Gmail Theme

I just have to say the new "Gmail Themes" feature is such a joy to use. I chose the "Tea House" theme & I find myself using Gmail web just to find out what my cute furry friend is up to at a certain time of the day. The theme actually checks your location & the display changes to day or night, and the furry creature changes whatever it's doing based on the time of the day. At a certain time he may be watering the plants, or feeding birds or eating dinner. It's sooo cute. Definitely worth checking out.

Book Spotlight: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

I've been going through the "Twilight Saga" books 100miles/minute. The books have been so impressive & engaging. I find myself deeply invested emotionally and mentally with the characters & what they're going through. I think this 3rd book, which I finished in less than 2 days, is better than the 2nd book. Primarily because Edward was missing in 80% of New Moon.

There's really no point in comparing though as the entire series has a purpose & a story to tell so each & every part is integral in completing the Saga. If not for the fact that I have to go to work, attend to Mr A, sleep & eat occasionally, I would have finished this series a long time ago.

I usually take my time & relish each & every word when I read a book. I can't seem to do that with these Twilight books as I'm so engrossed & I just have to know what happens next. It's like a drug for me, even though I literally don't know what that means. I just can't wait to get my next fix.

One of my favorite parts in this book is the banter between Edward & Jacob. That was so amusing. These characters are so alive for me that I can't help but feel a little sad knowing that I'll be reading the last book of the series next. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the grand finale. I do hope it does not disappoint.

I seriously recommend this book. I give it 5 out of 5 stars!

Apple introduces new MacBook Pro

A refresh of Apple's long-in-the-tooth MacBook Pro line was pretty much the only sure thing slated for today's event, and Apple certainly delivered. As for looks, you probably know the score by now: chiclet keyboard, Air-inspired aluminum stylings, and a glossy screen that's flush with a new iMac-like black bezel.

read more | digg story

Saturday Night

Just finished watching some Supernatural episodes on DVD with Mr A (A. K. A. my husband). He had a few beers & is now sleeping soundly. Just thought I'd check out this iPhone app for blogging. Turning in for the night now.

Book Spotlight: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Another great book by Stephenie Meyer. I read this book in 5 hours! I am so into this Twilight series, I just can't seem to put it down. I am going through the Twilight Saga books like a hot knife on butter.

I have to warn everyone though that the first half of this book was really a bit depressing. Primarily since Bella had to do without Edward. I don't want to say too much as I don't want to spoil those that honestly want to read the book. I got so emotional while reading this book I'm still dumbfounded that a book can affect me this way. I don't know if I mentioned it before but I remember the last time a book affected me this much was with The Vampire Chronicles of Anne Rice. The first 3 books of that series especially. I know I just love Vampire books. I guess it's a fascination of mine.

I love this book but of course my favorite so far is still the first book, primarily because I love scenes with Edward in it. I know I'm biased. Nevertheless, I am truly happy having read this book. I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

iPhone Apps: ShoZu & Fring

I found these 2 great social networking apps at the Apps store. I currently use them both.

ShoZu - keeps you connected on all of your favorite social networking sites like Flickr, Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, Photobucket, Friendster, Livejournal and many more. I currently use this to update my profiles in those said sites.

Fring - it basically allows you to do VOIP calls using your iPhone. No need for a PC or laptop. VOIP on the go. Amazing! It also allows you to do chat for Yahoo Messenger, Gtalk, ICQ, Skype, MSN, AIM, and Twitter. I am using this for my VOIP and instant messaging needs.

TGIF!!!

Friday finally! I just love the weekends. Looking forward to some good movies.

Twilight

Book Spotlight: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

OMG!!!!! This book is AMAZING!!! I can't stress it enough! I'm actually a new fan. My curiousity was piqued when there was this big raucous about the release of the 4th book of the series plus the making of the 1st book into a movie. It got me curious enough to go ahead & check the book out for myself.

This is such a great love story! It brings back lots of personal memories of myself & my hubby who also happens to be my first love, my childhood sweetheart. :) OK smirk all you want but it's true! I actually married the man I truly loved.

This book evoked such strong emotions in me that it moved me to tears! I know it might seem weird for a vampire book to do that to me but it did. I've never been so excited about a book since Anne Rice's vampire chronicles. I actually went through all of the books in that series but I still believe "The Vampire Lestat" was the best of them all.

I digress. I just love this book! I couldn't put it down. I even read it all night and didn't get enough sleep even though I had work the next morning. I actually just got 2 hours of sleep last night but it was all worth it. I relish each & every word of it. It's so delicious!

