Baby Boomers

http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-walt-babyboomers-blurb,0,1036393.blurb

Look at the above link.
Sound like your parents?

Yup...

Happy Anniv Mom and Pops!

Yearbook Yucks

Company to reprint yearbooks after head switching
Sun May 18, 2:57 AM ET
McKINNEY, Texas - School officials say they are appalled by altered photos — including heads on different bodies — in hundreds of McKinney High School yearbooks delivered this week.

Yahoo Full Article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080518/ap_on_fe_st/odd_altered_yearbook

Thier heads are switched and they had to reprint!
Our AC02 Just came out LAST YEAR! (I'm Not Kidding!)
Nobody even bothered to reprint! We all look dead! There are some typo's and captions are all wrong!
My worst of all!
My sister's nickname was written on my space. In fact, her testimonial is the one on my space!!! As in, I'm a violinist and a movie star? Hey... I'm the artist! Where did my best friend's great testimonial went?
Can this awful yearbook be reprinted???

My Tuxedo Lover Come Home...

Today, something knocked on the door.
Yes, knocked.
My mother had the shock of her life when she discovered who the visitor was.
It was my wayward baby Alonzo.
Talk about a raven rapping on my chamber door!
I was my Raven colored Alonzo rapping on the house door.
He has come home!
So happy, I gave him my chicken without hesitation.
He was sorry to leave so long. I could tell.
He was rubbing his head on my toes. He was trying to be affectionate.
Aw... 'Lonzo-kins. I love you too.

For the Love of Joining!

I was watching reality TV and saw a documentary about conjoint twins, ones that function as people no matter how they are. It inspired me to create artworks on Conjoint/Siamese twins. Here is one above. A lot of people seems to like them. I named them Caitlyn and Marilyn.

This one is an originally concept of a guy named neonigma3 in DeviantArt. He asked me to make a rendition of one of his art. I made this. Ivori and Eboni. The clothes, I designed.

Go Speed, Go!

Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer
He's a demon on wheels

He's a demon and he's gonna be chasing after someone
He's gaining on you so you better look alive
He's busy revving up the powerful Mach Five
And when the odds are against him and there's dangerous work to do
You bet your life Speed Racer's gonna see it through

Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer go

He's off and flying as he guns the car around the track
He's jamming down the pedal like he's never coming back

Adventure's waiting just ahead

Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer Go!

They kept it!
The song, the clothes and the look!

It was like watching an ever-changing kaleidoscope! Matrix meets Car Racing set in Jetsons age! Lots of Matrix camera angles happening and WWF moves on the car. Action-packed! I'm not spoiling anything because I think the movie is worth the watch! Don't buy pirated! Watching it in the big screen is part of the effect! Cool! Fast!

Speed, Trixie, Pops, Mom, Rex, Spritle and Chim2x are all in character. That's what I like about it. They also added spice and depth to the original 2d characters to make them 3d. Like, Speed, he really admires his brother. They show his childhood to explain why. Trixie, the very supportive was there from grade-school to high-school.
Mom and Pops, the clothes! They attitude! Pops really look likes Pops Racer! Mom is always understanding and constantly cooking!
What can you expect from Spritle and Chim Chim? Pranks and mischief! Candy thieves and stow-aways!
Sparky is the trusty mechanic. He's older in the movie but he's still part of the family. He doesn't follow dress code or character but he blends in.
Rex is complicated in 2d and 3d. What gave him depth is what he does in order to change the racing industry.

Go watch!

By the way, Mach 5 is not Speed's car. It's now Mach 6. The 5 belonged to Rex. That's the only give away I'm telling!

Move Over Man of Steel!

Move over Supes, Steel can't beat this Iron flat!

*Warning! Spoilers and Details of the Movie!*

Genius playboy Tony Stark of Stark Industries is captured by terrorists and is forced to make one of his weapons for them. Due to a blast, his heart was raptured by shrapnels. Only a car battery is helping him alive. With superhuman genius expertise, he makes a sort of heart using his dismantled torpedoes. For three months, he and another weapons expert work to make an iron suit to escape. He escapes but his friend lost his life buying Tony time.
When he got back to the states, he sets his time cleaning up.

You'll love this guy. Especially in press conferences. He always makes a one liner that rocks the world!
First he said he was stopping weapons manufacturing. That dropped the stock market by 56%!
The highlight of the movie was the ending line he gave! No super hero in this planet could ever beat that!

"The truth is... I'm Iron Man!"

That was the bomb!

