Scared of revolving doors, but brave enough to say something.

Here I Go Again

and all I can do is pray that I survive this month…

Rolling Stone just saved me from stress

My 1-week training at work suddenly became a walk in the clouds after seeing this.

John Mayer on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Glitter post time!

John Mayer

 

My favorite Microsoft Office Fonts

Weird post, right? Typefaces…

and I don’t mean the creative, artsy ones.

I have 3 favorite fonts, all being part of the Humanist group (imitating the letterings on manuscript during medieval times, thus the name).

So here goes…

1. Tahoma

When the Microsoft 2007 was released together with my Windows Vista-operated laptop, I thought the Calibri was what I like most. Apparently, I became fixated with the font that has existed even during the Microsoft 1995 days.

2. Verdana

See? Very much similar with the Tahoma, but just a little bit rounder. And yes, they are from the same batch. But I only started liking it a month ago, probably because this was the mandated typeface that we have to use in all our office documents.

Both the Tahoma and the Verdana are part of the Humanist Sans-Serif family.

3. Segoe Print

Now, this is not a sans-serif typeface, but a a Humanist, still. Segoe Print is a member of the Segoe font group that Microsoft uses for all of their official documents and newsletters. I would normally use it for my electronic signatures, watermarks and informal letters done via Microsoft Word.

Let’s help Haiti

We were in this situation before (Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng, September 2009), and it’s now our turn to help.

 

Picture c/o of Daily Mail

Haiti Relief Assistance:

• Action Against Hunger: ACF International has mobilized an emergency response following the earthquake that devastated the city of Port-au-Prince. ACF teams on the ground have begun to carry out rapid evaluations across the city, while additional support, equipment, and materials — including water treatment supplies, emergency vehicles, and communications equipment — are en route from ACF’s bases in Gonaives.

• ActionAid: ActionAid asks for donations for its relief efforts. ActionAid has been working in Haiti since 1996 and is deploying an emergency team to deliver clean water, shelter and goods like blankets and soap.

• ADRA: ADRA is launching an initial response worth $85,000 to meet the immediate needs of survivors. According to an initial assessment, the immediate needs include water purification supplies, food, temporary shelter materials, hygiene kits, and medical assistance.

• American Red Cross: The American Red Cross has pledged an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by the earthquake in Haiti, and is prepared to take further action as local responders assess the situation.

• American Friends Service Committee: Accepting financial aid only at this time. Funds will go to immediate material needs and to help Haitians themselves rebuild their communities.

• AME-SADA: AME-SADA is currently assessing the situation in Haiti and will provide humanitarian relief and care on site through their system of local clinics and micro credit operations.

• Americares: Specializes in immediate disaster relief

• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee: The world’s largest Jewish humanitarian assistance organization is collecting funds for relief efforts and working with partners on the ground in Haiti.

• American Jewish World Service: Donations will enable AJWS’s network of grantees in Haiti to meet the urgent needs of the population based on real-time, on-the-ground assessments.

• Catholic Relief Services: Donations will go to help Haiti victims, who are still recovering from the deadly 2008 hurricanes.

• CARE: CARE donations will go to deliver emergency aid to victims of the impoverished nation’s capital city.

• CONCERN Worldwide: Concern Worlwide US calls on the public for urgent support to allow the agency to provide food, water, shelter and medicine as the immediate priority for those that have survived the catastrophe.

• Direct Relief International: Direct Relief’s response efforts are fast, involve local partners, and are coordinated with other international organizations and governmental authorities to ensure the most efficient use of resources.

• Food for the Hungry: FH’s operational focus in Haiti is HIV/AIDS and Child/Maternal health, and we will be looking to respond in these areas as well as other areas of need.

• Giving Children Hope: Giving Children Hope is talking with partners in Haiti, determining the greatest needs of the earthquake victims.

