Please accept my grovelling apologies for not responding to the tags I received in the last two weeks.

I am slowly ploughing through them now. I swear if I can only type while standing in a crowded train, I wouldn’t be so late in my blogging-addiction.

So first off my to-do list is Kathy’s ‘hate’ tag — Thanks sis!

1. Food you hate
–> Falafel. Being a foodie (read: matakaw) I tried this falafel sandwich back in 2001. I’ve seen a lot of people go for it & I thought I’d give it a bite. EGAD! It was the first time in my life I actually had to spit out my food. I wasn’t ready. People say it tastes great, perhaps the restaurant I went to was no good, but I don’t want to try falafel again.

UPDATE: Sorry forgot to describe what falafel tasted-like for me. Mapaklang-mapait-na-sobrang-tuyo (Acrid-Bitter-very-dry). Yummy…

2. Fruits that you hate
–> I can’t think of any. Even the fruits I didn’t like growing up like Apples & Mabolo, I like (and miss, in the case of mabolo) now.

3. Veggies that you hate
–> Brusells sprouts. Honestly after liking ampalaya, I thought they’re making such a big fuss over the tiny-cabbages. I tried it with my sunday roast (from a gastro-pub) and I don’t think I will be serving my family this stuff lest my son forces me to eat it up!

4. Celebrities or people that you hate
–> I’d like to say I don’t hate anyone as hate is such a strong word & it conjures ‘revulsion’ of a fellow man. But if we’re talking about leeches in politics & some power-tripping civil servants, then I can reserve that term of endearment for them.

5. Event/Incident/Situation that you hate
–> US immigration. The first time I arrived on an American airport I was really shocked at their officers’ abrasive manners. They might using their rough treatment of people to fend off potential wrong-doers but there’s really no need for the aggravation. I didn’t want to live there, I never wanted to live there & the only reason I was there was because a US-based company needed my services. To stand there & be glared at & nearly humiliated is intolerable. I thought that treatment was reserved for non-white like me, but white British officemates told me they got the same deal.

I think if the US customs are trying to catch people offguard they’re using the wrong strategy. Being polite & professional & perhaps even chatting casually to people may get them more information than their bullying tactic.

6. TV Shows or Movies that you hate
–> I don’t ‘hate’ any shows or films but I don’t like a number of them. Top of my list are reality shows especially the American one (some years ago) about marrying a millionaire. After the “wedding” the winning girl wanted to divorce. I wonder why?

7. Type of Music that you hate
–> I was going to put garage & trash metal BUT I remembered the proliferation of those OPM songs that insinuates sex & other lewd topic. What are they called again? Every time I see youngsters & really old women (as in grans) cavorting to those songs, I feel humiliated. And every time I see parents, mostly mothers, encouraging their young ones to act like a-go-go dancers, I get the urge to give them a whack on the head.

8. Household chore that you hate
–> It has to be ironing. I used to be okay with it, but since my series of RSI problems, it’s a no-go area for me now.

9. Things you hate about the world
–> War and greed, they’re one & the same aren’t they?

10. Things that you hate about yourself
– > Physically, I am very conscious of my double-chin and every time I mention it I can still hear the Batibot song “alagang-alaga ko si puti, bakang mataba, bakang maputi…”. I’m seriously damaged ain’t I?

I’m now supposed to tag people but I’d rather you pick it up if you feel up to it. Come on, tell us what makes you go “hmp!”

Warning: Walang kwentang post ahead.
Okay I succumbed. I’ve seen this on several blogs & I knew I wanted to try it, too.

You Are 47% Vain

You’re a little vain, but more than anything you have a healthy amount of confidence. Thinking the world of yourself is great. Just don’t think less of those who aren’t as pretty as you!

How Vain Are You?

Okay na di ba? But then it reminded me of those quizzes I used to take in “Woman’s Home Companion” mags. I couldn’t stop myself. Before I realised it, I did another test…

You Are 43% Scary

You’re a pretty normal, nice girl… but you definitely have your scary moments. As long as you acknowledge them and apologize, you’ll probably keep your guy around.

