FYI: Blog blocked

My blog was blocked from the office network.. I hate the support guy... he think's he's all that...

Anyway... this means lesser posts until I find some time to spam posts... sigh.

Lip color mania

I'm currently addicted to lip color~ although being the timid person that I am, I'm not brave enough to wear any bold colors... I really want to~ Issues issues issues. I don't like being the center of attention, I don't know how to react when people notice me.

Anyway, I bought body shop's lip stain yesterday. I wanted to try the gradient lips thing I saw on e-bay for tony moly's lip tint

borrowed a pix from the site:

















I also want that orange shade of lip gloss from body shop.. T_T I spent too much last two weeks...

Re post from an old blog

a code that can describe me in 12 lines...


INT weight;

WHILE 1=1
LOOP
INSERT INTO mouth

IF EXISTS(chocolates) THEN

SELECT chocolates
FROM drawer

ELSE PURCHASE(chocolates)
ENDIF;

weight++;

commit;

END LOOP;

~

Here's a new one...

While Ekai=stressed

Loop

INSERT INTO LifeForce

IF EXISTS(coffee) then

SELECT coffee
FROM vendingMachine

ELSE LISTEN(music)

ENDIF;

commit;

END LOOP;


I hate this day

EDIT: the code is evolving...

INT stress;

WHILE stress>0
LOOP
INSERT INTO LifeForce

IF EXISTS(coffee) THEN

SELECT coffee
FROM vendingMachine

ELSE LISTEN(music)
ENDIF;

stress++;

commit;

END LOOP;

SQL is my friend

*Sorry for neglecting my blog for a while... I've been going through a tough time with my family.

I was a developer for 4 years mostly for business intelligence and data warehousing.

Brief Background on BI

Business Intelligence (BI) refers to skills, processes, technologies, applications and practices used to support decision making.

BI technologies provide historical, current, and predictive views of business operations. Common functions of Business Intelligence technologies are reporting, online analytical processing, analytics, data mining, business performance management, benchmarking, text mining, and predictive analytics.

The technology I used for BI was Business Objects, something like crystal reports. I created reports for most of my projects. However, I wasn't the brightest one of the bunch. I felt like the underdog among the Business Objects developers since most of them were very proficient in SQL and I wasn't.

Feeling like the underdog and my ass of a boss made me feel even worse by rubbing it in. I was assigned data migration tasks, Unix tasks and ETL tasks. All tasks were SQL heavy and I have never studied UNIX in my whole life. (That ass of a boss did not know how to assess his people).

What is ETL

ETL stands for extract, transform and load, the processes that enable companies to move data from multiple sources, reformat and cleanse it, and load it into another database, a data mart or a data warehouse for analysis, or on another operational system to support a business process.

That was partly the reason why I shifted to Testing rather than development.

Anyway, I recently discovered that most of my officemates developers or testers weren't as proficient in SQL as I was. Although, I had more of an edge since I was forcefully exposed to SQL for 4 years.

Due to my new discovery, I plan to be good at SQL and I came across a really easy to understand tutorial for SQL joins I <3 SQL~ ahahaha

A Visual Explanation of SQL Joins - Venn diagrams for the win! I'll try to post my own so I can see if I processed it~ ahahaha (so to speak.)

Black Sambas Recipe~

I stole a recipe from my officemate's sister in law hahaha!!!

1st Layer
2 sachets Knoxx unflavored Gelatin
1 cup water
1 big can of nestle cream
1 big can of condensed milk

*Mix all ingredients then cook over low heat. Set aside then let it cool

2nd Layer
2 sachets Knoxx unflavored Gelatin
1 cup water
1 big can of evaporated milk
1 cup white sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Mix all ingredients, cook over low heat. Pour over the first layer.

Blogger Goal: Create my own blogger template

I recently downloaded a few CS4 brushes, I was tempted to create my own wallpaper but I think it would be better if I made my own blogger template rather than borrowing those free templates online.

It might take time though, I'd have to practice on wall papers first.

