http://francismir.multiply.com/ Just like food choices in a hawker stall, i'm a complicated mix of weird emotions, pent-up frustrations, ambitions, adrenaline, cheerfulness and good natured humor all fused together to make a unique dish. <BR><BR>Take a bite. It's alright! Fri, 4 Jul 2008 13:42:29 -0000 Fri, 4 Jul 2008 06:00:15 -0000 http://images.francismir.multiply.com/logo http://francismir.multiply.com 100 100 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SG28UgoKCqAAAHVOkEU1"><img border="0" class="alignright" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SG28UgoKCqAAAHVOkEU1/moto_0184.jpg?et=hLFMWZx%2BCmBrth9SyCNtIA&#x26;nmid=0"></a>How difficult is it to follow indications? "Elevator capacity: 12 people" The Korean students in my building obviously could not comprehend this. A million of them crammed into our office building's elevator and promptly plunged down to their deaths. <br><br><br>Well I exaggerate of course. Hindi sila namatay pero nahulog ang elevator thereby making all the tenants of this building suffer. Thank God we're just in the 3rd floor but sometimes it sucks to have to walk up flights of stairs.<br>But as they say, when life throws you a watermelon, (shit mabigat ata iyon!) you make a watermelon shake with extra butong pakwan! So exercise kami ngayon. Yey! 100 calories will be gone soon!!!<br>Till then let this be a lesson to everyone to follow instructions! Time to walk down!  http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/389/Kasi_Naman_Follow_Instructions Fri, 4 Jul 2008 06:00:15 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SGy2CgoKCqAAAF3GYX01"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SGy2CgoKCqAAAF3GYX01/Francis%20Miranda_Print_2.jpg?et=evTjjA1lyiOzTxDO5Ktk6A&#x26;nmid=0"></a>After much waiting I finally got my headshot!!! Project Headshot is the genius brainchild of photographer Nico Cosme whose dream is to unite people through their social networking sites. Hence he engaged in this Headshot Project so that people can have a fantastic photograph that they can use for their online identity. I was one of the fortunate 200 who got shot by this upcoming dynamic photographer. Nico has already gone through Vietnam and Cambodia. His next stop will be Thailand, so to all you guys there stay tuned for his Bangkok trip.<br>I'm also excitedly waiting for the KL leg. I just might drop by to say hi to my friends there.<br>Till then ciao and in the spirit of Project Headshot: One World... Peace everybody!  http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/388/Arrgh_Ive_Been_Shot Thu, 3 Jul 2008 11:23:29 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SGyfhQoKCqAAAHv9aCw1"><img border="0" class="alignright" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SGyfhQoKCqAAAHv9aCw1/Photo%2025.jpg?et=HhRyoXnlVVIpnQUfMLcw1Q&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Throughout my career as an advertising writer, I searched for the perfect notebook. Most of my friends ask me, "why hunt for a paper notebook when you already have a laptop?" Despite being a technology buff, I'm sure a lot of you can agree with me that nothing beats the thrill you get when you jot down your thoughts on a clean sheet of paper. Sometimes, the thoughts are well organized. Other times, they are a random mess of incoherence that needs further processing. Nonetheless, during these moments it pays to have a notebook at hand to record that fleeting thought.<br>I've hunted high and low for the perfect notebook for me. Some notebooks I park after writing on just a few pages because something just isn't right about it. Sometimes, the paper is rough that it resists the flow of the pen. Other times, the paper sucks up so much ink and disperses it leaving ugly streaks where clean lines should be. So the perfect notebook for me is one that has a good clean smell and paper that is so smo... http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/387/The_Write_Stuff Thu, 3 Jul 2008 09:44:47 -0000 <a href="http://www.ipersonic.com/type/DT.html" target="blank" title="My personality type: the dynamic thinker. Take the free iPersonic personality test!"><img src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk161/ipersonic/DT.png" border="0" alt="My personality type: the dynamic thinker. Take the free iPersonic personality test!"