Tae Bo 8 Minute Work Out by Billy Banks

In a forum I am a member of, they were talking about the possibility of losing weight after a fifteen minute workout. It's actually quite possible, especially if you're into Tae Bo exercises. Of course, this is just a starter program. The more you get fit, the more you'll have to increase your fat-burning and muscle-toning regimen.

This routine ends up with a stretching sequence which isn't shown in this video.

But don't go too harsh on yourself. It took me a week to catch up with what Billy Banks was asking in this video. If you're overweight or obese, don't abuse your limit just yet. It's always better to start with walking or jogging just to shed those extra weight (and increase your stamina) before delving into this kind of exercise.

Once your at it, remember that if at first you might feel your knees buckle after 2 days of doing this straight, give it a rest or tone it down a little.

And lastly, to gain the maximum benefit of Tae Bo, check your form and posture in the mirror once in a while. Without an instructor, you might just be surprised how often solo doers do incorrectly.

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Is Blogging a Thing of the Past?

I've just received news that Adgitze is closing down. Previously it had been CMFads. Now, it's Adgitize.

Does this mean the blogging world is dying? Surprisingly, forums seem to be the current trend in the online community. It's odd how quick the turn over from one thing to another is inevitable. Does this mean most bloggers will now start creating forums?

Either way, for those who depend on their online income to keep them afloat, change is already expected to be the constant thing in this world. Which simply means finding the next money making gimmick is constantly sought after.

Happy blogging.

posted from Bloggeroid

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Crocheting: As a Hobby

I started crocheting when I was 8 or 9. My mom and sister taught me how to do chain stitches and half double crochet stitches. More than 15 years later, I'm back to making little bags and pouches as a hobby. 

This Christmas, one of my beau's employers asked me how much it'd cost me to make him a coin pouch. I honestly told him I didn't have any idea. Since I was in a giving mood, I offered to make him one, free of charge. They'd been teasing me these past days due to me bringing my other work. It was a sweater for my dog which I made as a present.

Unfortunately that sweater was pretty big for him that I needed to create a new one. The partial picture of the sweater is located in MyDogsLove.Me

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Thirst 4 by Christopher Pike

It gives me great joy to proudly say I have crossed out Thirst 4 in my "must-read" books for this year. Although I have two more Robin Cooks to read, the thought of finally finishing the Thirst series (at its current state) is something I'm somewhat happy to share to the world.

I'd like to share one of the excerpts of the book which is memorable to me (AFTER THE SPOILER ALERT). Christopher Pike's learned and interesting way of describing the higher beings are what I find most appalling. It had been so long since I could've accepted theories on regarding God and I'm delighted to have found a series of words and descriptions that completely make sense to me.

My beau is calling me a Pike-ist (derived from terms such as Theist and Atheist) because of how I like Pike's explanation of that which are unexplainable at the moment. He is a wonderful writer and I have tracked his books for more than 15 years.

SPOILER ALERT

Thirst 4 is definitely one of his well-written works. Like all the Last Vampire series, this is definitely worth every penny it cost. Alisa Perne makes a comeback as a reincarnate for the first half of the book just to be transferred back to her old body after being stuck as newborn vamp. It had its moments, especially with the 5000 year-old vampire craving for fresh human blood and lacking the skill set she used to have.

She joins forces with the two most important people in Yaksha's life while fighting a force larger than life called the Hydra (as Krishna has described). Thinking the climax had passed, it greatly took me by surprise that one more twist was about to unravel.

I believe Krishna's approach to spirituality was more scientific. He said that whatever path you follow in life, you should uncover small proofs along the way so you know you're going the right way. Otherwise, you could end up chasing illusions.

The quoted excerpt is one my favorite lines in the book. I want to share more of them but that would spoil Thirst 4. I've noticed that Christopher Pike is now into exploring more of the world's outlook on religion and it's nice to read from a fresh mind other than the ones in Youtube or the Church.

My next question would be... is this truly the last of the Thirst Series or will I be anxiously waiting for another one of Sita's resurrection or prequels to come?

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Freerice.com: Donate Rice Through Playing

Getting bored of Facebook games? Having spare time to play a game for charity? Visit www.freerice.com. It's a word game wherein the player guesses the definition of the word in order to advance to the next level.

Free Rice 2.0

Not only will you be able to enhance your vocabulary, but you will also be helping feed children in impoverish nations. 

For every right answer you give, 10 grains of rice of are donated to the United Nations World Food Program. Check it out

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Boarding Gate 1 (NAIA)

I'm a little out of words at the moment so I'm just going to post a GIF I created. There's one more photo I'll be adding soon once I'm done compiling it.

Happy Sunday.

