An Ambitious Solution to Manila's Flood Problem

August 22, 2009 - flood waters rose up again in Sampaloc, and after a long while of absence, even entered the UST campus, and all it's buildings, even the hospital, even the supposedly "raised" carpark. The multistorey carpark's groundlevel is raised 1 meter from street-level but this did not stop the infamous Sampaloc Flood. This really has to stop. My suggestions are many but all can be classified "wild" and "too ambitious" but will certainly work. I hope we put everything into this because this is flood is really counterproductive to our country. Imagine... Manila is our capital. It's so embarassing!

1. Redig all the covered waterways and even create a lot of new ones. Water has to go somewhere right? We should even build flood reservoirs. They can be underground, under buildings and are left empty until there's a lot of water and it will spill in those reservoirs and then thrown out when the rain has stopped. Malaysia has done this. They build a traffic tunnel which is turned into a flood reservoir whenever the need arises. Build another big canal similar to the Mangahan flood waterway cutting right through the middle of sampaloc, it doesn't have to be open, it can even run through the entire length of streets, the flood waters will be right under our feet...

2. Regrade the entire city. This has been done, although after a really destructive force rapt through a city. Seattle, which was built on a tidal plane was regraded one and in some places two storeys high after its great fire. Imagine if we raised the entire Manila landscape one storey high. No more flood.. LOL... this is really far fetched, too much history will be buried but it will be an enduring solution. And reconstruction doesn't have to be overnight. And we will not be wasting money trying to slowly raise street levels like what Manila is doing now feet by feet. In the long run, it is more expensive. And we'll also have a new tourist attraction... Manila's Underground City. --This is really not uncommon I discovered, Mereyside in UK was raised one storey high, Seattle as I've said one to two storeys high (Seattle Underground City), a large part of Atlanta has been raised one storey high (Atlanta Underground City), Rome is resting on a different Rome more times over, Mexico was raised from a dry lakebed... I can go on and on. I am leaning more towards this suggestion really. And considering the sealevel is rising, it may be our only option soon enough. It's a big sacrifice yes... but it is also a very big opportunity... we could bury all our electric cables making the city beautiful. New monuments... new public buildings, and most importantly flood, never again to be seen... can you just imagine?

Addendum :

This is interesting to share. How exactly did Seattle do it?

After its great fire, the decision was made to forever end the flooding problem of the city. They built concrete walls to line the street leaving the sidewalk at the original ground level at first... The insides of the concrete walls (the street) was filled in to produce the new raised street level. People continued using the old street level. Slowly merchants transferred to their second floors and used it as the new commercial space and used the lower floor for storage. Brick arches were put on the narrow sidewalks and were lined with thick glass to allow light below. There were two levels of sidewalks at that point. Once the people have completely moved out of the "now" underground these sidewalks were closed. Parts of the remaining underground city of Seattle is now available for tours... It's amazing how they did this, and how persistent and determined they were to stop flood from hurting their commerce... I hope we had this vigilance...

Manila Frustration

Pictured above is the proposed Burnham plan for the reconstruction of Manila which never came into fruition save for a few buildings. This is really frustrating. Of course no one can ever tell of the real circumstances during that time, history anyway should always be taken with gigantic boulder of salt. President Quezon scrapped the plans to further his plans of a new capital outside of Old Manila in his name (which by the way also did not materialize). But can you imagine Manila if the plan did go through? Burnham's plan for Manila commissioned in 1901 and completed in 1905 was actually made before those of Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. (with McMillan, they revived L'Enfant's 1791 vision for the US Capital - the crowning feature of which is the National Mall). All these cities have the same perfect symmetrical look with wide diagonal boulevards, intersecting streets, big parks, and awe-inspiring public buildings and monuments.

Some of the amazing features of the Burnham Plan?

• A 75 meter baywalk/park from the national mall all the way to Cavite with a wide scenic boulevard spanning the entire route. This actually "sort of" made it through as the Dewey/Roxas Boulevard.
• A park, canopy covered scenic drive covering the entire length of the Pasig River terminating in an park at the edge of the Laguna Lake. Sigh... wonderful right?
• Wide boulevards radiating from the center of the National Mall right behind the capitol. This is very similar to Paris' and DC's layout and it would have been amazing.
• The capitol will surround a gigantic plaza which I imagine would look like Plaza Mayor in Spain.
• Big parks surrounding the city edge.

