Sesame Street Moment # 6

It has been a while since I've updated this blog and it's been a long time too since I've posted my favorite Sesame Street segments when I was a kid. A real big thanks to youtube and for those people who have posted these classic videos.

So anyway, here's the one where they show how crayons are made. As a kid, I was really excited to see this one because obviously as a kid, we're all curious as to how things are made or where certain things come from. This is one of them. I love to draw ergo I love crayons.

Enjoy this video while I go contemplate on which diet pills to take to get rid of all the holiday fat I gained. Heehee!

Icee

Christmas shopping is really tiring especially when Christmas is just around the corner. The malls and flea markets are packed with busy shoppers getting ready for the biggest gift-giving event of the year. There's really no need to walk on the aisles of flea markets because the crowd is so thick that you just get "carried away" by the walking mob. It's like riding a really slow train without breaks and all you have to do is "jump off" once you reach your station.

So anyway, I was having a break from all the shopping and decided to check my shopping list and what's left of my shopping money (glad that I took one of those payday loans offered by my bank). It was so hot inside despite the roaring a/c so I went and bought myself a frozen drink. It then reminded me of this drink that was popular when I was still a kid. I remember lining up and ordering the strawberry flavored one. My tongue and lips would have a redder shade because of that. LOL. This was before Slurpee came to town. Do you still remember this?

The Happy Saver's Club

I was doing some bank errands yesterday when a nostalgic moment hit me again.

You see, there was this kid who was with her mom inside the bank where I was. The kid kept asking her mom for their bank book. He was a bit confused because he just saw his mom hand the teller some bills and all she got was their bank book. The kid looked adorable actually when he was looking all confused and panicky.

Then, I remembered in the 80's that most of my playmates are members of the Lucky Saver's Club of Banco Filipino. Their parents opened bank accounts for them and the kids would be getting goodies once they open an account and whenever the parents have a transaction. I wasn't a member of that club. My playmates would just show me their bank book and all the free stuff they got. Makes me wonder why though. Maybe they knew that I wouldn't be having trouble with cash advance or other credit related problem. Ha! That's what they think.

I do however commend this scheme. It taught the children the value of money and the concept of saving. I wonder if ever I was a member of this club if I would still be a shopaholic. Hmmm...

Dona Nobis Pacem

Peace to you all!

Shopping for Clothes

I remember when I was in high school and college, these logos would be seen in most of the students when they're not in their uniform. Do you still have your "vintage" clothes from these brands?

Giordano


Bossini


Benetton


Guess


Esprit


Girbaud

These brands would always be seen plastered in most of the student's shirts, jeans and even school bags.

Remember those Giordano Classics t-shirts? I have one in red and blue. Plus there's this Giordano Classics bags that were so popular when I was in high school. Do you know what I'm talking about? It's those backpacks and shoulder bags that come in green and blue colors. I have the big shoulder bag type.

As for Bossini, I was a fan of their shirts and jeans as well.

Now for the third one, United Colors of Benetton, was one of my favorite brands back then. Their use of color in their shirts and accessories have made me a follower. :)

The late Anna Nicole Smith was well know because of this brand. Guess is known for their triangle logo patch sewn at the back pocket of their jeans. Everywhere you look, someone has a triangle patch at their rear. LOL.

Esprit on the other hand is most expensive as compared to these other brands. Up until now, their prices haven't changed and for semi casual clothes, the only thing I bought in their stores are their leather shoes (for school) and their pretty tops.

For those who have thicker wallets, these brands are also included in their wardrobe.

Giorgio Armani



Marlboro Classics


and...

Dolce & Gabbana

Thinking of the environment

Okay, so I haven't really been super lazy. Actually, I've been doing a lot of "online window shopping". I am planning on buying a few things so I can update my wardrobe. The shoes department really needs to be spiced up a bit.

Just last week, I have been looking at a couple of vegan and eco-friendly shoes. Surprisingly, I never knew that these kind of products can be stylish and pleasing to the eye as well. Brands like Dansko and other comfy shoes have vegan products as well. I'm seriously thinking of buying one of these so I could at least, in my own little way, be of help to the environment.

Did I mention they have great looking vegan bags as well?

Do you live in the Past, Present or Future?

This is so true about me. Funny how a couple of questions would read how I am. LOL. Seriously though, I agree with what this says. I rarely dwell on the past but sometimes I do worry about the future (financial-wise).

You Live in the Present

You take things one day at a time. And it turns out, that's a pretty great way to live. You aren't consumed by the past, and you're aren't obsessed with the future. You live in the now, and you enjoy each moment. While most people don't live in the present enough, make sure you don't live in it too much. It would be a mistake to forget your past or neglect to plan for the future.

Do You Live in the Past, Present, or Future?

Random Questions

I really feel lazy these past few days. Probably because of the graveyard shift I got for my duty. Anyway, I saw this in my friend's blog and decided to give it a go since my mind is not working properly this morning. LOL.

What color is your toothbrush? white and pink
Name one person that made you smile today? My boyfriend, A.
What were you doing 45 minutes ago? I was preparing my breakfast, egg white garlic omelette... yummy! Hehe! Garlic breath in the morning. Woohoo! :)
Have you ever been to a strip club? Not yet.
What is the last thing you said aloud? "Ano? Di kita marinig!" (What? I can't hear you!)
What is the best ice cream flavor? Hands down to: Rocky Road and French Silk!
What are you wearing right now? My khaki shorts and a shirt
What was the last thing you ate? egg white garlic omelette
What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? caramel and butter
Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on friendster? Don, it was his birthday last week.

