Mount Pinatubo - Baguio Trip Part 1

Sunday night, I couldn’t sleep. It’s the eve before our Mount Pinatubo and Baguio trip. I prepared my things very early for our 3-day trip, went to bed as early as 9PM but my body’s telling me otherwise. I couldn’t sleep, my mind's wondering about tomorrow’s trip. Are we going to be safe? Are we going to enjoy? A lot of questions and possible things that may come up were all running in my mind. My friend Hanna kept on informing me that we should be in her apartment at 5 in the morning sharp because the van that we rented is arriving at 5AM in her apartment.

I woke up the following day, Monday morning at around 4:30AM. I knew I will be late. Carlos, who lives near our house, was already waiting for me in the nearby 7-11. We rushed and waited for an available cab and the irony was we couldn’t find a cab! Hehehe.

So we were late. We arrived there at around 5:30AM. They were already inside the van and the joke’s on us. They actually almost kicked our butts. Hehehe. Luckily, the driver, sorry I forgot his name, was very efficient. He drove with a maximum speed of 140kph along NLEX. That’s the fastest ride I actually had. Seriously... In NLEX, I can only drive to as fast as 110kph, cannot go beyond that, I might lose control.

As much as I want to take a nap on our way to Capas, Tarlac, I didn’t have the chance. I tried really hard because I slept late and I should get enough sleep to be fully charged; I even put an eye-pad just to get asleep. But no, it didn’t work. We arrived in Capas at around 6:30AM, still too early. We had our breakfast first in MickyD’s while waiting for Eugene because he lives in Tarlac City and Ms. Jovi of Pinatubo Tourism. When I rang on him, I immediately knew that he just woke up from the dreamland, the sound of his voice was a mix of still groaning, still groggy and shocked response. Hehehe. His house is like 30 minutes away from the Capas meeting place so while waiting for Eugene, Ms. Jovi met us in Mcdo and did an orientation.

Did you know that the crater’s center is 5,000 feet deep from its water level? Did you know that the crater’s water color changes depending on its content? When it’s green, it’s more on sulphur. Blue when it’s more on salt. Blue-green of course if it’s neutral. The color was blue-green when we were there.

When Eugene arrived, we immediately went to the registration area which is near the Capas Town Hall. It took us approximately 30 minutes just to go there.

When we were already there, we met our 4x4s and our tour guides, prepared in our trekking suits and then ready to go!

Since we were 8, we needed two 4x4 jeeps. The girls rode in the smaller jeep, we took the bigger one but with no hood! So it was a long and a hot ride that we had. Luckily, our 4x4 left first so they suffered eating our dusts! Hahaha...

The 4x4 trip was actually composed of bumpy and dusty alternated with muddy obstacles brought about by the remnants of the volcano’s previous eruptions. We took several steep roads and experienced several machine breakdown due to the very challenging path. Poor 4x4 jeepneys... Hahaha...

When we reached the farthest area where the 4x4 jeeps can go, t’was already 11AM so we decided to eat our lunch first which is included in the package that we paid. We thought that our lunch would be economical but no! Each of us had 3 styro containers. The first styro has rice, fried chicken, salted egg and tomato. The second styro contains chapseuy and the last one has pork adobo. We also had a banana and a bottled water each. Not really a bad lunch huh? Super sulit!

After that very scrumptious lunch, we’re ready for a long hike up to the crater. Initially, we had to go down in this very steep track with cracks. According to our guides, they’re due to the recent heavy rains that eroded the supposed to be way down. When we reached the bottom, a walk that gradually goes up followed. There was a stream of cold water running opposite our direction, heading down. As we go farther, the view becomes greener, the pavement narrower, and the atmosphere’s getting colder.

It's normally about a 40-minute walk from the site where the 4x4s can park up until the crater, but since we hafta stop sometimes to take some rest and picture-picture, it took us about an hour hiking just to reach the top.

Luckily, I was listening to Regina Spektor which made the climb much easier. The funny lyrics and dandy beats of her songs make me ignore the scorching heat of the sun and my thirsty and tongue-protruding mouth.

Finally, we saw this pavement that marks the proximity to the crater. Then voila! What a relief! The water was blue-green! T’was very glorious and peaceful. My H2O bottle's already half empty. My ipod then immediately played Joshua Kadison's Beautiful in My Eyes. Awww... what a coincidence! My player's in a shuffle mode, would you believe?!

