At 12:14 a.m.

We're both on Bilar Mode

                                          No Kopiko can keep me awake.

                                                             249/2 Equals

For the Trekkies

Yesterday was filled with so much negativity that I decided to counteract it with this brand-new image from Star Trek movie. The one playing Bones (Dr. McCoy) definitely amused me since he was really able to capture his mannerisms. Zachary Quinto, aka Spock, is just perfect, with those pointed ears and very "devoid of emotions" personality. I am not so sure, though, of the rest of the cast, even their Captain Kirk. I say the Original Series still remains to be a bomb even if they were long out on TV for around 30 years.

Nevertheless, can't wait for Star Trek next year!

Breaking Down the Monotony

Note: Pardon the incoherence of thought. As the blog title says, it's my way of breaking down the monotony.

I like the weather--not too hot, not too cold. Most of all, it doesn't make me feel sleepy. Or perhaps something else is not making me doze off. The fact that I have some projects to complete within the day forces me to let go of that 15-minute to an hour's worth of sleeping with reckless abandon. I don't even cook for Bernard anymore, as I he knows I can't pull myself up unless he wants to start a day with a grumpy wife.

I still have my semi-depression episodes (you know, it's a point where you know you're sad, but it doesn't constitute to popping Vicodin), but they are not something that you can hold on for too long especially when you have a Cornetto drumstick in your hand. In fact, the word "depression" is already my keyword if I want Bernard to bring me one when he comes home to work.

Right now, while blog commenting (work related) and writing my own blog post (personal)--ooh, I love multi-tasking--I can't help but dream of Manila. Seriously, it's been a long time since I've been there. It's more than 10 years, and I know a lot have changed. Anyway, besides sightseeing and definitely malling, I can't wait to see my brother. I haven't seen him for the past 4 months, and I wasn't even there when he was whisked away--okay, when he took that flight toward his so-called greener pasture. And as mushy as it sounds, I do miss him. There's no other person who can argue with me and not end up surrendering than him. And there's no other guy who can come up to me in the middle of the night to talk about his lost love or the betrayal of his supposed-to-be good friend. I could also not forget the way that I fought for him, just so he will be granted that independence I never really had not until I got married (which is not still total independence). I don't wish to be in his place someday, but there's a part of me that hopes that I could be as determined, persevering, smart, and risk-taker as I see him to be.

Later, I wish that I could buy myself a mango crepe in Crazy Crepes. It feels like ages, and my taste buds aren't used to long breaks away from it (hehe, OA). I don't know the sudden change of taste (literally). I can't help to crave for sweets.

I smell someone cooking, and it absolutely feels delicious. Now if I could just learn how to turn that stove on, I can give myself a hearty breakfast rather than getting stuck on my usual sandwich bread-with-cheese-and-spread-and-then-toasted.

hopefully, no hands

I am "writing" using Dragon NaturallySpeaking software. what it basically does is to type everything that you're going to say. For hours, I've been struggling with my pronunciation. I don't know if the misspellings are because of my accent or the words are not just its built in dictionary. Nevertheless, I'm having fun, simply because it has allowed me to relax my hands, especially my fingers, as well as my time. So far, I can finish an article within 15 minutes when previously it will take me 20 minutes or more.

I am definitely hoping that in the next few days, the software and I will become good friends, and I will be able to save a lot more time and and finish my work immediately.

Defining Myself Today

For the longest time, I am struggling with a lot of negative emotions. At first, I thought it's because I know that I will never be good enough at something.

I am a freelance writer, but there are publishers.
I can write poems and lyrics, but there are poets and lyricists.
I sing, but there are singers.
I dance, but there are dancers.
I cook, but there are chefs.
I create, but there are entrepreneurs.

And I thought that I was envious, and I decided to compete among them even if I know that I am the one in the losing end.

All of a sudden, after watching a video in exploring your creative thinking and while taking a bath, a realization came upon me. It wasn't jealousy, envy, or any other feeling that's making me miserable somehow. It's the fact that I don't have anything that I can call my own. In all the things I do, there wasn't a clear reflection of me, of what I am.

So right now I'm trying to make a commitment to myself. If there's one thing that I want myself to be, it's the fact that I want to be creative.

I want to write a poem that speaks of the emptiness I feel sometimes.
I would like to capture images of people and things that define life, whether it's good or bad.
I want to cook because it allows me to experiment and permits me to please people that I care about.
I want to sing because I want to, dance because I want to, create because I want to, be myself because I want to, and live because I want to.

