We finally got a piece of the pie! Well, I’m in the midst of constructing my new and improved MaR_advice site! I’m turning into an Apple covert. Hehehe. I just acquired a MacBook Pro and will use it to really bring some edge to my site. I’ve always thought about graphic/web design as another possible field to learn and what better to educate myself than to start from scratch! It might take a while, so bare with me. I will also try to post more since it is summer.

Again, I will not be going by my editorial calendar for a while, so all my  posts will be “Just MaR.” I can tell you this though, I plan to discuss some interesting stuff and even have guests join me. So stay tuned…and I probably won’t update tomorrow so Have a Happy 4th!

image from urbansake.com

MaR_advice: Sometimes people have a hard time pursuing their interests. You just have to get over the first step of convincing yourself that you can do this (whatever you want). Stay positive and don’t be afraid to ask for help. AND Be safe this weekend as you celebrate the nation’s birthday!

I mentioned in my last MaR_advice I will be writing more random posts and straying away from my editorial calendar. As a result, I’ve decided to write more about what’s been going on in my life and more things that interest me.

I am a huge lover of all types of music. For the past couple of days I’ve been engulfed in the good old 80s and early 90s. Listening to the radio made me think of all the songs I have on my iPod. Out of the 1000+ that I have, I only really listen to 10% of them over and and over again. That’s when I decided to create the MaR_Mix. (Pic from Nelly Furtado concert at the Patriot Center circa 2007)

I’m not going to share all the songs on my the playlist, but I will list 25 random songs and why they made the cut for the MaR_Mix playlist. Songs that I tend to repeat remind me of a memory or a person. So here’s my list:

1. Electric Feel by MGMT: My sister Nicole introduced me to this song. She always had a lyric quoted from the song on her away message. It has an 80s feel to it and I really like it.
2. Maybe by NERD: I’m a huge supporter of NERD, especially since they’re from my hometown Virginia Beach, VA. This song is my favorite out of all of their songs. Even though it’s never been played on the radio, I think the lyrics are great and I just love the dynamics of the beat and melody.
3. Dark Blue by Jacks Mannequin: My sister Maureen use to listen to this song almost every day like 4 or 5 summers ago. She always harmonized with the melody and I think that’s what made me like the song and the fact that she kept singing it so much I started singing it, too.
4. Candy Rain by Soul for Real: In fifth grade we had to perform what was called a Grammar Rap – a song/rap describing a grammar word (i.e. noun, verb, etc.). I performed with my friend Martina and we did a whole dance and rap to this song (our grammar word was ‘verb’). Our teacher, Mrs. Stone, liked it so much she kept the recording of our performance and played it her classes for years to come. I hope she upgraded…that was over 15 years ago! (No, I don’t remember the rap or the dance)
5. Time of Your Life by Green Day: This was the first song I learned how to play on the guitar (kind of)- and unfortunately the only. My friend Leslie attempted to teach me the basic chords for this song. The only thing I remember know is how to strum the G chord.
6. Everyday People by Arrested Development: How can you not remember this song? I always wondered what he said in the beginning and I’d make up my words until he said, “Hey.” I never understood how deep the lyrics were until recently.
7. Just Dance by Lady Gaga: This is a more recent song, but I really like Lady Gaga’s full album. I didn’t start to listen to her music until my BF Christian introduced me. His favorite part of the song is when she sings the “da doops.” She reminds me of Gwen Stefani. Anyone else think that way?
8. 7 Things by Miley Cyrus: Now before you go and critize, this song is actually cute. I like when she says “sha.”
9. Chasing Pavements by Adele: This song is great. It’s sooo pretty and I have to credit Nicole again for gauging my interest in her music. She’s a wonderful singer!
10. Love by Matt White: I first heard this song when I saw the movie She’s the Man. It’s the scene with Channing Tatum sees Oliva (I don’t know the actress’ name) kiss the real Sebastian. Ever since then, I always wondered what it was called and who it was by. Thank goodness for Shazam.
11. California Love by Tu Pac: I use to hate Tu Pac. The whole East/West coast rivalry was insane. I honestly didn’t like his attitude (too cocky for my taste), nontheless – this song has a great beat and I love when Christian raps it to me.
12. Always and Forever by Heatwave: One of the most romantic songs I’ve ever heard. Christian called me one night and told me to listen to this song because it reminded him of me. I love when he does that.
13. Viva la Vida by Coldplay: My favorite Coldplay song – hand’s down. I love the orchestra!
14. The Middle by Jimmy Eat World: This song is very inspirational. It really reiterates that everything will be okay despite the downs in life.
15. True Affection by The Blow: Again, Nicole introduced me to this song. For those that haven’t heard it – listen to the beat really hard. It might make you shake your laffy taffy.
16. Samson by Regina Spektor: Again, Maureen introduced me to this song and eventually let me see the piano sheet music so I could learn how to play it. Regina’s piano skills are dope.
17. Take On Me by Aha: The video for this song is classic. I used to just love it because it was just plain and simple great, but now it reminds me of the Family Guy episode where Chris is in the grocery store and reenacts the video.
18. The Truth About Heaven by Armor for Sleep: Nicole introduced this band to me, but I barely listened to them until I saw this song on Stephenie Meyer’s playlist for New Moon. I also love the energy the song gives off.
19. Lately by Stevie Wonder: This is probably my favorite song by him. Stevie is a legend. I love singing this song in the car.
20. Konstantine by Something Corporate: This is one of the longest songs ever. The piano arrangement is just crazy great. I prefer the live version over the album cut.
21. To Be With You by Mr. Big: I remember his hair was long and curly – or was that someone else? Classic early 90s hit. I’ll jam to this song any day.
22. Hypnotize by Notorious BIG: This is my favorite Biggie song. For the longest time I had this as my ringer. This song reminds me of the movie “Ten Things I Hate About You” when Julia Stiles dances on the table drunk and she hits her head on the chandelier. Do you remember that?
23. Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron & Wine: This is from the “Twilight” movie soundtrack. Love it! The lyrics don’t make much sense to me, but I played this song over and over again once I found out what it was called.
24. By Your Side by Sade: Such a good song! It’s a romantic and always reminds me of weddings. IDK why.
25. Fantasy Remix by Mariah Carey and Old Dirty Bastard: This song reminds me of the time I was getting ready to go to my 7th grade dance and all I wanted to do was listen it over and over again. I remember being on the phone with my friend at that time, Jamison. IDK what we were talking about, but we had to get off the phone so I could change for the dance.