You’re my piece of mind, in this crazy world
You’re every thing I've tried to find
Your love is a pearl
You’re my Mona Lisa
You’re my rainbow skies
And my only prayer is that you realize
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes...

It then felt like the volcano's crater and I have a connection. LOL, I'm just kidding. We rested for a while then decided to swim! It was very fulfilling reaching the crater. It’s so calm up there. We were the only people besides the volcanologists who were there to monitor Pinatubo’s activity. Right, he's an active volcano but according to them, it would take him 5 days from the first sign of possible eruption before the final eruption will take place so it's not really that scary to go up and visit the crater because it will not erupt any minute. Our guides waited for us while we swam in the cold water of the crater. Grrr... It's all worth it!

Then it made me wonder how on earth did he do it?! I mean, the crater's mouth is so huge, about 2 kilometers in diameter. The mountain-like structure that surrounds the crater's so high, so I cannot just imagine how powerful and forceful it's explosion and eruption can be. It's really an awesome view, how nature can actually carve itself to become a beautiful scene... It's very exceptional!

And also the crater with water, filled by years of rainfall, it's so amazing... really... I cannot help myself but to be amazed. Beautiful indeed!

You can actually go to the center of the crater swimming but be sure you knoe how to save your self when you drown. LOL. There are also available boats which you can rent, but we didn't find it interesting to be in the center of the crater... Hehehe...

 

It's just WOW...

The team Pinatubo! LOL. (L-R) James, Carlos, the Author, Eugene, Camille, Jac and Hanna. Rhenz took this shot.

Going down was a lot easier compared to going up. And since we left the crater at around 3:30PM, the sun's already not apparent and we already need not to take pictures and so it only took us about 45-minutes to reach into our 4x4s.

Another exciting and funny thing that happened while on our way down was when a heavy rain came right after reaching the area where the 4x4s can park. Since our jeep has no hood, we had no choice but to shower in the rain at the back of the jeep during our way back to the registration area. It was a really fun experience!

The world will turn
And the seasons will change
And all the lessons we will learn
Will be beautiful and strange
We'll have our fell of tears
Our share of sight
My only prayer is that you realize
You'll always be beautiful in my eyes...

You will always be beautiful in my eyes
And the passing years will show
That you will always grow
Ever more beautiful in my eyes

Most of the pictures were taken from Rhenz's multiply. Thanks Rhenz!

To see more pictures from our Pinatubo trip, click HERE, HERE, and HERE!

Owell, there are a lot!

Part 2 will be posted soon...  the continuation of our trip... next stop? Baguio!

Heat Stroke

The motivation to write something for my blog's apparently not apparent right now. LOL. I just came back from a 3-day trip (Mount Pinatubo and Baguio), and now I feel like wanting to rest for the rest of my summer vacation. And I mean it to be a sedentary kind of rest if you knoe what I mean.

The lack of inspiration to write probably points out to a lot of external factors such as the heat and the absence of epi rush that is evident during the days in med school.

I was in a popular resort here in Pangasinan. I wasn't there to stay for days. I was just there to accompany my brother and sister who want to swim. They swam, I surfed... not the waves... but the net. Sadly, the Wifi was not working because of electricity and server problems; so instead, I resorted into writing the first part of our 3-day trip. I can’t post it yet... Besides, I am still waiting for the pictures to be posted by my friends and grab ‘em because my camera went loco during the hike or maybe I just don’t know how to set my camera into the right mode.

Since it’s like writing insensible phrases, let me just share the resort where we went. This is not a paid post... So, it’s okay if you’ll not go there after reading this post... I am not promoting it although the resort is a nice place to stay. I think the recent Miss Earth Pageant had their bikini shoot there. So, here are some of the pictures... If you haven’t been on a swimming trip lately, drool now!

 

LisLand Rainforest Resort is Located at McArthur Highway, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.

Isn't it inviting? Aren't you hearing voices now saying, "So howt... Come here..."?

BTW, when we went in Good Shepherd in Baguio to buy their famous Ube Jam, we discovered that they send teens to college through the money they earn from selling Ube Jams, Peanut Brittles, and others. So, if you happen to visit Baguio, don’t forget to drop by the Good Shepherd near the Mine’s View. Their Ube Jam’s really a must try and the good thing’s you can actually send a scholar to college by buying their products. Since I let you drool over the pictures above, get fascinated and salivate again...

