Q&A... 001

It's been a while since I've done this... hehe.

First time you tried smoking:
:: I don't smoke... and I've never tried. 
First alcoholic drink you had:
:: Budweiser, back in 1999 at a friend's house... I was a high school junior back then. Since we couldn't buy anything decent (since we were still 'underage'), we had to settle for this. I guess that was the beginning of the 'alcohol lover' me. 
First time you entered a bar:
:: High school
First award you received:
:: Second honor ako nung kinder... proud much?
First hero:
:: Since I like watching X-Men when I was young, I would have to say 'Storm' was my first super(hero). haha.
First time you were sent to the principal for disciplinary actions:
:: Never. I was a good (boring) kid. Or at least 'magaling magtago'. hahaha.
First goal you accomplished:
:: To graduate as a Thomasian. Viva Santo Tomas! It was something that I've wanted since fifth grade. Ever since I found out that I was born in the university's hospital. Should I call it fate?
First crush:
:: Efren Ase Jr., back in kindergarten. It's actually funny (and a bit amusing) that I still remember this. Anyway, he was the popular kid back then. And he was almost always my dance partner. hehe.
First person whom you gave flowers:
:: My mom.
First friend:
:: Honneylynn Fermis. She used to live in our compound until 5-6 years ago. We practically grew up together. Now, she has her own family. And last I heard, she's now living in Quezon (the province, not the city).
First kiss:
:: Allan... again in kindergarten. haha. Of course, you wouldn't forget your first... a kiss is a kiss. stolen or not. 
First record you bought:
:: You Got Served original soundtrack. I immediately bought one a day after watching the movie.
First song you sang in front of many:
:: A medley of Christmas carols. During my junior year in high school, my group had to compete in the annual 'Paskoro'. Since we won during the intersection competition, we became one of the representatives for our year. Anyway, it was held held in our school gymnasium and the whole high school department got to watch me (us) perform. hehe. 
First musical instrument you learned:
:: Piano. Sadly though, I didn't took it seriously. Never went past the 'DoReMi' stage of learning. Hehe.
First local/foreign concert you watched:
:: SM Town Concert in Bangkok, 2009 
First celebrity you saw in person:
:: Hosts of Eat Bulaga? Fourth grade field trip, 1994. Does that count? Well, they are celebrities...
First TV show you really liked:
:: Batibot. It's like the Philippines' version of 'Sesame Street'. 
First book you bought:
:: Baby-sitters Little Sister: Karen's Big Sister.
First sport you played:
:: Volleyball for P.E.
First sleepover:
:: During college... at Pior's house. I was never allowed to join sleepovers when I was in high school so I'm a late-bloomer for this kind of thing. 
First terrible fight:
:: None so far...
First inaanak (godchild):
:: Zee Ann (My cousin's daughter.) 
First debut attended:
:: Debut of ate Apple? She's my aunt by the way. I didn't attend any of my friend's debuts since I hate wearing dresses. Sorry.
First best friend/s:
:: Herrell Joy Lingat, first grade.
First wedding you attended:
:: Not counting any relatives' wedding, the first would be the wedding of Tata Mong (one of my kabarkada during college).
First person who greeted you on your birthday:
:: My birthday won't be until March. And I forgot who greeted me first this year.
First friend in facebook:
:: I can't remember sa Facebook, but in Friendster, it's my high school friend, Janice.
First cellphone (and hopefully not the last...):
:: Nokia 5110i. old school!!!
First cellphone ringtone:
:: Linkin Park's Papercut. Wow, I almost forgot how much I loved that band!
First collection:
:: Books?
First time you saw a ghost:
:: Haven't 'SEEN' one. And I don't intend to see one -EVER!
First roller-coaster ride:
:: I'm a wuss. So, no... I haven't gone to one. Does the 'Blizzard' ride in Star City counts? 

Hottie Discovery... Steven Yeun

Steven Yeun

Steven Yeun

Yeun Sang-yeop (연상엽)

Birthday: December 21, 1983

Born in South Korea and raised in Troy, Michigan.

Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Kalamazoo College, 2005

Currently stars on AMC's original series, 'The Walking Dead' as Glenn.

Official Twitter Account: @steveyeun

First saw him while watching 'The Walking Dead'. At first, he kind of reminds me a bit of another Korean actor. Although they really don't look that similar. Anyway, I actually find him cute the first time I saw him. I think of him as the eye-candy factor for the show. With all the zombies roaming around, looking at him is like a breath of fresh air. hahaha. That's why I'm so thankful that he's one of the main characters of the show. It's the reason why I get to see him a lot since he gets more screen time. He's actually a pretty good actor. Sadly though, aside from 'The Walking Dead' he's only had a few short roles and a cameo. But not to worry, he only started acting in 2009 so he's pretty much a newbie. 

aww... isn't he cute?

