Siem Reap Temple-a-thon

Disclaimer: This post is waaaaaaaaaaay overdue, so I hope I give it even a teensy bit of justice.

Important things to remember:

• Siem Reap local time is GMT+7 (Manila time is GMT+8)
• You can use US Dollars for your daily spending in Siem Reap
• 1 USD = 4,000 riels
• Some temples are strict, clothing-wise. They will not allow ladies who wear shorts or sleeveless shirts to enter.
• Make sure you wear VERY comfortable shoes. There are almost 6-8  hours of walking per day.

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We spent four glorious days in Siem Reap. Barring the horrendous (HORRENDOUS!!) bus ride from Ho Chi Minh, this for me is the best part of the trip.

Wanting to scrimp, we decided to take the bus to Siem Reap. Official timetables say the road trip will take eight hours. It took us 12 long, uncomfortable ones. We booked the bus (USD 22) through our hotel in Ho Chi Minh, with the tickets to be claimed on the day of the trip. We were issued two tickets each -- one for Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh, and another from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.

Soon after boarding the first bus, we were given a complimentary bottle of water. Thanks! The bus was clean, but maybe a couple of years old. There wasn't much legroom, and they allow you to stow your luggage in a compartment under the bus. A few minutes after, the bus conductor went around collecting passports. We reached the Vietnam-Cambodia border around 40 minutes after departure. This is a good time to watch the city pass you by, and see less the urban part of the country. As usual, there were motorcycles galore! So funny to see two riders talking to each other while they zip through the country!

The bus conductor will take care of submitting the passports to the customs officials. We only had to wait for our names to be called, approach the customs officer, and receive our visa stamp. There are toilets available (I paid 3,000 dong to use one), although they are not too clean. But with a lot of hours of travel ahead, might as well take the opportunity.

We stopped over at a roadside eatery for lunch just after passing the border. It is not too different from the bus stops on the way north here in the Philippines, albeit you have to pay in USD. We then proceeded to drive drive drive ride a bus-ferry then drive some more. We reached Phnom Penh late in the afternoon and had to transfer to the next bus which will take us onward to Siem Reap.

Now this bus is not too well-kept. The curtains are dirty, the air conditioning is moody, and of course we can't understand the variety show they kept on showing on the TV. It is frustrating because we made a lot of stops -- the bus kept on picking up passengers along the way -- and there are too many pit stops. By the time 8pm rolled around, we were nowhere near Siem Reap and were passing through unlit narrow streets.

We got to Siem Reap at around 11pm. It was raining so hard, the bus terminal was muddy, and we have no ride to the hotel. I was so tired and irritated that I swore I am not doing that road trip EVER AGAIN.

We booked a tuktuk (USD 5) to take us to Golden Banana. The driver didn't know where it was, so we had to stop to ask for directions. We got to the hotel just the same and I was so glad that the staff was very, very helpful. They gave us the key and told us to just go to bed and we'll do the check-in requirements the next day. Thank God.

Day 1

The hotel's name may be funny, and it may be described as "gay-friendly" but who cares! The place was really pretty.  We had breakfast by the pool and the staff helped me plan our routes for the tour. I have picked some of the temples we just HAD to go to, based on Lonely Planet and friends' recommendations.

We also have a bucket
swing in our room's balcony!

We booked our tuktuk for the whole of our stay with the hotel (USD 10 per day, additional charge for temples further away, and for sunrise or sunset viewings). There are a lot of tuktuks parked outside, waiting for passengers, but we wanted to make sure that we have a driver we can easily communicate with (i.e., English speaking). We got Mr Din, who speaks VERY good English.

The hotel also provided us a map of the surrounding area, with areas of interest clearly marked. They also gave us a booklet with short histories of each temple. Neat!

First stop is the ticket office, where we got a three-day pass to all temples (USD 40). They take your picture and put your name on the ticket. DO NOT LOSE THIS TICKET! You will need to present this at every temple you visit.

