Not to freak you out, but I guess the whole point is for you to be freaked out.

How "public" do you want to be? I mean, we've seen, read and heard about the horror stories of people being fired from their jobs because of something they've tweeted about or posted on Facebook. Employers now can just look on your Facebook page and make a judgement on how you are as an individual and whether you're being truthful about what you've written on your application.

How public do you want your life to be? With more and more people on social networking sites, how much of your life do you really want other people to see? I'm an actress and a struggling one at that, I would be a total hypocrite if I say that I don't like publicity. Of course I want to be popular! Being popular is the key to success in this industry. Once you're popular, then you can prove that you have range. However, I don't want EVERYTHING about my life to be made available for the entire galaxy to see.
There are certain parts of my life that I would like to keep private (hence this blog as opposed to my official website's blog) and I would like to keep the detailed notes of my mood swings during my period, very much private. Thank you.
Now, having blabbered with all that, have you ever stopped and thought about how "public" you are on the internet?



You're totally freaking out and checking your privacy settings on Twitter, Facebook and FourSquare, aren't you?

Being a parent means I have to make sure that the kids get a solid and great education. I want them to learn stuff but I want them to learn while having fun. There is that level of difficulty when you try to teach them about science and vocabulary without boring them to death. Surely, you don't want their session with their therapist to start with "My mom made me learn about miasmas and it just haunts me...HAUNTS ME! BWAHAHAHAH!"

It seems that learning through music is limited with nursery rhymes and alphabets and numbers. After that, there's nothing more than pop music or terribly written songs about the hurricane where the words are forced to rhyme and the melody is droning and monotonous. No offense to these people who wrote this songs. I can't write songs to save my life and I'm not about to critique them with their skills. All I'm saying is that as an end user, I have to make sure that the songs are interesting, catchy and well written. My kids will have to repeat these songs on a regular loop so I would have to endure.

I've heard of They Might Be Giants when I was watching a DVD about Sesame Street's anniversary. I thought they were adorable and their songs were catchy enough for the kids and they helped in making them learn about science and vocabulary! They do have DVDs out that are all about edutainment but here are some of the notable ones IMO.









You should check out ParticleMen's videos on the TMBGs. I suggest you download the vids and songs and let your kids understand and appreciate science. My kids (8 year old girl and 5 year old twins) have just learned 2 new big words yesterday in the span of 10 minutes - miasma and incandescent.

There's another threat of a strong typhoon. It's predicted that it will come within the Philippine Area of responsibility tomorrow and will hit Manila on Friday.

Let's not make the same mistake of being unprepared. Prepare your Emergency Kit. (Every home should have one) Here's what you should stock up on:

1. Clean water. My suggestion is to skip the teeny tiny bottles. Go for the big containers.
2. Self charging Radios and self charging lights. Some self charging lights have the capability to charge a phone. On that note, if you have a lower model phone, it's best to keep it charged as well and use that. Lower model phones consume less power.
3. Flashlights and batteries
4. Canned food, power bars, ready to eat meals. Avoid putting salty food in the kit as it will only make you thirsty.
5. I normally would not recommend candles especially if you have small children. But keep some just in case your batteries or the self charging lights go out. Just make sure to keep it away from the kids.
6. Rope. I suggest the nylon ones just in case you have to get them wet.
7. A first aid kit. Make sure you have these items in your first aid kit:3 pairs of Latex gloves (just in case you have to help a stranger out, the latex gloves will help prevent the spread of infection), Sterile dressings, Cleansing ointment or liquid, antiseptics, burn ointment, Adhesive bandages in different sizes, gauze pad, micropore tape, tweezers, scissors, eye wash, thermometer, prescription medication (if your family members have existing illnesses, it's best to be prepared.), antihistamines, paracetamol, ibuprofen, anti-diarrheal medication and vicks or katinko. Make sure your first aid kit is in a waterproof bag or at least put those that are in risk of getting wet in a ziploc bag.
8. Blankets and jackets.
9. A whistle. If (god forbid) you get stuck on top of your house, you can use the whistle to call for attention and help.
10. Wet wipes.


