custom ringtones on iOS 5

Since, upgrading to iOS 5, I lost my custom ringtones. It was ok and I didn't really bother trying to figure out how to get them back until more and more people in my work was using the same ringtone which confused me. So after reading several forum entries and losing my music which I don't really back up, I finally found a way to access my custom ringtones again on my phone. This is what worked for me given that:
1. I manually manage music and videos
2. My tones are of course not synced. (unchecked)

In both my Itunes library and devices, I deleted all my tones (bell icon) - they are not purchased anyway. I just use those free apps to make my own (mostly mp3 extracts). From my windows folder where i kept my *.m4r files, I dragged them into the Tones section of my Itunes library. I manually unchecked each and everyone of them. Afterwards, I dragged them to the Iphone under devices (the whole thing and not the tones section with the bell icon). Doing so, will prevent the tones from showing up with a sync icon beside them. Leaving them checked in the library will prevent them from showing up in the Settings>Sounds>ringtones of the phone unless you "sync tones". This will of course wipe out your music and videos. Now, I can select and use the custom ringtones from Settings>Sounds>Ringtones! And I won't have to mistakenly pick up my phone due to similar ringtones. ^_^

Spruce!

This was one helluva weekend... If I were living alone it's probably not even done yet... In any case, i'm feeling too lazy to blog about it yet besides I don't have any pictures yet..
Let me just say though, that, thanks to another promo (double the sticker) and friends who willingly donated, I got another planner which I intend to use! So here it is, my first ever planner. Let the doodling start!

Goodbye, Hello

So much has happened this year which makes this year memorable for a lot. I can't really say it was a great year maybe even for a lot of people... If you think about it a lot of things have happened this year: middle east revolts, japan calamities, christchurch earthquakes, death of global figures, Sendong calamity, etc. Nat Geo supposedly has a special recounting the year that was which I have yet to watch.
For our family so much has happened that it comes close to ondoy probably. It was a difficult and challenging for us not just individually but collectively... It was a bad year with a lot of bad things happening. In spite of that, we managed, we survived and we're still here... The bad things were there for a reason and what matters is that He provides. So it's still all good.
Personally, it doesn't matter what I've been through, what my state is especially in certain aspects although career and love life wise I am really looking forward to be able to find my niche for the long term... I am coping and hoping. I am good, could be better or great but I am not complaining... In His time. I am glad though for the many blessings still and for the hope He gives to keep on going.
They say that the world will end on the year that is to come... For any of us it could be ending already or anytime soon. Nonetheless, I look forward to a better and greater 2012. As a colleague said, Goodbye 2011, you were harsh and challenging. Hello 2012, may you be kinder! ^_^

P.S. On a side note, these year-ender happenings made me feel glad and at peace. Just the right feeling to end and start another year. Thank you family and friends!

The planner is also en route to Finland, hope it gets there. The photoshop project was a success somehow despite the kinks which could of course be improved. I'd like to think the gifts were a success as well.. Giving does feel better! ^_^

Snap for a Tune: Indak

Indak
Up Dharma Down


Tatakbo at gagalaw
Mag-iisip kung dapat bang bumitaw
Kulang na lang, atakihin
Ang pag-hinga'y nabibitin

Ang dahilang alam mo na
Kahit ano pang sabihin nila
Tayong dalawa lamang ang makakaalam
Ngunit ako ngayo'y naguguluhan

Makikinig ba ako
Sa aking isip na dati pa namang magulo?
O iindak na lamang
Sa tibok ng puso mo

At aasahan ko na lamang na
Hindi mo aapakan ang aking mga paa
Pipikit na lamang at mag-sasayaw
Habang nanonood siya...
Paalis at pabalik
May baong yakap at suklian ng halik
Mag-papaalam at mag-sisisi
Habang papiglas ka ako sayo ay tatabi

Tayong dalawa lamang ang nakaka-alam
Ngunit hindi na matanto kung sino nga ba ang pag-bibigyan ko
Makikinig nga ba sa isipan na alam ang wasto

Ngunit pipigilan ang pag-ibig nya na totoo

Iindak na lamang ba sa tibok ng puso mo
At aasahan ko hindi nya lamang aapakan ang aking mga paa
Pipikit na lamang at mag-sasaya
Habang nalulungkot ka
Pipikit na lamang at mag-sasaya
Habang nalulungkot ka