Some people might think Tony Stark is not a relateable character. Nerdy Peter Parker or even Mild Mannered Clark Kent are the relateable types. But don't you ever look at CNN and see the war on Iraq or the trouble in Afghanistan and wish you could do something. To all Americans, how do you feel about your taxes funding the military to perfect weapons and kill other races so they can be "pacified." Then also learn the same weapons sold to the terrorist so that they can counter the American attacks?
The beginning of the movie felt like Micheal Moore's Fahrenheit documentary. Then it felt like Batman Begins when he was in society and out flirting with girls. It got its own flair when he was testing his little project. Tony's gadgets have a humor of their own.

In a scale of one to ten, I'd give it a nine point five. It's a definite Barkada and Family movie.
Pictures from Yahoo Search

Dirk And Steele

I began reading a new series of books by a rising new author of Paranormal Romances. Although I feel she has more paranormal than romance, I do enjoy her stories.
This series circles around a detective agency named Dirk & Steele. It is no ordinary detective agency. All the members here possess some unique ability like telekinesis or they might be shape-shifters.

"Tiger's Eye"

All Dela wants is a vacation, but when she buys an odd little box from a Beijing market, she finds much more than that — she gets a djini: a shape-shifter, a warrior, the last of his kind. Hari has been used and abused for millennia, but upon his release from the riddle box, he sees his new mistress is different. In Dela’s eyes he finds hidden power. If only he dares protect, where before he has savaged; love, where before he has known hate. For Dela, he will dare all.

Shape shifters are introduced in this book. Hari is aTiger and is cursed as a djini. His got lucky that weapons expert Delila or Dela is the one to open his box. Dela's Aunt is head of the NY office of Dirk & Steele. Her powers are wielding metals. This first book grip you to read the rest of the series.

"Shadow Touch"

Elena Baxter can work miracles with her fingers. She can coax bones to knit, flesh to heal. She can mend the soul. She has been doing such work for almost all of her twenty-eight years. That is why she will be taken. But salvation awaits. it exists in a form least expected: a dream of a face, a brush of a mind, the hint of a kiss, and finally, at long last, a shadow touch.

One of Dirk & Steele agents, Artur Loginov is missing. He and others with talents are taken by a rival organization who also have agents with talents. He meets Elena who is a healer. They also rescue other shape shifters. This book is not one of my faves.

"The Red Heart Of Jade"

When grisly murders bring ex-cop and clairvoyant, Dean Campbell, to Taiwan, he finds a shocking truth -- and a woman he thought long dead. What follows is an adventure far more deadly than any that has been foreseen, a threat heralding immortal evil.

I first thought it was long and dragging because the stories are jumping from one thing to another. Mummies, arsonists, Taiwanese Super Stars, Red Jades, then dragons. What ties it all up? What does Dean and Miri have to do with all these?
Then the ending is a killer! The Jades are like books. They are passed from generation to generation and gets reborn into people's hearts. These Jades are actually like the book of Death. They can unleash their powers to mankind. But the maker of the book made a precaution that nobody can use it on its own. He chopped it in half and put it in one girl and one boy. For some reason, every generation, they will be born lovers.

"A Dream of Stone and Shadows"

There are those who do terrible things in this world, and those who simply watch. Charlie would do neither. Imprisoned, his only release is through his own destruction — or through Aggie Durand. Sweet as a kiss or a rescued child, she is the one dream he does not dare desire. As an agent of Dirk & Steele, she could be his salvation. Today, his dream is waking.

What, do you ask, is Charlie? He's a Gargoyle. Strange name for a gargoyle right? He can't really die. when he does, he lingers as shadow until he heals. In his shadowed state, he learns the plight of a little girl who is hidden in a basement and is used in a kiddy porn. He looks for a warrior who can do what he can't. He finds Aggie.
I like the story. Aggie is strong and like Dela, she likes to annoy Roland Dirk. Charlie is actually a modern Gargoyle. He doesn't stay ancient. he keeps up with the times. I love how Aggie saves him and his brothers.

To see more of Liu's books:
http://www.marjoriemliu.com/

Healthier Way to Eat Ice Cream

Some would associate Ice Cream with Summer. Well, doesn't mean we can't cut down a little.
Ice Cream too small for a big bowl? Trick your mind. Here's a useful tip to make ice cream yummy and not-so-fattening. In a nice-looking bowl, take a scoop of your fave ice cream. Just one. Ok, Maximum 2. Cut up some fruits. Try the summery fruits like mango and pineapple. Then put A banana split on half. You can put unsweetened rice crispies or animal crackers. I put one chocolate cookie cut in half here. Then, don't put syrup. Put a Tbs. of Virgin Coconut Oil. Trust me, it is very interesting when it hardens with ice cream.

