For  October 2011, Material Boy got these:

Nike Free Run+ 2

Nike Free Run

Material Boy’s good old running shoes, Nike Recoupe,  need to retire already after almost 5 years of calorie-burning service. His other pair of running shoes, a Nike Free Everyday+, is with his dad already. So, he decided to buy a new one: the Nike Free Run+ 2. He originally wanted a Nike Free H20 Repel because it’s water-resistant and reflective features amazed him. However, after some time of contemplation, Material Boy got these babies instead. At PhP 4,995, the financially conservative Material Boy (Irony, yes) didn’t have a hard time rationalizing this purchase. Branded running shoes cost this much anyway.

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Nike+ iPod Sensor

Material Boy owns an old-but-still-functioning second generation iPod Touch and, just recently, a pair of Nike+ iPod compatible running shoes. The next logical step is buying A Nike+ iPod sensor. He had a hard time finding for a “sensor only” variant but Athlete’s Foot at Alabang Town Center gave him the what he wanted for PhP 995.

Nike+ iPod Sensor

At last, Material Boy can already workout with a virtual running coach.

Nike+ Running Statistics

Prescription Glasses 

The Material World offers a lot of material choices so a good vision is a necessity. Material Boy had this realization so he got some glasses after his Eye Doctor told him that his eyes are sick. For a whopping PhP 3,600, he can’t get over that he invested this much for something he doesn’t want to wear. For the sake of good vision (Material Boy has difficulties reading in front of a computer screen and suffers from astigmatism), he followed his doctor’s advice.

Prescription Glasses

Toyota Vios

Material Boy needs a car for his work. Being a Boy Who Lives In The South, commuting became a hassle and a form of office stress even before he walks into the office. So he got a… brand new car (*with a The Price is Right game show announcer intonation*) under his employer’s Car Plan program. A Vios is not Material Boy’s dream car but is already sufficient and practical considering his needs and budget.

Toyota Vios

Material Boy is now back to work so he can buy his material desires for November 2011. $$$

The Harry Potter Series. Image from NewsCraze.net.

“The magic begins” and “It all ends” illustrate the two ends of the segment of the successful franchise. Even if the story has a start and an end, fans argue that the magic will live on forever. It may exhibit a flair of drama or a tear-jerking spell but the truth lies on one of the core principles of muggle marketing: brand ownership.

Lev Grossman, writer and book critic, posed a question in his article “The Boy Who Lived Forever“:

Do characters belong to the person who created them? Or to the fans who love them so passionately that they spend their nights and weekends laboring to extend those characters’ lives, for free?

Grossman was writing about the cultural phenomenon called “fan fiction” but if you look at the bigger picture, the “fans” he illustrated may not just be limited to fan fiction writers and readers. His question may cover those fans who simply watch the the movies and daydream or curl in crying after finishing the series.

So, who owns the “brand”? Thomas Stewart, a Chief Marketing and Knowledge Officer of a global management consulting firm, has the answer in his article “Who Owns Your Brand.”

There’s a difference between “brand” and “branding.” You own your brand in a legal sense but in real life, it is owned by your customers and manifested in the attitudes they hold and the stories they tell. You can control branding–activities ranging from slogans to PR. But ultimately, you can only influence, not control, your brand.

So that’s it, the Harry Potter brand is owned by JK Rowling in theory but the fans own it in reality. The famous author is nice enough to allow fan fiction to prosper unlike other writers such as Anne Rice who doesn’t want her characters live a different plot. Fan Fiction gives the fan base the freedom to give an alternative reality or to fill the gaps in the story. This kind of liberation gives the brand continuity, legacy and, yes, immortality (without the use of horcruxes). Moreover, this gives the “consumers” a wide area for viral conversations that can happen in any medium. Ultimately, the consumers will still contribute to the brand’s gross income through watching the movies or buying their very own Hogwarts uniform.

JK Rowling, during the last movie’s premiere, said: “Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.“ She didn’t know that, afterall, Hogwarts contain the people who buy her books and watch the movies. Don’t worry, Ms Rowling, Hogwarts will always be here to welcome you home and buy you another home.

