Friday, January 6, 2006

   THE CAFE IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!
Hey guys! Welcome to "The Mask's Cafe".

Now why did I decide to call y site into a cafe, you ask. You see, cafes are places where people spend some time relaxing and chitchatting over a cup of coffee. That's the same case here (well, maybe not in the coffee part). I wanna make this site a place for people to enjoy and to relax.

Anyway, this week I was able to watch "Great Teacher Onizuka" or "GTO". (It's aired weekdays at 5:30 pm on GMA 7). The story was quite cool and interesting, especially with the crazy antics of Teacher Onizuka. The only thing that pissed me off whenever I watch GTO is the fact that our local GMA station often cut the last minutes of the anime to give way to the local news show. Just when the story of that episode was getting good, it had to be stopped. Grrrrr!!!! Hopefully, they'll think about modifying the schedule (and not keep on having too many commercials!).

Speaking of anime, one of my favorite anime shows is coming back to Philippine TV. It's none other than "Detective Conan", and it will be aired on weekdays at 6:30 pm beginning Jan. 17 in the cable channel Animax. I've been waiting for almost 3 years to see the day that DC comes back in TV. But, then, something still upsets me a lot. MY CABLE OPERATOR DOESN'T HAVE ANIMAX!!! Nooooooo!!!! As much as I wanna have my parents place Animax in our cable, I don't think they would agree to that. Oh well...

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TODAY'S SPECIAL:
Cafes sometimes have a special dish on their menu in a certain day. That's the same case here in my cafe. On every day that I'll post in this site, the cafe will serve a special dish just for you. The dish may be a bowl of jokes, a plate of anime pictures, etc.

For today's special dish:
WEIRD FLORIDA (an excerpt)
Florida indeed have scores of weird stories in 2005, from the woman who concealed a stolen parrot in her bra to a beagle puppy that was trained to sniff out pythons to a Key West man who robbed a bank with a pitchfork.

The beagle, which was put to use in the Everglades, probably wasn't such a bad idea after the number of snake incidents last year. One Burmese python swallowed a Siamese cat, another slithered into a poultry shack and ate a turkey before getting stuck inside because of the bulging bird and yet another tried to devour a 6-foot alligator before the ambitious effort caused the 13-foot snake to burst.

A man suspected of burglarizing a massage therapy business was arrested after he returned to the scene looking for his missing wallet. Two thieves stole an employee's car at a Pensacola-area gas station then returned an hour later to fill up. They were arrested.

An Ocala area man didn't think through a scheme to end his marriage. He showed his wife a Utah man's wallet and said it was a hitchhiker he picked up and murdered. After a massive search for the body, police learned that the billfold's owner was fine and the suspect confessed he made up the story to get his wife to leave him.

A homeless man obsessed with tennis star Anna Kournikova swam naked across Biscayne Bay in search of her home and got caught in the buff at her neighbor's pool. As police arrested him, he screamed, "Anna! Save me!"

A drunk Monroe County prosecutor thought it would be funny to streak across a parking lot and hop into a friend's car. The problem was he jumped naked into the wrong car and was arrested.

And finally, an Orlando area shoe manufacturer sued a supplier, claiming that it delivered the wrong chemical for an insole gel. The mixup caused the shoes to make, well, a farting sound with each step. An officer with the shoe maker called them "whoopie cushions for the feet."

(Taken from here.)

That's all for today. HAVE A NICE DAY!
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Sunday, January 1, 2006

   IT'S 2006, PEEPS!
Hey guys! Happy New Year!

Did you enjoy your New Year's Eve feast? I did. We had roast pork, baked spaghetti, fruit salad, and some fruits. It was great.

I don't know with other countries, but here in the Philippines, we have some traditions when it comes to Media Noche (a.k.a. New Year feast). For instance, we have this custom of having 13 round fruits in the table for good luck. (We only had 3: apples, oranges, and grapes) There's also the long spaghetti for long life. Then, there's the sliced bread, which is considered as a very special type of food. (Although that "special bread" thing applies to the less fortunate who can afford to buy it on holidays.)

We didn't have fireworks this year. *sobs* But hey, who needs fireworks when you can watch a fireworks display from your neighbors. All we had to do was just go at our wide terrace and enjoy the colorful "fire flowers" giving light to the sky. Too bad I didn't get to take pictures of it, 'coz it was just so amazing.

