Calvin & Hobbes

Calvin and Hobbes is my fave cartoon strip. It's a shame though that I got to know the cartoon characters first before I heard about the theologian (Calvin) and philosopher (Hobbes) from whom the characters have been named after!:)

For those who aren't familiar yet with the comic strip, Calvin is the boy and Hobbes is the tiger. In the book which I'm now reading (the 10th Anniversary book - copyright 1995), Bill Watterson (the creator) explains that contrary to what people think that Hobbes comes to life when Calvin is around or he is a product of Calvin's imagination, it's actually as simple as Calvin sees Hobbes one way (real tiger) and everyone else see Hobbes another way (a stuff toy) in the same way as no one sees the world in exactly the same way.

Anyway, here are some excerpts why I love Calvin:

Haha... but don't get it wrong. Calvin isn't dumb - he's obviously just lazy (but he doesn't seem to realize that he's lazy that's why there's something endearing about his smugness. In fact, you'll get the impression that the effort he's exerting is his best already - based on his standards - which is what I love about him. In one report that he submitted, he even labeled it "An exhaustively researched report by Calvin"! Haha...

Anyway, the girl here is Susie. He likes to pick on her. He usually mocks her that her bangs do a good job of covering her "lobotomy stiches" - his exact words! Haha...

Here's another Calvin-Susie school-related episode:

And there was a time when Calvin broke his Dad's expensive binoculars. He was so scared. In here, he was trying to make sense of what happened.

Haha... And then, there was a time when Calvin was forced to sign up for baseball because he was teased for being the only boy who didn't. His dad was encouraging him to get into sports because it promotes teamwork and it helps build your character. Here's what he has to say:

Yeah, what's wrong with just having fun by yourself? (Coming from one doesn't play competitive sports either!:) Haha... Anyway, locally, Calvin & Hobbes comic strips are published in Philippine Star. But it's good to read Calvin and Hobbes books too for non-stop laughter.

What is a chiropractor?

Three weeks ago, I found myself in my chiropractor’s clinic after 3 years of not visiting. For whatever reason - either the heavy weight of a hand-carried luggage or bad posture on a long-haul plane trip – there was discomfort and tightness on my upper right shoulder (which a massage failed to relieve).

You’ve probably heard the word “chiropractor”. My vague idea about chiropractors years ago (before I went to see one) is that they are doctors who twist and stretch you until your bones make a popping sound! Haha…

Chiropractors (as described by medicine.net) work to manipulate the spine with their hands to realign the vertebrae and relieve the pressure on the nerves. Chiropractic treatment is believed effective for muscle spasms of the back and neck, tension headaches, and some sorts of leg pain. For sometime, the American Medical Association (AMA) opposed the practice but they eventually modified their position.

Anway, I didn’t even imagine myself needing chiropractic help until a few years back when my back hurt (from doing sit-ups the wrong way – ok, haven’t figured out the right way until now so I’ve stopped since then! Haha…). I got an x-ray but it didn’t show any broken or dislocated bone. I went to a manghihilot but it didn’t help either. A friend recommended that I go to a chiropractor. I was scared at first because what if he twists me the wrong way and I end up being paralyzed?! But she assured me that this chiropractor she’s recommending treats a lot of popular athletes. My thought balloon was “Oh no, I’m not an athlete. What if my bones are frail and he’s used to twisting hard bone structures?!” Haha… I ended up going to the clinic anyway because I couldn’t think of any other option to relieve the pain. And I’m glad I did. Just after one session, I felt better. My chiropractor also gave me some stretching exercises (which I still do until now) and he taught me the right way to get up from a lying position so I don’t hurt my back.

If you’re wondering if it hurts, it doesn’t. The popping sound may sound a bit weird but the stretching/twisting feels good. For me, it’s even better than getting a massage:)

So just in case you need to go to one, don’t be scared. My chiro is Dr Uy. His clinic is in Pasig. The rate is Php2,500/session but better call first to schedule an appointment and reconfirm rates - (+632)6334204. I’ve also tried Dr Camara of I-Care recently for 1 session (while Dr Uy was out of the country) and he’s good too. His clinic’s no. is +6328903378.

Cubicles & Policies during budget cuts

I got a funny forwarded message from a friend with the subject title "Extreme Budget Cuts and New Office Policies". The email informs employees how their new cubicles look and the new policies given the cost-cutting times. What made me laugh is not really so much about how the cubicles look but the thought that there's this person out there who actually thought of making these mock-up office gadgets and paraphernalia in such detail! Just look closely at the keyboard, phone and even the screen (it even has a system prompt!). Haha...



