RANDOM NOTHINGNESS: October 2009

Last Unbraced Hours

1:34 AM Steph

I'm going to the dentist later today to get my braces. I've delayed this for as long as I can. Aside from being poor, therefore not having enough money to pay for the braces, I'm really afraid of the pain that I'd have to deal with once the braces are in place.

One good thing about this though is an instant diet scheme for me. *hehe

Goodbye crooked teeth [good bye, baby fats!]!

FarmVille Halloween Owl!

1:15 AM Steph

Another addition to the growing collection of Halloween Limited Edition items in FarmVille:

The Owl and the White Owl.

Oh, and did you notice the giant carrots at the background? A friend fertilized my crops again. *wide grin

Back to the owls. The Owl and White Owl may be purchased at the Decorations section of the FarmVille Market, along with the Scaredycrow, Spooky Bats, Jack-O'-Lantern, Cat-O'-Lantern, Plant Monster, Tombstone, Giant Spider Web, Dreadful Fence, and the Gargoyle Gate. They will all be available until Halloween only... Just two days away!

So hurry, buy your decorations now for a more spooky FarmVille Halloween!

Emo Moment with a Twist!

12:39 AM Steph

You can only go so low.

And the minute you're at your lowest should be the point wherein you should rejoice...

Because there's nowhere else to go but up.

*parang spaghetting pataas at pababa lang yan! hehehe

Uncompromising

12:24 AM Steph

A conversation I had with my nephew, Jared, whilst shopping:

Jared: "Tita, define UNCOMPROMISING."

Me: *natigilan* Ha?

Jared: Uncompromising

Me: San mo nalaman yang word na yan?

Jared: At school, english class.

Me: Huwat????

Why am I so surprised?

Jared is in grade 2. He is turning 8 on December...

Ganon na pala ang tinuturo sa Grade 2 ngayon. *hehe

And he also knows how to shop online... yes, you heard that right: ONLINE. He shops for computer games ONLINE. Sabi nga ni Ate:"Buti nalang hindi nya alam yng Paypal account ko, kung hindi kung anu-ano na binili nyan"

Tsk, kids nowadays.

Just for laughs: It's Payback Time

3:31 PM Steph

Somebody's been calling me a [psycho]physicist...

Well lady, now it's payback time! *evil laughter

Your grammar is too crude for a self-confessed elementary and high school valedictorian AND a graduate from a 'premier' university (topping departmental exams and all! whoa!). Here are just *some* of your mishaps:

Have played GTA before but never had the chance to moved on :(

How to find Turtle in Farmville | What does a Turtle in Farmville yields

"If you haven’t purchased yet those Limited Edition of Halloween items from the Farmville market, play now until it’s too late!

Here are the official list of Farmville Flowers:

Cliché as may sound, but I have learned to value my life even more given the tragedy brought by Ondoy which has caused toll of deaths and casualties in our country.

Just for laughs! =P

*YES, I AM EVIL.

Ghost Stories Special

11:25 PM Steph

It's almost Halloween... time is just ripe for Ghost Stories!

I remember growing up in the suburbs at a house just beside our grandparent's. I was born in the 80's: times when power outages are pretty much part of daily living. During these power outages, my siblings and I would always stay at my lola's balcony, crowding near a gas lamp while listening to Lola's or Tatay's ghost stories about the lot where our house stands. As we grow up, it's not just Lola and Tatay who share their stories near the gas lamp... even us kids have contributed to the growing archive.

I don't know why my family have this affinity with the paranormal. At some point in almost every family member's life, we've had encounters with the unknown. I, for instance, had seen my older sister being carried in midair by a very beautiful lady, in our room, in the dead of night when we were still kids (I think I was around 9 then.) Just remembering this experience brings shivers to my spine, until now. For years, I tried to rationalize that what happened was all a dream so imagine my fright when my brother's girlfriend stayed at our house one night. She slept with my youngest sister in one of our Lola's rooms. In the morning, she told my parents what she saw: a lady carrying my sister in midair. She's never heard of that story before. She also stayed in my old room once and she heard a woman humming a tune to her.