• Preah Khan
• Preah Neak Poan
• Ta Sohm
• Banteay Srei - Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT ever miss this temple!
• Banteay Samre

We had lunch in one of the restaurants inside the archeological park, and we learned a lot from Din. We learned that he really tried to learn English, because hotels are wont to book you if you do not know how to. We also learned that a lot of Filipinos visit Siem Reap (and so he thought we are all rich because we can afford to travel). We also learned that Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera are very famous in Cambodia.

We also decided against getting a tour guide. One of our friends said that they say the same thing every time, so we just relied on our trusty Lonely Planet plus the brochures we got from the hotel.

We tried watching the sunset, but it was cloudy and it just got dark slowly. :(

Day 2

And yet more temples! This time we stayed inside the Angkor Archeological Park. There are lots of kids offering postcards, used guidebooks, and other trinkets. Some people suggest not buying from them, as it encourages them to skip school and work. It's up to you if you want to buy. Don't hesitate to say "No" though, as they can be very persistent.

• Ta Prohm - also known as the Tomb Raider temple. There is a tree marked, no joke, "Tomb Raider tree" on the maps.
• Ta Keo



One of the many faces in
Bayon

• Chau Say Tevoda
• Thommanon
• Bayon
• Baphuon
• Phimeanakas
• Terrace of the Elephants
• Terrace of the Leper King
• Angkor Wat

We had a lot of fun investigating the bas reliefs, looking for the things listed in the guidebooks on the actual carvings. It's better if you can get to read up on the history of each temple so you can better appreciate them. :)

Also, mountain temples are scary and very hard to climb!

Day 3

This day is for the farther temples of Rolous, which is actually older than the Angkor temples.

We also visited the workshop of DY Proeung, and when we got back to town went shopping at Artisans d' Angkor.

• Bakong
• Preah Ko
• Lo Lei

We had dinner at the Angkor Mondial to watch the cultural dance. They offer a dinner buffet at USD 15 per person, but no drinks are included.

Day 4

Check out day. So sad that our Cambodia retreat is about to end. We even received a little souvenir from Golden Banana!

I strongly suggest you stay in this resort hotel if you do visit Cambodia. We had a huge room -- two floors, one big bed downstairs and another one upstairs. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the place is far enough from all the noise of downtown but near enough that you can walk to Pub Street. Breakfast is included in the room price, which is served by the pool area. They only have set meals, but everything we tried is soooooo good. I absolutely loved their french press coffee and the bowl of fresh fruits.

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Miscellany:

• It is very much worth your money to eat at Haven, right past Pub Street. Make sure to check if they are open before heading there!
• I wasn't very impressed with Blue Pumpkin (heard so much about it).
• Support Artisans d' Angkor!
• A meal for three people (we always invite Mr Din to eat with us for lunch) is usually less than USD 20 with drinks and around three kinds of viand.

Ho Chi Minh Walkathon

A lot of people had been asking for our itinerary during our recent Vietnam-Cambodia trip, so here goes. I'll try to be as accurate as I can.

When we booked this trip, the original plan is to go the Ho Chi Minh - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Ho Chi Minh route. I made several mock itineraries, considering bus and plane options for the transfer. A couple of weeks before leaving for the trip, I tried looking for flights from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap and it was crazy expensive (for me, anyway). If we get on a plane, I have to pay about PHP25,000 (~USD600) for roundtrip tickets for two adults. We decided to just take a bus at about PHP2,000 (USD44) instead.

I made several mock itineraries (I think I made five) trying to divide our days between the three sites. In the end we decided to drop Phnom Penh and just stay at HCM and Siem Reap instead. We will be spending a total of eight full days on this trip and this is how we decided to divide it:

• Days 1 - 2: HCM
• Day 3: Travel to Siem Reap
• Days 4 - 7: Siem Reap
• Day 8: HCM

I pre-booked hotels throughout our stay through Agoda.

