Ice Breaker 1: Cards 1-5

Points of View Ep.16: Welcome to Year 2 of Points of View here in Rowjielogy! And as promised, we will be featuring questions from the “Ice Breaker” collection. Ice Breaker is actually a game - it is composed of cards with a question on each card. This is nice to play with friends so that you’ll get to know each other more.

Anyway, here is how it will go here in Rowjielogy. I’ll be picking five cards and try to answer the questions on it, and I hope you will also share your answers. And the card I picked up for today is…

1. What has been the greatest act of kindness you have shown to another?

Well, this is a hard question for me and I don’t want to answer questions like this. But whatever it is, I know that anybody will feel good whenever she or he shows acts of kindness to others.

2. Tell us about your crushes.

What!?! Haha. Well, I really had lot crushes back in high school. Some say that to have a crush on someone is just admiring him or her. So do you think, having a crush with the same gender is wrong? Haha.

3. Comment on this: “If you cannot find a way out, look up!”

Well, I am thinking of two possible answers here. First, if you have a problem and you cannot solve it with the solution in your mind, then try another one.

Second, don’t forget to pray! Trust the Lord!

4. What changes would you like to see in your life?

I really want to avoid being shy so I can mingle with people. (And I want to spend my money wisely!)

5. Ooops! The group may ask you now their questions,

What?!? Haha. I will just let you ask me anything you want and I’ll be answering it on the next Ice Breaker!

American Idol (Season 7): Top 3 Results Night

And now… the results night. Many are guessing (including me) that Syesha will be the one to be eliminated tonight… that means, it’s David versus David on the finals next week. But as of this time (that I am typing this blog entry), we still can’t be 100% sure about that until the official results are revealed.

I said that Syesha will be the one to be eliminated tonight because of her not so good performances last night, especially her third song, which I will not blame to her because it’s the producer’s choice. But it was really silly in my opinion. I thought Syesha will show something amazing last night which might give her a chance to be in the Top 2.

For me, David Cook gave the best (but not amazing) performance last night. David Archuleta’s performances were boring for me. Let us wait for the results and see if our predictions are correct.

And now, the results are in…

And I got it correct. Syesha got eliminated tonight. It’s David versus David on the finals next week!

American Idol (Season 7): Top 3 Performances Night

First of all, I’ll be posting one entry for the performances night, and another entry for the results night because I made some confusinons to some about my American Idol post last week. Haha. Anyway, I have mixed emotions regarding the near finals of American Idol. Actually, this is the season of American Idol that I really followed (after Season 3). I am happy that I had been able to watch almost all the episodes of Season 7, but also somehow sad that this season will end next week. I am also excited to know who will be the next American Idol.

Anyway, tonight’s episode is really interesting because the remaining three contestants will sing 3 songs - contestant’s choice, judges’ choise, and producers’ choice. I am really betting that it will be David versus David on the finals, but I also believe that this episode is critical - they should really impress the audience and the judges. It’s anybody’s game.

The Judges’ Choices

1. David Archuleta - So It Goes
2. Syesha Mercado - If I Ain’t Got You
3. David Cook - The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face

The Contestants’ Choices

1. David Archuleta - With You
2. Syesha Mercado - Fever
3. David Cook - Dare You To Move

The Producers’ Choices

1. David Archuleta - Longer
2. Syesha Mercado - Hit Me Up
3. David Cook - I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing

And now… my (fearless) opinions…

There was really no amazing performance for tonight, but I find it better compared last week.

David Archuleta was of course, boring. But out of curiosity, I might download the studio version of “With You”. His moves while singing “With You” were silly. I don’t hate the song “Longer”. Actually I liked it before, but it’s really getting boring after listening it for several times.

David Cook had good performances but not amazing. But I think he can make “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” a hit. I might also download his “Dare You To Move” and “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”, though I really wasn’t impressed with his “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”. I think he is the strongest tonight.

I think Syesha sang “If I Ain’t Got You” well. But I agree with Simon that the song is really much associated with Alicia Keys, and Syesha wasn’t able to bring out herself in the performance. Her second performance was okay but not amazing. And her third performance? Oh my! But I will not blame Syesha for the song choice because it was the producer’s song choice. I wonder why the producer chose that song for Syesha. Syesha sounded silly. If they wanted that kind of song, maybe they should’ve chosen a Beyonce song. I am not a Syesha fan but I praise her when I think she gives a good performance.

