It's a personal blog after all

Hello my dear readers (hehe). I was giving myself a head ache trying to think of a topic for a new post when I realized i don't need one. Lol. It's a personal blog after all -

My Past Life

So, I'm still in Batangas and do not have a scanner here nor the photos from my past life that I would love to share with you. Yes, my past life - the more exciting one - or rather, the more blog worthy one?

I had the life of a celebrity (lol, not really), or a super hero (is there a difference?) - finishing schoolwork then making a dash and a costume change in a phone booth (or a taxi cab) to make it to the next concert. Voila!
 

While still with the UPCC, I sang "Sana Ngayong Pasko" solo for Mel and Jay's Christmas Special (long before it became Mel and Joey!), I shared the stage with the late Fernando Poe, Jr. when he received his Lifetime Achievement Award at the FAMAS (I have a newspaper clipping to prove it too), shared a song with premier Classical mezzo-soprano Janet Sabas-Aracama and the uber Ms. Nanette Inventor on a concert finale number, I've recorded back-up tracks for a couple of local artists plus one international Pinoy broadway artist, and have sung in numerous company events and high profile weddings. And I was still in the University then!

Oh, and I haven't mentioned the 3 International tours I joined...

Woof Winners: Writers Offering Our Finest Contest for October 16

It was a four way tie for the winners of this week's WOOF contest and I am honored to be one of them. It is my first time to participate and I appreciate the warm welcome. Thank you WOOF and thanks to those who voted for me!


WOOF Contest – Top Picks


Non-Fiction
Reyjr – “Trauma in Ondoy's Wake”
- A recounting of our story during the devastation of typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana).

Poetry
Zorlone – “Curious Encounters” 
- This poem was made in response to the theme "Curiosity Killed the Cat" at the artist's challenge at the inferno.

Dragon Blogger – “Filthy Thoughts” 
- Poem about having unsavory thoughts.

Fiction / Flash Fiction
Zorlone – “Water on the Glass Window” 
- Elmot took the train home one rainy evening and found out what had prevented him to move on.


Brought to you by PlotDog Press with
the Serial Suspense Screenplay "Intervention"

Singapore Night Safari Adventure

I'm a Singapore Tourist Lah Series

Our first night in Singapore was spent walking around in the jungle, dark, tired and sweaty, but all those creatures at the Singapore Night Safari kept us interested and excited - we actually stayed until they needed to close. Lol!

Preparing for a Night Safari

We arrived at the Changi Airport in Singapore late in the morning on a Saturday. Our plan was set - have lunch, go home to drop off our bags, go to Orchard Road to change some money, visit the Raffles Hotel for some original Singapore Sling, then off to the Singapore Night Safari!

Homework: English to Batangueño translations

Translating from English to Tagalog to Batangueno. Wow. I'm such an expert. Not! Why not give it a go yourself?

Kids, do your own Homework

Humor me, I say.

Laiya Beach, Batangas

Several weeks ago, I found a comment on my CBox from Jasmin, a student from Davao, and she was asking if I could translate some English sentences into Batangueno for her. She obviously did not read my profile page. Heh heh heh.

Friends, I am not Batangueno (although at this rate, I may very well become one lol). No offense to my kabareks - I think Batanguenos are a great people. Very strong and solid, a brave and assertive bunch. I love kapeng Barako, but I'm still looking for a genuine local place around here where I can buy some - recommend a place to me!

In the interest of nationalism, I prefer to refer to Batangueños as "Filipinos in Batangas" and say "Batangueño" to mean the dialect they speak around here. And for the record, I have, not once, heard anyone here say "Ala-eh!"

Turning Bloggers into Published Writers

I am pleased to share with you that the collection of Inspirational Thoughts and Stories of Bloggers from All Over the World has now been published and is available online. I have one story as part of this collection - so now I can add "published writer" to my Profile page. woot!

The lady behind this “creative work of love” as she puts it, is JenaIsle, a professor from Pampanga, Philippines. In an interview with American writer Holly Jahangiri, Jena speaks of her "frustrations of unpublished work" and then the "joy of being published" and wanting to share this experience with other bloggers and writers.

And now this here is the result - an inspirational book born of an inspirational story.

If you would like to own a copy of this book, you can place your orders here.

ps I can't wait to get my own! 

Postmortem Review for Typhoon Ondoy Flood Rescue and Relief Operations

It's been almost a week since I posted our traumatic Typhoon Ondoy experience, and was at a loss about how to move forward with my blog. Now I know how - this will be my last Typhoon Ondoy post.

When I began writing down my recounting of the events that transpired during Typhoon Ondoy's devastation, one of the Philippines' worst tropical storms, I had only one thing on my mind - I had to release this fear and frustration over everything that I experienced. I did not expect my posts about Typhoon Ondoy to be one of the most read articles on this blog. To everyone who visited, Thank you, and I do hope the compilation of Typhoon Ondoy stories here did help you also to begin your healing.

I have one more thing in mind though. After every big operation or project, an analysis or review is done at the end to assess where improvements can be made. We call this a postmortem review or an after action review (AAR).  I am sure the government will have one about Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. Here are some of my contributions...