Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Wordless Blast from the Past - Bohol Jan '07








Tuesday, October 14, 2008

House M.D. - Season 5 Episode 3 Quotes

Dr. House: Information saves lives. Saving lives saves money.

Dr. Cuddy: No. Saving lives costs money, which is why I'm trying to make sure there's still some left.



Dr Kutner: In college, my friends and I came up with an inverse square law.

Dr. Taub: Looks like a real fun group.

Dr Kutner: The girls who you think are the most inhibited, straight-arrows, they're the ones you hook up with.

Dr. Taub: Are you saying my wife is a slut?

Dr Kutner: I'm saying if my wife was a slut, I'd want to know.



Dr. House: You're not allowed to be not terrified. There's only two good reasons not to be terrified in a hospital. You're delusional but you're not afraid of contrast material either. Or you know you're fine. Since we haven't told you you were fine. You obviously have information that we don't have.



Dr. House: Hottie, thinks that he's a great artist, selling art to the rich and tasteful, but is stupid enough to be fooled by the canvases. Bank accounts don't lie. He needed money. How many jobs you can do that don't require time, training, and intelligence. And I know you're not a newsanchor or supermodel, coz those jobs seldom cause agnosia. He's a guinea pig. Company's pay him to test their untested drugs.



Dr. House: Couldn't even if I cared enough to want to.



Dr. House: Just to shortcircuit that discussion, people should not be testing drugs because they're desperate. But, people won't test drugs unless they're desperate. We need drugs to save children and puppies. Ergo, we need desperate people. Ergo, welfare kills sick children.



Dr. Taub: What purpose could that possibly serve?

Dr. House: None. That's why I'm not saying that you should. But you will! (Sarcastic smile.)



Dr. House: Miserable people save more lives. If your life has meaning, your job doesn't have to have meaning. Screwup's more palatable if you have someone's arms to go crying.



Dr. Taub: If you open your mouth, one of two things happens. She either forgives you or she leaves you. At best, you wind up exactly where you are right now. It's noble to want to confess. Really, it is. But if the result's just damage and pain, that's not noble, that's selfish.



Lucas: I'm in to you, coz you're HOT. And smart. In that order, but both are needed. Photos can be retouched. And House IS an evil genius, which makes this photo suspicious. And yet you're not suspicious. Which means either you're not smart enough to be suspicious in which case I am less interested in you; or you're not suspicious because you know this is actually a doctored photo of House in which case I am more interested in you. But I am wasting my time because you know this is a game we are playing on you and I am busted and I'm screwed.



Dr. Taub: Are you glad he told you the truth?

Heather: Yes, of course.

Dr. Taub: But... Were you happier before you knew?



Dr. House: You know people hate people who have theories about people.

Monday, October 13, 2008

To do list for the last 10 days of work... and after

Ten more days and officially I'm unemployed again. It's not a necessarily a bad thing...

I needed a break anyway. After the insane work coupled with some not-so-helpful and I-will-drag-you-down-with-me colleagues, I few weeks relaxing is exactly just what I need.

Of course, I can't help wondering what to do next. After a while, a few weeks of doing nothing but relaxing will slowly become depressing... Been there, done that; Longest time I was unemployed was about three months...

Anyway, aside from the important to-do things (like tying up loose ends and, uhm, looking for work!), I've been thinking it over for some time and here's what I've come up so far:

  • Study for certification. In my previous job, all of us aimed for it for better compensation. The only thing holding us back was money; paying USD150 for a single exam is not exactly cheap. Since moving here, though, I guess we have more than enough to pursue this. Just need enough time to study and brush up on some topics.


  • Lose weight... a lot of it. Desk jobs tend to build up fat. I still do some legwork, but not enough to keep my weight down. The place is great here; very wide and very clean -- at least until some residents start picnicking and litter the whole place. 'Might as well enjoy the view while jogging or whatnot. :) I'm targetting, for now, to lose 1kg per week. After I get the hang of it, I'll go for more until I get my ideal weight.

  • Learn to cook. Since getting the Iron Chef episodes again, our desire to cook was rekindled. They're just too fun to watch. It's amazing what dishes they can whip up. I just hope I don't eat to much or I will never lose my excess weight.