• Habitat for Humanity: Habitat for Humanity International is addressing shelter solutions for low-income families affected by the earthquake. Habitat’s ability to respond effectively to this disaster will require support from donors, volunteers, corporate partners and other community organizations.

• Hands On Disaster Response: Hands On Disaster Response (HODR) is returning to Haiti after a 2008-2009 hurricane response project, to determine how and where the organization’s main resource of volunteers would be most effective in the response and recovery efforts.

• Handicap International: Already present in Haiti, Handicap International reacted rapidly to the earthquake, which hit the country Tuesday night. The association released $217,657 in funding Wednesday and will provide support for the team.

• International Medical Corps: International Medical Corps is deploying an Emergency Response Team to Haiti.

• International Relief Teams: International Relief Teams (IRT) is appealing for cash donations to help the victims of the powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck near the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

• The International Rescue Committee: The International Rescue Committee is deploying its Emergency Response Team to Haiti to deliver urgent assistance to earthquake survivors and help overwhelmed local aid. They’ll be focusing on critical medical, water and sanitation assistance.

• Islamic Relief: Islamic Relief USA has launched a $1 million appeal for the victims of the quake, and is coordinating a massive shipment of much-needed aid to the island nation.

• Lutheran World Relief: Lutheran World Relief is accepting donations to provide life-saving assistance in response to the earthquake in Haiti. Details of the emergency response will made available as the organization learns more about the immediate needs on the ground.

• Operation USA: Operation USA is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles.

• Operation Blessing: Operation Blessing’s Haiti National Director, Eric Lotz, is on-the-ground making first responder assessments and disaster relief teams are mobilizing to bring emergency relief to victims.

• Oxfam: Oxfam has long experience in Haiti, and we’re rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation where our assistance is most needed.

• PIH: Has had longstanding aid relationship with Haiti

• Salvation Army: The Salvation Army is currently mobilizing personnel and supplies to assist in the relief effort in Haiti, following the severe earthquake that struck Tuesday. The Salvation Army has already dedicated $50,000 in direct aid to the country, and it is in need of additional donations.

• Samaritan’s Purse: Samaritan’s Purse is responding to the earthquake that devastated Haiti by providing critically needed assistance, including water, temporary shelter, blankets, hygiene kits, medical aid, and other essentials.

• Save the Children: Donations to Save the Children will help the charity provide urgently needed medical attention, safe drinking water, and other necessities.

• Search Dog Foundation: Strengthen disaster response by recruiting rescued dogs and partnering them with firefighters and other first responders to find people buried alive in the wreckage of disasters.

• Stop Hunger Now: Stop Hunger Now will be coordinating relief efforts to our partners in Haiti by organizing shipments of meals and financial support.

• UNICEF USA: Donations to UNICEF will go to children, the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster.

• United Way Worldwide: Gifts to the Fund support long-term recovery efforts to rebuild lives and infrastructure devastated by disaster and to address educational, financial and health-related challenges.

• World Concern: Donate to Haiti relief efforts.

• World Food Programme: WFP is mobilising all available resources to bring urgently needed food assistance to thousands of people affected by the devastating earthquake which hit the Caribbean island of Haiti.

• World Vision:Your gift now will help distribute relief supplies — including food, clean water, blankets, and tents to children and families impacted by the earthquake and aftershocks in Haiti.

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• Yele Haiti

Texting YELE to 501501
On Twitter, musician Wyclef Jean, a native of Haiti, notes, "Haiti needs your help and $5 will go toward earthquake relief."

Yele Haiti is a grassroots movement Jean has set up to inspire change in Haiti through programs in education, sports, the arts and environment.

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Thanks to Fox News for the list.

test

still don’t get typekit, really.

My first post

… for the year. Wow, a few months back, I was a sucker for blog posts, and now, I can’t even update my site for the new year.

Anyway, for the most part of my holiday, I caught up on the TV shows that I have missed due to my hectic days… one of which is “Glee” – yes, “Glee”. Thanks to my tween cousin, I got to watch all episodes of the last season.

