Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Sarpotz and Chubby!

Condo?

We were on our way to work and we noticed a skeleton steel buildings in the corner. Maybe their going to built another condo there. I remembered we considered living in a condo but it would smaller and everything there should be compact. But seeing the furnitures that we have now, it would not be possible. A small apartment will do for now and I think we found one. More updates on that in a few days.

Moving again

It's final--we're going to move again. I know it's to move from one place to another but we have decided to move. Business with the owner is not going well anymore. We learned at a later date that the owner was not able to pay their debt causing them to sell this property, with us still in it. We got frustrated because the owner did gave us any heads up. They should have at least seek advise from a business debt consolidation but they didn't. Anyway, it's really not our problem anymore, since we found a new place to place. It's small but cheaper, cozier and quieter. And we plan to move the furnitures this Saturday. Goodluck to us.

WORD of the day

indemnity \in-DEM-ni-tee\, noun:

1. Protection or security against damage or loss.
2. Compensation for damage or loss sustained.
3. Something paid by way of such compensation.
4. Legal exemption from penalties attaching to unconstitutional or illegal actions, granted to public officers and other persons.
But he suddenly got up, and after a mad burst of laughter, he cried: "An indemnity! Holy Virgin, an indemnity! Don't you realize that I want to give her everything, the spring, the carnations, the house, and all the Soubeyran inheritance, the lands, the house, the treasure, my name, and my life?"
-- Marcel Pagnol, Jean de Florette
"Reconciliation is not simply a question of indemnity or amnesty and letting bygones be bygones," Omar said. "If the wounds of the past are to be healed... disclosure of the truth and its acknowledgment are essential."
-- "Mandela Will Grant Amnesty For Some Political Crimes", Jet, 1994.

One of the roots of indemnity, the Middle English damnum, "loss", relates to the modern verb damn.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday couz Chari!

WORD of the day

festoon \fe-STOON\, verb:

1. To adorn with hanging chains or strands of any material.
2. Dentistry. To reproduce natural gum patterns around the teeth or a denture.

noun:
1. A string or chain of flowers, foliage, ribbon, etc., suspended in a curve between two points.
2. A decorative representation of this, as in architectural work or on pottery.
3. A fabric suspended, draped, and bound at intervals to form graceful loops or scalloped folds.
4. Dentistry. The garlandlike area of the gums surrounding the necks of the teeth.
Its medium green leaves are perfect backdrops for the large orb-shaped white flowers blushed with pink that festoon the tree in May and June.
-- Leslie Cox, "Leaf beetles don't give snowball a chance in ...", Comox Valley Record
For nearly half a mile along both sides of a secondary road near Prattville, Alabama, you can see thousands of signs, crosses, wrecked cars, and mailboxes festooned with barbed wire.
-- Mark Sceurman, Mark Moran, Matt Lake, "Rice's Miracle Cross Garden", Weird U.S. The ODDyssey Continues: Your Travel Guide to America's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets

A festoon is "a string or chain of flowers, foliage, ribbon, etc., suspended in a curve between two points." Modern usage has expanded the definition of the verb form to mean "to fill or cover", but dictionaries tend to maintain the narrower scope. Festoon derives from the Italian feston, "decoration for a feast."

Scrap book

I love making scrap books. I envy those people who have time to spend with their art work because me, I can only start one but I seldom finish them. Like the scrap book I was planning for our Singapore trip. I already have the materials, pictures to post, binded blank book and some personalized note cards and what?! I still have them in the plastic bag and never had the time to start. I hope I can start to put those precious moments together because I'm sure it;s gonna be an awesome masterpiece I can tell.

Cleansers

Cleansers and supplements are available in the market but is the most effective colon cleanser? I'm thinking of taking cleaners or supplements along with vitamin C and calcium for stronger bones. I know I can't afford to get sick, not now or anytime soon. But what I'm worried about is the hubby. He looks sick because of the weight he gained in the past couple of months. I wish there's one tablet that would take away all his fats.

I quit

I quit smoking almost 3 months ago because I'm proud of it. I notice a great improvement with my voice especially when I sing. I know I don't have the angelic voice like most singers, but I notice that no 'piyok' ever since I quit. It's not only good for the band but also good for my health. But I can't help especially when I'm alone and drinking. Sometime, I want to try Padron cigars and my favorite menthol lights. Good thing, my conscience is strong and I'm proud of it.

Happy Birthday RR!

It was RR's birthday last weekend and we spend a fun full night with my good friends from work. We call ourselves LTO and please don't ask me why hahaha. Anyway, pictures are now available on facebook and omg, I had a good laugh! Some of us looked like morons hahaha. But hey! that's why it's funny right? Anyway, we all had a great night full of beer, sisig, mojos, cheese sticks and crispy pata. And as for me? I was the karaoke queen of the night!

