I saw this on my Facebook newsfeed and thought that it’s better I put it here for the sake of people like me who like to google symptoms when sick. :p
I hope you find this helpful!
Thanks to Medical City for this. 🙂
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listening to: a Season 4 episode of Friends
Posted by Iya Santos on November 22, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/the-pain-guide/
When one of my friends told me that his cig-consumption decreased from 3 packs a day to 5 sticks a week before of vaping, I thought, “Kung kaya ni Enzo ito, malamang, MAS kaya ko!” I’ve wanted to cut down on smoking and it was hard because of stress. Age old excuse! Fine. I was addicted to nicotine. But there. I was really looking for a way to help me with my addiction. Seriously.
I’ve been smoking since I was 14. I’m 25 30 now. I’ve tried to pause… stop… quit several times and I failed in all attempts.I have a positive feeling about this attempt to minimize (and eventually, quit) though because this time, I REALLY want to kick it to the curb. I bought my e-cig from The Vape Company (Basement Parking, Robinsons Pioneer) two weeks ago.
{No to smoking. Yes to vaping. An e-cig has an atomizer that turns the liquid into vapor — thus it is called vaping instead of smoking.}
The salesguy asked me several questions about my smoking habits so that he can help me customize the right e-cig for me or what The Vape Company calls Pimp Your Pipe. Apparently, there’s an atomizer for those who are more concerned with the “smoke” than the flavor a.k.a. the hagod sa lalamunan as he perfectly put it hahaha. There are also several kinds of batteries to choose from- the kind that can last for 8hours of continuous usage, or the kind that can last up to 1 1/2 days if you wanna vape like a kapre. There are also a lot of colorful mouthpieces that you can pick– made of acrylic, ceramic, et cetera.
And of course, there are a lot of drips/fluids/juices that you can combine (if you want to, of course) and make the little alchemist in you giddy!
{little alchemist = me = giddy}
I payed almost 3,000php for my e-cig. I wanted a hotpink e-cig but they only have baby pink, so I chose the silver one instead. The atomizer I chose is for flavor over smoke. The battery, the long lasting one, but not because I wanna vape like a kapre. I just don’t like the thought of having to charge it often. Got a lavender mouthpiece for a delicate (nyahahaha) pop of color. I was undecided on what fluid to use. I wanted something sweet but not fruity. I went with the salesguy’s suggestion- vanilla caramel. Got the one with 11mg of nicotine. FYI: a regular cig has about 1.5 mg of nicotine, so a bottle of drip with 11mg is only equivalent to (maybe) 7 sticks. Plus, it’s dilluted, artificial nicotine. So, chill.
{the substance does not have the potential to cause damage to human health unless it is consumed in extremely large quantities or in industrial-strength doses}
After a week, I bought a menthol drip that’s supposed to taste like Marlboro Menthol. When I was still using vanilla caramel, I’d still smoke a stick or two after eating and then vape. But when I started using menthol, I have not smoked nor craved for a cigarette yet. I’ve been yosi-free for 8 days now. So far, so good. At ang kumontra, papatakan ko ng menthol sa eyeball.
If you are one of those e-cig haters…
Do not tell me you’re absolutely sure that this isn’t going to work. And that the ONLY advantage of this is that it allows me to “smoke” in non-smoking places. Let me remind you that you’re not the one living my life. I do not recommend that you use an e-cig if you do not have the necessary will and commitment to say minimize or quit. malamang hindi magwo-work ang kahit ano kung ayaw mo naman talaga tumigil. DUH. Lastly, e-cig haters, kindly remember the modern-day golden rule– walang basagan ng trip.
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Twitter: @thevapecompany
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listening to: Nat “King” Cole – L.O.V.E.
Posted by Iya Santos on October 1, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/from-smoking-to-vaping/
Took a break from reading Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman to check out this brand new comic book that my friend Alex bought from the recently concluded Summer Komik Kon.