But no, this is not about the show. This is about one song that I fell in love with. I think it can be an anthem for those who are not afraid to go against norm in order to protect what they believe in, even if it would mean being ostracized by the public . >> The persona is a witch who plans to go against the Wizard of Oz, because she realized that he was not the good man that everybody thought he was.

The song’s called, “Defying Gravity”, originally from the musical “Wicked”, which was initially performed by Idina Menzel.

 

*Edited to include the “Glee” rendition (that Rachel character can sing really well):

 

Here’s the one by Idina and Kristin Chenoweth:

The lyrics:

GLINDA
(spoken) Elphaba – why couldn’t you have stayed calm for
once, instead of flying off the handle!
(sung) I hope you’re happy!
I hope you’re happy now
I hope you’re happy how you
Hurt your cause forever
I hope you think you’re clever!

ELPHABA
I hope you’re happy
I hope you’re happy, too
I hope you’re proud how you
Would grovel in submission
To feed your own ambition

BOTH
So though I can’t imagine how
I hope you’re happy right now

GLINDA
(spoken) Elphie, listen to me. Just say you’re sorry:
(sung) You can still be with the Wizard
What you’ve worked and waited for
You can have all you ever wanted:

ELPHABA
(spoken) I know:
(sung) But I don’t want it –
No – I can’t want it
Anymore:
Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I’m through with playing by the rules
Of someone else’s game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It’s time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!

It’s time to try
Defying gravity
I think I’ll try
Defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down!

GLINDA
Can’t I make you understand?
You’re having delusions of grandeur:

ELPHABA
I’m through accepting limits
‘Cuz someone says they’re so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I’ll never know!
Too long I’ve been afraid of
Losing love I guess I’ve lost
Well, if that’s love
It comes at much too high a cost!

I’d sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I’m defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down.

(spoken) Glinda – come with me. Think of what we could
do: together.
(sung) Unlimited
Together we’re unlimited
Together we’ll be the greatest team
There’s ever been
Glinda –
Dreams, the way we planned ‘em

GLINDA
If we work in tandem:
BOTH
There’s no fight we cannot win
Just you and I
Defying gravity
With you and I
Defying gravity

ELPHABA
They’ll never bring us down!
(spoken) Well? Are you coming?

GLINDA
I hope you’re happy
Now that you’re choosing this

ELPHABA
(spoken) You too
(sung) I hope it brings you bliss

BOTH
I really hope you get it
And you don’t live to regret it
I hope you’re happy in the end
I hope you’re happy, my friend:

ELPHABA

So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
"Ev’ryone deserves the chance to fly!"
And if I’m flying solo
At least I’m flying free
To those who’d ground me
Take a message back from me
Tell them how I am

Defying gravity
I’m flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I’ll match them in renown
And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!

GLINDA
I hope you’re happy!

CITIZENS OF OZ
Look at her, she’s wicked!
Get her!

ELPHABA
Bring me down!

CITIZENS OF OZ
No one mourns the wicked
So we’ve got to bring her

ELPHABA
Ahhh!
CITIZENS OF OZ

Down!

Goodbye 2009 –

Dear 2009, I have to say this… things were not good between us at the beginning, with all the heartaches, disappointments and anger you gave me, I thought we will never get along…  but as you were getting ready to leave, you decided to sneak the gift of contentment in my life.

Thanks for being weird.

Please tell 2010 to be gentle with me.

My new DS Lite games

Seems that Santa gave me 3 awesome gifts this Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (no, I am not 3 years old)

Graphics are not as nice as CSI: Dark Motives, but new cases mean new ways of living my dream of being a CSI.

Some dishes are rehashes from CM2, the new tricks, exercises and design, however, still makes it a very interesting and addictive game.

It’s almost the same as the show, but when I got this game, I thought I would battle it out with Chefs Cora, Mario and Masaharu… this is one example of a package label deceiving the consumer. 

Wishing everyone…