Do you take vitamins daily? Unfortunately, No. I always forget.
Do you go to church every Sunday? Sad but no. :(
Do you like sweets? Yes!
Do you like Chinese food better than pizza? Hmm... tough question. I really can't decide. LOL.
Do you drink your soda with a straw? Yup!
What did your last text message say? "Ok lang. Thanks kamo sa mommy mo." (Ok! Tell your mom thanks.)
Are you someone’s best friend? I'd like to think -Yes.
What are you doing tomorrow? Hmm.. probably reviewing.
Where is your dad? he's probably driving right now so I don't know exactly where he is. LOL.
Look to your left, what do you see? My bed and window.

What color is your watch? Black leather, silver and silver and gold.
What do you think of when you think of Switzerland? My aunt and cousins.
Do you use chapsticks? Yup!
What is your birthstone color? Umm... white. My birthstone is pearl.
Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive through? Both.
What’s your favorite number? 8
Do you have a dog? Yes.
Have you met anyone famous? Yup!
Any plans today? Hmm... update my blogs, review, give my dog a bath and finish listening to my audio book of Twilight!
Ever gone to college? Yup! And I'm doing it all over again. Hehe!

Do you dye your hair? Before, yes. At the moment, I can't because it's not allowed in school (#$%&*!!!).
Last song listened to? Jingle bell rock
Can you say the alphabet backwards? Yup! In a turtle-pace. LOL.
Do you have a maid service clean your house? No!!! :(
Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? My chuck taylor sneaks.

Are you jealous of anyone? Nope!
Is anyone jealous of you? I'd like to think, yes. LOL.
Do you love someone? Y-E-S!
Do any of your friends have children? Yup! A lot of them!
What do you usually do during the day? Oh just the normal stuff.

Do you hate anyone that you know right now? Hmm... none at the moment. ;-)
Do you use the word ‘hello’ daily? Yup! Especially to my dog.
Do you like cats? N-O!

Whew! That was a long one! Happy Monday everyone!

Eat all I can

Growing up with both my parents working, my mom would always leave me and my brother to my grandmother when they go to work. We didn't mind really because that meant free access to all the goodies my grandmom has in her sari-sari store.

Ever since I could remember, my grandparents has this home based business of having this store plus they sell all-natural vinegar. So anyway, my brother really didn't care much that time with the vinegar but we did love "hanging around" inside the store so we could help ourselves to all the candies and chips that my grandmom sells.

Are you still familiar with Orange Swits (I think it's still available up to now), Choco Nut, chocolate football and soccer ball, Goya chocolates (plain and with rice crispies), Stay Fresh mint candies, Cheezels (the cheese flavored chips that had free toys in it) and even Horlicks?

I miss those days. I miss hanging around with my grandmother and she'd tell me that I can have all the candies that I want as long as I practice writing my complete name on two sheets of pad paper. Hehe!

Dial-Up Servers

Not so long ago, a familiar ringing sound would be heard whenever we would go online. It was even popularized by the movie of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, You've Got Mail. You get connected by buying pre-paid internet cards or if you're one of those people who's not afraid to get their accounts hacked and pay 10,000 pesos for using the internet 24/7 when clearly you didn't (this happened to us when we were still in postpaid connection). Sometimes it would take a hundred years before you can get through because you'd always get a busy line when you're trying to use the dial-up server. This sucks big time! I even remember trying to go online when I was unaware that my brother was using the phone. I heard him through the modem talking to his girlfriend and then the modem starts dialing the number for the dial-up server. LOL.

So anyway, those days are clearly gone with the emergence of cable, broadband internet with their CAT6 cables with their speedy, unlimited use of the internet. It is sometimes annoying when the connection tends to be so turtle-paced or worse, there's no connection at all. Still, I prefer the internet connection today because I get to multi-task while I'm online. Talking to a friend on the phone and chatting with others online.

Bundle up

The air outside is getting colder as the days are closing in on December. Fall is here and it's time to put away our flimsy summer clothes. And in a few weeks time, winter will be knocking on our doorstep. That is why I am looking for the perfect fall and winter outerwear. I want something that looks stylish, comfortable but with a little extra oomph that's perfect for my personality. I came across roca wear coats and I just fell in love with them. These coats stand out and does not look boring at all. I just hate it when I'm looking like everyone else during these cold months. Who says you can't look good even if you are all bundled up?

A Homer Moment

As a kid, whenever I would be asked which subject is my favorite, I would always answer: "science". I cannot recall the time when I would say "math" instead of science. I hate math. Actually, hate is an understatement. I especially do not like problem solving because it entails both analysis and math computation. I am slow when it comes to these things. I just don't get it. It's harder for me to relate to my life compared to science when clearly it is about life. I remember in college when we have our Economics subject and we were discussing futures trading and other stock market concepts, I was like Homer Simpson staring blankly into space. LOL. Now that I'm back in school, I still cannot escape math. I am grateful however that it's just the basics. Whew!

On a diet?

I am really stressing out these past couple of days. My dog Sundae hasn't been eating much. She just plays with her food and that's it. I don't get it. She's not sick or anything so why all of a sudden she lost her appetite. Well, I switched to a different dog food because her old one is now really expensive. The vet told me while I was buying pet supplies said that her new dog food is also good for puppies but is less expensive than her old one. At first she was able to know that I've mixed in a few scoops in her old dog food. I did the gradual weaning to the new mix and soon enough she was able to adjust. Just a week ago, she was enjoying the new mix but a couple of days ago, she barely touches it. I think it's time for a check up. I'm afraid she might be underweight already. :(

Growing Old

Call me crazy but if given the choice, I do not want to reach the age of 80. This may come as a shock knowing that I am the kind of person that loves life. However, I do not want to burden my future children to care for me when I can no longer do it by myself. Yes, you could suggest that I be left in an elderly facility but that is not part of our culture. I would be grateful if I am still as strong as a horse at this age but I don't want to see the day that my children's shopping list would include incontinence supplies. When this happens, then it would only mean one thing, the inevitable has happened. I have gone back to the first stage of the life cycle. This is what I would like to avoid. My children should be enjoying life and exploring it and not taking care of an old woman.