What got me hooked? hmm... I think it's his character's charm. Like I said, he's a breath of fresh air. His character 'Glenn' is like the type that you will doubt at first (whether or not he can actually do the things he's told, etc.) but you'll eventually find out that he's totally capable! Little by little I found myself rooting for 'Glenn'. And  before I knew it, I've fallen for 'Steven'. Hahaha. And that people is what good actors are capable of. He went beyond the 'Oh, he's cute,' to 'Wow, he's hot!' LOL. Anyway, I am so looking forward to seeing more works from him in the future. For now, I'd have to settle for the continuation of season 2 on February 12. BTW, have I mentioned how good he looks with his baseball cap on? ♥ 

from 'The Walking Dead'

I just couldn't resist posting this!

Credits: wikipedia, imdb, tumblr (for the pics), and 'The Walking Dead' official site.

  

Spotlight On... Teen Top

Teen Top (틴탑) is a six-member South Korean boy band which debuted under TOP Media in 2010. The members consists of C.A.P, Chunji, L.Joe, Niel, Ricky and Changjo. They released their first single album 'Come Into the World' on July 9, 2010 with 'Clap' (박수) as their debut track. Teen Top's first debut stage was at MBC Music Core on July 10, 2010. The name of their official fan club is Angel.

Discography:

Mini Albums
[2011.07.26] Roman
[2012.01.09] It's

Single Albums
[2010.07.09] Come Into the World
[2011.01.12] Transform

Member's Profile

C.A.P

Bang Minsoo

방민수

Charisma Rapper

November 4, 1992

Leader, Main Rapper

Chunji (천지)

Lee Chanhee

이찬희

Power Voice

October 5, 1993

Lead Vocalist, Visual

L.Joe

Lee Byunghun

이병헌

Mischievous Rapper

November 23, 1993

Lead Rapper

Niel

Ahn Daniel

안다니엘

Emotional Vocals

August 16, 1994

Main Vocalist

Ricky

Yoo Changhyun

유창현

Lovely Boy

February 27, 1995

Vocalist, Lead Dancer

Changjo 

Choi Jonghyun

최종현

Dancing Boy

November 16, 1995

Main Dancer, Vocalist, Maknae

Comeback Song: "Crazy"

The boys made their comeback with the song "Crazy" (미치겠어) from their second mini album It's. The song was written and produced by Brave Brothers. In fact, all six tracks from the album were written, produced, composed and mixed by Brave Brothers.

The music video was revealed on January 5, featuring 4Minute's Sohyun. The concept for the MV is cute and romantic and I find that it actually blends in well with the upbeat tempo of the song. Although the MV focuses more on L.Joe as he runs after Sohyun, we still get to see the others display their charisma during the dance cuts and some selected solo parts.

The choreography for this song is very impressive. Everything is so synchronized which is always a good thing. That thing that they do with their pelvis is sure to make a lot of their fans go wild. I've watched their live stages and I'm amazed at how well they perform. Their energy level throughout the song never faltered which is why I am totally impressed.

I also like how I get to hear the others voices now instead of just hearing Niel do almost all the verse of the song. I like the fact that the other members were given more parts now.  

Anyway, the song is so catchy. I've been singing the chorus unconsciously all day. I Need You Baby Baby Baby... I swear this line is on repeat mode in my head. Before this, I have to admit, I was never a fan of the group. Of course, I know who they were but I don't know them that well. But after listening to this track, I realized that Teen Top is an okay group. I'm sure they'll be in the industry for many years given that they are all so talented. I'm looking forward to their next releases!

Here's the music video for Crazy: 

Source(s): Wikipedia, Teen Top Official Site

Video Courtesy of: Teen Top Official

Spotlight On... T-ara

(From Left to Right) Hwayoung, Hyomin, QRi, Boram, Soyeon, Jiyeon, Eunjung

T-ARA (티아라) is a seven-member South Korean girl group which debuted in 2009 under Core Contents Media. The group was originally a five-member group composed of Jiae, Jiwon, Hyomin, Eunjung and Jiyeon when they released their first song, "Good Person" (좋은 사람). Boram, QRi and Soyeon were then added to the group when Jiae and Jiwon left because of differences in music style.

They made their official debut on July 29, 2009 on MBC's Radio Star. Their debut stage was on July 30, 2009 at Mnet M!Countdown where they performed "Lies" (거짓말) and "Wanna Play?" (놀아볼래?). In the same year, they released their first debut studio album, "Absolute First Album" and won Rookie of the Year award at the 24th Golden Disk Awards alongside 4Minute.