A key feature of Burnham's concept of urban planning is taking advantage of waterfront scenery. Other big unplanned cities have covered waterfronts, filled to the brim with buildings whilst those of Burnham's like Chicago and DC has given the waterfront "to the people" with parks and public spaces which is ideal, since tall buildings built farther away can actually still see the view right? Burnham envisioned Manila as a walk-to-everywhere city just like Paris with more canopy cover, which would have been ideal, healthier citizens, with less pollution.

It's really frustrating. Chicago, after 100 years since Burnham's plan for it, is still implementing and finishing his fantastic vision, with building the eco-bridge that will cover the mouth of it's harbor in a bid to host the Olympics on 2016. Imagine, our city, with buildings rivaling those of Washington D.C. and Paris. Is it too late to reorganize our congested city? Do wee need the destruction of war just to fix our urban jungle? I'm actually loving Imelda in that she sees no boundaries nor limits in what she wants to accomplish. I want more architectural monuments in our capital, I want to bring Manila the glory she deserves.

Board Victory

August 19, 2009 - Marco, April, Me-An, Sandy, Marga, and Niña were victorious at the Physicial Licensure Exam. We ate at Dencio's and waited at Coffee Bean Trinoma for the results. On february, it will be Alexs, Roxie, Kim's and my turn !!!

At Dencio's

Bored ?! Passers ^_^

April Shrieked when she heard the news...

Prayer of Thanksgiving at the Santo Domingo
Perpetual Adoration Chapel

Oremus...

Pater Noster, Emitte Spiritum Tuum Pro Scientia Et Sapientia
Ave Maria, Regina Caeli, Regina Sacratissimi Rosarii, Ora Pro Nobis

An Old Friend

Welcome my old friend!
I thought we've left each other for good.
I embrace you now with no animosity.
I welcome you with no malice.
Fill every muscle, joint and bone as you now do...
Fill me and consume me...
for you bury deeper pain still
that no amount of your physical prowess can supersede.
Hurt in thought of what reason may force me to accomplish.
But must I, when your presence makes me want to seek consolation?
When you should be my enemy and not my redeemer.
A reminder of the limits of my humanity?
You make me strong, I agree.
But what will make me stronger still?
A tender visit from you every now and then?
Or a perpetual presence of an angel of comfort?
Who can crush you like clay against a mallet.
Hearken, seed of agony
Your arrival is most appreciated!
It is timely and imperative
A reminder of presences
I must choose to keep or discard
To inflame or to douse
To sow or the hack
Welcome! I embrace you!

But I don't want to forget...

So sad. Just had a third of a series of dreams if I understand correctly but cannot recall it. And to my dismay, I've also forgotten the first two already since weeks have past. Urggh... It's so frustrating...

RIP Tita Cory

Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino
1933 - 2009

May you find eternal peace in the high heavens Mrs. Aquino. My deepest sympathies to her remaining family.

Addendum (August 3, 2009):
I decided to add her so I'll not pull the post with her picture down. I just thought Mrs. Aquino is so like Mama Mary. Had she not given her "yes" salvation at that time would have been doubtful at best. She has made a big sacrifice for people who are not even her kin. I don't know what Ninoy made her promise before he left for the Philippines but those must have been powerful words. Powerful enough to make her leave the kitchen and go to Malacañan. That must have taken all the courage in the world. I admire you our Tita Cory. I wish I'll have your courage and principle to uphold what is right and moral.

Earlier when Bishop Soc Villegas told a story of a meeting between Sister Lucia (one of the Fatima Children) and Cardinal Sin. She told him that she wanted him to give a rosary she has made herself to her and that she is a God's gift to her people. Cardinal Sin said "...but she is suffering." Sister Lucia answered "Like all God's gifts, she will suffer..." Bishop Soc said he thought that during her presidency he already saw the suffering but only realized that Sister Lucia seemingly foretold of events later in her life. I cried then. God's intention is really beyond man's reason I suppose if those He loves most must suffer the most. If then... Whatever I must suffer Lord. I embrace.

You rest in peace Mrs. Aquino. We can take care of ourselves.

Bewitched...