Ako'y Litong-lito
Tulungan niyo ako
Di ko na alam
Kung sino pang aking pagbibigyan o

Ayoko na ng ganito
Ako ay litong-lito ohwooh

Since my brother started listening to this, all of us at home including my mom has been hooked to this song. A really nice song that's easy on the ears while I try and finish this project for a friend if not this week at most next week. It's been long overdue and I need to make up for it. *fingers crossed

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year

There's a certain warm fuzzy, light-hearted feeling that goes with Christmas most especially for us Filipinos. Just the thought and aura can bring some sort of cheer for me.
It's different though being reminded of it when you're away from home and alone. Christmas festivities and the energy every pinoy evokes hence the atmosphere is really different. Although I think I've also been out of the country with family twice on Christmas. To me it's just a joyous, peaceful celebration with friends and family.

Christmas in disneyland - well that's another thing. Makes you feel like a kid again. Such a happy place!

On another note: I haven't done any gift shopping yet though there's not really much to shop for. Guess my circle is not that big... Not really a good thing.

Diliman Engineering December Festivities

I miss college. One of the many things that added color to my college life was the December festivities in Diliman. For a start there's the engineering week catering to the competitive nature of the different eng'g accredited orgs. While we still had our share of exams that didn't stop us from enjoying all the different activities lined up from sports-oriented to talent oriented stuff. From the main events: smoker's night which was basically org-bashing, awitan, indakan, maskipaps, dateng'g game culminating with the Ms. Engg to all sorts of mini-games here and there (ex. Car stuffeng'g, breng'g me, command and conquer). There are enough activities to organize and participate in to keep everyone preoccupied. It was truly a time to be young, wild and carefree. Add the lantern parade and the oblation run and viola you have a free, festive atmosphere in Diliman which you can associate with Christmas.
Having been out of college since 6 years ago, I have this feeling of nostalgia. I miss that kind of feeling the Diliman Engineering 'Christmas' evokes. I won't be back this year but maybe next time...

The OAK Starbucks planner

12.14.2011. I finally got my first ever starbucks planner. And it's all thanks to option 2 and the 14 sticker promo! And the free stickers I got from friends who didn't collect. Yes, I am not a starbucks addict. I don't even drink coffee save for the cranberry white mocha frap that a friend just recently introduced me to. Even that was not love at first taste and took quite a few sips of getting used to. If not for the chamomile full leaf tea which, accounts for the most stickers in that 14 I contributed, I probably wouldn't have started collecting much more complete all 23 of them (option 2 required no holiday drinks but 23 stickers instead of the 17 option 1).
Though I love doodling, I'm still thinking whether I'll keep it or give it as a gift. To whom I don't even know yet.

Another clubbing Christmas Party

So it's that time of the year again where parties abound. Contrary to some my social calendar is actually quite open and I've already attended last night my only (I think) Christmas party. And as usual, for the third time in a row, I did not get to qualify for the raffle which was the main thing I looked forward to.
Since joining the company, I always ended up coming late after the cut-off and this year was no different. We were so close however. It took just one wrong turn along the service road to take us from a few kms away to more kms away back to edsa! Too bad! :( it was all good and since i'm actually used to it I got over it except for a few bitter rants here and there. When a teammate won the coveted ipad (what i was rooting for), I couldn't help but be envious! Haha oh well...
Nonetheless, we just made the most out of it. It was good that they got a band that played nicely and pumped up the crowd. They were aptly named, In heat, as they turned up the heat at the party. You could see that our team's population was heavily composed of males as most would end up staring at the band when they did their thing. 6-7 drinks later, I had too much gas inside, I struggled a bit. But their rum tasted nice. It took one burp and whatever buzz I was feeling was instantly gone.
I kind of wonder though, considering how we kind of had our own little circle as if we were having our own party, reflects how we've become isolated and outcasts from the team... Was there something in our airs our aura that repels them away and keep their distance? Does it still have something to do with the "pinagpala" thing? I am too offended with that to even bother to force myself to mingle.
Anyhow, we rested a bit and people watched at all the high heels, legs and skimpy outfits and pretty young things at opus while drinking at starbucks. It was more interesting looking at them ladies than guys (or for the lack of it). Makes you think, there are too many rich people in Manila! And we're not one of them. With that said, we re-entered republiq to milk our free entrance so we see and experience how they party. My conclusion, it's darn expensive to party there. You'd have to shell out prolly more than 2000 to get a buzz going. (more if your tolerance is high unlike me). I am starting to feel old for these kind of parties though and all the drinking makes me think of my body and health.
One other thing I realized, I think I have too much crass when I drink though haha yes, cRass..