The new policies are equally hilarious too! Here are some:

Dress Code:
You are advised to come to work according to your salary.
If we see you wearing Prada shoes or carrying a Gucci bag, we will assume you are doing good financially and therefore, you do not need a raise.
If you dress poorly, you need to learn how to manage your money better so you can buy nicer clothes, therefore, you do not need a raise.
If you dress right, therefore you are right where you need to be and therefore, you do not need a raise.

Sick Leave:
A doctor’s statement will no longer be accepted as proof of sickness because if you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to go to work.

Personal Days:
Employees will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturdays and Sundays.

The email ends with something like this:
Thank you for your loyalty. We are here to provide you with positive employment. Therefore, all comments and complaints should be directed elsewhere.

Major laughtrip!:)

My 1st race

I survived my 1st charity run "The Start of a New Life, 4th OctobeRun Festival". Yipee! I finished 5K in 44.16 mins. I actually forgot to check the time when I reached the finish line because I had my mind set in going straight to the car to drink and to eat a Peach Mango Pie! My fear of getting thirsty and hungry made me want to finish the race soon. Haha...

The 1st placer in 10K finished in 38 mins - whoa, it's double the distance and he finished it in less than half the time I did 5K! And the 1st placer in 5K finished in 15 mins!

I'm just happy that I finished my 1st charity run. I had fears that I won't because I'm not really athletic to begin with. I actually had some contingency plans in place like I didn't wear the Finisher shirt so that just in case I decide to give up half-way, I can just remove my race bib and walk away casually from the track! Haha...

The next charity runs at the Fort will be on Nov 22 (Sat) for the benefit of Real Life Foundation and on Nov. 23 (Sun) for the benefit of Unicef.

Green Tea Latte

For green tea-lovers, here's another way to enjoy it - latte version. I discovered Green Tea Latte at Gourdo's Greenbelt 2 - a box of 12 packs costs Php220. It can be mixed with hot or cold water.

Walk-Run technique

Got my finisher shirt and race bib for the OctoberRun Festival today (I do hope I finish my 1st race! haha...). Last night, I tried to do 5K again but this time I followed my running mates' tip to do a beginner's technique -alternate walking and running in 30-sec intervals (I badly need to build endurance. Just going up the stairs is a struggle. Haha...). Actually, I didn't strictly follow the 30-sec intervals. My walking mode was usually longer than the running mode. Hehe... But I finished 5K in 50 mins this time - still the pace of a tortoise but at least it's a 25-minute improvement from my 1st attempt!:)

Urban lingo: Staycation

Staycation means having vacation at home. Hmmm... sounds like a good alternative in the midst of rising prices:)

Trading Up

Ever wondered why people from various socio-economic classes sometimes buy similar premium brands (even if there are substitutes that are more affordable to the lower income segment)? A perfect example locally is Havaianas. People from class to mass wear a pair (ok, let’s not consider those who wear Havanas. Hehe…).

The book “Trading Up” by Michael Silverstein and Neil Fiske tackles the phenomenon of New Luxury or “Masstige” goods (short for “mass prestige”), which occupy a sweet spot between market and class. These goods command a premium over conventional products but are priced well below superpremium or Old Luxury goods.
Ex:
Conventional = Vaseline Intensive Care lotion = USD.30/oz
Masstige = Bath & Body Works lotion = USD1.13/oz
Superpremium = Kiehl’s USD3/oz

What characterizes New Luxury products are high-quality, superior functional performance and brand values. However, buyers don't have any distinct profile in terms of demogs, what distinguishes them is the highly selective buying behavior. A New Luxury buyer trades up to premium goods in certain categories while paying less or trading down in other categories. Ex: A person driving a Benz shops at Costco.

The book states that there are 4 Emotional Spaces that New Luxury goods address. These were based on a survey where respondents were asked how buying certain categories of goods make them feel.

1. Taking Care of Me: Well-being, Beauty and Youthfulness
Examples: coffee, restaurant dining, spa

2. Connecting: Attractiveness, Hooking Up, Affiliation and Membership
Example: When couples break up, the new singles spend more money on themselves. This must explain Carrie Bradshaw’s line “Breakups: bad for the heart, good for the economy!” Anyway, goods bring comfort, reward, revenge and some measure of self-esteem. Women usually spend on apparel, jewelry, cosmetics while men on electronics and cars. Incidentally, the book shares some alarming facts on marriages in the US - more than 50% of all first marriages end in divorce; a third of all marriages fail in the first 10 years and an even higher percentage (58%) of second marriages end in divorce!