There was this other time when I followed my sister going inside our house, only to realize later, that there was no other person in there but me. I was sure that it was my sister whom I was following for I was just a few steps behind her, and I remember clearly hearing her footsteps as she descended the stairs and seeing her open and close the door behind her.

There was a point in our childhood when my parents needed to got to Manila quite often to attend to some business and then got home much later in the evening. They would leave us alone in the house, with just our Lola to look after us. Those were very fearful days for us siblings because our youngest sister has developed a very strange habit which she acquired after playing at the bellfryof the church beside us. At around six o'clock or so in the evening, she would be very agitated and scared, almost hysterical while pointing at something at the floor that the rest of us cannot see. She was just a toddler then, barely able to talk to us in straight sentences so we don't really know what her problem is. It was just a few years ago when our little sister finally told us what she was seeing then: little people with disfigured faces. She can still see them up until now that she has already grown up. She has gotten used to them. She also witnessed a floating candle and a white lady at the vacant lot beside our house, before a new house was built on it.

Our Tatay, too, has his own share of experiences. He probably has the most extensive collection of stories. He has seen a floating coffin and candles on few occasions at the back of our house, near the starfruit tree. He sees a lady in our room, sitting at my bed from time to time. Tatay would ask her why she is there and then order her to go away. She would obey and always pass through the kitchen toward the back of the house. He can also see the ghosts from the neighbor's lot. I remember him telling us kids sometimes not to look out the window as he can see a lady outside.

Oh, and there are also those mangled bodies at the back of our house in old spanish-time outfits. An uncle from my mother's side also saw these spirits once when he stayed at our house. He never heard the stories about the mangled bodies so imagine our surprise when he told us about what he saw.

Hmmm... i think i need to stop my stories now. I'm getting pretty scared and jumpy here.

Five-year Old Weightlifter

4:45 PM Steph

A little inspirational video for those who want to shapen up. *ahem ahem

Featured in this video is Giuliano Stroe, a Romanian FIVE-YEAR OLD kid who's already got a six-pack abs. Hmmm... board shorts anyone?

Particles to LHC: We are back!

3:10 AM Steph

The weekend of October 23-25 marked the revival of the LHC. Once again, particles are inside the LHC, breaking its one-year hiatus as repairs were undertaken in relation to the incident of September 2008.

As of Friday, the LHC is cool. Three sets of ions were injected into the LHC's clockwise beam pipe starting Friday afternoon, accomplishing incomplete circulations as they were dumped at certain points in the machine. The results show that the LHC is in tip top shape.

Let us wait for the first circulating beam in the coming weeks!

Poor Baby

10:20 PM Steph

I just gave Garnet her weekly bath. The usual routine: brush coat, wet coat, shampoo, rinse, apply conditioner, rinse, towel dry with cuddle, and finally blow dry while brushing coat (too much stuff to do to groom a pet? please refer to her pic below so you'll understand). I used a new slicker brush as a final touch to give her hair more shine and remove loose undercoat.

Garnet is a pain during grooming hours. She hates, no, she abhors the water, the brush and the toe nail clipper. She would whine so hard and loud whenever I groom her, especially when I reach her legs. So it didn't really bother me when she cried so persistently loud while I was on the process of removing a stubborn mat on her hind leg using the slicker brush.

I didn't realize I was hurting her big time until I saw blood staining her coat.

Poor poor baby. *sob I gave her extra treats to make up for my hurting her.

Lesson learned: be gentle in using the slicker brush.

It WORKED!!!

4:21 PM Steph

It worked! It worked! It WORKED!

And it's animated! *Weeee*

Now you can all easily spot me in your bookmarks toolbar!

Thanks Somebastrd.

Magaling, Magaling, Magaling

7:40 PM Steph

I'm finally satisfied with my favicon but I can't seem to have blogger recognize it. I've tinkered with the HTML code, still no favicon appears on the address bar, tabs and folders. Bummer...

Now what?

Wicker Park

12:49 PM Steph

Come and get me...

