Reprise

Remember this?..Hehehe!

UC Berkeley Online Lectures

This is cool. UC Berkeley has made available online some of their lectures and courses, with topics ranging from poetry to information systems to public policy. Great way to spend free time! Although I suspect most of these videos will probably make me fall asleep. Hahaha!

Wala lang..

You know you're too busy when you end up buying your groceries piecemeal from the nearest convenience store. Bleah!!

(Or should I have started that sentence with "You know you have lousy time management skills when..."?)

Awa Odori

This is a very much overdue post. Below is a short clip from the Awa Odori held in Koenji, Tokyo last August. The Awa Odori, or the Dance of Fools, is a very festive event with lots of drum-beating and shouting and of course, dancing. It was an interesting sight to see, and I was glad I took the time to go out and witness it.

The Awa Odori is said to have its roots in ancient times when, after the successful completion of their feudal lord's castle, the people decided to celebrate the event with much merry-making and drinking. And after getting themselves drunk, they danced and danced, with arms raised and toes tapping the ground to the beat of drums. And thus was born the tradition of the Awa Odori.

Messages and Smiles

It's amazing how a smile from a mere acquaintance.. almost a stranger actually.. can turn my day around. It pulled me back from the general lousiness hovering over me, and made me feel that some semblance of fulfillment could still be salvaged from my day. I guess sometimes I forget that smiles DO exist, so I'm really thankful to that person who threw one my way today. He probably thought nothing of it. Heck, giving away smiles is probably just a habit of his. If it is, he's probably helping a lot of people every day he exists =)

And e-mails from friends really help improve my mood, too. I really love it when I receive messages from people, esp. those I don't get to see too often anymore. It's really nice to hear about their stories. And about what they're doing. And if anyone's getting hitched soon... lol! Chismis pala! Hahaha! But really, to all of you who've taken the time to write or to e-mail or to call or to leave a message on y!m, or even to comment on this blog, I want you to know that you've all helped make my day. Keep 'em coming! =)

(But please excuse the fact that sometimes I'm an irregular e-mail checker and oftentimes harrassed so I don't get to reply promptly. I promise I'll try to improve this bad habit of mine so I can help spread the good feelings around, too! ^_^)

Lyrics time again!

MY FAVORITE REGRET
by The Gigolo Aunts

Will you be my favorite regret,
Could I be your sweetest mistake?
Trade one step back for two ahead
Just a little time that's all
Don't be afraid to fall
This catch I won't forget,
My favorite regret.

Won't you let me chip away the stone
Are you really better off alone?
Won't you let your guard down one more time
Just like I've done mine
We'll look until we find something neither will forget
My favorite regret

My favorite regret

Will you be my favorite regret?
Cut the strings attached but save the thread
And I know your feelings are probably right
But just this once tonight
As you lay in your bed
Place a little on this bet
My favorite regret

My Life Rating

A friend asked me to take this test. And here go the results:

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	5.7
Mind:	5.6
Body:	7.5
Spirit:	4.2
Friends/Family:	2.6
Love:	2.1
Finance:	6.5
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Hahaha huli na naman ako sa uso!

Ngayon ko lang to nakita.. at sobrang natuwa ako! Hahahaha! Kanta ng bandang OK Go. Na dahil sa pagpapalaganap nila ng video na ito sa YouTube, ay sumikat ang kanta nilang "Here It Goes Again" at nakarating na sa VH1 Top 20. Mahusay!

How many Microsoft people does it take to screw in a light bulb?...

...None. Because Bill Gates has declared darkness as the new standard.

Hahaha! Guy Kawasaki cracked me up in this speech he gave at TiEcon 2006. Interesting watch. Nice presentation =)

Boo me!

It's another "one-step-forward-two-steps back" day for me. I hate it! I wish I could just going on forward and forward and forward...

To Business Books

I'm thinking of changing my reading menu from novels and manga and magazines, and trying out a business book or two. Not that I'm planning to become a business person any time soon. But I think business books have some pretty useful and cool ideas that are worth exposing myself too.

The only problem now is that books here in Japan are pretty damn expensive. And there aren't very many choices when it comes to English books.

Anyway, whether I start buying business books here or when I get back to the Philippines, reading the blogs of authors who have written successful and popular business books would be a good way to get a feel of what these books are really about. 800-CEO-READ gives a blog roll of some authors' sites that are probably worth checking out. I'll start from there.

No More Flowers?

As I was walking home today, I suddenly realized that I haven't been taking pictures of beautiful flowers lately. When I first bought my digital camera, it was all I could do not to take photos of ALL the flowers here in Japan. It's as if my eyes couldn't get enough of them.

But now I've been so often staying all couped up in the office or at home that I haven't been able to take nice shots with my camera anymore. Maybe it was the heat of the summer. Or maybe I'm just getting too used to Japan?

Hmmm... now that it's almost autumn, I think it's time that my camera and I return to becoming the dynamic duo again. I want to be able to see Japan again the way I did when I first fell in love with it as a newbie gaijin in Japanese shores. Maybe it won't be possible to go back completely, but it would be nice if I could go beyond seeing merely sidewalks and subways and bicycles and square buildings, and be able to sense again the wonder and promise that Japan held for me years ago.

Hahaha. I'm getting sentimental. But really. I miss Japan.

Almost Autumn

Yay! It's September 1! It's almost autumn!!! My favorite season! Though I'm wondering whether it IS autumn already. For me, September 1 spells autumn. Don't ask me why. Gusto ko lang. Hahahaha!

And as if listening to my autumn-happiness, it was raining today. Turning-of-the-season rain?? Maybe! I think it is! Yay!

And it's as if the Japanese are also eager for it to be autumn already. Even the shops are already displaying their autumn collections. Since the last half of August pa actually. Beach season still but they were already pulling out the thick coats and scarves and mufflers for the coming fall.

The only thing I'm sorry about seeing summer leaving us is that there won't be any more grand fireworks displays. Nakatatlong fireworks display ata ako this summer. Yep the Japanese love their light shows. And I luv em too! Lol!

Yay! Autumn! Autumn! Autumn! I'm so excited!