You have got to read it for yourself to know what I'm talking about. All the subtleties of Edward & Bella's romance is so refreshing & exhilarating. This book definitely gets a 5 out of 5 from me!

P.S. I also love the fact that Robert Pattinson is playing Edward. I adored him as Cedric in the Harry Potter movie. I was so sad that his role was brief. But now he gets to star in his own series. I'm crossing my fingers they complete the series. So looking forward to this movie.

The 10 Remaining Must See Movies of 2008

Summer is now officially over, the leaves are getting ready to turn, and the Oscar bait movies have begun showing at various fall film festivals around the world. But just because the Oscar train is getting ready to leave the station, that doesn’t mean that every upcoming release is going to be a 3-hour long heavy-handed drama.I'm personally looking forward to the Brad Pitt flick. Oscar worthy for sure.

read more | digg story

Autumn Winter Line Up Unveiled for the Nintendo DS and Wii

As the nights draw in and Autumn makes it mark, get ready to warm up with a whole host of exciting new titles for all on the Nintendo DS and Wii. Whether a long time gaming fan or someone looking for a new form of entertainment, there will be something for everyone’s Christmas wish list.

read more | digg story

iPhone App: Flycast

Found this great radio app today. It's called FLYCAST. It connects easily via 3G or Wifi. It even works better than a radio app that I bought. Best of all Flycast is FREE! This app is highly recommended. Go see for yourself. Plus it's sooo cool you get to see the Album art while the tunes are playing. Gives you the feeling that you're just using your own mp3 files. Also gives you the option to play it in the background. Love it, love it, love it!

Johnny Depp is Riddler, Philip Seymour Hoffman is Penguin

“They’ve already got them in mind,” said Caine, when asked who he’d like to see take up arms against the Caped Crusader. “It’s Johnny Depp as The Riddler. And The Penguin is Philip Seymour Hoffman. I read it in the paper.”

read more | digg story

The 10 Most Embarrassing First Movie Roles

Hey, not everyone can hit gold on the first try like Edward Norton. For every actor like him there's a thousand Jennifer Anistons shrieking and running away from leprechauns...

read more | digg story

The Best in the Wonderful World of SNES RPGs

Sit back, chill with a nice frosty potion, and prepare yourself to experience the world of SNES RPGs.

read more | digg story

iPhone 2.1 Firmware Review: It Fixes Everything

Did the 2.1 firmware do everything it promised? Oh yes.

read more | digg story

Just Hanging Out

Posted with LifeCast

Live from Apple's 'Let's Rock' event in San Francisco - Engadget

A blow-by-blow account of the Apple "Let's Rock" event in SF. With pictures too!

read more | digg story

I Love Diggnation!

I've been such a big fan of diggnation since last year. I just love Kevin & Alex. They're hysterical! I just realized I haven't even mentioned them here in my blog...so here it is. As much as I hate to admit it, I can actually identify with some of their stories as I was in tech support too for a U.S. Domain Registrar based in California for almost 5 years! I was already managing around 2o agents under me & boy was that stressful. You just wouldn't believe all the $&*% that goes behind the scenes with that domain provider. It was really messed up. And to think I stayed there for such a long time. I have since quit that job when I moved to where I am now.

So I digress, I always make it a point to watch their weekly podcast. I have just recently updated my profile in Digg & have again become actively involved in the "digging process." Actually I do read & frequent the digg website. However my iphone app currently doesn't support "digging" the stories so I've decided to just use plain safari so I can at least keep track of the stories I've dugg. Does that make sense???? Hahaha.

In any case I'm back to my old self, I think, after being under the weather for the past week. Here's hoping for a smoother ride for the remaining days of this week. I'm just so happy Friday is almost here!

That reminds me, gotta check the Apple website for some news about the new iTunes release. Hopefully there's something new for the iPhone firmware too. Later....

Twitter

I have a new Twitter account, feel free to add me. http://twitter.com/kittycentral

Posted with LifeCast

iPhone 3G

I just bought for myself the New iPhone 3G when it was launched here yesterday. I'm soooooo happy with it. I'm just bummed about the file transfer options as I love reading ebooks on my phone. Still trying to figure out how to do it without resorting to jailbreaking it as I don't want to ruin the warranty.

Book Spotlight: A Year in High Heels by Camilla Morton

I've been into Chicklit for some time now but mostly the ones I've read have been from Sophie Kinsella. I just can't resist the cute & fancy covers of these books. They're just so cute & girly.