They won their first-ever music show award on January 1, 2010 at KBS Music Bank with the song "Bo Peep Bo Peep", a song which I believe made them really popular. In the latter part of 2010, Ryu Hwayoung was added to the group, making T-ara a seven-member group.

The group has released several hit singles since their debut: TTL (Time to Love), I Go Crazy Because of You (너 때문에 미쳐), I'm Really Hurt (내가 너무 아파), Why Are You Being Like This (왜 이러니), Yayaya, and Roly-Poly. I personally love I Go Crazy and TTL. Those songs were what made me a fan of the group.

Speaking of fans, their fans are called "Queens" which was derived from the group's name, T-ara (tiara). And something that is unique to the group is their rotating group leadership. Most, if not all the idol groups in Korea have a fixed leader which is usually the oldest one in the group. And said leader is only replaced if he or she leaves the group. However, in T-ara, each member is given a chance to become a leader. I'm not sure how this is selected though. As of today, Hyomin is the current leader of the group.

Discography:

Albums
[2009.11.27] Absolute First Album

Mini Albums
[2010.12.01] Temptastic
[2011.06.23] John Travolta Wannabe
[2011.11.11] Black Eyes

Repackaged Albums
[2010.03.03] Breaking Heart
[2011.08.22] Roly Poly in Copacabana
[2012.01.03] Funky Town

Members Profile

Boram (보람)

Jeon Bo Ram

전보람

March 22, 1986

Vocalist, Rapper

Qri

Lee Ji Hyun

이지현

December 12, 1986

Vocalist

So Yeon (소연)

Park So Yeon

박소연

October 5, 1987

Lead Vocalist

Eun Jung (은정)

Ham Eun Jung

함은정

December 12, 1988

Main Vocalist, Lead Rapper

Hyomin (효민)

Park Sun Young

박선영

May 30, 1989

Main Rapper, Lead Vocalist, Lead Dancer, Leader

Jiyeon (지연)

Park Ji Yeon

박지연

June 7, 1993

Main Dancer, Visual, Maknae

Hwayoung (화영)

Ryu Hwa Young

류화영

April 22, 1993

Lead Rapper

Comeback Song: "Lovey Dovey"

The girls are back with a new song entitled, "Lovey Dovey". It's the lead single from 'Funky Town' which is a repackage of their third EP, Black Eyes. The song was written and produced by Shinsadong Tiger and Choi Kyusong. It is an electropop song reminiscent of trendy club music that is popular in Europe and the US.

That "Lovey dovey dovey, oh oh oh oh" part of the song is really quiet addicting. I think it's a given since the song in general is a dance music. I've watched their comeback stages and was able to watch the choreography for this song. Who wouldn't want to get up and do the shuffle dance nowadays, right? It looks a bit tiring though to be doing the shuffle dance all throughout the song. But I think it'll be okay to dance along to it when you're out in the club or just hanging out with your crazy group of friends.

As for the music video, honestly, I didn't quite like it. I've read a lot of reviews about it and we all share the same thoughts regarding the song and the music video, it just didn't go well together. I mean, watching a drama/action video with an upbeat song on the background just don't mix. I couldn't get a sense of the "Lovey Dovey" song from the music video. The song was totally inappropriate for the storyline, with the exception of the clubbing scenes. I know it's supposed to be a continuation of their Cry Cry MV but at least Cry Cry is a semi-ballad song. And by the way, it's a 20-minute video. And it was so segmented. They even play parts of the song 'We Were in Love," T-ara's collaboration song with Davichi, in it. In my honest opinion, 'We Were in Love" is the one which fits the storyline well.

Anyway, I think I will have to make a separate review for this song's music video. Apparently, their planning to release five different versions of it, including a "zombie" version. Well, well, I'm intrigued. Here's to hoping they release a much more appropriate video for this song cause I actually love listening to it.

Here's the MV for 'Lovey Dovey':

Source(s): Wikipedia

Music Video Source: 1theK

Spotlight On... NS Yoon-G

NS Yoon G

Profile:

Stage Name: NS Yoon-G (formerly: NS Yoon Ji)
Real Name: Kim Yoon Ji ((김윤지)
American Name: Christine Kim
Date of Birth: September 13, 1985
Height: 170cm
Weight: 46kg
Educational Background: University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
Twitter: @ns_yoonji
Official Website: nsyoong.com

Discography:

Mini Albums

[2012.01.05] Neo Spirit
[2012.07.18] Skinship

Singles:

[2010.05.14] Ambitious
[2010.10.21] Time to Fly High

Digital Singles:

[2009.09.24] 머리 아파
[2011.04.13] Talk Talk Talk
[2011.07.29] 또 보고 싶어
[2011.12.24] 니가 뭘 알아

NS Yoon G is a South Korean singer. She debuted in 2009 with the song "머리 아파" under JTM Entertainment. She's also the host of Arirang's Pops in Seoul and appears occassionally on various Korean variety programs.