Another BTW, I just found out that I passed Pharmacology! Yipee! It's like my one and only subject in second year, because it's like the only subject that I really focus on and still fail sometimes in quizzes and exams... I was saddened tho that 40 students are outright failures and more than a hundred batchmates will take the remedial exam. Hay... I am really thankful to God that I was able to go through that struggle... I actually almost took the remedials; it was a serious subject... Hard to pass... God is Great!

Prospera Pascha sit

I wasn’t shocked to see a lot more people today in the Church than the usual. I was more shocked to see the unusual crowd in the mall today. It seems like every Filipino misses the feeling of the atmosphere inside the mall. Who wouldn’t? Besides, mall A/C is the best thing in this planet especially during this season! Gawd, sooo howt! I wasn’t expecting us to be going in the Mall of Asia again. As I have said in my previous post, every visit in MOA is nothing but a crap. Tired feet, wasted gas, exhausted body.

We waited for like 30 minutes to get a 6-seater table inside Italianni’s. The meal was okay, the family time was better. On our way out, my sister picked an Easter egg and won this cute apron. It was really cute that it would look like a bib if my dad would wear it. She was really happy that she got that gift, I dunno why, t’was just a bib/apron. Owell...

Next stop was in All FlipFlops! My mom was really decided to buy a new pair of Havaianas today but she was just disappointed to find out that her size in all the designs that she wanted were all out of stock! Apparently, they got a lot of assorted designs but the usual Filipino sizes were all consumed! What the buck?! Hehehe… So everybody’s going to the beach this summer?! Hell no! Hehehe… I must say that every Filipino now has a pair of Havaianas! Wanna bet?

So they resorted into buying my sister a new dress for her violin recital. It took them a while looking for something that suits her lanky frame so we (together with my brothers) went to the toys section. Hahaha… My parents told me that they got her a nice dress but I wasn’t able to see it. Owell, I’ll just wait for the concert day.

So that’s how I became an Easter bunny today… I basically walked along every corner of the mall, Mall of Asia that is. Imagine that! Hehehe… I’m sooo tired nao… I need to rest already… I don’t want to be droopy, floppy, and flaccid or limp while hiking tomorrow! I’ll just update you on our adventure! Bye for nao.

Oops! BTW, It’s been a while…

I got to taste it again! Yum… I knoe you want one nao eryt?

Happy Easter Earthlings! HEE! LOL.

Oh BTW, Prospera Pascha sit is the Latin for Happy Easter!

First of Summer!

I sooo love this song and I am sharing this to everyone to feel the start of summer! For those who haven't ended yet the agony of the last days of school year, patience guys. Patience is the virtue eryt?

So Urbandub's my choice for today's music entry because of this song! It is included  in their 2005 album entitled Embrace under EMI Music. For those who doesn't know yet, Urbandub is a Filipino experimental rock band from Cebu. They are one of the most critically-acclaimed bands in our country, and is now enjoying immense popularity around the Philippines.

Hailing from the "Proud South" City of Cebu, Urbandub has represented their city all across the nation, and now has invaded other parts of Asia as well. Their second album Influence was considered by many music critics as their best album to date. The track "Soul Searching" was named "Song of the Year" in 2003 and Influence was awarded "Album of the Year" in 2004 by the NU 107 Rock Awards.

Their most recent album, Under Southern Lights, was released in 2007 by EMI Music Philippines.

I haven't seen them play live yet but according to my friend, they're far better during live performances.

Enjoy!!!

Parked car
This night sky
Makes city lights shine like diamonds
Our song plays on the radio.

We're living it up
Make this night ours
We own the world
I wish this lasts forever
Alone with you tonight
Further in you feels so right.

Parked car
This night sky
Makes city lights shine like diamonds
Our song plays on the radio.

We're giving it up and just a little more
This heart felt leap I surrender
Arms raised tonight. (arms raised)

We're giving it up and just a little more
This heart felt leap I surrender
Arms raised tonight. (arms raised)

Anywhere with you
Anywhere with you
Anywhere with you

Drive me away
Cuz the night just feels right
Take me away with you tonight
Anywhere with you.

Drive me away
Cuz the night just feels right
Take me away with you tonight
Anywhere with you.

Parked car, this night sky

Parked car
This night sky
Makes city lights shine like diamonds
Our song plays on, our song plays on,
Our song plays on, our song plays on

Our song plays on…
Parked car, night sky
Alone with you tonight…

Plans, plans, plans

Gawd, I’m not supposed to blog this holy week but since I am bored, I’ll do an update.

