Another Life Lesson: Someone you judge too quickly just might surprise you in the future

"Don't judge my brother; he's not a book!"

- Melanie Marquez

Remember when the Queen of Melanisms herself, Melanie Marquez, uttered this infamous line? Well, it may appear to have some truth to it. Not that a person is not a book (d'oh!) but that we should not (immediately) judge a person - that person you judge may just surprise you one day.

Yes, that's exactly what happened to me.

Well...maybe I judged someone too quickly in the past and that person just surprised me - in a pleasant way.

So the next time I'm about to judge someone too quickly, I ought to tell myself that that person just might surprise me in a good way in the future. Kindness, after all, is a golden trait. Hihi. :P

Product Review: The Body Shop Divide and Multiply mascara

In one of my 'in the mood for shopping' days, I went to The Body Shop to finally get myself a bottle of the White Musk EDT.

I liked the scent so much that I bought a starter kit of the White Musk line. The pouch that came with was too cute as well. :-)

As I was about to pay for it, the sales assistant offered me the Love Your Body card which will give me member discounts and other privileges. Well, let's just say I wasn't too keen on that. But I eventually got one, anyways haha. What clinched the deal is the welcome gift - a lip gloss and mascara. Haha! For 300 pesos, I get a lip gloss and a mascara, not bad!

Thus starts my love affair with The Body Shop's Divide and Multiply mascara.

What I love:

- nifty packaging; small tube and will fit most pouches

- fine wand; the fineness separates the lashes well, yay!

- no clumping! yay :D

- a single coat gives a polished look; a second coat spells glamour

What I don't like:

- sometimes it can smear a bit :( (at the end of the day)

- on its own, it doesn't do wonders for short, sparse lashes (which I have); what I do is swipe a single coat of this then use Maybelline mascara for the tips. It doesn't look miraculous but it gives me some semblance of eyelashes haha!

Will post pics next time when I have time to take some after doing my make-up :-P

Product to try: Maybelline Angel Fit Pore Zero Base

Lookie what Cozy.Cot sent to my email :p

Now this just made me add another item in my 'to-buy' list. I've always been a fan of Maybelline stuff especially because the quality is not compromised even as the cost of items is lowered down. I especially love their mascaras - effective yet affordable! And because I am a beauty junkie, I will be waiting for this product to arrive here in the Philippines (if it is not here already). :-)

Cheaper meds, please.

“Gloria, unahin mo ang taumbayan. Matagal mo na silang tinatalikuran. Patunayan mo ngayon ang iyong pangakong hindi mo sila pababayaan”

- Mar Roxas

Reposting this as I believe that lowered prices of medicine will really benefit a lot of people. My grandmother, for one, has so many maintenance medicine amounting to almost 2 thousand per week (do the math and it's so expensive for a month).

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ROXAS APPEALS TO GMA: APPROVE, SIGN MRP LIST

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today stressed the importance of a Malacañang-approved Maximum Retail Price (MRP) list of the top 22 most prescribed medicines in the country, in light of the continuing spread of the A(H1N1) virus in the countryside.

Roxas, principal author of the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines law, appealed to President Arroyo to immediately the MRP list expected to be submitted by the Department of Health anytime this week.

“Kailangang maging madali para sa ating mga kababayan ang pagbili ng murang gamot lalo na ngayong patuloy na kumakalat ang AH1N1 sa ating bansa,” he said.

“Gloria, patunayan mo ang pangako mong pangangalagaan mo ang kalusugan ng ating mamamayan. Huwag ka ng mag-atubili sa pagpirma nitong MRP pars sa 22 pinakanireresetang gamot sa ating bansa,” he added.

He reiterated millions of Filipinos suffering from various illnesses, like hypertension and diabetes, would immensely benefit if prices of the top 22 prescribed medicines are slashed by as much as 50%, as the proposed MRP list imposes.

“Magkakaroon ng domino effect kapag bumagsak ang halaga ng mga gamot na ito. Siguradong mapipilitang ibaba ng mga higanteng kumpanya ang kanilang mga presyo, at ito ay makabubuti sa ating mga kababayan,” the Visayan senator said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque had promised the congressional Cheap Medicines oversight committee the MRP list would soon be endorsed to President Arroyo for her review and approval.

The initial MRP list includes anti-hypertensive, anti-thrombotic, anti-cholesterol, anti-diabetic, antibiotics/antibacterial and anti-neoplastic drugs, which would be slashed by 50% based on the price of the leading brands.

