPod vid and my mock iHome, hahaha. The lovers went for a dip and perhaps bonded. Myla and I didn’t swim because it was blazingly hot. At around 4pm, we’re back at the resort.

We lounged by the pool and had an early drinking session; this time we tried GSM Blue, my new favorite! Once the bottle was half empty, we had our dinner at Nora’s and fell in love all over again with their lumpia. Then, we continued with our drinking. I must say that I have this love and hate fondness for GSM Blue, as it makes me feel really elated and sad at the same time. It does make me more talkative than usual. I might have said some odd things and profound emotions that were better left unsaid. Well, they're my friends after all, so I guess I shouldn't be bothered. After 2 bottles, the lovers went ahead and slept, while Myla and I continued swimming and chatting. After an hour, Peter came back and told us that Mj puked; he had to clean the bathroom for our sake! Mj, who even wanted a 3rd bottle of GSM Blue, how ironically brave could she be. Hahaha.

The next morning, we packed away our stuff; had brunch at Nora’s, ordering of course their unforgettable lumpia and another dish; thanked and bid goodbye to Mr. Litorco for his incredible hospitality. And, oh, Myla found a lot for sale beside Wild Rose Inn that she wanted to invest in for a resort business in the future. We met with the owner and we’ll just see how it goes.

It was truly a great experience. I was just a bit disappointed that the sea was flat; we weren’t able to surf / skim. Well, it’s almost summer time so I was kinda expecting it.

Sad but recharged, after 3 hours, we’re once again back in the hustle and bustle of Manila!

About the song suited for this trip, I couldn't find a more apt one than "Pangako" by K24/7, as this was the song that Myla and I were constantly listening to during our emo-slapped moments. Thanks to Peter for sharing this song.

Pangako - K 24/7

2009 Hot Air Balloon Festival, Clark Field Pampanga

2009-02-16T07:03:00.006+08:00

I have been yearning to attend this event since 2006 but never really gotten the chance to go until this year!

Yay, Valentine's Day with no special someone to celebrate it with (Oh well, with or without a significant other, I never really care about the Hearts' Day!), me and some of my friends went to Clark to witness this festival.

Myla and I went ahead since some of our friends are still on their way to our meeting place and we're literally excited—not to mention, we’re already hungry!! On the bus, I was asleep in a jiffy, being sleep-deprived the night before. Myla was enjoying the road scenes, I think.

Armed with a few how-to-go instructions, we landed in Dau and explored the place a bit. Both with itchy feet and have a voracious hunger for new places, we enjoyed finding our way to Clark Field. It was really great traveling with Myla; I never fail to obtain new bits and pieces of information about life, love, guys, and a whole lot more. She’s truly a teacher by heart, I should say.

Anyway, we met the rest of the gang at Clark Field and roamed the exhibits galore and take tons of snap shots—pose pose pose! There were activities such as kite flying, sky diving, face painting, etc. Perhaps half of the time we were seated on the ground, chitchatting while watching some airplane exhibitions and such.

The Hot Air Balloon show happened at dusk. It was amazing, although we didn’t see much of it as it’s already dark and we’re all tired. After a few photo shoots, we already left Clark Field and were off to SM Clark to have dinner. We’re off to Manila afterwards. It was really exhausting, yet fun at the same time.

‘til next year again!

Sky diving video here.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T13:51:00.007+08:00

This post is not anything about celebrating VDay, ok?! Nevertheless, I wrote a blog post for a client who wanted a Valentine theme. He's into Law of Attraction principle, so here's what I came up with. Go to this link. [For reference purposes only.]

Jack Johnson: singer, songwriter, surfer, filmmaker--What more can you ask for?

2009-01-22T09:36:00.007+08:00

One of my favorite singers, Jack Johnson is not just any ordinary singer. He's also a filmmaker and a former professional surfer. Hailed from North Shore, Oahu, HI, his brief gig as a surfer came to a halt after a devastating surfing accident that paved the way for him to excel in songwriting and guitar playing. Ben Harper discovered him afterwards.

Well, all I really know is that he's hot and I love his songs! Listen up to my favorites:

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Aloha Boardsports Sale

2009-01-21T07:41:00.004+08:00

Surfs up! Get stoked! Sale alert! Craving for Volcom and Dakine but too bad, Taguig is very far from my place. Anyway, catch the sale before the cool stuff gets all wiped out.

