In two weeks, I shall be seeing the New Kids On The Block (along with the Back Street Boys) perform in Manila again.  21 years ago, they performed in their first concert here in Manila (Rizal Memorial Stadium) and it became the first concert I’ve seen in my life.  Still feels like it...

Definitely not a good weekend – the Lakers lost in Game 4 on home court & my iPad (and don’t know what else for now) was stolen.   Perfectly good reasons to make a gooey smooth type of fudge that melts in your mouth then add some whiskey for a strong kick in the gut. I call...

Things are different now. No other eyes are as captivating. No other smile is as contagious. No one else’s words are as reassuring. No other arms are as comforting. I don’t long to hear any other voice on the other side of the phone. I don’t get butterflies at the thought of anyone...

Am I disappointed over the loss?  Yes.  Am I surprised?  No.  With a young and fast team like OKC (plus Durantula whom I have a serious admiration for), it will not be a surprise if they come out as the winners for this round.  I know, what a terrible thing to say as a Lakeshow fan.  But...

Join U!  Happy Events on their 133rd event with a funny but catchy name, U! Let the Dogs Out! Partner with 25 dogs from Siberian Husky of the Philippines and 50 kids from Concern!   Dog Show, Walk & Groom with Games and Magic Show! May 26, 3PM at Riverbanks Center, Activity Area. In...

Watching both games simultaneously on split screen, I saw United end their game as Champions.  Then Aguero scored and THAT was when my heart crushed to ground and broke to a gazillion pieces. QPR deserved to go down.  How can you concede two goals in stoppage time?  Are they the new Bayern...

Sometimes, you look up and there just seems to be so many more stars than ever before. More. They burn brighter and they shine longer. They never vanish into your periphery when you turn your head. It’s as if they come out for us. As if to remind us that their light took so long to come...

I was at a party recently where I spoke to a guy about his job.  Having graduated from a university and settled into a rather prestigious career field, he mentioned that, though the money was good, the actual job itself was kind of draining.  He wasn’t sure if it was for him, and had long...

The 2012 NBA playoffs started off with awesome plays and crazy turn of events for some big players in the league (still shocked and sad over D-Rose’s injury). My Lakeshow has been doing consistent (don’t falter now) hard work and has comfortably gotten a 2-0. The BIG story for Game...

“Why are you smiling?” “Because one day, we will all be gone.  Our hearts will stop beating, our skin will wrinkle, and our teeth will rot until we’re reduced to dust;  you and I, and everyone we’ve ever loved.  The sidewalks we once shared will crumble, the...

It’s hard to believe that the 2012 NBA Playoffs is already here.  It’s probably because of the compressed 66-game season and the Lakeshow have only had their first Metta World Peace  incident. My boys are sitting comfortably at third place in the Western Conference, following...

Archipelago Of Kisses We live in a modern society. Husbands and wives don’t grow on trees, like in the old days. So where does one find love? When you’re sixteen it’s easy, like being unleashed with a credit card in a department store of kisses. There’s the first kiss. The...

The people of Mexico were lined up along the streets to see the Pope when he came to visit. This adorable little guy thought otherwise. Walking right smack in the middle of the street like a boss!  Love it! The photo was taken by Yuri Cortez of Getty Images way back in the end of...

Meet me offline.  I want you in the highest resolution, in four dimensions, the only way I know how to look at something beautiful.  You weren’t made for the screen, and neither was the broken skin where you cut yourself shaving and the almost-invisible hairs that paint the corners of...

So what kind of single person are you? The Asexual. The Asexual lives opposite the person who is perpetually part of a couple.  He never uses the word “we” or shows up with an extra body in tow come brunch.  The Asexual would never do that.  The Asexual lives in a binary world in which...

When it’s incredibly hot and you’re too hesitant to get out of the house just to buy ice cream, make some yourself.  AND check out what kind of booze you have at home, add it into your experiment and hope for the best. So this is exactly what I did today.  And nope, I don’t...