I recently stumbled upon a "self-help" book of some sort by Camilla Morton. This is the follow up to the previous novel of "How to Walk in High Heels." I wasn't able to read this said book but I've read so many good reviews about this most recent one. That's why I rushed immediately to the bookshop & bought a copy.

I'm very delighted with the format. They're in short bite size pieces of trivia, tips & short stories. I love this book as early as now. Will put in more info as I go along.

WALL-E

My New Hobby: Running

I have taken a bit of a breather from blogging & netsurfing. I've recently taken up a new health hobby & that's running. I finally decided to take my booty off the chair & do some serious exercise. I've been on the running program for 2 weeks already & I feel great. I'm still a beginner so I'm still getting the shin & calf & all over the body pain. :) It's all good though. I've enlisted myself in health sites like fitnessmagazine.com and self.com for some tips on running form & other healthy habits. I even went the extra mile & enlisted myself on a 3K run sponsored by Shape & Nike this June.

Currently I actually do a 3K run 2-3 times a week. Ideally I want to run 4-5 times a week. However the shin pain is sometimes unbearable & the forums do say to give the muscle time to heal. I've been active during my college years & I've actually worked out regularly prior to working. That changed when I got my first job & I feel exhausted after work.

I just realized now that the trick is to make time for it even just one hour every 2-3 days a week & I'll feel less exhausted & have more energy. That's exactly what I did & I feel great! I've actually lost an inch or 2 already from my waist & I'm looking forward to shedding more weight as my program progresses.

I'm just excited right now that I've finally decided to go the healthy route. I've always wanted to but never really followed through. It had to take a health scare of always having difficulty breathing & hyperventilating for me to finally move my booty.

Here's to a happier & healthier me! Cheers!

Lost Season 4 Finale

The finale was phenomenal! It did not disappoint one bit. Some questions were answered, however now I have more questions on my mind. My mind is reeling and I feel exhilarated after watching this finale. Several scenes tugged at my heart's strings, like that between Sawyer and Kate, Sun on the chopper looking over the exploding freighter and the scene between Desmond and Penny. There was a lot of emotion swirling in the air after watching this show. I never thought I would feel this way about any show before.

I've been a fan of many cult favorites like the X-Files, Buffy, Angel, Alias and Smallville to name a few. But Lost has been the only show that has engaged me this much. I'm in so deep, I'm in it for life.

Can't wait for the next season. I guess I'll keep my self busy with the other shows to keep my sanity. In the meantime, I can now go ahead and explore all the possible theories out there in the forums. I'm soooo glad I stayed spoiler free till the end.

Lost Finale

I'm so excited about the Lost finale. I'm such a great fan & I can't contain my excitement to the point of giddyness. :) I watched the 1st part of the finale & waiting for the last 2 hours over the next 2 weeks would be such a challenge for me. I'm trying to stay clear of the spoilers but sometimes I find myself giving in just a little.

However I don't want to overdo it, I want to enjoy the finale with kid eyes & with all the excitement they way it should be enjoyed. I have to be patient......which would be such a HUGE challenge for me......hopefully I don't give in. :)

ObjectDock

I was so happy with my discovery today of this wonderful & FREE software called OBJECTDOCK from Stardock. It gives you a MAC-OSish look to your Windows Vista OS. It's fantastic & I'm having so much fun with it.

Check it out here.

LOST

I'm so excited about the new season of LOST. I actually had the chance to watch the first 8 episodes of season 4 and it's better than ever. My favorite character is Sawyer a.k.a. James. I just love Josh Holloway & I love the rogue character he plays. Finally the new season is officially going to premiere here. I'm excited!

Sony Camcorder

I'm thinking of buying a Sony camcorder next. I've been such a big fan of Sony since I can remember & acquiring my VAIO has been one of my best investments ever. I'm currently checking this Sony DCR-DVD610E or DCR-SR45E. Hmmm.....tough choice. I don't really need something fancy. I just want a basic camcorder that's easy to use & has sufficient memory. I'm not in a rush but I think I'm liking the 1st model I mentioned. We will see as I won't be buying it soon. Maybe a few months down the line.

Nano Silver Keyboard Cover

I just bought this great keyboard cover today. I've been looking for one like this for some time now & I was able to find one at one of the major IT Malls here. I'm so happy with my purchase. I know my lappy is soooo souped up from all of the accessories but it's all worth it.