3. Questing: Taste, Adventure, Learning and Play.
It’s all about goods/services that can enrich one’s existence, deliver new experience, satisfy curiosity, provide physical and intellectual stimulation and excitement.
Example: Travel. Travel for new luxury consumers is more than just relaxation. They want to combine travel with knowledge gathering and collecting memorable experiences. One respondent says “knowledge is the greatest luxury”.

4. Individual Style: Achievement, sophistication, success
Consumers tell a lot about themselves by their choice of goods.
Example: BMW is known as the ultimate driving machine. Drivers are not after luxury or comfort, but that of mastery and adventure.

Lastly, here’s an insightful quote from a consumer:
Necessity is one of those relative terms that depends on who you are or where you are in your life. When things become important to you, they become necessities.

RUN for a Cause

On Oct. 26, there's going to be a marathon at The Fort, Taguig where registration proceeds will go to REAL LIFE FOUNDATION - an educational advocacy organization that gives educational assistance, leadership development, and community service to the less fortunate.

I'm not really a runner but for a cause, I signed up with my running club mates in the office. Incidentally, in that club, I'm the only one who doesn't run. When we have sessions at the park, they all run and I just do my own thing - brisk walk! Haha... Going back to the charity marathon, there are 3 events to choose from - 3K, 5K and 10K. I wanted to sign up for the 3K - only to find out that it's for kids 12 years old and below! I wouldn't mind posing as a yaya actually!:)

Today, we had a session at the park. Our head coach was trying to motivate me for the upcoming run. He was telling me that the first time he ran a 5K, his running time was 1.5 hours because he was on a drinking spree til 3am on the same day as the marathon. So I timed my brisk walk today. I finished 5K in 1 hour and 15 mins! Clearly, my brisk walking skills are at par with the the running skills of a drunk individual! Bwahaha...

Anyway, if you want to sign up too, you can visit www.thefortstriders.com or contact Ms. Felsie Briones at (02)8961954 or (0917)6097307.

Learn-at-your-own-risk painting sessions

Recently, I got requests from 2 friends to teach them how to paint. Before I said yes, I had to make sure that they are fully aware that my sessions are learn-at-your-own-risk. Haha...

Here are the artworks from my last painting session (officially the 3rd one). The victims were my nephew and nieces:)

Dragonite by Vince, age 7 (left photo).

Princess by Sophia, age 5 (right photo).

Bratz by Alyanna, age 4 (left photo).

Bratz by Julia, turning 3 (right photo).

As you can see, Alyanna and Julia's art styles are very similar to mine. We start with a very clear picture of our subjects in mind but the output is always a surprise! Haha...

But I'm so proud of my pamangkins - their first artworks are way, way better than my first artwork "Monsterpiece"! Haha...

Weekend in Bora

I went to Bora with officemates over the weekend. It's my nth trip there - my first trip was way back in 1996. And no matter what people say about Bora - how commercialized and crowded it is now, for me, it still has its own charm. The only thing that I was disappointed about on this trip is seeing stinky canal water go straight to the beach in the Station 2 area. I hope it gets fixed soon.

Anyway, here are some of my raves on this trip:

Robinsons Beach House. We stayed in a beautiful beachfront house just adjacent to Friday's (Station 1). The house has 4 household staff to assist you with housekeeping needs including going to the market, cooking food and washing the dishes. They charge extra for cooking but overall, this is still way cheaper than if you dine out. For more info about the place, you can visit http://www.sprboracay.com/rentals_houses_robinsons.shtml.

True Home Paluto. We had one dinner cooked by True Home resort. For P4,500, they served steamed lobsters, garlic butter prawns, liempo, steamed oysters and baked oysters with cheese for 12 pax! Everything was so yummy that we actually ran out of rice! Haha... True Home's number is (036)2883784.

Calamansi muffins by Real Coffee. Other than being popular for its coffee, Real Coffee is known for its calamansi muffins. I love lemon squares but I love these even better. A box of 9 muffins is Php370. You can have orders delivered to your resort for Php50. Real Coffee's no. is (036)2885340.

Lonely Planet stores. They sell nice beach stuff - including dainty beach dresses and wacky diver's shirts. There are branches at D Mall and talipapa.

Daisy's Massage. Daisy is one of the licensed masseuse in Bora. She's based at the Sur but she can also do room service in other resorts. A full body massage costs about Php400. Her no. is (0928)4136271.

Upstate New York

I'm back. Arrived last night before midnight. Anyway, here's the rest of my NY adventure.