Do You Scare Off Men?

… and another.

You May Be a Bit Obsessive Compulsive…

Meticulous and detailed oriented, you have some irrational obsessions. Maybe it’s your super neat closet or washing your hands a gazillion times. You probably know it’s weird, but you just can’t stop thinking about it. In fact, the more you think about your quirks, the more you have to do them.

What Personality Disorder Are You?

Okay enough.

I was on a business trip to India last year (August 2006). Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, it was nowhere near Mumbai or Taj Mahal. It was in Southern India called Trivandrum, which apparently was a former communist state. If my colleague is to be believed, he said that on his first visit to the place, the airport was manned by the military & it was quite scary as people pushed & shove their way in & around you.

When I got there, the first thing that came to my mind is Pinas. It was a twilight zone moment. Someone even went in my luggage & pinched my digital camera. I was so homesick hehe Anyway my kindly officemates gave me copies of their shots.

See the airport was similar to our old Domestic Airport. Ours is only better by one shower.
(isang paligo :-)) Outside the Kerala airport, the smell was of a wet market & the sanitation was non-existent. If you’re not careful, there are people who’d take your bags to force you to take their cab. It was reminiscent of the tricycle drivers in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

I was adamant we ought to do some shopping & sightseeing. If I didn’t broach the topic, the bossings would have happily made us work from 7am to 10pm everyday for 5 days. At one point we ended up in their market & my officemate took the shot above. That’s me with the motorcycles. Isn’t it like a typical Pinas market? BTW check out those plastic containers at the background. Our hotel rooms and the office toilets all have pails of water & a jug (tabo). My female colleague asked me what I think they were for. When I told her her face was indescribably shocked.
There’s always heavy traffic everywhere we go. And of course they have the 5-in-a-motorcycle scene there, too. The whites (American, New Zealander, German & Scot) with me were all shocked but the only thing I actually did a double take on was the Indian pedicab. I bought my son a model. I asked an officemate to take the picture above.

I told my companions that we can buy cigarettes by piece (per stick) from the store above. They wouldn’t believe me so they asked. They concluded it was the best thing in the world, you know to avoid wastage. Then our driver butted in, he said we can even buy prescription drugs without prescription… hmmm Pinas nga yata ito.

I have always been curious with the garlands that adorn nearly every place and everything we see. When I took a closer look, they were actually Sampaguita but with different colours. The guy told me what it’s called in Indian but I can’t remember anymore. The Scot wanted to buy some & the American girl took some to her hotel room as air freshener.

Of course I wanted proper souvenirs to take home with me. So our Indian friend (pictured above in the red dress) took us to the Tourism Ministry’s craft shop. My God it was dusty. Everything we touched were covered in dust but the prices were okay & they were all polite, save for one saleslady who told me not to haggle as it wasn’t a market. I nearly told her, “mukha mo polite ka sa puting unggoy na yan e kinukuripot ka din”. Instead, I asked her if their staff were being paid by commission. When she said yes, I went to her other colleague & asked her to ring up my items plus more.

Okay this is the first place we went to that I was actually enthralled & was finally made to believe I was in India. Along the entire length of the street leading to the temple were taps with men washing themselves - as in washing their entire body!!! I actually saw a few butts & the sights weren’t pretty. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go inside the temple. Women need to be in skirt & the men, well, they need to wash!

The office we visited was the outsourcing company my ex-firm eventually bought. It brought 1997 memories of my first job in Reposo, Makati in terms of layout & size. But that Indian office was something else. People were so quiet, and most were nervous when you talk to them, even during lunchtime. Apparently they’re not allowed to print. You need admin access to CD-ROM and internet. Their monitors were really small. And yes, their CPUs, I think, are clones.

Since that trip I asked a few friends still based in Pinas whether they get the same deals as those in Indian. Most concurred. Some even went as far as saying their emails & internet usage are monitored! Egad.

Well I hope you enjoyed the few pictures I managed from the trip, well okay begged off my ex-officemates. There’s one picture that I’m still looking for which I will post soon.