Meanwhile, enjoy this surf song by Ka'au Crater Boys:

Surf - Kaau Crater Boys

Cool Wedding Dance to the Tunes of "Better Together" and "The Way You Make Me Feel"

2009-01-15T19:44:00.007+08:00

I came across this funny and ultra cool wedding dance video on YouTube while I was browsing some Jack Johnson videos. The newly weds danced slowly to Jack Johnson's "Better Together" and later on surprised the guests and rocked to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel." It was really a unique idea to do such! According to the video information, the couple choreographed the dance themselves. How creative! Good job!

If I get married someday (hahaha), I swear I'm gonna do something like that. I know I have no originality; pardon me please! My future husband has to be cool and willing to somehow make fun of ourselves (in a pleasant way) on our first day of togetherness!

In the meantime, watch the video below:

McDonald's Philippines "First Love" Commercial

2009-01-14T21:53:00.015+08:00

I seldom watch TV these days—so when a friend texted me about this new "cute" TVC from McDonald's, I checked it out immediately on YouTube. My curiosity paid off because it was indeed nice! The video presented a universal appeal, using "First Love" as its subject. It also provided that nostalgic and heartwarming feeling, making you want to reminisce the first time you fell in love or your childhood sweetheart. Not to mention, it makes you sigh, "Aaaaaww." Hahaha. So mushy!

Strange but good, the ad agency behind this TVC injected an '80s vibe to it (teased hairstyle, shoulder pads, colored socks and the works!) while using a '90s song (Ang Huling El Bimbo) and being played in the first decade of the new millennium (2009). Hmm... Anyhow, I loved it that they chose snippets of the song "Ang Huling El Bimbo" by the Eraserheads, which was just perfect for the plot.

Watch it below:

Kudos to the creative team of this video!!!

P.S.
How I wish my foreign readers can understand the video because it's really great!

2008 According to Feisty Fia

2008-12-30T06:19:00.017+08:00

Summarizing 2008 in a single word, crazy! It was a year of conquering and quitting for me. I had conquered a lot of territories this year—Ilocos, Coron, Caramoan, Cebu, and Boracay. Life's a beach, eh? It is indeed! But I know I haven't seen the majesty of the Philippines entirely. I have yet to set foot on Batanes, El Nido, Camiguin, Samal Island, Capones and Anawangin, Mt. Pinatubo, Bohol, Apo Reef, Baler, and the list just goes on! Next year, I MIGHT be on hiatus from exploring as I want to focus on other things, but I'm uncertain if I can go on with my feet itching to travel. We'll see. I plan to travel out of the country in the last quarter of 2009 though, Macau and Hong Kong hopefully—again, we'll see!

I also conquered 3 board sports this year: Kneeboarding, Surfing and Skimboarding! I have tried surfing before in La Union but that was dark ages ago. I attempted kneeboarding at CWC last September together with some friends; I actually didn't like it much. I don't like the idea of a cable pulling you and you don't have much control. It kinda feels unnatural as compared to surfing. I was able to try surfing again at Club Manila East with Mitch; although they were just artificial waves, surfing was still hard as ever! And, I love it more than ever! Wondering when will I ever learn?? Anyway, last November I ventured into skimboarding when I was in Boracay. It was challenging, too, but easier than surfing.

On to quitting, I resigned from my job at IHG because my endeavors changed not because I wanted to leave. I loved my job there and most especially the people I have become friends with, but I really had to go. Friendship doesn't end there when you leave. I miss them and I know I'll see them again soon.

Now, here we go with the trickiest quitting decision I made. I am such a maverick for doing this. I know very few people can muster on going cold turkey; but hey, I unbelievably made it!

I finally said goodbye to my greatest love turned best friend. It's something I had to do, something inevitable, something out of my league. Although we were like coffee and cigar, he fell in love with someone else and I had to let him go. I could have stayed as a best friend but I know I would have a hard time moving on. I quit on him cold turkey; I absolutely cut all methods of communications with him. It was insanely hard at first but I know it was for the best. I can say I'm much better now compared to the first few nightmarish months without him. I'm forever grateful for my friends who stood by me during those cloudy days and helped me see the sun shine again.... The last time I really cried the most was the night after Christmas. Alcohol fueled alongside my sister and brother-in-law, I laid out my cards and told my sister what I really feel and how sad I was dealing my life without him. I didn't require any comforting words; I just needed someone to talk to and a pair of unjudging ears, and that person could be no one else but my sister. It was a great relief after pouring out all my bitter sentiments. I have finally said what I needed to and it was much easier for me to move on further.