BlogBlast for Peace

I would like to thank Mimi for extending her invitation to join the Blogblast for Peace. I think this is a great idea (well done Mimi!) to spread the word about peace.

Most of the time, what we see in the news are mostly unpleasant. Violence and violation of human rights are rampant. Unfortunately, there are only a few things that instill good spirit and a positive vibe. I mean, I would definitely want to get goosebumps reading or watching something that says something good about mankind rather than have goosebumps while watching killing after killing.

I always ask myself what I can do to make at least a bit of difference in this world. This is a start for me and I thank you Mimi for making me a part of this.

The widget on my left sidebar is the countdown for the Blogblast for Peace happening on the 6th of November. I do hope that a lot would join and support this for other people's awareness.

If you want to join, just visit Mimi here.

Dona Nobis Pacem.

Superman

I am sure a lot of us have seen at least a single Superman movie or even the Superman TV series in the 90's or the early parts of this decade. As a kid, I was able to watch the evolution of Superman as what I would like to call it. Nothing much has changed except of course for the handsome young men who have portrayed the red-caped hero. Despite my continuous support for this character, I am still bothered by one fact or flaw of the story. It started when I was kid and watched my first Superman movie and until now, I just can't let go of it.



Why is it that people don't recognize him when Superman turns into Clark Kent. I mean, nothing much has changed except for the glasses, the curly bangs and the red and blue costume right? I still don't get it. I mean, what if contact lenses were invented first and not eye glasses, what then? You might think I'm overreacting but I'm just plain curious. Is there an explanation. Kindly enlighten me.

Two of my Favorite Cars

I am not a car enthusiast nor do I know a lot about them too but I just can't help it when I see old cars look like brand new.

Two of my favorite cars are the '92 model of the Toyota Corolla and the '97 Honda Civic. The former was our car when I was in high school. Almost a lot of people had this car in the early 90's. One thing I love about it is the shape of the body. And it is very spacious inside. That's why after five years of using it, I was really sad when my dad sold it to buy a new model. I can't blame him though. If we didn't sell it, for sure our car insurance would go up again. Fortunately, my dad hasn't sold the Honda Civic. Till now we have this car and it's running smoothly. There are still a lot of people using this car. I can't blame them, out of all the models released by Honda, this is one of those that doesn't go out of style. A paint job and some minor tweaking and it'll look better than the newer models. I can't wait to have ours painted candy red. Wee!

I wonder...

I've been trying to track down some of the child stars that were big, back in the 80's and 90's. I really can't remember some of their names because I was a kid myself back then but I remembered the roles they portrayed.

It's just sad whenever I read about some of those former child actors that have been seeking drug treatment. It's a shame to see their talent go to waste because of bad judgment. I do not condemn them but hope that they go to the best drug treatment center. It's better to see them come back to big screen doing cameo roles rather than seeing their faces in the tabloids.

(Gumamela) Soap Bubbles

Have you ever been scolded by your neighbors when you were a kid? I have. It was because I was picking out the leaves and flowers of their gumamela plant. If you were a kid in the 80's and 90's you'd know instantly why I did this. It was to make soap bubbles.

Honestly, I can't remember who told us or how we found out that pounding the leaves and the flower would help make the soap bubbles "last longer". Yes, I know, we were destroying mother nature again. Pardon the ignorance brought about by being young and with high resources and energy levels.

So we would be pounding the leaves and flowers (if there were any left) until we see a slimy greenish sap. Then we add the crushed leaves and flowers to a big tub of water with some laundry soap in it. We mix it well and voila! Soap bubble mixture. We'd then get a piece of wooden sticks that we can bend to make a bubble wand. But sometimes if there's time and if we have someone to make it for us (like my dad or uncle), we'd get a thin wire and we'd make a loop then wrap the loop with a cloth. This is way better than the wooden wand because it doesn't break plus there are more bubbles. :)

Now, blowing bubbles isn't that funny anymore because they're readily available in stores. The fun part in this is the picking of the leaves and flowers: you get to be dirty, you experience getting chased by or barked at by your neighbor's or (like me) get stung by a bee or hornet in the process.

A little bit of ranting

Forgive me for this rant but I just have to let this out. I am really tired of dieting. There I said it. I am not used to doing this. I am not used to not having my clothes fit me. You may say I'm shallow, go ahead. I don't care. But it really is frustrating when I go on a diet for a week or so and see no if not minimal results only. Believe me, I could just as easily take diet pills and get this weight loss in full gear but that's the easy way out. I want to do it the "old-fashioned way". All I'm asking is to see results. A little positive reinforcement so to speak. Is that too much to ask?

Missing the Dragonflies

I was up early this morning. Shocking I know. I had to drop off A to the shuttle terminal and feed and walk the dog. While feeding the dog, I was looking at the different flowers looking fresh from the rainfall last night.

Then something distracted me. It was a bluegreen dragonfly. A tutubi in my native language. I was steady for a moment and observed where it landed. No, I was not scared but merely afraid that it might fly away. It's been a while since I've seen these flying in our garden. And I can only blame myself and my other playmates when we were still kids.

You see, when we were still kids we would catch these dragonflies and tie a string on the end part of their body. I know, I know... it's cruel. We were young and ignorant back then. My apologies to the dragonfly kingdom. But in my defense, I really didn't hurt them. I let them go after playing with them and they're still in tact -- they can still fly afterwards.

This is why I guess after how many years, it is only seldom that I see dragonflies in our neighborhood. I do hope they visit us again. I miss seeing them around. I promise I won't tie them up.