  • DIY stuff.There are some projects which I've always wanted to do but couldn't because of work. With it out of the way, I quess I have more than enough time to do them. I've been going through stores like Daiso (where everything is sold for 2sgd) for some items I can use. Oh, well, I better straighten out my DIY project list first. :))

  • Finish a game.I've played many games, but I seldom finish one. When the game is extremely long, the tendency is to forget about it after some time. Yep, work gets in the way! :)) Maybe I'll finish up Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I'm halfway through the main quest anyway, so I might as well finish it up.

  • Blog! Haven't blog for a while now. Hence, the post. :))Got that writer's block going -- I guess I'm too jaded at work, I can't think straight. :))



That's what I have for now. Any other ideas how I can waste my time? :))

Monday, October 06, 2008

Treat for Iron Chef fans on the Internet

So you are an Iron Chef fan, and you want to collect as many episodes as possible? Are you just dying to download and watch each of the episodes?

Che and myself have always been food lovers. I remember that one thing that Che really misses from their home is the Food and Lifestyle Network offered by SkyCable; our home in Sucat has Paranaque Cable which does not offer this channel -- at least during the time that we were there. And of the many food and/or cooking programs on this channel, we like Iron Chef (Japan) the most.



For newbies, in case you didn't know, the original Iron Chef (not to be confused with the spin-off Iron Chef America) is a cooking "battle" show, with challengers "from all over the world" pitted against one of the Iron Chefs. For each battle, a theme ingredient is chosen. The chef who offers dishes that best articulate the theme ingredient is the winner. There were four Iron Chefs, one for each cuisine/style: Japanese, Chinese, French, and Italian.

Of all the Iron Chefs in the show, the one we like the most is the original Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba. With his philisophy "there are no borders to ingredients", he creates magnificent (neo-)Japanese cuisines even using from non-Japanese ingredients. This inspired Che to experiment with the ingredients here in Singapore and cook some great dishes.

Anyway, for those who wanted to watch and/or download the Iron Chef episodes, you can do so from here. Unlike one site which wanted to "trade" episodes (i.e., if you can't share, you get nothing), this site only requires you to sign up once (no payment required) and you can download them for free!

Okay fine, it's not actually "new" news. I'm just doing my part to ensure that Iron Chef fans out there are well-informed about Iron Chef resources on the net. So Iron Chef fans, help spread the word! Hehehe :))

In Singapore - Year One

It's like one whole year just whizzed by. I dreaded coming here, mostly because of fear -- fear of the unknown, fear because, for the first time, I'll be working a long way from home.

And here we are, one year later; still in Singapore with no intention of going back anytime soon; AND, I'm looking for a new job, amidst the global economic crisis.

On a lighter note, our first stay here was actually great. We can easily afford good gadgets here, those gadgets which are way back on my "buy" list back in Manila. Things like laptops, digital cameras, and Nintendo DS Lite. I cannot see myself buying this in Manila with the salary we were getting then. :)

Also, many former colleagues are working here as well, so it's not that lonely as one would imagine. It's like a we never left at all. Good friends one and all are moving here. It's like a Pinoy invasion, with the large number of Pinoys from all walks of life moving here. :)) I just hope they don't get the same KIASU mentality many locals here have.

Speaking of locals; I guess we're lucky with our neighbors here. They're really friendly, unlike the ones some of my Pinoy colleagues have.

Well, that's all I can say about that. Here's to our first year in Singapore... And here's to hoping for an even more prosperous year!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

House M. D. - Season 5 Episode 2 Quotes

Dr. House: Do you have some... ethical problem with what I'm doing that you can express in a unique way, which might actually make me think that I'm wrong, eventhough I'll never admit it?

Dr. O'Shea: Yes.

Dr. House: You ARE funny!



Dr. House: Hallucination. That's a brain thing, right?



Lucas: Oh, the guy doing manual labor can't have an opinion?

[pause]

Lucas: I might be a genius who just happens to have uh.. a passion for fixing coffee machines.