And I think Syesha will be the one to be eliminated tomorrow, basing on her performances tonight, as well as my opinion that the Davids have more fans than hers.

We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

Spotlight Ep.1: I know that this is the day that all the Jason Mraz’s fans out there is waiting for… today is the official release of Jason Mraz’s newest album called “We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things”. I am really excited about this album. It’s been almost three years since he last released “MR. A-Z”.

I started to love Mraz after listening to his first album, “Waiting For My Rocket To Come”. There are really a lot of great songs there, as well as with his succeeding albums. We’ll put those songs into “Spotlight” soon. But for the meantime, here is the music video of “I’m Yours”, the first single from the album.

That song keeps on playing on my music player. I love the song!

We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

1. Make It Mine
2. I’m Yours
3. Lucky (featuring Colbie Caillat)
4. Butterfly
5. Live High
6. Love For A Child
7. Details In Fabrin (featuring James Morrison)
8. Coyotes
9. Only Human
10. The Dynamo Of Volition
11. If It Kills Me
12. A Beautiful Mess

I am so lucky to have listened to this album in advanced, and some of my personal favorites are: “Make It Mine”, “I’m Yours”, “Lucky”, “Butterfly”, “Live High”, “Love For A Child”, and “The Dynamo Of Volition”. This album is great and worth buying. I know that soon, this will be included in my most favorite CDs of all time.

Kokology: The Blue Bird

Kokology Ep.2: One day, a blue bird suddenly flew to the window of your room and was trapped. You got attracted to this bird that’s why you kept it. The next day, you were surprised to see that th ebird turned into color yellow. On the third day, it became red, and on the fourth day, it became black. What color is the bird when you wake up on the fifth day?

1. It stays black.
2. It turns back to it’s original blue.
3. It turns white.
4. I turns golden colored.

My Answer: I go for number 4.

Key to The Blue Bird:  The bird that flew into your room seemed like a symbol of good fortune, but suddenly it changed color, making you worry that happiness would not last. Your reaction to this situation shows how you respond to difficulties and uncertainties in real life.

1. Those who said the bird stays black have a pessimistic outlook.
2. Those who said the bird turns blue again are practical optimists.
3. Those who said the bird turns white are cool and decisive under pressure.
4. Those who said the bird turns golden can be described as fearless.

Happy Mothers’ Day!

I like to greet all the mothers all around the world, a Happy Mothers’ Day! … especially to my mom of course! I like to thank her for everything!

Let us all let our mothers feel special on this special day!

A Year Of Points Of View

Points of View Ep.15: Today, another department here in Rowjielogy is celebrating its first year anniversary - Points of View which started exactly one year ago. And as usual, I will do a recap of all the blog entries in this department.

Anyway, I decided to put this department here so that I can share my points of view to others, as well as let others share theirs to me. I learned how to respect others’ opinions. And I hope others will also learn to do the same.

Ep.1: Freedom of Expression Through Blogs - May 9, 2007
Ep.2: Quality of Education in the Philippines - May 29, 2007
Ep.3: Implementing Dress Codes Inside The Church - June 28, 2007
Ep.4: How Was The Philippines In The Previous Year - July 23, 2007
Ep.5: Trust - August 11, 2007
Ep.6: Love At First Sight - September 3, 2007
Ep.7: Glorietta Blast - October 22, 2007
Ep.8: Press Freedom Censorship - November 9, 2007
Ep.9: Sexperience - November 22, 2007
Ep.10: Same Sex Love - December 3, 2007
Ep.11: The True Meaning of Christmas - December 14, 2007
Ep.12: A Chance To Change - January 11, 2008
Ep.13: People Power, Etc. - March 3, 2008
Ep.14: In The Observance of Holy Week - March 19, 2008

Well, I hope for more Points of Views blog entries in the near future. And to start the second year of Points of View, we will be answering questions from the Ice Breaker collection. This will start next week.

Nine Years

Anthology Ep.1: Today marks the 9th year of how everything started… I mean from my old so-called journals up to this blog.

Actually, you can see it in the Timeline section of my blog. But I’ll still give a short summary (again) of how everything was in the last nine years.

I was in first year high school ( 1998 ) when I attempted to make a journal where I wrote anything I want. I don’t know if I can call it a journal because I let my friends read it. Haha. Maybe during that time, I didn’t have enough courage to talk to my friends about some things. I loved writing in my journal. One day, I had the idea of putting some twists in my journal.