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Crazy, Stupid, Love Movie

Rotten Tomatoes wasn't short of approval when it gave Crazy, Stupid, Love a mark of freshness from its critics. It was funny, smart, romantic, and has a lesson worth sharing about dating, sex and picking up strangers from a bar.

My beau and I were both laughing at how their predicament sounds like what we were going to experience after 20 years of being married. I couldn't help but look at him and smile while watching Steve Carell getting out of the car while Julianne Moore was still pouring her heart out. Seriously, how hard is it for men to find a little time to listen. It was pretty obvious that Emily (Julianne Moore) wasn't really intent on asking for the divorce. She probably just felt that she had to say something stronger to provoke Cal's feelings.

I've enjoyed watching Emma Stone in Easy A, it's not a surprise her role in here would be something  of sexual nature. Still, I did enjoy her date with Ryan Gosling. The "Seriously!?! It's like your Photoshopped scene!" was one of the best parts in the movie. And here's one of those quotes I loved hearing.

Jacob: Are you Steve Jobs?
Cal: What?
Jacob: Hold on a second. Are you the billionaire owner of Apple Computers?
Cal: No.
Jacob: Oh. Okay. Well, in that case, you got no right to wear New Balance sneakers ever.

The Weaver's son Robbie was great at giving advices for his parents and his passionate enthusiasm to woe his babysitter Jessica was creepy yet sweet.

Overall, it's definitely one of those movies worth watching with a spouse, a partner or some friends.

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What a Week: Bathroom Construction

Life is so harsh. I'm so tired today because of the mini-construction going on at home. We're tiling the bathroom and fixing a portion of the house. It's been an endless week of fitting in schedules and making time to check the foreman's job.

A couple of weeks ago, we were experiencing mini-earthquakes. I was wondering what the cause of it was, as there weren't news of any occurring. To my surprise, the foreman in-charge of tiling and "prettifying" the bathroom informed us that the cemented portion of the house is slowly sinking. There was a big gap between the wall towards the other rooms and the wall of the bathroom. The cemented portion is leaning at an approximately 10 degrees angle. Not only was it funny, but devastating as well.

Who would've thought that the cemented part was the first one to get damaged. So now, aside from the issue of fitting the the entire bathroom renovation in the number of labor days I and my sister ( courtesy of my generous BIL) could afford, I had to spend extra to put braces at the bottom of the kitchen, to help support the weight of the cemented walls and floor.

I chose blue tiles because those were the best looking ones I've seen. Unfortunately, this also means that the room could turn into an insect touring spot. Let's just hope the white wall will deflect them- even in the slightest way.

After the construction ( and the paint job me and my beau will be doing), we'll have a brand new bathroom my mom will be happy of... hopefully.

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Dexter Season 5

I'm not sure if I loved this particular season or not. I was done viewing it in less than a day. Maybe I did like it, but it hasn't elicited much reaction other than I can't wait for the next season.

Having Julia Stiles as his new partner was a breath of fresh air from the usual solo flight. I partially hoping she'd stay, but then I do initially dislike her. Fortunately, since she was on a majority of the episodes, she's grown like a moss in favor of Dexter's new love interest.

I was hoping that she'd stay for a while, but maybe that's too much to ask. Dexter seems to like blond haired women. Astor was right, though. It seemed too soon for him to have someone new when even I would've waited a little while before they'd replace Rita.

I suppose if it makes Dexter happy, then the viewers are happy. The entire season revolved around Julia Stiles doing most of the killing. It's too bad their bond had ended there. I found it funny how she found herself a kill outfit just like Dexter's.

Well, at least Harrison is already starting to talk. His first words- no pun intended- was die-die. That portion had been awkwardly hilarious.

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Thirst 3 by Christopher Pike

 
Ahhh, another book by Christopher Pike tucked safely in my mind. After re-reading the first two Thirst books also known as The Last Vampire novels, I'm glad I was able to finish this one sooner than I expected. I started reading it while I was waiting for my flight home and had just finished it a couple of minutes ago. Now, like a new-born vampire, I am craving for Thirst 4, anxious to find out what adventure awaits the famous Sita.

In Thirst 3, Sita faces two giant enemies- one in the name of the Telar ( an ancient race eager to disseminate the entire human race) and the IIC ( who possesses a powerful weapon in their hands). Both are after her, yet it is still a puzzle as whether they want her dead or alive. Surely, dead -as she's been that way 5000 years ago but definitely in a state where she can still share her worldly knowledge ( by torture or by.... umm, torture).

She meets an interesting personality by the name of Matt and Seymour is back in the picture. For those who've read Thirst 1 and 2, Seymour is an HIV-ridden high school friend who's supposedly written the manuscript of her life.