[pause]

Lucas: No. I'm obviously not but that's rude making assumptions about people.



Dr. House: Because I wanted to find out what you guys found out before I find out what he found out. So I can find out if I NEED a private investigator.



Dr. House: Say it...

Dr. Foreman: You were right.

Dr. House: God! That was petty of me.



Lucas: Have you never seen an after-school special? That is part of the pleasure of friendship. Trusting without absolute evidence, and then, being rewarded for that trust.



Lucas: Your type doesn't care if you're right or wrong. Coz they've hired me to investigate the wrong person.

Lucas: You want me to check out Wilson..

Lucas: ... You want to find out if he's pining. You want to find out if there's something about him that will tell you he's gonna come back. Or something you can use to make him come back...

Dr. House: Is there?



Dr. House: ... Placebo effect. People have confidence in doctors. They've confidence in diagnosis, confidence in medicine. Sometimes they get a little better just because they think they will. And that can make us think that the wrong answer is the right answer... which is very bad.

Apple: So, you do have proof that it's cancer, but.. you can't tell me because it might affect the way I react to the medicine?

Dr. House: If that we're true, I would surely make sense. Do you think I can tell you that it's true? (Followed by exagerated wink.)



Apple: The doctors told me that my life is gonna be SO better once I get to see. I would date. I would dance... But uh... the guys I hated dancing with before I hated dancing with after. My parents were still dead. I'm still alone.

Dr. House: You're fun.

Apple: You don't seem all that different.

Dr. House: I haven't given up.



Woman: Are you following me.

Dr. House: No.
Lucas: No.

Woman: Are you lying.

Dr. House: No.
Lucas: Yes.

Dr. House: Lesson one. Commit.



[After House presses on emergency button. Nurses rush in.]

Nurse: You ever hear of the boy who cried wolf?

Dr. House: Never really bought that. I don't care how often the kid cries he's being eaten by the wolf. Moms gonna come running.

....

[House presses on emergency button again. Nurse rushes in again.]

Dr. House: Just proving a point.



Dr. House: ... What I DO know is that you're not seeing what everyone else is seeing.

Apple: And now? Things are gonna be... beautiful?

Dr. House: Things will be what they are.

[House removes the gauze over Apple's eyes.]

Dr. House: How do I look?

Apple: You look sad...

China Milk Scandal - Recalled products in Singapore

While the US is facing economic struggles, the rest of Asia is alarmed with the Milk scandal in China.

In case you've been disconnected from the outside world for the last month, you would know that many milk / dairy products from China have been tainted with melamine, which is said to cause tumors or such. And in recent weeks, traces of this substance is found in many products from China.

The following is a list of some products which have been recalled in Singapore in light of the melamine scare. (Note that this is best effort only. If anyone has a comprehensive list, let me know):

1. M&M
2. Snickers
3. Mento's Yoghurt Bottle
4. Dove Chocolate
5. Oreo Wafer Sticks
6. Dutchlady Sterilised Milk
7. Wall's all natural mango
8. Mini Poppers Ice Cream
9. Magnum Ice Cream
10. Moo Sandwich Ice Cream
11. Mini Cornetto
12. Youcan Ice Cream

And just earlier today, Cadbury will be pulling their products from the shelves after melamine traces have been found in their products. See the news here.

Personally, I'm shaken by the recall of Snickers, which is my favorite snack. If it's not that expensive, I might have bought a whole pack and ate it myself. Anyway, the only shining ray of hope for me is with Guardian where I found Snickers but are manufactured in Australia (I think). Still, I'd likely stick with the wheat bread for the next few months...

Shake It - by Metro Station

Not sure exactly what happened but for a few months earlier, I could no longer listen to RX 93.1 online. :(

Just out of the blue -- since I've finished off most of my assigned tasks -- I tried again, and voila! Rx93.1 is back! Not sure for how long, but thank God they're back!

Anyway, there's one fairly old song that got stuck in my head after hearing it one RX: Shake It by Metro Station. Too bad they disabled the embed feature for this youtube video. Here's the link.