We were also texting New Year messages to our friends. And of course, they would send us a message in return. Although most of them just said, "Happy New Year", some were really quite...uhhh...special! Here are those messages:

"Happy New Year everyone! Yo yo yo! YUGI! Roar! Pony Puff Princess! Barbie Fairytopia! I am Batman! Whee! Jeebus bless you all! Leprechaun...IN SPAAAACE! SPAAAACE GHOST! Scobby Doo!" - from classmate JV
"Happy new year jess" - from ryosuke (P.S. For some reason, he sent it FOUR times)
"2006 is near! Our last yr together! As classmates! Dunno wat d future holds but its near! Make d best of everytn! Dont hesitate! Dont regret! Cuz im wasting 15 pesos passing dis message 2 all of u b[censored]ds! HAPPY FREAKING NEW YEAR B[censored]CHES!" - from B[censored]k (I'd love to tell the name, but she might hunt me down!)

Anyway, I hope 2006 will be a great year for all of you.

That's all I can say. HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Saturday, December 31, 2005

   2005: THE FINAL POST
Hey guys! The day has finally come. The day that the rooster passes its torch to the dog. The day that will end the year 2005. Yes, it's New Year's Eve.

These past 365 days were quite eventful, right? Some of these events may be forgotten in the future, while others will be remembered in the days to come. That leads me to one question: WHAT WILL YOU NEVER FORGET ON THE YEAR 2005?

For me, I'll never forget:
- the day I won the Press Conference for Sportswriting
- the day our class won the Intramurals (again!)
- the day I cried when I learned that Eddie Guerrero had passed away
- my period of grief after watching the two/three Samurai X OVAs
- my period of mourning during the death of Pope John Paul II, Raul Roco, and Eddie Guerrero
- the midnight that I saw the announcement of the new pope in live TV
- the day my classmate was burned in the CR due to exploding balloons (Don't worry! He's okay now.)
- my first JS Prom as a guest (and not an usher)
- the time I was shocked at what happened to USA when Hurricane Katrina made a big mess to the country
- the WIRETAP CRAP in the Philippines that pissed me off for a very long time
- how upset I was when I saw the ending of Gundam Seed Destiny
- the four anime articles that I wrote this year, especially the successful "Barbecue Sauce"
- the time Detective Conan's creator married Detective Conan's voice actor
- and how long it took me to post on this site

After remembering the events that shaped Year 2K5, let's answer another question: WHAT WILL YOU DO ON THE YEAR 2006? For me, I'll try to change my attitude a bit to make myself a better person. I'll also avoid doing one bad thing that I was almost "addicted" at doing. I'll do good in my studies and I'll try to update my sites regularly.

How about you? WHAT ARE YOUR ANSWERS TO THE LAST 2 QUESTIONS?

The clock is ticking really fast. 2005 will soon be considered history. As the fireworks lighten up the sky and the dog barks to mark the start of 2006, here's a greeting that I made for you:



That's all I can say. HAVE A NICE YEAR EVERYONE!
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Friday, December 30, 2005

   2005: WHAT A CRAZY YEAR!
2005 was quite a crazy year, right? With all the events that has happened these past 365 days, it would be impossible to not forget this year.

One thing we can't forget this year was CATASTROPHIC KATRINA. Hurricane Katrina was such a strong hurricane that it left thousands dead and thousands more homeless in the United States. Some officials called it as the worst disaster ever. During this time, the Bush administration was criticized for its response to the disaster (FLASHBACK: Remember Jon Stewart's crazy video about this tragedy during the Emmy's?)

Then there was the GOING OUT, COMING IN. The beloved Pope John Paul II passed away last April and placed the whole world in a period of mourning. (I even remember posting it here.) Weeks later, John Paul II's friend Joseph Ratzinger became the new pope and was known as Pope Benedict XVI.

In our country the Philippines, there was a big problem that pissed every Filipino. They call it the wiretapping controversy; however, I like to call it "THE WIRETAP CRAP!" Everything started when some guy revealed a recording of the President talking to an election official regarding her standing in the 2004 election. The recording was then taken by the opposition as evidence of the President cheating during the election. And then comes the apologies, the protests, the walkouts, the resignations, and all that stuff. The wiretap crap faded down when the Congress denied an impeachment trial against Her Excellency.

Despite the EXTREMELY BIG headache that politics gave to Filipinos, there was still that time when they were PROUD TO BE PINOY! Boxers Manny Pacquiao, Boom-Boom Bautista and Brian Viloria punched their way to a knockout at the same night, bringing a very big smile to the once unhappy country. Precious Lara Quigaman was crowned Miss International 2005, giving glory to the a crisis-stricken country. In the world of pro-wrestling, David Bautista or more popularly known as Batista won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 21, making him the first-ever Filipino-blooded pro-wrestling champion. But what really made Filipinos happy this year was the 23rd SEA Games, when Philippines became the over-all champs FOR THE FIRST TIME!

And, of course, you can't forget 2K5's BIG HITS. This year's box-office hits were "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith", "King Kong", "Batman Begins", and "Kung Fu Hustle".