Recovery

The road to recovery from a stupid heartache should be easy. If you’re an intelligent person whose emotions cannot tangle with your objective stream of logical thoughts, then forgetting something or someone is just a piece of bubblegum. Humans have differentiated the heart from the brain as if they are the church and the state (respectively). The liberal, free-thinking human cannot unwelcome emotions even if he or she has the ability to isolate them–and I’m not an exception. Thank God for distractions for helping His children to be distracted and for being the biggest form of distraction. Aside from pulling power from the Omnipotent, I renewed my running routines. I used to be fit, you know.

Jogging Path

This is where I jog regularly. Don’t even dare to stalk me because you can’t chase me. Not. Doing six laps per session will give me a 4.5 km accomplishment. I have to make that 5 km per session soon. Many people jog here because of the pleasant environment (hence the name Pleasant Drive). This place is near the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine and Asian Hospital at Alabang. When I see those medical institutions while I jog, I am further inspired to do this run for my health, haha. On the other hand, I think of you while I’m doing my death march. This gives me the boost I need and, not to mention, the refusal pill against recovery.

How do you get romantically inspired by someone who can’t be with you? I don’t know. But hey, thanks anyway–for inspiring me.

Clock

My mom bought a new clock for our living room. It looks nice and classic and has that medieval appeal.

Medieval & Almost-Scary Clock

During its first few weeks of installation, I tend to be scared when I look at it during the wee hours of the morning. I do my homework in our living room so that I can watch TV but this clock forced me to transfer. Those Roman Numerals are scary. Those gold-plated hands are scary. Those curls are scary. Dude, this clock is scary. Go on, Clock, scare me–because your Time, although scarier in theory, can’t scare me.

Pens

Black, Red and Blue are the colors I always carry with me. I have been using a Trio since High School because I’m colorful like that.

Red, Black & Blue

When I started my professional career, I neglected Blue and Red already. My planners and work-related notepads and notebooks are filled with black doodles–nothing more. I guess I’m less-colorful now or I’m just getting old. On the rainbow side of the sky, my ability to understand my notes without the eye-candy help of Red and Blue deserves a praise. Professional life is black and white. There might be gray areas–but they are just  a mixture of black and white anyway.

I’ll choose “okay” if I only have two choices for illustrating what I feel. There might be gray areas–but they are just a mixture of happiness and sadness anyway. Generally, I’m okay. This week is exciting in many ways. I can see a difficult U-turn, sexy pedestrians (keep your eyes on the road, mister) and a crazy traffic enforcer. Wish me a safe trip.

Hey, it’s the end of the road but you’ll always be my…

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

Baptism of Wildfire

Those who know me personally and/or those who took some time reading few of my recent entries are aware of the first career stint I had. I’m not really sure if I can discuss my job responsibilities and our corporate structure here but there is one thing I can say in public: I have many responsibilities and people who I am accountable for. Quite heavy stint for an “entry level position”, I can say. I remember my 27-year-old boss telling me: “If you want power at an early age, then this company can give you that carnivore desire.” In my case, I do not really aim for a carnivore, autocratic type of power though I admit that I want to influence and lead people. Apparently, my boss and I were on the same page. I knew it. Influence and leadership in an aggressive and competitive industry will always pertain to authoritative power or to any aspect of it. “Assertive democratic” can be a term of compromise, I guess.

One of my teams. Find me.

The First Strum of Boss Guitar

After a few weeks of working, I realized that asserting your power is mandatory as if you are paid solely on the basis of doing such. I was a 21 year old boy. And I was the bossing of many (older) people. Yes, you can be cocky about it and I am. But that cockiness should extend to being responsible and accountable. When I handled my first project, I internally panicked because of the number of people I need to lead. Wow, I really am a pack leader. I admit, my first project was not perfect. I discussed the post-mortem to my boss and, although I sounded professional, he knew how juvenile my analyses were.

Pointing Fingers

After I discussed the results with him, I began ranting about the glitches in the system and, to some extent, the inefficiencies of the people I handled.

Stop right there, he said to me. If you don’t want your people, then fire them and search for better people who can replace them. If you don’t want the system, then fix it yourself. I just want the results. If you are talking to me, then I don’t know your people already. At this point, you are your people.