I have never been interested in reading comics, but the cover art caught my attention. There’s a Lara Croft-looking girl holding an exceptionally lethal-looking knife. There’s also an insignia of a red-white-yellow triangle with a star on each corner placed on top of the comic book’s equally Pinoy title– REPUBLIKA.
Sounds pretty kickass, eh? And so I flipped through the pages of its 1st issue and to see if the content can meet my expectations. Hmmm… A popular Filipino novel, war, JPR, and a local mythical creature??!! By page 14 (contains a photo of The Parisian Life and the Philippine map), I knew I had to get my hands on the 2nd issue. I must find out the secrets of our national heroes and their connection to the mysterious island called Republika. And I need to know what the Lara Croft-looking girl is capable of doing!
The story that ties all the well-detailed illustrations is a mindgame dealing with history, science, and the supernatural. Such elements can potentially create genius.
Cheers to director/storyteller Paul Basinillo and comicbook illustrator/storyboard artist Dennis Crisostomo for this visual and literary treat!
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Alex also brought a Republika merchandise. A cute stuffy that’s supposed to be the sun but looks more of a pudgy yellow jellyfish! Pero sige, para sa ngalan ng Republika, araw na nga! 😛
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listening to: Bamboo – Masaya
Posted by Iya Santos on May 31, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/republika/
When my friend invited me to attend Oishi‘s new campaign launch, I said YES without asking for further details. My 3 reasons:
1. I’ve loved Oishi since I was a cute (walang papalag) little girl. I remember Oishi Prawn Crackers being my snack of choice whenever my parents and I would watch movies– in Betamax. So now you know how old I am and how long Oishi has been around. 🙂
2. Oishi is one of the loyal partners in our company events. I have seen thousands of our employees and applicants happy because of Smart C, Fiber & Fruit, and Gourmet Picks potato chips. My favorites among these are the Grapefruit Smart C and Natural Sea Salt chips– my current moviesnack of choice. :p tsaka Pillows rin pala.
3. I wanted to know who’s the mystery endorser of their O,Wow! campaign. I read in Twitter that it’s gonna be the Elmo Magalona but I wanted to be there to be sure. Mwehehe!
So last Saturday afternoon, with my friend Homer, I went to Trinoma for the launch of Oishi’s O,Wow! Campaign.
The event was hosted by VJ Andrei Felix and sportscaster Rizza Diaz. The audience was treated to fun and games including the saksakan ng bago na Bring Me! :))
There were 3 humongous boxes at the center of the Activity Area that held the special guests of Oishi. They were cloaked in red when they entered. I knew Elmo was there somewhere. My guess was his onscreen sweetheart Julie Anne San Jose couldn’t be far behind. But who’re the boys that entered the 3rd box? Anong banda sila? Kasing yummy ba sila ng Oishi? Hmmmm…
After loads of potato chips and screaming of O,Wow!’s… the surprise guests were unveiled. Elmo Magalona, check! Julie San Jose, check! Aaaaaannnnddddd… Callalily! So I was right about the yummy part! Kean Cipriano, double check! :))
Oishi gave us a high-energy concert experience. Julie performed several hits including the gasgas na but still fun to listen to, Super Bass. Callalily performed their songs and I was happy to hear Stars again. It transported me back to the time Kean looked so boyish at ‘di makabasag pinggan. Hahaha! Of course, Elmo sang a mix of covers and originals. The crowd (well, mostly teen girls) went gaga when he danced to Teach Me How to Dougie. I was impressed when he sang 3 Stars and The Son. You will be too. You can download the single for free here.
I looked around and saw Miss Pia Magalona with a big smile, looking oh-so proud of her son. Well who wouldn’t be? Elmo is a talented kid that is a fantastic endorser of an equally fantastic brand. His fun and adventurous vibe and Oishi’s variety of delicious and affordable snacks are nothing short of O,WOW!
