UPDATE: My Housemates

Hello again everyone! Did ya miss me? ☺
I sure did miss all of you. Sorry if I was gone for a while. Anyway, let's proceed to what I really came here for. I blogged before that I'll introduce you to my friends who I share my home with. As promised, here they are!

Let's start with the guinea pigs.

First off is Pochacco, a.k.a. Pochie.

 

Originally, Pochie's name was Smoochie. However, a certain family member of my Human had a hard time pronouncing the name so my Human had to choose a new name. Upon seeing a photo of Pochacco, the dog from Sanrio, on the internet, my Human knew that Smoochie is destined to be a Pochacco! So the name stuck and the rest is history. Pochie arrived here on February 2009 so he is around 4 years old now. He is currently the oldest of the group.

Next up is the only girl of the herd, Frappé. 

Frappé got here in March of 2009. My Human chose Frappé because her colour reminds my Human of Frappé coffee. When Frappé was younger, she had a very light, almost dusty, black spot on her nose. No matter how many times my Human tried to wipe that spot off Frappé's nose, it just wouldn't go away. Over time, it went away on its own. 

 Now we have Copper Yin.

 

Copper Yin is one half of Pochie's babies. Yin's twin sister, Tuxedo Yang, has sadly passed away on February 26 of this year. Their mother, Mallows, is also at the Rainbow Bridge. She joined her daughter on May 16, 2013. Yin and Yang were born on July 3 and 4, 2009. I know you must be wondering why there are two dates. Yin came out first at around 11:56pm on July 3. Yang, on the other hand, came a few minutes after so she was born on July 4. He looks a lot like his mom while Yang is a carbon copy of her dad. Copper Yin is the biggest of them all! Even bigger than his daddy! ☺ 

We have got a new addition to the gang! Meet Spencer.

The baby of the group, Spencer arrived on August 26. My Human thought that Frappé needed a new roommate after the previous one passed away (Frappé and Yang used to live together). Spence, as my Human adoringly calls her, has a black spot on her nose - the left side. See the darker colour on the other side of her nose? That's the spot! Spencer is very lively and would sometimes run around her and Frappé's abode even while Frappé is resting. She has learned to trust my Human a few days ago and would accept food by hand. The two ladies are getting along great! They would snuggle and eat together. When Spencer is taken out of their home, you would see Frappé sniffing up in the air as if trying to sense where her little roomie has gone. We can't wait to see Spencer grow up.

Now that we have covered the guinea pigs, let's move on to the hamsters.

This lil cutiepatootie is Madison. She is one of the 6 pups of loving parents, Ash and Twister. She was born on January 6, 2011.Unfortunately, her family are all gone now. Madison is a Campbell's dwarf hamster. She has beautiful red eyes just like her mom. Madison likes Sunflower seeds, eggs, and carrots. My Human knows that Campbell's dwarf hamsters aren't supposed to eat too much sugar because of the risk of diabetes so sweet food like carrots are given in limited amounts. Madison also likes tissue paper because of its softness. When my Human gives her a piece that is rolled up like a newspaper, Madison carries it in her mouth looking like a tiny puppy.

The second hamster in our home is Tubby Tat.

Tubby was given to my Human by her nephew. Before becoming Tubby, his name was Chubby Jr. because he looked like his dad when he was younger. Tubby was born in a brood of 12 - 9 boys and 3 girls. He is a  long haired Syrian hamster. His eyes are like little black buttons. They're really cute! Tubby was rehomed because he and his brothers are getting bigger and are already starting to fight. See Tubby's ear? That was the result of those fights. When he is being fed by hand, he never pulls hard to get the food. Tubby is such a sweet and gentle fellow.

I know I mentioned some of my dear friends who have already gone to the Rainbow Bridge. I'll create a post about them someday so you'll meet them as well.

So, what can you say about my current housemates? They're just as cute as me, right? ☺
Talk to me in the comments section!

Gotta go for now. I smell my food being served!

World Elephant Day

On August 12, 2012, the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation declared the first World Elephant Day. The goal of this is to "bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants." During this day of awareness, the foundation asks people to "express your concern, share your knowledge and support solutions for the better care of captive and wild elephants alike."

