CandyMag.Com

Well, that’s not really a valid title, but HEY, it got you reading, didn’t it?

It’s more like: How The Girl With The Big Bag of Chips Wins

Everyone fancied a game of DOTA a couple of days ago. We were supposed to have a Singles’ Day Out, but Alice in Wonderland was out of tickets, and we were just too tired to argue between Cop-Out and Miss You Like Crazy. Standing in uniform in the midst of casually-dressed Saturday cinema sukis, everyone decided that a) they wanted to play DOTA or that b) they wanted to learn how to play DOTA.

Now, I’m no good at DOTA. I can play, sure, but I suck so much The Sentinel killed me. I suck so much, I’m not even sure if I got the last sentence right. (Boys, feel free to verify). If there’s anything I’m good at in DOTA, it’s running away. See a battalion of opponent reinforcements coming towards you, and I’m the first one running out of the location to the home base.

Pwede ‘bang Plants VS Zombies na lang? Or Super Mario?

So this time, I chose not to play DOTA, and opted to watch instead.

Now, if you’ve ever chanced upon an internet café with a bunch of boys (and occasionally girls) playing DOTA, you will realize that it is not a silent game. Sure, for a while, the tension gets to everyone, and it’s down to the last few inches of your life to make that one shot so you can finally recover the manna you lost after being pwned, but when the climax has been reached, you will hear jeering at maximum level, Trash-talking optional.

In a way, you can consider that fun.

I don’t know if this works, but if you’re interested in knowing anyway, one good way of making a DOTA boy fall in love with you is to at least get interested in the game.

Because really, all you girls know that once a boy is front of the screen, nothing, NOTHING comes between them. Not even a bazillion text messages and loads of missed calls. The only way they can notice you is if you’re at least 1-inch tall, monstrous and could help kill the kalaban.

So go try and play. You don’t have to like it, but at least you’d know what in heaven’s name he’s talking about. You don’t have to be particularly good at it (It’s hard to be good in a game when everyone you know has been playing it for at least 3 years), but at least get familiar. Your guy goes around with you when you go shopping, why can’t you sit down in front of the PC and try to make your hero move?

The boys appreciate it. When I first tried to play, the next day, all my guy friends were like, “WOW Vicky, nagdoDOTA na! Goojab!” (pat on the back/head/shoulder) and they kept on yapping about DOTA stuff, only 5% of which I understood.

If that doesn’t work, go out and buy a big bag of chips. (Or Sour Cream Ruffles, in my case) Yes, they allow you to bring food inside.

If you want to have boys eating out of the palm of your hand like mum rabbits, then control freak, this one’s for you.

No stupid boy would let his eyes leave the screen, so if you offer, he’d say no. At first.

But, if you get a piece of chip and put it near his mouth, he sure as heck will bite that outta your hand.

You get a monopoly of their energy! Mwahahah. >:)

So you still win. You got the boys to pay attention to you, and now they feel more-ish. Kind of like how you feel when you eat one piece of Stick-O. You can’t stop eating until the whole jar is empty.

I know this is a useless manual, but hey, I tried. No DOTA boy has fallen in love with me yet, anyway.

Would I want a DOTA boy to fall in love with me?

Who knows.
Vicky

Whenever I would go online, I have this set of bookmarked pages that I sequentially visit. I just got so used to it that it became a routine. I think a lot of people have their own site-hopping routines too but what makes mine different is that I have become attached to the sequence. I’m guessing I developed the habit out of the need to be constantly updated. Here’s my current cyber itinerary, in order:

1. Yahoo! Mail/Gmail
   College life would never be complete without Yahoo! Groups for classes and organizations. Teachers usually take advantage of technology to make information dissemination easier and so I check my mail everyday in case of updates (such as free cuts *wink*). Now that I’m done with that, I check my mail for work-related purposes and letters from my best friend.
2. Plurk
   I have been using Plurk since September 2008 and I believe I have grown quite attached to it. I have already reached 100.00 Karma and there are days that the fear of a Karma drop is the only thing that keeps it alive but a lot of my friends still Plurk so I still find it useful.
3. Twitter
   Thank God Twitter is not as needy as Plurk. I tweet less often because it’s not as high-maintenance but I frequently visit it for the latest updates on friends and my favorite websites/celebrities.
4. Multiply
   It’s sad how Multiply used to be the place where everyone uploaded photo albums of the latest getaways. Now that there’s Facebook, only a few people use Multiply. I, however, prefer uploading in Multiply because it’s already like a scrapbook of memories. I also upload photos in Facebook though whenever I feel like I’ll have fun tagging and when my friends specifically request it.
5. LiveJournal
   Aside from making them, I love reading blog entries. I visit my LiveJournal site and click the “friends” link to read the latest entries from my friends. Since I have added Sarah Dessen and Libba Bray on my blog roll, I get to read theirs too (and they update a lot!). My LiveJournal blog is also quite special to me because I have been using it since 2005 and I have had special and happy, happy memories with it.
6. Tumblr
   The fun in Tumblr actually starts when you finally follow the right people. Who are the right people, though? It’s different for everyone. Following the right people = following the people with similar interests as yours. I actually learn a lot through Tumblr, and there are a lot of pretty photos/words/ideas in there so I never want to miss a post. I back read until I reach a post I’ve seen, even if it takes 80 pages.
7. Facebook
   There are actually a lot of things you find out through Facebook that you would not have known if it weren’t for Facebook. And you get to know a person more by looking through the pages they are a fan of. HAHA! I also used to be addicted to some Facebook games like Geo Challenge (I loved it to bits!) but now I don’t play anymore.
8. Candymag
   I visit Candymag everyday because I look forward to reading the posts of the Candy editors and my COC friends. I hope you enjoy the posts too!

How about you, what are your cyber dailies?

I was sifting through piles and piles of papers in my room the other day when I came across an old issue of the school newspaper where I wrote before. I saw my article about me time (my favorite) and I want to share it with you. Here it goes:

There are times when I find myself staring into the blank and empty world of nothingness. Maybe you’re wondering now what am I talking about. Doing nothing is such a waste of time. Since nothingness is the same as emptiness, I fill the spaces by spending time with myself. The moments of aloneness are what I call, “me time.” It’s absolutely boring if I don’t do anything at all so I do the things which I can’t do during class hours or things to free myself from stress. I want to share with you a few things that I do during “me time” so you can also get some ideas on how to spend quality time with yourselves:

Daydreaming. Daydreaming exercises the power of my imagination. Sometimes, I get inspiration from it and I put it down into writing essays and stories. I also figure out the answers to essay questions given in class like philosophical ones. Out of the blue, the answers just pop out of my mind.

Doodling. This helps me bring out my emotions and creativeness. Doodling can be tempting to do in class when you start getting bored but why not try it in your “me time?” During my free time, I doodle in my diary to pour out all my feelings and it makes me feel better. I also draw some figures and stick people to bring out my creative juices as well as entertain myself.

Read a book. Reading is a hobby that I grew up with. Reading has always been fun for me. It’s like an adventure where it took me to different places through my imagination. Not only that, it helped me enhance my vocabulary and grammar skills. In “me time,” I don’t read subject-related books because there’s a world outside of definition and terms. I don’t keep myself occupied with subject-related materials. That’s what “me time” is for—doing things that will help detach one’s self from stress.

Nothingness is never meaningless. Spending precious time with one’s self is good because it enables a person to connect with his mind, body, and soul. A person should always remember to give time for himself. He shouldn’t give in to too much stress to avoid sickness, have a happy disposition, a healthy body and a positive outlook in life. Stop worrying and thinking about so many things. Just relax and remember, it’s all about you.

Enjoy your “Me time” Candy Girls!

Jesselle

As another school year ends, a new adventure is about to begin, but before you grab your swimsuit and flip-flops, here is a list of 11 things you can do to gear up for that adventure called “summer.”