What Popsicle Flavor Are You?

Saw this in blogthings and thought that it's perfect for the name of my blog. So I took the test. Here's the result:

You Are a Chocolate Flavored Popsicle

You are hedonistic. For you, summer is all about indulging your five senses. Some people may call you spoiled, but your simply the type of person who knows what they want. You have sophisticated tastes. You like sweet things as much as the next person, but you don't like cheap treats. You're much more drawn to the dramatic in all aspects of life - including dramatic desserts.

What Flavor Popsicle Are You?

Not quite sure I agree with the "but does not like cheap treats". Me? I am so low maintenance. :)

From Walkmans to MP3 players

I wonder how our life would be without mp3 players? As an avid music listener, I always carry with me my player. It used to be a disc player in the 90's and a Walkman in the 80's. I don't think I can imagine my life without any of these gadgets. I remember memorizing the exact number of seconds for me to rewind the tape when I was using my Walkman. It got easier when we had the discman but the downside was that I had to bring along with me my favorite CDs that I wanted to listen to for that particular day. Being a fickle minded person that I am, it was tough. I always end up bringing at least a dozen CDs just in case I didn't feel like playing the album I intended to listen to that day. But now listening to music is easy and hassle-free. No more rewinding of the cassette tape nor heavy, bulky CD case in the bag. Ipods and other brands of mp3 players spread like wildfire. Now people can bring their music with them anytime and anywhere.

Sunday Stealing: The "All About Me" Meme

I'm back for another Sunday Stealing!

This time, it's "stolen" from a blogger named Alex of Someday Syndrome.

Let the stealing begin:

I am: still sleepy.

I think: I need to start losing weight... fast!

I know: I can never get rid off these excess fats if I don't stop eating chips and ice cream. LOL.

I have: always wanted to be an interior designer.

I wish: I can sing like Charice Pempengco. :)

I hate: cramming!

I miss: my mom and dad.

I fear: that I might not be able to lose 15 lbs before November ends.

I hear: our neighbors again singing in their karaoke.

I smell: freshly brewed coffee.

I crave: chips and ice cream (help me pls!).

I search: for that one thing that I am passionate about.

I wonder: if airfare prices would still go down before December.

I regret: not exercising as often as I could.

I love: my family, bebe and friends.

I ache: from my head down to my feet.

I am not: in the mood for any BS.

I believe: in God, heaven and hell.

I dance: like no one's watching.

I sing: like a deranged hyena.

I cry: like a baby at times.

I fight: for what I believe in.

I win: at videogames and chips eating contest (if there's any!)

I lose: in math contests (hate numbers!)

I never: backout of an argument. hehe!

I always: lose my appetite when I'm angry.

I confuse: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

I listen: to Abba, Tom Jones and the Carpenters when I miss my parents. :)

I can usually be found: either in my room, the mall or in a friend's house.

I am scared: heights and spiders (Ick!).

I need: to finish this fast because we're leaving in a minute. LOL.

I am happy about: getting the car fixed. Whew!

I imagine: living in a world where riches and power have no value.

Sesame Street Moment #5

I just love Ernie and Bert. Their contrasting personalities is I guess one of the things that make them even more lovable. This video has got to be one of my favorite scenes that I could remember when I was still a kid.



I just can't help but laugh when Bert thought it was a better idea if Ernie would count balloons instead of the loud fire engine and bah-ah-ing sheep. The look on Bert's face when the balloon popped was really priceless. :)

Randomness

Naida says... and I think:

1. pink... lemonade
2. shoe... shopping
3. zebra... prints
4. school... vacation
5. button... mushrooms
6. kiss... and makeup
7. over... the rainbow
8. pool... side party
9. run...to you
10. seven... dwarfs

Now, I'm in the mood to drink pink lemonade, go shopping for shoes and watch The Wizard of Oz and Snow White. LOL.

I wonder what others are "really" thinking. Check them out here.

A Compliment

I don't understand why some people would undergo certain treatments or surgeries for that matter and not admit that they had one even if the results were so obvious. I mean, we only noticed the positive results that's why we're asking right? Well, for me that is the case. So I just can't help but laugh and be puzzled when I asked my friend if she's undergone an acne treatment because her acne is disappearing by the week. She's slowly becoming flawless which is great for her self-esteem. I wasn't putting her down or anything and I definitely wasn't making fun of her. I just wanted a bit of confirmation and maybe ask for some tips as well. LOL. Seriously though, it's a compliment my dear friend. You're looking great!

Back to School

Being a back-to-school individual is a bit stressful but there's one advantage that I love about this. It's having sembreaks and summer vacations again. Unlike when I was still part of the corporate world, there would not be any breaks nor vacations that would last for more than a month (max!). There is no escape from seeing my boss, computer and office furniture. True, I get something out of it but there are times that I just don't want to go to work and just stay at home all day doing nothing but watch DVD marathons of my favorite TV series. I guess this is what you call burnout. Now that I'm a full time student, life became less complicated. Exams and hospital duties are my main concern now and I'm loving it. Now all I need is to make myself standout while wearing our white uniform. LOL.

Saturday 9: Out to Lunch (or Dinner)

1. When you go to a restaurant, do you usually order the same thing? It depends, if I'm really hungry, I opt to stick to my usual order. I get pretty irritable when I'm so hungry and then I try out something new which turns out to be not so yummy. But if I'm not that hungry I try something new from the menu rather than my "usual".

2. What is your favorite fish dish? I would have to say Fish & Chips.

3. What is your favorite meat dish? This includes chicken right? LOL. If yes, then nothing beats a traditional fried chicken. This is one of my favorite comfort food.