WORD of the day

quintessential \kwin-te-SEN-shel\, adjective:

Being the most typical manifestation of a quality or a thing.
Carrie, the quintessential single girl, finally ends up married to her true love but doesn't know what to do with him.
-- Ian Caddell, "Morocco brought Sex and the City 2's Sarah Jessica Parker and castmates together", Straight.com
In such a moonlight Gloria's face was of a pervading, reminiscent white, and with a modicum of effort they would slip off the blinders of custom and each would find in the other almost the quintessential romance of the vanished June.
-- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The beautiful and the damned

Quintessential translates from Latin as the "fifth element", quint "fifth" and essentia "essence." The idea of the fifth element stems from Greek and medieval alchemical beliefs in the purest essence of a substance.

Weekends

Weekends off comes once every blue moon, that's why if I get Saturday and Sunday off--it's heaven. But of course, all my weekends for that month will be packed. This is now the third week of the month and I'm looking forward to this weekend. Will attend Lanna's foundation day and maybe shop with FIL in duty free. So coming from a 9-hour graveyard shift, I think I'll get dark circles under eyes again. But I'd still make sure that I'll sleep longer than usual after that day. Can't wait.

Right and wrong...

We can't deny that the Internet are now harmful to our kids especially if they are not taught to use it the right way. They might end up clicking on harmful pop-ups like best male enhancement products, or worse, meet someone whose not trust-worthy. So as early as now, I do educate my kid on what's good for her. I would also explain why something is allowed for her at her tender age. So far, we're doing a great job and I hope this will continue all through out until she reached her teenage years.

Thanks

When I cleaned my drawer, I noticed that I still have the diet pills I used to take few years back. Of course, I'm not going to drink it anymore but I remembered when I first used the pills. It gave hope that I'd slim down again after the pregnancy and it did! Diet pills and herbal tea really helped me a lot during those time of physical despair hahaha. Now I got my confidence back, thanks to diet pills.

Eat less

I can't imagine my diet without the weight loss pills that works because with my oh-so busy work schedule, I could never maintain it. Sometimes, exercising is not enough. We really need to watch what we eat. I think that's when the pills comes in. It reduces the appetite to eat more, which is good. I think I need to recommend this to the hubby because he's beginning to eat more than he should.

WORD of the day

vernacular \ver-NAK-yuh-ler\, noun:

1. The plain variety of language in everyday use.
2. The language or vocabulary peculiar to a class or profession.
3. The native speech or language of a place.
4. Any medium or mode of expression that reflects popular taste or indigenous styles.

adjective:
1. (of language) Native or indigenous.
2. Using the native language of a place.
3. Using plain, everyday language.
The BOP, as it is known in industry vernacular, sits atop the wellhead on the seafloor and contains a series of plates, known as rams, stacked on top of each other. The plates close and seal the well if a problem occurs.
-- Lauren Steffy, "Oil rig's blowout preventer might not be the main culprit", Herald Tribune, May 2010
The Dow dropped nearly 1,000 points on May 6, before it recovered around 600 points to close down over 300 points. In mountain climbing vernacular, that's an "elevation change" of 1,600, or almost 15 percent, in one day's hike through the jagged peaks of Wall Street.
-- Stan Sewitch, "Fastest lemmings in the West", San Diego Daily Transcript, May 2010

The origin of vernacular is the Latin vernaculus, "domestic or native."

10.10.10

10.10.10

Better place to stay

I'm beginning to feel the Christmas season in the air. Christmas songs are being played in the mall and outdoor Christmas decorations are being sold outside the streets. I still don't have plans on putting up the Christmas tree yet because unfortunately, we have to more again and we have to move before December 15. Too bad the owner had to sell this place and for that, we have to find another place to stay. We are thinking of getting our own place but according to my computations, it shows that we can but it'll be a bloody battle. How I wish we can find a better place to stay.

WORD of the day

juggernaut \JUHG-er-nawt\, noun:

1. Any large, overpowering, destructive force.
2. Something, such as a belief or institution, that elicits blind and destructive devotion.
3. An idol of Krishna, at Puri in Orissa, India, annually drawn on an enormous cart under whose wheels devotees are said to have thrown themselves to be crushed.
It is a pity that every time this economic juggernaut encounters successful international competition in manufacturing, it resorts to bullying against its own consumers' welfare and that of the working poor worldwide.
-- Zhang Xiang, "Going toe to toe with the bully", Xinhua
It sounds like a kamikaze mission: an upstart with a meager number of users and no capital squaring off against Facebook, a social networking juggernaut with more than 400 million members and a $15 billion valuation.
-- Jenna Wortham, "Rivals Seize on Troubles of Facebook", New York Times, May 2010

Juggernaut is a borrowing from Hindi with dramatic roots. The Hindu source Jagannath, is a name of the divinity Krishna, literally "lord of the world." Reputably, Jagannath also refers to an idol of Krishna, at Puri in Orissa, India, annually drawn on an enormous cart under whose wheels devotees are said to have thrown themselves to be crushed.

Health

We cannot take risk when it comes to our family, that's why it's always best to take pre-cautions so I would settle even if for a cheap health insurance. Because you'll never know when sickness strikes, especially during the rainy season. Recently, I got sore eyes and good thing the hubby or the kiddo didn't. I stayed 5 days in the house and was not allowed to go outside. Good thing also we have medicard benefits from my work. We can avail free medical check-up when we needed to.

