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Rehabilitation Activity Through Music and Dance: Philippines Thriller

cebu thriller.jpgIf you’re a Filipino, you might have watched in amusement , This Youtube video of 1,500+ Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) inmates dancing to Thriller . When I asked my daughter if she’d seen it , her reply was “It’s so Pinoy”. Lorna, my sister thinks “Only in the Philippines” (read her entry ““Thriller!” – How Cebu’s CPDRC Inmates Rocked the World With An Awesome Rehabilitation Activity ). I am not surprised at this [tag]Thriller dance routine[/tag]. Maybe it’s Cebuano thing but I remember my parents always danced after dinner and we would dance along with them as well. Singing , Music and dance formed a huge part of my upbringing. I miss it so bad. Anyway, I digress.

The video reached more than a 2,300,000 views since uploaded by Byron Garcia ( Consultant on Security of the Cebu Provincial Government) on July 17, 2007 (originally uploaded last April) It’s so popular that ABC News picked up the story called Filipino Inmates do Thriller, Radio Gaga. The news covered reactions from Filipino-Americans as well as American counterparts in the criminal justice. One comment caught my eye:

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New Media Publishing

Who knows what your blog or blogging can bring you? When I started out my blog in February 24, 2006, the main goal was to promote my advocacy, grief support in the Philippines. Along the way, I met bloggers who generously shared their wisdom and other possibilities in blogging. The benefits of blogging indeed spread the word on my advocacy and brought me new friendships and adventure beyond my wildest imagination. I often say this “The rest is icing on the cake”. Blogging also started my career as an independent problogger and lately [tag]new media[/tag] publishing which works alongside being a problogger.

In a way, I can look at blogging as my part of my new life, this new normal that bereaved parents often seek. In recovery, I learned to live, to enjoy my life and handle situations as they come. What blessings! What joy to live in this new and exciting life. It’s one big adventure.

My adventure into new media publishing started with Jayvee when I introduced myself as having a special niche to be qualified for that Globe-Innove meet with Bloggers. Yes, how “thick skinned” I was. But in life, if you don’t ask, you won’t get an answer. Jayvee could have said “No, you’re not. You’re ….blah blah” but well, he invited me. The first PR practitioner to build buzz marketing through blogs is Blooey Singson when she convinced Krispy Kreme to give doughnuts to bloggers. But Amor Maclang of of GeiserMaclang raised the bar further by inviting bloggers to PR events alongside traditional media during the Wagyu Beef Fest at the Diamond Hotel. Was it Annalyn or Jayvee who told me that Amor’s PR events are always crowded because of the fantastic production ? Her PR events are more like a show. My idea of a PR event is that media watch a video presentation, clap, eat, and run. Not until I attended the Wagyu Beef Fest anyway.

bloggersI was not disappointed with a second and third invite from Amor. This time , it was for CLEAR Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Product Launch held yesterday at the Renaissance Hotel (formerly New World Hotel) and tonight’s Diamond Indulgence Privilege Card of Diamond Hotel . Both launches were fabulous. Amor (and GeiserMaclang staff) produced a launch party for CLEAR complemented with a sumptuous buffet lunch . Jayvee, Aileen, Sasha, Juned and Dine attended this glamorous affair. Another opportunity to be together again!

Can you tell the difference between these two photos? (Enlarge by clicking on the photos if you need to)

before

The production effort clearly shows the concept of the product features. “Feel the difference after being inside the bubble”

How nifty! It felt like a children’s party with all those surprises at stake.

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Breakfast at Portico 1771 and My PR Policy

portico 1771
A few days ago, Lauren asked me “mom, were you invited to the Bloggers Breakfast at Portico 1771?” I checked my email and found the invite at my abandoned Yahoo email address. I thought it must have been Jayvee‘s idea. But no, he had no idea who invited us.

New media as a path to expand their online presence , perhaps? For many months now, PR agencies have been inviting bloggers to press events, parties, treating them to lunches, and sending them gifts and tokens.