We went in Tagaytay and I didn’t enjoy the trip much like I did during our previous travels every holy week. I hated it actually; I got sooooo tired from driving, dehydrated due to intense heat that I drank Gatorade in order to replenish my lost electrolytes, sunburned my L upper extremity to almost 3^rd degree (I am just exaggerating, hehe) due to stagnantly waiting for the long queues of road machines, irritated by a lot of Manilenians who are there to violate traffic rules, and now I feel sick, inflamed and worried I might not be able to ambulate on Monday. I should relax after this; besides, I should really rest for our Monday Pinatubo and Baguio trip. Since I started talking about our recent travel, let me share to you my to-do list this summer break.

So what are my summer plans?

• Read books but not med books. Unlike in college, where you can actually  devote some time into reading non-acad-related books, Med school’s different. Even if sometimes you have this enough time for recreational reading, our minds are still set into school stuff which eradicates the essence and the compassion to fully discern the story. I should finish the Harry Potter 7 by J.K. Rowling, I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris, Boundaries by Dr. Henry Claud, They have Jesus by Joey Velasco and High-Maintenance Relationships by Dr. Les Parrott. I will also reread Alexander Lacson’s 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can do to help our Country, Miracle Cure by Michael Palmer and the Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. I am also waiting if Barbie will be able to borrow her friend’s copy of the Doctors by Erich Segal for me because it is really a hard to find book. If you have it and not interested anymore, I am willing to buy it for a reasonable price. Hehehe. I still should get the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra but I would be glad if someone will give it to me as a birthday present soon! *wink
•  Camille invited me to spend this summer in the gym and do some boxing. Owell, I am not sure about it but I am really interested in boxing. It’s been my desire ever since to enroll into kickboxing. I’ve been doing boxing in the province when I do my cardio workout in the gym; I actually got bored and quitted after a few sessions. I am still excited tho into kicking and punching some bags but first I still have to find my hand wrap. If not, I would probably just resort into my old jogging routine but it should be a more intense program this time. I will shift from once a week to thrice a week with muscle toning. 
• On Monday, We’ll be going to hike in Pinatubo! Yipee! Then after the hike we’ll go straight to Baguio for an overnight. I am really excited. The original plan was either a trip to Bohol, Cebu or Palawan. The Palawan trip didn’t push through because when we computed the possible expenses, hah! We realized that we’re still dependent on our parents. The Bohol and Cebu trip was already “D PLAN”, very sure until a news came to us that Hanna’s place in Bohol will be occupied by his uncle this summer. So Bohol, I’ll see you on sembreak!
• Hopefully, I’ll get my Visa this coming April so that I can visit my cousins in Cleveland and Canada. The original plan was to accompany my delicate Granny back to the US of A because she wants to go back there. But since there’s a problem with her paper and my application’s already filed, I would probably go there all by myself. I am still thinking of going there tho, it would be better if it’s a trip to Hong Kong or Singapore with my family. Hay…
• I also would like to watch all the movies I missed. There are a lot of them, actually. I can’t put them all in here because it would take me forever just to encode their titles. Hehehe… I am such a lame I knoe but I think it’s better to actually find out first if a movie is worth watching than immediately seeing it in the big screen then get disappointed.
• Eat, eat and eat! There are new restos my parents just discovered that I would love to try. I also want to go to the beach! Get tanned or dark all over! I soooo love the beach and the sun so it’s a must have this summer.
• _________________This is a blank, obviously... I am an impulsive animal you knoe! Something might come up so I will just fill in the blank. Hahaha. But if you have any suggestion for this summer, please do share your knowledge! I am eager to know! Just don’t make any illegal suggestions, aryt? Hahaha… I might end up partying in the jail. LOL. But I am an easy to please. If you suggest eating an Oreo dipped in warm milk, it’s fine with me. Seriously…

Owell, this is my current list. This is still subject to change. Hahaha. Basically, I just want my summer break to be meaningful and peaceful (but I don’t want to die yet! So don't kill me, suggest suicide or other things related).