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Important things to remember:

• Vietnam local time is GMT+7 (Manila time is GMT+8)
• You can use US Dollars for your daily spending in HCM
• 1 USD = 18,000-20,000 Vietnamese dong (most higher end places charge the lower exchange rate)
• There are a lot of cheap (yet clean!) hotels in HCM

We got to Vietnam from Manila at around 2am local time. We booked airport transfers from the hotel since we are coming in late and I don't want the hassle of haggling with a taxi driver.

We arrived at Blue Diamond Hotel after around twenty minutes by car. Check-in was painless and quick, they gave us a map of the surrounding area with marked areas of interest. The lobby of the hotel looked extravagant, with gilded furniture and decorations scattered throughout. The hotel is across the street from Reunification Palace, which means that it is very near most of the tourist attractions. Breakfast buffet was included in our package, and I'd say that the choices are pretty extensive -- both Western and Asian cuisines are well-represented. They also change the menu per day, so bonus points for that.

The room they gave us was on the second floor (which is really the third floor). It was a little bit small, with two twin beds squashed together and a very small window with a view of the plastic plant in the corridor outside. The bathroom is decently sized, with a bathtub and a rain shower. The water might take a while to get hot though, especially in the morning when a lot of people are taking a shower at the same time.

The staff is very helpful and respectful. They can help you book tours, buses, tell the cab drivers where to go, point you to places you might want to visit, etc. They speak very good English, too.

Day 1
Day 1 was spent walking around the city. We had a late start due to our late arrival the night before, and it was very humid when we did our walking tour. Here's where we went (and the corresponding fees, when applicable):

The courtyard of the Fine Arts Museum

• Tran Nguyen Hai statue - set in the middle of the roundabout in front of Ben Thanh market. Lots of motorcycles zipping through here, we decided not to cross to the statue itself.
• Fine Arts Museum (10,000 d) - a museum housed in the home and office of a Chinese immigrant and was designed by a French architect in 1929. The house itself is very pretty, with large, airy rooms and lost of porticoes and balconies. There are a couple of coffee shops behind and beside the building. There's also a row of galleries selling sculptures and paintings at the the back.
• Ton That Dam street market - all manner of things for sale!
• X Cafe - stopped for ice cream and cold beverages. Spent about USD8 for two one-scoop glasses of ice cream, plus two cans of soda. Ice cream is served with a slice of pineapple and chocolate drizzle. Lots of flavors to choose from!
• Opera House - we didn't get a chance to go in as there is a ceremony ongoing. I liked the park in front of the opera house, though.
• Rex Hotel - viewed from outside, hehe. So intimidating!
• Hotel de Ville - also known as the People's Committe Building. Tours are not allowed inside, so we just took pictures from the park out front. Spacious park with lots of benches. If it wasn't so hot I would have loved to stay there for a while.
• Museum of Ho Chi Minh City (15,000d) - covers the city's 300-year history. Interesting cyclos out front, war machines at the back. There's a cafe there, too.



The inside of the Central Post
Office

• Quan An Ngon - had lunch here before continuing with the tour. A little upscale, based on the service and the decor, but still reasonably priced. I paid 192,000d for lunch for two plus appetizers and drinks.
• Independence Palace (30,000d) - the presidential palace of the South Vietnamese government up to the 1970's. A guide book is for sale at the ticket counter for 10,000d.
• War Remnants Museum (15,000d) - a very depressing place indeed. The water puppet theater was closed the day we went there.
• Notre Dame Cathedral - visiting hours are from 8am to 10:30am and 3pm to 5pm.
• Central Post Office - postcards, trinkets, and other souvenirs available inside. There are retro-style phone booths, too.
• Pho 24 - wrapped up the day with pho! While we were eating, I figured out that their Manila branch is right across my office! The serving was huge, I got the beef pho and Ninoy got the special (pho with everything in it). A steal at 195,000d (with drinks).

