Yearly Archives: 2009

Google Doctor

  By zarine | November 17, 2009 - 6:54 pm | Internet/Social Media, Random Thoughts
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You think people are consulting Google only for things as trivial as diet pill reviews? I’m not sure if it was from the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy or House (or maybe it was from something I was reading) where it was stated that people are actually a lot more informed these days when it comes to their medical conditions. They consult doctors now armed with a few researched facts about their symptoms and/or possible ailments. Must be annoying, to say the least, for the medical professionals sometimes, though I believe that it does more good than harm. Well, at least as long as the patient is well informed and the doctor is actually an expert that the patient can place his full trust to the latter in the end.

Theatergoer

  By zarine | November 17, 2009 - 6:28 pm | Musicals, Random Thoughts
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Unlike in the old times, at least from what we see in the movies where only the privileged few – those who can dress up formally and wear Couture Jewelry – watch theater plays, these days there is a more casual atmosphere among theatergoers. Jeans and shirts will do, unless you really prefer to be a little more formal.

The Philippine musical theater scene is going to be exciting from next month, starting with Repertory Philippines’ Sweeney Todd and Atlantis Production’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, up until December next year. Already lined up events are Rent, Cats (with Lea Salonga and the West-End cast), Legally Blonde, and Xanadu.

Live Chat

  By zarine | November 11, 2009 - 5:05 pm | Random Thoughts
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Is there such a thing as a non-live chat? Just that I always see such things as “join our live chat” at ___ and I’ve been wondering if “chatting” per se can be not in real-time. Wouldn’t that be just an exchange of e-mail sort of thing? Or maybe live chat is a public thing – it’s open to more than a few number of people and an unlimited number of others can read everything that’s being said and the corresponding responses. Eh, no need to go into semantics. Next time I see one I’m interested in, I’ll just go ahead and join.

Super Saturday

  By zarine | November 9, 2009 - 3:43 pm | Badminton, Random Thoughts, Sports
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Looking for weight loss pills that work? Why not try playing badminton? Well I’ve said this a thousand times before, and it’s not as if I can claim to be the fittest person I know, but after spending my Saturday night at the badminton courts, I am once again rediscovering some  of the best reasons why badminton is such a crazy good sport. For recreation, it is a fun activity any group can enjoy. As a competitive sport and a serious hobby, I guess it brings a lot more. If you’re not into sports and couldn’t be bothered by this seemingly silly game of passing a shuttlecock over a net, I’d say you’re not really missing so much. But for those of us who know the joy of skipping around the court and making lucky, and sometimes beautiful, shots and returns, there’s no looking back. Badminton is a sport I can play until I can no longer bend my knees and back.

Open

  By zarine | November 6, 2009 - 8:43 pm | People
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The recent revelations in relation to the publication of Andre Agassi’s autobiography, Open: An Autobiography, has rocked the sporting world in a way that I didn’t imagine it would.

openEric Rasco/SI

BOOK EXCERPT HERE

Andre was known as the “punk” during the early parts of his career. He was a bit of a callous persona before he transformed into the “paragon” that he is now being touted for. So his admission of drug use is as much of a surprise to me as seeing a smoker scouting for an electronic cigarette. It didn’t diminish how I see him as an exemplary human being now.  That he perpetrated a lie to cover up his bad decisions is subject to much criticism, and maybe rightly so.  But I am reserving my judgment until at least I get to read the book in its entirety to understand why being that “open” was necessary. I, for one, don’t believe that he did it for the money. He’s got everything to lose and nothing to gain with his honesty. The Agassi (celebrity) I know has always been candid and verbose. That’s why I’m sure this book is something I’m going to lap up.

How Sue Cs It

  By zarine | November 3, 2009 - 1:25 pm | TV
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I think Sue Sylvester is one of the funniest new characters on TV. Well, her lines may be a bit off-putting and even insulting and sarcastic, but let’s just take it within the context of the show, shall we? Glee is a silly, silly show. That’s kinda what makes it fun.

Well, if you had a glimpse of Glee, Sue is the one always wearing an Adidas track suit (nice brand promotion, by the way; I wonder if Sue got them past a Honeywell Barcode Scanner). She presides over the cheerleading group called Cheerios. She got her Ph.D. online.