What's nice about Thirst 3 is that before the story gets deep into the action, Sita (Alisa Perne) visits Seymour and her whole life is summarized in 2 to 3 pages. That's right, there's no more need to read the first two books! But I'm sure most of the people reading this 3rd masterpiece of Pike have already done so.

Christopher Pike's newer books about Alisa have a more updated tech to it. Aside from the old school guns this particular vampire has in her arsenal, she is now accompanied by a mysterious and powerful being (whose name and parents I won't divulge) with a knack for state-of-the-art weaponry and gadgets.

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Dexter Season 4 Series Review

Sorry for being a little late on the review of this particular season. I stopped watching TV's favorite serial killer for some time because of other priorities. I've been warned prior to viewing this season that a "WTF" moment will occur.

Damn you, Arthur !!! Now, even the baby's damaged.

And indeed, it stood true. Now, I am cursing the entire last episode for making it feel that all was well whilst keeping the climactic end a secret until the last few minutes of the show.

Superb acting. You shouldn't have prolonged the anticipation. We all knew you'd get your killer anyway!

John Lithgow was superb in his role. I've also noticed that Jennifer Carpenter ( Debra Morgan) is getting better at cuing her cusses to her facial expression. I hated her during the first season due to her awkwardness. But now, she's getting better at being a detective (and her acting) and I'm sure a number of anti-Debras have decided to switch sides and see what the following seasons will be for her.

Ah, the pleasure of success...

So, the worst is over  for Season 4. I can't wait to see what it's going to be like with the marriage of Lauren Velez ( Lt. La Guerta) and David Zayas ( Angel Batista). I can also feel that there's a possible threat in the name of Joey Quinn ( Desmond Harrington).

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Banapple: The Third Wave

Last Stop, Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes...

They say the third time's the charm. Well, this is the third time I've gone to Banappple at Katipunan Avenue and I'm loving it more than ever. We ordered our food to go. Accompanied by a Dark Choco (105 php) and Mocha Fudge (105 php) Smoothie, we were both feeling bloated even before reaching NAIA (or maybe it was just I who felt that way).

NOMS!!!

I had to have a taste of the much promoted potion pie- a wonderful blend of chocolate and caramel with an almond-winged chocolate fly on top of every slice- and taste it I have!  The display full of scrumptious cakes was just enough to revitalize my appetite (even after having eaten lunch right about 30 minutes ago).

MORE NOMS!!!

We ate the baked creamy cheesy penne (185 php) two hours after my sister's shift started. We'd been so full with our veggie lunch that eating the pasta was more of a burden to the tummy. But the taste was... well... heavenly. CHEESE!!!

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Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Tower, Manila

Before I was to come home, my sister asked me to stay at her workplace for a couple of hours to spend some quality bonding time. She works near the airport and her office has a spectacular view of the entire premise. Unfortunately, my camera doesn't have the power to fully capture the beauty of the spectacular view taken from a height of 12 floors.

Sunset at NAIA Tower

It just warms my heart to know my sister is one of the greatest things I have in this world. I've already mentioned her in the Nene Effect. I was wondering why she had asked her office mate that time of the sunset's schedule. Little was I aware, she'd planned to take a picture of it.

NAIA Car Park

She even took a picture of the cars parked below. Not everybody can take a tour of the NAIA Tower and I'm glad I was there to capture and share it here.

For my pièce de résistance, a GIF made by yours truly. I would like to give credit to my sister for having taken the photos that were used.

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Bar: The Library Comedy Bar

This was the bar I had procrastinated to post about. The Library had not been as memorable as Zirkoh, but I'd still give credit to their hosts for making the night pretty entertaining. We were lucky to have gone there during "Queen of the Nights" Talent Night.

It's not a surprise that I'd get to see a number of talents just like in Zirkoh. Although the jokes had been greener compared to the former, one of the most unforgettable moment I have ever encountered there was while hearing a voluptuous lady singing male lead songs phenomenally.

GP and PG wise, I'd rather recommend Zirkoh. Otherwise, nights with special events are definitely a must-see treat. The "Queen of the Night" experience was fun. At one moment, I and my sister had been debating whether the person upfront was actually a woman. Seeing a number of men dressed sexily with flowing hair paired with real bosoms is not a usual experience for me.

I regret not knowing the name of that singing lady. I even searched for her weekly group in their website thelibrary.com.ph. Alas, to no avail.

This is Contestant Number 1. One of the comments made by my group about him was he looked like Ara Mina. And that's no insult on her part. He had a very quaint smile.

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Food: Alfredo's Steak House

The evening of November 17...

Alfredo's is found in Quezon City, Tomas Morato. They are well-known for their scrumptious steaks cooked from imported meat and high price tag. This was where the festivities would end tonight. Even my brother-in-law wasn't able to eat up his entire ration.