Apple-picking at the Orange County. We went to a farm called Master Richards. There were 20,000 apple trees of 12 apple varieties (Empire Red, Cortland, Red Delicious, etc.... and I thought there were just 2 varieties - red and green! haha...)! It's free entrance and you can eat as many apples as you want for free while there. Ok, I finished 3 apples! You can also buy apples for about USD20/bushel.

Pumpkin-hunting. We saw gigantic pumpkins along the road on our way to Woodbury and decided to make a reverse since my friend wanted to get some pumpkin decors for their home. The farm was called Manno Farm and here are some cute pumpkins which the owner hand-painted herself. The small ones sell for about USD6 and the bigger ones for over USD20.

Woodbury outlet store shopping. If you're visiting at least one outlet store in your trip in NY, make it this one. It's actually tax-free for clothes and shoes in New Jersey but my friends said that it's more worth it to go to Woodbury in NY since the stores have nicer stocks.

West Point. On my last day in NY, we decided to drive to West Point Military Academy. I didn't want to do any more shopping or I'll go bankrupt (I think I already am! haha...). Anyway, you're required to present an ID in the admission and when the staff saw my Philippine driver's license, they said "One of your presidents studied here - Ramos (which they pronounced as Ray-mos)." Anyway, we joined a guided tour around the beautiful grounds (it also has a breathtaking view of the Hudson River). The way going to West Point from NJ is also very scenic. It passes through Bear Mountain and the Seven Lakes Drive.

Bodies...the Exhibition

Here's the promotional poster for the exhibit I visited in NY entitled "Bodies...the Exhibition". And that's how the preserved specimens look like. Other than being educational, the exhibit is also an eye-opener - you'll discover how unhealthy organs look like e.g. lungs with cancer, brain that had suffered a stroke. BTW, you cannot touch the specimens but at the end of the exhibit, there are some preserved organs that you're allowed to touch - a liver, brain and some bone with tissue.

Sharing with you some fascinating facts I learned from the exhibit (most likely, these were taken up in Biology class but maybe, I wasn't just paying attention! haha...):

- Bones are 5x stronger than steel.

- The brain is 80% water.

- A female's brain is 2.5% of her weight; a male's brain is 2% of his weight.

- Nerve cells create electrical impulses that reach speed exceeding 270 miles/hour.

- Studies show that eating breakfast can improve memory.

- The size of eyes do not change between infancy and adulthood.

- There are 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body.

- On average, a pack of cigarettes takes 3 hours and 40 minutes of your life (a lot of visitors dropped their box of cigarettes provided for in this area. I just hope this sticks in their mind.)

Before going out, I browsed through the guestbooks in the kids' play area out of curiosity on what children thought about it and generally, the kids found the exhibit cool especially the fetal development section. But there was one note that made me laugh! It said something like - "These things made me sick. I do not want to go to lunch anymore! Why did they cut a body open? That is ugly but kind of cool. I like it. It is weird. I will come back." Haha...

3-day New York Pass

I've been taking the bus and subway going around New York (yep, on my own!) and so far, I've survived with just a map and by asking people in the streets for directions! I get disoriented sometimes where north, south, east & west are! hehe...

Anyway, to save on costs, I got the New York Pass and a CitySights bus pass, both for 3 days, which cost about USD145 (cheaper to get online at http://www.newyorkpass.com/). There's another pass called City Pass which is actually cheaper (about USD 74) and with longer validity (9 days) but it only gives you acess to 6 attractions. The New York Pass, though expensive, gives you access to 40 attractions! And you'll already get an ROI just by visiting 4-6 attractions (I was able to visit 12 attractions in 3 days!). Money well-spent:) My friend also got me an unlimited eTicket card for the subway for 7 days.

So anyway, here are the attractions I visited using my New York Pass:

Empire State Building. It's one long line after another before you get to the observatory so you've to be patient. It took me about an hour considering I went there on a weekday. Also, the elevator will only take you to the 80th floor - from there you can line up again and take another lift to the 86th floor or take the stairs. I took the stairs thinking that it was just 6 floors up - only to find out that each floor was equivalent to 2.5 flights each so that's a total of 13 flights! Overall, the experience was breathtaking - literally breathtaking going up the stairs (haha...) and figuratively when you see the view from the top. BTW, there's another attraction at the Empire State Building called the SkyRide - a simulator that takes you to the most popular NY attractions - on air, land and under water! If you're on New York pass, you might as well take it since it qualifies you to free admission (and that is worth USD35 alone).