Most of us would be upset if we were accused of being silly. But the word “silly” comes from the old English word “selig,” and its literal definition is “to be blessed, happy, healthy and prosperous.” So get silly, kids.  It’s always a good...

It’s back, folks!  If you’ve always wanted to do volunteer work and don’t know where to start, then this is the perfect opportunity for you. Become a Hands on Manila volunteer! Join the “walk-in” volunteer orientation next week on April 26, 2012/ Thursday, 6PM at...

I know no one is filming this, but sometimes I like to stand in my balcony and stare out for too long anyway, I like to imagine that you’re standing on the sidewalk below it and craning your neck and begging, “Can I come upstairs, please?”  Whenever the bell rings I hold my...

They say that everything is more beautiful when you’re in love.  The grass is greener, the sun is brighter, the air is sweeter.  It’s as if the world suddenly wakes up along with you. Lovers often think that they are lucky – that this heaven is for their eyes only, unseen...

Like I always say, you always have a choice.  There’s no such thing as being stuck in a rut and an impossibility of getting out of it.  Also, boring folks are the only ones who get truly bored.  Having said this, I also believe that, as cliche as it may sound, being happy is something...

Holding hands may seem like an innocent gesture, but they show more than a simple interlocking of fingers. Your hands are one of the most essential parts of your body:  you build with them, feed with them, hold with them, touch with them, fight with them; they are the tools of the human...

Join U! Happy Events on the 126th event, Paint My Future! It is in partnership with one of the biggest foundations here, World Vision Philippines.   Join us for Art Attack:  Mural Painting, Collage Making & Origami.  Plus Dance and Magic with 100 kids from Jose Rizal Elementary School...

I can’t believe the Reds lost to the Latics.  I can’t.  I just can’t. I won’t even go the “blame the ref” route at this point. They haven’t been exactly horrendous in the last few weeks, just a bit boring, but still effective.   However, the game...

Ok, I’m guessing that at one point or another, we’ve all been either guilty of this or we’ve all felt terribly annoyed by this habit – friends using their mobile phones (texts, calls, online stuff) whilst having a meal or whilst spending quality time with one...

A query which almost everyone, at one point or another, has wondered about. His story starts like this:   your hair was salty after spending hours wrapped in the balm of a dark bar on a night you occasionally danced but mostly thought about how you needed a shower, mostly wished your drink...

I failed to watch the Australian & Malaysian grand prix legs of this season because I was out and about in Europe.  BUT like a lousy girl friend who realizes her mistakes, I’ve done some “making it up” leg work – watched the replays, paid homage to my Ferrari...

Was tasked to make 20 cupcakes for the kids participating in the  Easter Sunday egg hunt in my neighborhood.    The task was quite daunting given my extremely limited knowledge on “shaping” and “making” bunnies and/or eggs through my baking ingredients....

A sunset to night event to give solar light bottles to 100 kids/house of Bgy. Batis, San Juan.  You will be partnered with one kid and do group games, LED kite and poi show, poi workshop, magic, dance and lanterns together.  Presented by U! Happy Events.  We provide value and funding to...

“My worse date ever?” You asked. “I don’t know. I’m always amazed when the other person doesn’t ask you anything about yourself. This one date — once the autobiography started, it wouldn’t stop. I actually sat there, thinking, Wow, you’re not going to ask me a single...

I know I talk crap on being a thirysomething sometimes, but I’m only half-kidding.  In actuality, there’s no age I’d rather be.  (Besides maybe six years old because they don’t do anything besides eat ice cream and poop themselves.  That sounds like an ideal life to be completely...

Been on hiatus for several days now due to excessive fun gallivanting around Europe with one of my bestest friends in the world. I have, somewhat, lost contact with the crazy awesome sports teams I incredibly love for days and have only gotten updates from friends/fellow fans who provide...

Sitting in a gate in the Abu Dhabi International Airport whilst waiting for boarding to get to London and jumpstart another epic trip around Europe with one of my bestest friends in the world.  Travelers are chatting around me; the usual conversation about where they came from and where...

