2013: Year of the Water Snake

2013: Year of the Water Snake

Happy New Year! I hope you had a happy celebration last January 1.  Since it is the beginning of the year, let's talk about Feng Shui. Like you, I also want to know what is in store for me this year. So, let's take a look at who is lucky and unlucky this year.

2013 is the year of the water snake according to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Water Snake will officially begin on February 10, 2013.

The Chinese animal signs considered as the luckiest during the Year of the Water Snake are the following:

• Rat 
• Dog
• Tiger
• Ox
• Horse 
• Dragon

With the the Tiger, Ox and Horse as the more fortunate signs in terms of wealth. The Dragon will be lucky also in terms of romance and education. 

Whereas, the not so lucky animal signs include the following:

• Rabbit
• Rooster
• Sheep
• Monkey
• Pig 
• Snake

Lucky color is emerald green.

MARIAN RIVERA: FHM 150th Cover Girl

MARIAN RIVERA: FHM 150th Cover Girl
 
Good things come to those who wait. Fhm proudly presents Marian Rivera. She is FHM Magazine's 150th cover babe.

 

This is the first time that Marian showed her back.

I bet this issue will be sold out in no time.

The alluring cover of FHM Mag featuring Miss Marian Rivera.

SHOPPING MALLS: Operating Hours

SHOPPING MALLS: Operating Hours

Happy New Year! I was supposed to publish this before Christmas to give you a guide on mall operating hours but due to my kalimot self, I forgot to post 'em..sorry po. Most of Metro Manila’s major malls will be open for limited hours today, January 1, 2013 (New Year’s Day), while some of them will be closed during this date.
 
Don't worry. All shopping malls will resume their regular operations starting tomorrow, January 2, 2013.

Here are the revised mall hours of major shopping centers this holiday season:

Alabang Town Center

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Bonifacio High Street

• December 26 to 30: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Eastwood Mall

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.
• December 31: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Greenhills Shopping Center

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• December 31: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: Closed

Glorietta

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Market! Market!

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Power Plant Mall

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Shangri-La Plaza

• December 26 to 27: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• December 28: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 29: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 30: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• December 31: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: mall closed

TriNoma

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• January 1: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

SM Megamall and SM City North EDSA

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

SM Mall of Asia

• December 26 to 30: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• December 31: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Other SM malls

• December 26 to 30: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• December 31: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• January 1, 2013: 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

2013 Official Holidays:4 Long Weekend Schedule

2013 Official Holidays:4 Long Weekend Schedule

Rise and shine people! Happy New Year!

In a matter of hours we will bid goodbye to 2012 and usher the new year 2013 to our lives. The so called end of the world did not happen. I bet, like me, you wanted to know the official holidays for 2013 which I already wrote way back in September 2012 here. So peeps plan ahead your escapades. Enjoy life to the fullest.

We all have a chance to plan ahead our vacations for next year as there are at least 17 days of holidays and nonworking days for 2013.

Based on Proclamation 459 signed by President Benigno Aquino III, here are the regular holidays for 2013:

Jan. 1, New Year’s Day (Tuesday)
March 28, Maundy Thursday
March 29, Good Friday
April 9, Araw ng Kagitingan (Tuesday)
May 1, Labor Day (Wednesday)
June 12, Independence Day (Wednesday)
Aug. 26, National Heroes’ Day (last Monday of August)
Nov. 30, Bonifacio Day (Saturday)
Dec. 25, Christmas Day (Wednesday)
Dec. 30, Rizal Day (Monday) 

The full list of the special nonworking days are the following:
March 30, Black Saturday
Aug. 21, Ninoy Aquino Day (Wednesday)
Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day (Friday)
Nov. 2, All Souls’ Day (Saturday)
Dec. 24, Christmas’ Eve (Tuesday)
Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve (Tuesday)

February 25, meanwhile, is a special holiday for all schools to commemorate the Edsa People Power Revolution, “which restored and ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country.”  

National holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall be proclaimed only after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined. 

“To this end, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President on which day the holiday shall fall,” said in the proclamation.