This is definitely not my week. My emotions have been swinging up and down, left to right & I feel as grey as the London skies. At the back of my mind, I know it’s my black dog making its presence felt. Fine, that’s normal but then my skin is dry & I feel sick & dirty.

Tuesday I went to my dermatologist for my skin allergy patch test & I haven’t showered for 48 - hours! My hair is as oily as Snape’s. Yes, I shampoo’ed it but I don’t why it won’t stay shiny & clean-looking if I didn’t douse my entire body with water & soap.

My back is itchy. Dunno if it’s due to the allergens. My fear is it’s itchy because I am allergic to the plasters! Anyway, I just hope all these are worth it in the end because my skin needs the right treatment. I keep complaining how rough my face is now & this year I’ve actually taken steps to at least find out why. Tonite I will have my first reading, like palm-reading only the nurse will be tracing how many bumps formed on my back, which looks like a messy whiteboard, only my skin is not white.

Then this morning at the office, I found out I “have” pala. That explains my short/ill temper. And why I am so uncomfortable. I really hate these red visits. I should be glad I guess as I have had depo-injections for 3-years & most women don’t get their menstrual cycle back for a year. But as my ate said I might be similar to Nanay in terms of fertility (”mahakbangan lang buntis na” she said).

So anyway, here’s to women everywhere. Us, who are governed by the Waters and the Moon. Or am I the only loony?

I’ve been fidgety all day Friday (20 July 2007). I sent Joel at least three text messages and called him several times, then repeated to him in the car on the way home, that he MUST go back to the supermarket that night or at dawn to get me the book. I’ve seen pictures of snaking queues on almost all the dailies & I cannot bear the thought of not having my own book when it’s released.

I’m a Potter-maniac. It started on an impulse airport-buy (was it 1999? I don’t even remember). And I’ve always been on the edge of my seat every time a new book is to be released. I even pre-ordered HP6 on Amazon. But this year, I was expecting consumers to win on the pricing war for the final “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”!

I’ve never been more glad to live in Britain than this month. HP7 retails at $37 in the United States. It has a suggested retail price of £17.99 in the UK. But since every major supermarket in the UK wants a big share of the audience, it’s been a crazy “beat this” price war since the start of 2007. I thought the lowest offer on HP7 will stay at £8.00+ from Amazon & most bookstores. Still I didn’t pre-order. I was patient as Tesco & ASDA haven’t announced their plans yet (& I lost out on their discounted price for HP6). Then two weeks ago, the super-duper-markets set their prices at £8.16, just a few pence cheaper than the bookstores.

But the day before the release night, ASDA announced they’re selling HP7 at a lose. It was an added attraction for shoppers at £5 a pop!!! I was elated. That is the right time to buy. I thought my plans were scuppered when Joel complained of migraine. I can’t have that! I can’t drive, someone needs to get me the book. I feeding him paracetamol tablets to make him better or at least for him to manage the wheels… I know I was insane, I was unfeeling, I was inconsiderate… but it’s HP7!

Joel called me from the store, he was told the books were gone by 3am. I nearly cried. I told him his migraine’s a big pain. I told him to go to the nearby Tesco branch. I received a text message, again none left, he says. I lost. So I told him he ought to buy me the book at the regular price then. I assume after the first week the stores might revert to the original retail price. But the hubby actually got two copies: one for me and another for my friend in the US. Jerk. He says it was a joke…. grrr.

Anyway, the book is — wow. Really, read it. At the end, Harry was… Voldemort didn’t… you know. hehe Joke joke, no spoilers here.

My post really is about the power of competition & how consumers benefit from it. Isn’t it great? Yes there were tears & cries of “foul” from smaller shops. They’re missing out on the profit, the boom should be shared amongst everyone, they said. Most of the small players ended up buying from the supermarkets just so they can sell the Potter book at the same price level as everyone (between £4.99-£8.90). But still I’m a consumer & I’m happy not to fork out nearly £20 for the book of the year.

