Random Reaction

verabear Issues of the day, Ramblings and Brain farts 3 Comments

Around the world so many things are happening every minute of the day. I see news items on Msn.com, on TV, hear stuff over the radio on the taxi ride to work every night, and occasionally I read the papers in the mornings too. 

I love the random reactions that go through my mind as I listen, watch or read. Really, sometimes I wish I carried a recorder around and just spoke into it so I could later blog them word per word. But that’t not how it goes. So anyway, here are some links to stories I’ve read this week and the reactions they elicited from yours truly…



Jessica Simpson’s pictures and her recent performance – I saw the photos first from sis Joan’s blog and my reaction was that I didn’t see anything wrong with the way she looked. In fact, I thought that she looked like she was having fun. Others hit her for dressing in a way that didn’t flatter her added curves, while others still hit her for allegedly letting herself go. In my eyes she was beautiful. I didn’t feel I had any right to bash her, because I don’t look that good in photos (yet, haha). 

I was surprised though about the way they say she botched her performance as front act for Rascal Flatts a few nights ago. So unlike the Jessice I heard about in Hollywood True Stories.

This one about FedEx leaving Subic Bay to move to China, I actually read this in the papers. I had the impression that they were leaving Subic because of the economic crisis, but apparently it was a business decision made quite some time ago. It is sad that hundreds lost their job there, but China needs the jobs too considering the millions of migrants who went home for the holidays and with no job to go back to. FedEx will still have a base for its Philippine operations but it will be in Clark Field, not very far from what once was its Southeast Asian hub.

I’ve heard about the birth of the octuplets, the celebration, and later the outrage that welcomed them into this world. I’m a fan of Jon and Kate, Plus 8 on Discovery but I’ve never wished to have that many kids of my own all at the same time (although theirs were a set of six, and an older twins). But as for this latest set of multiples born in this world, it’s quite a different story. I was surprised that she already has six kids (sixtuplets?). And more surprised that she was in her early thirties, and single! And though I am happy that all the babies lived, I can’t help but also question what has happened. In an interview she admitted not having a very happy childhood being alone. Ugh, okay. O-K. Kids are not treats that you use to fill what was empty in your life. Yes, they have that effect, but they should never be brought to life with that in mind, nor should you adopt a baby because you want something to make you happy. If anything, take them because you know you can make them happy. I’m sorry, I might be hurting the feelings of other people here, but the tug of parenthood, in my opinion, is a tug borne out of a desire to care for someone else.

Anyway, goodluck to the mother and the rest of her family. May they have what they need to provide for all the needs of all their children. And in a few years, I hope to hear how happy and healthy all fourteen kids are.

There were more stories that made me laugh, frown, or had me puzzled throughout the week. These probably weren’t the most striking nor most significant to me personally, but these are stories of our world nonetheless.

Child Safety Online

verabear Issues of the day, Ramblings and Brain farts 1 Comment

In a former life, my everyday life was battling against the commercial sexual exploitation of children, then of combatting the trafficking of children. But in the last three years, I’ve managed to steer clear of this advocacies save for the very seasonal activities I still join. When I saw the story on MSN.com, some of the sparks were rekindled in me. I’m referring to efforts to rid MySpace and Facebook of registered sex offenders. That’s all well and good, but I think they can only do that for sex offenders who have been convicted in the United States. MySpace and Facebook have worldwide following, how would they address the possibility that there may be child sexual predators online who come from other countries too? It’s a good start anyway, and it really should be up to owners of the social networking sites to institute safeguards for kids.

One thing’s for sure though, it is easier to safeguard kids online when there are laws like the COPPA for the US, and the one for Korea too. Because it obligates web sites to have a strict privacy policy for the information of minors.

When to vacay?

verabear Issues of the day, Ramblings and Brain farts 1 Comment

My weekends (referring to my days off work) have been moved to Sundays-Mondays. My boss actually thought I’d be happy with the change but I’m not so enthused about it. One – Alfred and I won’t have the same off anymore. Two – I’ve come to appreciate how the movie houses and malls are practically empty on Tuesday nights 🙂 Three – the days seem to go faster for some reason.

Apart from having my off moved (which already started this week), my shift is being shifted too. Instead of logging in at 10PM, it’ll be 11PM or 12MN starting Sunday. Aw. That will widen the gap between Alfred’s shift and mine. 🙁

Anyway… I took an in lieu leave from work on Tuesday, just because. Originally, I filed for leave for the 19th because that’s our anniversary. Since it was my off already, I figured I’d just take the next day off too. It did me good to spend an extra day off work. Though we had to run an errand on that day, it was still okay for me all in all. Got me to think about taking a longer vacation soon. We have no plans yet for an out of town vacation (because we really don’t have the money to spend on one) but we have been talking about going for a swim either at Ace Water Spa or at Club Manila East. But I’m thinking that I need to de-stress and a day trip wouldn’t be enough to fully reload my guns.

The cold spell also seem to have left Manila already – it is so darn hot! Now would be a very good time to head to Baguio or even Sagada while it’s still cold up there. Or… go somewhere where it’s okay to be hot – the beach! I remember reading about their holiday vacation home from a digital scrapbook designer (Bonnie) and how I was so envious! It was a lovely place and I just know that if my family (the extended one) were given the chance to rent a vacation home and spend even just three days there – we would have the time of our lives! The closest to a vacation home we have ever rented are those private pools in Laguna – and they are NOWHERE near the grandiose and ambiance that vacation homes like those in the Outer Banks in the US have. Ohhh, the place that the XB peeps rented last year for the management team building in Caliraya, that seems real nice too but still not sure if it’s something we can afford. Ugh.

Oh well. 

A sad time for Microsoft.

It’s all over the news – Microsoft announces that 1500 of it’s valued employees are losing their jobs, and 3500 will soon follow. For a company who values employee loyalty just as much customer loyalty, this has got to be very tough for them. I have never been fired, nor retrenched, but I was transferred out because we lost an account. I still had a job waiting for me though, so it isn’t an experience that I can even begin to compare to those people who have been hit hard by this economic crisis.

I know there are a lot more companies who have had to make bigger sacrifices – like the Intel shop that gave jobs to 5000 Filipinos who is completely closing down – but learning about this happening to Microsoft just hit a little closer to home. We deal closely with Microsoft at my line of work, you see. Hay.

The case of the Alabang Boys (who really aren’t boys anymore)

verabear Issues of the day, Ramblings and Brain farts 1 Comment

I’ve been telling my brother to switch channels – listening in to the Congressional Hearing is really frustrating me. It’s like watching a telenovela, so much drama!