You can also give yourself an O,Wow! experience by treating yourself to Oishi snacks like– Wafu (gosh, I love these leche flan/cheese wafer sticks), Gourmet Picks (potato chips cooked in sunflower oil), Marty’s (veggie chicharon), or Porky Pops (baked not fried lean pork rind).
Beat the summer heat by drinking the refreshing Smart C. It comes in 3 flavors: lemon, orange, and pomelo-grapefruit. You can also choose the healthier alternative Fiber & Fruit. Here’s yours truly holding a bottle of apple-flavored F&F. There’s also peach and grape but this one’s my fave. This was taken in Market! Market!, in one of our job fairs. I grabbed one before thirsty applicants finish all of ’em. :p
Share your O,Wow! moments on Twitter using the Oishi O, Wow! hashtag #OWow #Oishi and like them on Facebook. www.facebook.com/oishi.ph
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listening to: The Beatles – Love Me Do
Posted by Iya Santos on April 25, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/oishi-owow/
I’m pretty happy with this gift because it’s only when I opened the box when I found out that Coach also makes flip flops! Thank goodness I received this first before going to the mall to buy new ones!
This is my 2nd Coach item. The first is a red and cream bag. I don’t buy branded stuff because I find them too expensive. All of my branded stuff are gifts from my parents, aunts, and exboyfs. :p
Now I feel the pressure. Where am I going this summer? Sayang naman the flip flops if I don’t use them where there’s sand and surf! :p
Where, where, where are my feet in Maria metallic slippers going to take me?
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listening to: Dixie Chicks – Landslide
Posted by Iya Santos on April 1, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/coach-flip-flops/
As most of my close friends know, I am a frustrated artist (in Tagalog, maarte). I first heard of Draw Something from a friend (I was actually stalking him on Facebook hahaha) and I was intrigued with the colorful kiddie drawings he and his girlfriend (that bitch!) have been posting on his timeline. I downloaded the app and at first, I didn’t want to play with my Fb contacts just because. I chose random people to be my playmates. This happened 3 weeks ago. It was fun but I didn’t play it a lot then because I was still hooked on Bakery Story and Restaurant Story and it was boring to play with strangers.
The addiction started when I attended quiznight in Capricciosa and noticed my teammates playing DS instead of answering the category on massages. nag-aagawan pa ng iPad kung sino ang magdo-drawing! I decided to give Draw Something another try and played with my Fb friends. I slept very late that night trying to earn more coins to buy more colors. I set my alarm earlier than the usual and when I woke up, I looked for my phone, clicked on Draw Something and guessed my friends’ drawings. I was too excited to play because I knew I already had enough coins to buy more colors! Ang hirap magdrawing na black, blue, yellow and red lang ang gamit ha!
Here’s the very first drawing I made with the 1st color package I bought. Say hi to Mr.Lion!
I made that even before I could brush my teeth. Hehe.
Now, I play DS with my college friends, FB and Twitter contacts, colleagues, and a couple of strangers. I love putting effort into anything I draw even if it’s just worth 1 coin! I hate drawing people because I suck at drawing hands, but with the practice I’ve been getting because of this app, I’ve noticed that they’re starting to look like hands and not lumpy sausages! I already bought 4 color packages and I still check my phone often for new drawings. I don’t know until when this addiction to DS will last.
Here’s to hoping Charles Foreman, creator of Draw Something will come up with more ideas to make this app enjoyed by more people for a really long time.
Here’s a link of the successful story of Mr. Foreman. http://kamukamo.com/2012/03/29/creator-of-draw-something-inspiring-story/ Did you know that he was about to give up his company Omgpop that was set to run out of money this May until he created Draw Something and became an instant success? Drawsome, right? 😉
So what are you waiting for? Add me up: iyassantos@gmail.com Let’s draw!!!