I haven't hammered down the details of my plans for 2009. I just hope and pray it would be happier than ever. Another heartbreak might be the end of me, hahaha! I know no matter how many times my heart shatters; I'd still be whole again. I'm invincible, that's why I'm Feisty Fia! Hahahaha.

One thing I'm looking forward for 2009 is I want to learn and earn A LOT. Like I said in some of my blog posts, I'm mad about learning things I consider interesting—countless things I'd rather not enumerate for now. I want to earn of course, who doesn't? But this time I want to allocate my finances wisely!

I guess that's about it! Happy New Year to everyone! I was thinking of a song that suits my 2008, but I couldn’t find any. I chose “Roam” anyway by B-52's since I have traveled a few places this year. Enjoy!

Roam - B52s

Coffee and TV by Blur

2008-12-28T03:53:00.004+08:00

I'm not a great fan of Blur but I like their song "Coffee and TV." This was featured in the 1999 movie Cruel Intentions. I especially love the music video that comes with it, which won the 1999 MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video.

In the video, Graham Coxon (Blur's guitarist) is missing and a milk carton jumps off the table and goes searching for him. He is later on found playing this song with Blur.

Here's the video:

Coffee And TV - Blur

Lyrics:

- Blur Lyrics

Boracay Adventure

2008-12-28T03:07:00.033+08:00

Being a Boracay "virgin" and hearing several good reviews about this hot spot in Aklan, I was expecting a lot from this tropical paradise island.

The findings—I wasn't disappointed at all. The sands were truly powdery white and the turquoise waters were really crystal clear. The long 7 km. stretch of White Beach in Boracay was awe-inspiring. My friend, Mj and I were exhausted strolling to and from Boat Stations 1, 2 and 3.

Let me give you a quick overview of those Boat Stations:

Boat Station 1 is the most-high end in terms of accommodations; here you'll find upscale hotels and resorts. This is also where you can find the finest sands, and as you go farther towards Boat stations 2 and 3, the sands become coarser in texture. In Station 1, we tried the most talked about Jona's milkshake while watching the sunset. The sunset was astounding! However, I found nothing spectacular with Jona's milkshake, maybe except for their innovation of using mineral water bottle as opposed to using the usual plastic cups. Also, Boat Station 1 is the skimboarding mecca in Boracay and yeah, you guessed it right—I did try skimming! Yay, it was a thrilling experience! I loved it so much that I almost changed my flight back to Manila. Oops, I had knee injury, too, but it didn't stop me from skimboarding! I was stoked!!!

Boat Station 2 is the center of everything obviously. This is known for being the party zone. You can find a roster of bars and restaurants here, from Indian to Mexican to Korean, anything! Of course, there's D'Mall, a mini-shopping mall that sells beach stuff, souvenirs, etc. This area offers mid-ranged price accommodation, ideal for folks who want to be "near" everything.

Boat Station 3 is almost a residential area, close to Bgy. Manoc-Manoc, I think was the name of the town. This spot provides the cheapest accommodation, being quite far from the buzz. This is also the backpackers' haven. If you don't have too many whims on your room types and on a budget, this is the place for you.

Well, we stayed at Bonzai Resort, nestled in between Boat Stations 2 and 3. It was a very affordable room, considering we had our own veranda and hammock, and the usual amenities like TV, hot and cold shower, AC, mini-fridge. The only downside was that the hot and cold shower was busted, aside from that everything was cool!

With regards to food, we ate all over the place; we're both foodie! Some were regrettable while some were to die for. I'll just mention the "to die for" dining experiences we had (1 being the highest):

1 - Chori Burger: I think it was short for Chorizo Burger. Grilled bun with two slices of chorizo smothered in some special sweet spicy sauce. I forgot the price, but it's no more than Php 20. Cheap and yummy!

2 - Mongolian Grill: We ordered rice toppings, mine was Pork Belly something (I forgot the name, sorry) and Mj had Chicken Teriyaki. The food was tasty; we loved it to bits! Their Lemon Grass juice was refreshing and bottomless, too.

3 - Aria: Reviews said it offers the best Italian food on the island. Though I wasn't able to try other Italian restaurants there, I must say that their pizza and pasta were delicious!!! Just be ready to pay the price...

4 - Paradiso: Seafoods "paluto" style. We have been craving for seafoods so we headed here, where you need to "shop" for seafoods and tell the waiter what type of dish you want them cooked. We chose Chili Crab, Clam Soup and Sizzling Spicy Squid. We absolutely loved the dishes; the seafoods were fresh, too.