Here is my beautiful juicy steak before it had been dissected. Medium rare was my sister's choice, but nonetheless nothing I'm particular of. Had I gone hungry even at least once the entire day, I'm sure this sizzling piece of protein would've just perfectly made its way home in my tummy.

But no! I had cake, iceblended coffee with extra whip cream, two plates of spaghetti and two glasses of C2 during snack time. And that was to say the least of it. At Alfredo's I had thick, rich tomato soup, a pandesal, and two types of vegetable salads. Oh yes, the gravy as well! Should I still review their food? Shouldn't this be enough to show how much I loved the flavors and the ambience of the restuarant? The service was top-notched, too.

Not to forget my Rib-eye steak (which cost 1,500php). That last bite piece was to be the pinnacle of my entire day's meal. And I only had two glasses of the bottomless iced tea to accompany it. I felt my head swirling...Oh no, please don't let it be my body's warning sign of a hypertension. Or maybe it was protein overload.

Sango!'s store frontage is the one at the right bottom corner.

I felt staying still was not an option. So to keep myself moving, I and my nieces went accross the street towards Sango!. This a burger joint (more or less) who offered free manga reading. Each corner table had a row of manga selections.The receptionist was even nice to us- giving us some origami samples even when I told her we weren't dining in. Sango! is definitely on my TO-VISIT list when I come back.

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Reminiscing My Niece's Birthday

Imagine today's the 17th of November. The kids are at school and my sister has her day-off. We go the grocery store and stock up for snack time's spaghetti. Once done with the first task, we go to Red Ribbon to buy the pretty Tiramisu cake which have lasted for more than a week in the refrigerator. The day had turned out even better when my sister bought me and herself a venti Starbucks Dark Mocha with extra whip cream in SM.

Kate's 11th Birthday Cake

Not that the cake tasted too sweet or too bland, nobody just had the guts to claim the last piece due to the possibility of facing the wrath of the birthday girl.

We had the traditional spaghetti topped with cheese and hotdog slices. Two platefuls, I recall mine- and a glass of C2 lemon to quench my thirst. Yet the night didn't end here.

We went to Alfredo's that same evening. After being accustomed to vegetables and a generally fish-based diet, this was the first time I've felt so bloated after only devouring a quarter of my steak.

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Comedy Bar: Zirkoh

We just got home from Zirkoh Bar at Tomas Morato. This is the 3rd bar I had gone to within this year and definitely the best one ever. My sister kept on talking about Onse and I couldn't help but be curious what the rave was all about him.

Zirkoh is the most wholesome bar I have gone to. I've even noticed a number of kids in the audiences who've participated in the show. The performers there are generally great singers and some of which are really funny and delightful dancers. 

I have to admit, Onse was a sight to behold. Imagine a never ending GIF or that energizer bunny running on turbo batteries. Not only is he a charming young man, but also an amusing comedian. He reminds me of one of my nieces who can't stop moving.  Mind you, he isn't all jeering and singing. He can also dance and create smart intuitive jokes on the spot. I felt he was sucking my energy because of his level of activity. And that's a compliment!

The entire Zirkoh Monday group was a blast. There was Boobay who did Beyonce's Who Run the World and Willie Jones, Joyce Yadao, Rheena, and Nikki who all have majestic voices (I sincerely apologize for not knowing everyone in depth but 80% of my consciousness was focused on LMAO-ing because they were very hilarious.). Since most comedy bars have sing-alongs wherein a number of customers are selected from the audience, this night in particular had been especially fun because there was the "Bingo Guy" who seemed game with whatever he'd been advised to do by Expert Performance Adviser Onse and a lady with big busts who Onse once again made fun of. 

And for those who have instantly assumed that what they're doing is insulting/degrading,  a comedy bar is a comedian's turf. They're there to entertain and not to be taken seriously. It's an unwritten rule that if you enter a comedy bar, you're prepared to go under the spotlight. I wasn't spared either. Fortunately, I had only been mistaken a T-Bird.

Their guest host had been Boobsie. Imagine a big round baby wearing a dress and a giant bow on her head. The most memorable part of her performance was when she did the macho dance for a body guard whom she had fitted her pink garments to. The video below isn't her entire performance but it'll suffice my claim.

P.S. The laughing really sucked every ounce of power I had reserved for staying up late.

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Food for Thought: Spring Deer Restaurant

My brother-in-law has a certain affinity for Chinese food. So today, it's not a surprise we went to Springdeer in Timog, Quezon City. I've already eaten there once and I didn't mind savoring their scrumptious dishes once again. 

This restaurant is mostly packed with people during dinner especially since most of their seafood are still alive before they're cooked. They have this large aquariums where you can actually ask what type of fish, eel or crustacean that is and what dish they can be made of.

Poor things, they're going to be caught, placed in a pail and  brought straight to the kitchen.