To me, you are the buzz on the back of the neck and the Cheshire Cat-smile after two generous glasses of wine.  You are the brush of fingers against each other, if only for a moment, as I’m handed the glass.  You are the flutter of the heart when the soft, dewy skin touches skin for just a...

Some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle,  and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it without knowing what’s going to happen next.  Delicious...

I love re-reading my favorite books.  A couple of days ago, I read Liz Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love again.  I do love the book. Now, I wouldn’t suggest announcing this to a group of scholarly graduate students or professors.  I would go with a safe answer, something along the lines...

Your past – no matter how painful, hurtful and messed up – is JUST a story.   This story has ended. People who have done you wrong – no matter how painful, hurtful and messed up – are JUST parts of a picture. This picture can be beautifully edited. And once you realize...

World Vision Philippines:  Sponsor A Child Program Sponsorship is a way for you to make a real and life-changing difference for ONE precious boy or girl in need, along with his/ her family and community. Your regular sponsorship pledges – of P600 a month, or P20 a day (P7,200 annually)...

UPDATE! Registration will be open beginning March 2, 2012 (Friday)! If you want to be a runner, head out to the following venues: TOBY’S SPORTS – Megamall, Mall Of Asia & The Block RUNNR – ATC, Bonifacio High Stree, Trinoma If you want to be one of the zombies,...

In this crazy awesome world, everything seems fleeting.  Seems like we just got home from the NYE festivities yet we’re bading February goodbye.  2 months of 2012 went ninja on most of us, eh? When we get caught up with the swirl of moments and people we have in our lives, it is so...

BAKE DATE!  Partner with a kid from SOS Philippines for a culinary experience! Get ready for another unique offering from U! Happy Events! Bake Date with 1 of 80 kids from SOS Philippines. Highlight would be Bake, Make & Decorate Cupcakes and Lunch! Plus Dance & Magic. The kids are...

All-Star weekend 2012 was like my first date – hopeful & exciting in the beginning, awkward throughout, and left me not quite sure how to feel about the whole ordeal when it ended. I think that commemorating the “greats” was a pretty promising concept, but it was...

So let’s say that theoretically I really like you. And theoretically, even though it sounds moronically cliché and overused, you give me butterflies. And just for kicks, let’s add that, all in theory of course, you may be the one of the most wonderful people I have ever met. And...

Not everyone enjoys dating. While many of us are excited by the prospect of meeting someone new, engaging in flirtatious text messages, picking restaurants, reading body language and offering romantic gestures, some of us that find the whole process entirely daunting. For hours beforehand, our...

So my first attempt in making macarons was in an actual class (where I was being taught how to MAKE Macarons).  It was successful because I was guided by the Big Hen (Heny) in every step of the way. I’ve made several attempts to make them by myself in the comforts of my own kitchen.  ...

You should never be too busy to smile, because creating happiness in your life does not take a lot of time.  You just have to do a few things right. 1.  Smile at perfect strangers. Don’t wait for people to smile.  Show them how. Let your guard down.  Talk to someone you don’t know...

This weekend, there have been a few stories on who will be the starting QB for the Redskins in 2012.  The thing is that I’m not sure anybody knows who it will be at this point, possibly not even head coach Shanny and GM Bruce Allen.  It really depends on a number of factors and a few...

Elle a dit qu’elle avait l’habitude de pleurer au moins une fois chaque jour pas parce qu’elle etait triste, mais parce que le monde etait si beau et la vie etait si...

Woody Allen had it partially right with the main characters in “Midnight in Paris.”  A lot of us have that desire to live in a historically, culturally relevant place and time.  I don’t wish I was alive during the Gold Rush, or the Renaissance, or the Roman Empire.  I like living now,...

By joining Team Gawad Kalinga (GK), you have the advantage of working with others in bayanihan (cooperation), thus multiplying your efforts with success. Thousands of lives are changed because you are united with others in the massive work of eradicating poverty. We are actively raising...

It’s Valentine’s Day, ninjas.   Who says your Valentine this year can’t be your beloved folks? Love your parents. We are all so busy growing up, we often forget that they are getting old. To my Mom & Dad, I love you guys more than anything in this...