The Lady in the Mac Store

12:10 AM Steph

My friend and I were checking out gadgets at the Mac Store earlier today when we heard a woman ask one of the Mac salesmen this question:

"Can I play Farmville and Mafia Wars using this notebook?"

My friend and I silently exchanged sinister looks (and snickers) upon hearing that remark. Apparently, the lovely lady (insert sarcasm here) doesn't have any inkling as to what new notebooks are capable of, and a friggin' MAC at that! Hmmm... maybe she was thinking all this time that MAC, the cosmetic line, just started selling notebooks... good theory. Seems like she doesn't even know the difference between an OS and a disk drive. I do hope she knows what a mouse is, though. *snicker* Speaking of, the new magic mouse is still not available here. Bummer... and I though I'd be able to finally 'feel' magic.

Anyways, back to the story. She did look like she has the moolah to buy the notebook, though. Life really is unfair sometimes. Those who can afford stuff are those who do not know the real power of the stuff they are buying (except for status symbol, i guess. Ha!) while those who know how to use those stuff for more productive venues are the ones who can't afford them.

Oh well, so much for being born poor.

Name that Videoke Song

10:24 PM Steph

What better way to spend your Saturday night than having dinner with friends and then hanging out at a videoke bar? =)

Here are snippets of songs we sang (errr... belted out) last night.

Can you name the titles of these songs? Those who can name all the correct answers will receive special Christmas gifts from me =D. Leave you answers at the comments section below :)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

(13)

(14)

(15)

How to Die from Sweetness: Ten Simple Steps

8:07 PM Steph

[Note: Follow these steps at your own risk.]

Step 1: Round up your friends and schedule a Friday night (or any day of your preference) for death by sweetness.

FarmVille: Functional Buildings - Dairy Farm

5:16 PM Steph

Another additional feature in FarmVille: Functional Buildings!

Yes farmers, those buildings are going to have a new purpose, other than decorations to your farms and additional XP points upon building.

The first Functional Building: The Dairy Farm

The Dairy Farm can house 20 cows and it gives us the ability to milk them simultaneously. No more clicking on each cow to milk them. And it works on ordinary, pink and brown cows! nice =)

The Dairy Farm can be obtained in the market using 10,000 coins or 20 cash... cheap!

Here's my new Dairy Farm in action! yey!

FarmVille Tombstone Spirit Cow

4:59 PM Steph

Ever noticed the ghost that comes out of the special FarmVille Halloween tombstone?

I didn't notice it until today whilst trapping my farmer in hay bale to speed up tasks.

Here is a picture of my FarmVille tombstone ghost:

He's a spirit COW (duh, he is a ghost right?)!

Are there any other types of tombstone ghosts out there? or is it just the cow? I need to research!

FarmVille Flowers and Flower Power Achievement Ribbon

8:00 AM Steph

FarmVille has just introduced FarmVille Flowers! Make your farms even lovelier with these beauties:

With the introduction of these new goodies, Zynga also launched a new ribbon: Flower Power. The first level can be achieved by planting only 30 flowers - no sweat!

Say Hello to Windows 7

1:57 AM Steph

Apart from the obvious fact that I don't have the moolah to spend on a new OS, much more a new notebook (my loyalty is still with my Acer though, mommy loves you Acer), I've heard a lot of bad things about Windows Vista. So up until now, I'm still holding on to my Windows XP.

But with the release of Windows 7, I think I now have the will to save up and buy a new notebook with Windows 7 in it!

Windows 7 has been officially released today, October 22... err, October 23 here in the Philippines.

Here are the top seven features I think I will fall in love with:

1. Aero

Windows 7 boasts of it's Aero desktop experience, which has been refined since Vista. Aero is a set of visual effects that makes the desktop prettier while making it easier to look through the opended windows to find what you want. It features a user-customizable translucent glass design which creates depth in the desktop. Switching between programs is also a bliss because thumbnail-sized previews for the opened windows may be accesed through the taskbar.

Who doesn't want a pretty desktop? =D

2. Improved memory use

Windows 7 runs fewer background services, thus reducing the memory needs when idle and reducing graphics memory requirements to launch and switch between windows.