> </a><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border="0" width="0" height="0" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/CIMP/bHQ9MTIxNTA3NzE3NjcxOCZwdD*xMjE1MDc3MjQyMjEwJnA9NDY2MjEmZD*mbj1tdWx*aXBseSZnPTE=.jpg">While waiting for my Headshot, I decided to take this test that I saw in Ram's website and I was impressed to see that it is quite spot on. What do you guys think? Tama ba? <br>Dynamic Thinkers are confident and independent persons. They radiate enthusiasm and energy. Dynamic Thinkers pursue their objectives actively and energetically. They love nothing better than new challenges. This type is the born leader, competent, energetic and responsible. They have a sharp eye for errors and can criticise without mercy if they see the success of a project endangered. They are completely unconcerned as to whether they alienate anyone in the process. But they are always open to objective arguments; they love discussions, they are very gifted rhetorically and they are good at convincing and enthusing others.<br><br>As they are very sociable, Dynamic Thinkers like to have a lot of friends around them, preferably those with whom they can share their interests and discuss all sorts of subjects. They are very ... http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/386/Who_I_am_According_to_the_Internet Thu, 3 Jul 2008 09:27:25 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SGnYtwoKCqAAAFSdStk1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SGnYtwoKCqAAAFSdStk1/Golds.jpg?et=nx%2BrZ7c7arr73lIqFBMYIw&#x26;nmid=0"></a><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SGnYqwoKCqAAAGBOzdc1/fitness_first_logo06.jpg?et=5T8xrhlwlbz4NQXKQk0OYg&#x26;nmid=0">To gym or not to gym, that is the question that is before me. Obviously the answer is yes. At 32, I'm not getting any younger so exercise is very critical to me and my health. My girth is increasing as we speak (although some of the expansion was stopped by a well-regimented diet) and my resistance is now back to my pre-flab days. So time to buckle down and sign up for a gym. Now comes the million dollar question... what gym do I sign up for?<br>And this is a question which I need you guys to help me decide. <br>Fitness First or Gold's Gym?<br>Paging all the gym buffs and bunnies out there. Please help me in this discernment process that I may make a choice that will not only benefit my physical health but my financial one as well! <br><br> http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/385/To_Gym_or_Not_To_Gym_That_is_the_questhiun Tue, 1 Jul 2008 07:12:13 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SGh9OAoKCqAAAEXLeCM1"><img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SGh9OAoKCqAAAEXLeCM1/moto_0178.jpg?et=XrBsjEn8IClvc6lsdHdarA&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Shoes have been my weakness! Just while I was in KL, I managed to accumulate over 20 pairs of shoes. That's an average of 1.66667 shoes per month!!!! So I made a resolution to curtail my shoe spending. The ultimate test came when there was a sale in People are People and I stumbled upon a pair of loafers that I like. <br>Did I buy them? NO! BWAHAHA! Success!!!!<br>Now, sana I manage to resist the urge next time! <br> http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/384/Resist_the_Dark_Side Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:29:35 -0000 Happiness seems to be in everybody's mind these days. Over the last week, I have had many discussions with friends about happiness which prompted me to ask myself the question: "where can happiness be found?"<br>Happiness seems to be so elusive. I have friends who are single who are unhappy about being single and I have attached friends who are equally unhappy. On the flipside of the coin, I also have friends who are both happy being single or coupled. So what is the mystical secret of happiness? At first, the answer seemed to be quite elusive until, little by little, God seemed to have intervened directly in sharing with me the answer. The last few weeks have been a seeming endless following of affirmations to what constitutes happiness and the culmination of this affirmation happened last weekend when I stumbled into our Parish's Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS). <br>Mind you, this LSS was not MY LSS. It was my sister's LSS and my role there was to simply drop by and affirm my sister. But Go... http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/383/Buscando_La_Felicidad Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:21:45 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SGB9xgoKCqAAACjSTdg1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SGB9xgoKCqAAACjSTdg1/moto_0176.jpg?et=Xu%2BcxEh1OKLptF%2CfPCr%2CFw&#x26;nmid=0"></a>I wonder what happens at this point? <br>Ma-pipick up ba ako? <br><br>Hmmm, curious minds want to know.  http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/382/Say_What Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:53:48 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SGB9lgoKCqAAADJtjnk1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SGB9lgoKCqAAADJtjnk1/moto_0175.jpg?et=udDgvxtMH6AKLwfYdLTDZA&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Last