I first saw her on Dream Team Season 2. (I initially thought that she was a model and not a singer since she's tall and has a great body.) She's very athletic and she's also very humble and respectful to others which made me like her instantly. Sadly though, there's nothing much I know about her other than she grew up in the United States of America (She's from Granada Hills, California) and she's the cousin of Kara's Jiyoung.

Also, I don't know much about her earlier music. And I hate to admit it, but as much as I like her, I didn't really bother to know more about her songs. Until of course, she started promoting her recent song "The Reason I Became A Witch".

Comeback Song: "The Reason I Became A Witch"

She's currently promoting her comeback song, "마녀가 된 이유 (The Reason I Became A Witch)" from her first mini-album "Neo Spirit". I actually liked the song the first time I heard it. It's powerful and catchy. And it makes me wanna sing along with it. It's different from the song she last promoted and it really sets her apart from other solo artists currently in promotion. The song shows off her vocal prowess more. The various elements/components of the song showcases her singing ability which differentiates her from the others. I mean, after hearing the song, you'll no longer think of her as just a pretty face with an amazing body who can carry a tune. Her concept now is also sexier, sassier, and more bolder than her previous ones. I also like her performance costumes. The one-piece, tight-fitting leather outfits of various colors is HOT. It shows off her assets without being too 'hoochie'.

The choreography is also simple yet powerful and not too exaggerated. This is actually good since the listener gets to focus on the live vocals more. And minimal choreography means there is no reason for the artist to lipsynch the whole song (unless, of course, there's a legit reason), right? I think these elements are the reason why I see her now as a legitimate singer. And it makes her comeback much more eye-catching and (definitely) places her away from the forgettable comebacks of the year. I am so looking forward to her next releases. 

Music Video:

As I couldn't find a MV teaser for the song, check out the full music video courtesy of NSYoonGVEVO @ Youtube:

Sources:
Generasia Profile

Lifted from my friendster bulletin board. Some years past.

A:: hot
B:: loves people and sex
B:: loves people and sex
Y:: is loved by everyone

Does your name fits you? Try it.
A:: hot
B:: loves people and sex
C:: good kisser
D:: can kick your butt
E:: has gorgeous eyes
F:: loves people; wild and crazy
G:: very outgoing
H:: cute
I:: loves to smile and laugh
J:: is really sweet
K:: lovable
L:: very good kisser
M:: makes dating fun
N:: easy to fall in love with
O:: has one of the best personalities ever
P:: popular with all types of people
Q:: a hypocrite
R:: is good in bed
S:: makes people laugh
T:: has a smile to die for
U:: is very sexual
V:: not judgmental
W:: very broad-minded
X:: never lets people tell her what to do
Y:: is loved by everyone
Z:: can be funny and dumb at times

2012 New Year's Resolution

A new year. A new beginning. 

And then... it's finally 2012. I'm thanking God for giving me another chance to redeem myself - to be able to restart my life again. 2011 has been a blessing for me. In all honesty, I didn't regret any decision that I've made last year. I think those decisions would help serve as the base for whatever I decide on doing this year. I think those decisions has actually helped me mature and see my whole life in a different perspective. I've learned the importance of my family (while being away in Singapore), the importance of friends, and the importance of being independent and loving yourself first. I've learned that despite having a huge responsibility of being the eldest, it's also important that I get a say in which course my life would take. I didn't want to look back on my life again and see all the flaws of me not being able to control my life. I am a DREAMER. I have a lot of dreams (for me and for my family), and earlier last year, I realized that I am absolutely nowhere near my dreams. So in the middle of last year, I decided to take a leap of faith and finally quit the job that has been giving me constant emotional stress and depression. I figured that it should all start from ridding yourself of all the things that bothers you first. It should all start from within. So this year, I'm going for a fresh start in life. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, I'll be writing my new year's resolution in my own apartment in Paris where I will be studying world history. Haha.  

Anyway, as what I've been saying year after year, my new year wouldn't be complete without my new year's resolutions. It's actually funny that every year seems to be a re-post of my previous year's new year's resolution. But having them still keeps me in check sometimes. Hehe. Again, I'll try to accomplish as much as I can this year so I could take some resolutions off my list for 2013.