I believe this in particular is called the rock fish. My sister and nieces were making fun of it saying it was "planking" vertically. Too bad I had been too shy to take the shot because I'd been too shy.

Noms... Spring Deer Restaurant

The rest of our orders had just arrived and we're really hungry. My personal favorite is the Beef and Brocolli. Their Yang Chow rice and Hot and Sour soup aren't bad either. We also tried the roasted duck which had to be wrapped in pita-like bread. 

Whatever Chinese resto we're in, Hot and Sour Soup and Lemon Chicken are always part of our menu. Last Sunday, we went to Yang Chow at Shopwise, Libis. The food was great but the service was a tad awful. We had to follow-up our drinks twice before they brought it to our table. It probably took them 15 minutes before finally bringing my Coke in can  and it even took them longer to deliver the Melon Shake and Nai cha (Milk Tea, which by the way tasted good).

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Vampire Diaries Season 3 on Vacation

There's this news circulating the internet that the Vampire Diaries will stop showing until January 5, 2012. That's a pretty long time to wait for the next episode. Although I know some people would highly disagree on this, I'm sure that there are others who are wondering why. I don't know either except that it's going on a long vacation.

I just finished watching the Episode 9 from the 3rd Season and was thinking that maybe it was because it seemed awkward to just proceed to episode 10 when 9 was like a climactic ending- a prelude to a new season.

Well, I can't wait for January 5! I do hope they have an interesting set after the new year. The fans will be dying to see what happens now that Stefan is temporarily out of the picture- giving Damon some me time with Elena.

Almost... but not quite there yet.

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My Flight To Manila

At least once a year, I visit my sister here in Manila. I get to troubleshoot some of their gadgets and computers and in return spend a wonderful couple of weeks with her family. Not to forget the fattening ritual. Noticeably, every year I stay with them, I grow fatter because of the great places my sister and brother-in-law brings me to.

One day, my sister just calls me and asks me to come here. It was originally set before November 1 but was later moved last November 8. Unfortunately, I could not have written this posts real time as the first couple of days had been a bit hectic.

Iloilo International Airport Pre-departure Area

The Iloilo International Airport located in Cabatuan, Iloilo isn't the busiest airport in the entire world but it's definitely worth taking a picture of. I especially like having JD (one of Iloilo's cheapest cafe/bakehouse/restaurant) inside the check-in area available for buying great cakes and pastries

If I were to be asked my personal preference in airlines, the answer would definitely be PAL or Philippine Airlines. Why? Aside from the little LCD screens on board showing how long and far the destination is, they also have free snacks ( I had Graham Crackers and Happy Peanuts) and coffee. It may not sound a big deal, but compared to the other airlines who don't serve any at all due to budget cuts, anything is better than nothing. 

Philippine Airlines Airbus-320

Almost all my tickets are purchased through online booking, this is also where PAL is better than Cebu Pacific. No offense to the latter, but their site isn't the most novice-friendly page for online booking. A minute you've selected the cheapest flight but once you've clicked next, you'd have tons of additional taxes and services added in your total bill. 

Yes, PAL is expensive when you intend to book a flight within 2-4 days from now- which is why advanced planning takes an important role on airline selection. If you plan to go somewhere. Do your best to set a date a month (or even a week) before and you might be able to find a cheap option in PAL.

P.S. No, I wasn't paid by PAL to advertise them. And besides, they still have that ongoing issue regarding their employees.

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Acceptable Risk by Robin Cook

"Of course there is a risk," Edward said. "There is always a risk, but I'm confident it is an acceptable risk. Ultra is not toxic, that we know for sure."

It took me some time to finish Robin Cook's Acceptable Risk. It had been a funny book. I did love how he's incorporated the Salem Witch Trials with an unknown psychotropic fungus.

Kim, as the female protagonist, was somewhat an insecure and timid type which made sense given her past relationships. She was paired with Edward, who almost had the same personality as she, yet with the exception of him being extremely intellectual. The story revolves around Kim and her controversial ancestor, Elizabeth Stewart.

Before I had read the book, I was already telling myself that maybe this'd be one of Mr. Cook's open-ended novels. Reaching the last couple of chapters further strengthened my hypothesis that I would once again end up frustrated for not knowing what follows next. I'm glad he didn't do that.

Dr. Cook made it a point to place in a mystery item where in the main character would constantly be in a detective chase trying to figure out what it was. Even I couldn't help but speed through the pages to understand what the big secret was. Nonetheless, I am glad to have not cheated myself by reading the entire book without skipping a page.

In short, I loved it. Dr. Cook is one of the best writers when it comes to medical thrillers. He even adds a touch of mystique and flawed human emotion which the layman can relate to.