A Model Life

What is in a model's life?
Fashion is such a fast business. As Heidi Clum would say, "One day you're in, the next day you're out." It is all appearance, looking young, fresh and edgy. Who can blame the Fashion World? It makes the economy run and fast.
But what about the Models? How does this affect their life?
A Model's lifespan is only the look they bring. If you don't make an impact by 25, you fade into the background. Models who make it switch careers but stay into the limelight. Look at Tyra, she hosts her own show. Heidi has her own show too. That makes Petra Nemcova too. She mentors six girls in a reality show that's not quite "Top Model" and all the more harsh.
"A Model Life" with Petra Nemcova follows six girls' journey in Next Modeling Agency. By the end of the show, only one will be picked to be one of Next's 18 models in the Fashion Week.

Executive Producer David Broome says A Model Life's aim is to "pull back the curtain on the modeling industry" and tackle issues like distorted body image, living in a big city on one's own, and self-esteem. As six models vie for a contract, walk Fashion Week's runways, and compete for ad campaigns, Nemcova acts as sideline coach. But really-gorgeous, pampered models as victims? More than you'd know. "Girls are anorexic and dying," says Nemcova. "It's stupid, but it still happens in this business." Broome cast a nutritionist to offer a healthy defense against fashion's never-too-thin manifesto. "Models pick up life-threatening habits to stay in the game," he says, "and the industry still spits them out."

Clip from: http://www.marieclaire.com/world/articles/petra-nemcova

Pull back the curtains indeed. We can see the harsh life even in the Agency alone. They haven't even booked jobs yet. They get critiqued left and right. Not only in their performances, mind, also how their bodies look. Michelle, the most anorexic looking girl with sunken eyes and ribs for torso, is what they call perfect and edgy. Theother girls with hips or bits of flesh, the agents are already saying they won't make it. Still, week after week, they are told to loose weight. What wieght?
Would you be angry at the agents for driving these girls to malnutrition or blmae the girls for doing it?
Sarah from ANTM Cycle 9 was sent home because she was too fat to be a regular model but too thin to be plus-size. How can a person be a model? Is it simply the looks, the personality or something more innate? All three are very subjective. One client might like a lot of character but some wants no character at all but looks alone. I've seen four Reality Show about modeling already. Each are very different yet same. Each client is very subjective and when all the contestants are beautiful, it all comes down to who would go the extra mile to get what they want.
America's Next Top Model, Janice Dickinson's Modeling Agency, A Model Life with Petra Nemcova, Make Me A Model, all these shows show the fashion world. They keep saying that the fashion industry is harsh and it is. The show gives you bonuses like a place to live in, challenges to win prizes and meet the popular people who mave and shake that world but it reality, when there is no show, a model's life is one full of struggles and woes.
In this country (Philippines), you can't be a full-time model. It doesn't pay. You are subjected to whatever a model is subjected to and you get very little pay. A professional model may earn Php3,000.oo to Php5,000 per walk but how many walks can you do a year? Fashion Shows are scarce and with competition, prices are being brought down. You can find a tall teen ager in the streets with edge in their looks, train her and pay her Php1,000.00 the whole night (Aprox, 4-6 walks). Cover model? Rarely. We have Actors, Singers and politicians gracing the covers and endorsing products.
So, a model life is one full of woes.

If you do wish to be a model, make sure your family is behind you. They not only give you support but also back-up. When you stumble, fall and be put down, there must always be someone there behind you to fall back on.

Hanoi Trip

Three sisters, one destination. Me, Aki ria and Diki Marie boarded the shuddering Cebu Pacific Plane praying the Maiden Flight won't end up like Titanic. I know back in our minds, we were singing "On a Maiden Voyage, One a Maiden Voyage..."
Thank God, we landed! And lived to get conned by a colorum "taxi." Yes, we are not the only country with colorum taxis and taxis who tamper their meters. The good people of Hanoi may prefer to use motorbikes but that doesn't stop road accidents. they are hell-drivers, very much like us!

So, we immersed ourselves in culture and history. Going around one of Hanoi's most important Lakes, Hoan Kiem. Hoan Kiem Lake is the center of commerce in Hanoi. The Old District surrounds the small pond-like lake. Legend says that the old emperor took a boat trip in the lake and a giant turtle appeared and gave him a golden sword which he used to win a war. After, the turtle took it back and was never seen. You can find a stuffed giant turtle in the pagoda in the middle of the lake. Strange such big creatures actually exist in the small lake. Whether the turtle is the actual turtle of the story, no one can confirm nor deny.

The shopping district is basically everywhere close to the lake. You can buy anything and everything if you can find the streets. The Old Hanoi were ruled by guilds. Each street had its own wares, its own guild. So, you may find yourself in a street full of Musical instruments, a street of shoes, lapidaries or a street of greeting cards. There are no malls so you can find Nine West in front of the Lake. It is a law in Hanoi not to demolish old structures especially in the Old District. but they are renovated. The downstairs are all turned commercial but the top floors retain their colonial touches. By the way, Vietnam was conquered by the French.