Opening soon

WET Centrum will be opening soon. We are all so proud of my sister and her hubby for a job well done. And they only have 9 days to complete everything before the blessing. My sister's been cramming deadlines, installing lights, preparing furnitures and arranging suppliers for the blessing. I wonder if I should go for a casual look or maybe I can pick one of many evening dresses I have in the closet. Or maybe I'd go with a simple preppy look because I'll be helping them out too. Let's see.

Fitness bum

I fell bad everyday because I think I lost my will power to start my exercise routine again. I don't want to go back to this old habit again. I don't want to tell myself major excuses just to save myself from going out early and jog. Tsk. Why is it so hard. Even if I taker Diet medication, I think it would still not be enough. It'll help but it's not the same as going out and sweating myself to fitness.

No please

I have sore eyes! Yup! The doctor advised me to go home and rest for 5 days starting today. It was unexpected because I felt that I did not need to rest because I feel fine. Anyway, I just bought the eye drop that I need to apply every 2 hours for the redness to subside. That reminds me, maybe I should stop applying my anti wrinkle eye cream for a few days. I'll just wait for this to go away just to sure. But what I'm most worried about is that Lanna might have sore eyes too. No please not her.

WORD of the day

kowtow \KOU-TOU\, verb:

1. To act in a subservient manner.
2. To kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in expression of deep respect, worship, or submission, as formerly done in China.

noun:
1. An act of servile deference.
The administration would kowtow to student activists by agreeing to meet with them and behave as if their demands merited serious consideration.
-- Debra J. Saunders, "Starving for attention at UC Berkeley", SFGate, May 2010
She didn't kowtow to color, she didn't kowtow to power, she didn't kowtow to men. She was very, very strong.
-- Naila Francis, "Raw & Revealing", The Intelligencer, May 2010

Kowtow is from the Mandarin k'o-t'ou, the custom of touching the ground with the forehead to show respect or submission, literally "knock the head."

WORD of the day

ruth \ROOTH\, noun:

1. Compassion or pity for another.
2. Sorrow or misery about one's own misdeeds or flaws.
3. In the Bible, a Moabite woman who married Boaz and became an ancestor of David: the daughter-in-law of Naomi.
4. Book of the Bible bearing her name.
5. A female given name.
Even when she had been loudest in denouncing Ayala's mutiny, her heart had melted in ruth because Ayala had been so unhappy.
-- Anthony Trollope, Ayala's Angel
And speak me no soft words in ruth or pity, but tell me plainly how thou didst get sight of him.
-- Homer, The Odyssey

Distinct from the Biblical figure, ruth is a descendent of the Middle English ruthe, from Old Norse hrygdh.

MarryMeAMY @ Moonflower

Thank you to those who made it last night... we apprecite it!

~ MarryMeAMY @ Moonflower. Rayburn Prod ~

MarryMeAMY @ MoonFlower later!

Gig later! Pictures to follow...

No breakouts

Acne has been my mortal enemy ever since high school. It always trigger every mont until I get zits in my chest and back area and I don't know why. Maybe it's hereditary? Because I heard my dad used to some when he was a teenager. Anyway, my mom would send me to the dermatologist and I refused to go because it was painful. Good thing, I don't get major breakouts anymore. Just one or two every month because of my period days. And I also use body acne wash to eliminate breakouts on my chest and back. I wish they have this body wash when I was a teenager. Oh well...

Catch MarryMeAMY @ MoonFlower this Saturday!

Catch MarryMeAMY @ MoonFlower this Saturday - Sept. 18, 2010.

No side effects

When I was a kid, I sneaked one pack of growth balls from my mom's medicines cabinet. Because I was afraid I was not taller than the other girls in school, but I was wrong. I did grew a couple of inches and I was a little taller compared to the tallest person in class, but I was loving it. Being the tallest person in class means your in control. But it is not until recently that I've known that there's a human growth hormone side effects. I hope I didn't get any side effects when I was taking them. But I think not, because that was a long time ago.

Smile

When do we officially get wrinkles? At the age of 40's or 50's maybe? Does it depends on one's lifestyle? Some women don't get wrinkles at all and to think they are at their mid 40's already. Maybe because they are using creams like wrinkle eye creams etc? hmm maybe. I hope I don't get wrinkles anytime soon because I'm only in my early 30's. Something tells me I need to smile a lot. I heard that it's the best any-wrinkle cure of all time. SMILE! =)

Family trip

We're planning again a family trip this coming November. Yes! We might go to Davao again, last week of November. My dad wants to book a flight as early as now but I was hesitant because some of my bandmates wants to join us but still they are unsure if they can file leave during that time and also, they need to check their budgets. The hubby wants to go with me so that means the kiddo will tag along too. Sounds like we're going to the beach! That means I need to get the best fat burner because it's bathing suit time and I need to look in the pictures hahaha! Let's see! But first I need to check our budget if it's possible for us go to on that trip.