To show my support for this day, I am going to talk about the plight of the Philippines' lone elephant, Mali. 

Mali, an Asian elephant whose full name is Vishwamali, was transferred from Sri Lanka to Manila Zoo in 1977 when she was orphaned at the young age of 3 (other sources say 4). Since then, she has lived in captivity in the said zoo.

Animal rights activists such as PETA have been voicing their concerns about Mali's situation, saying that female elephants go together in groups. They are known to stay with their families and are happy to be around the company of others. Since Mali has been living alone in her small enclosure, activists say that she has been living a life of loneliness, boredom and isolation.

In May 2012, an examination on Mali was performed by Dr. Henry Richardson, an elephant expert. Dr. Richardson diagnosed Mali with foot problems. These foot problems, including cracked nails, overgrown cuticles, and cracked pads are the leading causes of death in captive elephants. Other known personalities who have expressed their support and appealed for Mali's freedom include Paul McCartney, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Morrissey.

However, Deogracias Manimbo, head of Manila’s Public Recreation and Parks Bureau, which oversees the Manila Zoo, said that Mali is already used to her environment in the zoo and that she might not be able to handle an environment dissimilar to what she has gotten used to. Manimbo also added that Mali might not survive in the wild. Meanwhile, the chief veterinarian in Manila Zoo, Donald Manalastas told Agence France-Presse that Mali is well and fit. He also mentioned that the zoo "expanded the enclosure of Mali and increased her food with more nutrients."

Last July 31, newly-elected Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said that Mali will be transferred to the Zoobic Safari park in Subic and will return to Manila Zoo after renovations to her enclosure is completed.

Based on the arguments given by the two sides, what do you think is the best thing to do with Mali?

Passion Dining

Yesterday at around 5 in the afternoon, rain started to pour while I was in the cab with Kid and her mom. Kid's mom wanted Kid and me to try the food at a restaurant in the Maxim's Tower at Resort's World Manila. She wanted to treat Kid and me to dinner there since the food is good. So despite the heavy raining, we went to Resorts World.

The place is called Passion and serves Cantonese food. Kid's family is Chinese so they really do like Chinese cuisine. ☺

When we got there, the first thing that I noticed was the ambiance. It was classy and elegant. The interior was aesthetically beautiful.

Kid wanted to take pictures of the place but since we entered through the casino, she had to leave her bag and camera at the baggage counter before entering. So she made do with her phone's camera. (Sorry if the pictures are blurry.)

We were seated at table number 7.

The spoon and chopsticks holder is a whale!

When the menus came, so did the bowl of complimentary peanuts.

At the top right corner is the menu.

We already had a few peanuts before the photo was taken. ☺

Kid's mom ordered for us and recommended a few items that she had already tried before. While waiting for the food to arrive, we had some tea.

The first thing that we had was Sweet Corn and Crab Meat Soup.

The soup was hot and really yummy!

Then, the other two items that we ordered came.

Seafood Hofan

This noodle meal had a generous amount of assorted seafood. We were able to eat shrimp, squid, and scallops.

Stir-Fried Sweet and Sour Pork with Fresh Fruits

The pork was super crispy! The addition of  dragon fruit pieces balanced the tangy taste of the food's sauce.

While we were in the middle of eating, Kid's aunt called and asked Kid's mom to meet with her inside the casino so we ate a bit faster than usual. ☺The meals we had were so good, I'm sure that this won't be my first and last time to eat there.

There are two options when paying your bill here. You can opt for cash or use the points in your Resorts World Manila membership card.

Before I forget! I used the restaurant's bathroom before leaving and took a shot of it.

Looks good, doesn't it?

Reminiscing the Maroon 5 Concert (2011)

Last night, I was browsing the files in my hard drive when I stumbled upon the photos of the Maroon 5 concert that I attended last May 2011. I went with two friends of mine, Kid and Lui, who are both fans of the band (though Kid is the bigger fan).