Day 2
There's more walking around to be had!

• History Museum (15,000d) - they have a very extensive collection, including artefacts from Cambodian temples. Picture-taking not allowed!
• Pho 2000 - their catchphrase: "Where presidents dine." Naks. On the wall hangs a framed photograph of Bill Clinton with the staff. Good, hearty pho with hefty servings of condiments. Spent 154,000d for a full meal for two.
• Ben Thanh Market - where everyone seems to think you need a whole new closet-full of clothes. The hawkers also seemed to recognize us as Filipino and started selling their wares to us in Tagalog. Nye. Dried fruits, candy, and snacks are also available. The market is divided into sections -- food, clothes, bags, trinkets.
• Augustin - dinner at this French restaurant proved a pleasant experience. Ninoy and I ordered a serving of soup each and I wasn't able to finish mine. The owner and the wait staff are so concerned that I didn't like it, they asked me about it twice. The roast chicken is good and the servings are huge. USD36 for dinner for two.
• Foot massage - there's a newly-opened massage center in Blue Diamond and we tried it out. The masseurs chatted the whole time and frankly I felt like battered meat after. USD8 per person.

Day 3
This day was spent travelling from HCM to Siem Reap. We had breakfast really early then left for the bus station. The bus picked us up from Pham Ngu Lao (the backpacker area with lots of cheap hostels).

We had Blue Diamond book the bus trip for us, and they issued us tickets from HCM to Phnom Penh and another one from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. About fifteen minutes after the bus got going, the bus monitor collected our passports. About two hours after departing, we hit the Vietnam border. We all had to get down from the bus to have our passports stamped. After everyone got their passports back, we boarded the bus again, rode for a few meters, then alighted again this time to enter Cambodia. We stopped for (an expensive) lunch at a roadside eatery a few kilometers into Cambodia.

It took us about six hours to get to Phnom Penh (our bus rode a barge too!) and by the time we got there I was getting tired of all the sitting around. We got off at the Phnom Penh station of Phnom Penh Sorya and transferred to the bus taking us to Siem Reap.

Our ETA at Siem Reap was supposed to be 9pm, but our bus took A LOT of stopovers and some parts of the National Highway are under repair. We got to Siem Reap at around 10:30pm and by this time I was utterly and thoroughly pooped. I hadn't eaten anything substantial since lunch, it was raining so hard when we reached Siem Reap, and my butt hurts. I thereby declared that we will not do that road trip again. Ugh.

A free bottle of water is included in the fare for the HCM to Phnom Penh leg. The bus from HCM to Phnom Penh is clean, but the one from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is a little old. We paid Blue Diamond for our bus fare and they gave us a provisional receipt with our seat numbers. The bus fare from HCM to Siem Reap is USD22 per person.

For our three-night stay at Blue Diamond, I paid a little over PHP5,500 (USD 126).

Ran over by a death cab

I was in college. And I was heartbroken. And thus I met Death Cab for Cutie.

Their first song I heard was their cover of Bjork's All is Full Love, from a mix CD called Let Go of Your Bad Days made by my friend Kathy for me. When I heard Photobooth, I decided that I will love this band. This band with songs that are seemingly happy but turn out to be sad when you listen to the lyrics. Happy on the outside, sad inside. Just like me, I thought (Hey, I was in the middle of an emotional revolution!).

And so it was that I found myself in the middle of NBC Tent last March 5th, 2012. Oh man. That night was more than I ever thought it would be. Standing there, legs cramping and shoulders aching, watching one of the bands I love most give the best show I have ever seen. Wow.

 I don't think I have screamed, jumped, sang my heart out and shook my head as much as I did during that night. And when Ben Gibbard said that this is the "start of a long and beautiful friendship" I think I peed my pants a little in glee. Well not really. But I think I almost did.

