Ondoy aftermath: Good or bad?

Went to Marikina yesterday with my wifey to visit my siblings-in-law. It's been like too weeks or so since Typhoon Ondoy's onslaught. That time, most of the Marikina got flooded really bad. Water went up as high as 2 stories. The victims took refuge in nearby unaffected schools turned relief centers. After the flood, knee-deep mud was left behind. So we went to the city thinking that my in-laws were in the worst condition imaginable.

When we got there, it did look bad, but the place was lively. the mud was still everywhere, but everyone was cleaning and they were all wearing boots. Where did they get the boots? How could they even afford it in the first place? Every store in the market place was doing bussiness like nothing happened. The people buying groceries were also a plenty. Sure, the streets look awfully muddy, and the houses and builings still had residues tracing the walls up to the second floor. I can't imagine what I'd do If my home flooded.

It seems that a certain rich chinese philantrophist donated all those boots and offered 400 pesos per day wages to anyone willing to help the clean-up effort. The Victims of the flood were more than glad to be paid for cleaning up their own neighborhood. most people there were unemploed in the first place, so in a sense they have more money now than they had before. Then there's the free clothes and free food from the overflowing relief goods given away everyday. That scene was just so so different from what the news says on TV. Not mention the ones that do have jobs and were qualified for calimity loans up to php 30,000. Another plus is that everyone in that area would be given free housing and relocated to Sta. Rosa Laguna! Gee, talk about the pot of gold at the end of the raibow after the rain. >_<:

Anyway, instead of helping out the supposedly unfortunate victims of in Marikina, we were instead treated to an eat all you can feast of Beef Caldereta, cakes, and leche flan, by our in-laws.
How cool or uncool is that?!

Photo Walk 1: SM fairview (incomplete)

I don't go anywhere much these days. I'm tired from work, and just want to get home to my comfy bed. The closest place to my work is SM fairview. I took these shots using a not-so-high-end digicam. Just wanted to do this for a while but i never had the time nor the equipment. Now, I still don't have both so this I guess would for now.



I got this idea from Mr. Danny Choo. Great guy. It's when he writes his Photowalk articles that he express his thought and ideas about a lot of things.



Although there were lots of nice places in this mall, my favorite spot has always been the foodcourt. You can sit down for free without having to order anything, and you can get free drinks of water. Bottled water costs 15-20 pesos in the mall. I feel so poor all of a sudden. >_<;



It was just a little over year ago when I felt really sorry for myself. I grew up around this area. This mall was my hang-out since I was in highschool. That was like, more than ten years ago. I felt like there was no progress in my life. Nothing's changed. Because of wrong decisions I've lost everything I worked hard for and lost all hope of this getting any better. I'm stuck in this place.



But after all this time things started getting better. I saw my life in the old mall. They started renovating just recently. Making it look more like Mall of Asia. I felt hope. My life also started to feel better.



Old bad, self-destructive habits were gone,



I felt new. I felt peace. I'm happy with my family.



Before, all I thought about was all the pleasurable things in life. Which was bad for me. The more I tried to please myself the more I started to hate myself.



But things started to change for me just recently. I started to appreciate life in a different way. I decided not to be a slave of pleasure. Not to waste any money on entertainment.



I was surprised how much anime and food I could get for free even though I had so little money.



I read in the Bible before that the "poor are blessed." And that "all thing work for good for those who believe in the Lord". I never realised it's true meaning until I felt the hardship of work and supporting my own family. It's a trully remarkable experience.

YU I- It's All Too Much

Hi Yui!

#1 in ORICON CHARTS again!

But what happened to your hair?

It seems to be OST for this movie. Can you guess who's the guy playing the male lead is?

Thug Story - Taylor Swift ft. T-Pain

Who would've thought the gorgeous voice that brought us hits Love Story and White Horse could be "..rapping hard core." This would be funniest and cutest song i've heard this season. It's so cute!! T-pain and T-swizzie on the same track.