You and I. A complicated series of almost interactions. You and I. We shall always be unfinished business. You and I. Hopefully, an epitome of delayed gratification. You and...

Please enjoy this advice, which differs from all the other “How To For Dummies” advice out there in that instead of being for a complete dummy it, is written by a complete dummy about this particular “holiday.”  I think that makes all the difference. Valentine’s...

So, this page caught my eye when I was reading People Magazine. This couple right here is Allen & Violet Large.  Allen is 75 & Violet is 78.  They met in 1964. Ever since 1983, they have purchased two lottery tickets every week.  Last year, Violet called the lottery hotline to...

Although the season is only a couple of months old, we already have the starting line-ups of the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.  Of course, we have to thank the 2011 NBA lockout and the condensed 66-game season for that. And this brings us to an annual tradition of a HUGE Lakers Fan:...

If those insane divas, the Mayans, are right, the world is totes gonna end in 2012, which is really…annoying. I don’t know about you guys but I was looking forward to being in my 60s, buying a hot sports car and getting a boyfriend (may or may not necessarily be in that order).  But...

It has been more than 36 hours since the game.  BUT HOLY GUACAMOLE.  I am still not over the rush of emotions that I went through in the Man U versus Chelsea Blue Balls episode. Days before the game, I predicted that we’ll do a 3-0 (2 goals by Rooney and 1 by my Chicharito).  I was...

I don’t drink beer.  I just couldn’t acquire the liking for it.   But here’s a pretty good theory about this drink which a lot of my friends cannot live without.  You may now use this theory to justify your beer devotion.  You guys know who you are.  LOL! In an episode...

The Superbowl Cake – sounds like some tough macho recipe for big muscled men wearing tight shiny football gear. I’m sure they’d appreciate the cake regardless, but it’s actually an old-fashioned squidgy apple and date cake with a caramelised coconut topping. It’s almost like a...

6:59 AM I’ve been told that people in the army do more by 7:00 AM than I do in an entire day. But if I wake up at 6:59 AM and turn to you to trace the outline of your lips with mine, I will have done enough and killed no one in the...

I love my dog, Cooper, heaps.  But this won’t be about him. Anderson Cooper.  The Silver Fox.  Mr. Vanderbilt.  Sex With A Side Part.  However you refer to him — and all names are equally apt — there is no denying that Anderson Cooper’s appeal is one that transcends all age,...

So who has caught up with the highly insignificant Man City in the BPL?  Yep, that’s right.  No other than the bestest football team in the world, kids. Stoke may not be one of the teams that makes our knees weak but hey, beating them last night brought us back on top after 2...

You can be happy tomorrow. You can be happy when you get through your list of things to do. You can be happy when you meet the one. You can be happy when you get the right job. You can be happy when you get that raise. You can be happy when you stop buying the things you need and start...

This is my “Happy Bites” segment’s first entry! In baking class, I was told that if there is no time for you to go out and buy a missing ingredient, then look in your kitchen for the closest possible alternative. So I realized that I only had a little of cocoa powder left....

I’ve realized that lately (if you count 5 to 8 years ago from today til now), people have been complaining more about aspects of their lives more than usual (if you count all those generations who’ve come before us – they were pretty satisfied with the cards they were dealt...

A race for the orphans, a race for your hearts! A very special race for the month of the heart—The Race For The Orphans will stir the Camp Aguinaldo Grounds in the still misty morning of February 12, 2011 each not only to experience running the peaceful grounds of the military camp but to...

So the team that our Skins swept this year is heading to the Super Bowl. Remember, the Redskins went 5-11 this year.  5-11.  They beat a horrible Rams team, a mediocre Cardinals team and a better than expected Seahawks team. …..and the Giants.    TWICE. And yet, here we are....

Crow’s feet, laugh lines, and all other different kinds of wrinkles. You might think they are all unsightly, but at least they showed you...

Everyone has an Achilles heel.  Everyone has that one thing that can cut them off at the knees, that wipes away the smug tweets and the happy Facebook photos that they’ve so carefully cultivated throughout the years.  It reduces you to a puddle of vulnerability, a feeling of being...