The proclamation also said that “holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation.” 

Long Weekends

    March 28-31, 2013 - Holy Week
    August 24-26, 2013 - National Heroes Day
    November 1-3, 2013 - All Saints' Day
    December 28, 2013 - January 1, 2014 - Rizal Day and New Year

Byahe na sa Pilipinas ! 

MARLON STOCKINGER:Filipino-Swiss First Formula Race Driver?

MARLON STOCKINGER:Filipino-Swiss First Formula Race Driver?

Stockinger carries the Philippine flag during his races. Even his helmets have the Philippine flag colors and picture at the back of his helmet.

Marlon Stockinger sets his goal to be the first Filipino F1 racer. He started racing at the age of ten (10) and left the country for Europe when he was seventeen (17) to purse a racing career.

Stockinger finished 8th at the Michelin Formula Renault UK 2010.

Congratulations! We're proud of you!

Photo Source: Spot

Let's Count our Blessings.

Let's Count our Blessings.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

Have you had this experience, when you are driving to work and there is so much traffic. Why? Because there was an accident on the road, oftentimes even though the car wrecks were already moved to the sidelines there's still traffic, why? It is because the people who are passing by are slowing down to check on what is wrong. Often times our attention are drawn to what is bad. We are focused on the problem and not the goodness. 

In 2013, come join me in trying to focus on what is cool in our lives. Like the wonderful sunrise and sunset on the other side of the road perhaps?

Can we learn together to count our blessings?

90% of our lives are grace. Thank God.

If you can breathe without impediment and you don't find any difficulty breathing, then thank God. You are blessed! 

If you can stand or sit down on your own and without any pain, then be thankful because a lot of people can't even sit down nor stand up like those stroke patients in the hospital, those who are bedridden and those who doesn't have enough strength to even sit down. I've been in that situation last year when I can't even sit nor stand on my own. The pain on my lower back is excruciating. 

Can you stick out your tongue? That's a blessing! My cousin suffered a stroke and can't even stick out his tongue nor utter even a single word. He can't even move his right arm or leg.

If you can eat without any difficulty then be thankful! I can't eat on my own for a while last year, because my right hand won't move up. I had physical therapy and rehabilitation. Now I can eat with my right hand but I still have physical pain yeah, you read it right, I suffer from numbness and aching all over my right arm. My dslr camera was broken because the camera slipped out from my numb right hand. But I am thankful to God, because I can use my right hand to eat now, despite the pain. I know that God is healing me now in the ocean of grace, love and mercy, I am hoping and praying that soon I'll be 100% again.

In 2012, it pains me to know that some people who are ugly-hearted orchestrated and invented gossips that are 360 degrees different from the truth. If they only knew the fact about my hands and treatment, then they would be laughing and realized that what they had said and typed were far from the truth. You bet, my physical therapist and rehabilitation doctor were laughing so hard when they heard what others have conceived from their ill imaginations. They know for a fact, that being violent will never be my forte, because I would be the first one to run away if there's any sign of trouble because of my head injury.

I know that sometimes it is difficult for me to verbalize what I wanted to say, nevertheless I am still thankful because I can speak and communicate even if they often times misunderstood me. When I learned that some ugly-hearted individuals would put words into my mouth, I felt sad and happy at the same time, sad because they put me in a bad light, happy because they made me the center of their universe.

Despite its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, the fact remains that you are still a child of God. No less than the trees and the stars. Yes, you have a right to be here.

Count your blessings and let's celebrate New Year not with a bang but with a dance. It is better to celebrate when you have all your fingers intact. Let us reach for our full potential in 2013. Cheers for our success, happiness and for peace and contentment.

Praise God for these wonderful blessings. Smile God bless you!

Canon's Product impact in my life

Canon's product impact in my life.

In 2008, I bought a Canon copy machine at Canon Legazpi City and it came with a point and shoot Canon Camera. I used the Canon copy machine for my business. And that was the beginning of my life as a Canon lover. 