I stared at him for only two seconds but it was the longest stare and psychological digestion I had in my life. Gone are the days where I can easily report an uncooperative group mate to my professor and even feel good about it. Gone are the days where I can just blame other people or any external force at that in ruining something because it is logical and justified to do so. Gone are the days where you can just argue about the inevitability of loopholes, about the unavoidable clumsy circumstances and, yes, even about the bad weather. There are things that are really out of your control, we all know. But are they really out of your control?  The famous Serenity Prayer has always been helpful.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

Level 5 Leadership

The concepts of accountability and leadership reminded me of Jim Collins, author of the books Built to Last and Good to Great (which I should read soon). I read a summary last year for one of the conferences I attended. According to Collins, a Level 5 Leader (the highest type; think of him or her as a self-actualized leader) is both modest and accountable.

Level 5 leaders look out the window to attribute success to factors other than themselves. When things to poorly, they look in the mirror and blame themselves, taking full responsibility.

You are just as good as your people.

Miguel, my boss continued, I do the same when I talk to my boss. I don’t talk about you and your colleagues. I talk about myself in behalf of the whole team. Remember this, you are just as good as your people.

That incident was one of the most significant professional awakenings I had. Yes, I know that a leader must speak in behalf of its people. I know that a leader must be responsible and accountable. I know all those yada yada yada and cliches about leadership. What I didn’t know is how hard it is to be a leader in a professional and competitive setting (Theory vs Practice, eh?). What I didn’t know is how hard it is to do magic. Magic, after all, is just a form of reality that has the ability to constantly rekindle our sense of awe (Aguado, 2011). Magic happens when you have the courage to change the things you can change and when you have the wisdom to know that these things can be changed. Alps, you have to stand with only two legs. You have to stand because a hundred more need to. You have to stand because a hundred more need you. You have to stand because a hundred more believe that it is your cup of brew.

June 10, 2011. Amidst the excitement and inspiration exuded by the NBA Finals, I was suffering personal and technical fouls inside my emotional hardcourt (LOL, yeah, those are basketball metaphors). Anyway, the problem is, I’m in a one-man game. I felt violated–but a realization told me that I was, apparently, the violator. One-man game, Alps, one-man game.

Asking “what if?” is not only for formulating a Plan B but also for crying over what-could-have-beens.

Too many shrapnel shells inside me but I choose not to explode. So, please, don’t let your lovely flame flirt with my sensitive wick.

I can’t freeze time but I think I can freeze myself. I hope you can find me so I can melt adorably. Last na, last na talaga. Bye.

Those are my emotions in 140 characters or less. Now, my question is, how do you manage an emotion that is so painful only to realize that you were really the one who is killing yourself? Is that kind of realization another form of pain? If it is, how do you manage it if it shouldn’t be a problem in the first place? How do you accuse someone of murder if, apparently, you are really committing suicide?

Why am I mourning on the loss of someone if consanguinity or affinity dictates that I don’t have any right to do so?

Why am I crying over spilled milk that was never mine, is not mine and, more likely, will never be mine?

Why?

I’m currently searching for an answer. While I’m doing this journey, I decided to dig my memory box. HAHA. Call me queer, but I actually preserve all the things that merit eternal glory. I could pull an inspiration from it anytime. Actually, I already stopped “collecting” memories because, err, I think I’m getting old–but I’ll start to get fresh ones soon. Those memories include written letters from all the girls I loved before. Chos.

Reading them made me laugh and giggle. Reading them made me wonder why the 15-year-old-me and my 15-year-old affairs take life and love seriously. Wow, even tweeners can become this gaga about love. Then I said to myself, after five years or so, I’ll just laugh at the issue I just shared.

After more digging, I found things that made me smile:

My first Beauty King title sash! Haha.

And, of course, my second Beauty King title. HAHAHA. The next title I should have is a Bikini Open title. I’m so serious.

My favorite sash is my Mr. Perfect sash. Haha. It started as a ridicule during my third year in high school. The one who started such ridicule crowned herself as Ms. Perfect! James/Jobel, a.k.a. Ms. Perfect, I miss you!