Some of these branded drugs are the anti-hypertensive drug Norvasc, the price of which would drop to P22.50 from the present P44.50; anti-diabetic Diamicron, P7.35 from P14.75; antibiotic Flagyl, P66 from P132; antibiotic Zithromax, P149.37 from P298.75; antibiotic Tazocin, P1061.86 from P2,123.75; antibiotic Augmention suspension 60 ml, P179.50 from P359; Augmentin suspension 70 ml, P439.50 from P879; and anti-neoplastic Carboplatin 450 mg vial, P2117.61 from P4857.15.

“Gloria, unahin mo ang taumbayan. Matagal mo na silang tinatalikuran. Patunayan mo ngayon ang iyong pangakong hindi mo sila pababayaan,” Roxas said.

Life Lesson: You want it? You gotta fight for it!

My aunt lent me a copy of Andrew Matthews' Follow Your Heart and I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to read at least a chapter a week considering that I'm also reading another book and have 5 or so more books in line to be read (haha).

The good thing about the book is that, aside from the illustrations, it gives practical and realistic tips that you can really apply to your life - the kind of advice that you'd remember in your mind at the most unexpected moments.

I remember something I read in the book. Andrew Matthews said, certain events happen in your life for a reason and when something repeatedly happens, it means that life is teaching you a lesson that you need to learn.

So let me make this short because I don't want to go into details anyway. If you want something, you have to fight for it! Things will not fall in your lap the way you always want it to. Sometimes you just have to drive life and not let it drive you.

Retail therapy: Of cosmetics and my first pair of Havs

Yesterday was a really emotionally tough day for me. Do you ever get that feeling when you are so upset and you want to cry right then and there but you can't because you have to somewhat give a pretense that you're okay? That was it.

I used to be a stress eater back in college - I would eat at home before going to sch

ool, I would have baon and still buy food in the cafeteria then still buy food on the way home after classes. It was literally pigging out. But now that I should not exactly be eating way too much (hello slower metabolism as I slowly age and spend time in my desk job), I am moving more into, ta-da, retail therapy.

Well, I won't actually consider myself in the 'shopaholic' level. No, I won't go as far to say that I'm like that but I enjoy shopping in a way that I enjoyed eating before (sige na nga, until now haha).

Anyways, to make this short, my Trinoma loot yesterday consists of a lot of beauty products and a pair of Havs (after a gazillion people went crazy over it, I finally bought my first original pair of it).

Havaianas Fit in Sand

I wanted it in gold but only silver had my size. Boo :( Anyway, I didn't buy it immediately.

I shopped around and looked at different stores. I'd probably try this on this weekend and write a review on it.

I can say that Ipanema has better designs but a bit pricier. Maybe I'd buy a pair the next time I need some consoling again :P lol.

Beauty loot. yey!

Because of my unfortunate encounters with mr. Sun shining too brightly on me, my body is now shades darker than my face. It even shows in pictures haha. So not that I have a problem with dark skin because I am in no way aspiring to be as fair as my mom (haha, it will never happen), but I do have a problem with uneven skin tone and so I bought whitening lotion. Haha! My sister said Gluta-C is effective for the face so I'm trying it out if it's effective as well in the body. And no, I was no way convinced to buy this because their endorses is Jodi Sta. Maria whom they say is pumuti talaga dahil sa Gluta-C.

I used to have the worst, bitten-off nails. Yes, I was a bad nail-biter. But now I'm really trying to curb it because 1) it's really a bad habit and 2) I love nail polishes and I want to get them in my nails and not in my mouth!

The Face Shop has a nice enough range of nail polish shades at a reasonable price of 95php. I bought my first bottle yesterday (I've always bought previously from Elianto), an orange-y shade which looks great in the bottle but, sad to say, does not look as fantastic on my nails. Probably it doesn't match my skin tone :| But anyways, I might as well use it because sayang naman.

What I really wanted to buy was Orly nail polish but I was so disappointed at their selection of shades in Landmark, Trinoma :( The small bottles were so cute but all the shades were so bright and screaming 'hey, color you know?' and well, I'm not exactly a fan of too much colors. I prefer muted colors (haha). There were nice shades in big bottles but I wasn't ready to spend so much on shades that I can get for a fraction of a price elsewhere so I ended up heading to Sally Hansen and bought a nice, sheer shade of Bamboo Shoot. It's very sheer and has the tendency to look like a top coat but I like how it makes my nails looks glossy and healthy and clean. Heehee :] And it was on sale too so how could I resist? :P

Next stop: make-up. I LOVE MAKE-UP and I could have chosen my dream career, I would pick professional make-up artist. But since that's not really a viable option for me at present, I'd just make the most out of what I can now. My sister and I headed to the in2it counter and hey, the salesgirl was really nice. She gave my sister and I makeovers and she was sorta good :-) Personally, I am inclined to buy more if the salesgirl is really nice and helpful w/o being too creepy and if she gives you a nice makeover. Of course, you'd want to do the look over again for yourself :P So I ended up buying 3 items: brown eyeliner, duo blush and lip gloss. I would have gotten liquid eyeliner too but I decided to sleep on it. I also like the lipstick which she used on me, still thinking too if I'd buy it hehe.

