Among all the other things that rings the bell in the news lately about president apparent Noynoy Aquino, there is this thing about him that has been repeatedly featured and asked in every news program--his smoking habit and if he will be able to quit it now that he's off to become the next president.

Majority of times has he been asked about this and a lot of people had been advising even convincing him to quit this so-called vice that was even caught on cam for a lot of times--him with that cigarette on hand. Now when I learned about this, I remember telling a colleague that probably they're trying to see even compare Noynoy to US President Barack Obama. Just to recall, Barack had this deal with his wife Michelle that if ever he wins the presidency, he will have to stop smoking. A promise that was likewise made to be broken as he later admitted that he still haven't quit the vice. He still smokes but not in the presence of his kids.

To which my colleague told me, "eh that's a deal with a wife. Wala namang asawa si Noynoy." At the back of my head, I was questioning yes, he may not have a wife yet but he has a girlfriend and in that case, what could his girlfriend be be saying about this seemingly unstoppable vice?

The incoming president said while it is possible to quit, it will have to wait; after all becoming a president is a stressful job and smoking is among the easiest diversion.

I'd be biased as I confess I would also want a total cigarette ban. My dad used to be a smoker too yet, he was able to quit it since last year which gave us a really huge sigh of relief since we have long been reminding him to quit. It is also among my non-negotiables that I will not be entertaining suitors nor marry a man who is actually a chain smoker (who wants to be a young widow? I don't!). If I go on dates, even on a first meeting, I strictly yet unconsciously try to observe a guy (if he smokes) on his smoking habit--even if it's just a stick of cigarette, at the back of my mind, "you're just 26 and already a candidate for lung cancer." (Guys better take note of that or should I say beware just in case you get to encounter me.)

Dad's opinion was actually among the ones that I agree with. Instead of people trying to change the person's habits, why not change the system? There will be no chain smokers if there won't be manufacturers to start the whole thing with. He was precisely right at that--if not only for the reason that the government benefits a lot from these vice-starting businesses with the large amount of sin taxes they feed the government with.

And to think of it, regardless of how many reminders and pleas that people would say if the person himself won't be taking the initiative to change, words will just be useless. the effort still has to come from the person himself.

Who would not want to enjoy another year added to his life as a bonus for quitting such a lethal vice? And with such a vibrant, and charming lady to top it all, surely everyone would and I hope our incoming president realizes that too.

Jollibee is really a celebrity! I should say so. Here in the Philippines, it's a funny note that aside from mama, a child's first word would be Jollibee. If you're a Filipino child, your memories spell that red, smiling creature. Just a few days prior to this entry and being the Gleek that I am, I was indulging on Glee's Dream On episode because of the thing that Neil Patrick Harris will be guesting on the show. However, to my surprise, there was actually more to that.

Finally, after what has been a long time I already went out to vote for the first time. Without weighing any pros and cons, I just went to jump in and took a leap of faith of doing something which I was supposed to have fulfilled years ago.

Now, more than just being excited about trying a hand at what is a new voting system in the country, election day was also a period of facing the sad fact about reality. The things and events that I normally hear and see on TV are actually for real--and I admit that witnessing such made me feel disappointed, annoyed and was left with a little amount of disgust.

And it was not an easy task--more different from what I've been thinking that things will be more convenient now. Talk about birth pains of a new system, it was one of those things that prove reality indeed bites. I braved the inconvenience of having to find my name which was not on the list but was accomplished with the help of PPCRV's volunteers, having to be patient with the long queue of lines in the middle of an exasperating El Niño heat and waiting an hour just to cast a vote in just less than ten minutes.

And having this ink stain had made me more conscious about my fingernail than before. It was like whenever I ride a jeepney to wherever I'm going I tend to look at people's index fingers just to be sure that I'm not just the alienated one with dirt on my nail.

But those were just birth pains. After all, the process is one thing new to everyone and so there still are glitches unaddressed. I would agree that doing things for the first time is kinda scary (and yep, it applies not just to sex but even to fulfilling a solemn duty). Having my ballot fed into the PCOS machine left me critically watching there; hoping that my ballot and my vote will be successfully counted. And fortunately it was.

As of this writing, I am content with the way things are going. Noynoy Aquino will soon be the next president and my choice of senators are kicking hard on their rankings. However, I'm only hoping that Mar Roxas will be the vice-president. Transmissions are not yet complete which keeps the white flag from being waved and it's a way probably that keeps everyone's hopes alive; because to be honest, I think my system isn't still convinced for a Noy-Bi tandem in Malacañang.