1. Be more PUNCTUAL

This year i should strive to be on time for my new work; always come 15 minutes before get togethers; and to not use my sick leaves and annual leaves, unless when necessary.

2. Save Moohlah!

aside from the things i have to buy, i should not spend money on things not included on my to-buy list; i should save money for my anticipated trip to Hong Kong this coming December; And, i should learn to be more thrifty.

Since I didn't get to travel much last year as I said I would, I'm planning on having just one trip this year and save money for next year's travel year. I decided on Hong Kong since I've been missing the place lately.

3. Renew my faith

attend mass and other holy days of obligation; pray the rosary; do not forget to thank God for all his blessings; read the bible and the purpose driven life; go to confession; and be more honest

4. Live a healthy lifestyle

no more drinking alcohol; exercise regularly; sleep before 11pm, avoid staying up late (except on weekends); no more coffee after 6pm, limit coffee intake to at least one per day; take vitamins everyday; take a shower at night regularly; do nightly rituals regularly; drink tea at night; and eat more fruits.

I'm proud to say that I've shed off a few pounds this year. Given a few more months, I think I can really get those abs back.

5. Reinvent myself

wardrobe change and update at least once a month; wear accessories and shoes; be more girly; learn how to apply make-up; foot spa!

6. Take up a new hobby

try out something new this year... maybe photography; also update my bucket list, make art crafts more often; update blogspot; do movie and drama reviews; finish writing my stories; do the outline of my scrapbook

7. Learn

learn a foreign language: korean, japanese, spanish, french, or mandarin; study world history; review my accounting notes; review my other subjects; tutor my sibs; search a topic that interests me and read about it; read one book per week

I finally have all the resources I needed to study all those languages. All I need is determination to start learning.

8. Travel More

go to a different place, somewhere i've never been before this year; if possible, be able to go outside of the country again. Last year wasn't really my travel year, although I did get to visit three new countries. This year however, I'm opting not to go anywhere (aside from my Hong Kong trip this December) and just save up for next year. But if the budget fits, why not indulge? Hahaha.

9. Accomplish something on my bucket list

it's time to get something done again from that list. i have to be able to cross something off before the list gets any longer. And before i ran out of time to do them.

10. Own a pet

i think fishes would do. I'm also considering birds or rabbits, but fishes top my lists since i'll be able to take care of not just one. I plan to buy 13 angel fishes which represents each member of Super Juniors. hehe. Same from two years ago.

11. Redecorate my room

Theme: Artsy. fashion spreads on my wall, collage of pictures, world map

Same from 2011. I plan to redecorate my room this year. Still planning to have an artsy kind of room. Instead of traditional wallpapers, i would use fashion spreads from different magazines as my wallpaper. Then i plan to have a corner for me to post pictures on the wall and a world map and map of the Philippines so that i could mark the places i've been to. 

12. Smile often

no more frowning girl. remember: you're never fully-dressed without a smile. i read this in a magazine years ago and figured i should give it a try too. Sabi kasi nila, lagi na lang ako nakasimangot. That's why they think i'm snobbish, mataray, suplada, etc. Besides, smiling often... makes you look a lot younger.

13. Learn my way around the kitchen

it's about time i start learning how to cook something edible. something other than noodles and canned goods. or something other than fried whatever; hopefully, learn how to bake too.

I've recently caught the love-for-cooking bug. Watching all those shows (MasterChef, Junior MasterChef, Cake Boss, DC Cupcakes, and Hell's Kitchen) really inspired me to learn how to cook. This year I'm trying to cook at least one dish a month. My first is my favorite pasta - Carbonara!

14. Make my business successful

do all things necessary to make 'she blings' successful; be more creative in making and selling accessories; also start selling personalized items like calendars, tumblers, shirts, etc. I guess it's time for me to make use of my business degree. In addition, I plan to sell retail stuffs such as shirts, bags, trinkets, etc., that I get to see during my travels.

15. Fall in love = Give love a second chance

Because i'm turning 28 this March, i decided that its probably time i give myself some time to really fall in love.

16. Try out something new this 2012.

I'm thinking of playing 'Paintball'; Go-Kart Racing; Bowling; Ice-skating; or eat something that i haven't eaten yet. Thinking of sushi, isaw, dinuguan, or balut. Or eating in a Japanese restaurant.


Looking back on last year's list, I did get to cross out one resolution... and that is to be more decisive. I was able to finally make a decision. Kudos to me! Hopefully this year, I'll be able to cross out a few more. Everything is actually doable. All they need is a bit of will and determination. ~('o')v