SHAPES AND SONGS

Joaquin identifying some shapes:


Singing "Wheels on the Bus" with me:


Notice how he likes to jump around? That is the kind of ruckus I go through everyday before he takes his afternoon nap and before he goes to bed at night. Sooo much eneergy!

KAPAL!

The Philippine president made news at The New York Post for spending $20,000 dollars on dinner at Le Cirque in NY.

$20,000!!! 20,000 x 47.80 = Php956,000.

That's close to a million pesos, man.

No wonder her husband looks like a hog.

Here's a theoretical breakdown of the tab based on Le Cirque's menu. Because, really--how do you spend 1 million pesos on food alone in one night?!


In a country where poverty is the main problem, the $20,000 could have been used for much much much better things.

Sad.

YELLOW IS LOVE

Conrado de Quiros is really an amazing writer. Always straight to the point. Always hits a mark.

Loved what he wrote on his column yesterday.

Monuments - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

“I am announcing today that we will officially observe a 10-day period of national mourning,” said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Is this a gesture of grace? No, it is a gesture of disgrace.
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A state funeral has no meaning today. It can only be carried out by a government that has no right to exist to escort true heroes to the Libingan ng mga Bayani, or the Tomb of the Heroes, half of whose occupants are scoundrels, decreed to lie in state there by the people who lie in State.
------------------------------------

Do you really need anybody, however less galling, to tell you to grieve Cory’s passing?
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This was a leader the people wanted to speak for them—in death as in life. This was what a leader meant, not one who has the lie of her deeds greeted with canned applause or, what is but the same thing, the applause of congressmen. This was what a true leader meant, one who had the truth of her life greeted with the embrace of heaven or, what is but the same thing, the gratefulness of a nation.
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The only monuments that last forever are those you build in the heart.

And I can't help but wonder...

When it's GMA's "time", will the nation mourn?

I think not.

FIRST RUNNING PHOTOS

Ang cool talaga ng Globe Run For Home! I got my first running photos today. It's not much to speak of pero pwede na!


O-HA! Overtake daw! LOL


Sooo not pretty! I'm red as a beet!

SO COOL!!!!

The results of Globe's Run For Home were finally posted an hour ago and it's sooo cool! I love you Championchip!

The 4-day wait is super worth it! So high-tech! So galing! While I'm still not proud of my results, let me share my race report with you.



The report says I finished 44m:58s from chip time. My watch said 45mins so it's pretty accurate! My gun time was 47m:27s because we got to the starting line a minute before the race started so my friend, El and I were at the baaaccck.

Glad to note that I passed more runners than that passed me. Hahahaha!



I hope I can bring my per km average to 7mins. In the bird's eye view of the finish line, I loved that you can mouse over to the dots and find out who that person is.

Can't wait for the Urbanite run coz they're also using a timing chip! Yiippeeee!!!!

I'LL GO CRAZY IF I DON'T GO CRAZY TONIGHT

Just want to share my favorite song from U2's new album, No Line On The Horizon.

Love the beat, love the lyrics, love the title and I have to admit, I find myself feeling like this A LOT of times!

Enjoy!



She's a rainbow and she loves the peaceful life
Knows I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight
There's a part of me in the chaos that's quiet
And there's a part of you that wants me to riot

Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?

A change of heart comes slow

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me, or are you doubting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls
'Cos the sweetest melody is the one we haven't heard
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but a change of heart comes slow

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone
Baby, baby, baby, I know I'm not alone

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As we start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting
Shouting to the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light

You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy if we don't go crazy tonight

Oh oh
Slowly now
Oh oh

GLOBE RUN FOR HOME

I finished the 5k race in 45 minutes. And I'll be honest-- I'm pretty disappointed with myself because I finished my last marathon in 42.

I was hoping to finish this race in 35 or even 40--but 45mins? Gaaadd! I don't know if it was because I had my monthly visitor. There really is no excuse.

But hey, a run's a run and God knows I ran! In fact, I ran 3km straight even if the roads were uphill. When I checked my watch and saw that I was running for already 26mins, I knew I wasn't going to make it to my 35-minute target. How was I going to run 2km in 9 minutes? So I stopped to get water. Huhuhu!

I think my mistake was that I got too comfortable with my pace. Got too scared of getting tired agad so I threw off the idea of picking it up a notch and running faster. I have learned my lesson. I should do a lot lot lot better on my next marathon (Kenny's Urbanite Run). I will try to look pretty while running and sweating (wish ko lang!) and will train harder so I can run side by side with Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez (I both find them hot for different reasons: Marc looks good but Rovilson is darn witty and I find that sooo sexy).