I'll post updates on my new goal for this month...

Hello March.. please be nice to me...

February has been rough... but March is horrid.. I couldn't help but at least let out what I feel right now... I've cried so much tonight. As much as I hate "self pity" I couldn't help it a few hours ago, I was feeling deprived and betrayed by my own family... most my friends advised that I move out. I'll contemplate on it when I've calmed down...

Anyway, I hate the negativity. Reverting to something lighter.

Here are four songs that made me feel better:

1. Replay by Sean Kingston (my boyfriend made me listen to this)
2. Numb by Sia
3. Breathe Me by Sia
4. Fireflies by Owl City

Thank you's

Ryan... I love you, thank you.

Affie and Diane thank you for keeping me sane during dinner...

Hali family: Thank you so much, even though I couldn't post everything on plurk, I can feel the concern.. Thank you...

Playing around with my cam (part 2)

Sky shots... (bored... ho hum)

Monday sickness

Ok... so I'm in dire need of Coffee...

I decided to drown my irritability in a coffee based caramel affogato... On my way to my preferred starbucks (there are 3 starbucks branches near my office), I saw a blind man trying to cross the street and a stupid biker hit the blind man... he already saw the blind guy who was trying to cross the street. Though he was slow he wasn't careful... I looked at him in disgust. I wish he knew that it was because he hit the blind guy...

Most Drivers in Manila are too aggressive they don't even realize that they can hurt people. I think they don't even care if they do. Our previous driver also hit a kid on a bike in front of our gate. Instead of checking if the kid was safe or if he was hurt they both started blaming each other.

Why do you need to point the blame on someone... rather than think of the present they have to dwell on the past and blame people. Instead of thinking of a solution NOW, they think of who to blame... "Because of the people who colonized the Philippines, we have graft and corruption" I hear this line often. It may be true, but it doesn't do a thing. It is not a solution and it does not contribute to a possible solution. Just self gratification.

ugh... I hate this post already...

I was lucky enough to get a free upgrade on my Affogato... I ordered tall but the barista gave me a grande... I didn't feel comfortable about it.. I really wanted to pay for the extra.. T_T well at least I got something nice today. HOWEVER, I haven't consumed half of my drink and I'm already palpitating. A grande Affogato isn't something for me hahahaha.

What's in a name

Another post resulting from a lack of things to do at work plus procrastination

Is this your name?

just some snippets

Name Origin and Meaning: Forename:
Origin: Scandinavian (Root: Erica)
Meaning: Ruler of All

In ASCII binary it is... 01000101 01110010 01101001 01101011 01100001 00100000 01010110 01101001 01100011 01100101 01101110 01110100 01100101

Hahaha

Have you ever googled yourself?

Due to a sickeness called "Tamaditis" also known as Procrastination, I ended up google-ing my name in different ways.

Here are some funny Results:

Ekai
+ Page 1: Most were profiles of people with the same nickname and one website called "Ekaï Sushi Express"

~ Hahaha! Sushi is a term of endearment my boyfriend gave me. Hahaha

+ Page 2: more profiles and another website called "Ekai"

~ another food page >_<>

Ekai is a fast and efficient method of providing busy people with healthy and delicious food options.........delivered to your door.

Just select a meal plan from our range and we will deliver the ingredients and any recipes required right to your door.

No more 'what's for tea tonight?' With ekai you can eat a different meal every night of the year if you wishMy full name:
+ Mostly people with the same name except for my twitter account... =_=

Nickname + Surname:
+ My facebook account...
+ my facebook friends........

+ a blog of my friend who mentioned me...

I hate you facebook...

oh... I came across toggle.com as well

Playing around with my Cam

For some weird reason I've been unusually restless whenever I'm on my way to work or on my way home, I tried to distract myself and took some pictures while I was in the car... Our new driver was cooperating a bit and tried slow down when I was taking a shot. Thank's kuya Mario. hahaha


Impending doom for all drivers out there














Accidental panning shot of makati hahaha.. damned traffic.