1. Study and ace your tests. March… now before you sigh, exclaim, and joyfully await the summer season, there’s still a lot more work to be done. End your school year with a bang and in flying colors! Don’t miss your last chance to impress your teacher and classmates with your stellar grades.
2. Plant a tree or two. Aid against Global Warming and make summer better by contributing to Mother Nature. Summer is a lot more beautiful, one tree at a time.
3. Keep fit. Don’t waste your last few days in school by pigging out on those potato chips. Welcome summer vacation with a new body appropriate for that swimsuit you’ve been eyeing.
4. Prettify your toes. Match your new bikini with a brand new mani-pedi. Have your nails done in bright colors that complement the joyful spirit of the summer season.
5. Take off that mascara. Summer is all about embracing the natural outdoors. So, let your skin breathe. What better way to face that summer air with a fresh face?! Feeling incomplete without make-up? Go au naturel and trade your plum peepers for beige and light greens that identify with in and now the colors of the season.
6. Make MORE friends. When is it not a time to create new friendship? Two months is short so why not start now? When the next school year begins, you have more people to include into your social circle.
7. Rebuild broken bonds. Summer will be two months of no school and no social circle. Save yourself from the awkwardness when the next school year starts and link broken relationships back together. If you’re leaving High School or College, all the more reason to recreate ties with friends you’ll surely miss five or ten years from now.
8. Load up your wallet. Summer is vacation and vacation means the annual barkada summer trip to one of your friend’s family rest house in Tagaytay. Don’t miss out on all the fun you can have and start saving for your next trip. The next shopping opportunity might be just around the corner!
9. Clean. With all the hassle you’ve had to face the entire school year, it’s no wonder you can hardly see what’s on the bottom of your pyramid of clothes. Give your mom a break and begin putting stuff into order. Remember, summer is no excuse to be disorganized!
10. Plan Ahead. In less than a month, you’ll have more free time than you can handle. Use it wisely and avoid to procrastinate. Get the help of a trusty planner and keep to it faithfully. Plan your ventures ahead so you won’t get overwhelmed with all the new activities you want to try doing this summer.
11. Read the March issue of Candy. Jess and I have scoured far and wide for  activities you can do over the hot summer days. Compiled in an incredibly-awesome article, you’ll be poring over the pages thinking of what to do next. March 2010 is Candy’s 11th birthday so make sure you get a copy!

Have a great month!

All the love,
Alekx

There’s something about me and cars. The only video games I finish playing are racing games (I’m in love with anything Need for Speed!) and although I can’t consider myself “boy-smart” when it comes to the technical things, especially those under the hood, I know enough to get behind the wheel and drive.

Cars are part of my comfort zone. Cars are kinetic rooms. Someday, you will get a car not only because it looks great, but because you’re comfortable driving it and it suits you best. Cars are portable closets. As I have witnessed during my college years, some people don’t find the need to use lockers anymore because they can just stash their stuff in their cars. Cars are my personal sleeping pill. Just take me out for a spin and you can get me knocked off in a doze in minutes. Credit goes to my parents for using that technique to get me to sleep when I was a kid. Cars are my soon-to-be “thinking chair” (like Steve’s thinking chair in Blue’s Clues). I have always pictured myself driving really late at night or really early in the morning (when traffic is non-existent) to clear my head with my comfort music blasting through the stereo and just going around the city. That is, when I can already drive on my own.

Now that I’m done with school horrors, in between sleep and Glee marathons (I am now a Gleek too! I only started watching the other day but consider me officially hooked!), I get to practice again. I’ve had my license for more than a year but I always get sidetracked and stop driving. There was a time when I was so close to driving on my own because I got enough practice but days got busy and my uncle who was teaching me how to drive suddenly got sick so I had to push it aside. Now that I don’t have excuses, I am back on the wheel.

I can already go around and drive, but you can’t trust me on expert parking skills yet or easing my way through the uniquely Filipino kind of traffic. It gets a bit scary with all those motorcycles speeding by without a care and those jeepneys/cabs driven by crazy drivers but I guess it just takes some getting used to. With all these, I learned that driving really takes time and practice so don’t rush it out. The best way to learn it is to drive as frequently as possible and have someone to guide you until you feel confident and assured enough that you can get out of Manila traffic like a champion. Haha! Also, after driving school, I practiced on Sundays because there’s less traffic and it’s more relaxing so if you’re learning, Sunday is the day! (Or you can pick a day/time that’s less overrated). Plus, you’re never too cool for the safety belt.

I find something really comforting in cars so I hope that this time I finally get it right so that I can have bonding time with music. Just me and music on the road, because sometimes, even my room isn’t a space I could call mine anymore. I want that space - my personal space where it’s just me, my thoughts and the world outside.

Cars are pretty, functional, and boy, can it take you places.