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Mutant by Peter Clement

I was a little surprised to buy a book for less than $1. It instantly took my attention with the words "medical thriller" all in caps on its cover page.I've been reading from some very good authors and I was curious as to Peter Clement's book titled "Mutant".

After three weeks of intermittently reading, I've finally finished it. Yes, dear friends, it took me three weeks because it hadn't been much of a page turner. Surprisingly, the fact that I'm making a post about it just means it's not that bad.

Compared to Robin Cook, Peter Clement made it a point to cram a whole lot of medical jargon in approximately 359 pages. Although accompanied by explanations, I still had a difficult time understanding some terms because I'm just a layman. Call me stupid, better yet call me SAS (for Short Attention Span). But if you're not into genetics and medical stuff, this is definitely not the book for you.

In Toxin, Robin Cook made it a point that his doctor protagonist was to be projected as any helpless person who could not fix his daughter's disease. Well, in Mutant, the hero and heroine were experts in their respected fields- making their discussion more alien to me. There had been a couple of times that I had to ask my beau what they were talking about. Picture me reading an entire paragraph to him while he was concentrating on something else.

Still, with all due respect to the author, the story showed a whole lot of dedication in explaining his ulterior purpose as to caution everyone of what may be going on in the scientific world we aren't aware of. I'm giving Mutant a 3 out of 5 because of the sometimes draggy atmospheric descriptions and too complex scientific explanations. And I also won't forget how the term "shit" has been used too often. Yet when there are cons, there are pros as well. It's a little surprising how a story like this can still have a detailed sex scene (I can recall 4 counts) and gruesome sceneries of plague and helplessness for those affected by the genetically modified Ebola.

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Site Updates

After making use of Blogger for some time, I’ve decided to try WordPress as well. It’s driving me crazy not knowing the basic customization. I hope this is all worth it for the sake of being able to use Commentluv.

I’ve spent practically the entire day editing my posts to make it look simpler and better in WordPress. Since I have approximately 89 posts at the moment, I still have a long way to go.I’m hungry at the moment. See you at table. If you come, I’ll give you a slice of chocolate cake.

News Flash: I just went back begging to Google. Haha!

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Toxin by Robin Cook

It's not a surprise that I'd eventually explore the medical science fiction genre in books. I was taken aback by how it took my interest starting with Gary Birken's Plague. I've seen Robin Cook's famous novel Outbreak made into a movie. In fact, I've watched Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo multiple times acting as the experts on the epidemic. Having that opportunity to grab a cheap hardbound copy of Toxin was just darned luck. It was quite a catch, finding it beneath some copies from other best-selling authors like Nora Roberts, Michael Crichton and Iris Johansen.


Compared to Gary Birken's Plague, Toxin had an indefinite end which suggested a sequel. It almost followed the same style as Outbreak. For those who haven't seen it yet, I won't be spoiling the fun as to tell it here. Robin Cook made it a point to make the people aware of what is currently happening in the government system. Corruption everywhere has been apparent- starting in the first chapters of the book. To make things worst, not only has it been hard for Dr. Kim Reggis to obtain proper help when his daughter got sick, but he right then and there saw how the administration he was working under had no genuine intention of helping people without profit as their main concern.

Ironic how I had just been reading this book after which I ate a burger. Robin Cook's vivid description on how cows were processed, momentarily gave me second thoughts on eating burgers or anything made of meat, for that matter. After all, the E. Coli O157:H7 strain had come from a rare cooked burger. I'd just like to warn all meat-lovers out there that this book teaches a valuable lesson on seriously making it a point to cook meat well. Even then, it hadn't been enough to kill the bacteria. Surprisingly, with all the effort that's been placed to exposing the truth to the public, money played the important role of covering these tracks.

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Action Trip: The A-Team & The Losers

Today, I'm going to combine two movies in one article. Although I did have a dilemma as whether to combine Losers and Colombiana (overloaded with Zoe Saldana's sexiness), I finally decided otherwise. Why? Because of the following reasons:

A. Both movies were action packed.
B. Both did not lack the handsome young heartthrob namely Bradley Cooper and Chris Evans
C. They were both lead by extraordinary men (Liam Neeson and Jeffrey Dean Morgan)
D. Both scored poorly in the reviews most likely for having been compared to their originals.
E. Both had fine lady leads that probably made some guys drool.
F. And lastly, both had its charming moments although the other had been teeming with dark jokes and obvious incompetence that made it more hilarious than the other.

If you've been reading my previous reviews, I wouldn't be surprised if someone would comment that I don't usually depreciate a movie. Well, I'm pretty guilty of mostly reviewing only movies I love.

The A-Team

Starred by Liam Neeson as their boss Col. "Hannibal" Smith, the team's specialty is Special Forces ops. I'm no military buff but there was no need for any military knowledge to understand the gist of the story. It already stood out with its characters' colorful chemistry. Director Carnahan made no mistake selecting Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as Liam Neeson's subordinates.