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listening to: Hanson – Mmmbop
Posted by Iya Santos on March 30, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/drawsome/
Still very busy with work that I haven’t had time to blog about food food food and other stuff. *teehee* Stress has been really off the charts but I have been getting by because blessings are also oh-so many! 🙂
Anyway… wow, it’s already February and one of the things I love about this month is… Valentine’s Day. Front ko lang talaga (dati) ang pagiging emo at aggro. Those who really know me can attest how much of a big sap I am when it comes to romance. :p
And when I think of romance, first that comes to mind is…
Those are the flowers I received on my 30th birthday. FYI, I love roses. White, pink, and yellow! I also like daisies! And tulips! And wildflowers! I don’t like red ones that much even if I love the color red. Oh well, just one of the weird things about me.
Almost two months have passed and the flowers are still pretty.
I still have them displayed at the corner of my room. :p
Send flowers to your loved ones this Valentine’s Day! My favorite flowershop (where my friend ordered these lovely roses) is FLOWERSCAPE. Flowerspace is located at 7561 Bagtikan Street San Antonio Village, Makati, Philippines. Contact Flowerscape with telephone number 028996178 .
Advance happy heart’s day, everyone! 😉
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listening to: Gabrielle – Dreams
Posted by Iya Santos on February 6, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/valentines_flowers/
Wednesday night, Joko invited me to attend the MSA (Manila Surfers Association) dinner at Hao Hong Kong Diner. Being the (plate)surfer that I am, of course I said yes! I love being with our surfer friends (lifestyling!) and I love trying out new restos. At shempre, alam naman ng nakakarami na matakaw ako.
I had no idea that Hao is just in Jupiter St. Very near my office. I googled Hao and found it odd that it’s been around since the last quarter of 2011 and I only found a couple of posts about it. The diner certainly deserves a blogpost. We were there last night and we all loved the place!
There are maybe 6 or 7 tables inside. The smoking area is almost as big as the non-smoking section. It’s tastefully decorated and the feel is very chill. Ideal for a casual date or a quiet dinner with friends. But with friends like mine, ewan ko lang yung quiet part. 😛 The place closes at 2am on weekdays and 3am on weekends.
The meals are affordable and there are a lot of choices. The servings are not that big though, but it’s okay because most of the food we had were really good. The waitstaff was also friendly and helpful. There is also free wi-fi. You can check out their menu here, here, here and here. :p
Shani enjoyed the crispy pork hoisin rice topping (148php) and century egg (58php). At dahil Chinese siya, naniwala ako sa kanya. I tried the egg and it was good indeed. I also liked the pechay rice (68php), dumplings (68php) and fried tofu (68php). I chose the special soy sauce. I think I would have liked it more if I paired it with the spicy mandarin.
The hot and sour soup became Joko’s instant favorite. I also ordered it because inggitera ako. It was served piping hot and tasted quite spicy. I ate it with the lobster balls (68php). Good combo! The only food I didn’t dare touch was the Chinese chorizo pao because I do not like chorizo. It’s still part of my food hatelist, which also includes curry, macaroons and rootbeer. ^_^
Dessert was Kefir scoop with glazed pao (108php). Delish pao but the kefir was a bit disappointing. Aside from the desserts in their menu, there are also jars that have “sari-sari store” sweets like Stork, Hawhaw Milk Candy, gold coins, jelly and Flat Tops. I love that the bottles of liquor are just right behind it. Treats for the young and young at heart! :))
They have quite a selction of alcoholic beverages and I’m disappointed I only found out about this place yesterday. Had I known about Hao early December, I would have celebrated my birthday here! Our other friends arrived and I did not take note of what they ate because I was too busy Facebook-ing. :p
Lastly, I noticed all of the prices end in 8. Lucky number!!! Advance Happy Chinese New Year to all! 😀 I am very sure that I will go to Hao again. I hope to see you guys there. But I warn you, what happens in Hao never happened! Haha, this is just me quoting one of items from Hao’s Rules. You can find it on every table.