Maybe, just maybe, if I can just tap on my creativity to help me produce something that I can call my own, I'll learn to stop wondering how others can live a far better life than I have.

From Captain James T. Kirk

Worlds may change, galaxies disintegrate, but a woman always remains a woman.

Should You Bite Ad-Revenue Share?

If you're one of those who are constantly on the lookout of writing gigs, like me, then you have definitely come across those ads that invite you to be one of their freelance writers, provided that you get paid based on the revenues they can obtain from the ads displayed in your article page.

The question is: should you bite?

For me, the answer is a yes and a no--your decision will be based on the reason why you want to write in the first place. If you're a beginner and you're trying to build your portfolio, your main objective for writing is not really to earn but to gain exposure. In this mind-set, these revenue-sharing websites are definitely one of the best choices. You can have your articles published under your name, share the link to your friends and family members, have your copies picked up by publishers, and, hopefully, a website owner would get to notice your writing prowess and avail of your services.

However, if you've been writing for some time, and you want to increase your income or widen your client base, these revenue-sharing websites then become a detriment. For one, you will be competing against hundreds of other writers that belong to the same website. Moreover, for you to earn, you have to promote your page, so people would be encouraged to click on those ads; and from the looks of it, Internet readers are now apprehensive in doing so. It's double the effort, with lesser chance of actually earning out of it.

So should you bite? It's up to you and your objectives.

Credit Card Warning: Over-limit Fees

Okay, I just knew that credit card companies cannot peg your credit limit to a certain amount, since, according to the customer service representative, the increase will be automatic. However, you can decrease your credit limit, provided that you inform them of your request.

This is what I did. Within the year, my credit limit was increased twice, and though it just made me think that I was really a good and faithful payee to them, I felt like I have more than enough of what I need. It's not that I'm a big spender. In fact, unless I have every reason to do so, the plastic is tucked in the deeper portions of my bag. Besides, I hate it when credit card companies make me feel like I owe them with a huge amount because their simple logic seems to be this way: credit limit-expenses=outstanding balance. So if you're credit limit is 50,000 and your expenses are just around 3,000, you seem to owe them with 47,000.

Well, anyway, I think I have a huge chance of having my request granted; however, I may be at risk at paying over limit fees, which, of course, I don't know about. I heard of finance charge, yes, but not this one. So I did a little Googling and here's what I've understood.

Unlike in the "olden times," when you go overboard with your credit limit, your next transactions will be denied or declined. In other words, you cannot use your credit card anymore unless you pay your balance. However, these days, they seem to allow it, as long as you pay the over-limit fee, which I believe isn't affordable at all.

The problem here is that if you don't pay close attention to what you're purchasing, you'll be tempted to use your card more, thinking that you still have sufficient balance in your account.

I don't know if it's a form of deception, but I'm definitely sure that I don't like it at all. And, worse, the more that these "strategies" are being used by credit card companies, the more I hate their system and forced to not give them the kind of satisfaction of ripping people's money.

My First Video Report

I am deeply thrilled! I just had my first video report, after having been chosen as a contributor for Instablogs TV. My report is basically about the hanging coffins of Sagadas:

My Script:

The people of Sagada have devised a unique burial ritual involving the placement of dead relatives into caves after carefully preparing a hollowed out log.

These coffins are carved by the elderly or their son or relative before they die. This ritual involves pushing the bodies into the tight spaces of the coffins, and often bones are cracked and broken as the process is completed. After the deceased are put inside these coffins they are brought to caves high in the cliffs where they join the coffins of other ancestors. The Segada people prefer to be buried in the cliffs than to be buried in the ground and have been doing this for more than 2,000 years.

In some caves hundreds of coffins are lined up, and unfortunately tourists are unregulated in this area, some have even taken some of the bones as souvenirs. The tourists should refrain from robbing the graves and must show respect towards this century old tradition that promises heaven for the deceased ancestors. If you do visit these caves, make sure you get a guide as some of the caves are hard to find and the roads can be tricky to navigate.

Watch the video here.

From Martha Beck

You and I might not have met, but because of my own superpower, I
can tell you this: Your life is not little, and your playing small
doesn't serve the world. Your living large, on the other hand—your
being your true self despite fear, fatigue, doubt, and opposition—will
serve the world more than you can imagine. In fact, it may help save
it. And saving the world, after all, is what all heroes (including you)
are here to do.