5 - Streetfoods: We're cheapskates and no doubt we loved streetfoods in Boracay—grilled gizzards, chicken intestines and pork barbecue. These streetfoods stalls are the same ones that offer the famous Chori Burger.

We also climbed Mt. Luho, highest point in Boracay. There's a mini zoo there where I played with a baby mustang. We skipped the ATV ride going to Mt. Luho and instead rented a trike to save on costs, hahaha.

We visited the Butterfly Garden in Bulabog, which was very small and has very few butterflies. We loved the hanging bats though.

We checked out the happening in Bulabog Beach, the eastern side of White Beach in Boracay. This is the Kitesurfing spot in Boracay. We just did some photo opp then went back to White Beach.

As with the party scene, we didn't enjoy it much except for listening to some reggae beats at Bom Bom Bar and watching a few locals fire zipping.

There were plenty of things we missed due to financial and time constraints such as: parasailing, Paraw Sunset sailing, Boracay sunrise, reefwalking, True Food, Cafe del Sol, Real Coffee, Lemon I, Puka Beach, etc.

I will definitely come back to Boracay next year, hopefully with a significant other! Hahaha.

Here are some snap shots:

Skimboarding!!!

Aria

Chillaxing outside Mongolian

Streetfoods galore!

Reggae night at Bom Bom Bar

Mt. Luho

To set the beach mood, here's a perfect Boracay theme song from Peace Pipe:

Boracay Sunrise - Peace Pipe

Infra-red by Placebo

2008-12-28T03:07:00.009+08:00

I'm beginning to like Placebo. Their song "Infra-red" caught my attention because of its explicit lyrics and vengeance theme.

"One last thing before I shuffle off the planet
I will be the one to make you crawl
So I came down to wish you an unhappy birthday
Someone call the ambulance, there's gonna be an accident..."

Some say it's a threat song while others say, it's a suicide song. My interpretation is - it's just a simple psycho stalker song [that I love].

Read the full lyrics below:

- Placebo Lyrics

Listen to it!!

Infra-Red - Placebo

A Fantastic Year on oDesk

2008-12-12T21:37:00.009+08:00

It's been exactly a year since I started being a freelance provider at oDesk.com . I discovered it via a local forum, being an Internet junkie that I am. I did try my luck signing up since it's free anyway; I'm really glad I did!

I must say it's such an amazing blessing for me for a lot of reasons. First, I never realized that I truly have a flair for writing until my buyers in oDesk show their much appreciation about my articles. Second, I'm learning tons of things from my buyers - such as SEO, link building, Internet marketing and etc. I really love it when apart from earning extra income; I'm also broadening my knowledge about different stuff. Third, oDesk is a great way to sustain my financial needs. It's good to know that I have additional supplements for my travel bugs and other whims.

Furthermore, what I like most about oDesk is its guaranteed payment for hourly rates, so I don't have to worry about non-paying buyers. Also, there's transparency between buyers and providers as buyers can monitor providers' progress through oDesk's "Work Diary." You can as well choose a variety of payment methods suited for you. Another perk I want to rave about is that I can make money in the convenience of my home. No need to don a corporate dress, a pair of ragged pajamas will do just fine. And, no morning traffic to worry about, too. Working as a freelance provider in oDesk is really such a breeze!

So after a year of hardwork, I'd like to give myself a pat on the back and say, "Happy 1st Anniversary!" Thank you and more power to oDesk ! You really do change how the world works!

Keahiwai

2008-12-12T19:40:00.008+08:00

I have been exploring various kinds of music lately, from classic fave rock and alternative, to the staple reggae and ska, to some odd world music, to upbeat SOCA and to soothing Hawaiian music. The list just goes on; I'm such a self-proclaimed music lover!

Of course, there are some genres my ears can't quite tolerate, such as heavy metal, goth, emo (whatever that is), most punk (there were a few that I like), most house / trance and most R&B / hip-hop (especially the bling-bling ones!). I don't pay much attention to those types of music, except when I'm forced, like I used to!

Anyway, one of my discoveries lately is Keahiwai. A few years back, I've heard their song, "Falling" which was a great song. But then, I never really dug through their other tracks. Until recently, I found myself song-hopping into Imeem and sort of rediscovered their collection of songs. Their music is a combination of Hawaiian, island reggae and pop (I think), which makes it so refreshingly good! Some of Keahiwai's songs are hypnotic, at least for me. They make me think about doing some Hawaiian stuff like slipping on a grass skirt, hula dancing, strumming the ukelele, throwing a Luau party or simply crying out "Aloha!"