Thanks for reading my very 1st food post this 2012! Or as they say in Mandarin… xie xie! 🙂
HAO HONG KONG DINER
27 Canopus St cor Jupiter St, Makati City
(02) 478-3927
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listening to: Calvin Harris – Feels So Close
Posted by Iya Santos on January 6, 2012
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/hao_hong_kong_diner/
I’m the kind of alcoholic alcohol enthusiast that doesn’t really care much about what kind of beer I drink as long as it’s cold. I mean, I know how to appreciate good beer when I taste one, but that doesn’t happen often because I don’t believe in paying for 200-300php for just one freaking bottle.
Turned out, I just didn’t know where to drink! Offbeat Cafe now serves imported beers. Germany, US and Belgium are just some of the countries that their beers are from. I got to taste 8 from Offbeat’s Beer Gallery and here’s how I found each and every one of ’em:
Astra (4.9% ABV- alcohol by volume, bitch! Hehe! 80php) – has notes of sweetness with a slight bitter bite at the end. Light taste. The feel of this German Pilsener is comparable to SML.
Bitburger (4.8% ABV, 90php) – has malty notes followed by a slightly minty and bitter finish. Taste similar to Astra. This is also a German Pilsener.
Oettinger (4.9% ABVl, 100php) – bready, sorta smells like bananas, has a little sweetness with a slight bitter finish. This according to the resident beergeek of Offbeat Cafe, Mr. Francis Panuncialman is the #1 selling beer in Germany aka the beer of and for the masses. And guess what, this is the beer that I liked the most. And no, that does not make me a lasenggera like what my friend Kevin concluded. :p
Konig Ludwig Weissbier (5.5% ABV, 160php) – has a caramel flavor (because of the roasted malts according to Francis, he’s like the Sheldon of beergeekery!), has more body than the 1st three beers, tastes like a biscuit! Yum! This is the favorite beer of Chef Mickey Wieneke, owner of Offbeat. I understand why this is his favorite but my heart liver still favors Oettinger. ❤
Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock (7% ABV, 130php) – has a light floral aroma, tastes fruity. This is my least favorite because well, I don’t like fruits. And the smell reminds me of jasmine. And I don’t like jasmine. The boys seemed to have liked this brew though! I wonder why! :))
Leffe Brune (6.5% ABV, 140php) – the caramel taste is more pronounced than the Konig. Francis said that Belgian beers are sweet because they add caramel sugar to the brew. I remember when I smelled it I thought of th arnibal that goes with taho. One of the boys said that this reminded him of Hoegaarden.
Boont Amber Ale (5.8% ABV, 150php) – I am no beergeek and I might sound pretentious for saying this but I will anyway… I liked the smell and the body of this beer and the color is gorgeous. As for the taste, it tastes a bit citrus-y and a bit caramel-y. Mwehehehe. :p
Summer Solstice (5.6% ABV 120php) – smooth, malty and lightly sweet. And it has a sort of vanilla aftertaste. One said it’s like cream soda! This American ale is my 2nd fave among all 8.
Other things I learned from this beer tasting session:
The history of beer is as exciting and as complex as the history of wine. There is a study supporting that drinking beer moderately can help one lose weight (OMG yaaaay!!!). Wine is too acidic for cheese, therefore pair cheese with beer! Hahaha! AND beer is normally reviewed considering its aroma, appearance, body/texture, aftertaste and overall impression. I guess I did pretty ok for a first timer in beer tasting then! Ang umangal, babasagan ko ng bote ng beer sa ulo! >:)
If you want to try these beers, visit Offbeat Cafe at The Collective in Malugay St, San Antonio Village, Makati. You don’t have to go to bars in The Fort or Jupiter and pay exorbitant amounts to drink. I suggest you pair these beers with Offbeat’s Bacon Fries and of course, their sinfully delicious Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger. Drink and eat while playing Monopoly Deal. I sucked at this game that night but I think I’ll be lucky when I’m un-sober. :p
Cheers! 😉
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listening to: The Beatles – Hey Jude
Posted by Iya Santos on December 2, 2011
https://psychosomaticaddictinsane.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/offbeat_cafe_beer_gallery/
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