It’s hard to determine whether you really have feelings for someone, or you are just carried away by the good things he/she does. Which is why you cannot say if you are returning the love, or just returning the...

After bouts of euphoria combined with boisterous screams, rowdy jumping all over my flat, another broken glass, furious banging of the fists against anything, an “almost heart failure” and a crying fit…my boys did not fail me and the high hopes of humanity.  Ok, fine.  Not...

She asked him, “What kind of wedding would you want?” He replied, “The one that would make you my...

When the elephant is young and relatively weak, it is tied to an immovable stick.   So later, no matter how large and strong he becomes, he continues to believe that he cannot free himself.   Many intelligent people are like circus elephants.  They never question their self-imposed...

5 Steps To Embracing Your Single Self In 2012 Here it is:   the New Year has arrived like a bright, gleaming beacon of overwhelming hope and simultaneous possible death, if we adhere to certain ancient calendars. You have vowed to increase the size of your calves, keep it in your pants, buy...

Kids’ Soccer event by U! Happy Events Date:   February 11, 2012, 8AM Venue:   Quezon City Circle For the benefit of 100 kids of select street soccer communities.  This event is in partnership with Jeepney.   Wear white sports gear. Program: 800    Registration 900    Partnering,...

Ah, yes.  Being in my 30s and after 8 years (Yep, you’re reading a late bloomer’s blog!) of “immersing” myself in the dating scene, I’ve narrowed down the kind of men whom you might encounter (Good luck!) or have already crossed paths with (Ay caramba!). Amidst...

Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work.  In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you. Stop getting involved in...

A little tribute to one of my crazy awesome best friends. Chin, do not forget this. The universe is brought back from the brink of destruction every time you smile. In other words, everything in this earth is dependent on you, gorgeous.   So do us all a huge favor and keep smiling!  We love...

Single men – beware!  2012 is a Leap Year! Leap year has traditions older than wanting to leap to escape presidential campaign ads in the U.S.  Ha! In the past, when it simply wouldn’t have done for a woman to propose to a man except during leap year, men might have wanted to...

This article can change the way you view life from this day onwards.  Thanks to my Universe Sister – the awesome Eartha Austria – for sharing it with me! The Top 5 Regrets People Make On Their Deathbed  This article was written by a nurse who has worked for many years in...

Sometimes beautiful things come into our lives out of nowhere. We can’t always understand them, but we have to trust in them. I know you want to question everything, but sometimes it pays to just have a little faith. 2012 is a leap year.  Take that crazy wonderful leap,...

Finally!  My Reds have made me so very happy!  They have beaten Man C!  It’s sweet redemption! So I’ve been getting a lot of crap from friends who support Man C.  Yes, our 6-1 loss to City this season is horrible.  Still, knocking City from the FA cup in the third round, and...

Weeks have passed since Sendong devastated CDO & Iligan. But our brothers and sisters there are still in dire need of help. World Vision has deployed quick assessment teams in affected areas who made recommended response in coordination with local officials and leaders to serve the...

I am wearing my Carrie Bradshaw pants today.  They just fit so good right now for some reason. A few weeks ago, I was having lunch with my friend and we were talking about where we felt like we were in our lives.  Yeah, it was that kind of lunch.  Not the fun, flirty, gossipy kind but the...

Life is too precious to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s...

Yep, you guessed it.  This won’t be pretty. Newcastle kicked our Red asses.  What the hell??? Rooney, Berbatov, Park and Giggs conceding possession every time they get the ball.  Valencia is not far behind.  Rafael is fit so WTF is Valencia playing FB?  Nani and Valencia should be...

Chances are, you’re not going to be alone forever.  You might joke about being a spinster – about getting cats with diamond collars or maybe an obnoxious Cockatoo you can teach dirty words to – but inside you, somewhere deep in your bowel, nestled beneath your utmost fears and...

Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day.  Every evening, the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do?  Draw out every cent, of course? Each of us has...