Every person in that venue sang each and every heartfelt word to each and every song. Why wouldn't you when the band playing in front of you is so good it made me happy for once that I am not a musician because they would make me look bad puny if I was. I have always gushed and gushed about What Sarah Said and how amazingly sad it made me feel. When they played it that night, oh wow, the place suddenly turned very dusty. And then they followed it with I Will Follow You Into The Dark, which made the place even dustier. Ben singing solo with his acoustic guitar made the song sound sadder, and it didn't help that the hundreds and hundreds of people in that venue sang with him as if comforting him. Somewhere after the first chorus, Ben stepped away from the mic and smiled. I'd like to think that it's because he's so touched that Manila loved them so much.


 I didn't get any videos and my crappy point-and-shoot can't get decent shots. But never mind that. I was there! I was dancing! I watched Ben Gibbard sway from side to side, raise his guitar like a proper rockstar, jump up and down! I watched Nick Harmer rock that bass like there's no tomorrow! I watched Chris Walla be charming and golden and be a guitar god! I watched Jason McGerr errrr... drum! I had a solo moshpit during The Sound of Settling! I got hoarse singing and screaming!

I was there. I made this tweet happen.

A Beginner's Notes on Bikram Yoga

When I first fell in love with Bikram Yoga, I was trying so hard (so hard!) to convince my friends to go to class with me. They all came up with very creative and never-ending excuses not to go. I have since given up trying to get people in the hot room. If they want to, they will come. For the benefit of those who are more seriously curious (is that a thing?) about trying out Bikram, I have come up with the following "tips" from a fellow beginner. :)
1. Remember, "practice to be flexible" and not "be flexible to practice". A frenzied Googling of Bikram yoga would surely yield pictures of the postures. Chances are, those pictures are the ideal. They show you what you can do with several years of practice. There is no pressure AT ALL to do the full expression of the postures on your first day, or even your first month!
2. Water, water, water and more water. Since I started practicing, I have been drinking at least three liters of water everyday. It is a pain to have to always go to the bathroom especially on the days they decide to crank up the office aircon, but hey, think of it as additional exercise. Hehe.
3. Do not eat anything heavy a couple of hours after class. For me, my last heavy meal before class must be at least four hours before the start of the class. I guess some people digest food faster, so for them maybe it can be a little closer to class time. Just remember that practicing on a full stomach is Not Pleasant At All. Those forward bends will drive you crazy.
4. The very first class may be hell but just be a crazy person and come back as soon as you can. Give it a few tries before you decide if you like Bikram or not. Believe it or not, practicing as often as you can would make the yoga easier. When I miss three or more consecutive days of practice, it sometimes feel like it's my first class all over again!
5. Don't expect to see any drastic or major changes with just three days of practice. Don't expect to lose those extra 20 pounds, or for that backache to completely go away. There are no shortcuts and you would have to work hard for it. I have been practicing for about six months now. I haven't lost any weight, but my clothes fit better. The jeans I bought less than a year ago is so loose now. It's either from doing as much Bikram as I can, or I was very full when I tried the jeans on. It was a strange coincidence, but since I started practicing, I haven't had any migraines or lower back pain.
6. If you go with friends, do not practice beside each other. If you do, resist all urges to talk to each other. Especially during final savasana! I will give you the nasty look if you talk. Besides, how can you have the energy to talk after all that hard work?
7. Stop moving! Do not fidget, stop wiping your sweat, stop checking yourself out, stop fixing your clothes, stop touching your hair. Be still and concentrate. It will be easier for you and for those around you. It is very distracting if the people beside you keep on moving. Stand straight with your feet together and arms by your side, look at yourself in the mirror, let the sweat drip.
8. Wear as little clothes as possible. I used to go to class in a tank top over a sports bra; it wasn't until I went without the tank top that I realised it is so much easier to bear the heat. I have flabs and a seemingly-always full tummy, so what? No one's looking at me during class anyway. At least no one should be.
9. Do not wear perfume or cologne. Strong odors in the room are distracting, and can make others feel nauseous. I once practiced beside a guy who seemed to douse himself with a musky perfume. I was so dizzy the whole time.
10. Have fun!