Last week on the BBC Breakfast’s business news, they said Bloomsbury did earn a lot from Rowling’s series. But the backlash is that some of their stockholders are jumping ship due to fear of a possible post-Potter slump. It is expected by most quarters that the Bloomsbury share prices will fall in the coming months. So of course the publishing house is quick to dispel the rumours by saying they’ve got more bestsellers ahead. Will it work? Let’s wait and see. I’m sure a lot of market players are eagerly watching.

On that note, did you know that Bloomsbury’s agreement with stores (across the globe) to only sell the HP book a minute after midnight of 20 July 2007 was even rumoured to have been in jeopardy? Apparently Bloomsbury dictated before that if a seller doesn’t comply with their “release policy” they will not be given the succeeding Potter book. Since HP7 is ‘it’, there were talks about Bloomsbury’s lack of control over the sellers. I didn’t hear any problems about it. But still it must be scary to be on the board of the Bloomsbury. It’s an end to a great money-making era… Well, if you don’t count the merchandise, the movies, the games & royalties.

PS
Bewitching read to you all… Thanks for visiting again & again & I’m really, really sorry I haven’t been bloghopping as much. Work & sickness really gets in the way of life.

This is a sponsored post

Okay we already know about the thrifty mothers collecting coupons to exchange at the supermarket. Hey I do that, too. Actually I join as many rewards or bonus clubs as I can. I also collect online coupons. Why not? It saves me cash.

With KeepCash.com their updates are on daily basis so you’re bound to find something you really need. Coupons everywhere for everything, books, food, clothes for you and the kids, etc etc.

I just saw they have the Dell home deals for MP3 players and even monitors. As I am considering replacing my home PC within the year this site will really come in handy.

I thought I won’t be able to blog tonite because of my broadband problems. Actually the problem is ‘me’. 1.5 years ago wireless wasn’t very affordable so I stuck with wires everywhere. Now I’m regretting every inch of the trail. When I try to work downstairs (like now) I struggle to set up my backup modem etc etc. So I have decided to hold-off buying new curtain sets. I am going for WiFi.

Whinging over.

A Pinay called me at 9pm (while Kelvin was saying his prayers & I was thinking of watering the plants!) to say that our common friend (20 mins from us) has a 1-yard long snake in their bathroom. When I called up this friend they’ve run out of options. They rang RSPCA, a charity for animals, but were told RSPCA cannot help but the snake must not be harmed as it’s against the law to hurt animals. They dialled 999 (ala-911) and were told the police or firefighters cannot help, stray animals are not their job. They rang the Council hotline but were told to ring RSPCA. NGEK! Thankfully, Kuya RC managed to fight their corner & an RSPCA rep arrived just now (1030pm). Unfortunately, snakey was ‘hiding’ behind the loo & the rep says they’re not allowed to “coax” or “force” the animal out. In the end, the family has to wait until it comes out & “trap” it so RSPCA can collect it. Problem solved. In the meantime, the wife is terrified she might want to wee and they’re apprehensive about tomorrow morning when they need to brush their teeth & of course, have a shower. I don’t think I’d be able to sleep with a snake in the house, even if it’s harmless.

Two things came to mind:
ONE. If they were in Pinas, either a neighbour or the trusty tanod will volunteer to catch the serpent - dead or alive. Do we care?

TWO. I wished we lived next door or across their street so I could take a sneak-peak & take its picture. You know, blogging opp… sicko.

*smile you’re on candid camera*

Well guys, Kelvin still has a slight temp (sinat) so no nursery for him tomorrow. We’re paying a Pinay £20 to look after him for 8-9 hours. I wanted to take a leave but Joel says no more. England’s crazy weather brought all sorts of ailments. One child at Kelvin’s nursery has chickenpox and 6 of them has the coughs-cold-fever tandem like my pogi-boy. As for my hay fever, Autumn is not so far away — right?

This is a sponsored post

Are you a goth? Do you even know what it is, what they are? Well London is full of it, one colleague I worked with is one and when I was teenage metal-head, I so wanted to be one. I became a yuppy instead.