So that concludes my shopping trip. I spent so much this week, I ought to be whipped. Kidding.

Hope my package from Bullyshanty arrives today. *crosses fingers*. Like I said, I know I spent so much. Go ahead, crucify me :P

Love and Space and everything in between

The fastest way to make someone miserable is to make sure that his/her lovelife suck.

The quickest way to spoil my mood and make me cry is to break my heart. And yes, one can do it so easily.

I remember that I would always tell other people, 'why take the harder route? bakit ang hilig ng tao pahirapan ang sarili nila?' And I know that that is true, in fact I think I must have been referring to myself everytime I said that.

It was not completely to say that I wanted space like the way it is meant when it is said in movies. No, I don't mean it that way. For me, it's sort of just wanting to be able to do my own thing and being my own self. But it was never in the way that I want to cut someone off my life. No, that was never my intention.

I never wanted him to go, to distance himself from me.

And this afternoon, I realized that I had been so close to losing someone so important to me, someone who has been my anchor for quite some time. And it was at that time that it dawned on me, I still love him very much.

Tindignation: Say NO to ConASS!

Say NO to ConASS!

Wag nang pumayag na lapastanganin pa ang ating Konstitusyon at ang ating bayan.

Some shots from yesterday's rally at Ayala Ave, Makati City.

Sen. Mar Roxas with Sen. Franklin Drilon and Sen. Noynoy Aquino

NO to GLORIA FOREVER!

Confetti being thrown from the top level of Insular building (Insular nga yata).

Politico sighting: father-and-son Biazon

Sen. MAR saying NO to ConASS!

I'll Take Care of You

My new favorite song of the moment is Richard Poon's I'll Take Care of You. At first it was just Poon's way of singing it. I can't say that he is vocally superior (no offense meant, really) in the same way I would say that Stevie Wonder is a vocal genius but his soothing voice fits certain songs. He's like a male counterpart of Sitti Navarro for me.

When I searched for the lyrics of the song, I found out that it was also sung by Steven Curtis Chapman (is he the one who sang 'I Will be Here'?). The lyrics are very beautiful and really very touching. It brought tears to my eyes. It would be so nice to have someone sing this song to you. :-)

I'll take care of you

Don't be sad, don't be blue

I'll never break your heart in two

I'll take care of you

I'll kiss your tears away

I'll end your lonely days

All that I'm really tryin' to say

Is I'll take care of you

I want you to know that I love you so

I'm proud to tell the world you're mine

I said it before, I'll say it once more

You'll be in my heart 'til the end of time

I'll take care of you

Don't be sad, don't be blue

Just count on me your whole life through

'Cause I'll take care of you

Katarungan para kay Ka Rene!

Nakakalungkot at nakakagalit madinig na isang pinuno ng mga magsasaka mula Sumilao ang in-ambush at pinatay kagabi habang siya, kasama ang dalawa pang magsasaka, ay pauwi mula sa isang pagpupulong tungkol sa lupa. (http://phildhrra.net/?q=node/217)

Hindi ko personal na kakilala si Ka Rene. Hindi ako gaanong aktibo sa naging laban ng mga magsasaka at iilang kaganapan lang ang napuntahan ko. Pero ang masasabi ko, humanga ako hindi lamang kay Ka Rene kung hindi pati na rin sa nakita kong pakikipaglaban ng iba pang mga magsasaka para sa kanilang lupa. Nang marinig ko ang balita ngayong umaga mula kay Princess, kinilabutan ako, nalungkot at nagalit. Nakakainis. Parang gusto kong sumigaw para sa katarungan. Sana maresolba ang kasong ito, sana hindi ito tignan ng may bulag na mata ng mga tao.

May you rest in peace, Ka Rene.

Sana wala ng iba pang magbuwis ng buhay para sa mga lupa na dapat naman talagang pag-aari nila.

Ang huling speech ni Ka Rene (courtesy of GMA TV)

Ang lahat ay inaanyayahang dumalo sa:

Holy Mass and Candle Lighting para kay Ka Rene Peñas.

Kailan: Monday (June 8, 2009)
Saan: Immaculate Conception Chapel of the Loyola Schools (College Chapel) sa loob ng Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City
Anong oras: 4:30pm – 7:00pm

Sayang, hindi ako makakadalo dahil may trabaho ako sa araw na iyon.