My PR policy is a combination of Anton’s school of thought “for the awesome experiences which would include eating at a restaurant I can rave about or meeting awesome people. ” and Yuga’s third option of “full disclosure to your blog readers ”

A disclosure will at least serve as a warning to your readers if later on you make a positive review of their products/services, it was influenced in some manner.

I don’t go to all the events but a food trip is an adventure I don’t want to miss out.

Besides, how could I resist an opportunity to have breakfast with my husband and friends?

At the last minute, Lauren backed out because she couldn’t afford to miss work and scheduled it for Sunday. I was told to bring my other family members and a few blogger friends. Fortunately, my husband had a hearing in nearby Pasig City so a breakfast at Portico 1771 looked pretty inviting to him.

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Christina Aguilera’s Message On Domestic Violence

christina aguileraOh what an adventure watching the Christina Aguilera concert at the Global City last night. My heart refused to calm down after the one and a half hour concert. I had to lie down in bed and relax a bit before sleeping. Those loud thumping amps are bad for my heart. Anyway, thanks to Jenny of Globe Broadband, she spared me some VIP tickets . M was supposed to watch it with a friend but backed out at the last minute . I didn’t want to waste two (2) 7,000 plus pesos ($152.00) worth of tickets so I called my sister , Belen who agreed to watch it with me. Jayvee found it funny. I wonder why! Can’t a 50 year old woman enjoy a concert?

Abe and JennySo anyway, Abe and Brian , his younger brother along with Jenny and her fiancee also watched with us . The production numbers were impressive and fantastic. I can’t believe she’s pregnant as she pranced and cavorted on stage. Oh well, I ‘ve never been watching concerts of foreign artists so I can’t really compare. For a lack of a better description, let me point you to her interview about the concert:

As my fans know, I’m so into my visuals and making sure that the image that goes along with my music you know, definitely tells the story and kind of let’s my audience’s imagination run wild. It takes them out of their elements, whatever their day may consisted of, this is definitely a moment to just relax and enjoy a real show with all elements involved such as using your imagination. My dancers went into training to bring it, my album—it is a double album—and on disc two I’ve flirted and used different elements of the circus—an old vintage circus in my work and the dancers went into training. I’m so proud of them—learned how to stilt walk, swing over—what is it called now, kind of acrobatics swing, fire throw—there’s so many different circus elements that are involved in this show and it’s just super fun and the audience’s face whenever they see all of it, is just really, really fun. So, it’s a fun show. It’s really great. It’s one that you don’t want to miss.

I agree it was a fun fun show.

But what touched me about the concert was Christina’s Aguilera’s message about domestic violence. The pop star speaks out and penned a song “Oh Mother” about witnessing the abuse her mother suffered at the hands of her father.

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Taste Asia Food Fest at the SM Hypermarket

sm hypermart
Who could ever match the abundance of food, drinks, and gimmick at the Taste Asia Food Fest of SM Hypermarket , SM Mall of Asia ,? It was a huge success in terms of attendance, fun and food. I didn’t expect that all registrants would arrive. In fact, I forgot to sign up my daughter , Lauren .

Surprises galore awaited us at the party.

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Krispy Kreme Party

krispy Kreme
Surrounded by media celebrities , Lauren and M find themselves posing like celebrities themselves.

Early this evening, a few bloggers attended the Krispy Kreme Coffee and Doughnut VIP Party. How could I resist doughnuts. The girls tagged along with me to check out the new branch over at Greenhills which is scheduled to open this thursday, June 28.

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Dinner and Conversation with the Band of Bloggers

birthday party
I still remember the dinner parties at our house. They were fun and less costly. But, now it seems to be a thing of the past.Juned

It doesn’t have to be that way, Juned. Though technology and urbanization indeed has made things so much more convenient for us, dinners and great conversation should never be a thing of the past. I know it is a bit more laborious to prepare food instead of hiring a caterer. The joy and the fulfillment of doing it out of love makes up for all the work. It’s also one reason I refused my husband’s suggestion to host my birthday party at a fancy restaurant or in a hotel’s banquet hall.

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