WORD of the day

noctivagant \noc-tiv-A-gant\, adjective:

Pertaining to going about in the night; night-wandering.
My mother whelped me in a mess of blankets while my noctivagant father towed in the big ships. His was the night vessel, the vessel on oily waters, his was the light shining in the darkness, come home, come home.
-- Jeanette Winterson, Gut Symmetries
The bat that can resist all these inducements must be little better than a brickbat, and yet who ever knew one of those wayward, noctivagant creatures to condescend even to such terms?
-- James Russell Lowell, Charles Eliot Norton, The Complete Writings of James Russell Lowell: Letters

Noctivagant is formed from two Latin roots, noctis, "night", and vagans, "to wander about."

Happy Birthday!

Felicidades +Mamang!

Early to sleep, early to rise!

I remembered last month, I was in the verge of taking sleeping pills because it was hard to sleep during the day. One of the major reasons was attending to my daughter's needs. I would bath and play with her before I sleep but sometimes it was late and sometimes I would only get 2-3hours of sleep and I would go on-shift during the night. Good thing I'm assigned on morning shift now, but my problem now is waking up so damn early in the morning hahaha! I guess early to sleep, early to rise right.

Discount apidexin

Loosing weight can also cost a lot. Especially if your going to try a new product, like what happened to me. I tried taking diet pills from Malaysia. They said it's effective but the side effects is bad. I'm always diahydrated to the point that I can't bear not to drink water. Then I stopped taking it because I get heart burns and palpitations. So I tried the slimming tea. It works for me but only if I eat a lot. It cleans the stomach thoroughly but I cannot loose bowel especially when I'm travelling. Then I discovered another diet pills. According to reviews, I'm suppose to loose 10-20 pounds in a couple of weeks. I hope it's true. I wish there's discount apidexin coupons online so I can at least get a discount upon purchasing.

Invest on dress

I'm always staring at my wardrobe everytime there's a gig coming up. I don't want to end up wearing old ones because I want to look on pictures. Aimz and I prefer skirts and dresses, but on our last gig, we wore jeans and converse shoes. Maybe because of the venue, but I though we should invest more on casual dresses since it's gonna be our trade mark when we get up on stage. And it's not only for the gigs, we can also wear it on the office. It's time to gear up and visit our local ukay-ukay? hahahaha!

Costumes for Halloween

One thing me and the little kiddo enjoys is Halloween. Every year, we participate on trick or treat-ing in one of the local malls here and sometimes we attend a Halloween activity in my work place. And what I like about it is shopping for our halloween costumes. Yeah, sometimes I wear a witch hat because it's fun. Being around kids and all, even for just one day hahaha. The kiddo still has her cinderella costume from her birthday last year and I'm not sure if it'll still fit hahaha! She said, she wants to be Snow White this time but let's see.

Job hunt

My friend's sister used to work as a Domestic helper in HK. We had the chance to visit her there last year. And I found out that her contract from her employer ended last July and she never renewed. She plans to work here now and she's been job hunting for the past few months. I was able to chat with her last week and she wants to sales jobs for a change or maybe land a job in a call center like us. I gave her some information on where to go and I hope it will her find a new career here.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my PAPSIE!

~ Party later @ Quattro bar, Timog QC

WORD of the day

Occidental \ok-si-DEN-tl\, adjective:

1. Western.
2. (Usually initial capital letter) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Occident or its natives and inhabitants.

noun:
1. A native or inhabitant of the Occident.
The Asian way of diversity management has also set up an interesting approach in formulating or not formulating at all a forum of cooperation within the region, which is conspicuously different from the Occidental approach.
-- Akira Iida, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency: the standard-setter
Gradually, Romanian institutions became Occidental and the 1848 Revolutions brought out the Romanians' appetite for modernity.
-- Magdalena Dumitrana, Romanian cultural identity and education for civil society

Occidental derives from the Latin occidentem, "western sky, part of the sky in which the sun sets." The word has been used in relation to Oriental.

--BER month

It's the first day of the --BER month so that means the year is about to end again. And I don't know why I'm pissed off especially when I hear Christmas songs playing outside, like in the mall or in the train station. Well, maybe because time flies so fast that I feel I haven't even started on my plan for this year. But I don't want to concentrate on that now. Good thing my sister plans to avail a slot in the up-coming bazaar this December. I think she already bought wholesale items there in Dubai and I'm coordinating with my MIL in the States to get some branded clothes on sale. I hope this will keep my mind shut from all the stress of Christmas season.

WORD of the day

bathos \BEY-thos\ , noun;
1. Triteness or triviality in style.
2. A ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax.
3. Insincere pathos; sentimentality; mawkishness.

Stress

There's so many things in my mind right now--work, house and my family. Well, basically a parent would do anything for his/her family right? And sometimes, it's already frustrating. Or maybe I need to unwind to get my head off from all this stress in life. I'm also checking on term life insurance for the family. It might take a little stress out my mind knowing they are secured. It's better to be safe, now that we're living in a fast-paced environment. You'll never know right. Arghh.. I need a day in the spa big time!

Our Penthouse

I'm still not finished decorating our penthouse, but basic furniture are now complete. But what I'm concerned about is the kitchen. We really need to attach the cabinet to wall because some of the kitchen wares are still on the floor. Food and snack are stock-up in the corner and it's not pleasing to see. Bathroom is okay. Soap and shampoo holders needs to be put up too and not to mention, we need Robern Medicine cabinet there. I think we need to sort out the kitchen first because we plan to have a house blessing on the 25th of September and guest will come our penthouse. I hope we can sort everything out before the event.