After a few meters. *click*













I tried to get a shot of the Pasig River..














hahaha I wonder if it would also light up at night.













At night.. I love this shop

Do not correct my Grammation!

"Do not correct my grammation"

(Disclaimer: stop reading... *hindi constructive ang post na ito*)

This has been a joke between my friends for someone who thinks he/she has perfect English. I admit that I do not write and speak perfect English, but you have to admit that you can help but notice someone who thinks so highly of himself though his grammar needs a total make over. Even though I said I'm not perfectly fluent in English, I get really OC (obsessive/compulsive) about a lot of things regarding grammar AND diction. I don't want to sound snotty but I just can't help it when people forget to use the words "a" and "the" or forgets about verb tenses. Diction is usually what gets on my nerves most of the time.

I decided to post about grammar and diction because I was editing a test document. It's supposed to be a tool for process improvement, however, it has too much information packed in one work sheet, it does not have proper labels, no comments on how another person can use it and annoying choice of words..


Hmmm ugly screenshot... anyway, At the upper left of the file there were 2 labels, the first one was for the screen we were testing and the second "Pre-condition" which are requirements needed before testing. I changed it to "Prerequisite" because having "Test Condition" right after "Pre-condition" is confusing and redundant.

Anyway, I came across another interesting guide:
The Top 24 Grammatical Terms. Basic Grammatical Terms That We Should Have Learned in School by Richard Nordquist.

Here are the 24 terms, though it would be better to read the article.

1. Active Voice
The verb form in which the subject of the sentence performs or causes the action expressed by the verb. Contrast with Passive Voice.

2. Adjective
The part of speech (or word class) that modifies a noun or a pronoun.

3. Adverb
The part of speech that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
Example:

4. Clause
A group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. A clause may be either a sentence (independent clause) or a sentence-like construction included within another sentence (dependent clause).

5. Complex Sentence
A sentence that contains at least one independent clause and one dependent clause.

6. Compound Sentence
A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses, often joined by a conjunction.

7. Conjunction
The part of speech that serves to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. See also: coordinating conjunction, subordinating conjunction, correlative conjunction, and conjunctive adverb.

8. Declarative Sentence
A sentence that makes a statement.

9. Dependent Clause
A group of words that begins with a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction. A dependent clause has both a subject and a verb but (unlike an independent clause) cannot stand alone as a sentence. Also known as a subordinate clause.

10. Direct Object
A noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb.

11. Exclamatory Sentence
A sentence that expresses strong feelings by making an exclamation.

12. Imperative Sentence
A sentence that gives advice or instructions or that expresses a request or a command.

13. Independent Clause
A group of words made up of a subject and a predicate. An independent clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence. Also known as a main clause.

14. Indirect Object
A noun or pronoun that indicates to whom or for whom the action of a verb in a sentence is performed.

15. Interrogative Sentence
A sentence that asks a question.

16. Noun
The part of speech that is used to name a person, place, thing, quality, or action and can function as the subject or object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or an appositive.

17. Passive Voice
A verb form in which the grammatical subject receives the verb's action. Contrast with active voice.

18. Predicate
One of the two main parts of a sentence or clause, modifying the subject and including the verb, objects, or phrases governed by the verb.

19. Prepositional Phrase
A group of words made up of a preposition, its object, and any of the object's modifiers.

20. Pronoun
A word that takes the place of a noun.

21. Sentence
A word or (more commonly) a group of words that expresses a complete idea. Conventionally, a sentence includes a subject and a verb. It begins with a capital letter and concludes with a mark of end punctuation.