It was in May 8, 1999 when I applied all my gathered ideas into a new journal. I called it “The MS Station”. It has been the title of my journal for almost a year. It was also where I first placed the ideas of so-called depertments. Some of the first departments I used were: Fan Mail, My Point of View, etc.

After more than a year, I decided to rename my journal into something that would sound related to me. And so, I renamed my journal to (R). Hahaha. But it didn’t last that long. I then renamed it to Rowell 411. The same format with The MS Station went on - old departments, with new departments.

Around July of 2001, I then renamed my journal again to “Special”, inspired by the song of Vitamin C with the same title. It was just the same with the previous ones, but what I like about it is that I somehow had a positive thinking during those days because I tried to find all special things and happenings in every single day I wrote in my journal. It went on until March 2002.

I somehow became lazy of writing in my journal during March of 2002. Maybe because I was about to leave my high school life, and nobody will read my journal anymore. Haha. After that, my ballpens and colored pens rested. My journal days ended as I left high school…

But during my first days in college, I was really looking for an outlet where I can write the things I want. I then revived my journal, but it was unsuccessful.

Creation of personal websites was a trend for me and my friends back in college. I thought that it would be a nice way for me to express my ideas again. And so, R Beat Online was born. I created several versions of my site until 2004.

It was in year 2005 when I decided to be serious about blogging. It is much better than updating a static site over and over again. My first blog was in Blogger, and I named it as “The Roller Coaster Experience”, which had three seasons/versions/whatever! I also renamed it as “Sound of My Soul”, and “Intertwined Quests”. I also had other blogs besides my main blog.

It was in 2006 when the word “Rowjielogy” crossed my mind. I kept it for a while and then I used it as the new title of my blog back in June 2006. I was still in Blogger by that time. I also moved to Blogsome for a month. I was in the period of experimenting different blog applications that time.

In March 1, 2007, I finally decided to use WordPress for my new blog. I am contented with the features of WordPress (especially it’s mobile blogging feature) that’s why I still use WordPress up to this moment.

And that’s my humble story of how everything started. I cannot say that the past 9 years had been fast because there were really a lot of things that happened. This story might be simple for many people, but it really has a lot of meaning to me. Next year is a special one for me because it would be celebrating it’s 10th year anniversary… a decade. And it would be nice to go back to all these years. I’m looking forward to more years of blogging… or whatever technology will bring us in the near future!

American Idol (Season 7): Top 4

Wow! The Season 7 of American Idol is about to end very soon! Who do you think will be the winner for this Season?

Anyway, the contestants are now down to 4. Brooke White was eliminated last week. The theme for this week is “Songs from the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame”. Well, it sounds more interesting to me compared to the theme last week. (I don’t hate Neil Diamond okay?)

I will update this post as the show goes on, and then another update after I watch the episode later, and then tomorrow again for the results. (Yah, I am now merging my performances and results nights into one blog entry!)

Anyway, you might also want to try playing Kokology first. Read my post “A Desert Journey”, answer the questions there, and then know the meaning of your answers.

First Update:

Round 1: David Cook sang “Hungry Like A Wolf”. Syesha Mercado sang “Proud Mary”. Jason Castro sang “I Shot The Sheriff”. David Archuleta sang “Stand By Me”.

Round 2: David Cook sang “Bab O’Reilly”. Syesha Mercado sang “A Change Is Gonna Come”. Jason Castro sang “Mr. Tambourine Man”. David Arculeta sang “Love Me Tender”.

My review… later after I watch the show. Hehe.

Second Update:

I have watched the show already. I wasn’t that amazed with the performances tonight. David Cook did well but his performances were really not that amazing. Maybe I  expected much from him because it’s Rock and Roll week. Syesha keeps on improving every week, though I also don’t find her performances very good. I think Jason Castro will be the one to say goodbye tomorrow (unless his fans will really vote for him to save him. And in case that happens, Syesha might be in danger). Nothing new with Jason’s performances. But do you think the judges were somehow harsh with their comments to Jason? I also didn’t like David Archuleta’s performances.

In general, I didn’t like their performances tonight. It’s like the show started to become boring after some “good” contestants were eliminated earlier than expected. Or maybe because of the chosen themes.

Tomorrow, the Top 4 will be down to 3. Who will go? Let’s find out!

Third Update:

It’s time for the results. As expected, the two Davids are safe. Now, who will go… Jason or Syesha?

And the guess of the majority is right… Jason has already been eliminated from the competition. It’s about time.