Bum No More

Main Entry: bum

Function : Verb

Inflected Form(s) : bummed; bum.ming

Etymology : probably back-formation from bummer

Date : 1863

intransitive verb

1 : loaf

2 : to spend time unemployed and often wandering - often used with around

(source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary)

Although I technically do not count myself in as a bum, I did work more on a freelance basis for the past two years. It's not something a lot of people would find financially satisfying, but it was quite relaxing and stress-free for me. I welcomed staying up late at night and waking up late in the morning. Well, what could I say? It had its perks. Since I'm not an outdoor person wither, my time was mostly spent net surfing or cable tv watching. I got good on playing games on facebook and got to watch practically all the good late night shows on cable. LOL ^_^ Like I said, it wasn't without perks. Ahhh but then necessity beckons, and it's summer break.. without a back-up plan and without the extra income, life sometimes sucks! So just this week, I started out working fulltime again. It sure would be something new for me. I have not really done office work in a long time. I do welcome the challenges. Plus, it's too early to tell how things will turn out. For the meantime, I intend to learn as much as I can and enjoy every time spent at the office. Now I can't wait till payday! LOL!!! :D

She Makes Me Laugh

Whew! It's just another one of those HOT HOT HOT summer days! I wish I were somewhere else, like somewhere colder at least. I haven't blogged in a while. I must have caught a laziness bug. LOL! ^_^ It must really be due to this HOT weather. What else could it be? :p

Anyway, a friend sent me this email on my favorite cartoon lady character. Come to think of it, that's how I first got acquainted with Maxine and her funny antics. She truly never fails to make me laugh. I just want to share some of it here in the hopes that they can also brighten someone else's day. After all, laughter is the best medicine!

Escape from Reality (Features TV Shows I Get Lost in)

Okay, so I must admit I don't always just sit by my pc and play games on fb. What keeps me away? TV shows I like to watch! I get to be a bit choosy when it comes to watching TV shows. When bored, I'm usually just flicking channels till I come across something interesting. There are, however, some shows that I do prefer watching and would mostly tune in to them. In fact, I've even marked my calendar for these TV shows. Yup! That's a plural. That means it would take more than one article to talk about my faves. I'll start off with this new show which I've started watching last February. I tuned in mainly 'coz the trailer was so interesting and main lead's SO HOT!!! From where I am, we get it on Fox every Thursday night. It's none other than the show White Collar.

Starring : Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson

Plot Outline:

White Collar is about the unlikely partnership of a con artist and an FBI agent who have been playing cat and mouse for years. Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), a charming criminal mastermind, is finally caught by his nemesis, FBI Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). When Neal escapes from a maximum-security prison to find his lost love, Peter nabs him once again. Rather than returning to jail, Neal suggests an alternate plan: he'll provide his criminal expertise to assist the Feds in catching other elusive criminals. Initially wary, Peter quickly finds that Neal provides insight and intuition that can't be found on the right side of the law.

I'm hooked to the show since I've seen the pilot episode. Let's face it, Neal Caffrey is HOT HOT HOT! I don't even mind if Matt Bomer is supposedly openly gay. I mean that doesn't change the fact that he's still one gorgeous hunk. Matt gives life to Neal's character and I would say it fits him to a T. The second episode wasn't as good as the first one, but the rest of the episodes get better. I like the fact that it's different from the other crime shows. I enjoy watching it a lot 'coz it's amusing, entertaining, and intelligent. There's not much of the gun-wielding violence to it. So far what they've shown on Fox are the first seven episodes. Then they're showing reruns. Good thing there's the Internet to view the rest of the seven episodes in the first season. The first half of the season may be good, but the second half really gets better. The season ended with a cliffhanger and now, I can't wait for the second season of the show.

Peter Burke and Neal Caffrey have this amazing chemistry that it's cool watching them work together. It's like their trust for each other is being tested in every episode. Neal is the kind of con guy that you would want to root for. He's a con man alright, but he's got this appeal that shows his good side as well. I love Elizabeth. She's such a supportive and loving wife to Peter. And then there's Mozi, Neal's con friend who's always there to assist him. Overall, I like the light theme of the show. If there's one show I'd watch when I don't want to get stressed out, this is it!

So while I'm waiting for the second season of White Collar, I'll indulge in my other fave shows. Next time around I'll talk about my number one fave show. Its fifth season is still ongoing and I'm just waiting for the finale before I can fully talk about it. ^_^ For the meantime, sit back, relax, and enjoy a show!

Are You Into Zodiac?

Definition: The term zodiac comes from Ancient Greek Zodiakos Kyklos and refers to a 'circle of the animals.'