There were some things that surprised me, including these:

Haha! The youngster me keeps his bad ol’ porn inside his memory box. They are safe there because I prohibited my parental units taking a look at my sacred container. Apparently, the box is not completely sacred. I don’t need these anymore because my hormones are not as crazy as before. Mom, dad, if you are reading this, I’m already 22 years old, K.

I want to have a progress of recovery this weekend so I asked my mom if we could have my favorite hearty meal and red rice for lunch.

Phew, that was a long time out for the hard emotional game I am currently playing. To continue this drama, I started to feel an avalanche of unrelated petty problems. They seem little ones but if you feel all of them all at the same time, the implosion can pierce your surface so you can show them off. The problem is, when I start to feel a major problem, minor ones seem to follow. I’m learning to focus at one problem at a time and placing it in a vacuum so other annoying things won’t meddle with my problem solving process.

Moreover, my emotional struggle lead me to think that I am not getting the liberty I deserve and I should innately have. The 7 Habits told me that the highest form of liberation is innate in humans–but I am still training to maximize its usage.

If I can stretch myself from normalcy to anomaly, then I can fall in love with life again. You see, my heart needs a rebel artery.

Yes, I need a rebel artery. Monotonous heartbeats bore me. A normal blood pressure kills me. I want that heart attack, that cardiac arrest and that hypertension. And, you know what, you’re the only one who can give me those.

You, spilled milk that was not mine, is not mine and, more likely, will never be mine, I still adore your creaminess(?). LOL, metaphor fail again. Anyway, I guess I was just an anonymous bystander who witnessed the spillage. Psychologically, I should not care about it or I should just feel indifferent. But you were a different case, special spilled milk. I believe there’s something in me that makes me cry over you, there’s something in your spillage that directly hits home. Yes, I was just a stranger. I blame myself because I was just a stranger. But I hope you know that in that very short moment of spillage, I felt that we knew each other for a long time. After the shock, I promised to become a stranger again and walk away. That’s what I promised.

You, spilled milk, if you are looking for clues, you came to the right place. I’m here. And I’m that stranger you don’t know how to approach. You should know me by now. I just want you to know that I cared even if I was just a stranger.

At this point in time, I know you are enjoying your newly-refilled glass. As for me, I’m still wondering if mine is half empty or half full. While we live separate milky night caps, I just want to tell you that I love(d) you. Cheers.

Yes, that’s how I feel right now–the career oxygen I have been inhaling for the past few months blurs the lines between emotion and philosophy. I want to take break by blogging less serious things. Hence, Triumvirate #17.

Atheist

Atheists of the Philippines

This website (which looks like a portal), listed me under the “Atheists of the Philippines” category. Wait, what? I reflected for a minute and tried to think if I am really an atheist, if I made a blog entry renouncing my faith to any god and if I branded my self (and my site at that) as an atheist. I am not. I did not. And I did not. The closest atheist connection I have is my friendship with Benj. But that doesn’t make me an atheist, obviously.

Sun

Solar Powered Light "Rods"

Summer’s here and sun’s the protagonist (more of an antagonist, actually) of the season. It’s about time to take advantage of the scorching heat by using solar powered stuff! For starters, solar powered lights can be bought and used. We installed several of these cheap classics on our garden for a sparkling Tête à Tête during the hot summer nights.

Solar Powered Light "Rods"

Bookmarks

"Meh" Robot Bookmark

When I’m bookmarking a page of the book I am reading, I do not really use a real bookmark. I use pens, highlighters, scissors, tape dispensers, staplers or even another book instead. Then, I see my book pages wrinkle even though they still haven’t reached their I Have Wrinkles age. So, I bought a real one. Meet the “Meh” Robot Bookmark. Quite ironic since most of my reactions when reading a book are “Aha!” and derivatives of “Aha!”. Well, I do some “Meh” reactions too especially to the things that are too trivial or too shallow. Meh.

Okay, I need to go back. But before that, Globe Telecom, please, fix your broken ass.

Give my life back, Globe.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

Success is as easy as "42."