Saturday, while waiting for Made of Honor, Jolina, Stacey and I stumbled upon the Deal or No Deal Video Game in ATC. We had time to kill so we decided to plunk some cash down (actually Jolina did, Stacey and I just leeched off her Powercard. THANKS JOLS!) for a game of Deal or No Deal. <br>For a game that has nothing to do with skill and purely to do with luck IT WAS SO BLOODY STRESSFUL!!! I got so stressed to the point that my eyes watered! <br>My worst game was giving up 50 tickets that the banker offered me in exchange for 3 in my suitcase. Huhuhu. <br>Well losing fifty tickets I guess is okay. Much better than losing a million dollars I suppose.  So here's to the next stressful game of DEAL OR NO DEAL!  http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/381/Deal_or_No_Deal Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:52:46 -0000 An honest to goodness bottle opener! Haven't used one of these since grade school! http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/380/Taga-Tangal_ng_Tansan Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:58:53 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFiIrQoKCqAAADYGz5k1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFiIrQoKCqAAADYGz5k1/francis.jpg?et=23OV%2CFxVesCrrNSV%2CPcqbg&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Here's my proud Filipino shot in front of the Avon Breast Care Center in PGH! <br>Thanks to Angelo Aquino who conceptualized this fantastic project where he aims to feature over a thousand Proud Filipinos! <br>More power Angelo and great project!  http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/379/Proud_Filipino Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:02:00 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFaLTgoKCqAAABDjcp81"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFaLTgoKCqAAABDjcp81/Photo%2017.jpg?et=AFTovbc7AFOS43pfj%2C1VFg&#x26;nmid=0"></a><a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFaLPgoKCqAAABXTcEE1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFaLPgoKCqAAABXTcEE1/Photo%2016.jpg?et=%2Bve1G0e9psSfHUTHXpfGeA&#x26;nmid=0"></a><a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFaLLwoKCqAAAAgusXc1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFaLLwoKCqAAAAgusXc1/Photo%2018.jpg?et=wdbdTW046Z7ASJZ%2CzLSbxg&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu!!!! It's 12 midnight and I'm still at work. The price for pitches I suppose! This week is yet another mega-pitch week. I have some pitches tomorrow, some on wednesday. Thank God for a respite on Thursday but more pitches on Friday! Arrghhh!!!<br>I hope that we win most of them. <br>Well to relieve myself of stress while brainstorming I decided to take a trip to Paris, the Pacific Ocean and Yosemite Park. Ahhh the joys of a holodeck.<br>PAGOD NA AKO! I WANT TO GO HOME! <br><br> http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/378/Primitive_Holodeck Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:48:49 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFXjEgoKCqAAAEDFa5U1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFXjEgoKCqAAAEDFa5U1/Photo%2014.jpg?et=%2BECn81sFUzJiMUBUMw8nmw&#x26;nmid=0"></a><a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFXjBQoKCqAAADpIO341"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFXjBQoKCqAAADpIO341/Photo%2015.jpg?et=hAZbZEqoJxEjLzbi9Ghf%2CA&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Since time immemorial I have always been misconstrued to be a doctor. People who do not know me automatically assume that I am a practitioner of the medical arts. However, thanks to Annie Carpio MD, I am now an certified Medical Doctor as well. The secret to my Doogie Howser success? Med School in a Box! A quick education in the medical arts guaranteed to provide you with an honest to goodness Medical Degree, in LATIN no less? <br>In one day, I breezed through the course and graduated with flying colors. So now, everyone of you may address me as Dr. Francis Miranda MD.<br>Now if you'll excuse me, I will now begin my specialization in UROLOGY and NEUROSURGERY. I should be done by tonight.<br>Till then, stay healthy!  