MarryMeAMY @ MoonFlower bar!

MarryMeAMY @ MoonFlower bar (Timog QC) this Saturday - Aug. 28, 2010, 10PM. See yah there!

New profile pic

It's obvious that I changes my profile picture. To be honest, I don't know how to edit or make a logo for this site. Hopefully that picture will stay for a couple of months. Anyway, I love my hair, outfit and make-up c/o of my sister Gelai. I wish I can do it on my own though, especially the make-up (Natural look). I have a feeling I need to learn to do it on my own hahaha...

Cigars on us

I remember when I used to be a chain smoker. It's like I can't live with a pack full of cigar on my pocket. I would finish 2 sticks on my 15-minute break time and 5 sticks or more during my lunch time. I remembered I wanted to try Backwoods cigars because I heard it's distinct flavor. But I was not sure if I can finish a piece because they say it's huge. So what we did, four of my friends shared one stick during inuman session hahaha. What an experience that was. And yeah, those were the days. Cigars on us!

WORD of the day

fathom\FATH-uhm\ , verb;

1. To penetrate to the truth of; comprehend; understand.
2. To measure the depth of water by means of a sounding line; sound.

noun:
1. A unit of length equal to six feet (1.8 meters): used chiefly in nautical measurements.

MarryMeAMY @ the Metro Comic-con

It's so nice to play music with there guys. They are my stress reliever. Catch more of MarryMeAMY. Thanks to all who came and watched yesterday. =) See more pictures *here*

MarryMeAMY @ the Metro Comic-con later!

MarryMeAMY @ the Metro Comic-con later! See yah there!

Maybe

I'm always impressed those action movies with high-tech gadgets and I never imagine that some of them are in production and is being used right now on some countries. Who would think high tech gadget beyond our imagination would exist right. I was first fascinated with the radar detector that they featured with one of the movies I watched few years back. Now flying skateboards and tele porters are in the movies. I wonder if we already have them in real life hahaha. Maybe? You'll never know right?!

Band practice @ 8AM!

Yes, you've read it right... we'll have Band practice @ 8AM later! It's the only available time that we have and we would like to take that chance because we really, i mean really need to jam. The new guitarist is coping really nice and we just wanna make sure the gig this Saturday will be smooth. We've waited for this event for 2 months already and I don't want to screw up because it's one of the biggest event that we're going to attend. So wish us luck! And hopefully it'll turn-out okay. More gigs to come!

WORD of the day

emulate/EM-yuh-layt/verb

1 a : to strive to equal or excel b : imitate
2 : to equal or approach equality with

Example sentence: Agents will often try to emulate their team managers, in the hope of becoming managers themselves one day.

Did you know?

If imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, then past speakers of English clearly had a great admiration for the Latin language. The verb "emulate" joined the ranks of Latin-derived English terms in 1582. Two related adjectives -- "emulate" and "emulous" -- appeared around the same time as the verb "emulate." Both mean "striving to emulate" or sometimes "jealous," but "emulous" is rare these days, and the adjective "emulate" is obsolete.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Gelai!

House Partee

We're going to have a house partee later this evening at my parent's house because it's my sister G's birthday. She invited her friends over and me too, invited a handful of friends that she knows. We'll have band practice this afternoon first and on with the party. I'm looking forward to this event because it's been awhile since we hosted a party and band practice is a-must because of the up-coming gig next week. But before that, I'll accompany my sister at the grocery store buy some booze! Parteee!

WORD of the day

alacrity/uh-LAK-ruh-tee/; noun

: Promptness in response; cheerful readiness

Example Sentences: “Don’t worry, ma’am,” the agent reassured, “we’re going to take care of this problem with alacrity.”

Joe opened the door with alacrity, thinking he would see his girlfriend. Instead, it was his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend. From there, things went from bad to worse.

Synonyms: avidity, eagerness, enthusiasm, fervor, gaiety, speed, zeal.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Williane Amandine!

Weekend

My sister G got a part time job at my sister A's building. I'm planning to go their building because I heard it's really pretty. I can't wait to go there and check what my sister A's been doing for past few months. Sister G also told me that they bought another car--a pick-up truck actually. Wow! I wonder what their garage looks like right now with those new cars grrr. I wonder if they also got those cheap auto insurance quotes on the internet. That I'm going to ask because we plan insurace for our car as well. But for the mean time, we plan to visit them this weeekend. Looking forward to it.

Word FaQ

In April of 1985, the Coca-Cola Company made a mistake. Not a little mistake, mind you, but a big one. Company officials have been honest about the blunder all along, but even to this day the entire fiasco remains a source of embarrassment for the soft drink giant.

The early 1980s found Coca-Cola very close to falling behind in the soda war to Pepsi. Pepsi was, in fact, ahead in supermarket sales. Coke’s wider availability in fast food restaurants and vending machines was the only thing keeping it ahead in overall sales. Coke’s own new product at the time, Diet Coke, was also cutting into the market of regular Coke considerably. Something had to be done, and quickly, in order for the Real Thing to keep its edge.

