the voice 4th season

When the show "The Voice" first aired. I immediately took to its format. It was refreshing, different from the rest of the singing competitions.  But I didn't like the judges they chose.  Well, I like Adam Levine. I didn't know Blake Shelton then but eventually, his funny antics and comments made me like him, too. It was Ceelo that I thought was off as a judge. But that's just me. And while Christina Aguilera can easily out-sing anyone, in the battle of the pop stars, I still prefer Britney over her.

So in the fourth installment of The Voice, Usher and Shakira were very welcome changes to the judge line up.  The dynamics, chemistry among the four was way better. It was fun to watch the banter, the exchange of playful jibes.

But I only do enjoy The Voice during the blind auditions.  I don't really quite understand why they have to pit their chosen singers against each other. Let's see if this season will be able to capture my attention till the very end of the season...

Vacation

Summer is already here. I have been too busy with work the past few months and I haven't really taken any long breaks so far. The holy week is the first long break after Christmas and I have taken advantage of it.  The pictures above were taken with my samsung galaxy note 2 during the Christmas vacation last year. We went home to Cagayan for Christmas and visited my dad's hometown. It was a respite from all the pollution in Manila. Flowers, trees and fresh air! Ah, the provincial life.

I experience this simple, refreshing just once in a while, only when there are long holidays at work. There used to be so much more of these with the past president but PNoy is intent on implementing his 'tuwid na daan" program and refuses to move around the holidays to create long weekends, which we, the middle working class, can use to go home to our respective provinces.

where have all the fun gone?

I believe I was fun then... I think. I traveled a lot. Danced in the rain. Performed in front of people. Bungee jumped. Cartwheeled in public. Played competitive sports.

Where have all the fun gone?

Work has made me so busy, I barely have time to have fun.  Not that work isn't fun. Hmmm, actually, lately, most times, it isn't anymore because of the stress and the pressure. But... wait, what was the point I was making? Oh yes, I am too tired most days that all I wanna do after work is be a couch potato or sleep.

Where have all the fun gone?

I was browsing through some of my posts earlier and I chanced upon this: http://labingpito.blogspot.com/2012/06/to-do-list.html This was my very first post here.  It's almost a year after but I still haven't even come close to doing one of the items listed here. I am boring. Ugh.

Where have all the fun gone?

4pics one word

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There's this addicting popular game right now called 4pics 1word.  The app shows 4 pics depicting one word.  I thought of using it as a way of introducing this post... =) So, guess which word the 4 pics above represent.

This was the dinner I had with my sister and her husband a few days ago at a popular restaurant chain.  We had bread with olive oil and balsalmic vinegar, prosciutto and formaggio, sicilain chicken salad and applewood bacon pizza. Yumyumyum.  The warm bread was lovely, the salad, tasty and the pizza, delicious.  The prosciutto and salami were a bit too salty for my taste, though. But overall our Italian dinner was awesome!

Belly Good

Ugh. I am getting fat. Not fat yet. But you know, on my way there.  Haha...  I have probably gained about 4 kilograms already since the holidays and am still putting on more and more each day. I have been a glutton these past few weeks plus I've not had my usual exercise (dancing) for a few weeks now.

I am far from being obese. At least, that's what I am hoping. Wait, let me make sure of that... Lemme get my calculator to compute for my BMI (body mass index)... Oooppsss.. Apparently, I am nearly there. MY BMI is at 22.8. That's still on the normal side but just two tenths shy of being overweight by Asian standards.  If I gain another kilogram, I'd already be considered overweight!!!! Nooooooo!

I have got to exercise and eat better! I have got to! Ugh. And I was planning to eat one more donut. At 10pm! Yeah. Unhealthy. Hahaha. But the donuts are begging me to devour them. The box says they (the donuts) are at their best up to three days from date of purchase. Last day tomorrow! So, I do have to finish them, right? Right? hahaha

2013

Goodbye 2012

It's less than 2 hours to the end of 2012! Oh what a year it has been!  Change has been a regular visitor.  And it has definitely challenged me.  Thankfully, I was able to go through it all without a lot of fuss and without any major incident.

I wanna recount the highlights of my year but my memory is failing me right now. Harhar.  But here are a few of them, at least those that come to mind right now. Will just try to add in a few more later if I could...

TRAVELS - I love traveling. Although it's not yet apparent in this blog, believe me when I say I do. Will just write about all the traveling later on. =)

1. With friends - I have had two major international travels with friends for this year - Hanoi and Singapore! I can only remember one local road trip for this year - San Juan, La Union for some surfing.  There's also that trip to Bangkok with BQ.
2. WORK TRIPS - I have been sent everywhere for work-related stuff - Jakarta (with side trip to Singapore), Subic, Cebu, Tagaytay, Pampanga, Oriental Mindoro, Legaspi and Tabaco in Albay,  Balanga and Baguio.
3. FAMILY GETAWAYS - My family loves traveling, too. We haven't been anywhere that requires a plane or a boat though. Here's our list - Subic Treetop Adventure. Las Casas Azucar in Bataan, and Sta. Ana, Aparri and Piat in Cagayan.

DANCES and CONCERTS