“Nobody saw it coming.”

Nobody saw the deaths coming, but somebody must have known that there is a typhoon and that it will be a strong one. TIME’s Global Spin is right, we were truly unprepared for tropical storm Sendong. Then again, now is not the time for Filipinos to point fingers at each other. I truly believe that we are a nation of caring and compassionate individuals. Now is the time to extend our helping hands.

[edited] According to abs-cbnNEWS.com, the death toll from Sendong has reached 957, with hundreds still missing. Here are some ways you can help:

- PHILIPPINE RED CROSS:

SMS
Text RED<space>AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4143 (Smart)

G-Cash
Text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882

You can donate the following denominations:
Globe: 5, 25, 100, 300, 500 or 1000
Smart: 10, 25, 50, 100, 300, 500 or 1000

Bank accounts for Donations
Banco De Oro
Peso: 00-453-0018647
Dollar: 10-453-0039482

Bank of the Philippine Islands
Peso: 4991-0036-52
Dollar: 004994-0103-15

Metrobank
Peso: 151-3-041631228
Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2

Philippine National Bank
Peso: 3752 8350 0034
Dollar: 3752 8350 0042

Unionbank of the Philippines
Peso: 1015 4000 0201
Dollar: 1315 4000 0090

All Check/Cash for the account of Philippine Red Cross (Swift Codes)
Banco De Oro
BNORPHMM

Bank of the Philippine Islands
BOPIPHMM

Metrobank
MBTCPHMM

Philippine National Bank
-PNBMPHMM

Unionbank of the Philippines
-UNPHPHMM

Cebuana Lhuillier

- HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PHILIPPINES:

- MERALCO: “OneMeralco Foundation is accepting cash & in-kind donations in G\F Lopez bldg, Meralco Center, Ortigas. Call 6328301, look for Joy.”

- ROCK ED:

- SMART COMMUNICATIONS, INC: “Smart Money users can instantly transfer funds through their mobile phones to the official Baha Fund account number 5577 5130 6822 1104. Donors may also deposit cash to the same Smart Money account number in any Banco De Oro branch nationwide or through Hapinoy and Cebuana Lhuillier outlets.”

- GLOBE TELECOM: “Help via GCASH by texting DONATEMPIN REDCROSS and send to 2882.”

- ABS-CBN SAGIP KAPAMILYA:

- GMA KAPUSO FOUNDATION:

“Cash donations may be donated to any branch of UCPB, Metrobank, and Cebuana Lhuiller. Service fees will be waived if the cash proceeds are deposited to the foundation.

- LBC:

- AIR 21:

- PHILIPPINE AIRLINES:

“PAL flights to Cagayan de Oro and Dipolog will carry free of charge disaster relief donations coming from reputable non-government organizations (NGOs) and religious groups addressed to their designated recipients in Cagayan de Oro and Dipolog…

PAL will carry the relief goods as cargo on any of the five daily flights to Cagayan de Oro and five weekly flights to Dipolog using the Airbus A320 and A319 aircraft.

Priority will be given to lightweight and non-bulky essential items such as medicines and foodstuff.

Interested parties may contact  the PAL Foundation by sending an email tomenchu_sarmiento@pal.com.ph.”

- 7-11 PHILIPPINES: “‎7-Eleven is accepting cash donations for the victims of Typhoon Sendong. No service fees will be deducted and donors will be provided an official receipt.”

- BEECONOMIC:

- GAWAD KALINGA:

“You may send donations in kind to the following :

 

- DSWD:

- ENDERUN COMMUNITY DRIVE:

  - PANDAY BULIG, INC-NMR: “We are calling for volunteers to repack goods for our RELIEF DELIVERY OPERATION on DECEMBER 23, 2011.

Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental:
Panday Bulig Relief and Rehabilitaion Center
Tabang Mindanao Center
… 12th-22nd streets, Nazareth
9000 Cagayan de Oro City
T/F: +63 (88) 856 6413
E: pandaybulig@gmail.com
(look for Ms. Beryl Tranco)
Mobile: 0905 899 7770

for cash donations:

RCBC VELEZ BRANCH, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
Savings Account Number: 1095029776
Swift Code: RCBCPHMM

You may go to any Gcash outlet (mostly in malls, banks etc) and send the money to you (provide your name address and gcash number). Gcash number is your 2882+10 digit number. Gcash number is 2882-926-745-9730
Thank you! :)”

Related articles

• Calling All Fellow Bloggers From Different Parts of The World – Help! (socyberty.com)
• Emergency Alert: Typhoon Sendong | Donate Now and Save Lives (silentpal.wordpress.com)
• PHOTOS: Philippines Storm, Floods Wreck Havoc On Islands (huffingtonpost.com)

my Pilot pens

I’ve been a Pilot pen user since my high school days. Of course I’ve used other brands, but I feel more comfortable when I write using Pilot. They’re just absolutely better than other not-so-expensive pens we have here in the Philippines. Plus points ’cause they look better too. :)

