The 2010 Elections

This blog is officially afflicted with the 2010 virus!!

With the CHACHA sounding loudly from the House of (mis)Representatives, I believe that, strongly, a lot of Filipinos right now, especially the younger generations are feeling that change is very much needed and not charter change but GOVERNMENT/LEADERSHIP CHANGE. Given the recent win of Obama in the US and the crises afflicting our country, and I am not talking about the usual poverty and economy, but more of the political and governance crisis, we, the Filipino youth, are more eager than ever to be part of this much needed impetus for our country to be great once again.

We can start by actually getting to know the candidates who are planning to run and telling our friends and families what we have learned from them. Websites of these candidates are already up and running and I am sure Facebook is flooded will all their pages talking about how perfect they can be to be the President of the Republic.

Whilst most of us may be perfect for the position, we need to elevate the usual requirements. Think of it as we, the Filipino people, the employer and the candidates as the job applicant.

As for now, you may start by checking out Kaya Natin Movement and their Facebook account if you want to push Gov. Panlilio (Pampanga) and Gov. Padaca (Isabela).

Too Tired with Social Networking Stuff

This post may be a bit ironic from the title but this social networking sites are a tad boring already. Maybe I should start deleting some people here and just keep those I have been friends with for a long time. Or maybe, I should set my privacy settings so as not to divulge too much info about my life, not that I feel a lot of stalkers out there but I am no longer comfortable showing my current status, where I recently went or what I ate an hour ago.

SNFS - Social networking fatigue syndrome.

Bits and Pieces

It's been a long time since I posted something here.

And so here I am, with snippets of what happened.


I have this major crush! Well, he's just one of those frisbee player. But he's straight. A little bromance won't hurt naman, right??? I have been playing for two Sundays and two Fridays in a row na. I just love ultimate. Magnanimously fab! Ow, and that's not the guy I am referring to. I just wanted to show a pic of me in action with jersey on!!! Umextra lang siya sa pic. Although, ok lang, at least mukhang valid ang pic at hindi nagpapacute lang, as-if-in-action kinda pic. I love it. Hahaha. I mean, it's all about GL or ganda lang, right?!?! And that's where I am good at! I think, more than anything, and that will suffice na noh!

And well, I have this thing in my pocket. It's a new phone - a SAMSUNG i780!! Weeeeee. But a second-hand lang 'coz aside from the savings factor, I am not really that good in taking care of handheld devices. I just wanted it. It has all the functions that I need and more. Although the more part, I am still figuring out how to use. But I am majorly loving the QWERTY and the 3G and the everything. Gah! I missed Windows Mobile OS. I have been using Palm for more than a year now and it feels great to be back home to Windows. But I am not that much of a fan, still. It's just that Palm has not released a similar device or at least something better than the current models they have right now. But I am so looking forward to this new device from Palm, the PALM PRE!!!! Di ba, just like pare lang! But then again, it looks like it does not have anything for video calling, which is like the coolest ever for phones lately. But the new OS is something to look forward to!!!!! So watch out for it!!!!

Oh, and by the way, I had the funniest job interview ever!!! ha! I felt like I was just talking to Wilber or to Chelo. I even gave the interviewer a CD of my newsletter. Fun lang talaga, I swear. I was laughing out loud the moment I stepped in my car kasi it was just one of those very light, bubbly, and gay interview that I had. It must be my BEST job interview ever! I am sure she is loving me by now and that she will never ever forget me!!!

Anyhoot, I have been on a shopping spree lately. I don't know why. And I am so digging this new shirt I got. Hay nako, don't be surprised to see me everyday wearing this because it's so comfy and red!!! I love red (well, lately.)


And I am so tanned!!! I love my negrito-inspired color. It's just so summer-y! Although, I must admit that the sun damage is so apparent na with my wrinkly and lined forehead and the laughlines! Gah! I need Dr. Murad!! Now!!! Heheheh. And the work stress is so much higher than before, hence the horrendous eye bags and a tired aura altogether. But I am happy naman, materialistically, that is! hahaha.

Watch out for the release of my newsletter. It's gonna be so fab, again! I know, right!?!?