2005 also saw well-known people giving their LAST FAREWELL. In the world of Christianity, we not only said goodbye to Pope John Paul II, but we also bid adieu to Lucia dos Santos (last living witness of the 1919 Our Lady of Fatima pilgrimage), and retired Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin. In the field of music, R & B singer Luther Vandross faced his final curtain this year. American reality TV had its first-ever death when "The Contender" contestant Najai Turpin put a bullet in his head. Late-night celebrity Johnny Carson also left us this year, leaving behind a lot of great memories. The world of civil rights lost the black woman who started it all: Rosa Parks. Philippine politics lost 2 former senators: Raul Roco and Robert Barbers (sadly, the latter died in Christmas day). The world of professional wrestling was also in grief this year due to the untimely death of Chris Candito (TNA Wrestling) and "Latino Heat" Eddie Guerrero (WWE). I hope their souls and the souls of the other individuals who died this year would rest in peace.

And, by the way, that's not even half of the events that made headlines this year. But that's all I can remember.

Let's just work on making 2006 a better year.

That's all I can say. HAVE A NICE DAY!
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Saturday, December 24, 2005

   CHRISTMAS IS COMING CLOSER!!! COOL!!!
People singing Christmas carols door-to-door. Fireworks being ignited even before New Year's Eve has come. A very cool weather, despite the fact that snow doesn't exist here. My mom making her "world-famous" baked spaghetti.

That means one thing. CHRISTMAS IS JUST A FEW HOURS AWAY!

What's up guys? Can you feel the Christmas spirit? I can. With Christmas just hours away, there's no reason why I can't feel it.

Christmas for me this year will be just like most of my Christmases. Spend time with my family, enjoy the Noche Buena (Christmas feast), and stay up 'til Christmas day officially starts. We're also planning to attend a mass this evening.

And like most of my Christmases, I won't be getting that much presents this year. As of now, my only presents were a raspberry-scented gel candle, a figurine, and a friendship scroll. All 3 of them were given by my classmate Kristian, who happened to be my "secret Santa" in school last week. Although 2 of the gifts seemed a bit girlish for a guy like me, it's still cool. Anyway, it's better to give than to receive.

If, however, I did get a chance to tell others what I want for Christmas, I would go for a digital camera, a WWE Championship replica belt, an original Rurouni Kenshin music CD, or an English-subbed Detective Conan VCD/manga. But that would be too impossible to buy here in the Philippines!

Anyway, I've recetly submitted a Christmas-related anime article in theOtaku.com. If you haven't read it yet, go to this link:
http://articles.theotaku.com/view.php?action=retrieve&id=1709
If you have time, please leave a comment or rate it. Although simple, that would be a nice Christmas gift for me.

By the way, here's an anime greeting that swtanimechick sent to us. Thanks swtanimechick!


That's all for today! HAVE A NICE CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
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Thursday, December 22, 2005

   SOME COOL LINKS FOR THE YULETIDE SEASON
Hey there everyone! Yesterday, I had a reunion with my old grade school classmates. It was a bit fun to see them and talk to them, especially since we're gonna be graduating from high school.

Anyway, it seems nobody read the Christmas tidbits I gave out yesterday. So instead of posting the tidbits here, I'll just post the link to its source.

For those who are curious to know tons of Christmas trivia, like the origin of 12 Days of Christmas and Silent Night, go to this URL:
http://www.corsinet.com/braincandy/xmastrivia.html

I also submitted a new article for theOtaku.com. It's entitled "Anime Christmas Carols", and it's contains 7 anime carols that I made. Here's the link to the article:
http://articles.theotaku.com/view.php?action=retrieve&id=1709

That's all for today! HAVE A NICE DAY!
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Tuesday, December 20, 2005

   CHRISTMAS TIDBITS FOR YOU!
Hey there guys! Finally it's Christmas vacation! Time to enjoy the Yuletide season!

While we wait for Christmas day to arrive, here's some Christmas tidbits that I found in the Net:
- "Hot cockles" was a popular game at Christmas in medieval times. It was a game in which the other players took turns striking the blindfolded player, who had to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. "Hot cockles" was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era.
- An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.
- Before settling on the name of Tiny Tim for his character in "A Christmas Carol," three other alliterative names were considered by Charles Dickens. They were Little Larry, Puny Pete, and Small Sam.
- Charles Dickens' initial choice for Scrooge's statement "Bah Humbug" was "Bah Christmas."
- Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.
- In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time. Their Dutch counterparts, however, use shoes. Dutch children set out shoes to receive gifts any time between mid-November and December 5, St. Nicholas' birthday.
- The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called "One-Horse Open Sleigh."
- Theodore Roosevelt, a staunch conservationist, banned Christmas trees in his home, even when he lived in the White House. His children, however, smuggled them into their bedrooms.
- Sir Isaac Newton was born on Christmas day in 1642.
- Silent movie actor Charlie Chaplin died in Christmas Day of 1977 in Switzerland at the age of 88
More Christmas tidbits will come out in this site on the following days.