The mean, manang and now also late girls haha

Some more grabbed pics (and a little vanity service):

What's in a name?

Or in this case, what's in a title? Sadly, it has some sort of bearing for me that I actually am ashamed to broadcast it in public whether on immigration forms or anywhere else. Internally, it's not a problem but the negative association with the title by some circles make me want to hide it. So much that I found myself hesitating several times from adding 'people' or connections in one 'professional networking' site. I have not added some of them still for fear of this bad judgement considering how nice sounding theirs are already. I know that it's different (somewhat) but sometimes it's just hard to have to explain. Still it kind of makes me think if I have been left behind...
The title I do want is still the same though - wife and mother. Hahaha kidding aside I really want... Oh well. Bahala na si batman!

Malabo lang

It hit me today. Internally, I am more relaxed when there's a constraint and hold back when there isn't. Externally, I hold back when something is stirring up inside than when there's none. A contradiction really. On the road to recovery. Nagising din!
Spell hopeless though. It's gotta change.

Whatever!

Hiding and masking this sadness with another more bearable and common one. So typical.

Stuck up in the past. I realize I can't get a move on... No matter how
much I know and want to move to the next stage in life...

Young, careless and free... Ah, those were the good old days... I am getting old. The numbers are catching up to me and hits me right there.

It's like I'm watching the passing of my youth.

Too much thinking. Everything in my mind and scattering bits and pieces everywhere in cyberspace. Yes, I think too much. And I am lonely...

Where to? What next?

It's not that I am not that grateful for the opportunities given to me NOT granted to others... It's just that I am asking myself the exact questions above: where to? What next? What do I want in the long run?
I probably have been going with the flow for too long I need to figure out how I can grow and how I want to grow. Since a married and family life is not one you can think about single and alone, you start to look for options... I've known and thought what I wanted since starting out 6 years ago and since then it hasn't changed. I wonder though am I just too stuck with the idea? What if the idea does not really match with reality? Do I keep looking over and missing what's here? Has it really been a long time coming? Or others deserve or have more right than I am to be thinking about these things? The grass may not always be greener on the other side, but maybe I can make it so. It's not always what they can offer, usually it's what you can offer.

It's not you, it's me...��

What the hell is wrong with me? Am I a free spirit or a tease? Maybe I am both but definitely a coward. Why am I still single when in fact I have quite a fickle heart... Or maybe that's just it, I do, I can like(maybe a little even more) somebody but oftentimes my mind and my principles do not agree... I find myself let loose on the emotions and control only when the feasibility or reality of it is remote. Once it becomes tangible and material, I run away and hide. But did it ever? Have I really seen and felt it to be just and real? When my mind does, my heart is stone cold or turns to stone... Try as I may, I find no cracks or little but not enough cracks to go forward. Will they ever both agree?
The great wall of joyce - will you even crumble? Will someone even try to knock it over? But even if someone does, if I refuse to budge, just by sheer will it won't. Why won't I? Can someone meet me halfway? Is it really just me or there's not really the one yet? I keep on waiting, searching, hoping but this hope somehow messes things up as well. For as I hope, I keep on being idealistic and looking for that perfect deal, situation, package. Sometimes, it sucks to be me. More often than not, I have not really been able to be true to whatever emotions I may have had-no matter how insignificant. And usually, I end up with pent up emotions.
The one that got away.
The bad boy
-
The emo crush
-
?

*sigh.

Thrill seeker...

Got to experience this new thrill ride at hk disneyland's toy story land. Probably next to the drop at hk ocean park and maybe G-max at sg, this is another favorite. I used to get really scared and nervous before getting into one of these rides but I'd do it anyway. Now, however, I feel so used to it and look forward to the adrenaline rush (in a safe way) that there's not much jitters while in queue.
Ironic how in real life, I cringe at taking risks and go for the safe, easy route.