You know you're getting old when...

You have a cup mug of Earl Grey for an after-lunch drink.

Because the Origami

Bus ticket cranes

To say that 2011 was full of surprises for me is an understatement.
At the end of 2010, I was feeling lost and confused. It seemed like my career was going nowhere and I was making wrong decisions left and right. I decided to quit my job and start fresh for 2011. And so here we are.
+ Started the year right with a short Baguio trip. Did nothing but eat and sleep. Walked around in 9C weather.+ Spent lots of time with the mighty fine people of DAS.+ Rekindled my love for board games (which means more stuff to buy!)+ Went to Hong Kong and Macau. Walked around in 7C weather. Went to Disneyland! Discovered Gong Cha, Honeymoon Desserts, Western Market, that supergood bakery in Western Market.+ Saw the Stone Temple Pilots live.+ Watched Zsa Zsa Zaturrnah for the second time. Still as fun!+ Chicken-all-you-can!+ Spent a weekend in Tagaytay, eating and playing games the whole day long.+ Discovered Ugu Bigyan and Casa San Pablo during a family Holy Week getaway.- Waded in knee-high floodwater to go home. Yuck!+ Fell in love with Bikram Yoga. One of the best things I did for myself. Met amazing people. I have never been sporty or health-conscious, but Bikram made me want to sweat it out every single day. So, yay me! (I guess?)+ Went to Bacolod and Iloilo. Attended MassKara and ate probably the best (tasty and cheap!) cake ever from Calea.+ Saw the return of Boldst*r. Favoritest band ever, yo!+ Witnessed friends get married.+ Said hello to people.- Said goodbye to people.+ Acquired more books this year than any other year.- Didn't get to watch Ben Folds. Again.+ I actually got to save a little money. Little lang.+ Got obsessed -- OBSESSED, I tell ya -- with Game of Thrones.+ Learned a LOT of new things at work.
So I guess all in all, 2011 was pretty good to me. Sure, things were looking spotty at times but I'd take that over a repeat of 2005! So thank you, 2011. And hello thar, 2012!

Happy new year!

This 2012, may the Universe grant all your heart's desires and more.

Happy new year to you and yours!

Globe sucks. Really.

Globe's service really really REALLY sucks. But I have been a Globe subscriber since 2000. How ironic is that?

Last Friday, 16December2011, I had one of my worst experiences with Globe.

When I tried accessing Facebook from my phone (a Samsung Jet), I was taken to a landing page that offers unlimited access to Facebook for P50 for three days. Seemed like a good deal, so I clicked on the link and waited for the confirmation text. After a few seconds, I got the text message and it told me that I can now access Facebook via http://m.facebook.com. I went to that URL, and then again I was shown a confirmation page that I am now registered to unlimited Facebook access for three days. I clicked through and I was taken to the Facebook login page. I logged in my credentials waited through endless redirections until I ended up in -- TADA! -- the log-in page.

I decided to call 211 to: a. verify that I have not been charged twice, and b. ask what I should do to access Facebook. I called 211 from my mobile phone, but try as I might, I cannot figure out how to talk to a customer service representative. All I got was lots of advertisements for the iPhone 4S. The voice prompt said press 8 to go back to the previous menu, but all it did was repeat the whole _current_ menu. Eh? I tried calling again, to make sure that I did not just miss a menu level, but again it was in vain.

After several tries, I pretended to want to buy an iPhone 4S and as expected, I was connected to a CSR. FINALLY!!! I told the CSR about my inquiry, she asked me to explain the details, verify the account, blah blah blah. After all the explaining I had to do, she told me that she cannot do anything about my problem. She said she'd transfer me to the appropriate department and that she had already noted of my problem so that I do not have to explain again. Okay fine.