I guess it's one of those upbeat, feel-good songs for me.. :)

SHAKE IT
Metro Station


Let's drop!
Yeah, come on

I'll take you home
If you don't leave me at the front door
(Leave me at the front door)
Your body's cold
But girl, we're gettin' so warm
And I was thinking of ways
That I could get inside (Get inside)

Tonight you're falling in love
Let me go now
This feeling's tearing me up
Here we go now

Now if she does it like this
Will you do it like that?
Now if she touches like this
Will you touch her like that?
Now if she moves like this
Will you move her like that?
Come on, shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it

Shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it (x4)

Your lips tremble
But your eyes are in a straight stare
(In a straight stare)
We're on the bed
But your clothes are laying right there
And I was thinking of places
That I could hide
(I could hide)

Tonight you're falling in love
Let me go now
This feeling's tearing me up
Here we go now

Now if she does it like this
Will you do it like that?
Now if she touches like this
Will you touch her like that?
Now if she moves like this
Will you move her like that?
Come on, shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it

Shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it (x4)

I saw you dancing
And I couldn't get you off my mind
I could tell that you could tell
That I was taking my time
But I was thinking of ways
To get you to stay tonight
Body's shaking
Tell me off so I can turn off the lights

Now if she does it like this
Will you do it like that?
Now if she touches like this
Will you touch her like that?
Now if she moves like this
Will you move her like that?
Come on, shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it

Shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it (x4)


Wednesday, September 24, 2008

House M.D. - Season 5 Episode 1 Quotes

With the start of a new season, here are some quotes from the season premiere:

Dr. House: I thought she said "I am suddenly and irrationally defending the patients strong career even though in reality she's just a glorified grunt because I'm trying to convince myself that it's okay not to have a life because I don't have a life because I have been tested for Huntington's and my lifespan's been cut in half. [pause] Been waiting two months for her to say that.




Dr. House: My patient is still fighting in effeminist trenches but the war is over. Yesterday's sluts are today's empowered women. Today's sluts are celebrities, if that isn't progress...




Lou: You're making excuses for me?

Dr. Hadley: I'm just saying it's understandable..

Lou: Only have to understand something if it needs an explanation. I have needs. I met my needs. End of explanation.




Dr. Wilson: I'd need a flowchart to explain all the ways in which that was ridiculously insensitive.




Dr. House: People get what they get. It's got nothing to do with what they deserve.And this is nothing to do with her genitalia and everything to do with your genetics.




Dr. House: People DIE. You, Amber, everyone. Don't act like you just figured that out... I gave you a diagnosis. You don't like it, there are exits on every floor.




Dr. Hadley: ...We can have anything..

Lou: No we can't. We can aspire to anything, but we don't get it just because we want it. I would rather spend my life close to the birds than waste it wishing I had wings.




Dr. House: I like you better now that you're dying.




Dr. House: Almost dying changes nothing... Dying changes everything...




Dr. Wilson: You spread misery because you can't feel anything else. You manipulate people because you can't handle any kind of real relationship. And I've enabled it. For years, the games, the binges, the middle of the night phonecalls...

I should have been on the bus, not... You should have been alone on the bus. If I've learned anything from Amber, it's that I have to take care of myself.

After a long hiatus... again

Not much to say here, except that I've been busy. I guess my bosses are making sure that they squeeze everything they can from me before my last days in my current job. Yep, I'll be leaving my company and I am currently on the lookout for another job.

Anyway...

Everyone -- well, almost everyone -- here in Singapore is looking forward to the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend. I don't think I'll be going there to watch the event live; I'd settle with just watching it from home. Or better yet, we'll not just watch it at all.. :) Sorry, not really a big Grand Prix fan.

It's already September and, for me, it means a couple of things. First, it's the start of the Christmas season already! Weather is becoming cooler, and everyone has started putting up Christmas decors. I miss Christmas in the Philippins; way too different here, being a country of multiple races and religions.

Also, September means a new season for many US shows! I'm looking forward to all of them. I just watched the first episode of House season 5. Damn great show!

Oh well, I got that so-called mental block again. Can't think much right now. I guess I'm still jaded with this job. Hehehe :) Can't wait to look for a new one!