Last year, I blogged about my Pilot pen wishlist and sadly, I was only able to cross out just one pen among the list. I think we get our Pilot pens somewhere else in Asia, which is sad ’cause that would mean we wouldn’t see all of their products (a.k.a. the products on my wishlist) in our local bookstores. Boo. Anyhow, here are the pens I currently have:

• Pilot BPS fine
• Pilot Hi Tecpoint V5
• Pilot Hi Tecpoint V5 RT
• Pilot Retractable Pen
• Pilot Super Grip
• Pilot G-Tec C3
• Pilot Hi Tec C Coleto
• Pilot Acroball
• Pilot Feed GP4
• Pilot Frixion ball
• Pilot Just Meet

I’m sad that I wasn’t able to collect as much as I wanted to. It’s all ’cause I don’t trust myself that when I go to a local bookstore, I’d buy just one pen. I know I’d go crazy. But this coming 2012, I have to buy more Pilot pens. Yes to planning and determination, ignore budget (lol). For this, I’m gonna be a little more realistic and make a Pilot pen wishlist based on what National Bookstore branches have.  Here goes:

• Pilot Pen BL-G2 Gel Retractable Rollerball
• Pilot G-2EX Gel Ink Pen
• Pilot Feed White Line 3 Color Multi Pen w/ Correction Tape
• Pilot G6 Gel Retractable Roller Ball Pen
• Pilot VR Ball Fine
• Pilot VBall Grip Gel Pen
• Pilot VBall Grip Roller Ball Pen
• Pilot BX-GR5 Hi Tecpoint (Extra Fine)
• Pilot V10 Grip Hi Tecpoint Liquid Ink Rollerball Pen 

There you go. Those are the only ones I could find over on NBS’s site. I’d try other bookstores, but I think it’s good to have an initial list. Once I have a good number of Pilot pens, I’d start collecting cute colored pens also from Pilot. I know I sound crazy, but of course it’s not my priority. I just have to feed my addiction. :)

That was until I found the courage to share the result of my plans. Allow me to introduce my online store, The Accessory Haul <insert crazy grin>.

The Accessory Haul is the brainchild of a caffeine addict whose original intention was to stock up on rings and bangles for personal use. One day, she found herself buying accessories for other people. She then thought that maybe, just maybe, this could lead to something better.

I’ve a number of friends who said they didn’t expect this from me. Hanna, a good friend of mine, even blogged about it. Ha! They probably know I’m not the kind of person who’d open an online store or anything that involves approaching people in whatever manner and half-begging them to buy from me. :P That’s why I decided to focus on selling items I also wanna have. If no one buys them, they’re mine. Bittersweet, eh? But no, positive thoughts over negative ones. ;)

I know this isn’t a big business venture. This is much different from opening up a restaurant or a bookstore (don’t ask where that came from :P), I’m not starting with millions of pesos, and I don’t have a formal business plan. This is just me trying out my luck and boy, was I shocked. I didn’t expect how stressful it was gonna be. I only had my first haul of accessories, a little knowledge about online stores (being a regular online buyer myself), a solid group of people backing me up, and a little courage. Numbers scare me the most. And pricing. And promoting my page.  And making a record of all the items plus all the necessary descriptions… Fine, everything’s scary. And darn, 6 days after opening? I’m just praying that everything’s gonna get better, my emotions included.

On to what The Accessory Haul‘s all about. If you haven’t guessed it yet, we’re selling accessories! :D We have rings, wrap around bracelets, and bangles for our first haul. We’re extremely happy that barely a week into this, we’ve sold half of the haul! I’m happy, oh so happy!   … Aaaand, we already have 145 likes!  I’m happy, oh so happy!  <flailing arms> … I’m using “we” here because I’ve been getting a lot of help from Arred, my business advisor who doubles as my boyfriend ;D. He also plays devil’s advocate, but I think he does that only so he could hear me defend my point. I’m really lucky ’cause he’s versatile and that he’s really so supportive to the point of asking his guy friends to go and like the page. Plus, I know he’s more excited to see the number of likes increase per day ’cause we planned on a little something-something once we reach 250 likes. It’s something crazy and it makes me even more nervous.

Part of what’ll make me somewhat calm is if more people visit our page (ha!). So please, nonexistent readers, visit and like The Accessory Haul. Who knows, you might see a ring or a set of bangles that’ll look perfect on you, your mom, your sister, or your girl friends! ;)

At least in my world. This is about me trying to prove to myself that maybe I still have that writing mojo, which I think I lost somewhere between being active on Twitter and having a job that requires me to stare at phrases and terms I barely understand. This is about me hoping to be able to go back.

I don’t puke words for a living. I just do so for my sanity. And now that nothing seems to be oozing from my brain, I’m scared.

It’s way easier to make your poop come out.