This is especially useful for me since i tend to use a LOT of RAM-demanding programs for work plus some petty stuff (e.g. FarmVille, Photoshop, AI, YM... you get the picture) SIMULTANEOUSLY.

3. Snap

Makes resizing and arranging windows a breeze! Depending on the area where windows are dragged, they can expand to full screen, stretch vertically, or be placed side by side.

Another plus for me. As I tend to compare figures from different programs for work (while monitoring my web browser *haha!)

4. Pin

Pin programs to the taskbar. Pin files to Jump Lists. Just like tacking notes on a bulletin board, you can use pin to keep the things you need close at hand.

I've always been a fan of the taskbar. Makes life easier. Keeps important programs and folders handy =)

5. Search

Start typing into the Start menu search box—and you'll instantly see a list of relevant documents, pictures, music, and e-mail on your PC. Results are now grouped by category and contain highlighted keywords and text snippets to make them easier to scan.

Just like in the internet! Yeah!

6. Calculator

We gave Calculator a fresh look and new features. Go beyond basic math with conversion features and handy calculations, like fuel economy and lease payments.

Ohhhh... easier to calculate those science and math problems, without lugging a separate calculator!

7. Sticky notes

Windows 7 improves Sticky Notes in several useful ways: you can format sticky note text, change its color with a click, and speedily resize, collapse, and flip through notes.

For my TO DO list, minus my ugly handwriting. *hehe

I really need to get out of this poorita mode, quick!

FarmVille Fertilized Crops

11:43 AM Steph

Somebody put fertilizer on my rice crops in FarmVille! *Yey!

Here is how the fertilized rice looks like

It sparkles, it shines, it's big!

And best of all! I got extra XP for harvesting it! Weeeee!!!

Sparkling crops are related to the new Crop Whisperer Ribbon, which FarmVille introduced a few days ago.

A Plea to Typhoon Ramil

11:13 AM Steph

Typhoon Ramil [Lupit] as of 10/18/09

The recent news about Typhoon Ramil [international name: Lupit] inspired me to write the following plea addressesdto him. As a friend's Facebook status says

Si bagyong RAMIL ay parang jilted lover lang na di maka-move on.

[Translation: Typhoon RAMIL is akin to a jilted lover who cannot move on.]

Projections as of 10/20/09

From what I heard in the news today, Typhoon Ramil is projected to do it's landfall on Monday, October 22... As we all know, news on the approach of Typhoon Ramil has be around since last week. He's been in the vicinity for quite sometime now and he is threatening to release his wrath on Northern Luzon... barely two weeks after the lingering of Typhoon Pepeng also in the area. By the way, I liken Pepeng [international name: Parma] to an undecided lover (comes and goes as he pleases, because he doesn't know what he wants in the relationship, all this time still expecting his lover to welcome him with open arms).

Anyway, enough introduction. Here is my letter to Ramil:

Dear Ramil,

Please move on... I know you have great wrath stored inside you, I know you've been harboring these feelings for some time now. But please, for the sake of others, move on. It would even be better if you just let go of at least a bit of the bitterness you have before you move on. You and all the other affected people will have a better life when you do this, believe me. Stop doing this. You are only hurting yourself and those around you.

Seriously, just move on.

Yours,

Randomnizer

Apple Magic Mouse

10:12 AM Steph

The Apple Magic Mouse is the world’s first Multi-Touch mouse. It doesn't have anything on its surface but the smooth multi-touch panel. No seams, no buttons! So sleek!

The multi-touch feature requires several hand gestures for optimal operation: scrolling in all directions is achieved by using one finger, swiping through web pages by using two or three, selecting by double clicking anywhere on the seamless panel. Momentum scrolling is also integrated: scrolling speed is dictated by the speed of performing hand gestures.

It also boasts of powerful laser tracking, providing more sensitivity and responsiveness on more surfaces compared to the traditional optical mouse.