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry Tour. I decided not to get down at the Liberty Island since there were a lot of tourists and I figured out that it might take another hour to get up the monument. It was enough for me to see the Statue of Liberty up close. Also, I was more bent on spending time on the Ellis Island Museum - where once upon a time, immigrants passed through there. I watched the footages of the early immigrants (probably circa 1910) and the images were just so moving. I was able to chance upon a simulated trial session of an immigrant in the hearing room and it was an excellent way to learn what the immigrants went through. I remember this museum was used in one movie (where the leading character found her ancestor's name in the museum's ship manifesto) but I couldn't recall which movie it is. Oh no, memory lapse! haha...

NBC Studio Tours. Located at the Rockefeller Center, we visited the control room, make-up room and the studio of Saturday Night Live. The tour guide said that the best day to go there if you want to catch some celebs is on a Friday when guests are having rehearsals. We also did a simulated NBC news show where you can actually volunteer to be an anchor person or weather guy - don't worry, I didn't! I don't know where to point my fingers on the weather map! haha... BTW, I decided not to go to Rockefeller's Top of the Rock Observatory anymore since most likely, it's going to be the same view as Empire State's anyway.

American Museum of Natural History. The museum is so big that you've to select what it is that you want to see (unless you've the luxury of time). I prioritized the Dinosaur wing, Ocean Life, African Mammals and Pacific Peoples (this is where you will find Night at the Museum's Dumdum! Next to the T-rex, I think this is the kids' fave. The kids in the photo are actually goofing around. They were shouting - "Dumdum, give me some gum-gum!".

Of course, make sure to visit the statue of Theodore Roosevelt right at the museum entrance too. So that was my self-guided "Night at the Museum" tour! haha... You can actually request from the info desk for a guide that enumerates the highlights of the movie (I only found out abt it a the end of the tour!).

Metropolitan Museum of Art. On top of my list were the Modern and Contemporary Art section to see Jackson Pollock's paintings, European Art to see Van Gogh, Renoir, Matisse, Monet and Picasso paintings and Rodin's "The Thinker" sculpture (it's just small - maybe 3 ft high), and the Arms & Armor wings to see knights in shining armor! haha...

New York City Police Museum. If you want to see NYPD patrol cars, motorcycles, arms, 911 footages and debris and also experience being inside a jail cell (I did! hehe...), here's an interesting place to visit.

Bodies' Exhibition. This was an unlikely attraction which I would see since I'm scared of blood (the exhibit features preserved organs and whole body specimens!) but my friends said that it's highly educational and the specimens weren't that gross so I decided to go. I tremendously enjoyed it that I spent about 1.5 hours there! I'll do a separate blog for this and share with you the learnings.

Guggenheim Museum. I went here to see more Jackson Pollock paintings but too bad, there were none this time. But I did get to see more Picasso, Van Gogh and other artworks of the masters and a nice photo exhibit. BTW, I was able to buy a lomo camera at the museum shop for only USD35 (the one that takes 4 photos in 1 shot). They also sell the green light lomo camera for only USD15.

Madame Tussaud's. I just had my photo taken with George Clooney, Brad & Angelina, Julia Roberts, Oprah and some other stars. Too bad, I missed to see Jack Sparrow's... :(

St John the Divine Church. I was curious to visit the church because its description says that it's so big that it can house the Statue of Liberty!

Madison Square Garden. I was able to visit the place but missed to join the all-access tour to see the locker rooms and arena. Apparently, the last one was at 3pm and I got there at 330pm. Sigh...

CitySights Bus Pass was also worth it. Just hop on and off from one attraction to another to save on transpo costs. The tour guide on the bus also gives interesting trivia along the way - Audrey Hepburn's apartment, Hillary Clinton's office, the Kennedy's apartment, etc.

Other sites I've visited (outside the NY pass) are Ground Zero, Tiffany's (only because I had something re-sized) and Central Park (to see the popular Bethesda Fountain and The Mall). I also watched "In the Heights", the 2008 Tony Awardee for Best Musical.

As for foodtrip, we tried Wonjo's (Korean), Havana Central (Cuban), Green Grill (Brazilian), Le Pain Quotidien (French) and Pret-a-Manger (it's been tagged as the best British invasion since the Beatles by Zagat). Incidentally, the Pret-a-Manger branch where I had snacks was fronting the NY Library and Bryant Park - the spot where the dramatic wedding scene in Sex & the City movie was shot.

We also had the time to hear mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. BTW, I also saw shoots along Times Square (just across the I love Ugly Betty Billboard) and at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. Too bad, they were just setting up... no Hollywood celeb sighting:(

More on my NY adventure soon:)