Enter New Coke. Coca-Cola played around with the flavor of their own product for about a year, adding a pinch of this and a dash of that, taking away a little bit here and a little bit there. In the end, they felt they had a winner. In fact, during taste tests held before the product’s release, the vast majority of people preferred the taste of the new formula over Coke and Pepsi. Way to go, guys!

…Or not.

Once Coke finally released its new formula soft drink, along with the tag line The Best Just Got Better, they decided to actually cancel production of the old, tried and true formula for Coke. And oh, how the public screamed blasphemy. It seemed the no one could accept the fact that the old Coke was gone, not after one hundred years of being a part of American lives. No way, no how. And sales of New Coke went nowhere.

On July 11th of that very same year, Coke bowed to the pressure put on by its loyal fans, and began producing the old formula again, under the name Classic Coke. President and Chief Operating Officer of Coca-Cola Donald Keough was quoted as saying: “The passion for original Coca-Cola—and that is the word for it, passion—was something that caught us by surprise… It is a wonderful American mystery, a lovely American enigma, and you cannot measure it any more than you can measure love, pride, or patriotism.”

The company’s rebound from this disaster was borderline miraculous. But then again, you never know what you have until it’s gone. No longer taken for granted, Coca-Cola eventually became reaffirmed in America’s affections. Donald Keough was later quoted as saying: “Some critics will say Coca-Cola made a marketing mistake. Some cynics will say that we planned the whole thing. The truth is we are not that dumb, and we are not that smart.”

Band sites: updated

I finally updated the band sites. Pictures have upload and profile notes have been changed. Sometimes I don't know where I get the time because of my hectic schedule. I know my personal sites needs more attention--big time! And I have a ton of things to do that I don't know where to start. I plan to do it in 2 weeks time and I might spend one whole day or even more. Wish me luck!

Word FaQ

What is the difference between dissemble and disassemble?

Disassemble means 'to take something apart'. You can see that the word can be split into a prefix dis- and the root assemble. An example usage is: She disassembled the Lego creation.

Dissemble means 'to alter or change the appearance of in order to deceive or conceal; to misrepresent or pretend'.

This word's etymology is trickier: it may be a form of dissimule, which means 'to alter the semblance of in order to deceive or conceal'. So, the breakdown of dissemble is dis- and the root semble, or 'appear, seem'. An example usage of this word is: We heard the dissembled tone of fear in the stewardess’ voice as she told us to stay calm.

Pool projects

BIL's been advertising their swimming pool projects online. My sister and the BIL had a lot of swimming pool project for the last 2 years and we are proud of their team-up. I've visited a handful of sites and I admit, it's amazing to see my sister's creation, hard worked labor come to life. I hope they'll a lot of projects this year and the coming years. They are really a great team. Maybe can make like a above ground pools. That will definitely boost their offers.

WORD of the day

Haywire/HAY-wyre/; adverb or adjective

: Being out of order, or having gone wrong
: Emotionally or mentally upset, or out of control

Example Sentence: “It looks like the equipment has gone haywire on us,” the agent said, grinning. “But don’t worry, we’ll get things back to normal.”

Did You Know?

The wire used in baling hay -- haywire -- is often used in makeshift repairs. This hurried and temporary use of haywire gave rise to the adjective "haywire." The "crazy" sense of "haywire" may have been suggested by the difficulty of handling the springy wire, its tendency to get tangled around legs, or the disorderly appearance of the temporary repair jobs for which it was used.

Source: www.merriam-webster.com

Gadget itchy-ness

My laptop's decease had worsen. And having it repaired will cost a lot. The hubby's been trying to a friend to repair it and it's been taking awhile now. I'm beginning to think that maybe I should buy a new one instead? Is it time to replace my 3-yr old lappy? I know it's only been 3-yrs and the lcd led light is not working properly anymore. I know, I feel bad too because this lappy is my life and I cannot afford to loose it. Maybe in a few months, I'll be close to "buying a new one". I visited the mall yesterday and saw good laptop deals there! Waah! It's a sign. But I'm considering getting an itouch as well. Gadget itchy-ness is irritating, don't you think.

WORD of the day

decorum/de-COR-um/; noun

: Proper behavior
: The state or condition of being calm and orderly

Example Sentence: Nona’s decorum during the call helped cool down the temperature of the customer considerably.

Synonyms: civility, decency, formality, gentility, protocol, tact.

Parking skills

I admit that I enjoy driving especially on long trips but I was never a good "parking" driver. I always the hubby to park the car for me. I mean, I can do it and all but I never liked to park on a narrow garage or in a busy highway. Just like the one we have here in our new place. We are in front of a busy highway and slow parking skills will definitely cause traffic haha. I wish we have a driveway alarm because it will definitely help the hubby.

WORD of the day

adversity • \ad-VER-suh-tee\ • noun

: a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty or adverse fortune

Example Sentence: The team consistently triumphs in the face of adversity; to this day they are still the best at what they do.

Synonyms: affliction, bad breaks, bad news, calamity, distress, hardship, trial, trouble.