To those who are still wearing their black boots, dyeing their hair black and coloring their lips black, but still unable to find the true goth of your life, try goth dating. Obviously here you’ll find all goth singles of shapes and sizes but only one shade of black. Check out the available pictures to be enticed.

Of course, I first knew of Penelope Cruz via Tom Cruise and I was in Pinas then. Since coming to London though, I’ve seen a couple of her Spanish films & I really like her now. All of her films that I saw were very well-chosen & she is an impressive actress.

I saw Volver just last week, courtesy of my Amazon DVD rental (really cheap!). If you haven’t seen it yet, I suggest you do especially if you’re a woman or a mother to girls. This film revolves around women, their relationships as sisters, as mothers and daughters. It also dealt with child abuse and the twists were very well played. I guess the film did lose some “feelings” because of the sub-titles but even then you’d be captivated by the simple yet charming cinematography & flow of the whole film. It’s really a must-see!

A few weeks ago, my family and our friends & their kids went to check out the Kids AM on offer at our local cinema. There were 3 adults and 3 kids and we only paid £4.50 (est 450Php)! Really Nice. The film was “Meet The Robinsons” & it was Kelvin’s first time to experience the “big telly”. He enjoyed it! And he was very, very well behaved! I thought he’d be scared but he was so happy he kept looking at his dad & I with a huge smile on his face. He even held our hands as if to hug us but not wanting to take his eyes away from the screen. We missed the Kids AM showing of the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles, but we’re hoping to catch Shrek 3 next week. It’s a good thing, too, because everytime Kelvin remembers the cinema he’d smile really sweetly & then purr “muuumm big telly please”.

Well, we went back to the big telly last night, but just daddy & myself. We watched the Fantastic Four. It’s a family film & I did enjoy it with a few good laughs in-between my admiration for the sexy Silver Surfer. But I don’t think my son can sit still for 90 minutes for this film.

What I really want to talk about are two films they’ve shown on preview. This is Steve Carell, for those who don’t recognise him, he’s the uncle in another great film, “Litte Miss Sunshine”. I think the UK is behind in Hollywood films compared to Pinas so you might already know this, but I saw clips of the “Evan Almighty” & it cracked me up. So I will make sure to catch this, even if it means I will leave my hubby at home to look after Kelvin (it’s not rated yet so I’m not sure if it’s suitable for a 3-y/o)!

And do you recognise this hunk of metal? Yes! It’s like a dream-come-true! Sad I know but hey I used to run as fast as I can just to singalong to “transformers more than meets the eye“. In fact I can still hear Optimus Prime shout “Autobots! Transform!“

Well, should I still say it? I am defintely going to see this film! By hook or by crook. And Kelvin will not be there, it’s too violent. But mama’s cool to go! “Ride!“

Now, the “horror” bit of my entry. On our way to see Fantastic Four, we had a near-miss accident! Hubby was driving and when he turned right towards the cinema, he entered the opposite lane!!! I’ve seen this on the news countless of times and often I go “what are they thinking?!” But when I saw where hubby was going the only thing I could say was “mahal!” Thankfully, it wasn’t a busy lane. The only oncoming car managed to swerve away from a great distance & probably cursed us, too, for which I wouldn’t blame them. Then hubby managed to get on the rightcorrect lane (meaning the left lane). Only when we were “back on track” did I realise my mouth was hanging open all the time. To think our experience was probably no more than a 1 minute or 2, it did feel like forever. When we were parked, hubby was so flustered (and perhaps shaken) he nearly forgot to switch off the engine & lock the doors! Poor guy. Thank God nothing happened.

Sam Wishart suffers from a rare condition called cone dystrophy, which has severely damaged his ght. His eyes shake and he can see no colour. Looking towards a light source reduces his vision further, hence he can only see through dark-tinted lenses.

Sam is one tough lad. He’s got an indomitable spirit and is very sociable. So recently, his teammates at the rugby team in Somerset vote him captain! - He’s very good-looking, too.

Check out this photo:

Isn’t he brilliant? I just thought I’d share this heartwarming story. I think motherhood has recently “softened” me, because Sam’s little story on the paper made me wish that Kelvin becomes as whole as him.