What in the world is happening to our Lakeshow? A week into the 2011-2012 NBA season and they are a .500 team.  Whilst that seems pretty forgivable in the post-lockout context, it’s quite unacceptable given the team’s talent and history. They are considered contenders, but are no...

UPDATED DETAILS: The Philippine national men’s football team Azkals will hold a charity game for victims of the typhoon Sendong on January 7 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. The match dubbed as “Dili kamo nag-iisa” will feature Azkals Alyansa, a selection of Azkals players...

“New Year’s eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of...

“I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you’ll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you’ll make something that didn’t exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return.   And, most...

A toast to those who didn’t believe and ended up incredibly in love. To our dear ones that are no longer by our side and to the ones that still are and give our lives meaning. To our families that love us unconditionally and accept us for who we were and who we’ve become. To our...

Happy Christmas to my dearest family and friends from me and the mini Cooper! Here’s a ShinyHappyKaren e-greeting from someone using environmental friendliness as an excuse for being too cheap and lazy to send a real card! I love everyone of you, nonetheless! Oh and Coop’s wearing...

There are certain and altogether unalienable threads that tie me together and are wound so tightly around each other that they create the framework for these tired bones.  The skeleton that will one day be covered with the skin of my experiences and the scars of longing and some ache that...

It’s 3 days ’til Christmas.  Let’s work really hard in helping out our brothers and sisters in CDO/Iligan.  These are other ways for you to make them feel it’s still Christmas. TV5 KAPATID FOUNDATION Donate in Cash Bank of the Philippine Islands Savings Account No....

This is quite hysterical especially if you are a dog or cat lover.  I’ve always loved dogs and have also always thought that cats are kinda creepy (sorry cat lover friends!).  But this article may have an inclination to the truth.  Read on! Excerpts from a dog’s diary:  8:00 am –...

Let’s help out and DONATE NOW! Emergency Alert: Typhoon Sendong Tropical Storm Sendong (international name: Washi) ravaged Mindanao, slamming it with devastating rains and unleashing flash floods and landslides that have left a horrifying trail of destruction. As of 10AM, the death toll...

Chances are, you’re not going to be alone forever. Start spending more time with you.  Laugh at your own jokes.  Luxuriate in solitary silence.  Walk.  Read. Pamper yourself.  Be as filthy and disgusting as you please.  Learn the comfort of your own embrace.  It’s a cliché but...

She had blue skin And so did he. He kept it hidden And so did she. They searched for blue Their whole life through. Then passed right by And never...

Damn you, David Stern.  Thanks for ruining a day in my life. I went crazy when my Twitter feed & email got flooded by my fellow Lakeshow folks that we finally signed CP3.  I was already playing scenarios of awesomeness in my head . With Pau Gasol (although saddened by this) going to the...

Yep, last night pretty much sucked.  After a glorious night of watching Train in concert, I came home to this – my Red Devils failed to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time since the 2005-06 season, after losing 2-1 in Basel on such a gravely &...

“I could introduce myself properly, but it’s not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at somepoint in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my...

It’s Christmas time once again! Join us in “Magical Christmas” with 1,000 kids of Injured Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Soldiers at the Wellness Center of Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Magic has always been part of our events- and what better way to coin it on the happiest...

When you are in a really good mood, write down at least twenty-five things you are grateful for (the longer the list, the better). Read them before you go to bed and you’ll sleep better.  Read them when you’re down and you’ll recover faster. Add to your list whenever you can...

In 20 to 30 years, one of the most difficult things our kids will have to go through…                       is finding a screen name that hasn’t already been taken. True...

One afternoon, whilst walking down the street, I saw this really old man standing in front of my favorite coffee place. He seemed to be in deep conversation with someone, making gestures with his hands with varying facial expressions, but nobody else was there. As I walked in front of him, I...

THE LOCKOUT IS OVER! As soon as I heard the news a few days ago, I ran to my closet, pulled out my Kobe jersey, wore it and danced like a mad woman in my living room – yep, I did the running man, the rump shaker, the tootsie roll and da dip, yo.  I was ecstatic! The 2011-12 NBA season,...