You knoe what guys? I should actually spend this break to the fullest! So I am so d*mn desperate(?) that I actually asked for suggestions about cool things to do this summer. FYI, this is probably my last full summer break because next year, clerkship will start immediately after 3rd year... then internship then busy, busy, busy… Boards… then busy, busy, busy… hospital work, gah!. Hospital will soon to be my place for the rest of my life. So when I become a consultant, which is likely a decade from now, I want to have my first grand vacation in this place. Do want to join me and pay for the expenses? Hehehe… just kidding.

Enjoy this year's summer earthlings!

Taggy-tag-tag!

I was tagged by Saminella! Okay, so I am doing the favor. I actually find this tag very hard to answer. Hehehe. I am not really used to answering these questions or statements back on someone. So, I think twas supposed to be a funny post but I did it very corny. Owell.

How will you seriously answer someone in the following situations given?

What if someone (a stranger) insults you or tells you this...

01. ang arte mo!

+ ang maarte sumisikat! harharhar...

02. mas matalino naman ako sayo!

+ e ano naman? mas madiskarte naman ako sayo!

03. crush ako ng crush mo?

+ e d crush ka lang nya. crush lang naman e.

04. ang bobo mo pala sa math!

+ what's bobo?

05. bilisan mo naman!

+bagalan mo kaya?!

06. ang sungit mo!

+ masungit talaga ako sa makulit. may reklamo?

07. gusto mo ng away?

+ ano suntukan?! sa kanto? ulol!

08. takot ka ata sakin eh?

+ obvious ba? mukha mo pa lang e...

09. mas mahal niya ko!

+ sino? ng aso mo? ok lang...

10. ang bababa naman ng mga grades mo!

+ e diba bagsak ka dito? hahaha...

What if sinabi ito sa'yo ng crush mo?

01. crush kita.

+ *blush* hehe, hindi ata ako ka-crush-crush. hahaha

02. hindi kita mahal.

+ bakit sinabi ko bang mahal kita?

03. mahal na kita.

+ kailan pa?! tara kiss! mwah! LOL

04. pakopya naman ng assignment.

+ common answer in med school: hindi ako sure...

05. crush ko un friend mo

+ uy! schizoid yun!

06. pwedeng patabi sa upuan?

+ may bayad, 20bucks. hehehe.

07. pwede mo ba akong isayaw?

+ sa dance revo?! goodluck!

08. feeling ko may gusto ka sakin.

+ feeling mo lang yun! pero totoo yun... (yuk)

09. ang cute mong mag-smile.

+ cute means ugly but presentable eryt?

10. bakit ang bait mo sakin?

+ uutang ako e. hahaha...

I am tagging these bloggers: Hmmm... Camille (since she asked what's a tag), Carlos (I want to know how funny he can do it), Scarlet (curious about his response), Marcopolo (let's see how a nurse will do), & Arjay (for his pseudo-brand new blog).

But feel free to do this tag game. And for those who want to do this tag, I would be happy to know your answers! Enjoy!

****************

Aryt! This next tag game's from Monaco.

The rules: Below are the letters A-Z. You have to fill in your dreams and wishes in the letter that corresponds to the first letters of your full name, and these wishes of yours should also start with those letters.

For example, in my case, my full name is dak with a surname initial of M, so I’d take D and M. After doing so, I will fill in spots D and M with what I want to be other than what I am now. This is basically “I wish I were a/an…”. Don’t forget to put your links in the item/s, okay, so people will know…

(Note: if the letter is already filled, replace it with your dream/wish, and if you have two or three first names, then good: fill the letters up!)

A: architect
B: ballroom dancer
C: chef
D: Doctor
E:
F:
G:
H:
I:
J: jewelry maker
K:
L:
M: multi-millionaire - Hear Hear Mon!
N:
O:
P:
Q:
R:
S:
T:
U:
V:
W:
X:
Y:
Z:

Let this I Wish I Were… Alphabet Tag spread widely…

This tag goes to: Jepoy, Karen, Saminella, Cedeux, JB, & George!

Grilled Tomato

This post's long been overdue. The subsection C3 invited me last week into their weekly(?) weekend night-out. Hahaha... Thanks guys! Pigging-out on a weekend after a long and tiring, mind-exhausting week accompanied with great company's really exceptional!

So, Grilled Tomato was the venue! We actually had our last year's Christmas party in their old spot. Yep! They are now located along Tomas Morato between Reyes BBQ and Kopiroti. The place is now more accessible and easier to find.

The most common and only problem that you will encounter when you go there especially at night is the parking space. But it didn't stop me from getting there even if I have already eaten my dinner and was just impulsively invited by a friend. Hahaha.