First, I was luckily invited to the Canon event in Cagsawa Ruins, which is a good one hour away from my place of residence then. I must admit, I was having hesitations whether to attend or not, since aside from it being far from my place of residence, I have a business to attend to at the same time. It is a good thing that I went because the Canon point and shoot camera they bundled with the copier won for me second place at the point and shoot category of a Canon sponsored contest at the Cagsawa Ruins. I used the SD Card given to me by Canon and took a photo of the professor I just met during that event while he was taking a photo of the remains of the old church of Cagsawa.

Because of that wonderful experience. I decided to buy a DSLR camera. Of course, it is also a Canon. Yes, I bought a Canon 550 D DSLR despite the suggestions of my friends to just buy a Nikon D90, because that's what they use. In Libmanan photography club, I was the only Canon user because I super love Canon's vivid pictures and quality. My DSLR accompanied me to my solo trips in the Philippines and at the Great Wall of China. It also inspired me to try to live life again after my ruptured brain aneurysm operation, though my brother said that I moved like a pendulum whenever I tried to take pictures during the early stage of my recovery in 2011.

I was not aware that photography will have such a big impact in my recovery. I have had physical therapy and treatments so I could take better pictures. My Canon DSLR helped me find an inspiration to be able to walk again.  I recovered from being physically bedridden. Though I am not yet 100% as of the moment,  I am glad I can now take better pictures using my Canon DSLR camera.

COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS:Metro Manila Film Festival Awards Night

COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS:Metro Manila Film Festival Awards Night

Congratulations to all the winners of the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival Awards held Thursday, December 27, 2012 at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City.  

The list of MMFF winners: 

Best Actress: Nora Aunor won for her role in “Thy Womb” 
Best Actor :Dingdong Dantes for “One More Try” 
Best Supporting Actor: Cesar Montano won for his role in the film “El Presidente” 
Best Supporting Actress: Wilma Doesnt of “Sisterakas.”
Best Supporting Actor: Cesar Montano for `El Presidente’
FPJ Memorial Award: ‘One More Try’ by Ruel S. Bayani
Best Sound: Albert Michael Idioma in ‘El Presidente’
Best Score: Jessie Lassaten, ‘El Presidente’
Best Theme Song: ‘El Presidente’ by Apldeap and Jamir Garcia
MMFF New Wave Actor: Alan Paule for ‘Gayak’. Actress: Liza Dino of ‘In Nomine Matris’
MMFF New Wave Beat Director: Tyrone Acierto for ‘The Grave Bandits’
MMFF New Wave Special Jury: ‘Ad Ignorantiam’ by Armando ‘Bing’ Lao
MMFF New Wave Best Picture: ‘The Grave Bandits’ by Tyrone Acierto
MMFF Awards: Make-up: ‘El Presidente’ (Warren Munar and Company)
Best Visual Effects:  Imaginary Friends and Black Burst for ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll 14: The Invasion’
Production Design: Brillante Ma Mendoza ‘Sa Iyong Sinapupunan’
Editing: Vito Kahili for ‘One More Try’
Cinematography: Odyssey Flores, ‘Thy Womb’
Special Award for Gender Sensitivity: Will Fredo for In Nomine Matris (New Wave); Manibela by Roberto Pagotan (Student’s Shorts); “Thy Womb”(Mainstream)
FPJ Memorial Award: “One More Try” by Ruel Bayani
Supporting Actor: Cesar Montano for El Presidente; Supporting Actress: Wilma Doesn’t for Sisterakas 
Best Written Story: Henry Burgos for Thy Womb
Best Director: Brillante Mendoza for Thy womb
Best Screenplay: Anna Karenina Ramos and Company for One More Try
Gatpuno Antonio Villegas award: Thy Womb
Best Picture: One More Try
Second Best Picture: El Presidente
Third Best Picture: Sisterakas
Male star of the night: Joseph Estrada
Female star of the night: Nora Aunor.
Special Award SMDC Male Celebrity of the night: Zanjoe Marudo. 
Special Award SMDC Female Celebrity of the night: Bianca King
 Montano’s win gave ‘El Presidente’ 5 awards so far in the glittering rites hosted by KC Concepcion and Kris Aquino.