High

Here's an alternative song from The Speaks that I've been humming for a while.
Read on...and perhaps, sing it? Yey!

HIGH by The Speaks

Whenever you're with me
Im trying so hard to find sweet serenity
Im still afraid
Just close your eyes and dream
Feel it fade away
Time won't flow
Everyone knows
When the pain fades away
Dreams wont die
Tears in our eyes
You got to hold your hand up high
Ye...yey
Hold your hand up high

Just take it sometime
Doubt give enough will
To change your state of mind
Just try to understand
It's not so hard to see
That i am just a man

Time won't flow
Everyone knows
When the pain fades away
Dreams wont die
Tears in our eyes
You got to hold your hand up high
Ye...yey
Hold your hand up high

Whenever you're with me
Im trying so hard to find sweet serenity
Just try to understand
It's not so hard to see
That i am just a man

Time won't flow
Everyone knows
When the pain fades away
Dreams wont die
Tears in our eyes
You got to hold your hand up high
Ye...yey
Hold your hand up high

A Prelude To Something Sweet

Before (L) & After (R)

I've been on the lookout for really easy recipes lately. Good thing, I came across The Outdoor Cookbook (a collection of recipes in binder form). It was one of the many recipe/menu books that I've brought at the then-new SM Marilao-Bulacan last year.

Since I can do basic cooking and baking (mostly self-taught), might as well bake a batch of Butterscotch Bars. And you know what they say...the time it takes for you to prepare/cook/bake anything is more than the time it takes for it to be eaten!

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Beat together butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until light, in a mixing bowl. Set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to first mixture. Stir in nuts. (Or you make sprinkle the nuts over the batter like I did). Pour in a greased 8-inch baking pan (You may line it with waxed paper). Bake in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into squares while still warm. Cool before serving.

Naga: The Women-Friendliest City

Population: 137,000
Land area: 8,448 hectares
Location: within the heartland of Camarines Sur, 377 km south of Manila

Last March 2004, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the UN Dveleopment Fund for Women (UNIFEM) cited Naga as one of the three gender-responsive cities, the other two were Cebu City and Visakhapatnam City in India. Naga has received over 40 national and international awards.
What clinched it for Naga? Its Women Development Code. A collaboration between the city government and various women's groups, the code seeks to give women the opportunity to trealize their full potential. It wasn't just lip-service recognition for the role that women already played in community development. The city government wanted to make the code work and appropriated budget for gender concerns, allocated seats for female representatives, and created a task force to implement the code.
In January 2002, Naga City adopted the Bantay Familia Movement as a complementary social welfare program of the city. It aims to prevent and lower the incidence of domestic violence and sexual abuses; promote a multisectoral and communty approach to domestic violence; and mainstream gender issues with the corresponding budget (P17 million for 2004), policy and logistic support. All these before Congress recognized domestic violence as a crime against the community, not just against the individual woman.
Close to women's hearts is the issue of children's health. Naga is a hall-of-famer in the Philippine Nutrition Honor Award from 1998 to 2000, after it was able to reduce the malnutrition rate among preschoolers to 6.9 percent of all kids younger than seven, then further down to 5.3 percent in 2000. In other cities, the malnutrition rate among preschoolers stands to 10 to 15 percent. The responsible programs? "Our Nutri-Ataman and Nutri-Nanay initiatives, in partnenrship with the Rotary Clubs of Naga and the provincial chapter of the Philippine Pediatric Society. From feeding only third degree malnourished children and pregnant mothers, we have been able to move to total rehabilitation. The city continues to provide milk and food. But these are coupled with free pre-natal checkup and medical consultation; and free vitamins and medicines provided by our private partners," says Mayor Jesse Robredo, Ramon Magsaysay awardee for government since 2000.
Of course, Naga is more than a great place for women, Naga is now among the country's fastest growing cities with an annual growth rate of 6.5 percent. Among its other achievements:
* A lower unemployment rate of 5.2 percent compared to the 10 percent national rate;
* A per capita gross product which is 115 percent higher than the national average;
* A family income that is comparable to other highly-urbanized areas, 126 percent higher than the average family in Bicol, and 42 percent higher than the national average;
* A lower poverty incidence of 29 percent compared to Bicol's more than 50 percent; and
* Cleaner air (air quality index for 2000 and 2001 showed the highest rating) and cleaner Naga River from 1999 to 2001.
How did it turn Naga around? The secret, says Robredo in his speece before the Philippine Business Council in October 2004, is that his governance is centered on people participation. It starts with "a participative visioning process that crystallized the aspirations of our people, in the process helping build stake-holdership across society." Simply, Robredo asked the people what they wanted and helped each other actualize it: "maogmang lugar (happy place)".