Hehehe!

Tale As Old As Time

Can I just say how much a fan I am of this show:

photo from poptimal.com

Starring Justin Bruening (needs more acting workshop though), aside from the nostalgia that it brings me, given the fact that I was a sucker for the old one starring David Hasselhoff, the pumped-up, pimped ride, with all the adrenaline and high-tech stuff that goes with the car, and a nitrous oxide-infused thrills and breath-taking scenes ala Mission Impossible, Transformer and Macgyver all rolled into one are just SOME of the reasons why you should watch this too. Well, that is, if you're onto these stuff.

I wish David Hasselhoff will be a guest in one of the episodes. I miss this look e (though I have a DVD of all the seasons of Kinght Rider circa 80s!!!):

photo from knightrideronline.com

Thoughts About Aging and Other "Pakielamera" Stuff

I don't know why aging is somewhat, to a certain extent, equated to being ugly or lifeless and opposite of vitality and freshness. Why not just enjoy aging? Don't you think that we are just being conditioned by anti-aging product manufacturers that wrinkles, sagging and dull skin are ugly? After all, whatever you put on your self or whatever you eat and however you exercise, age still is a function of the number of years and gained wisdom.

I was reading this blog entry from Jim Paredes, and I quote:

"Our world has made a cult of youth and put it on a pedestal. We worship youth above all other human characteristics, often even above talent, wisdom and experience. While one may argue that all these are important, they become doubly valuable when the person who has these attributes is also young. It’s a young world, after all. Or rather, it’s a world made for and of the young."

I would always think that talent, wisdom and experience are one of those intangible, immeasurable characteristics that a person can truly cherish and be grateful for, something that the younger generation will never learn, except for some theories learned from somebody else's experience. I just don't get it why the youth would waste their time proving to the world that they fully living their lives. Besides, what can they really prove to the world - that they can party like there's no tomorrow, they can down a whole keg of beer, they can dance and sing just like Britney? It's not like most of them have contributed to world peace. hehe

On to other stuff....

I don't know why adults would always ask if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, when are you going to get married, why don't you have a child yet, yada-yada? Don't they know that it is against the holy grail of the youth of today?

In a church, with my family waiting for the priest, we chanced upon our neighbor whom my parents have not seen for quiat awhile, hence the usual kamustahan:

My Mom while proudly carrying her apo: "Mare, kamusta ka na?"
Neighbor Mom (seated beside her were her two daughters who are of marrying and
conception age): Eto tumatanda na. '"Yan na ba ang anak ni Roxanne?"
My Mom: "Oo, ang ganda ng apo ko noh. Ikaw kelan ka magkaka-apo?"
Neighbor Mom: "Next year."
The daughters: "Asa ka pa"
Me whispering to my mom: "Ma, 'wag kang pakielamera."
Mom to me: Irap.

If it is somehow irritating for the adults to be told that they are fat and old, it is similarly irritating to us, the younger generation, to be asked the aforementioned questions, especially when in a wedding or any family gatherings, i.e. reunions, baptism, etc.

Oh well, kanya-kanya lang 'yang priorities and beliefs. We live in a world where there is no longer an all-encompassing moral system. The degree of differentiation and individuality we have seen from the last three decades has erected a set of different moral systems based on age, sex, financial class, profession, etc. Hence, different social graces will be expected from the different groups around.

Open mind? Yeah, very necessary at this point. Otherwise, world war 3.

Rollin'

I'm on a roll!

Whata dah?

I have been battling with the worst colds ever! It has been a week since I succumbed to the fact that I am infected with this virus. Normally I would just cure it off with a good night's sleep after an intense gym workout and perspiration-inducing dry sauna session. Sometimes, a massage would also be part of the routine.

But, hell, none of which I have done to cure me. I am just too lazy to lift weights, brain functions even during sleep (work-related not some fantasies playing during dreaming) and could not find the time to go to my favorite spa. Hence, I am writing this to tell the colds to shut up and drive away. (Sana may powers ang writing to cure all the illnesses of the world)

And my reason why I feel so lethargic - MY COLDS! It has made me soooooooooooooo lazy as in crazy-to-the-bones laziness. All I want to do are as follow:

Work
Work
Work
and did I mention work?