It was Maroon 5's second time to perform in Manila. The first was in 2008. Kid was not able to go to the first concert because she was still a student then. So when she learned that the band was going to play again, she was beyond excited! She made sure that she won't miss the chance to see them play. Kid invited Lui and me to go with her. Since she wanted some company, she gave Lui and me free tickets to the show! ☺ Even though I'm not as big as a fan as Kid, I like some of Maroon 5's songs. Plus, why would I pass up on a free ticket right? ☺

When we got to the venue, there were already plenty of people lined up outside. We were lucky that we were to be seated in the "Reserved Seating" section of the hall and didn't have to wait in line to enter. Upon entering the hall, there were already plenty of people inside. The stage was already set. We were also able to spot a few local celebrities.

 

Even before the band showed up on stage, people were already cheering. At some point, a few people screamed saying that the members of the band were entering the hall from the back. A few moments passed, the lights were turned off and the band appeared.

(Finally, the photos! All pictures were taken by our trio's official photographer: Kid ☺)

Adam Levine

James Valentine

Jesse Carmichael

Mickey Madden

Matt Flynn

Kid even took a photo of Adam drinking

The band sang songs from their Hands All Over album like Misery, Stutter, Never Gonna Leave This Bed, Hands All Over, and Give A Little More. They also performed songs from their previous albums such as This Love, Makes Me Wonder, She Will Be Loved, The Sun, Wake Up Call, and Sunday Morning. Adam even asked the crowd to sing a few lines of She Will Be Loved.

It truly was a fun night! It was my first time to see the band perform on a stage, let alone see them live. The energy of the band was so great! They were amazing! Matt Flynn was superb with his drum solos! The band's front man, Adam Levine, was just fun to watch! From his guitar solos to his little dancing, he was really entertaining. He and James Valentine also did guitar duels/duets.

The concert ended with Adam thanking their fans for going to the concert and Matt giving away his drum sticks! I know how much Kid wished that she had gotten any one of the sticks. Despite not getting any, I knew she had a great time. My proof: she can't stop talking about it days after that memorable night!

Fun fact:
It was Matt's birthday that night. ☺

Quote Me!

I enjoy reading quotes. Be it about life, love, music, or anything inspirational.

Nowadays, I see lots of picture quotes and typography in the internet. It amazes me how wonderfully the quotes are arranged. Some of them are really elaborate and well-thought of while others are simple yet beautiful.

Because of this fascination, I decided to give it a try.

I know they're simple and need improvement but I'm happy that I was able to create a few. Gotta start somewhere right?☺

Let me know what you think about my quotes. Comments are most certainly welcome.☺

Note:
Photo credit for the fourth picture (the one with Jesus): Google Images
All other photos are from a friend.

Sweet, Salty, Sweet, Salty … That Vicious Cycle!

Have you ever experienced that feeling when after eating something salty you crave for something sweet? Or vice versa?

Well, I have! And this happens to me very often.

Let’s say I’m having a slice of cake as my snack. After I finish that very sumptuous slice of Brazo de Mercedes (now I’m getting hungry!), I almost instantly crave for anything salty so I grab a pack of chips. But after eating that bag of salty goodness, I ache for sweets again! Then it goes on and on until I’ve decided that I have to stop; or else that gastronomic cycle won’t end.

 So, how do you think can I stop this food cycle? Talk to me in the comments section.

Doggie History

Hello again everyone! Woofy’s back!

I just wanted to share this infographic that my Human saw a couple of days ago. Dog lovers and people who are fond of reading stuff may find this interesting. Hope you like it.

Source: Design Taxi

~ Woofy 

Got Me Hooked

One of the mobile games that I truly enjoy playing is Angry Birds. I seriously am addicted to it! But that’s not what I’m going to talk to you about today. That would be worthy of a post of its own. (Watch out for it! )

The game that got me hooked is called Icon Pop Songs by game developer Alegrium.

In this game, you’ll have to listen to the song (played in acoustic) then guess the artist or the song title using the jumbled letters at the bottom of the screen.

If you get stuck on a song, you can skip the song or use hints. You can also share it via Facebook or Twitter to get help from your friends. 

This is a great game for people who enjoy music and quiz games.

Currently, I have already finished the game. Guess I played it too fast? :D
So now I am patiently waiting for the next update so I can play more! :)

Note: I am in no way connected to the developers of both of the games that I mentioned in the post above. Neither was I paid nor compensated for sharing about the games. Just making friendly conversation.