They don't make songs like these anymore... and Barbra's interpretation is solidly untouchable

Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered
by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
from Pal Joey
recorded by Frank Sinatra 1963

She's a fool and don't I know it?
But a fool can have her charms
I'm in love and don't I show it?
Like a babe in arms

Love's the same old sad sensation
Lately, I've not slept a wink
Since this silly situation
Has me on the blink

I'm wild again, beguiled again
A simpering, whimpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered ... am I

Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
Then love came and told me I shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered am I

Lost my heart, but what of it?
She is cold, I agree
She might laugh, but I love it
Although the laugh's on me

I'll sing to her, bring spring to her
And long for the day when I'll cling to her
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I

My Version of Sinigang na Porky

(photos to follow...)
Sinigang (Tamarind based Stew/Soup) is one of the pillars of Filipino cuisine and yet it is one of the simplest and easiest recipes in the Filipino menu. It's hard to go wrong when cooking this. But mishaps are not totally absent. Frequent mistakes stem from:

1. Meat is still not tender
2. Vegetables too soggy (although some people want that... i don't understand why hahaha)
3. Too salty
4. Too sour
5. Too little soup (in Filipino, a dishwhen called "Sigang" implies it has a lot of soup)

I said one of the easiest. My opinion of course. Why? Because you just have to throw everything in a pot. Wait. Check. Throw something in again, wait, then it's done. Nice :-) especially for multitasking mothers/house-bands.

Anyway...

What do we need?

Meat. I'm using pork but a lot of other things can be turned into a Sinigang. Beef, Shrimp, and Fish.

River Spinach (Kangkong), String Beans (Sitaw), Tomatoes, Green Pepper (Siling Pansigang), Okra (I don't like Okra, so no Okra for me), and Onion/s (Native ones are more tasty).

Taro (Gabi) - my favorite ingredient. I love to overcook it to the point it makes the Sinigang very turbid. Yum yum yum... I squish it with the steamed rice so it looks like mashed baby food hahahaha. I'm getting hungry.

Tamarind. or Tamarind flavor mix.

Wash and peel things that needed to be peeled. Cut the string beans into 1 1/2 inch sticks. Don't throw the stems of the River spinach, I like them so I place them separately with the leaves. I am talking about the real stem not the stem of the leaf ok? I'm weird I know, just like what the rabbit eats, I like them...

Slice the tomatoes whatever way you like, they'll just end up unrecognizable. Quarter the onion. Slice the okra into 1/2 inch sticks.

Tips : When using tamarind, you don't peel them ok? Just wash them well. When using kamias, just wash well too. When using Bayabas, was well and remove the ugly things at the ends (same as kamias too).

Get a thick pot or if you have big enough earthenware that would really be great. When my mom cooks Sinigang, Nilaga, or her famous Beef Pares, she cooks it on charcoal. It has an effect, the slow even heat of the charcoal coupled that it adds a sort of smoky flavor is really superb, and couple that with using earthenware *droools yum yum really. But I use a big thick pot because I want to put a lot of sabaw (soup).

Oh before I forget, people also put Labanos (radish). More often than not, it is ignored by people because it is sort of bitter, I sort of have a love-hate relationship with it and did not use it. I only put all the ingredients when I'm cooking it for a guest, or party but for myself I only put what I want which is right, right?

So put your pork in the pot, onions, tomatoes, and tamarind (you don't see tamarind here, I used artifical flavoring). Put water and make sure everything is submerged. Now a secret ingredient (yum yum)... put Patis (fish sauce) hahaha. Some don't do this anymore (health issues) but the flavor of the dish after is oh......

Boil. Boil. Boil. Check from time to time it may spill over. Some like to remove the "dirty" fat that floats. When no one's looking I don't remove it LOL. That's the LOVE! When the tamarind is cooked(soft/really soft), remove them and keep them first. So when your meat is nearly soft, put in the taro. I usually put it in way earlier because I want it to be really squishy. When both the meat and taro are cooked, mash the tamarind in a little of the broth and put the extract in the soup, use a strainer and bathe the seeds and the rind with broth from the pot until you feel all the flavor has dropped in. Mix and try tasting if the sourness is just right. Remember that the heat tends to numb the flavors so if anything you are cooking tastes just right, it's alright don't add any more!!!

After the tamarind flavoring, put in the radish, okra and the string beans, after a few mintues then put salt to taste, mix, then turn it off and put the veggies in mix quickly and cover. The remaining heat will cook the River Spinach leaves. You don't want them super soggy.

When using Kamias or Bayabas (Guava), after getting them out when they're soft, mash them and return everything in, no filtering required.

When using fish (I love Sinigang na Bangus!), note that they cook fast so be very very careful.

How do I know when my fish is cooked? -- look at their eyes. If they're opaque white. They're done.

Whew... this is longer than I expected and took two efforts to type. LOL.