You may listen below to some of my Keahiwai top picks:

Keahiwai

Lightyears

2008-12-11T19:49:00.012+08:00

Lightyears is my favorite track from Eraserhead's Fruitcake Christmas album. I know it's mushy, but I can particularly relate to the line that goes, "I look forward to tomorrow but can I leave yesterday behind?"

Dreamer that I am, I always anticipate a cheerful day and a pleasant future. However, it seems like I’m tied down to my past, barely even aware of the present. I'm still constantly lost in my woolgathering teeming with beautiful memories and broken promises. I think the Christmas-in-the-air ambiance is another culprit for making me feel blue these days.

I know this silliness has to come to a halt very soon. So soon I can almost smell joy. Well, as the year concludes, I will truly try my best to end and leave behind this gloom that's killing me like venom. 'Til then, I guess I'll continue moping in darkness, yet hoping to someday glimpse the sun breaking into the horizon. Que sera sera (Whatever will be will be).

Here's the song and lyrics:

Lightyears - Erase...

Eraserheads lyrics

Twilight - movie review

2008-11-29T22:43:00.010+08:00

Yesterday, some of my friends and I watched the much anticipated movie, Twilight – based from Stephenie Meyer’s novel of the same title. Yeah, finally after watching several trailers and teasers on YouTube, I’ve fully seen it on the big screen.

Of course, I did my assignment on reading the book first for comparison purposes and to excite me even more. I have actually bumped into this novel like a couple of years back and was planning to buy it, but never had enough motivation to do so. Although, I have been quite a vampire aficionado for quite some time now because of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, I had second thoughts of buying Twilight for fear of not being able to match Anne Rice’s craft in writing. Anyway, fast forward to the present, it was a good book, less gory and flowery than Anne Rice’s descriptions. But I will always love Anne Rice’s Lestat just perhaps because Stephenie Meyer’s Edward is too young for me! Hahaha!

Anyhow, I went to the mall 2 hours before the screening time to pick up the tickets as required when you reserved in advance. Good thing I did so because when I got to the cinema counter, the line was long and winding!

After an hour or so of waiting for my friends at a coffee shop, we excitedly headed to the cinema; we got good seats of course! Thanks to me! Every now and then we were exchanging giggles and such like we were in high school again!

The part that I liked most was when Edward saved Bella from Tyler’s van. Yeah, I’ve seen that on the trailer but seeing it on the big screen was awesome! But like many other movie adaptations, there were some alterations, like Bella and Charlie dining every meal at the café as opposed to Bella cooking at home; surfing at La Push versus having a picnic and beach bumming to name a few.

Nevertheless, I loved the following characters:

Charlie – The best! He’s so thoughtful and protective. So funny, too! I can’t forget his persistence about the pepper spray.

Alice – She looked like just how I imagined her.

Jasper – I loved his character just because he looked really ridiculous and barely said a thing.

Edward and Bella – I really didn’t like them much but they looked good together.

Before I forget, I didn’t like the chiming sounds when Edward’s skin sparkled into the sun. I find it kinda corny; they should’ve omitted the sound effect and just let Edward’s skin shimmer.

All in all, it was great seeing the novel come alive. Now, don't hate me for patronizing Twilight Saga. I'm not emo at all as what most fans are. I simply adore vampire flicks and novels!

Fight Club Final Scene

2008-10-01T05:36:00.015+08:00

Fight Club remains to be one of my most favorite movies ever made. There was really great acting done by both Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. I especially like the gruesome fight scenes and the madness all throughout.

The film depicts non-conformity in a lot of ways. It makes you realize that following trends, commercials and what most people do would not guarantee you happiness. Never pretend and try to be someone you’re not.

There was a quote there that hits me because it’s true and it’s happening. Here: Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. Another one: I say never be complete. I say stop being perfect. I say let's evolve. Let the chips fall where they may.

But the thing that gives me goose bumps every time is the final scene of Fight Club, wherein the narrator (Edward Norton) held Marla Singer’s hand (Helena Bonham Carter) and said, "You met me at a very strange time in my life," while the buildings were collapsing simultaneously. It was sweet in an eerie kind of way. The music “Where is My Mind” by the Pixies was very well suited, too, to this ending scene.

Watch it below!