This is partly the reason why I haven’t been blogging as often:
My brother and his wife, who temporarily live in our house, are expecting a baby girl ANYTIME SOON (in the next 5 minutes, pwede!). We’re all getting impatient. Darn those TV commercials with babies! They make us want the baby to be born A.S.A.P. In fact, my sisters and I have been having the same dreams these past few nights: we’ve dreamt that my sister-in-law gave birth already.
When I’m out, every time I receive a text message, I get so paranoid in thinking that I should drop everything and leave for the hospital because Arlene must have given birth already. But when I’m at home, I make sure that (1) there’s a car and (2) the car keys are within reach. And that the video and digital cameras are ready.
She’ll be named Philippa Micaela. Pippa for short. Although she’s coming before December 25, I think this new family member would be the best Christmas gift for us this year. In any case, I ask for your prayers. We hope everything turns out well.
The team that I have been rooting for since 1998, McLaren-Mercedes, had definitely fallen from grace today. While its two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, started the final race leading the drivers’ championship, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen won the race with Alonso landing 3rd and Hamilton 7th. Thus, Raikkonen (3rd in standings) snatched the championship from the McLaren drivers by 1 point.
“Team work was rewarded this season,” said one of the commentators, and I couldn’t agree less.
Hamilton and Alonso are team mates but are also fierce competitors. I have nothing against that. There shouldn’t really be any preference for a particular driver in a team, else, that would dampen the spirit of the sport. But I was so disappointed with the obvious lack of team work in McLaren, especially in their bias towards their home grown talent, Lewis Hamilton. Team principal Ron Dennis said it himself,
“But we weren’t at all fazed about Kimi. We weren’t racing [against] Kimi, we were basically racing [against] Fernando.”
As of now, the LPG explosion theory has been ruled out by the discovery of traces of C4, a chemical explosive that is reported to be used in the Philippine Army. (Oh, but we know that the army is capable of selling its supplies to its own enemies.) There are many spculations on who’s behind the bombing incident — could it be the government? a group that aims for destabilization? rebels? While that remains unanswered, I have other questions:
- Where exactly did the explosion come from?
- Why on a week day?
- What is the purpose of the bombing?
But there is a more fundamental objection… Climate change is a threat to the environment, not to “peace” and international order. The prize has gone to some sleazy recipients in the past, but at least you can make a case that their actions staved off bloodshed.
His article actually provokes a lot of positive and negative comments and here are two interesting ones that seem to capture the essence of both sides:
In our country, it’s already October 16, 1am. However, I’m writing this online where the boundaries of time are blurred so that means it’s still October 15 - Blog Action Day - in other parts of the world. (Sorry, I was busy with exams today).
Here are some practices applicable to the young and the young once. I struggle at trying to apply them all.
1. Clean up your own mess.
Why didn’t I write “don’t make any mess” in the first place? Let’s face it, whenever we work, we have a tendency to put things in some disorder. Whenever the kids at home play, the toys are all over the room. When finals week comes close, my desk loses its order. It’s natural that we “mess up,” but what’s important is that we clean up as soon as possible.
2. Avoid automatically crumpling paper.
This is applicable for obsessive-compulsive people like me. When I get the first lines wrong, I have a bad habit of immediately crumple the paper (or tear out the notebook page) and throw it into the trash can. What a waste. Pity the tree that died to give that paper which could have still been re-used. Has the tree died in vain due to our carelessness?
3. Know when to switch the lights on and off.
Since all lights at home are fluorescent, we save more electricity if we avoid turning them off when we expect to be back within a short span of time. Better to leave them on. However, if your light bulbs are incandescent, you save more energy by switching them off as soon as you leave the room.
4. Unplug appliances that have not been used for more than 4 hours.
I live in a house with all sorts of gadgets. The appliances often left plugged even if they are not used: PS2, the television, the DVD player. Our old PC has not been used because its monitor was not working, but we later discovered that its voltage regulator was left on for a year!
5. Use energy saving lamp bulbs.
This is a personal mania. I’m really happy with bulbs that emit light stronger than what its wattage usually gives. For instance, 75w bulbs with the brightness of 120w. Now that’s something! This is an unpaid plug but I’m doing this because it has been most reliable for me: OSRAM bulbs are the best. Philips is okay, except that OSRAM really lasts longer. If the Korean version claims 1 year, it really lasts 1 year. The German version is even better with 3 years lifespan.
I’ve been bloghopping in Multiply and I found this interesting read, an essay submitted for Pan Pil 17. Although I don’t agree with everything that’s written here, I think it’s good food for thought when it comes to gender equality.
THE BRA: A Symbol of Female Repression
by Hannah Reyes
The best part of my every day is probably preparing to go to bed—taking a shower, drinking milk, curling up to a cold cozy bed, texting my boyfriend goodnight and praying. But you know what the most liberating part of this process is? It’s taking off my bra. Yes, I believe that brassieres are very oppressive things.
Being a girl, I have lots of experiences with breasts and bras. When I was eleven, I got my first bra (not that I needed it). Read the rest of this entry »
Endings can be bitter since a situation reaches termination, but they’re also sweet since they point to a new beginning.
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Posted by frances
In any case, I ask for your prayers. We hope everything turns out well.
The team that I have been rooting for since 1998, McLaren-Mercedes, had definitely fallen from grace today. While its two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, started the final race leading the drivers’ championship, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen won the race with Alonso landing 3rd and Hamilton 7th. Thus, Raikkonen (3rd in standings) snatched the championship from the McLaren drivers by 1 point.