Albert Gray is a life insurance professional who became popular because of his short speech he delivered to life insurance agents. His speech contained the simple key to success. Many life coaches, business trainers or even self-help opinion leaders have their own recipes for success–many of which are too complicated to cook or too weird a delicatessen for some conservative taste buds. Albert Gray’s is a fried egg. Or a poached egg. Or a ready-to-eat raw egg. Here’s his one-step recipe:

The common denominator of success–the secret of success of every man who has ever been successful–lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do.

According to him, this is so general and universal, we need to deal with it every single day of our life.

It’s just as true as it sounds and it’s just as simple as it seems. You can hold it up to the light, you can put it to the acid test, and you can kick it around until it’s worn out, but when you are all through with it, it will still be the common denominator of success, whether you like it or not.

Here are some of his interesting claims in his speech:

Hard Work is not the answer. Like Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Gray said that hard work is not the key to success since he know many people who are hardworking but not successful. However, like the Rich Dad, Poor Dad author, Gray said that hard work might be one of the requirements. Considering his Secret to Success logic, it is safe to conclude that unsuccessful hardworking people works hard for the things failures like to do.

We like to do what failures like to do. You might ask the question: What are the things that failures don’t like to do? Unfortunately, Gray did not exemplified such things in his speech because, according to him, they are too obvious to discuss (though he cited two things; see next paragraph). However, he contended that these things are also the things that even successful men like to do–they just also do those things that failures don’t.

Connecting is vital. He said that two of the things that fail life insurance agents do not want to do are “call on people who don’t want to see us and talk to them about something they don’t want to talk about.” This supports John Maxwell’s claim about the importance of connecting with others.

Aim for pleasing results and not for pleasing methods. When we need to get a job done, we want the process to be fast and comfortable enough for us. Voila, you have the perfect recipe for mediocrity. In this generation of instant gratification, pleasing methods are so popular.

Purpose drives people to do unpleasing things. If all of us, successful or a failure, have the similar set of things we do not like to do, then what makes successful people do them anyway? Purpose, my friend. Maxwell’s 7 Habits has a similar advice–habit number 2, begin with the end in mind. Gray and Maxwell, moreover, also told us the importance of building habits.

• Purpose must be practical and not visionary. He explained this advice by telling a story. However, he did not really gave a personal explanation. What I extracted from it is this: A purpose must be something you can attain and must be something that came from your heart.

• Purpose must be emotional and not logical. Gray said that if your purpose is logical (i.e. when it is in the form of needs), once satisfied, it will stop pushing you. However, when it is emotional (i.e. when it is in the form of wants or desires), it will keep pushing you even if your needs are satisfied.

I’m thinking of some examples failures don’t like to do. I think some of the basic ones are these: finishing things early; eating and drinking moderately; aiming for a perfect score; staying away from vices; sleeping 8 hours a day; connecting to people; putting first things first; doing boring clerical, desk jobs (until you can afford a secretary); and keeping promises to self and other people. I believe that most of the things failures don’t like to do are just basic things in life. These basic things, although not always necessary, will build a strong foundation sturdy enough for the more ambitious things we want to do. Well, there are some more not really simple things that failures don’t like to do, and the the list can be endless–especially when considering a particular context. I’m not saying that doing these things will make you a failure. Doing these regularly to the extent that they become personal habits will transform themselves into failure bugs that can infest your life harvest. You want to successful? Stop being a brat. Just do it, bitch.

Download Albert Gray’s The Common Denominator of Success.

When she gave me questionnaire similar to this, I broke into laughter because all I saw were just balls! Apparently, my mom cannot draw something else. Well, maybe she can draw a simple house or a tree but, maybe, she thought that drawing balls would be more practical and convenient. Haha. But thanks to her balls, I am now able to add and subtract. Thanks to her balls, I finished Preschool and Grade School with flying colors. Thanks to her balls, I entered high school as a scholar and graduated from one of the country’s top university. Thanks to her balls, I am now a good, principled man. These things are not for me to brag but things that my mom (and her ability to draw balls, okay enough, haha) can be proud of.

(L-R) Mama, Me, Me, Mama. Haha.

To all mothers out there, I know you got some balls too! Happy Mother’s Day! :)

The Tour of Hope 2011

Press Release below. To view a video, click this: The Tour of Hope 2011

Cyclists Rally for Cervical Cancer Prevention on May 28

How far would you go to save 500 women?