I already had my dinner at home so when I got there, I decided to just take some snacks. I only ordered their Roti Bread and Blueberry Yogurt Shake. Their Roti is remarkable; it's kinda sweet and is excellently dipped and combined with their curry sauce. Their Yogurt shake's my favorite. It actually comes into 3 different flavors for you to choose from. I resorted to the blueberry kind because I think stawberry's a too familiar flavor already. I really did taste its blueberry"ness" but I doubt if it's really  made from fresh blueberries. It's a yogurt drink so it's healthy too! You know, Lactobacillus? T'was an awesomely cold and healthy drink that I really enjoyed. Seriously...

A nice choice of dessert would be their Nutty Roti. As the name implies, it's made of Roti; but I am not really sure what's the inside's made of. It's like a nutty spread with a chocolaty taste. Yeah... I am talking about Nutella! So, it tastes like Nutella LOL. It's really an excellent last course and I think this is one of their food choices that keeps people on coming back.

The picture shows (from top to bottom) Grilled Tomato's new location, special cold milk tea, roti bread, blueberry yogurt shake, nutty roti, curry sauce and milkfish malasa.

Visit their Multiply account: http://grilledtomato.multiply.com/

Grilled Tomato and CenterStage pictures are all HERE!

Ready for a Fall

Wah! This is currently one of my favorite songs! And it's been playing over and over again in my head for weeks or even months now. I can't remember when it started but it's in my playlist dated January 8. The exact moment of when I started singing repeatedly this song cannot be remembered tho...

So, second exam week's finally over... One more to go! Some departments have already released the exam's answer keys and so far, everything's well. I am actually tired, not in the mood to write. I will probably write something tomorrow after I jog. My day? I was in Rockwell a while ago with my friends. We went there immediately after the mind-wrecking Pharmacology exam. I was actually amazed on Rockwell's huge transformation. The last time I was there, the only towers visible were the PowerPlant Mall and the Ateneo Law School, now there are higher and even more sophisticated buildings in every corner of the street. Owell, we just ate our lunch there and impulsively watched Meet The Spartans because we are in need of some humor to make us feel good after the long and tiring week.

So anyway, back to the song! It's by PJ Olsson. You must hear it! I fell in love with it and so should you! Hahaha... But seriously, it will definitely enlarge your atrophic heart. Or probably, your once (or twice?) broken heart will soon heal and recover after listening to it. Owell, share the love! Enjoy!

Oh BTW, this song is dedicated to all the lovers in the world! yooohooo! It seems like I am under the influence of alcohol and disulfiram. Oh-oh... Bye for nao...

You sit there in my shadows
And you call it your relief
Don't be the one with bad eyes for
The things that I could see
Don't give me that

The darkness has no armor
Need protection from the air
High hopes through time passing
When I see I want you there

I can't believe
You're the one for me
If it was this easy to find you
I should be ready for a fall
I should be ready for a fall

Now my wonders rally
Around the person I once was
Like a bird that I've been helping
Hope you're healed and strong
You never know when you might have to fly

Where will you go after me?
Where will you go after I set you free?
And I don't know you from a page in my book
Though I should
Though I should

I can't believe
You're the one for me
If it was this easy to find you
I should be ready for a fall
I should be ready for a fall

Where will you go after me?
Where will you go after I set you free?
And I don't know you from a page in my book
Though I should

I can't believe
You're the one for me
If it was this easy to find you
I should be ready for a fall
I should be ready for a fall

Potato Halves

Since there are a lot of potatoes in the kitchen, I decided (just a while ago) to bake some potato halves.

It's a favorite order in Yellow Cab by my friends so I remembered them while munching these cute and yummy potatoes.

Luckily, I had all what I needed, except for the bacon; but I substituted it with crispy fried hams.

The effect of the ham in the palate's not very much enticing compared when it's bacon. It felt like we're munching some sort of extra chewing gum after each bite. LOL.

Also, I topped each halves with sour cream and a pinch of pepper. Made it more exciting to eat!

That's all for tonight! Goodnight earthlings!

Women's Murder Club

I am a big James Patterson fan! As you will notice in my profile and in my bookshelf widget, most of my favorite books are his, none of which though include any of the Women's Murder Club series. A am more into the adventures of Detective Alex Cross.