Side effects

With so many diet pills out there in the market, sometimes we don't know what's safe and what's not. It's sad that some diet pills do not advertise or include what's bad from their products. But what's good at times is that some products are true to their customers. Like there's this product I saw on the Internet - example, hydroxycut side effects, they include after effects.

WORD of the day

apropos/a-pre-PO/; adverb

: At an opportune time
: Relevant to the matter at hand

Example Sentence: Jenna’s discussion as she opened up the ticket was apropos of nothing; she was merely trying to build rapport with the caller.

Synonyms: applicable, appropriate, befitting, pertinent, related, seemly

New home

My parents have finally settled in their new house. I know a couple days would be tiring because of the things that they need to put away. I know because I've been there. But accordingly to my sister, the new house is beginning to look like a house now. Rooms are super cozy. Very good for loundging and sleep overs. Then my mom put on some patio furniture cushions that matches the curtains. Wow, I can't wait to visit them this weekend.

Creams

My mom's been using wrinkle creams my sister gave her from Dubai. I think it's working for her because I noticed clear lines and spots on her face and she's already 61 years old. I wonder what age am I going to use those wrinkle creams, I hope not anytime soon haha. For now, I'll just stick to my whitening and body lotion.

Best treatment

My sister's been loyal to her dermatologist. She's been constantly attending her facial treatment weekly and we are seeing major improvements. I think she already found the best acne treatment for her. I wish I had the time and money like her. Maybe if we've settled in our new house, I might consider going back to my treatment.

Muscle pain

It's been awhile since I did my usual exercice and yesterday, I finally visited and enrolled in the local gym near our new house. I'm a bit disappointed on their treadmill but the ambiance in the gym is okay. I think I'll get a new program for my work-out and use the stationary bicycle for my cardo. Now I'm feeling the muscle pain and in a few days, joint pain relief should come. It's time to stay fit again.

Eyebugs

In my line of work, sleep sometimes is a luxury because I work on graveyard shifts and sometimes I sleep only 1 or 2 hours only especially if I needed to ran errands in the house. I've been doing this for so many years already that I got used to it. But I can't deny the dark circles that I have around my eyes. Eyebugs. So I keep in mind to sleep more. I read it somewhere that it's good for you.

Treatments

My sister's been loyal to her dermatologist because she stills undergo acne treatments until now. I wish I have the time and the money like her. But I have my medicines and I still use them for maintenance. Only the sudden break outs are a bit frustrating but other than that, I'm still happy with the acne treatment with my doctor.

WORD of the day

nevertheless/nev-er-thuh-les/; adverb
: nonetheless; notwithstanding; however; in spite of that

Example sentences: The weather was beautiful in Georgia that day; nevertheless, a major outage occurred, skyrocketing inbounds to a near overwhelming volume.

“It’s okay, ma’am, we can close this ticket nevertheless,” the agent assured, after hearing doubt in the customer’s voice.

Synonyms: all the same; but; however; still; yet

Massage at home

I want massage tables at home. Evern since I saw that massage table at my sister's house, I can't get over it. I've tried it and it's really effective. I felt relaxed and my back ache seemed to go away. Hmmm.. maybe I'll come and visit my sister more often? hehe or visit their automatic message table.

E-Cigar

I was interrupted with noise from a group of individuals here in the office the other day. I looked what their up to and it seems they are trying the new e cigarette that was recently releaed in the market. Maybe they are trying to quit smoking and trying to look for an alternative. Good for them.

Rainy season wear

It's rainy season again. And even though I don't like the rain, there's only one advantage I'm looking forward to--I can wear my favorite sweater and boots again. Rainy season attire is like being in Hong Kong all over again, without the rain of course. I just love the climate there. Not too cold, not too rainy. Just perfect for skirts, coats and boots. Love it.

Business minded

Being an corporate slave isn't bad at all especially if the career ladder in your work place fast. But some would still prefer putting up their own business. I'm truely impressed to those who took the risk and followed their passion. I wish I knew where to start and just manage my own business. Food stall in the mall? or maybe start on business card printing...

new home

We are finally here in our apartment. This is our fourth day and everything looks okay as far as I can tell. We still need a little more tweaking here and there but the important thing is that the little kiddo likes it here. We also plan to put up a mini-office area in the far end of the living and for that we need office furniture. But I think that'll wait for a few more weeks becauase we need to purchase first a dining table.

WORD of the day

nevertheless/nev-er-thuh-les/; adverb
: nonetheless; notwithstanding; however; in spite of that

Example sentences: The weather was beautiful in Georgia that day; nevertheless, a major outage occurred, skyrocketing inbounds to a near overwhelming volume.

“It’s okay, ma’am, we can close this ticket nevertheless,” the agent assured, after hearing doubt in the customer’s voice.

Synonyms: all the same; but; however; still; yet

Hydroxycut or Gym?

We already moved to our new apartment and everybody seemed to like the place. It's kinda hot during the day but I really love the privacy on the third floor and the interior is not that bad. How I wish I have my own treadmill because I'm gaining weight again. My friend told me that there's this gym near our place but I haven't seen it yet. I'm thinking of taking fat burner pills but I'm not sure about
side effects of hydroxycut. I think I need to research more on that.