I got connected to another CSR, Ron. He then asked me to verify my account again, blah blah blah, and then asked me what the problem was. Eh? I thought it was already noted and that the previous CSR had explained it to him? Apparently not. Ugh. So I explained again. And again because he didn't get it the first time. I told him that I was prompted to register to Surf All Day when I visited Facebook on my mobile phone, and so I did. So now I want to know why I am being continuously redirected to the log-in page. Imagine my irritation when he said "Ay Ma'am, wala pong ganung promo." EHHHHHH??? If the promo doesn't exist, why am I being prompted to register to it? "Hindi ko po alam." Why did I get a confirmation text then? "It is system-generated po." So why is it in the system if it shouldn't exist?

I went to Globe's website and true enough the promo is there: http://site.globe.com.ph/prepaid/call_and_text_offers/surf-all-day-and-night?sid=TuhX8MuxpRYAAD9qT3EAAADGe . It also said that the promo is available for both prepaid and postpaid subscribers. Ron said he'd double check. After putting me on hold, he said that the promo is not in their system. I told him to go to the website, click on links until he gets to the offers, and sure enough, he saw it there. Then he said he'd check again. And voila, like magic it is in the system. HAY NAKU.

So finally we can talk about my problem! He said that my number is not registered to any promo, and that I should just register again and call them again. WHAT? After the hell that they put me through, they want me to go through it again? WHAT? Hay naku Globe, you suck.

You see, I can't call them again after an hour because by then I will be at home. And I DON'T HAVE RECEPTION AT HOME. What is this, 1999? I have reported the problem several times already, they said system maintenance (oh my God, that system ha!). Really? System maintenance for over a year? It used to be okay before, then suddenly the signal disappeared. To receive or send messages and calls, I either have to dangle my phone out the window or go out to the lobby. HAY NAKU.

So I have been using this number for ten years now, and last year when I claimed my loyalty reward, all I got was a lousy Nokia C2730. That phone is given away for free when you get Sun's Plan 350. I guess Globe's and my definition of loyalty is different. How come they can afford to give new customers a good phone when they get a new plan but existing subscribers get crappy phones? When I was following up my reward, I told the customer service representative that I might as well have my line terminated and get a new one, so I can have a better phone than the one they're offering. And she said, "Yes, you can do that."

HUH.

A Bikram Yoga Love Affair

When I hit my third month of doing Bikram Yoga, I wrote a long-ish post about it in Facebook. I wrote about how I got to start Bikram, how I felt during the first three months, and the differences between the first class and the third-month classes. Just last week, I went (and finished!) my 100th Bikram class. That's 100 classes in five months! Yay me! Joyce poured water on me right before breathing in fixed firm, and it felt so gooooooooood!

Transformers 3: Or how my brain cells died

Yesterday, Ninoy and I watched Transformers 3. I am not really that invested in this franchise so I was not in a hurry to catch it. An hour into the movie, I decided to give up looking for the storyline and just let Michael "Mr. Explosion" Bay get away with blowing things up.

• How did Bumblebee become a POW when just a second before he saved Sam and Carly?
• Why is Carly's suit still spotless and her makeup not running after all that running around?
• Why is Sam's wrist or shoulder not broken after swinging from that long wire he shot into the Decepticon's eye?
• What's the sense of Carly's scene when she was standing amidst the rubble?
• During the sequence when Sentinel was setting up his columns or whatever, the time of day changes from afternoon to night to afternoon again. Why?
• Do they really need the one hundred or so columns for the teleport thing to work? Why was he able to teleport Decepticons using only the five that he initially had? It was only after that that he asked the "Decepticons around the world" to setup their columns.

Anyway, I wasted enough brain cells as it is trying to follow your story. I wasn't even surprised when towards the end of the movie, your Cool Guys didn't look at the explosions and were walking in slow motion.