He's also now into doing romance novels to which immediately caught my interest. I like his Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas. He provided a lot of heart-wrenching points in that novel and the story's too perfect but also too unbelievable.

So, Women's Murder Club is based on his best-selling series of books, Women's Murder Club. Patterson's books such as Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider which are about Detective Cross' quests made it to the big screen and I am eagerly waiting for more of his novels to be brought into life. So I am really glad and all-giddy when I found out that the adventures of Lindsay and company's already a TV series.

Women's Murder Club tells the story of four friends from different walks of life who come together to form a unique murder investigation team. Their jobs as a homicide detective, a medical examiner, a newspaper reporter and an assistant district attorney give them an awesome range of skills, and their strong friendship provides the basis for the teamwork that's necessary to crack each case.

It is produced by 20th Century FOX Television and Rat Entertainment and distributed by ABC Television Network.

There are already 10 episodes. Thirteen episodes is included in the initial contract with ABC. I hope the show gets high ratings so it will continue running on TV!

I was really excited that I already downloaded the first 3 episodes, but I only watched the pilot episode because I might get hooked! Owell, this show will be an addition to the TVseries I am anticipating every week! Wohhoo!

Oryt, back to nerdy mode.

Pictures were taken from:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lrayholly/1318099214/

http://www.buddytv.com/womens-murder-club.aspx

Drug utilization boo-boos

Our batch did a drug utilization survey and we found out that a lot of Filipinos have shocking behaviors when it comes to the use of drugs. There are numerous incorrect usages of drugs especially when it comes to antimicrobial agents. Luckily, rate of drug misuse is very low when it comes to the pediatric age group.

I am not sure of the real reason behind the rampant misuse but the more likely reason is the lack of education and poverty.

Many people think that when the signs and symptoms of their condition are relieved, they can already terminate taking the prescribed drugs. It’s not supposed to be like that especially when it comes to antibiotics; many are actually confused with their proper use. Antibiotics should be indicated only by a doctor, and yes someone who is legitimate.

A simple cough could be self-limiting and may not need any antibiotic medications but based from our survey, many immediately resort to antibiotics. And when taking antibiotics, one should follow what’s being instructed by the doctor; if he said you should take it thrice a day for seven days, then you must medicate until the seventh day. Discontinuance and misuse of antibiotics paved way to the emergence of many resistant bacteria like MRSA and MDR-TB which are harder to target and kill.

Case: A farmer went to a sari-sari store.

Masakit ulo ko! Ale, pabili naman ng gamot na mag-asawa!

(My head aches, give me "gamot na mag-asawa")

Oh eto!

(Here!)

In the barrios, "gamot na mag-asawa" is available in the sari-sari stores. It’s a combination of paracetamol and an antibiotic (usually amoxicillin). This combination’s packed by the sari-sari store owners without any knowledge of its use and possible deleterious effect/s.

*Headache is usually a benign symptom relieved by pain relievers, but also it is occasionally a manifestation of serious illness such as brain tumor, hemorrhage and meningitis.

Another common mistake of the people is the use of drugs without any direction from a doctor. When people get headaches, they immediately resort to Biogesic/Tylenol (paracetamol/acetaminophen). There’s nothing wrong in doing so but sometimes it’s more than just a simple headache* like what I have previously stated. In our survey, many self-medicate themselves; they take drugs without consulting first to their physicians. Did you know that many people rely more to the pharmacy vendors than to their doctors?

Case: In a popular drugstore.

Miss, ano ba maganda para sa ubo?

(What drug’s good for my cough?)

Rubitussin po!

(Rubitussin!)

Sige bigyan mo ko ng isang bote.

(Alright, give me a bottle of that Rubitussin.)

Here’s another important thing to remember; an individual’s medical condition is different from the others; same is true with drugs. Propranolol which is an antihypertensive drug is not always suitable to all hypertensive patients. Doctors don’t just prescribe drugs because of a certain disease or medical condition; but we also look into the patient’s medical history and current condition (allergies, tolerance, etc.) to find a drug that is appropriate for them. For example, propranolol may not be given to patients who are hypertensive and at the same time asthmatic.

Case: Two diabetic patients talking to each other. The first one has type 2 diabetes and the other one has type 1.

Mabisa ang binigay ng doctor na gamot para sa aking diabetes.

(My doctor prescribed a very effective drug for my diabetes.)

Anong gamit mo?

(What drug is it?)

Metformin! Sige subukan mo din!