Before I knew that the A-Team had already existed in the 80s, I told myself B.A. reminded me of Mr. T. The movie made me curious enough as to seek answers to what all the ruckus was about the 80s series. I Wiki-ed it and it did not catch me by surprise that Mr. T. was the original B.A.

I may no further expand my interest in talking about Jessica Biel, but let it be known that I am a fan of hers. I liked her in Blade, Stealth and 7th Heaven. Her beauty is simple and not so voluptuous compared to Angelina Jolie.

No, this is not a comparison between Jessica Beal and Angelina Jolie. Neither is it between Liam Neeson and Sean Connery. It's just one of those hilarious scenes I found. I'm sure some of you are familiar where this came from.

While watching the movie, I was questioning my friend if it were possible for Liam Neeson to be the next Sean Connery. He does, after all, have the same of skill set and vocal chord range, even though I've rarely seen Mr. Neeson starring in romantic films. My friend looked at me with the widest of eyes feeling exasperated. His words definitely explained why, "Liam Neeson is Liam Neeson. Sean Connery is Sean Connery. Both are different men and no one can be the next Sean Connery so as the next Liam Neeson. They both have made a name for themselves already." I had to suppress a chuckle at my friend's allegiance to the two men.

The Losers

Doing Special Ops was just part of The Losers story. Someone was out there for revenge. They also had a peculiar choice for a bad guy to mess with. He killed someone who made the tiniest mistake.

Chris Evan partially plays a concerned uncle rooting for his nieces soccer game. He also has no sense of charisma which makes this movie more hilarious.

"Go Petunias!"

Jeffrey Dean Morgan was one tough boss. It's a surprise why no one else has bothered to give him more action roles. As Clay in this particular movie, one of his weaknesses had been dating bad women- with his boys reminding him of one who specifically wanted to blow him up. Meeting Zoe Saldana had been bad news for them. But her offering them a way to come back to their country and clear their names was a chance difficult to pass up.

One of the movie's saving grace. I hope the video above hasn't spoiled the entire plot as to decide not to watch it. The Losers had its funny moments.

It took me some time to write this review because I had to go to Youtube to pick trailers. While doing so, I couldn't help but check out some new zombie movies. I'm a sucker for zombie flicks but never had the guts to do a review about it because I'd have to watch them all over again and I didn't like Shaun of the Dead which have had outstanding reviews as almost everybody who watched it just loves Shaun, even Romero himself.

For those who've read this, most are wondering why I don't like comparing movies to their origins. Most critics have been bitter in commenting how the original should sue the movie for giving it a bad rep or for deviating from what was expected of it. I'm particularly guilty of such in doing The Last Air Bender. However, I'd just like to make it clear that if a movie could stand alone and please people enough, then it passes for me. In a sense, the remake may have just been that bridge for that person to get interested in its parent series, book, or movie.

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Vampire Diaries Season 3: More Internal Conflict

The ending of Season 2 left so many cliffhangers compared to Season 1 that it got me hyped to discover two episodes have already premiered. One of the questions I wish answered is to what becomes of the internal conflicts of Damon and Stefan. I'd also be a hypocrite if I wouldn't admit my rooting for the Elena and Damon tandem. I'm still hoping that romance will occur between the two even when it's still pretty obvious she's still not over Stefan. I haven't read the book because it'll rob me of the pleasure of watching it. Just like the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I won't be doing both things at the same time. It's either I read the book or I watch the series.

What's new with this season? Stefan paves a path for Damon to grow closer to Elena. The fate of Tyler and Caroline's budding relationship becomes apparent yet a little hazy as someone's life may be at stake. Jeremy still sees the visions and has not admitted it yet to Bonnie. Elena turns 18 which means she is now of legal age and has no need of guardianship which Alaric has provided during the death of their Aunt Jenna.

The newest addition to the cast is the 7th Heaven star David Gallagher with so much hair on his face. I still think he would've looked better clean cut, but that's my opinion. I'm glad the next episode is just around the block.

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Last Act by Christopher Pike

Another Christopher Pike book finished here. I'm sure I'm not a quarterway done of finishing all his books but I'll be getting there soon enough.

Last Act is one of Christopher Pikes earlier teen story books. It wasn't as exciting as Remember Me, which kept me yearning sequel after sequel. But it did have his personal touches like targeting another female protagonist and a sick twisted friend of hers out for revenge. I haven't mentioned in my previous post of Slumber Party so I can't really compare the two.


Last Act is about the new girl in school getting the main role in a play where she was supposed to shoot a friend of hers. The problem was, her friend died on stage during performance night. The first half of the story focused on how she had met the other casts in the play. Some had been eccentric but Pike made sure that others had their fair share of standing out through specific descriptions and actions.