Keep an emergency kit at work as well. It's better to be prepared than to regret things later on. Keep a set of extra clothes at work as well (yes, including undies.) Keep a pair of flip flops or sneakers just in case public transportation gets screwy and you have to trudge on home.

Being prepared is the first step in averting a major disaster.

I got this post from Trixie (One of Manila's hottest bachelorettes, next to me, of course. *wink*).

***
We guys don't care if you talk to other guys.

We don't care if you're friends with other guys.

But when you're sitting next to us, and some random guy walks into the room and you jump up and tackle him, without even introducing us, yeah, it pisses us off. (I completely agree, but it's not about anything else but common courtesy)

It doesn't help if you sit there and talk to him for ten minutes without even acknowledging the fact that we're still there.

We don't care if a guy calls OR TEXTS you, but at 2 in the morning we do get a little concerned.

Nothing is that important at 2 am that it can't wait till the morning. (Again, I agree. It goes both ways too you know.)

Also, when we tell you you're pretty/beautiful/gorgeous/cute/stunning, we freaking mean it.
Don't tell us we're wrong.
We'll stop trying to convince you. (Yeah, okay but sometimes you tell us we're pretty/beautiful/gorgeous/cute/stunning when we've just woken up, hair all over the place or when we're sick and green like the damn Grinch or the Incredible Hulk! You have to kind of build your credibility there...)

The sexiest thing about a girl is confidence.

Yeah, you can quote me.

Don't be mad when we hold the door open.

Take Advantage of the mood I'm in.

Let us pay for you! Don't feel bad. We enjoy doing it. It's expected.

(Just)[sic]Smile and say "thank you".

Kiss us when no one's watching.

If you kiss us when you know somebody's looking, we'll be more impressed. (Voyeurism anyone? Hehehe)

You don't have to get dressed up for us. (We're doing it for us. We don't want to look like your nanny. Besides, at the perchance we bump into your ex or our ex, we want them to see us at our best.)

If we're going out with you in the first place, you don't have to feel the need to wear the shortest skirt you have or put on every kind of makeup you own. (Unless it's a costume party. Halloween is different story altogether)

We like you for who you are and not what you are.

Honestly, I think a girl looks more beautiful when she's just in her pj's.

Or my tshirt[sic] and boxers, not all dolled up.

Don't take everything we say seriously.

Sarcasm is a beautiful thing. See the beauty in it. (Oh we do.)

Don't get angry easily.

Stop using magazines/media as your bible.

Don't talk about how hot Chris Brown, Brad Pitt, or Jesse McCartney is in front of us.
It's boring, and we don't care. You have girlfriends for that. (Well, stop talking about how hot Jessica Simpson or the latest FHM cover is too! They're airbrushed and photoshopped anyway. And you wonder why we use magazines as our bibles...)

Whatever happened to the word "handsome"/'beautiful"
I'd be utterly stunned by a girl who greeted me with "Hey handsome!" instead of "Hey baby/stud/cutie/sexy" or whatever else you can think of.

On the other hand I'm not saying I wouldn't like it either ; )

Girls, I cannot stress this enough: if you aren't being treated right by a guy, don't wait for him to change! Ditch his sorry butt, disgrace to the male population and find someone who will treat you with utter respect. Someone who will honor your morals. (Amen.)

Someone who will make you smile when you're at your lowest.

Someone who will care for you even when you make mistakes.

Someone who will love you, no matter how bad you make them feel.

Someone who will stop what they're doing just to look you in the eyes....and say "I love you" ..and actually mean it.

Give the nice guys a chance.

Every Guy who isn't a jerk will agree with this,
so we hope that all the girls that read this will repost this.


ADVICE:

*Holding Hands
Girls: If you want to hold his hand, gently bump into it a couple of times.


*Movies
Girls: During a movie, if he puts his arm around you, tilt your head on his shoulder.
Guys: Lift her chin up and kiss her.


*Loving each other
Guys: When she tells you she loves you, look deep into her eyes, give her a peck on the lips, and tell her you love her too... And mean it.