(Metformin! You should try it!)

There is such thing as maintenance drug especially for debilitating diseases. Hypertension and diabetes are examples of conditions that make use of maintenance medications. I encountered a lot of patients who only take their medications when they feel the need of taking so. For example, many hypertensive patients take their medications only when their BP is high or when they feel that their nape's throbbing or their head's aching. It shouldn't be the case. Maintenance drugs should be taken religiously by the patient except when advised by their doctor to cease already.

Lastly, there are conditions wherein use of drugs are of little help. Like in diarrhea, prevention from dehydration is the right thing to do. Many think that certain drugs such as loperamide (popular: Diatabs) will cure diarrhea; sometimes it can even worsen the case. Also, many coughs are relieved by fluid intakes alone and may not need any medications at all. Fever need not immediately require anti-pyretic like paracetamol because fever has a role in eliminating infectious agents especially in low grade fevers. In moderate to high grade fevers such as reaching higher than 38.5 degrees Celsius, paracetamol is already an indication.

Drugs have assorted efforts to eliminate certain disease entity. Their mechanism of actions are different and their indications depend on the patient's current situation, condition and medical history. They can either have palliative, symptomatic or curative effects but misuse of these agents can lead to more serious problems like injury, disability or even death.

I hope that this post serves as a lesson to those who use drugs wrongly. I think I’ll be doing more blogs like this. It’s like a free consultation, but more on like educating the readers and giving free medical advices.

Picture was taken from http://fcosmin.deviantart.com/art/Drugs-28725878

Messy is not always equal to disorganized

Since exam weeks about to start, let me share to you how my study area looks like. Yes, it's kinda messy. It's not in its worst state yet. Imagine its condition when I am already in the verge of climaxing the examination madness.

Not shown in the picture are more handouts scattered in my bed. There are even some reading materials downstairs, because sometimes I feel like reading or studying on the dining table. Who said you cannot study atop the dining table? hehehe...

Now you witnessed how messy I actually am... A sneak-peek on my study den. Sometimes messy can be very good and exciting. hehehe... right...

Owell, I feel every student's pain during this period of the year! Sleepless nights, caffeine intoxication, palpitations, multiple zits, sagging eyebags... You name it!

So I want to say Good Luck to all students! Don't forget to relax/rest sometimes. Pray. This will soon be over... Har har har!

Death is inevitable

The ketamin flowed through her vessels. She’s limp; flaccid. She was then sedated. An incision was made superficially from the xiphoid process down to her umbilicus. She jerked a little bit. The anesthesiologist introduced more anesthesia.

Incision continued… A minute vessel was cut! She bled.

“Clamp!”

It was then sutured.

We explored her abdomen. The organs were unremarkable but the appendix was missing.

She then started to wheeze!

"She's gasping!"

"We’re not done yet!"

The anesthesiologist then declared code blue.

"Code blue!"

Heart beat was dropping. She then stopped breathing.

Oh gawd she aspirated!

"She’s drowning!"

They suctioned her but it was already too late.

Resuscitation was of no help.

Time of death 11:30AM.

Our cat died yesterday in our cat surgery. The team was saddened. We were in shock! I was stunned; distressed! The anesthesiologist’s anxiety and despair was apparent. I know he felt as if he should be blamed for it.

But it was a team work! We were all responsible.

Moving on… and for a very unrelated topic, I just want to share these two sites which I find very interesting and kind. Enjoy!

Freerice.com

It is a sister site of the world poverty site, Poverty.com.

Their goals are:

1. To provide English vocabulary to everyone for free.
2. To help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

Giving free rice is made possible by the sponsors who advertise on their site. So what are you waiting for? Donate now! Feed the less fortunate and enhance your vocabulary!

JacksonPollock.org

Jackson Pollock is an abstract painter who popularized paint pouring and drip technique. He used hardened brushes, sticks and even syringes as paint applicators. He would poke a hole in the bottom of a tin can of paint to get an extended drip line. Pollock's technique of pouring and dripping paint is thought to be one of the origins of the term "action painting".

And so, there’s a website created by Miltos Manetas which gives you the chance to make your own Pollock painting. As you will notice, I placed a similar widget in my sidebar as a gift to my readers. It’s a gift because for me, Pollock-inspired painting can somewhat relieve stress. Just strike and stir you mouse cursor over it and voila, the art you just created can owell, at least make you happy. Go on... play with your mouse like a kid!