That's all for today! HAVE A NICE DAY!
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Sunday, December 4, 2005

   WHAT'S COOL AND NOT COOL LAST WEEK
COOL: I get a chance to go to the Regional Press Conference.
NOT COOL: It took us 2 hours to go there! (But if you compare it to the other contestants, we were lucky enough that it ONLY took us that SHORT to go there!)

COOL: We passed by the mountainside, saw a fog, and enjoyed the cool weather...
NOT COOL: ...which kinda gave me shivers.

COOL: While going to the venue, I saw what seems to be a bus with a drawing of Kaito Kid on the back window! (This was a very big shocker for me. I mean, if I can't see that many Detective Conan stuff here, would you expect Kaito Kid stuff to appear too, knowing that he NEVER appeared yet in TV here?)
NOT COOL: My nearsighted eyes made me unable to see clearly the said bus. I tried to get my eyeglasses, but it was inside my bag that was placed at the back of the car.

COOL: We get free accomodation in a public school...
NOT COOL: ...that has a VERY dirty restroom and lacks water supply!

COOL: We decided to stay in a lodging house instead...
NOT COOL: ...and pay big money for the stay and the food!

COOL: I stayed in one room together with my English teacher and my classmate Anthony...
NOT COOL: ...and was "shivering to death" everytime I slept, thanks to the aircon!

COOL: I was able to join the Sportswriting contest in Filipino...
NOT COOL: ...but was late in the contest proper!

COOL: We were treated with a welcome party by the organizers...
NOT COOL: ...and I didn't have any good shirt to wear.

COOL: "Stagecrew", a popular band in our place, performed in the welcome party! They were SO good and I found myself dancing with their beats.
NOT COOL: I also found my hearing getting a bit unclear due to the loud sounds. But hey, at least it didn't last long. And I guess it was worth it!

COOL: My classmate Anthony won 2nd place in Sportswriting-English :-) ...
NOT COOL: ...while I didn't! :-( Oh well!

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COOL: We had our Intramurals last Thursday.
NOT COOL: Uhhh...what's there to rant?

COOL: Our class won the Cheerdance competition...
NOT COOL: ...and was told to perform it ONE MORE TIME, since we are the winners. Plus, my right arm hurt a lot after waving our flag in the dance.

COOL: Me, together with my classmates JR and ryosuke, won the Scrabble tournament for boys...
NOT COOL: ...and I get a medal with no name on it.

COOL: Our class won the Over-all Championship AGAIN...
NOT COOL: ...and we were given a RECYCLED TROPHY as an award! (Recycled trophy=a trophy that was obviously used before but, since they ran out of trophies, had to be used again and had its label peeled off.)

COOL: I get ONE day (That's today!) to rest from the busy week that I had...
NOT COOL: ...which won't be all about resting since I still have projects to make. And these projects are to be passed TOMORROW!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!!

That's all for today! HAVE A NICE DAY!
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Saturday, November 26, 2005

   BACK FROM A SEMINAR
Hey there guys! Just finished attending a seminar in a nearby town. Anyway, my weekend's gonna be pretty busy. It started off with today's seminar. Then later, I have to go get a medical certificate for my Regional Press Conference tomorrow. Oh, and did I mention that tomorrow, I'll be having my Regional Press Conference tomorrow? (Wait! I already did! Hehehe!)

Anyway, the PressCon will be held in Toledo City, a city that's quite far from my house. It will last for 3 days, so that means one thing: SLEEPOVERS! But I hope we can stay in a lodging house than sleeping in a public school. I really can't imagine sleeping in a school after hearing what my friends had to say about their experience.

Anyway, wish me luck or pray for me in my PressCon.

By the way, I'm open to any submissions that you'd like to give on my Detective Conan website. Please e-mail it at masked_kid@neo-anime.org.

That's all for today. HAVE A NICE DAY!
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Sunday, November 20, 2005

   MY SITE'S OPEN!
Hey there guys! I've finaly finished my Detective Conan site! You can check it out by clicking on this link:
http://pinoy.edogawaconan.com.
This site was made especially for Filipino Detective Conan fasn, but non-Filipinos can still enjoy it by clicking on the "Philippine English" link in the LANGUAGE CHANGER.

Anyway, nothing much happened this week except for the death of WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero (which I posted last Monday).

Well, I still have some research to do, so I'll leave you with some crazy questions that I got from a local cartoon named, "Barkada Trip":
- WHAT DID SCOOBY DOO?
- WHY IS CHOW YUN FAT?
- WHEN DID ORLANDO BLOOM?
- WHAT DOES HENRY SY?
- WHERE DID TOM CRUISE? (I made this question up.)

That's all I can say. HAVE A NICE DAY!
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