*Laying below the stars
Girls: When you're both laying under the stars, put your head on his chest and close your eyes as you listen to his steady heartbeat.
Guys: Whisper in her ear and link your hands with hers.

***

This is all nice and ideal. It is quite refreshing to think that there are men like that still existing in the world and not just in my head.

I guess the next questions are, WHERE THE HELL ARE THESE MEN??!! and HOW DO I GET ONE?!?!

The previous post I put in here kinda sparked a new kind of paranoia and nervousness in me. My adopted daughter is 16 and I know I've got to sit her down to do "The Talk".

My mom never had to do "The Talk" with me as I kinda figured things out for my self. She was, however, a big believer of practicing safe sex and I tell you, nothing can be a bigger display of it than having your 16th birthday cake decorated with foiled up lubricated rubbers. Toss in a mom who's giving them away as party favors, and you've got yourself the most humiliating birthday that is the talk of the whole high school for 2 years running.

Hubby and I had to do it last night and believe you me, it was all kinds of awkward. As if talking about sex to your daughter wasn't awkward enough, I had to run my big mouth off by saying "Hey, if it's a chick you like, we'll be more than supportive too!" I know I could place that in a better light than that. Her mother's a huge GLBT supporter and I made gay relationships sound like a freaking dinner choice between fish or chicken.

She was very gracious about it, and I know for a fact that she's indulged me and even offered a gratuitous smile. I think she spent the next ten minutes chortling and dying of laughter in her room after the whole fiasco.

Now, my other daughter is just 5, so thank god I still have 10 more years to practice.

This video made me cry because of two things: 1.) How can Ken Starr think that Gay marriages isn't right? Love is love, no matter which way you look at it. Nobody has the right to say what kind of love should be made legal or not. It's unfair that gay people can't have the same rights as straight people. 2.) I cried because I was so touched with the love these people have for each other. Their families and friends easily fought with them. It gives me hope that there are still some people out there who believe in love - in any which way, shape or form.


"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Filipinos have been accepting of our GBLT friends. We have to go over and beyond that. We should allow gay people to get married legally here in the Philippines. Do we have people working on this? Please, let me know because I would love to be part of it.

This is one of the reasons why I don't like someone else putting make up on me. Let's face it, I look nice. But I don't sure as hell don't look like me.

Make up is supposed to compliment your natural beauty. It's supposed to highlight the good things (cheek bones, eyes, lips) and hide the flaws (round nose, big lips, too deep set eyes). It's not supposed to make you look like someone else. For that, you need to go to Belo.

First make up tip: Choose a foundation that's right for you. Foundation is critical. You don't want to look any lighter or darker than your real skin tone. That's just bad. Choose a foundation that works for you. I like cream foundations while my mother prefers powder. Test the foundation on your jawline. If you can't distinguish it from your skin, you've got yourself a winner.

Foundation tip #1.a - Use foundation sparingly. Dot then spread. Use your fingers preferably as the natural heat from your fingers will make sure that the foundation is spread evenly. Pero wag ka naman sanang tanga - pag powder foundation, mag sponge ka naman.

Foundation tip #1.b - Use a concealer for spots and zits and dark circles. Foundation will not work in covering these up. Why? Think of foundation as... FOUNDATION! ANO BA? IT is the base, the primer, not the heavy duty masilya.

Foundation tip #1.c - Don't forget the neck because those who see won't. This is a common mistake. Always put foundation on your neck and blend it with your jawline. Utang na loob, make up ito, hindi maskara! And if you know people will be taking pictures at night with an ultra lakas flash, make sure you blend, blend, blend and blend. Ate, pramis, makikita yan sa picture. You don't want to be given the nickname "The Mask"

Foundation tip #1.d - Set the foundation with loose powder. This will make sure that your face isn't too glossy and that your foundation will never blend with your other make up. Remember, base ito, hindi pintura. If you don't have loose powder, your pressed powder will do.

So, now your face is set for other achuchuchus.

Next time - eye make up.