At least not just yet--for now.


photo above courtesy of Joell Lapitan

One of the things that probably made Facebook popular is the thing about writing notes and tagging people--a feature that can be compared to Friendster's bulletins and surveys. Days ago, my friend Ryan tagged me in a random fact note he made.

Through that note, I found some funny things about him--from his fondness for Pol Medina's Pugad Baboy comic books and watching Marimar as part of his childhood activities to intriguing ones (what's the self-inflicted curse that makes him single till now?). Some people I know copied the note without being tagged so I also found out who the human counterpart of Spongebob Squarepants' Mr. Krabs is.

Of course I answered the thing for fun upon being tagged. yet, half of the things I wrote there were actually a bit shallow and so here, I'm writing what my other answers were supposed to be:

1. I learned to speak and understand Spanish without enrolling in any speech academy. My training was purely from reading Pablo Neruda's poems.

2. I can describe my personality based on three characters: Elle Woods, Andy Sachs and Lt. Amor Santander (go figure out who they are in case you aren't familiar yet)

3. As a kid, I was scared of mannequins with curly hair and of Ronald McDonald (still because of his red, curly hair and the seemingly-bloody lips).

4. Despite being a seasonal asthmatic, I own a dog and a cat. I even let them sleep with me in my bedroom (just hide them so mom won't recognize or else--).

5. Aside from chocolates, I love prawns and crabs.

6. I easily get pissed over trivial things--from too much Tagalog (read: TOO POETIC) to grammar glitches (so watch out with your use of its, it's, your and you're). And the feeling applies even to myself when I commit the thing.

7. For some reasons, I avoid munching on egg pies because it tends to ruin my mood--in as fast as two minutes.

8. People sometimes laugh at my conservative side, it's because I was a product of a private-sectarian school for 11 years.

9. I never ate tomatoes until I was 23.

10.I have a penchant for cheese but tried taking it in moderation after my friend, psychologist Zecillea told me that cheese mongers tend to have high sex drive. I want to prove her that it's not true :-p

11. As a kid, I loved watching Doogie Howser MD. Admittedly, I find Neil Patrick Harris cute back then--but now? Well....

12. My ex once said that aside from the glow in my facial feature, he finds my nape sexy. I don't really know why and it's weird.

13. Unlike other girls who splurge a lot on bags and shoes, I spend much of my paycheck on books and fast food.

14. I might be scared of going to hospitals and appointments with doctors but I am a huge hypochondriac.

15. Aside from being lovesick, three things to trigger my insomnia would be 1) to spill out a thing I'm hiding; 2) to tell me you're pregnant; and 3) tell me you're getting married.

16. I applied as a secret intern for a basketball team in junior year in college just to meet the guy I had a huge crush on.

CLARIFICATION: In my answer to number 10, somebody might have misunderstood my comment on someone's answer regarding becoming a cheese monger--thus the thought that I was dumb; but actually I have researched the definition of what it is even before I commented. Leaving the hanging sentence in my comment was not about seeking or asking for the definition of what a cheese monger is but because of the high libido joke which I decided not to say in the comment since I deem it to be kind of inappropriate.

It was actually fun knowing things about other people including friends. I enjoyed knowing things about Ryan as we only spent two weeks being together as office mates back then in Makati. Those facts were enough to leave me smiling even laughing as I read them. After all, despite being with friends most of the time, there still are things that one may not be aware of. In a way, being tagged and knowing things is one way to say good, clean fun.

Just for a change, I went out to dinner last night with my college girl pals Lord Apple and Joy. Lately, I've been seeing myself out for coffee dates with Joy and while it's been normal to the two of us, this time we decided to have Apple with us after all, these two girls are busy career ladies too--Joy with the family business and Apple being a copy editor.

Funny but the university was having its alumni homecoming as we were having our girls night out. We had a reunion of our own.


We've gone too far and things had changed the way I perceived it particularly to these two damsels. From dashing lady editors five years back in college, our worlds are now turned. Over dinner they were talking about politics and their stories to which I just listen. Joy is blooming nowadays and it made me happy just to hear her say earlier before dinner that she might be ending her single state anytime this year. Apple on the other hand has loads full of stories to tell about the family after all, she's also a mom and a wife. And I loved Apple's look last night--from those dashing glasses and that lips that I compared to Anne Curtis and Joy's new look too as she resembled a TV villainess hahaha! :-p

As for me, I decided to be the listener and I don't mind being that. After all, I don't have any other agendas lately except work which is my real primary concern. The other things, will just be dealt some other time--after all those things can wait.