22. Subject
The part of a sentence that indicates what it is about.

23. Tense
The time of a verb's action or state of being, such as past, present, and future.

24. Verb
The part of speech that describes an action or occurrence or indicates a state of being.


There you have it Grammar Grammar~

Anyway, here's another good read:

Seven Secrets to Success in English 101 By Richard Nordquist

Quiapo 101

This weekend I went to Quiapo in Manila to buy some craft supplies for my polymer clay jewelry. Quiapo is something a not-so-safe shopping district where you can buy almost anything at a amazingly cheap price. Anyway, I was looking for a guide to good buys in Quiapo and some Do's and Don't's when you are shopping in Quiapo but I couldn't find any. So I decided to compile all the advice I got from my worried friends when I said I wanted to go to Quiapo by myself (I was so frustrated since I wanted to go to Quiapo since the first week of Feb.).

1. Dress down or at least try to blend in.
The more you stand out, the more you are an easy target for pick pockets or robbers. Since Quiapo is also considered as the "old downtown" of Manila (according to wikipedia), there are a lot cases where shoppers had all their money stolen. Some people say that their bags were cut at the bottom without them knowing.

2. Distribute your money in different pockets.
In case you're a victim of the pick pockets, you'd have some spare money hidden so you can at least commute home.

3. Be prepared.
Quiapo is an experience in itself. For people who are very OC about cleanliness and have an aversion to large crowds... be prepared.. I myself hate crowds and unlike the general pinoy population, I hate it when strangers stand to close to me. I really wanted to go to Quiapo for the great deals on my supplies... so I had no choice but to prepare myself and expect the worst. At the risk of being a snotty brat, I'm sharing my thoughts (rants). Most people here in the Philippines have a blurry sense of "good manners and conduct" and are lacking common sense when it comes to these things. with that said, here are somethings to consider to avoid the stress and frustration:

a. Do not expect anyone to say "Sorry" or "Excuse me" if the bump into you. (Even in malls it'll be rare to hear those words, what more in Quiapo)
b. Don't expect anyone to clear the way for you. (Again, even in the posh malls people don't seem to know the concept of keeping right when walking.. not every one is looking where they are walking, they stop abruptly in the middle of the road and they wont steer clear until you are already less than an inch apart. In small alleys are walkways, no one would stop to let you pass first instead they would squeeze in and force themselves in the tiny space.

*beeeeeeppp* I'm already hating what I'm writing so I'm stopping. I'll try to continue the rant in a separate post.

4. Bring a bag you can keep in front of you.

5. Last but not the least.. Take a long bath after your shopping experience. Hahaha. Once you see Quiapo, you'll know why.


Sorry for the rant and enjoy Quiapo

Polymer Clay Glazing Disastre

Don't glaze your polymer clay with nail polish.

*sobs*

I went stingy on my craft and ended up with sticky charms... *sobs*

Though I've read all over the internet that I shouldn't use nail polish to glaze my charms... I still bought a small bottle of clear nail polish and glazed away.. *sob*

Now I have several charms that are so sticky even I wouldn't want to touch it.. T_T I tried washing them with soap and water and was able to revive a pair of earrings... the rest I had to rub off some of the nail polish with a little acetone... non were revived... I had to remove the polish entirely..


*sob*

Next Experiment: Buffing...

Emotes

February hasn't been good to me, I was sick for half of February and my BF was hospitalized on the last week of Feb. So I'm still contemplating if I would post a month end entry like the other bloggers. My post might turn into a rant post...

I'll keep this on a more postive.. yet slightly ranty post.

Recently, I updated my craft blog's layout and added new gadgets. I added a Cbox or a Chat box function. I tried to play with the code and the color scheme and I found that you can change the default emoticons. I was thrilled and I started searching for emoticons that I can use.

Unfortunately, most emoticons are free BUT you can only use them for personal use. Only on a blog and not for commercial sites. I didn't want to be unfair to the artists so I didn't download their art.

I just created my own! wahahaha! I just need to convert them to .gif files. Paint modifies my .bmp files when I save them as .gif files. T_T I only have MsPaint here in the office. Anyway here are my emotes.

 

By the way... they're cupcakes. HAHAHA!!

♡ iloveegg ♡

I love egg was the inspiration for my hard boiled egg charms. The art is so simple and cute.

 

 Egg Charm!