http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/377/Francis_Miranda_MD._ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:51:14 -0000 May 30 was the day that the Singles Apostolate of St. James trooped to Enchanted Kingdom for our annual Amazing Race competition. Jolina and I were tasked to be the host of this competition. Here is a short video that AJ Araneta did to chronicle what happened. Thanks Shep AJ! Hope you guys enjoy this! Ano? Puwede na bang maging host ng Amazing Race Manila? Hahaha! http://francismir.multiply.com/video/item/117/Amazing_Race_Singles_Edition Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:09:28 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFKJ2woKCqAAACNxedU1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFKJ2woKCqAAACNxedU1/Alamid_Down1.JPG?et=C%2BGQJe4QZPqgevqJ51Tt4w&#x26;nmid=0"></a><a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFKJsQoKCqAAACNxecc1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFKJsQoKCqAAACNxecc1/Photo%2011.jpg?et=WhiqPFdZgcy45TAb%2B8mNxw&#x26;nmid=0"></a><a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SFKJhgoKCqAAAB4@9gU1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SFKJhgoKCqAAAB4@9gU1/Photo%2010.jpg?et=w0P6DhQiIsnRMwXxBiFLNg&#x26;nmid=0"></a>I had a rather interesting morning. I was in a client's office early for a presentation so before I went up to show my slides I decided to review them at the cafe at the first floor of their office building. The blend of my interest was the "alamid" blend. Why is this quite intriguing for a hardy coffee drinker like me? Well the process by how "alamid" is made is what makes for an interesting coffee table experience. <br>The alamid is the Philippine Civet Cat. It lives in the provinces of the Philippines, specifically where coffee plants are grown. The reason being is that it feasts on coffee cherries. It eats them whole, including the coffee bean. And this is where the miracle, or depending on how you look at it, the grossness happens. The bean passes through the alamid's gastrointestinal system where enzymes curdle and process it. The animal then shits out the beans which are gathered by the farmers, cleaned, roasted and brought to stores to be savored by curious animals like myself.<br>So t... http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/376/Good_Shitty_Coffee Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:54:19 -0000 Lesson to everyone! Never try to video tape a ghost hunt otherwise something tragic will occur! http://francismir.multiply.com/video/item/115/Malinta_Cave_Horror_Story Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:49:47 -0000 No trip to Corregidor should be complete without a ghost hunting trip. After all, an island which has undergone so much trauma would understandably hold a troubled spirit or maybe a hundred of them. So we decided to take our hotel's offer for a ghost hunt for an affordable P100. The site for our spiritual hunting was to be the Abandoned hospital at dusk and the Malinta Caves lateral tunnels at night. Creepy was the word to describe the tour as we heard stories of suffering, hardship and death. The chill winds also did not help. As we strolled through the caves, my mind was wondering on how many people crossed to the afterlife from here? The creepiest part for me was the Underground hospital. It was there where I felt the heaviest. The ghost tour was fun yet at the same time creepy in a way. Worth it, it was. I just hope I didn't bring home a spirit from it. That would be a creepy pasalubong http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/album/252/Ghost_Hunting_Trip Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:12:59 -0000 Next stop of our tour was the Malinta Tunnel Light and Sound show. After visiting the Japanese graveyard we hied off to Malinta Tunnel for a fantastic light show that gave you a feel of how it was for the soldiers who were bunked in this impenetrable underground fortress. World class production in my opinion. Definitely worth the P150 we paid. http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/album/251/Light_and_Sound_Show_at_Malinta Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:58:44 -0000 War is never a good thing and peace is something that we should all celebrate. These were the two thoughts behind the various War Memorials that are littered all over Corregidor Island. These memorials celebrate the sacrifice of the various soldiers who gave up their lives to defend our country and serve as a stern reminder to us that war is never glorious. War is only wonderful when it ends. http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/album/250/Pacific_War_Memorial Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:50:24 -0000 Since it was a long weekend, Stacey, Kris and myself decided to hie off to Corregidor for some much needed rest. This is part of my "See the Philippines" tour series where I promised myself that I would make time to explore this country of ours. So we started our trip aboard the Sun Cruiser operated by Sun Cruises. Kudos to this tour operator for having such a well oiled Corregidor package. The Corregidor trip has a bittersweet tinge to it because Corregidor is an