Bewildering Patients

We were trying to recall weird and bewildering experiences @ the ER, in the ward or on the news. Here are some of my more interesting patients.... LOL

• LRT 1 Expansion Guard inside his guard house. Guard house smacked by cab with sleepy cab driver. Guard arrives at East Ave with altered sensorium and lots of injuries. I think we were able to do a CT scan and it showed intracranial bleed can't remember where. Anyway... Lesson: You get a job, you die. Stay at home. LOL
• Priest from seminary changing water from dispenser. New and full water gallon apparently slips and falls ... wait for it ... on his big toe. Toe avulsed... We try to reattach. Whole convent must pray it does not necrose. Lesson: The more faith you have. The more you will get tested.
• 50-ish woman wonders why there is nothing coming out of almost new tube of mighty bond. Looks closely and squeezes forcefully. Squirts her eye ... and in surprise .... holds her eye .... (nope... fingers and eye didn't stick LOL) Fingers are stuck together. Eye stuck closed. We tell her "Heto po lalagyan natin ng anesthesia bago buksan (We're going to put anesthesia before we try to open it.)" but we drop it outside (of course it's shut closed LOL) so no effect. Then... we force it OPEN!!! LOL No other way sorry... Lesson: You can learn something useful from watching screwball comedies...
• Patient brought in the ER screaming, rolling on the floor, looking funny while doing it. Problem: cockroach in ear. One of the most painful things I've seen. And I don't doubt it. It IS really painful when the roach tries to fight back when you "kill" it. Lesson: Wash your hands after eating. Some of that mango flavor you ate might just end up in your ear and attract some nice pets...

More to come...

These are true stories. I'm trying to be funny but they are serious and these patients were hurt!

My Version of Chicken Curry

Today, I cooked again after a loooong time...Ingredients for the my version of chicken curry: Potatoes, Tomatoes, Garlic, Onion, Ginger, Coconut Milk, Tomato Sauce, Oil, Salt, and Pepper...
Of course... the most important ingredient, the CURRY powder!
Chicken. I prefer meaty parts. I don't like to wrestle with my food. I just want to taste it mmm mmm...
Wash the things that needs washing. Peel everything that needs to be peeled. Crush and chop the garlic. Chop the onion and tomatoes. Slice the ginger into thin pieces. I put a lot of tomatoes because I love 'em. I don't saute without tomatoes and anyway it adds to the flavor in this particular recipe. Don't throw away the tomato extract "katas."
Wash, peel, eye and chop the potatoes. Submerge them in water while you are doing other stuff so they won't blacken. I prefer to chop them into around an inch X half-an-inch big so that they'll cook faster.
Ok. Get a Kawali (Skillet). Canola oil (or whatever you want).
Saute the garlic and onions. What goes in first? Really doesn't matter. Skill dependent. You might burn the onions if you wait too long before putting in the onions. Know thyself. The size of garlic and onions? Depends on you too. If you don't want to accidentally bite garlic or onion pieces, chop(mince) them into microscopic pieces. Again, cooking is an art. Recipes are guides.

Free tip: How do you remove garlic smell from your fingers?? rub your fingers and nails into a stainless steel smooth surface under the faucet (not the sharp edge LOL). It will magically remove the smell. Trust me.
Put in the ginger.
Then tomatoes. Don't overcook them...
I prefer to put in the potatoes first. Why? The chicken cooks faster compared to them so toss them around a bit before...
putting in the chicken. Mix a little until the chicken whitens a little.
Turn down the stove. Slow medium to low heat. Cover it. You may put a little little amount of water but you don't need to actually. The water in the chicken and potatoes will come out and that'll cook them both. Thus, the need for the cover, so the moisture won't evaporate. To contain the heat inside.

Check from time to time if they are soft. Check the potatoes. If the potatoes are cooked, the chicken is cooked too. Unless you have very big pieces of chicken in which case you MUST check the chicken too.
If you feel they are almost almost cooked. Remove the cover and LET the water evaporate but don't let it dry, leave a little amount of water. If too much water came out you may increase the heat temporarily to hasten evaporation but don't forget to mix, the chicken might get burned.
Now put in the coconut milk.

Free Tip: You can now buy pressed coconut milk from the wet market, just ask. You don't have to squeeze it yourself anymore, it is a little more expensive but is worth it, and it is PURE coconut milk, they don't add water. A machine squeezes the juice out of the coconut meat. You can also buy packed coconut milk (with a little preservative) in the groceries. This is what I used today. I didn't want to go to the market.
Let it boil then put in the tomato sauce. Amount? I don't measure sorry... This will make the recipe your own LOL.
Right after putting the tomato sauce, put in curry powder. Again, I can't say how much curry powder you should put. It will depend on how you want your curry to taste. Really spicy. Little kick. Horse kick. Ticklish? I think this time I used a tablespoonful of curry and little more for luck.