For the dedicated cyclists of the upcoming “Tour of Hope 2011- 00: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer,” it will take 500 kilometers in 5 days. They will undertake the challenging 5-day journey from Manila to Laoag in order to help raise funds for cervical cancer prevention vaccination drives and seminars.

“What makes this year’s Tour of Hope different is that we are going to vaccinate a total of 500 women during the tour,” explains Abbygale Arenas-de Leon, Bravehearts president. “We wanted the tour to be more than just a way to spread awareness about cervical cancer prevention. We hope this will inspire more women to take action against this deadly but preventable disease.”

Recently, the exciting details of the biggest anti-cervical cancer were revealed at the official launch of this year’s Tour of Hope, which was organized by Bravehearts in partnership with Team David’s Salon and GlaxoSmithKline. The event was held at R.O.X., the biggest outdoor sports and recreation hub in Southeast Asia and hosted by celebrity athlete Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion, who will also be cycling to help save women from cervical cancer in the Tour of Hope.

In a country where cervical cancer claims the lives of 12 women everyday[1], the need to fight this disease has only become more urgent over the years.

“I would like to encourage women to be screened for cervical cancer regularly,” said Dr. Cecilia Llave, Program Director of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP). “The disease is treatable through early detection. In fact, not only is it treatable, it can also be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle and getting vaccinated.”

Since The Tour of Hope started in 2008, it has generated approximately Php 2 million through sponsorships and pledges. These were then used for cervical cancer screening programs and lectures with the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP).

However, if you think that The Tour of Hope is all about the bikers, think again. Over the past two years, the event organizers have formed partnerships with local government units such as those of Tarlac, Dagupan, Pampanga, La Union, and Baguio in order to conduct lectures during each stopover of the tour to local communities with marginalized groups who display poor health-seeking behavior.

What’s in Store for The Tour of Hope 2011
Aside from the challenging journey, The Tour of Hope has always been known for bringing its participants to scenic locations such as Vigan, Zambales, and Camarines Sur. This year is no exception. The Tour of Hope 2011 – 500: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer will kick off at the TriNoma Mall in Quezon City on May 28, 2011.

The first stop will be at Tarlac City, Tarlac. It is the home of President Noynoy Aquino’s ancestral house and Mount Pinatubo, where adventure-seeking 4×4 wheel drivers try their skills, and hikers visit the crater. The tour will then continue to San Fernando, La Union, where the renowned La Union Botanical Gardens is located. Afterwards, the bikers will head to Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, where historical churches and ancestral homes that reflect the beauty of old world architecture can be found. The fourth stop will be Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, where tourists often visit the Juan Luna Shrine. There, visitors can get a glimpse of the award-winning Spolarium painter’s life through vintage photographs and household artifacts. The final stop for this year’s Tour of Hope is Paoay, where bikers will get to see the unique blend of Spanish, Chinese, and architecture represented by Paoay Church, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The last leg of the tour will feature celebrity bikers such as Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, Marvin Kiefer, Rovilson Fernandez, Troy Montero, Aubrey Miles, Will Devaughn, Richie Hardin, Richard Herrera, Janna Victoria, Gem Padilla, Anthony Pangilinan, and David Charlton. They will be lending their star power to draw attention to a good cause. In addition, Tessa Prieto-Valdes is currently working on a special project that will also help raise funds for cervical cancer prevention.

As part of the preparations for the upcoming Tour of Hope, there will also be a Mini Tour of Hope that will be held on May 7 at Filinvest, Alabang. This is a great way for biking enthusiasts to show their support for the anti-cervical cancer advocacy, and everyone is invited to join.

“On behalf of Bravehearts, I’d like to encourage everyone to join the fight against cervical cancer,” Abbygale Arenas-de Leon said. “For all the women, do it for your families and loved ones. And for all the men, I encourage you to support the cervical cancer prevention advocacy for your mothers, sisters, and daughters. With your help, thousands of lives can be saved.”