4. What is you favorite vegetable? I'm not really a veggie lover but I do love to eat squash, cucumber and broccoli flower.

5. How often to you eat out? Probably an average of 2-3 times a week.

6. Do you usual order dessert? If yes, what? Of course! The best part of the meal is having dessert. :-) I particularly "need" to order dessert after eating Chinese food to get rid of the oily aftertaste in my mouth. Desserts that come to mind are: ice cream (chocolate-based), pastries (if possible, should also be chocolate-based), or a simple fruit like ripe mangoes or banana will do. Hmmm... I think I know where all my extra pounds are coming from. LOL.

7. Do you like a particular after dinner drink? If it was a heavy meal, I see to it that I drink green tea. But if it's just to get rid of the aftertaste of the meal, then any cold, sweet and fruit/dairy drink will do.

8. How far would you drive to go to a favorite restaurant? Hmmm... I guess a two-hour drive max.

9. Do you like to dine with just one person or a group? It doesn't matter really. As long as it's with "good company" then I'm ok.

Let's see what other people say about this. Check it out here!

Friday 5: Orange

My first time to join Friday 5. Wee!
I love the Orange theme for this week.

1. What's your favorite orange-colored food?
Just like my name... a popsicle. :-)

2. What's the best way to drink orange juice?
The best way to drink it is to drink it cold paired with a big bag of chips! Yummy!

3. Which candy's orange-colored pieces taste best?
Hmmm... I guess m&m's and Skittles.

4. What are your feelings about orange soda?
I love orange soda. I drink it when I get tired of the others.

5. When did you last wear an orange item of clothing?
Hmmm.... probably last year. And it's really not orange, more of tangerine. I can't wear it these days because ummm.... well, I've gained a "couple" of pounds. Waa!!

More of this Orange-y entries here.

Troll Dolls

One of the dolls that I used to collect in the 90's were the Troll dolls. I remember Gift Gate would have hundreds of these little creatures dressed in every kind of outfit. Their hair color would vary from red to green and even yellow. They started out as naked trolls and as soon as the trend picked up, they were selling trolls with every kind of outfit you could think of. I think I probably have five big ones with different outfits and I also have those little naked trolls. I even remember my mom buying me a shirt with a huge troll doll printed on it.





I don't know why we love them. I mean, they look pretty scary at night especially if they're in a glass cabinet and they're all staring at you in your room. Creepy! Hehe! Me and my imagination. But seriously, they're not like the Gloworms or the Little Pony and Friends that really look cute. Well, no matter what the reason is, the truth is we adored and collected these spike-haired dolls.

Care to share how many troll dolls you've collected in the 90's? Come on don't be shy!

Sounds Familiar?

If you were born in the 80's and have played in the streets with your "kalaro", then these would not sound new to you. :-)

• "Monkey-monkey Anabel. How many THE monkeys did you see?" (Let's say) "Five!" 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and a riki-tiki-tik and a blue black sheep. Which is true, YES OR NO? "NO!" N-O. Aaaaa-les!

• Nanay, tatay, gusto kong tinapay. Ate, kuya, gusto kong kape. Lahat ng gusto ko ay susundin ko. Ang magkamali ay pipingutin ko. One! One, two! One, two, three!

• "Si Nena ay bata pa. Ang sabi nya ay (while thumb sucking): "Um-ah-um-ah-ah". Si Nena ay dalaga na. Ang sabi nya ay (while flipping her hair): "Um-ah-um-ah-ah"...."

• "Sen-sen of playmates. C'mon and play with me. Are you my darling friend. For every apple tree." Blah blah blah. I forgot the words.

Sustagen

I was fixing myself an iced tea drink when I saw a box of chocolate-flavored Sustagen drink in our pantry. I was then reminded of the days when promotional people from Sustagen would go to our school when I was still in grade school. Their mascots Susy and Geno would also be there tormenting the students while they're waiting in line to get their drink from the Sustagen ladies. I remember pulling one of Susy's pigtails back then. LOL!

I was really not a drinker of Sustagen. I liked Milo and Ovaltine but I've never tried Sustagen. So when we were asked by our teacher to line up so we could get our taste of Sustagen, I was a bit excited. Hehe! So when I finally got a taste of it, I knew that I would be asking my mom to replace Milo with Sustagen.

As soon as my mom bought one, I started putting a spoonful in a glass filled with cold water. I began stirring and after a few seconds (blame it on the low EQ) I started gulping away. Then I stopped. It tasted different. That was not how it tasted when I drank it in school. So I'd stir the drink again. Nope, it was still the same. Then I figured maybe it wasn't cold enough. So I added some ice. Sheesh! Wala pa din pinagbago! Then it got me thinking. The color of the drink in school was not that dark as compared to what I had in my glass. So I though, what if I put a bit of milk in it. So I did. And obviously it was no near the taste of what the Sustagen ladies gave out in school. Bakit kaya? Up to now I still don't know what they added in there to make it taste that way. Ang sarap non eh! Does anyone know?

Babies and Exercise

Back when I was still studying up until I started working after graduation, I noticed that I've been slowly gaining weight. It is only now that I've realized (after much denial) that I have gained a lot of weight for the past seven years. What kills me is that I saw one of my friends the other day and she looks slim as ever despite the fact that she has a nine-month old baby. I asked her for her secret and she just told me she exercises a lot. I was then puzzled as to how she manages to exercise because I know she doesn't have a nanny and so for sure she's busy taking care of the baby. She probably saw the look on my face and told me that it was all possible because she owns a Bob stroller.

Being the complete single and ignorant friend that I was, I asked her what it was. She said that it's one of the best gifts she's ever had received on her baby shower. Apparently this stroller enables her to go on walks or even jog while her baby is secured in her stroller. She says she doesn't have to use the car anymore while doing small errands. She just walks and brings along her baby with her.