/brainfart

It’s been a month since Crazy, Stupid, Love opened in Philippine movie theaters but the Boyfriend and I watched it on the big screen just last Saturday because of two things: we normally put romantic comedy films & chick flicks in our “to download” list and our friends gave this film some solid thumbs up.

Let me get this out of my head before it eats my brain cells: it’s not the kind of romantic comedy film that can stop me from switching to another cable channel, if you know what I mean. I don’t think I’m going to be the first person to say that the film has its sluggish moments. Yes, the comedy, the romance, the crazy, and the stupid (har!) were all there. Yes, Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling were pretty hilarious in their own subtle ways. Yes, I enjoyed the plotline. But the thing is, there’s a rare balance of reality and only-in-the-movies moments which creates a so-so story.

What I like about this film is—no, not Ryan Gosling’s abs. Sorry, but I don’t find him sexy at all. His abs were chiseled, no doubt about that. I gave my own share of “oh my gosh,” but I’m just not fond of him, that’s all. With that aside, let me tell you that Crazy, Stupid, Love is a film that men can really appreciate. It’s one of those films where guys are depicted as someone who can screw up, be cheated on, fool around, and eventually end up with the girl he truly wants to be with. We all know it’s not always the guy’s fault when a relationship goes haywire. A guy’s life doesn’t go all the way South when a relationship ends (hello (500) Days of Summer). I’m sounding like a guy here, yes? Well, I could be one (lol). And no, I don’t hate (500) Days of Summer.

On the other hand, what I don’t like about the movie is how it stretched out for half an hour after the chaotic twist which made me realize that the film should’ve been titled “Crazy, Stupid Love in A Small, Twisted World.” Err, my titling skills need some work. Also, there was nothing to talk about after the movie. Yes okay, the abs. Whatever.

Overall, it’s a bit dragging but I like how the story’s deeper (heavier?) than other lighthearted romantic comedy films.

*Image from moviefanatic.com

“If I had to change my religious beliefs, I would not marry the person that I love. Because the first person that I love is God, who created me. And I have my faith, my principles, and this is what makes me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too.” – Shamcey Supsup, Miss Universe 2011 third runner up

Miss Universe 2011 third runner up Shamcey Supsup

There’s nothing more awesome than watching someone share his/her beliefs in front of thousands of people. I don’t know much about pageants, but what the newest Filipina pride Shamcey Supsup shared with the world is something that a lot of people might actually disagree with.

I was one of those who watched the replay of Miss Universe 2011 at home, I’m allowed to boo my work hours for that. I got home just in time for the Q&A portion. My initial reaction to Miss Philippines’ answer was that it was just okay. I thought that given the pressure of being on stage and knowing that the clock’s ticking away, this might probably be the best answer anyone could ever come up with. After a while, though, I realized that this was a personal stance. This was her way of saying she won’t let anything and anyone go between her and her God, not even love. This didn’t please everyone because we all know how sensitive a topic religion is.

Personally, I would’ve loved to hear her talk about interfaith marriages. About respecting one’s faith, one’s religion. About how people’s love for each other should strengthen their relationship and help bridge misunderstandings between religions. Then again, I’m pretty sure her answer wouldn’t have been as great as what she has given because that is not what she believes in.

In the end, it all boils down to respecting people’s opinions and religious beliefs.

—

P.S. I think (and I don’t care if I’ve to say this repeatedly) Shamcey Supsup deserves more than that third runner up title for her answer alone and bonus points should be given because of the way she said that with prowess and conviction.

—

*Image from pinoypower.net

The problem with rumors is that they usually reach their victims when the lies have been altered several times, almost to the point of it being so incomprehensible, so far out from the issue at hand. The problem with the rumor about me is that it reached me only when it has developed into a fully grown bastard, the kind that people have already accepted as the truth. The problem with me is that I refused to stand up and slit everyone’s throats clear my name.

Yes, I am a victim. I may not be so in certain people’s eyes, but I am. And so are the people who believed and continue to believe the issue that I, allegedly, ruined something beyond repair. I chose to keep quiet despite everything. I thought then that my battle was nothing compared to that of someone else. I know that that was the right thing to do. I chose to keep quiet and allowed the rumor to die out. The rumor died. But so did my only chance of having everything straightened out, of letting people know that I’m innocent.

There’s no point standing up against anyone now. The wounds have healed.

That one moment when I realized that other people’s thoughts, evil or otherwise, could never harm me in any way unless I allow them to do so.

Most people describe me as someone who is casually unconcerned with others’ nasty opinions. They’re quite right. On most days, I’m pretty much like that, but not bordering on indifference. I listen, I take mental notes on who I shouldn’t trust, but I don’t let them affect me. At least, not anymore. 

I’m dropping my crappy plans of letting people know that on a certain issue, on that one Jurassic issue, I’m clean. It doesn’t matter now. For as long as the people involved know the truth, for as long as the people closest to me know the truth, all’s well.