[1] Philippine Cancer Society. Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, 2005

Bravehearts is a non-profit organization initially led by the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP) for the Cancer Institute Foundation (CIF). It is dedicated to raising awareness on cervical cancer prevention and is supported by a growing number of women, including prominent personalities such as Abbygale Arenas-de Leon, who is the current president of the organization, Senator Loren Legarda, Pia Magalona, Ellen Tordesillas, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Jeena Lopez, Maimai Davao, Joyette Jopson, and Suzi Entrata. For further inquiries, please email braveheartsphilippines@gmail.com. To be a part of The Tour of Hope 2011 – 500: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer, please email Joyette Jopson at joyette.jopson@gmail.com or contact her at 0917-8827352.

“The Ticket” is the Young Urban Professional’s guide on how to happily define a 21st Century Corporate Slave. The posts under this series will include events, movies, television shows, products and services and other things that will make your Friday Night or weekend shopping a Forget The Office pill. Get this–approved therapeutic claims! The Box Office is always open here at ALPSaguado.com. You can read the rationale here.

If you want to recommend something, email me at alps[dot]aguado[at]gmail[dot]com.

Anyway, I came across with this show and I think it’s worth sharing with all of you. Too bad, I can’t find encore schedules for this program–Aliens of The Amazon. I hope my (human) friends from Animal Planet can help me.

I'm sure I wasn't watching "Alien Planet."

Here’s a Press Release:

GET READY FOR CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE INSECT KIND,
THIS APRIL ON ALIENS OF THE AMAZON

The Membracidae insect family, more commonly known as ‘treehoppers,’ is roughly unknown to us. They have been in existence for at least 40 million years but have never been studied, photographed, or filmed until now. Bizarre in appearance, some liken them to miniature aliens while others consider them to be true masterpieces of biodiversity. How do these creatures live? What is the use of their super-structure? And what role do they play in the ecosystem of the tropical rainforest? This April, Animal Planet journeys deep into the forests of Ecuador for some very close encounters with these ALIENS OF THE AMAZON, to find out. ALIENS OF THE AMAZON premieres every Sunday at 1900 hrs (7:00 pm SIN/HK), beginning April 10. Encores Thursday at 1400 hrs (2:00 pm) and Sunday, April 17 at 1200 hrs (12:00 pm).

Forehead protrusions, large globular eyes, razor-sharp mandibles. These creatures sound like the stuff of science fiction movies. But they are very real and very much of this world, inhabiting the treetops and various strata of the tropical Amazonian rainforest. Treehoppers range in size from 25 millimeters to two millimeters – about the size of a walnut down to that of a pinhead. Their inconspicuous size has helped these tiny insects evade scrutiny, and as such they have largely remained a mystery to entomologists.

A two-part series, ALIENS OF THE AMAZON follows a group of researchers as they embark on a unique expedition in Ecuador. The team is led by Dr Stuart McKamey, a Research Entomologist with the USDA Smithsonian Institution and a world authority on treehoppers. With him are Carolina Godoy from Costa Rica, an entomologist and author of the only scientific field guide on treehoppers; Nic Tatarnic, an evolutionary biologist from Canada; Rex Cocroft, from The University of Missouri, Colombia, who specializes in the communication of treehoppers; Patrick Landmann, the expedition photographer; and Yves Paccalet, a philosopher and writer who has travelled the world with Captain Cousteau. The team is under the watchful eye of Humberto, their guide from the local Huaorani tribe.

Starting out from Quito, the capital of Equador, the group sets off on the hunt to discover some of the weirdest creatures in wildlife, tiny insects of infinite complexity and curious design. Equipped with state-of-the-art imagery gear, the team reveals the infinitely strange and the most outlandish of sounds from the world of these bizarre bugs. Filmed for the very first time under the environmental scanning electron microscope, we are able to view them under a new dimension where minute features such as hairs look like trees, and cavities look like craters.

Watch how a symbamorpha nymph perfectly imitates a green leaf. Witness the talinia hiding in perfect camouflage (if you can spot it!) amongst the foliage. Learn how the solitary heteronotus communicates. Observe how treehoppers protect their offspring from the dangers of the rainforest – a rare behaviour for insects. Tune in for these incredible insights and more, on Animal Planet’s ALIENS OF THE AMAZON.

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