"you don't wanna fight me.. in my extra-small white tee." and "..she didn't even swear.." was just hilarious. I've been listening to this song ten times today and I still can't get enough. Great job T-Swizzie! >_<;

Thug Story lyrics
Taylor Swift Ft. T-Pain

[T-PAIN]
Ay Ay
T-Swizzle (T-Swizzle)
And T-Pizzle (T-Pizzle)

[TAYLOR SWIFT]
I'm like 8 foot 4
Blonde hair to the floor
You shawtys never thought I dreamed about rappin hardcore
No I ain't got a gun
No I never really ever been in a club
Still live with my parents
But I'm still a thug
I'm so gangster you can find me baking cookies at night
You out clubbin' but I just made caramel delights
T-Swift and T-Pain rappin on the same track
It's a thug story, tell me can you handle that?


[BOTH] (T-Pain) Taylor Swift
(I had a dream last night) I had a dream last night
I had high-top Nikes. I had
(Diamonds in my mouth) Diamonds in my mouth
And(Diamonds on my mic) Diamonds on my mic
By the time I woke I was singing,
(I'm on a boat)
Cause Ima,
Singer turned rapper
(Shawty Ima make ya)
Straight to the top yo
(Shawty Ima take ya)
You can call me T-Sweezy
Now I'm a rap star
(Hey, it's a thug story, now tell em who you are
Singer turned gangsta)
You don't wanna fight me
(Straight to the top)
In my extra small white-tee
(T-Swift and T-Pain all up on the same track
It's a thug story, now can you get with that?)
What, What
I knit sweaters yo
What, what
Don't test me *bleep*
Hey, hold on. Hold on.
I didn't even say anything.
(What?)
I didn't even, I said yo.
(Yo?)
You guys bleeped me and I didn't even say anything, I didn't even swear.
(She didn't, She didn't, She didn't even swear.)
Hello? Ughhh.

Anime List this Season: Fall 2009

Tadaa!! The anime list for this season.



Arrgggh!!! So much anime, So little time!

Hmm.. I think I'll start with "A Certain Scientific Railgun (To Aru Kagaku no Choudenjibou)", a spin-off of one of the better anime's I've watched a few seasons ago "To Aru Majutsu no Index" I think it roughly translates as "A Certain Magical Index", or something like that.

Think I'll review those that I actually get to watch.. WINTER SONATA looks interesting. >.<

Credits to http://chartfag.wordpress.com/

Doing school projects.. I kinda missed it. (ugh.. the flood)

So I've been busy these past few days. Even with classes are out for the week because of the storm, it doesn't change the fact that the semester is almost over for college students here in the Philippines. With that said submission for term-papers, projects, and preparation for the Final Exam are what's occupying 50% of the minds of college students. The other 50% they're thinking of love life, the lastest gossip, text-mates, personal problems.. Hmm.. Well, maybe not all.

I just suddenly recalled the flood victims.. I get all depressed whenever I remember them. My wife's relatives in Marikina were also affected after being flooded up to the second floor their house and people crossing and holding on electrical lines to survive. The families of two of her brothers are still staying in evacuation centers and dependent on relief goods.

I also feel bad about how people who are trying to do their best to help the victims are the ones being attacked verbally by the ones they're trying to help, and also being criticized online.

Ashley Gosiengfiao, sister of popular Cosplayer Alodia wrote on her blog about the incident:
"It felt really good to be able to help. Seeing the people's predicament and how they
really needed our help made me feel like crying.
But even though that final incident occurred, the ransacking of the vehicles and the
throwing of hurtful words by some of the people who weren't able to receive anything,
even if it did discourage my team a lot, I guess it didn't stop us from feeling satisfied that we got to help nonetheless."

Her blog:orangeish.deviantart.com

We're all proud you and your team's efforts ms. Ashley. Keep up the good work!

Which is more then what I can say for myself. The only help I've done so far was give a few kilos of rice as my share of donation for my company's relief effort. I'll be going to marikina with my wife on wednesday. Since 13th month pay comes early for me this year, we decided to see what we can do to help in any way we can.

So for now all I can do is help my wife finish her school projects. It's weird but I'm seriously enjoying it. It's kinda cool being married to a college student.

What experiences have you had in helping flood victims?

Do you miss those college school projects? I do. hehe..