Excerpts from a Special Report by Veronica C. Uy, GH-Phil Jan/Feb 2005

DOUBLE PLAY: Passenger Seat & Out Of My League by Stephen Speaks

Passenger Seat
i look at her and i have to smile
as we go driving for a while
her hair blowing in the open window of my car, and
as we go, the traffic lights
i watch them glimmer in her eyes
in the darkness of the evening, and...
i've got all that i need
right here in the passenger seat
oh, and i can't keep my eyes on the road
knowing that she's inches from me
we stop to get something to drink
my mind clouds and i can't think
scared to death to say i love her
rthen the moon peeks from the clouds
i hear my heartbeat it's so loud
try to tell her simply, that...
i've got all that i need
right here in the passenger seat
oh, and i can't keep my eyes on the road
knowing that she's inches from me.
*****
Out Of My League
it's her hair and her eyes today
that simply take me away
and the feeling that i'm falling further in love
makes me shiver but in a good way.
all the times i have sat and stared
as she thoughtfuly thumbs through her hair
and she purses her lips, bats her eyes as she plays
with me sitting there slack-jawed and nothing no say.
but i love her with all that i am
and my voice shakes with my hand
cause i'm speechless to say what i'm feeling today
but i'm out of my league once again.
it's a masterful melody
when she calls out my name to me
as the world spins around her she laughs, rolls her eyes
and i feel like i'm falling but it's no surprise
that i love her with all that i am
and my voice shakes along with my hands
cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea
but i'd rather be here than on land.
and she's all that i see
and she's all that i need
and i'm out of my league once again.

Starlight: Passion of Mind

I dream of a love that is passionate
To exchange mischievous grins and secret whispers in a darkened room
Candlelit dinners,
Sensual fantasies.
Cocktail dresses and...lacey underwear.
To run around in a park, in a mall.
Or be simply breathless...without running at all.
To laugh. Loud, boisterous laughter.
Whole-hearted laughter,
Feeling it from the gut...hours later, still grinning.
To cry, cry like the tears will never stop...like the tears will never be enough.
To dance, in a garden with the sprinkles on.
Or infront of the TV, to the background music in a two-minute commercial.
To sing, in the shower, in the kitchen, in the car.
To a song playing on the radio...or simply in my head...the tune of a woman in love.
To talk for hours and excitedly await...the next conversation.
To hug...and be lost in our world...And never want to let go.

Posted earlier!

Laugh Lines, Maybe?

Read somewhere…
Posting it again…
Just for laughs…
No pun intended…

Dictionary for women’s personal ads:
40ish: 49
Adventurous: Slept with everyone
Athletic: No tits
Average looking: Ugly
Beautiful: Pathological liar
Contagious smile: Does a lot of pills
Emotionally secure: On medication
Feminist: Fat
Free spirit: Junkie!
Friendship first: Former slut
Fun: Annoying
New-Age: Body hair in the wrong places
Old-fashioned: No blowjobs
Open-minded: Desperate
Outgoing: Loud & embarrassing
Passionate: Sloppy drunk
Professional: Bitch
Voluptuous: Very fat
Large frame: Hugely fat
Wants soul mate: Stalker

Women’s English:
1. Yes = No
2. No = Yes
3. Maybe = No
4. We need = I want
5. I am sorry = You’ll be sorry
6. We need to talk = You’re in trouble
7. Sure, go ahead = You better not
8. Do what you want = You will pay for this later
9. I am not upset = Of course I am upset, you moron!
10. You’re certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?