Here’s one of Sue’s less socially demeaning comments:

“There’s not much of a difference between a stadium full of cheering fans and an angry crowd screaming abuse at you. They’re both just making a lot of noise. How you take it is up to you. Convince yourself they’re cheering for you. You do that, and some day, they will. And that’s how Sue Cs it.” (Episode 4: Preggers)

On Health Providers

  By zarine | November 3, 2009 - 1:20 pm | Products
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I just realized that ever since our company decided to change HMO providers, I haven’t seen a doctor. Not that I feel I have to have something in particular checked up or anything; but even at times when I’m really not feeling well, I just resolve to stay at home, take some rest, and hope that the bad feeling will just go away. It’s not that low cost health insurance doesn’t have its advantages. It’s just that the process, with this particular HMO provider, is so tedious that just thinking about all the papers and the trips back and forth for forms is already making the prospect of having a medical check up so tiring. I just hope I can make myself healthy enough everyday until the time I can afford to get a better health plan. Not that we shouldn’t keep ourselves healthy all the time. It’s just a thought.

Gleeked

  By zarine | October 27, 2009 - 7:49 pm | TV
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As it turned out, my weekend, instead of my planned  clean-up and organize days, became TV series marathon day. I’m not sure if I should regret it or not. It was pointless, but I had fun. Maybe it’s not so pointless, after all.

In between chatting with a friend about practice-driving in the U.S. and her need for an auto insurance quote because she’s having troubles adjusting with the speed limits, I was exchanging text messages with another friend about downloading the music from Glee. Up until that time, I’ve only watched the pilot episode and I haven’t formed much of an opinion about it yet, except that I’m glad Lea Michele’s in it because she was great in Spring Awakening. By the time Sunday is over, I have finished watching all eight episodes  and I’m thisclose to calling myself a Gleek (Glee geek), save for the fact that I’m not so taken with the storylines although the musical numbers are top notch.

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But I’m not too hard to please. Enter the news that Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies, Wicked) is returning for another guest stint, Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse) is directing an episode, and Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening) is going to have a multiple-episode arc as Lea Michele’s love interest, and I’m declaring myself as an official Gleek. I can’t imagine a better fantasy cross-over than that. Well, actually, I can, but this one’s coming true so bring it!

Henin Returns, Hingis Won’t

  By zarine | October 24, 2009 - 3:07 am | Sports, Tennis
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Martina Hingis, 29 years old, is not coming back to tennis.

When Kim Clijsters won the U.S. Open last month, the state of the WTA tour was dragged into even more scrutiny. Then no. 1 player, Dinara Safina, hasn’t won any Grand Slam title; Serena Williams, now back at no. 1,  is facing a possible suspension because of her cussing brouhaha; former no. 1s Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic can’t go deep in any tournament (until Maria won Tokyo a few weeks later); and Venus Williams doesn’t look like she wants to win unless its Wimbledon. Then, all of a sudden, fresh-from-retirement, new mom Clijsters stole the limelight from them all.

Which then brings to us to Justine Henin, the only tennis player ever to retire while ranked as world no. 1. Henin announced her return to tennis shortly after the U.S. Open, and this is a news that was welcomed by the tennis community with much enthusiasm. This is one player who is poised to be threat to everyone, again.

So when Martina Hingis’ two-year suspension from the sport (due to a cocaine-positive test, which she is still vehemently denying) reaching its end, everyone wants to know if she’s giving tennis another try (she first retired in 2001 due to injury and made a comeback in 2006). Well, she isn’t. Reportedly, she feels that her career is on a downward spiral anyway. She prefers her new life now, donning equestrian apparel and riding her four horses. She (reportedly) recently starred in Britain’s version of Dancing with the Stars.

Maid for the Weekend

  By zarine | October 23, 2009 - 11:57 am | Random Thoughts
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After several of busy, busy weekends, I finally have a two-day rest from work, which I am hoping will not be spent entirely resting. My apartment’s such a big mess again and it really needs more than a little tending. Too bad I don’t have any one of those cute but efficient Ladybug vapor steam cleaners to help me with the job ahead. Truth is, I’m getting REALLY  bad moods lately from stepping into stuff and clutter, that this break from work is just what I need to put thing into order. Hopefully. Fingers crossed.