Jesus Christ’s birthday is my favorite time of the year – aside from my own birthday of course. Even if the season has changed a lot through the years (eg. It’s a warm Christmas here in the Philippines =( ), there’s still so much joy that this season brings to me. I especially look forward to choosing presents, wrapping them up, and placing them underneath the Christmas tree for my loved ones to open on Christmas eve. I like giving them gifts even if they’re just simple items that they themselves can buy on their own. Someday I’ll be able to give them more expensive items like lcd projector bulbs or an LV bag for my mom. Hehe.

Last year was the first time I spent Christmas eve away from my family. At around that time of the year, I was at East Ave doing the usual labor watch and preparing for the birth of another baby. It was surreal since it’s like being on the manger, waiting for little baby Jesus to come out from his mother’s womb.=) This time, I chose to spend Christmas with my family. In return, I’ll be spending my New Year’s Eve with the sick children in the hospital but it’s okay. I’ve long accepted the fate of a doctor. This is what I wanted to be anyway.=)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

These online vouchers are really getting me all excited. I discovered a few days ago that the latest promos included a 45% discount voucher at Sofitel’s Spiral, a 7,500 peso worth of hair rebonding for P999 and a session of underarm laser treatment at 750 pesos. I was so engrossed and happy to have come across them at the right time until I discovered today that I was apparently unable to finish my transactions because I got too toxic last duty. Now all of my “New Me” plans for 2011 have gone up in smokes. Tsk tsk. Anyway, I believe there’s gonna be a better deal coming my way soon. Who knows? It might be a 70% discounted cruise with oasis of the seas next time. =)

They say everything started from a stolen meme and that there was no event or celebration behind the surge of cartoon characters that invaded facebook in the recent days. With or without any special event, I think everyone who joined in on the fun will agree with me that this left them with sweet memories of their childhood.

One of my favorite cartoon characters is Sailormoon. I think it was back in fourth or fifth grade that I became somewhat addicted to it. But unlike kids today, we didn’t have instant access to downloadable episodes and goodies so we had to resort to watching our favorite shows on TV every week. I think this what made these TV shows extra special to our generation. How we’d sit on top of those soft mattresses alone or with our friends to watch the latest episode of our favorite cartoon/anime and then excitedly talk about it among our friends as if they didn’t get to watch it themselves the next day. I love how the world of anime can easily spirit you out of your real world and make you forget about living your real life momentarily. I remember back when I was younger, I’d wish that I were Sailormoon/Princess Serenity and have my own Mamoru Chiba/Prince Endymion… how I’d hoped I had floor length hair to tie it up odango-style like Usagi’s… or how I wish I had friends who’d transform into sailor warriors themselves. Hehe.
I didn’t really get to watch most of the episodes of Sailormoon. In fact up until the facebook cartoon thing came up, I totally forgot about this favorite cartoon character of mine or whatever happened to the series. But good thing I live in the present where there’s youtube, veoh and what-have-yous to save my day. =D

I just started with my holiday gift shopping. In fairness, this is the first time I started shopping for gifts this early. Back when I was less busy with hospital work, I’d usually start cramming for gifts by Dec. 15 – yup that’s just 10 days short ’till Christmas. =D Have you ever gone to Divisoria on the 23rd of December? I did! It was que horror. You can actually move from one end to another end of the hallway without even moving your feet actively. The crowd will do it for you. Hehe.

So, wondering where to buy your gifts this Christmas? For the nth year this 2010, World Trade Center opens its gates to Christmas shoppers on their annual holiday bazaar. For those who want to snag a deal without having to go through the horror of shopping in Divisoria, World Trade Center is the next best option where you can find stuff from cute and functional novelty items to funky pet beds, clothes and accessories (there’s actually a whole stall dedicated to our furry friends). The deals are good enough. You’ll basically find almost the same items in Divisoria being sold in approximately the same price range so it’s still worth going there. In fact, compared to the first time I went there some years back on their first year of the annual Christmas bazaar, the place this season is more packed than before. A sure sign that shoppers continue to patronize this once-a-year event.

The World Trade Center Christmas bazaar is open from December 3-16 at 12 noon to 10 pm from Mondays to Thursdays, and from 10 am to 12 noon from Fridays to Sundays. On the 16th of December, the bazaar is open from 12nn to 8 pm only. Entrance is at 50 pesos per head (adults and kids). A friendly advice to my fellow shoppers: please leave your kids, especially the ones still in stroller at home. I can’t understand why you should be bringing them to the bazaar anyway.=S

Look what’s up for grabs for this hour’s SmartBro15 promo? A new HP Mini 110-1178TU-BLK Netbook! Whoever wins this prize for this hour sure is very lucky ‘coz Smartbro doesn’t usually give away such big prizes like this one. It’s usually gift certificates, Unlisurf 100 or Pocket Wifi. Cellphones, iPods and laptops, the big ones up for grabs come rarely these days. As I was browsing through the winners though (thinking I could have been one of them hehe), I noticed how one person won two prizes just a few days apart. I am very envious. How come I’m not as lucky as they are? Hehe. I sure hope to win this hour. A new laptop with a  student laptop insurance will come very handy for residency. Just thinking out loud.

I went online to printout the coupons I bought from Ensogo when it occurred to me that I haven’t checked the Billboard website in a while. To my surprise, I saw the familiar faces of Xiah, JaeJoong and Micky, now called JYJ (from the first letters of their Korean names), plastered on my screen. I know I am too old to get all excited about – gulp – Korean boybands but hey, I have been a big fan of the old TVXQ from way way back. Anyway, apparently JYJ are out to take America and go full-blown international. For those who don’t know them (which is, the vast majority from the other side of the world), the trio used to be a part of TVXQ/DBSK (DongBangShinKi), a very popular boyband from Korea with a legion of crazy fans behind them all throughout Asia and in some parts of the world. Early in 2009, the trio had a problem with their management, SM Entertainment causing them to breakaway from the other two members, Yunho and Changmin. Despite the pleas and prayers of fans all over the world, it seems that with the current activities of JYJ, a reunion seems to be a farfetched idea for the time being especially now that the trio had just released an album aptly entitled “The Beginning” with Kanye West behind their backs as they go international.

There was a video included in the Billboard feature about them and I eagerly clicked on it to listen. The start of the video was an incomprehensible muttering of some sort – oh wait – it was actually a rap and to my disbelief, it was apparently already the start of the song entitled “Ayy Girl”. I waited until I saw Xiah open his mouth to sing. Instead of the oh-so familiar voice of Xiah, what I heard was a badly auto-tuned version of a squeaky voice. At that moment I wanted to cry. I waited for their international debut the same way their other fans did and I expected something bigger much like the same intensity as Boa’s debut to the international stage. But this? I was really disappointed. I had the chance to listen to the songs included in their debut album, expecting to hear the familiar upbeat rhythm of their Korean songs. I was thinking that perhaps the rest of the album wasn’t so bad. But then I was wrong.

I know that with what I’ll be saying, thousands of Cassiopeians will kill me but forgive me ladies, the “The Beginning” could have been “The Practice” or “The Trial”. I believe our boys deserved something bigger and better for their international debut if we want the rest of the world to see and welcome them the same way we did when they were still starting. To me, their debut album is a huge disappointment. I’m sorry Xiah, JaeJoong, Micky. I’m sorry Mr. West but “The Beginning”, I hope, would not be “The End” as well.

Oh well.