It seems that there are so many things to do and yet I cannot organize my consciousness to put these into a list of priorities 1, 2, and 3.

Oh, and I also want to go out on a date, but this person I am trying to hook-up with is very busy, or so he claims. While the list is a bit on the full side, I can't seem to muster that energy to proceed to guy 2 and then to 3 and to 4. (Obviously, I know my priorities here, in terms of candidate number, that is. hihihi)

The second week of January is about to start and yet I have not lifted a finger to start writing the articles for my newsletter. (Hehehe nauna pa ang blog na ito. Well this is soooo much easier to do than a serious piece of article).

And I have to call pa this local food service for a franchise. I mean, time is running out as my proposed business location may already be filled or occupied. Baka sabunutan ko yung nauna sa akin!!!

And then next week I have to attend the Board Meeting where our new(old) house is located - CAVITE! As in very Stepford cum Desperate Housewives ang dating ko next Saturday!!! I have to be there because my Dad is disputing all those penalties he incurred for not paying his membership dues. Para 5 years lang naman. I just wish a hot dad would be there to witness me shine in a meeting like that. I need to carve out myself there if serious consideration of settling in that side of the south is in progress.

Whatevs, I'll just complete my gift list for 2009 (I didn't give any gifts las Christmas because I was tooo lazy to buy).

Maximum intensity,
Raf

Must I Be Scared?

I haven't been feeling the blues lately. It seems that my life is pretty much sane and satisfying.

Should this be a point wherein one must start worrying?

On another train of thought...... Well, well, well enjoy it as long as it lasts. Maybe tomorrow will be a different day. Maybe because my life wheel is currently flat, hence, it's not moving me up and down, here nor there.

I MUST BE FLYING!!!! Gah! AHLAVIT MOOOORE!

It's Not Just Fusion, It's Fyushion!

Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online defines FUSION as “a merging of diverse, distinct, or separate elements into a unified whole”. In the world of FMCG, these different and diverse elements are unified and merged into an entirely new, highly differentiated and innovative whole (product). Specifically, it is when you use ideas, ingredients, technologies, or even marketing strategies from one industry to another, sort of using an apple to sell oranges. Hence, the terms NUTRACEUTICALS, NUTRICOSMETICS, and COSMECEUTICALS are quite common and several product launches under these categories have been observed.

For the past years, these new products serve as enablers for new and emerging lifestyles and allowing to enjoy life to the fullest and even exciting senses to the maximum level. The market longed for a healthier lifestyle giving a greater sense of wellbeing – with the mind and body balance at the forefront – given the modern day stress, environmental mishaps and the post 9/11 anxiety. Manufacturers came up with products that not only provide good nutrition but also provide a sense of prevention and cure. Thus, we were introduced to products such as the different functional and fortified food products or the nutraceuticals. These products are further categorized according to benefits that they provide: heart health, brain food, bone mass, energy-boosting, joints and weight management to name a few.

Interesting ingredients in recent product launches include DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), EFA (essential fatty acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and ARA (arachidonic acid) that boost brain power; L-carnitine and oligosaccharides for fat burning and weight management; glucosamine and chondroitin for joint management, etc.

It is also noteworthy that some food products are being marketed as beautifying foods using cosmetic product ingredients related to beauty such as collagen and hyaluronic acid. On the other hand, the cosmetic industry has launched products with foods as their key ingredient prompting technology and ingredient suppliers to determine the efficacy of these ingredients in cosmetic applications, i.e. milk for whitening and smoothening, slimming effect of white tea as used in a body-slimming/-shaping gel, lycopene for skin lightening.

Other manufacturers would market the personal care product as “food-inspired”.

On the pharmaceutical side, the growth of medicinal and herbal tea bags containing functional and pharmaceutical ingredients has blurred the demarcation line between medicine and food.

Another product that has clearly shown the fusion between pharmaceutical product and cosmetics is the glutathione capsule that is said to provide effective whitening and antioxidation through its glutathione content. Another very popular product is the capsule that provide slimming and fat burning due to L-carnitine and green tea extract contents.