Finally, it is wireless. Bluetooth technology is integrated into the Magic Mouse allowing reliable and secure connection up to 33 feet away (when paired with blue tooth-enabled Mac).

BANGUNGOT: Sleep Paralysis

12:55 AM Steph

Ever woken up in the middle of the night (or day) with the realization that you are unable to move? Or just before falling asleep? Freakishly scary right?

I remember having this experience a couple of times in the past (both upon waking up or just before falling asleep), sometimes with accompanying buzzing sounds or feelings that there is a 'presence' in the room with me. I've always felt panicky whenever I have these episodes, There were even times when the bangugot occur in successive days that I simply dread sleep. I'm always convinced that I was about to die (death by BANGUNGOT, how ironic can that be?!), until I read from a dream interpretation thread about a year (or more?) ago about this phenomenon. A little consultation with Mr. Wikipedia brought these words:

Sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep, thus preventing the body from manifesting movements made in the subject's dreams. Very little is known about the physiology of sleep paralysis. However, some have suggested that it may be linked to post-synaptic inhibition of motor neurons in the pons region of the brain. In particular, low levels of melatonin may stop the depolarization current in the nerves, preventing the stimulation of the muscles and any consequent enactment of the dream activity by the body (e.g. preventing a sleeper from flailing his legs when dreaming about running).

In other words, sleep paralysis or bangungot is just a result of our brain blocking out certain neurotransmitters so our body will not be able to act out the dream we are having. Sometimes, we regain consciousness even before the neurotransmitters are unblocked, thus the inability to move.

Being a total fan of science [give me any scientific explanation/proof, and i will believe you =)], I felt relief and stopped scaring the sh*t out of myself whenever I feel Bangungot kicking in. Instead, I just ignore the bangungot and resume sleeping! And it was a big, big, big relief actually, liberating even, not being afraid of experiencing bangungot.

Now, nothing can take me away from my precious sleep! :D

Goodnight (errr... morning) everyone!

Whistling Puppy!

12:43 AM Steph

Cuteness Fix for the day: The Whistling Puppy!

*tweetyyyy tweet tweet tweet!

The FarmVille Crop Whisperer Ribbon

11:29 PM Steph

FarmVille developers gave another reason to help out neighbor farmers: the Crop Whisperer Ribbon!

This award befits this blog as the way to attain it is random... You heard (errr... read) that right, RANDOM.

As FarmVille announced:

Randomly selected users will receive 5 Bags of Fertilizer, per neighbor, per day. Those players can then use the fertilizer on crops on their neighbors’ farms.

The fertilizers are awarded upon completion of a friend mission (pulling weeds, chasing animals). Fetilized crops appear larger than usual and *sparkle*! Harvesting these fertilized crops reward extra XP points!

I wish somebody would fertilize my crops =D

Eat All You Can: Haagen-Dazs

2:08 PM Steph

What can be more yummy (and fattening) than this? =D

Haagen-Dazs Eat All You Can!
@ the Mega Atrium, SM Megamall'
for only P499!*

I don't care about the fats,

I just want my Haagen-Dazs!

Updates: My friends and I are availing of this yummy experience very soon! Weeee!!!!

*exclusive of service charge

See our Haagen-Dazs Eat All You Can Experience here!

FarmVille Crop Mastery

4:17 PM Steph

Have you guys noticed the new Crop Mastery feature in FarmVille?

Three Levels of Mastery must be achieved per crop. After each level, coins and XP points are awarded. So what's up after the final level? A SPECIAL Prize of course!

A *SPECIAL SIGN* depicting mastery of the crop you've mastered (tsk, tsk, redundant redundant!)! Aint that grand?! =D

Static Shock

5:06 PM Steph

For weeks now, I have been jolted by static shocks from time to time when I grab my mouse after walking around our teeny office. Our floor's not even carpeted, so I'm really wondering where the extra negative charges come from... Or am I really that negative right now???? It is irritating at times, especially when boss is around (I am noisy when I get surprised. =|)

So i snooped around the internet to look for solutions to this problem. But first, the preliminaries:

What causes static shock?

