Ureshii: 10

Friday, September 18, 2009 Jonette 0 Comments

Hello, hello rainy Manila skies and showers all around. The weather's perfect for a number of things for me -- hot beverages, warm beds, good reads, snuggly cuddling-up to the one you love under the sheets -- most of them related to staying home and none of them with working in the office. (ha!)

Nonetheless, the days seemed to have gained velocity in so short a span of time. The lessons are pouring in, and I can hardly keep up with my crafting! Nonetheless, we do as we can, as we please.

This collection will be a great big mish-mash of attractions and assortments, so strap yourself in and do keep your hands in the car at all times.

First of all, Salabat. This dark-brown concoction is pleasure enough with its heat in a mug for a pair of chilly hands. The tang of ginger and the sweetness of brown sugar make this a perfect beverage for blustery weather. Ah, but the real secret, however, is in the brew when it goes down your throat and into your belly. Hmm.... perhaps not so much as "go down" as "plummet with burning torches in hand".

Here in the Philippines, we have the pleasure of enjoying salabat two ways. The first is boiling raw ginger in water, then adding brown sugar, sweet potato, or tapioca (or all three!) to taste. The second, which I favor for efficiency, portability, and convenience, takes the form of an insta-brew-mixit in a glass jar. I brought a big jar of the stuff to the office, and in a couple of days -- vroop!-- all gone. It certainly isn't the punch of choice of many an online agent for nothing.

Tweed's growing so quickly. Our kitten is now about two months and counting. He's taken to pouncing on yarn balls, obstructing sewing progress, using Susan (the bodyform) as a perch, and weaving in between my legs affectionately as I climb down the stairs in a hurry. Yeah, he loves us. XD
Nintendo DS Games. James recently acquired for himself a Nintendo DS Lite, and now pretty much considers it his new baby. Super Robot Wars: Endless Frontier gets him hot-blooded, and when he's on it, he means business. (don't fret that the site's in Japanese. browse around, enjoy the movies, the art, and the voice-acting.) Mid-way, there's Fossil Fighters, which is pretty much like Pokemon with dinosaurs. Real-world Dinosaurs. (I kid you not. Head for the site's Fossil Museum for info, and let Wikipedia shock and awe you.) Fossil Fighters comes highly recommended for kids and kids-at-heart from both of us. And then there's Cooking Mama 2: Dinner With Friends. (that would be mine. ^_^* )

H'ray! H'ray! The LC-A Race is on! Join me in cheering Clair as she and Team Manila race to capture the best and most brilliant pictures around the city. Head over to her entry, show her some love, and cast your vote! You'll be glad you did. ^_^*

A brand-spanking new blog template in the works! Woo-hoo! Carlo Canlas is the man, and damn he is. If he can't rock his Super-Robot Pilot tresses, no one can.

Tikbalang, as illustrated by Keith Thompson.

Keith Thompson Art. If you have a taste for steampunk, machines, sci-fi and horror, this is the man to go to. what I love the most about his art is how he tempers wild, unabashed imagination with research -- both for science and ancient lore, not unlike our beastie above. The result is sheer mad genius, and talent. Oodles of talent.

Burdastyle's Fatina Puff Sleeve Dress Variation. I love simple yet how lovely the entire piece is. It feels oddly very Filipina to me: the sleeves echo the butterfly sleeves of the terno, and the exposure of the nape of the neck and a little bit below it is very Asian. The Kyla dress is also a winner for me. Its modernity, versatility, and youth make it a great design in my book. And speaking of designs...

Awesome Cosplay! Raymund shared with me yet another great find. A_Riddle's Flickr photstream is a choc-ful of cosplaying goodness, as well as her photos of her trip to Japan. Above are her pictures of Batman's Villains as ladies in the 1940's (and one lone heroine... can you spot who's who?), and the one below it is A_Riddle as Wonder Woman Amazonia. Absolutely stunning.

Mr. Hayao Myazaki. Aaaaw.

and one strip to say it all.

But wait, there's more!

Watch the music video here. My thanks to Mik Watkins -- she's a great friend, and she can make a real mean batch of fudge and other baked goods. Seriously.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

Kick-ass!

Wolverine: The Musical! XD

A classic Palmolive commercial that gained cult status in the Philippines. Was it the costumes? The colors? The set? The singing? Don't ask me, we still love it. I can feel it! :D

And if that's not enough, here are a couple of paper dolls to keep you preoccupied. Go on now, play along. :D