What's a female heroine without a mysterious guy by her side? Christopher Pike once again introduces a male interest in his books so that all aspects of Melanie (the female protagonist) in terms of vulnerability, strength and deductive reasoning were given some attention.

Like any other murder mystery, Last Act also starred a capable detective who made use of his Q&A skills to figure out the guilty. The protagonist herself also did some investigating to uncover the truth in order for the readers to not feel helpless in the guessing game. In the end, there was a certain amount of surprise in the suspect's discovery.

It's not one of his best but I still appreciated reading the book so it's not a lose lose situation on my end. I suggest this book only for big fans of his. It's not a must read for everybody.

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Prey Project: Anti-Theft Solution

So I was reading the forums and came across a thread about an IT catching the person who stole his laptop through the use of a program to called Preyproject. This is the first time I have heard of it and I simply wanted to share it here. I checked the website of the said software and watched this explanation on how it could possibly catch a culprit.

Prey Project introduction from Carlos Yaconi on Vimeo.

I wanted to post it here because some people have such bad fortune of having their prized possessions stolen. For people who don't earn enough for luxuries, this program may just be their laptop's lifesaver. Best of all, it's FREE!

It's also not new to me for friends and families of mine to have their gadgets and devices stolen so I made it a point to send this information through their email. I'm hoping for others who've read this post to check it out at their website http://preyproject.com or at least watch the video at the top.

Haha! You make sure you have that mask on all the time or you're busted.

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Teen Wolf Season 1 Review

Today is a weekend and I just finished watching a 7 hour marathon of the remaining Teen Wolf episodes I missed. It speaks for itself with a handful of promising reviews from critics which was the reason it felt like an urgency to finish the entire 12 episodes. At first, the story had felt a little draggy but as the teen dilemmas and supernatural suspense piled one after the other, I caught myself mentally debating with my head whether to pause it for a quick water break or not.


The first time I took a glimpse of Tyler Posey, I knew he was someone I've already seen in the big screen. And after watching his charming face in Teen Wolf over and over, it came back to my mind that he was J-Lo's son in Maid in Manhattan. The kid was such an adorable thing back then. It just proves how charismatic he is. Not only has he gotten a kiss from Crystal Reed but also from J-Lo (at such a young age, too).


Teen Wolf definitely exceeded its expectations. It has an appeal sourced from dark humor and teen issues with raging lycanthropic hormones . The cast had been pretty interesting and I can't help but applaud Dylan O'Brien's flawless performance on his support role which required talkative rationality and awkward hilarious moments.

Teen Wolf Cast (Left to Right): Derek, Scott, Stiles, Lydia, Allison and Jackson

So for those vampire, werewolf and supernatural being diehard fans, this is a series you shouldn't miss. Don't be deceived by the somewhat uneventful first couple of episodes. The build up starts in the middle and will keep the viewers engaged until the last minutes of a climactic end.

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Remember Me 2 by Christopher Pike

Even when I thought I'd already gotten enough of a particular author, a new surprise awaits my insatiable mind for teenage stories of protagonists of the supernatural kind. Was she a vampire? No. Was she a werewolf? It never even crossed my mind. Might she have been a ghost? In a way. But Christopher Pikes well-written teen novels are one of those collections I strive to complete.

Last Sunday, I had purchased a book of his called Remember Me 2 and I finished it in one seating. One of the first chapters had been pretty interesting that I even asked my beau to read a certain two page passage that may be the link between multiple religions in the world. And even he had agreed that it might just be that revelation he was seeking for. I would have loved to add this passage in this post but that would be spoiling one of the good parts in the story.


After reading this second story of the Remember Me saga, I noticed that Christopher Pike made sure that his fans would get the best of his stories. There had been relations to his previous work that only those who've read them would be able smile at the fact and appreciate its contribution to the current plot.

Mr. Pike has a way of creating scenes in the simplest description which some people may find downright boring and not enough to build an ambiance. I begged to differ. I'm particular in imagination and his play of words suffice the brewing curiosity in me. I prefer detailed story lines than detailed scenery and it's always still a wonder to me how his mind works. I especially like the way he had included a mini-story about a brilliant author and her muse as a form of the protagonist's partial fulfillment of her earthly agenda.

Shari Cooper goes back into another teen's body with a purpose. The unveiling of her identity becomes the main topic of this book and chapters jump from one world to another in an attempt to explain how events were to unfold and how dark secrets would come into light.

Lastly, one more thing I've noticed about Mr. Pike's protagonists aside from being headstrong, witty and beautiful females is most of them have names starting with the letter S and with blonde hair. This opposes to the stereotype of blondes being dumb, which is why his work gains more respect in my standard.

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