Salt and pepper to your liking. I like a LOT of pepper. I use freshly crushed peppercorn. Always gives more flavor. Mix. Let boil. Taste. Serve.

Keeping Tips: Don't leave out when it's hot. If it has coconut milk it will spoil easily. I used to cook a lot of this and then divide it before freezing so I can have it whenever I want. You can keep it frozen until a month or so (not sure here).

Do you want me to teach you to cook anything? I hope I know how to though HAHAHA. Carienderia food is my specialty LOL...

SMS

I rarely appreciate forwarded text messages. But minutes ago, my friend Kaye sent me this and I loved it :

One day, the villagers decided to pray for rain.
On the day of prayer everyone gathered,
but only one boy came with an umbrella.
That is FAITH

When you throw a baby in the air,
he laughs
because he knows you will catch him.
That is TRUST.

Every night we go to bed,
we are not sure that we will awaken in the morning
but we still have many plans for the coming day
That is HOPE

Have Faith.
Trust in God
and never lose hope.

It's lovely. Right?!

HP & the Half Blood Prince (Spoiler Alert!!!)

I thought that a very long time spent waiting for the sixth HP installment will ensure very satisfied HP fans both read and non-readers. I hate the fact that the movie dwell too much on adolescence, hormone surge and flirting and totally left out the fact that the sixth book is very pivotal in explaining a lot of things and setting-up the scene for the end of the series.

Important scenes that were left out from the book / unfaithful scenes :

The Room of Requirement - Harry was supposed to accidentally see Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem when he hides the Half-blood Prince's book.

Harry and Ginny's first kiss was totally different from how it happened in the book. Not that this is important but it is rather annoying and could have been omitted altogether actually.

The absence of the great battle scene at the end. The Order vs. Death Eaters inside Hogwarts. Epic. But amazingly absent from the movie. It would have been a great great scene something that could have rivaled Voldemort vs. Dumbledore although I think that scene from the HP5 also detracted too much from canon.

The most important thing to me was the fact though that Dumbledore did not freeze Harry at that encounter before his demise. I do not think the REAL Harry, and by that the character conceived by Ms. Rowling would have just stood there and did nothing while Dumbledore was wandless and his life threatened. No amount of promise would have stopped Harry from helping.

I think the ending was ok. I'm guessing they will start the next movie showing a short scene of Dumbledore's funeral and that's fine with me. I hated the rock concert sort of tribute at the end of HP6 though. Raising their wands sheeesh....

It was a good movie. Yes. A good movie by itself but an unfitting tribute to the book. Much like the first movie of the twilight saga...

Posting on YouTube

I just uploaded few more liturgical music to my youtube channel. I've already convinced myself not to upload anymore since last time but it's always nagging me that this is the only tribute I can give to God.

Whenever I put a comment on another channel praising other people's talent and telling them "May God continue to bless you...," or "God has given you such a wonderful gift..." there are always people (I presume mostly young people) that can't help but poop on you ... "God has nothing to do with why he's/she's great... tons of practice dude..." blah blah blah.... It really gets to me... these people... blind... and deaf... sigh... no faith at all... I pity them...

I know I'm not at all at league with the youtube legends (hahaha dream on LZ...) but the videos are my contribution. I hope people see the wonder of God in their talents. I won't be discouraged commenting how the Holy Spirit lives on these wonderful talented people by a few devils... bite me.

Our Lady of Piat Visits Sto. Domingo Church

An awesome backdrop

Ang mga manang na punas ng punas.

I asked the Bishop of Tuguegarao to please bless my pencils in Our Lady of Piat's name for the boards. I almost brokedown again haha. And then I touched the pencils to Mama Mary's Image.

A Morning of Epiphany

God just threw them all over me... I guess these things were milling in my mind lately that I was just like slapped by His messages for me. I smiled and looked at the amazing Graciano Nepumuceno crucifix and silently gave thanks for the gift of faith.

Faith makes our lives simple. It makes us understand the mysteries of the universe. Those who chose not to accept this gift think of it as foolishness, a lack of common sense and logic. But nothing makes anything more clearer. Nothing makes the complex so simple. Everything is possible.