The Zodiac consists of 12(twelve) different sun signs. Date of birth of a person determines which zodiac sign belongs to him. The signs of the Zodiac can give us great insights into our characteristics, personality traits, physical features, talents and special qualities we posses. You can find a great deal of relevant information/description about yourself through reading about your Zodiac sign. (source: Zodiac Signs Meanings)

Seriously. Are you one of those people who somehow checks on their daily, weekly, or even monthly horoscope? I must admit I used to do so daily. For me, it's just a form of entertainment and amusement. Sometimes the predictions don't mean anything at all. Other times it's plain ridiculous. ^_^ But yeah, I'm into zodiac somehow, mainly just to "get to know" myself more. After all, our signs are supposed to give us insights into who we are. I don't see anything wrong with knowing one's own weaknesses and strengths. It's what you do with that information that really counts. There are tons of sites about zodiac signs and meanings. I'd probably just quote one for my zodiac sign.

THE Zodiacal Sign of Gemini

The people who were born in this period are widely known for their dual personalities and ability to change mood from moment to moment. Although they hate to be tied down, they make lively, entertaining and romantic partners, even if they can be rather fickle if bored or unhappy.

The twin sides of their nature are perpetually pulling in opposite directions. Their brains are subtle and brilliant but they usually "lack continuity of purpose".

Of all people they are the most difficult to understand; in temperament they are hot and cold almost at the same moment. They love with one side of their nature and they are often critical or dislike with the other people. Their sharp wit and excellent powers of observation make them a good raconteur, although they have a tendency to exaggerate which can cause trouble with their relationships.

Such people are usually excellent in diplomacy, and dazzle their listeners by, their wit and brilliancy, but they usually leave them no wiser than they were at the start.

It is difficult even for them to understand what they want to achieve. At heart they are ambitious for social position; but when obtained they have already tired of it, and are ready to go in for something else or for something totally opposite. Being natural communicators these people do not suffer fools gladly; so once they are attracted to people, they have to ensure that they are not dull or mundane. They will no doubt spending ages chatting to anyone about every subject under the sun, just to keep feeding their ever active and inquisitive mind.

If taken as they are, in their own moods, they are the most delightful people imaginable, but one must not attempt to hold them or to expect them to be constant to their ideas or plans.

They believe they are truthful, constant, faithful, and so they may be at the moment, but every moment to them has a separate existence.

These people have an ability to see quickly the weak points in those they meet, and can reduce all to nothing by wit, sarcasm, or mimicry.

Almost all of them are great talkers and usually very much in demand socially because they are so entertaining. Gemini is the life of the party.

They often succeed the best, as far as money is concerned, but their more suitable career is generally that which requires diplomacy, tact, and finesse. The representatives of lower types are unscrupulous in finance and untruthful. They often make successful gamblers and company promoters of "get-rich-quick" schemes.

Either type make hosts of friends and are kind-hearted and generous to the person who fills their thoughts at the moment, but "out of sight, out of mind" explains their fits of "forgetfulness" as nothing else can.

In all matters of affection they are human puzzles. They can love passionately and yet be inconstant at the same moment, and it is only their shield of diplomacy and exquisite tact that keeps them from often making a mess of their lives. (source: GotoHoroscope)

I won't say I totally buy into everything that's been said about a "geminian." Perhaps I would agree with some, but definitely not all. We do carve our own future, right? Plus, we're all supposed to be individually unique. One's zodiac sign may be a good predictor of one's behavior and trait, but there must be something more that sets us apart from the rest. ^_^ So here's to another day of blogging. Don't forget to check out your horoscope before you head out! :D

Lost in Movie World

I got to watch a few movies this week without having to go to the cinemas. Sometimes technology never ceases to amaze me! When real life seems to be a bit too much, one can't help but immerse oneself in movies or tv shows just to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. Anyway, of the three movies I've watched, I would say I enjoyed two out of three of them. That isn't so bad, right? Plus there's the added perk of watching them at home. What more could a gal ask for? ^_^

She's Out of My League

I've seen the tv plugs for this movie. I guess I got curious and wanted to find out if it's truly funny. It's cute actually. Some funny parts may be a bit too cheesy and cartoonish, but overall it's a feel good movie. So if you're looking for a good laugh and a light movie, this is a movie to watch.

Ironman

I've actually come across this on HBO, but I was flicking channels then and didn't get to watch it wholly. This time I decided to watch the movie in its entirety. I'm amazed at the technology featured in the movie. Truly impressive action sequences too! At least it's not just another lame superhero kind of movie. I will watch out for the sequel and hope it's going to be as good as this one.

2012

Wow! The effects may be amazing, but this movie is a bit too stressful for me! It's nice to watch, but at this point, I don't really want to imagine the world coming to an end soon. If you're looking for a bit of relaxation and entertainment, I don't think this is the movie for you, unless you find the-end-of-the-world theme as entertaining. Sipping my cup of green tea helped a lot to relax and calm my mind after the movie. One thing for sure, this isn't a movie I would watch again and again.