Now that I know her secret, there's only one problem left. I don't have a baby. LOL!

Yearbook Photos

This is so fitting to my blog. Since I'm all about reminiscing the past, here's something that I saw at Em's blog. It's called Yearbook Yourself.

I was literally laughing my @$$ off while editing these pictures. Here's a glimpse of my favorite photos:









And this is from 1994. I don't recall sporting this hairstyle in my sophomore year in high school. LOL!

Old School is Cool

I am a fan of old school. I was born in the late 70's and enjoyed my childhood playing in the streets. Childproofing a house was not that common. We bathe in the rain without having any fear of getting sick. A big yellow bird, a blue monster that loves cookies and a green fuzzy monster that lived in a garbage can were just a few of my favorite characters on TV.

My vocabulary as a teenager did not include text messages, MMS, IM, Friendster, Facebook and MySpace. Most girls back then were not obsessed with their weight. Diet pills and fat burners like Lipovox were unheard of. There wasn't really an easy way to lose weight except to exercise.

Cellphones were only used by the rich people. What you see is what you get when taking pictures. We too had the chance to have music "handy", it's called a Walkman. People don't fight over the remote control because we don't have one.

Pollution was not really a great threat to our environment. There were more trees back then. The weather and climate are normal. The term global warming would be hard to use in a sentence.

All in all, life back then despite its technological drawbacks seems better than what we have now. Stress levels are more lower and basically life is simpler. What do you think?

I Disclose

This is my personal blog. All of the blog's content is written and edited by me. Due to financial constraints, I have decided to join the bandwagon and have started doing a bit of advertising (effective 25 August 2008). I am compensated to provide opinions on the different products, services, websites and various topics provided by advertisers. The compensation provided may affect the kind of content and posts written in this blog. It is best that I inform you that the ad post will not always be identified as such. Posts regarding these ads are purely my opinion. However, all product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does not contain any material which might present a conflict of interest.

MacGyver

This morning while we were having our exams, a classmate of ours forgot to turn off his cellphone. We were all startled when it started to ring. We were irritated at first but we couldn't help but laugh because his ring tone was the theme song from the TV series MacGyver.

Do you still remember this TV series back in the late 80's? My family loved this show. We were all glued to the tube when it's on. Most of us, especially my brother was particularly curious as to what kind of "clever solutions" he would come up with using his ever trusty Swiss army knife.

It was a great show because it didn't have much violence and it taught its viewers how to be resourceful. I haven't really put my resourcefulness to the test but does using my hairdryer to have my chocolate bars in room temperature count?

Game and Watch

I've always been a video game freak. My fingers would all get cramps from playing too long and I would have to blink a couple of times just to keep my eyes moist because it has gone dry from not blinking while playing. My favorite PSP game at the moment is the Gods of War. I'm now at the Spartan level.





But before the birth of the PSP, Wii and Xbox 360, kids of the 80's had the Nintendo Game and Watch. It was such a small video game but the kids back then had no point of comparison so it was all good. Haha! I remember the first time I held our very own Game and Watch Popeye game, my brother can't stop fighting on who gets to play with it the longest. My parents would always keep the video game during weekdays so we wouldn't get distracted while doing our school work. Come weekend, my dad would give us the Game and Watch and my brother and I would take turns playing. I love playing Popeye and Octopus. I remember bringing the Popeye game to school without my parents knowing it. Unfortunately, I lost it. I don't know if it fell from my bag or someone stole it but it's gone. Ssshh! Our little secret. Hehehe!

Does anyone remember these video games? What's your favorite game?

Scrumptious Sunday: Appetizer

This is my first time to join Scrumptious Sunday and I just can't help but feel hungry at thought of this meme. :-)

Sunday is considered to be "family day" and no matter what food is served (but it's better if you like the food. LOL!) as long as it is with good company like family and friends, then you're all set!



This has got to be one of my favorite appetizers. It's called Papadum Masala. It's an Indian appetizer made of thin crisp bread. It is fried and tastes absolutely yummy. I prefer eating it with chopped tomatoes and onions on top of it just like the one in the picture. I wasn't able to get a picture of the one that we had (though this photo was taken from the restaurant where we usually order this... what a coincidence!) because I'd always remember to take a picture of the food when we're done eating it. Haha! That's how much we love it.

Visit more yummy stuff in this week's Scrumptious Sunday.

Saturday 9: Just Our Choices in Music

This is my first time to join and my first meme for this blog too. Hee! Here goes nothing...

1. What was your first favorite song? It would probably be 1-12 pinball music from Sesame Street.

2. Who was your first favorite female singer? My first favorite singer would probably be Whitney Houston. Don't laugh, I was an 80's kid. LOL!

3. Who was your first favorite male singer? First male singer was hmmm... Tom Jones. Blame it on my dad. He kept playing his records every weekend and without knowing it I was singing (and dancing) "It's Not Unusual". LOL!

4. Who was your first favorite band? Duran Duran. I've always loved the song "Wild Boys"

5. Who is your all time favorite band? My all time favorite band would have to be Eraserheads ( a local band in the Philippines) and No Doubt

6. Who is your all time favorite male singer? This is tough but I guess it would have to be Bob Marley

7. Who is your all time favorite female singer? Hands down... Madonna!

8. What is your all time favorite LP/CD album? Official Soundtrack of Reality Bites

9. What was your first favorite radio station? 92.3 DWFM/MRS/Joey @ 92.3 and now known as Cool Rhythms because my dad worked there before.

More Saturday 9 entries here.