So you can see a lot of the French influences like architecture food and theatres. It was to our delight that Hanoi has an Opera House and we were fortunate to be at the last night of the Spring Ballet entitles "Chopiniana" and for the second part, West Side Story.

Vietnamese culture cannot be complete without a Vietnamese Theatre. In front of Hoan Kiem lake is the Water Puppet Theatre where the famous art form is performed with traditional music using traditional instruments are used. The Water Puppet performance are little segments depicting Vietnamese life and culture like Dragon Dance, Dance of the Phoenix, Planting Rice, Catching Frogs, The story of the Emperor and the Turtle (One where the emperor is given the Sword and its return). Of course there is also a segment where a Scholar returns home and the whole town celebrates.
Do you think Valentines Day is popular in Hanoi? Nothing can compare to teachers day. Flower prices rise tenfold during Teachers Day. Vietnamese revere their teachers. A one point in history, they were revered as gods.
To me and my two sis' delight, we found a place of reverence to one of the most important things in our life, Literature. We went to the Temple of Literature. It was built by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong in 1070. Later it was made into "University of the Sons of the Nation," Hanoi's first university. Today, we find the names of the scholars and teachers immortalized in stone on the back of stone turtles.

After seven days, we ready to go home. Bringing culture, memory and a whole bunch of silks, we arrived in Manila, tired and hungry. Nope, Cebu Pacific did not feed us in the four-hour journey plus one hour delay. And Hanoi Airport closes its restaurant at ten so no food for us.
But boy! What experiences we now carry, from the trip to the tours to going home, our Hanoi experience is incomparable. One day, we hope to return and tour more sights that were not part of the itinerary we set for ourselves. We would also wish to see Saigon, Ho Chi Min and possible take the train up all the way to Beijing. It is a ten-hour experience!

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A Day of Plays

Day 6 in Hanoi
Water Puppet Show, shopping and Spring Ballet

An Emerging Dragon

Day 5
Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay is a river system described as an emerging dragon. The limestone islets protruding in a line like formation gave it it's name.
When visiting Ha Long Bay remember these: Wear comfy clothes that blocks sun and weather. Wear good shoes that you can trek with. Although food is provided, bring your own drink. They only have coke on board and it is a dollar each. Water is not so safe inn the islands.

I did enjoy my Ha Long experience. The 4-hour cruise was leisurely and perfect for relaxing. We went into an island where you can go inside a cave with natural grottoes with stalactites and stalagmites. Some contain fossilized creatures.
Food is a simple fish and vegetables but rice-all-you-can. There is not water on board to drink and you must buy your own coke. In the islands and the harbor, there are water, sodas, chipos and souvenirs for sale but they charge a tourist price.

A Street Lined with Silk

Day 4 in Hanoi

Silk Village to shop for silk.

Super Chocolate

Chocolate Buffet at Sofitel Metropole, $15 a person. Worth it? Yum! Super chocolate!!!!!!!!

Temple of Literature

Day 2 in Hanoi

The Temple of Literature or Van Mieu was dedicated to culture and history. Aritsans and scholars all came together in the temple to pay homage to literary heritage immortalized in stone.

Day 1

Hanoi Trip. Arrived this morning.
So far...
Hoan Kiem Lake and vicinity.

Another Guilt-Free Snack

I'll call this "Guilt-free Rolls"

What you need:
6 or more pieces of Wheat bread slices
1/4 cup cream cheese (fat free if you can)
1 Tbs. non-fat milk
1 Tbs. Mayonnaise or Mayomagic
1/4 cup grated quick-melt cheddar
3 cloves of garlic
1 medium sized green or red bell pepper (Both if you want color)
A hand full of chopped spinach leaves
Snippets of fresh basil
Dash of Pepper
Dash of Salt

How to do it:

1. Cut the sides of the wheat bread. Using a rolling pin or a hand round glass bottle, roll flat the slices of bread.
2. In a bowl, mix Cream cheese, mayo, milk and cheeses. chop in small cubes the bell pepper. Mince garlic. Chop spinach and basil. All all those to the cheese mixture. Add salt and pepper. Add more if needed, depending on taste.
3. Spread it evenly on the flattened wheat bread then roll it. Slice then serve!

Good for snacks! Can be served in cocktails too!

Colors!

More pics from Puerto. Very colorful. Just gotta love nature!

Puerto Gallera!

Me and Mom!

For more pics of our vacation:
http://maitypix.shutterfly.com/