Insomnia and Me

By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both" and it may be due to inadequate quality or quantity of sleep. (emedicinehealth.com)

And now I thought of this topic, maybe because I seem to have unusual sleeping patterns. I'm not quite sure if that's a reason for me to panic or seek medical attention. Perhaps being a bum is quite contributory to my present condition as well. According to the above article, most adults have experienced insomnia or sleeplessness at one time or another in their lives. An estimated 30%-50% of the general population are affected by insomnia, and 10% have chronic insomnia.

Insomnia may be caused by a host of different reasons. These causes may be divided into situational factors, medical or psychiatric conditions, or primary sleep problems. Perhaps it's all in my mind. After all, I'm used to staying up late. Plus the fact that I've always been a night owl as far as I can remember. I love being wide awake at night when the rest of the world is asleep -- well at least the part of the world I'm in. I think better at night and love the peace and quiet of the surroundings.

The main focus of treatment for insomnia should be directed towards finding the cause. Once a cause is identified, it is important to manage and control the underlying problem, as this alone may eliminate the insomnia. Treating the symptoms of insomnia without addressing the main cause is rarely successful. Hmm, perhaps what I need is to find something better to do during the day. I hate it that most of the good tv shows are shown late at night. Maybe I should regulate cable tv watching as well. LOL! ^_^ Anyhow, I still believe that whatever I'm going through right now is temporary. I'm just enjoying my free time as much as I can because my schedule may bound to change in the weeks to come. And so until that happens, I will be writing in the wee hours of the morning! Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite! :D

Moods, Cycles, and Green Tea

Tonight I got curious and decided to research on articles about mood swings and cycles -- hormonal and lunar, for that matter. It probably had a lot to do with my state of mind as of late. Perhaps my mood swings can be explained one way or the other. It is indeed interesting that I came upon this nice site (holyhormones.com) that talked about the effects of estrogen and progesterone on mood. Alas! There is so much to be learned in this life and the world out there. Life on our planet is after all governed by cycles; the most obvious examples are the ocean tides and the phases of the moon. Perhaps there is comfort in knowing.. knowing that whatever mood I'm in, whether good or bad, up or down, is just part of a cycle. So worry not if you're feeling down and out and so low today. Tomorrow is another day. Everything just might turn out peachy once again. But for now, I'm leaving this to enjoy my cup of green tea, which somehow never fails to cheer me up and moves me to a relaxed and calm state of mind. ^_^

Family and Laughter

All right. Tonight was one of those nights when I couldn't quite place what I was feeling. I could go on and on and end up with tons of ramblings but still not make sense. Anyway, I couldn't quite sit still with this feeling of gloom and depression. What the heck! Since I'm used to staying up late, why not flick around the cable channels and look for something that will make me feel good. And perhaps in the process I'll find something to write about. Uh-oh! I'm still so new to this blogging thing and I'm already running out of ideas as to what to write. Nah! I think it may have something to do more with my state of mind than anything else. After all, I do have tons of ideas and topics for my blog that I even listed them in my journal. What I'm really looking for perhaps is the inspiration that will push me to write and actually enjoy the process. Okay, so back to channel flicking.. it's that night of the week when this new sitcom is showing.. Modern Family.

Modern Family is an American mockumentary comedy TV series. (source: wikipedia) I won't exactly consider it my favorite show but I certainly don't mind watching it at all. In fact I've been watching it once a week for the past two weeks or so. I've seen the teasers when they were plugging it, and it seemed interesting. I wasn't disappointed at all when I watched it as it truly made me laugh out loud! I don't know why but maybe it's because of the strangeness of the family dynamics of the characters. Well, strangeness is perhaps a relative term. The kind of family set-up featured may seem normal to some people, but it definitely isn't the norm where I come from. Bottomline is I enjoy watching it and it helped make me feel tons better after I've seen tonight's episodes. I guess, once again, it's proven that laughter is the best medicine. Surf around the web and you'll find tons of articles about the benefits of humor and laughter. I found a really good article on it from helpguide.org. It said that "Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert." This I find to be true in my case as now I'm writing this blog. It is truly interesting how laughter somehow relaxed my mind and body. Laughter made me feel good. It somehow dissolved whatever distressing emotions I had at the start of the night. I'm just glad that I can laugh out loud and in the process, maintain a positive and healthy attitude. So for all you folks out there, when you feel that stress is eating you up, sit back, relax, and find yourself a good laugh. You'll feel better afterwards. ^_^ Here's to another day of blogging.. and keep the laughter coming!

