4/25/2013 ‒
Me, me, me

Early this week the PSE Index breached the 7,000-point mark. Celebrations all around. The economy is getting better was the consensus, as it was over the past few weeks, when the 6,000-point mark was breached, or a few more weeks back, when the 5,000-point mark was breached.

If you look at the graphs, you'd be amazed, even if you're quite cynical. Over the past fifty-two weeks the lowest the PSE Index was was at the 4,000-point level. Simply said, in those fifty-two weeks, the thirty companies who comprise the index have seen their values increase - those thirty companies being the biggest, or most important, or most hyped-about, ones in the Philippines - leading to the 7,000-point mark being breached this Monday. The economy is getting better was the consensus, and I did not understand why.

Well, yes, it's a barometer, but of what exactly? I was idle that Monday afternoon, so I decided to do some research. And man, was it intimidating. Also a bit boring, depending on how you look at it. Yeah, this is a warning: this blog entry could (would!) bore you to bits.

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4/23/2013 ‒
An open letter to Haley Reinhart

Hey there, Haley.

Umm, this is going to be awkward, I think. Umm, I should introduce myself first, right?

I'm Niko. I don't think you'll remember me. Of course, you don't. But we've met before. When you went to the Philippines with your fellow American Idol finalists, remember? You went to this autograph signing session, with Casey and Scotty and Jacob.

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4/16/2013 ‒
Please like and share

Remember when we were annoyed at Facebook because everybody is sending you invitations to play Farmville?

At least we could turn those off. You can block certain applications - or, if the need arises, certain people from sending you app invitations. Because really, not everybody wants to tend to a farm, or join the mob, or run a restaurant.

When I first read about Facebook fatigue, the main point was that you're inundated with notifications and invitations. I never really had that problem, because nobody really bothered to send me invitations. There were a few, but they were the usual suspects anyway. Notifications? Not often. I wasn't the type of person who'd comment on every status anyway, mostly because (at least back then) I had the feeling people secretly didn't like me.

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4/11/2013 ‒
For your consideration

Scenario one: you walk to the elevator lobby, press the up button, and one immediately opens in front of you. You scurry through the door and hit the close button. More of, you hold the close button so the door just shuts and nobody else can get in. You get an elevator all to yourself. Good times.

Scenario two: you walk to the elevator lobby and notice that an elevator door is closing down. You start running towards that door, knowing very well that it's closing, and you will most likely not have a chance to get in. You get your hands on the up button but the door's shut, and there's no chance you could open it again. Well, you could throw your hand in between the door, but that's kinda stupid, isn't it?

So you press the up button, and the indicator lights up, and you see that the next elevator will come from the 27th floor, the highest point in the building. And then you start cussing. "Motherfucker!" you whisper to yourself. "Motherfucker! Motherfucker!"

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4/10/2013 ‒
How we review burger joints

Rainy's photo of the interiors of Burger Bar - obviously framed by her milkshake - turned out to be better than my photo of the interiors. It happens, Nicksy.

One of the best things about having a girlfriend is that you can use your dates as an excuse to eat in new places.

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4/03/2013 ‒
Off meter

I was on a taxi last night. Note the meter is not turned on.

Some time during my ill-fated first three months in high school, I tried out for the school magazine. I was optimistic back then - "if they can do it, why can't I?" was the thought in my head when I entered the classroom to take part in the screening.

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