Static shock occurs when we acquire extra negative electrons (hence negative static charge) by rubbing onto another object (like a carpet, for instance) and then holding on to a conductive object (like a doorknob or any electronic equipment: MOUSE!). ZAP! electrons jump from us to these objects so we feel static shock.

So how do we eliminate this problem?

Here are some tips i got from the WWW:

increase humidity in the room
change clothes - synthetic fibers pick up more static charge
rub clothes with fabric softener sheets or spray with dilluted fabric softener
change shoes - leather soles are good
moisturize skin
consider wearing a wrist strap with a wire connected to the electrical 'gound'
walk barefoot
wear a thimble in your finger or carry a coin and use them to touch grounded metal objects as often as possible
ground one's self before touching sensitive electronic equipment
always keep hand in contact with the metal part of the car door while getting out of the car
try driving completely naked (whoa!)

So there you are! Do you have any other tips? Leave a comment!

FarmVille Goes Halloween!

1:26 PM Steph

Happy Holloween Everyone!

FarmVille is offering spooky decorations and an animated haunted house in line with the Halloween season! All items will be up for grabs until November 1.

Hmmm... I wonder why the spooky trees are not for sale anymore?

The problem: where do we store all these decorations after Halloween? FarmVille developers, we need a Vault! Quick!

Note: The white Jack-O' Lantern can only be received as a gift from Farmville neighbors and has a resale value of 30 coins.

----------------------------------------------

Update!

Farmville developers has just announced that a storing system is underway! yey!
See here.

World Food Day

4:34 AM Steph

Today is World Food Day!

Magnetricity Observed!

3:52 AM Steph

Finally! The existence of magnetic 'charges' (north and south poles) existing independently has been observed by scientists!

The study, which was led by Professor Steve Bramwell of the London Center for Nanotechnolgy, showed that atomic-sized 'north' and 'south' charges can flow through materials when placed in a magnetic field. Their paper published in Nature just today, showed that 'north' and 'south' charges can be isolated and rove around independently in dysprosium titanate (Dy2Ti2O7), also called spin ice. This material possess two unusual magnetic properties due to its crytal lattice, which translates to the interpretation that magnetic 'charges' can move around randomly in the absence of a magnetic field and, much like electrical charges, to flow through the crystal in its presence. Hence the term 'magnetricity.'

All I Want for Christmas

1:41 AM Steph

I don't want a lot for Christmas

There's just one thing I need

I don't care about the presents

Underneath the Christmas tree

I just want you for my own

More than you could ever know

Make my wish come true

All I want for Christmas is...

Farmville: Seed Guide

12:40 AM Steph

For FarmVille addicts out there, here is guide showing the profits you will earn by planting a specific kind of seed.

Click on the table to zoom =)

*Notes: with profit I mean PROFIT [less all the expenses for cultivating the land (15 coins) and the seed cost]. Coins per hour was calculated using 23 FarmVille hours =)

Happy Plowing!

Mountain Dew Glow in the Dark

12:22 PM Steph

A friend posted the following video on Facebook:

Wanna see the chemical reaction that made Montain Dew neon-y glow?

Click below!

Random Mystery Photo Series

1:29 PM Steph

Due to proliferation of intriguing/funny/wow-able! photos in the Internet, I would like to introduce a Random Mystery Photo Series category in this blog. Of course the theme of the pics will still be random! *hehe

My first Random Mystery Photo was sent to me by a friend today. This really made me laugh my ass out. Just proves how shallow my humor can be during my "normal" days. =P

Wanna see it?

Click below!

Bladeless Electric Fan

11:57 AM Steph

Sir James Dyson, the person responsible for revolutionizing the vacuum cleaner and bathroom hand dryer, has yet developed a new invention that will most probably be another household mainstay.

Introducing the Dyson Air Multiplier™ fan!

According the Dyson Shop website:

"The Dyson Air Multiplier™ fan works very differently to conventional fans. It uses Air Multiplier™ technology to draw in air and amplify it 15 times. With no blades or grille, it’s safe, easy to clean and doesn’t cause unpleasant buffeting."