Bottle Rockets #28 is out, along with my tanka

Yup, the journal is out. Sadly, I'm too poor to order my own copy!:<  I wish I'd like get a magical raise of double the amount I'm currently making in my day job so I can buy all the books I want. *Tears*

Anyway, here's the fruit of my literary labors. The editor, Stanford Forrester, was really great to work with. The journal is available via subscription here.

the leaves take their time
even when their time
has come . . .
to the branch, a breeze
plucks them effortlessly

First Time to Attend the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

Achievement unlocked indeed! Been wanting to attend this event since college, just that my plans never seemed to get fulfilled. But this year, I finally got the chance, and with my boyfriend, too. We were sluggish for the most part as we barely got any sleep to catch the 4a.m. service to Clark Freeport. Plus the day before, I decided to bake some Banana Blueberry Crumble Cake so we'd have breakfast the next day, picnic style.

Some pictures!

Raw form of my Banana Blueberry Crumble Cake

About to be baked Mmmmm

Success! Need I say this was a hit? It was especially good fresh as the crumble was crispy

Humpty Dumpty, the crowd favorite

The BF posing

Breitling Jets, Aerobatics

Axe Space Shuttle Balloon

Space Shuttle in the Stars

Learn Something from Ali

Made up a new motto, to complement my spirit song (you know, like your spirit animal):

I steal Muhammad Ali's words and connect my mantra:

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Challenges are like opponents, they're there to be overcome.

Not as musical as I would've wanted, but good enough. :<

Checklist! How to be hot!

Ah, I've found a trending article on Facebook, clicked it and went to Yahoo for this article entitled "What Makes a Girl Hot?" There, it teaches women the qualities they need in order to be considered hot by our neighborhood loveable Pinoy guys.

Hot Factor 1 - EYES

Windows to your soul, girl! They gotta sparkle when you smile, oh, and bite your lower lip while you're at it, too!

Hot Factor 2 - "GODDESS" BODY

What, you thought number 2 was gonna be something about personality? Get on your treadmill, girl. Coz Pinoy guys are lookin' for a goddess-in-the-flesh (and that's not you?) har har har!!

Hot Factor 3 - BODY Part II

Did I mention you gotta have a tight ass and big boobs? Oh, I didn't? Well now I did.

Hot Factor 4 - SENSE OF HUMOR

Aside from having anime-eyes and a goddess bod, you need to make your guy laugh, girl. All that cuteness won't do you any good if you can't get a giggle outta him.

Hot Factor 5 - SMARTS

Yup, you should've seen that coming (cumming?), coz how can you be funny if you've got zero wit in that noggin' of yours? Go get that college education!!!

Hot Factor 6 - GREAT COOK/BAKER

What? You don't cook? Get started with frying hotdogs before you loose a point on the hotness scale!!!

Hot Factor 7 - CONFIDENCE

Yeah. No one wants to bother with having to assure a girl that she's beautiful.

Hot Factor 8 - SIMPLICITY & CHINITA EYES

I thought we were done with eyes? Oh well, if you're all ready chinky-eyed, you're good to go. Just don't flaunt your diamonds and Breguet watch too much or you'll exude the "high-maintenance" factor which is SUCH a turn-off.

Hot Factor 9 - LONG HAIR

Get hair extensions. Right now, if you don't want to be considered one of his guy buddies.

 Hot Factor 10 - A DAMSEL

Be smart. Be beautiful. Be drop-dead sexy. Just don't steal the show from him. Let him be a knight in shining armor. And that's straight from the horse's mouth!

 Hot Factor 11 - UNIMPREGNABLE

Actually, I think they forgot this one. It wasn't anywhere in the article. But girls, make sure you can't get pregnant. Because that is the biggest let down ever.

Offered a Puppy... A Puppy!!!

I really really want a pet. When I get my own house, I'm gonna have lots of cute cats and dogs. Maybe a beagle, a toy poodle, a Husky, a Golden Retriever, and a Himalayan Shorthair, and a Persian cat. Oh, and a Scottish Fold, too.

I actually had the chance to get a puppy. You see, while selling my old phone at Tipidcp, I got these weird swap offers, like that one for a stereo set, or a Shimano Mountain Bike, and of course, the puppy (which I, of course, declined).

Before you call me a crazy cat & dog lady, look at this cutie. He/she just loves her brush. Watching videos like these destresses me and makes me more productive. Just imagine if I had cuties like these live. :3

And just to plug this in, I happen to have another haiku out in the Asahi Haikuist Network. Coolio.
Here it goes.

Rain
the trees
in unbroken stillness

Read the full issue here.