Moving

Settling in a new place is a tough job. It is really stressful from all the moving and unpackinhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifg plus a new neighborhood needs exploring to get familiarized with the place. I've done a couple of moving myself and it's really not easy especially when you're alone. That's why when my old friend told me that after two weeks when she moved to San Francisco, she could finally say that she is now familiar with the place. All she has to do now is look for lists of San Francisco jobs. I'm sure she won't have a hard time finding a job. She even joked that finding a job seems a lot easier than unpacking all her stuff in her new apartment.

The best things in life are Free

It's funny when we ignore certain things when we see them in the stores but when the same things are seen being given away for free, we automatically line up to get the freebies. I am a member of this population. Let's get real here, who doesn't like free stuff? Promotional products are one of the best freebies you can receive. Well, actually it depends on the company giving out these goodies because you can only have enough coffee mugs. I remember I was once given a really nice looking wristwatch. It was smart of that company to make their logo discreet, that way you can wear the watch without looking like a walking ad. December is fast approaching and Christmas parties is one of those events where they hand these freebies. Wee! I can't wait.

Sesame Street Moment # 4

Here's another Sesame Street moment. The star of the video is one of my favorite characters -- Ernie (and rubber duckie). Up until now I still sing this song whenever I go to a store and see a rubber duckie. LOL! Enough of the explaining. Here's the video. Enjoy! :-)

One big Sacrifice

How come when I am up to my neck with school work this is the time that I get invitations to a lot of trips? Out of town trips I can easily pass but getting an invitation to European cruises is a different story.

My grade school friend is getting married and would like to start the celebration with a cruise. Argh! I am green with envy. All my other friends are going while I'm left behind. If only they could move their wedding till next summer. LOL! I guess I'll have to settle with their postcards and the pictures they'll be dying to show me when they get back. Sigh. The sacrifices I have to make for our future.

Slum Book

It's funny what treasures from the past you could find once you go rummaging through your old stuff. This is what happened to me the other day as I was looking for my old planners. As I start opening boxes labeled Elementary stuff, I was laughing out loud when I saw my old slum book or more commonly known as autograph book. Does anyone have these back in those days? I'm sure you all have especially the girls.



Remember having your classmates and particularly your crush sign in your slum book? Do you recall having to sign one of your friends' slum books? Answering questions like: "What is Love?", "What is your motto?" or "Describe your crush".

I was really laughing out loud at the answers of my friends. There were probably a couple who defined love "like a rosary that has many mysteries". LOL! I couldn't help but cringe at the name of my crush in one of the pages. I was planning on asking him to sign it but I was too shy to ask him so I didn't.

Care to share your favorite or most embarrassing slum book moment?

Bye Bye Friend

As a kid, the concept of 'goodbyes' were introduced to me early. I've had friends AKA playmates that have left and moved to different parts of the country. I remember back in the early 90's one of my friends was moving to California. I was devastated when I found out about it. My parents even hid it from me because they knew I'd be affected by it. When I saw the mover NYC in front of their house, it was only then that I cried. I think that was the first time I cried that hard.

I know this is not something that was popular back then because people come and go in our lives but all these reminiscing of the past made me think of that friend of mine that left. How about you? Care to share your 'goodbye friend' moment?

Supersonic

I was surprised to see an old friend of mine in the mall the other day. We were good friends in elementary. We really didn't have the chance to catch up so we decided to meet up on another day. She invited me to her home for a late lunch and coffee. We were laughing while we reminisced our grade school days. Both of us would laugh hysterically at the mere mention of our crushes back then.

As we were having coffee, she led me to their home entertainment room because she wanted to show me something. I was shocked to see the inside of it. It was like entering a miniature theater. It had mood lights, cinema chairs plus home theater carpet. So anyway, she showed me the cassette tape that we used when we performed in our grade 4 Christmas party. We danced to the music of J.J. Fad's Supersonic. Remember that song? I just couldn't help but laugh. It was one of the hit songs in the late 80's. I remember the moment the teacher asked us what would be the song we would use for our dance number, all four of us agreed it had to be Supersonic. I think it wasn't just us who used that song for their Christmas party performance. LOL!

Mountain Biking

As I have mentioned in a previous post, we have a lot of games that we play when we were kids in the early 90's. These games are not the ones you normally see these days like video games. The games that I'm talking about are those that require running (as opposed to sitting for how many hours in front of the computer or television) and interacting with other children (and by this I didn't mean the cyberworld, instead in real life).

After we got past the "street games" phase as I call them, there was this one fad that almost a lot of kids were into. It was the mountain bike. I don't know how it started but ever since mountain bikes became available, most of the kids (and even adults) have one.

I remember I'd ride my bike in the morning and at the afternoon. My friends and I would roam the streets of our village. We may have stopped running around playing games on the streets but biking was a better alternative. It was such a hit that there were even contests from certain soda companies where the prizes are hundreds of mountain bikes. Remember that contest? I had to beg my dad to buy a couple of cases of soda so I could get a better chance of winning a new mountain bike. Haha!

So anyway, in short, we had a lot of exercise. Kids were active. We were active. If only we maintained that kind of lifestyle then maybe we wouldn't be bothering ourselves into going to the gym, dieting and buying Orovo detox or other weight loss alternatives. If only I didn't sell my mountain bike then I'd still be in my normal weight range. Hehe! Oh well... It's not too late.

Folded Sleeves and Pants

It's funny how before some people would dress up in the coolest outfits only to find out after a decade that what was once cool would make you cringe at the sight of it.

I say this because as I was rummaging in the moving boxes that were in our garage when I saw a couple of my high school pictures. They were taken in the early 90's when it was cool to make two to three folds on the sleeves of your shirt and to fold your high waisted jeans up. No, it wasn't because the sleeves nor the pants were too long. It was just a 'fashion statement' at that time.