Here are the specs of this key cover:

It's not just another Silicon Keyboard Cover that you find anywhere! Nano-Silver
TPU keyboard protector can kill up to 650 types of bacteria. Not only
does the Keyboard Cover protect your laptop from spills, dust and dirt
that can damage your keyboard, it also ensures that your fingers do not
get contaminated from germs on the keyboard.

This unique Keyboard Cover not only prolongs the lifespan of your keyboard, but it also protects your health.

General Information:

• Material: Patented Nano Silver TPU
• Thickness: 0.2mm
• Dimension: Due to your Laptop model
• Colors Available: Olive Brown

Special Features:

• These keyboard covers are Anti-Bacteria (Nano-Silver kills 99.999% of 650 sort of germs)
• Extra Thin: 0.2mm only, keyboard covers
• Environment-friendly material, non-toxic

General Features:

• These keyboard covers are Mute-Typing (Muffle typing noise when you stay in libraries and coference room etc)
• These keyboard covers are durable for millions of typing and protect your keyboard
• These keyboard covers are transparent (very easy to see the characters on the key)
• These keyboard covers are waterproof (prevents water, coke, fruit juice, coffee etc from your laptop)
• These keyboard covers are dustproof (prevent dust, cigarette ash, biscute bits from the keyboard)
• These keyboard covers are washable and reusable

Digi Scrappy

I've taken up a new hobby yesterday, Digital Scrapbooking! It's so great & so addicting! I've always wanted to do scrapbooks of our photos. However I've never had the time to actually go out & buy those scrapbook materials, not to mention they're costly as well.

Last night I stumbled upon a site that was about digital scrapbooking. I was in heaven! I've already made 2 projects & I've posted them in my facebook profile. I'm so happy. Now I have another hobby to keep me busy. I really need something to help me destress after work. This is great! I'm so excited!

Long Absence

You may have probably noticed that I was a bit preoccupied for around 3 weeks. The reason being that I've been giving my full attention to my application for residency for this country we've moved to for the past 2 years. I just had to devote all my spare time in collating all the necessary requirements & I'm so happy to say we have submitted all the requirements today. Now it's just a matter of time that we get the formal approval for our Permanent Residency.

So I guess that clears up the mystery of where I've been the past 2 weeks or so. (,")

Scribe Fire

I just found this great Firefox add-on. Now I'm able to post to my blog while surfing, making it more convenient to jot down thoughts on the go.

iVillage Total Health

I visited iVillage today to check some new articles and I discovered they actually offered a pretty intensive Total Health Plan for FREE. So I signed up right away. It's some sort of online journal and planner that helps you achieve your health, exercise and stress control goals. The extent of the program was pretty impressive, especially since it's a free service. I got started right away.

Usually for this kind of setup you need to sign up for membership, but this offer was so sweet, it was free so I didn't even hesitate to join. I even was so psyched up I actually performed my exercise for the day and plugged in my food intake already for the day.

I've gained a lot of weight lately you see. Mainly due to the fact that my job working for a bank is VERY stressful. Just thinking about it stresses me out. Ok time out, I need to do those breathing exercises I learned today............... :)

So I will track my progress in my iVillage account as well as my blog. I highly recommend this FREE Service. Feel free to check it out for yourself here, you won't regret it. :)

Happy April Fools!

Oh yeah before I forget "Happy April Fools!"

HelloLulu Laptop Bag

I've been in such a good shopping mood for the past few weeks I actually forgot to mention one very good buy: my Hello Lulu Laptop Bag in Sergeant (color). I got the above pics from the net. It was made for a MAC but my VAIO fits the 15" size just fine. I'm sooo happy with this great find. I don't have to lug around my bulky VAIO bag made by Targus. This one is way more stylish than a typical black laptop bag.

Body Shop Goodies

Instead of listing down my Body Shop loot, I figured I might as well just post a picture. I went back last Sunday however most of the goodies I wanted were sold out. Nevertheless, I still was able to get a lot. By the way I forgot to include the Cranberry & Plum lipbalms that I bought as well. Overall, it was a pretty good sale. Now I'm looking forward to the one that will be held in the latter part of this year. :)

The Body Shop Sale

Yesterday I went to The Body Shop sale at the Convention Centre. I remembered last year it was also around this time of the year that they had a great sale there. It was up to 70% off & I came out of it with a lot of goodies. Good timing also since I was running out of some of my favorite items.

I'll list down my loot later on in another post as I'm actually planning on going back there today, their last day, for more. I arrived there yesterday with Mr A just a few minutes before closing so I really wasn't able to get all the things I wanted. The thing was packed! There were soo many people.