Spring Cleaning

yourdictionary.com defines spring cleaning as follows:

spring-cleaning (-klēn′iŋ)
noun
a thorough cleaning of the interior of a house, etc. as conventionally done in the spring

Wait. I don't really live in a country with four seasons so when I say spring cleaning, I don't literally mean cleaning before the spring season arrives. So why did I think of this topic? Normally, cleaning is something I would like to avoid.It's actually my least favorite household chore, but last March it was as if I was bitten by a cleaning bug. It must have had something to do with the passing of my dad and the fact that we sort of inherited his sofa set. We got them after his 40th day of passing. Since they would take up a relatively larger space than the old set, we had to clear out some areas of the living room in our tiny 52 sq.m. apartment. And that actually started my out of the blue obsession with cleaning. I even started a journal just for my cleaning project. I had a goal and that was to maximize use of the tiny space available while organizing all my important documents, stuff, and collection of books. Did I have a time frame? Not really. I just wanted to put things together, it didn't matter how long it would take. So there I was hard at work with cleaning till the wee hours of the morning. I figured that since I don't have regular employment, I might as well do something worthwhile with my time. That was a month ago. True, that cleaning isn't a one-time event and that regular cleaning helps a lot so there won't be lots of accumulated dusts and dirt. I am glad I embarked on it. I actually got to throw out and give away lots of old stuff which I don't need anymore. My cleaning project even extended into my bedroom which I share with my daughter. We both enjoyed our cleaning "bonding" moments. I'm quite happy with the result of my cleaning project and I must say that I don't dislike cleaning anymore as much as I thought I did. So why did I spring clean? I came across an article that said that the reason why we spring clean are rooted in some cultures with traditions that extend far back into the distant past, like the Chinese who clean their homes in anticipation of the new year. The Chinese sweep their floors and clean their homes to rid of bad luck and misfortune that may have accumulated during the previous year. Once the house is a clean slate, you can then start welcoming good fortune. I guess, in a way, spring cleaning became a symbol of renewal and optimism for a "new life." It made me feel like I was throwing out the "old me" and that I was ready to be the "new me." I really enjoy having a more organized space. And as of this writing, I haven't totally wrapped up my cleaning project. There are still some parts of the house that I would like to clean up and organize.

Plight of a Newbie

I really don't know why I set up this blog. I guess it's just another one of those random acts that suddenly occurred to me. Does that even make sense? I don't know but here I am groping on what to write about. It will come to me I suppose. I don't even know if I have anything interesting to share at all. I'm new to blogging so I consider this as a journey into the unknown. After all, we all try to learn something new in life, right? It can't be that bad and I'm pretty sure I can learn fast. I hope to be able to share more in the days to come. So here's to an adventure that's about to begin.............

Ok, so I've now posted my first blog, then an idea occurred to me. I want to know more about blogging so I surfed around for more ideas. I came across this article from weblog.about.com about determining whether blogging is right for you. So let's see what we'll learn and find out.

You Enjoy Spending Time Surfing the Web

Come to think of it, I do enjoy surfing the web or I wouldn't have thought of starting a blog in the first place. I've done a lot of researching and reading on the web in the past. I continue to do so now even though I'm on break from my graduate studies. Plus, I do spend a lot of time on my social networking site, facebook. I thought I might as well put that to good use.

You Like to Write

I've kept a journal all these years. I always have one around. It makes for good reading during boring days. I suppose blogging is the same, except that my thoughts aren't my own and that a lot of people out there can read them. I don't mind sharing my ideas and opinion about matters once in a while.

You're Passionate About Your Blog's Topic

Well, I am blogging about random thoughts, so I guess that qualifies. I'm just starting out and I do know that I need to learn a lot more stuff to be a successful blogger. That's a good start, right? After all, I'm passionate about what I write.

You Can Commit to Blogging

I am in between regular employment at the moment, so I guess I do have the time for blogging. I thought I might as well do something good with the time I have on hand. Writing is a good way to pass one's time. After all, I have dreams of being a writer of children's books.

You're Comfortable Publicizing Your Thoughts, Opinions and Ideas

Now this is something I'm working on. Well pretty much everyone has an idea, thought, or opinion about something, right? Some of us may be vocal about them or not. Whether we write it or vocalize it, to me it's the same thing. Blogging would be my way of "talking to myself" -- out loud -- if there is such a thing!

You're Not Afraid of Technology and You Are Willing to Learn

So definitely true for me. I wouldn't embark on this journey if I'm not willing to learn. Admittedly, there are lots that need to be learned. I'm taking baby steps towards learning them all. One at a time, I'm sure I'll get there.

You're Willing to Take Risks

Well, I'm here so I guess this means I've taken the initial step. Eventually, I hope to add more and enhance my blog site and connect with more people and make more friends in the process.

I guess that's just about it. Reading through my post, I'd say I think I'm on the right track with this blogging thing. I just need the self-discipline and self-motivation to pull through. So here's to another blogging day.. and to more blog posts to come.. Have fun!