That was too much to take in on an early Wednesday morning. I was merely looking for my baby photos when these were the ones that surfaced. I thought I got rid of those photos.

My eyes were wide with disbelief that I actually looked proud wearing those pants and shirt. Hahaha! I know, I shouldn't be embarrassed about my past but that didn't mean I should not laugh at myself and the people with me in the picture right? LOL!

In order to save face and to avoid getting arrested by the fashion police, I refuse to post those pictures (plus the fact that I have buried them already). LOL! Instead, I saw this picture in Google images. It kind of looks like the ones in my photos only they look cooler than me. Haha!



So, do you have any cringing moment with your past outfits?

Song and Dance number

The Philippine film industry has come a long way. It has vastly improved in a lot of aspects. Don't get me wrong, I am no movie critic nor do I have any background in the arts of movie-making. However, I do love to watch movies. My tastes range from the likes of the classics like TVJ (Tito, Vic and Joey) movies to Regine and Aga movies. Wide range right? LOL!

Honestly, it is only seldom that I watch local movies. I guess I was always disappointed with the corny lines in some comedy movies and movies that almost ALWAYS have a musical/dance number in some parts of the movie. I don't understand why they think there is a need to insert a song and dance number. Ok fine, I may have enjoyed a couple of them when I was young but as I got older, watching those scenes made me cringe. Hahaha!

Here are two examples of what I'm talking about. Thanks to youtube again. Siguro sumasabay din kayo sa kanta non noh?! Aminin! Hahahaha!


Scene from Pik Pak Boom


Scene from Jack & Jill

F-L-A-M-E-S

I was LOL the other day while I was cleaning my room. I wasn't expecting to see a couple of my high school notebooks in our storage room. Memories of my high school came flooding back. You might wonder why I was laughing. No, it's not because of my handwriting (actually it looked better before). I was laughing because I saw the doodles at the back of my notebooks.

The doodles were similar to this picture except for the names (duh!).



I was planning on taking a picture of it but so as not to divulge my full name here in the world wide web (I am scared of identity theft) I just looked up a similar picture in Google images. Plus, I wouldn't want my crush before to find out that I had a crush on him in high school. Ick!

For those who were born yesterday or maybe a couple years back, FLAMES stands for:

F- friends
L- lovers
A- angry/anger
M- married
E- engaged
S- sweethearts

This is usually played by girls. All you need is a pen and paper and of course the most important thing -- the complete name of your crush (middle name included). Now that you have these, the first step is to write your name and the name of your crush in two separate lines. Next, cross out all the letters that are common to both of your names. After that, count the number of crossed out letters from your name and your crush's. Add them all up and using the letters in the word Flames, see which letter it ends using the total number of crossed out letters.

Hahahaha!! I just couldn't help but laugh at what I saw in my notebook. Did you play Flames as well?

Smokey Mountain

It was my first time to watch the Pinoy Dream Academy Little Dreamers. The songs that they performed tonight were from the famous group in the late 80's to the early 90's formed by the musical director and composer, Ryan Cayabyab called Smoky Mountain.

I remember I used to have a crush on Jeffrey Coronel and would always sing whenever they would perform this song...

And one-two-three go!



What's your favorite song from Smokey Mountain?

Sesame Street Moment #3

These two have got to be one of my favorite characters in Sesame Street. The sounds that they made while trying to imitate the things they saw really made me smile and laugh when I was still a kid. Actually, it can still make me laugh and smile.

I'm talking about the Yip Yips. They look like cookie monster without the chin but it's all good. LOL! They crack me up big time and this is one of my favorite Yip Yips clip. Thanks again to youtube. :-) Whoever posted these Sesame Street videos... 'thank you', 'salamat', 'merci beacoup', 'gracias'....

Meteor Garden/F4

I would have to make a confession. I was one of those girls that just went crazy by the mere mention of Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Ken Chu and Vanness Wu, collectively known as the F4.

I have watched Meteor Garden (both seasons 1 & 2) three times on DVD not including the ones that aired in both ABS-CBN and GMA. So that makes it five times.

Ok, so maybe for the guys it's not the screaming but having the F4 hairdo is one way of showing their love for the show/group. I remember a couple of guy friends had their hair cut like Jerry Yan (*swoon). If it's not the hair then it's probably their clothes. Come on guys, aminin! Hehehe!

I just love them and I don't think I will ever get tired of them.

10-20 and chinese garter

I feel sad for those kids who have not experienced playing games other than those that need electricity. Most of the kids today are updated when it comes to video games. It is seldom that I see kids running around on the streets playing.

One of my favorite games in the 80's was 10-20 and chinese garter. I'm sure the girls are familiar with these because we would be playing this game at recess time in school, while waiting for the school bus, during the afternoon after coming home from schoolrarely do I see then a guy playing these two games. Hehe!

These games are played using a simple piece of garter or rubber bands (about 7-10 feet long) linked together and then joined at the end to form a circle. The garter is held by one person at each end. For 10-20, the player will have to do 10 jumps per level. The counting starts at 10... 20...30... and so on. Thus the name of the game, 10-20. The objective of the game is for each player to do the jumps correctly as the garter is gradually raised from ankle level, knee level to "under the pwet" (LOL!) then waist, chest level, neck and lastly the head level. The same goes for chinese garter but instead of doing 10 jumps to finish each level, a single jump over the garter is needed.

Kids playing 10-20


Chinese garter


I was more of a pro when it comes to chinese garter. I was able to jump till the neck level without doing the cartwheel. Naks yabang! When in school, we would remove our shoes while playing because it's easier to jump with them on. That's why my mom would get mad at me, pano ba naman mukhang maglalakad na mag-isa ang socks ko sa dumi. Bwahahaha!

Kayo, hanggang sang level kayo?

** Photos courtesy of Google search.