Thus, one would not be surprised to see soaps and lotions using glutathione as a key ingredient for whitening and even applied in other cosmetics and toiletries products.

One very important aspect of these fusions is how the benefits are communicated and how the complex web of sensory appeal helps in improving the perceived efficacy of the product, with flavors and fragrances at the forefront. A cosmetofood fusion would likely require a flavor linked to beauty; a fruit flavor with floral notes associations, i.e. peach or even a floral flavor, i.e. lavender, chamomile. On the other hand, a nutricosmetics product may require a gourmand fragrance, i.e. lemon vanilla for higher vitamin C content effect or chocolate fragrance if chocolate is the active ingredient used. Depending on the benefits, active ingredients and brand image, the polysensorial appeal enables a certain product or brand to convey the message of active ingredient content, efficacy, perceived benefits plus the experience and emotions of the sensations.

Mane’s continuous commitment in improving sensorial appeal in designing fragrances is exhibited in the new Mane Captives, a compendium of new Mane proprietary molecules. According to Christophe Marin, EMEA Fragrance Director, the compendium consists of molecules that are not yet commercialized but are already used in global Mane product development. This is part of research and development activities in discovering new molecules or finding new technologies in ingredient and product design. Thus, fragrance designs and flavor creations become even more exciting because creativity and innovation take a whole new and higher level for Mane. “What’s even more thrilling about these new molecules is that we are replacing molecules that are obsolete or has limited supply while giving that sense of exclusivity to our clients”, Marin said.

These developments in Mane may even fuel new fusions in the future: enviroceuticals, cosmecharity, nutriethics, nutrifashion, cosmexperience, nutrifeelings, emoceuticals, etc. After all, Mane has been fusing creativity and technology in the design of fragrances and flavors for more than a hundred years now.

A No Cha-Cha Zone

I am officially declaring this site to be a No Cha-Cha Zone.

The Vacation

Have you ever had that gnawing feeling of wanting something new or different that you think will satisfy your needs in a way that is long-lasting and truly elevating? For example, spending a night with other or new friends, going to a never-heard-off place, or simply lounging in the sand with the salt-heavy mist kissing your skin.

10 more working days, Raf. 10 more effing working days. And you're done.

2009

Excited for 2009, I have been thinking of how I will spend the next year. Hopefully, I get to do the following:

1. Open another business.
While the water-refilling business that my friends and I recently put up is still on its recovery period, I am currently thinking of where to invest the money that I will earn in 2009. Well, the stocks market is quite uncertain at this point, although financial bloodbath is even the best time to start planting seeds. Thus, I will just continue investing there. I do not want to be too liquid nowadays as I tend to overspend sometimes.

2. Travel
I would love to go back to the US and visit my niece. Heheh, my niece lang talaga. I also have a scheduled trip to Bangkok. But I am not sure yet as to my availability. I also would like to travel to northern Luzon areas. Budget trip lang ha. I haven't gone to any places beyond Baguio (I know, loser).

3. Work harder
Now that I have an additional role at work, I am sure that my time will be spent endlessly on visiting clients and coughing up more creative concepts. Oh, this is a piece of cake (trying my best to put at the backseat my growing unrest with the added responsibilities.)

4. Start improving my sports skills
I did not grow in a household with a sporty attitude. So I wish that next year, I will be a faster runner and a better ultimate (frisbee) player. I hope to also join any ultimate tournament next year.

5. Love my Country more.
I wish to visit more historical sites and national museums next year. I wish to be reconnected via these channels. Hopefully, I will learn something new or express things on different perspectives. I wish to grow the love I have for our Country.

6. Saner
I want to find ways on how to control anger outbursts. I really need to control that. Considering that I so know how to control the opposite emotion, I am sure I can overcome this as well.

7. DIY
I wish to do more DIY projects in improving our homes. Although, this one, I am not yet that sure if I really want it or not. Nevertheless, sure.

Kailan

Kailang muling kikilos ang mga Pilipino laban sa mga magnanakaw ng karapatan, katotohanan at tunay na kalayaan?