Men’s English:
1. I am hungry = I am hungry.
2. I am sleepy = I am sleepy.
3. I am tired = I am tired.
4. Nice dress = Nice cleavage!
5. I love you = Let’s have sex now.
6. I am bored = Do you want to have sex?
7. May I have this dance? = I’d like to have sex with you.
8. Can I call you sometime? = I’d like to have sex with you.
9. Do you want to go to a movie? = I’d like to have sex with you.
10. Can I take you out to dinner? = I’d like to have sex with you.
11. I don’t think those shoes go with that outfit. = I’m gay.

Trek through Mt. Isarog's trails

Welcome!(L); Malabsay Falls (R)

A few minutes past 8 a.m., our group of seven (including a Brit) started on an adventure to Mt. Isarog, often given the distinction of Naga City's prime source of potable water. The jeep ride was uneventful, except for the usual filled-to-the hilt (even the topload scenario), jostling of elbows and picking of passengers on the road. We've decided to forego the long hike from the designated end-route. Instead, the jeepney driver took us until the main gate (for an added fee). This saved us about 20-30 minutes of walking. There was even a remarkable dog from the gate that followed us all the way to our destination and back, he even slept near our bags and had his share from the food we brought along. The trek to Malabsay Falls was in itself a challenge. The tree-and-vine laden trails with mossy-and-slippery rocks, including the steep incline are enough to leave you gasping for breath. But it was worth it! Nature speaks at the end: cascading icy cold waterfalls! Although it was perfect for a swim, I just satisfied myself with sitting on the rocks and letting my feet dangle into the freezing water...brrrrrr!!!! A few hours later, with bellies full and expectations met, (the skies were turning overcast and rain's threatening to fall!), we crossed the wet rocks, grabbed on to footholds, took careful steps on the slightly-steepy downhill trail until we were able to score a jeepney ride back to civilization.

Camarines Sur's Cable Park

Had a chance to visit the Provincial Capitol Complex during the annual Kaogma Festival held last week of May. Billed as "The World's Hottest Festival", this year's Kaogma was filled with activities, competition, parade, produce demo, local artists, singers, dancers, bands, trade fairs and the newly-installed Cable Park which features water sports, ramps, jet skis and hitech. For 120 pesos an hour (gadgets included), anyone can ride the wakeboard, do flips, aerial stunts, tricks and turns over the water. Foreigners and water sports enthusiasts were able to experience this latest attraction. The basic gear for wakeboarding: helmet, lifevest, loose shorts and wakeboard with bindings. (Note: Sorry for not being able to provide a better picture for this post. The digicam's batteries conked out. The next best thing: a view of the manmade lake and a lot of people's backside. If you look close enough, you might get to see the cables.)

More below...with excerpts from the Bicol Mail and the Philippine Daily Inquirer

The provincial government of Camarines Sur has opened Cable Park, the first LGU-owned and operated, and the second of its kind built in the Philippines. A Cable Park is a facility that allows watersports enthusiasts to do waterskiing and its three derivative extreme sports that included wakeboarding, wake skating and kneeboarding sans towing motorboat, instead a cable technology is used to to riders.
Relatively new, the cable technology for water skiing has been introduced in a 6-hectare cable park complex with a 4.5-hectare oval artificial lake around a mounted island. It involved an overhead cable suspended by specially designed pylons. The cables run clockwise around the lake and powered by a variable electric motor that generates speed of 20-65 kph.