That's why I'm going there earlier today to get more loot. :) I'll update you later on my finds.

So excited. Woot!

Gear Max Screen Protector

I just bought a very nice Gear Max screen protector today for my precious VAIO. The OC side of me just couldn't stand the fact that my lappy screen is all naked & unprotected. I've been very uneasy & restless the past few weeks since I haven't bought one since I had my lappy.

Finally I found a good brand that was non adhesive, won't leave any residue, with PET material & made in Japan. I researched it thoroughly on the net before going out to get one. Luckily I found one at the IT mall today.

The sales person was even amazed that I didn't bring down my lappy so they can do the installation. They asked me repeatedly "you're doing it yourself?" I repeatedly answered a resounding "YES!" I know they were underestimating my capability to handle techie stuff, they don't know I've been a tech freak for a long time & I've been expertly putting screen protectors on PDAs, PSPs, lappys etc for so many times already. Not satisfied with my confident answer, the sales person said to me after handing me my purchase & my receipt "feel free to come back if you can't do it yourself & we'll install it for you." The nerve! I know he meant well but he was being very pushy already. I guess just because I don't look geeky doesn't mean I'm not a techie. Little does he know I've been in Tech Support for one of the biggest domain providers in the US for 5 years! (that is since I migrated to a different country & I'm now presently working in Corporate Banking....I know it's totally unrelated... go figure!)

Anyway, I'm happy with my purchase & that's all that matters. And oh yeah, the screen protector is already installed & I'm happily staring at my master work as I type here. :)

I Love Firefox

I absolutely love Firefox!

Aside from being a better alternative, not to mention FREE, to IE; I love that it's very customizable. I'm currently using the Windows Vista OS & I was able to make my Firefox look exactly like my IE w/ the AERO theme! I'm so happy with it.

It's more secure plus there are so many cool add-ons to choose from. Both to add security, as well as personality to your browser. Just finished configuring the "morning coffee" add on & I'm in heaven!

On with the customization......

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

I've been out most of the day celebrating the last day of a long weekend with my hubby Mr. A. Awww I can't bear to think about going back to work later on . It's almost 2am & I'm still awake typing away in my blog. I figure a short post in my blog won't take up too much of my time. (excuses....excuses)

I guess I'm just living the moment & trying to make the most of the time I have left till I have to go back to work. It's another manic monday & I can't wait till the weekend come again. The good thing is that pay day is just around the corner. Whopppeee!!!

Don't really have anything much to think about today. Oh yeah, I'm currently playing the new Nintendo DS Game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. I'm a game fanatic I'll have you know. I've been one since I was 10 years old playing on the old NES console. Old habits die hard & I've upgraded my console time & time when there's a new release.

Currently I'm enjoying my NDS Lite. I have so many games I'm playing simultaneously I don't know what to play first. I'm actually in the midst of finishing FFIII and Mario Party. I guess it would be a good idea if I finish those first.

So enough about that.... I think I'll play with my NDS for a bit before calling it a night.

Norton Products

I'm in the process of organizing my logins, as well as my programs in my new VAIO lappy. I'm using the built in Norton Internet Security software for antivirus, firewall etc. However, it's only for free for 90days and I have to renew my subscription. So far I'm happy with the product & I'm actually considering on purchasing Norton 360 v2. The thing is, I've searched the net & I've read about some bad experiences people had with the product. Now I'm confused.

I'm considering either the Norton 360 or the Norton Internet Security 2008 software. Hmmm. I still have 2months to go before this expires so I guess I'll read up some more. I've always had this idea that Norton was better than the others out there. I guess I need to do my homework first before I commit.

Some Template Editing & American Idol

I just finished changing my template...whew!


Thanks to suckmylolly.com for the great makeover. Editing my blog while watching AI. I'm really quite impressed with David Archuleta. He is very young but boy can he sing! I'm positive he'll be in the top 2 for sure.

I have a great idea for my blog. I'll be posting some pictures I've taken during my travels. That should be interesting...talk about making up for lost time. I guess finally having a new laptop means I don't have any more excuses for not posting.

New Sony Vaio Laptop VGN-CR35G

It's been some time since my last post. I've been meaning to write but a lot of things happened. The good news is I have a new laptop!!! I'm so excited about this.


Of course I bought this in Luxury Pink. I absolutely LOVE my new VAIO! Isn't it gorgeous!

Hopefully this motivates me to post more often. But first, I seriously need to change my layout....