The bishop of Tuguegarao in his homily said that one of the problems of youth today is lack of commitment. I thought he was going to blabber about marriage and prepared myself to ignore him. He did not realize as simple as he spoke that he had just converted one of the most determined enemies of that institution. It's not that I'm revolted of the fact, but just that I don't see its purpose. He did not speak of marriage specifically though. People saying 'yes' and then going back on their word. People saying 'yes' just to get things over with, gain advantage and favors, and to hear what they want to and not make it hurt that much. It used to be that the world had so much commitment and honor that mere words were as good as chisel to stone.

Commitment in way you choose to live your life. I realized after which that I can't complain how life was so complicated when I made it so. How many social network size does each of us maintain? I have my flickr page, multiply, Facebook, Blogger, Myspace, Twitter, Youtube... this list goes on and on for other people. I complain I had no time when I created the mess myself. It was a simple message to me from a smiling God, "See, you knew the answers... you just needed Me to remind you what it was." What are these things for anyway? Do they substitute for actual interaction?

It was one more thing I was revolted too. Social interaction. I get weary of facing people. I'm too weird for most people. I know that. Others read me as snobbish and focus only on a few people but I really can't handle parties, mingling and such. It's a good thing though I can act when needed. Not at the Marlon Brando level but a put on a mask is relatively a regular routine. Sigh... a way to defend the me that no one but a few people have seen.

A commitment to myself and the people I love. Can someone be a recluse in this time of history? Again, the choice is ours and it goes back to commitment as I see it. :-) I guess it's called a lot of words but I'll call it 'Absolute Commitment.' It involves no one else but you and the one you choose. I mocked books and movies that tell of people who can just be with each other forever oblivious to everything else. They need not do anything, just be. Existing for each other brings simple happiness.

Let it all hang out now... a time for change has come. The gift of faith gives us the answers. I choose to go about life in a more simple manner. I choose not to keep relationships for a matter of social convinience. I choose to accept that someone out there exists for me and will love me and we will have absolute commitment. I just have to wait forever for that... hahaha!

A little bit older...

A new self-portrait. Can't believe my brother's turning 18 in a few hours. I should be getting on with my life hahaha! People my age are getting married, having kids, getting divorces... dying! Me, still bumming(""""studying"""""). I will never recommend being a physician to anybody. Serving humanity is crap. You serve yourself the first few years to make-up for your lost time. You realize you have a family, who you serve next, and by the time you want to do your part, you're almost a degenerate. I think I'd rather teach...

Michael Jackson 1958-2009

His contributions to music cannot be ignored. The world has lost one of the last greats in the rank of Elvis Presley, James Brown, and Frank Sinatra. May his soul find eternal peace. My condolences to his children.

Links :
Fan Reaction Across the US <Link>

Shame. We've really let ourselves go...

When was it that Filipinos we're proud of their craftsmanship? There used to be a time when Filipino-made equated to being of outstanding quality and longevity. Now, people find ways to cheat consumers for a few more bucks of profit in exchange for loss of loyalty.

Today, I have to encounters that really annoys me. Out I went to prepare the documents and requirements I need to file my application for the Physician Licensure Exams. I thought Copytrade stood for quality photocopies... well... I can't even read my transcript, and I had it photocopied powder! The answer... "Ganyan po talaga, sa machine po kasi... try niyo na lang po sa iba..." What the fuck?! As if she's going to give me back my money to try another copy company.

I then went to SM North EDSA to my favorite photo printing company Mitsubishi in the basement of the Main Mall. Well... lo and behold... all my pictures looked like photos from the 70's!!!!!! I was really pissed... their photos used to be so crisp. And I went there because they had the best value for quality, but now... I don't have qualms paying more if I am going to get quality, but how much?! how much is quality nowadays?! Is it worth an arm, leg or a kidney? Does this mean, doctors too can give less than quality service?

I think it is totally unfair that we have to take this crap from people who over services to consumers. We must always uphold what we think we deserve for what we paid. To the streets!!! LOL

Studying and Watching Movies

I just finished watching a very touching movie, Marley & Me. I could not help but shed a tear! The plot is a simple narrative about the life of a starting couple, and a dog and how their family grew. Mature and light, I could watch this movie every christmas...

I guess this is my therapy. I just could not go on studying continuously. I watch a movie, study, watch a movie, study... I hope I'm getting this right. I don't want to force myself because I know I could not retain what I'm reading that way. Anyway... back to reading...

-----

PS : In the course of the past weeks, I have watched/rewatched: Inkheart, August Rush, Bride Wars, New in Town, and Push. Yes. I love movies. I keep track of New DVD releases. I go to the cinema alone when I want to really absorb a movie. ;-)