WORD of the day

eustress/U-strĕss/; noun
: Positive stress

Did you know?

The term eustress was first used by endocrinologist Hans Selye in 1975, when he published a model dividing stress into two major categories. In his 1975 article, Selye propounded that if stress felt by an individual actually enhances that individual’s function, be it physical or mental, it may be considered eustress.

The name given to the opposite form of this stress is much more familiar to us all. It’s called, of course, distress.

Some things that may make us feel eustress are:
§ Getting a promotion
§ Buying a new car
§ Falling in love
§ Riding a roller-coaster

…in other words, whatever gives you an uplifting, feel-good thrill. It isn’t all bad, friends and neighbors, although sometimes it is expensive. At least two of the above bullets will bankrupt you in one way or another. Still, feeling good for a little while is better than feeling bad all of the time. Thank you, eustress, for giving us all a reason to get out of bed and face another day.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Misiaoh.

WORD of the day

forthright/fōrth-rīte/; adjective

: Done without hesitation, at once, in a frank manner

Example Sentences: Thanks to Belle’s forthright approach to the situation, the ticket was closed without the customer demanding an escalation.

“Don’t worry, sir, we’re going to be very forthright with this,” the technician promised.

Get in shape

Hubby and I went to our college friends house yesterday and they were all shocked on how the hubby looked. I know he gained a lot in the last two years and it's not good. Some were advising us to get in shape because the hubby doesn't look healthy anymore. Now I'm checking on moyoberry reviews, they say it will help the hubby get in shape.

WORD of the day

Bypass/BI-pass

1. (noun) A passage to one side; a channel carrying a fluid around a part and then back to the main stream
2. (verb) To avoid by means of a bypass

Example Sentences: The bus driver, stuck in traffic, attempted to use the bypass ramp; however, that too was jammed with cars.

“A lot of our networking difficulties can by bypassed by adding a switch to the system,” the agent said. “That will enable us to dial into all three routers with just one line.”

Checklist

I've been writing my checklist on items will I need to buy for the apartment. It's obvious that we need a dining table and a rice cooker, Moen kitchen faucets for kitchen and bathroom. We also have a plain old mono block two-seater chair. You guessed it right, we need a living room set. But we might buy one some other time because we're on a tight budget.

WORD of the day

eloquent/ELO-kwent/; adjective

: Marked by forceful and fluent expression
: Vividly or movingly expressive or revealing

Example Sentence: “It was an eloquent speech that, unlike modern presidents, he wrote himself.”

--Harold Holzer, Lincoln At Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President

Other ways to say it: articulate, expressive, impassioned, moving, persuasive, poetic, vivid.

Day sleep

It's still summer because we can still feel the heat especially in the middle of the day. And it's hard to stay asleep in this kind of weather. My job requires shifting schedule and this time, I'm on night shift. It's get very irritated everytime when I wake up because of the heat. Sleeping is one of the important things we need. If don't get enough sleep these next few days, I might take sleep aids to help me sleep during the day.

Breakouts

It's that time of the month again that I get breakouts and I hate it. Breakouts only comes once a month, usually before my period. I'm sure I'm not the only ones who has this problem. I wish they have some kind of acne pills that I can take to reduce breakouts so I would go through the trouble of pricking and applying all kinds of peeling formula on my face at the dermatologist.

Loans

Hubby and I talked last night and we had decided to get a loan. Our big move is in progress and one of our worst fears was we might lack funds. As much as possible, I don't want to think about it but we are just thinking -- just in case. I searched for other ways how to get funds and I found out about asset based lending. I hope this will help us out.

Word FaQ

Is it “on behalf of” or “in behalf of”?

Don’t give yourself too big of a Paracetemol headache over this one. The two are generally interchangeable. However, in behalf of all you technical people out there (note the usage), here are the official instructions for untangling these two little hairballs:

Use “in behalf” when you mean “for the benefit of”, the way I did earlier.
There was a fund raiser held in behalf of the many homeless children in the Philippines.

Use “on behalf” when you mean “as an agent of” or “on the part of”.
Terry accepted the award on behalf of her friend, who could not make it to the ceremony.

Go out and vote!

Go out and vote!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

WORD of the day

fastidious/fæ-sti-dee-uhs/; adjective
: Hard to please due to being very particular about details

Example sentences: Liza is very fastidious about her appearance; it sometimes takes her two hours to get ready for a date.

Because of the agent’s fastidious behavior towards provisioning, several mistakes made by the tech on site were caught before they could manifest into a difficult situation.

Synonyms: delicate, demanding, finicky, fussy, meticulous, particular, sensitive

The promise

I mentioned that we've moving outta here right. Yes I did. We plan to move within the next two weeks. Once the papers are signed and the flat is well cleaned, we're going to start to move our things. I know it'll take us more than two weeks but I'm still pushing so we can meet the deadline. And now that we're finally making this dream a reality, I told the hubby to reduce belly fat big time. He did promise me that so let's see if he'll be keeping that promise.

Labor day

Labor day!