island battered by war. Countless soldiers, Filipinos, Americans and Japanese met their deaths on this island. Corregidor was a garrison of Philippine defense and the graveyard of so many brave souls. It is also a reminder of how ugly war is and how we should all strive for peace. Seeing these ruins made me wonder, if these walls could talk, what would they say to us? http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/album/249/Corregidor_Batteries Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:15:38 -0000 Impressive! There's signal in the open seas! http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/375/none Sat, 7 Jun 2008 01:28:18 -0000 It's a long weekend and to celebrate our freedom from corporate responsibilities we've decided to hie off to Corregidor. Kris, Stacey and i packed our bags at six am and boarded our boat to Corregidor. So here we are moving out of Manila Bay. Francis signing out! See you on the http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/374/none Sat, 7 Jun 2008 00:11:19 -0000 I took the mrt today because i needed to go to Trinoma for an ocular. Its no Singapore or even Kl mrt but it gets the job done. Its reasonably clean and aside from the crowd its quite comfortable. Breezed through Edsa in cold comfort while all the motorists on the road had to contend with horrible traffic. It got me thinking on how wonderful life in metro manila would be if we had trains cris-crossing the city. Not only do we save the environment but we also save our wallets from the horrible assault it gets from rising oil prices. I really hope that we have more trains. Look its my station now. Ten minutes and i'm where i need to be. Cheers! http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/373/A_Train_to_Progress Fri, 6 Jun 2008 02:03:22 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SEiBrAoKCqAAADkhpww1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SEiBrAoKCqAAADkhpww1/Photo%208.jpg?et=tMrkcuQfOJXxsK3hYyaENQ&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Change always necessitates some adjustment. My one month in Manila has been an experiment in trying to find out what schedule works for me. I used to have the mistaken notion that waking up late and leaving the house late would save me a ton of pain from traffic. Then I realized that waking up early actually saves me that and helps me get a ton of work done. The last two days I have been leaving the house at 700AM and wow... ZERO TRAFFIC! I love it! I'm in the office by 7:30 with enough time to leisurely sit down read the papers, drink some coffee and write some coffee.<br>And yes, also time to camwhore. <br>Wala lang... time to get back to work!  http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/372/Morning_Guy Fri, 6 Jun 2008 00:21:31 -0000 <a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SEY2agoKCqAAAFKGl9w1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SEY2agoKCqAAAFKGl9w1/moto_0167.jpg?et=8pu72EAawp3c2zteCeXbnQ&#x26;nmid=0"></a><a href="http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SEY2UwoKCqAAAFbaqE01"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.francismir.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SEY2UwoKCqAAAFbaqE01/moto_0165.jpg?et=ppQAK%2C3VT9buQDj4s01u5Q&#x26;nmid=0"></a>Hospitals have never been my thing. Ever since my mom got sick and we had to make the rounds of hospitals all over Manila I have always been a bit wary of them, which is quite funny considering that everyone seems to think that I am a doctor. <br>This morning I had to not only go to a hospital but I also had to visit the Cancer center of the Philippine General Hospital. The purpose of my visit was to talk to women who were fighting breast cancer for an audio-video presentation I was working on for Avon. The reason for the video is to help garner support for this great work that Avon was doing for breast cancer survivors in the Philippines. To this effect I went to the Avon Breast Care Center which is a facility within the breast center of PGH that helps underprivileged women fight this disease through free chemotherapy as well as support groups. I was asked to join their monthly support group where I was to moderate in an attempt to find nice stories to tell in our video. <br>In the room wer... http://francismir.multiply.com/journal/item/371/A_Different_Kind_of_Morning Wed, 4 Jun 2008 06:30:12 -0000 I ended my last day of the South Beach Diet with a bang. Two weeks with no kanin? So on my last day, we ate at KANIN CLUB!!! I indulged for one night but only for one night. It was a great night filled with stories and this really crispy delicious diniguan. http://francismir.multiply.com/photos/album/248/Kanin_Club Mon, 2 Jun 2008 13:11:26 -0000