While this marathon seemed pretty organized--race started on time, appreciated the distance markers, great and accurate route, etc (although some people had issues with Globe's VIP parking-- oo nga naman, ano ba naman yun?), I have a few things to gripe about:

• ELECTRONIC TIMING CHIP- I was under the impression that the whole point of the electronic timing chip was so that runners could get their accurate running time right after the race or at least the day after. This news report actually says that the official results have already been posted on the Run for Home site.
  

Even the Globe site says: "After the race, you can check times, race results, and official photos on the Globe website." Well, where is it? I don't see it there!

• POORLY-MANNED WATER STATIONS- While there were sufficient water stations, there was not enough water and the stations were poorly-manned. And I didn't want the carbonated drink they were giving away. The water stations were sooo crowded with runners scrambling for a paper cup and water. Wawa!

• PRIZES WERE NOT GIVEN ON THE DAY OF THE RACE- Found out from Bald Runner that prizes were not given to the winners on the day of the race. Not even the medals or trophies or certificates were given! Apparently, they have asked the winners to claim their prizes at the Globe office. I feel for the athletes who join races just to earn money (We have our government to blame for this) and some of these athletes come from provinces pa. Tsk tsk tsk!

• LOUSY CLEAN-UP COMMITTEE--As of Monday morning, paper cups used during the race were still scattered along Lawton Avenue in Fort Bonifacio. SHAAMMEEE!!!

Buti na lang, this race went to a very good cause!

BEST RUN YET (thanks to a song--i think)

I was talking to my boss last night about how disappointed I was about my run last Monday and how I wish I could find my pace so I can run longer.

I can usually only run for 18mins straight and then I brisk walk and then run again. I figured I was running too fast which was why I was getting too tired too quickly. The songs on my cardio tracks playlist are fast songs like Fatboy Slim's "Ya Mamma" and Groove Armada's "I see you baby (shakin that ass)". You'll also find a lot of Chemical Brothers and No Doubt songs in my running playlist.

And then earlier, I found this Crystal Method song on my ipod (it was my Uncle who probably put it there since my ipod video is a hand-me-down from him). And the song was 45 minutes long! It was purrfeecctt!!! It started with a slow beat that warmed me up and then the tempo started getting faster (but not too fast). And just like that, I found my running pace!

Thank you Nike and Crystal Method because

I ran for 31 minutes straight!!! And I don't want to sound mayabang, but if I wasn't going to be late for work, I could have ran some more!

So now, I am even more excited to Run For Home this Sunday! I am hoping to finish the 5km race in 35 minutes. We shall see how well or bad I do. Hahaha!

Yay!!!

YOU MAKE IT REAL

I fell inlove with James Morrison when I first heard You Give Me Something and Broken Strings but this song just melts my heart!




Mmmmm
There's so much craziness, surrounding me
There's so much going on, it gets hard to breathe
When all my faith has gone, you bring it back to me
You make it real for me

When I'm not sure of, my priorities
When I've lost site of, where I'm meant to be
Like holy water, washing over me
You make it real for me

And I'm running to you baby
You are the only one who saved me
That's why I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

When my head is strong, but my heart is weak
I'm full of arrogance, and uncertainty
But I can find the words, you teach my heart to speak
You make it real for meee, yeaaa

And I'm running to you baby
Cause you are the only one who saved me
That's whyyy I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

Ohhh
Everybodies talking in words
I don't understand
You got to be the only one
Who knows just who I am
Your shinin in the distance
I hope I can make it through
Cause the only place
That I want to be
Is right back home with you

I guess there's so much more
I have to learn
But if you're here with me
I know which way to turn
You always give me somewhere,
Somewhere I can learn
You make it real for me

And I'm running to you baby
Cause you are the only one who saved me
That's why I've been missing you lately
Cause you make it real for me

You make it real for me

9 DOWN, 11 TO GO

I weighed myself yesterday and thought that maybe there was something wrong with the scale. So, I weighed myself again.

Lie, it does not!!!

I lost 9lbs already!!! I am 11lbs away from, well, not really my desired weight but my i-am-content weight. Hehehehehe!

I LUV IT!

P.S.
Uh-oh! I'm craving for
Pistachio ice cream...