I hope you share your top – maybe not 25 – but at least 5 songs on some playlist you have on your iPod, Zune, etc. and why they’re on your list. Feel free to pass this along to your friends!

MaR_advice: Sharing is caring  – it can be fun. You never know who else loves Prince’s Kiss or OAR’s Crazy Game of Poker…hehehe. Nonetheless, music is a common denominator in people’s lives – no matter the genre. Everyone loves a dope beat!

Helllllllo everyone! I’m back from my hiatus. Guess what product I received for my 25th?

A mother effin’ Snuggie! (That is my angry/WTF face, btw). My sisters Maureen, Nicole, my BF’s bro Rolan and his GF Jerilyn gave it to me. Last year, I wrote a post about the Snuggie and how I thought it was awful. Since then, this wannabe blanket sensation has even graced the set of the Today Show and even Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Now that I actually own one, I can definitely give it a review. But before I go on about the Snuggie, Rolan sent me a Tweet about a something called a Peekaru.

According to Gizmodo (pic taken from them), the Peekaru is a “Baby Snuggie.” Hmm…I wonder if your reaction is similar to mine…and NO this is not an April Fool’s joke. Check the date on the Gizmodo blog post if you don’t believe me!

Um…I’m still speechless. A picture really is worth a 1,000 words. That poor kid looks like a baby kangaroo trying to get out! On top of all of this, the Peekaru is $80 compared to a regular Snuggie, which runs between $15-20 (depending where you purchase it).

Although this seems silly, I’m sure the Peekaru keeps you warmer than the Snuggie! The Snuggie feels like it’s made out of felt and is really thin. I do have to admit that I like the freedom of my arms! If I really wrap myself around the extra fabric from the Snuggie, then I am definitely warm.

Anyways, all this Snuggie talk reminded me a Snuggie Rap that my friend Qui showed me. I would like to share it with you now. Enjoy!

MaR_advice: Come back to the blog more often. I finally have time to update more often…and it might just be random for a while….

Once again I was watching TV and saw an infomercial for Silver Sonic XL. Bell + Howell created this $19.95 product that amplifies sound from 90ft away. With an image comparable to a blue tooth headset, the Silver Sonic XL is small and lightweight. It comes with three soft tips, people can use it in either ear, and control their volume.

The infomercial said it works well for concerts and if you’re out in your background, you can hear your doorbell ring.

OK STOP! Come on! It amplifies sound in concerts!? Aren’t concerts loud enough in the first place? And to be honest, it’s not that discreet in the infomercial.

This is what the infomercial should have said:

The NEW Silver Sonic XL helps your ears suffer by amplifying sound from 90 ft away! Eavesdrop on conversations not meant for you! Become deaf when you use this during concerts! Turn down your TV and let the Silver Sonic XL amplify the sound DIRECTLY in your ear!

Like that’s any better! What do you think of the Silver Sonic XL?

OK – I completely understand if you are hard of hearing and you need such a device like this, but for regular people just to purchase it?

And if this becomes mainstream like the Snuggies, all I have to say is OMG!

MaR_advice: Please do not support such products! Instead, give your money to someone less fortunate. Devices like these are just a joke.

What? You haven’t heard of that movie before? That’s because it’s three movies into one. In a span of two weeks, I saw Notorious, Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans, and Slumdog Millionaire.

ALL OF THEM WERE FANTASTIC! Let me give you the breakdown review for each movie.

Notorious – “we are…we are…” I loved every aspect of this movie. Jamal Woolard was exceptional, as well as little Christopher Wallace, Jr. The movie is told in first person by ‘Biggie’. It really depicts how he grew and the type of life he lived prior to his fame up to his death. They even show footage from the day of his funeral and how his mother had him go through Brooklyn before the cemetery. You can hear Hypnotize in the background. It was just a great movie and I think all of the Bad Boy artists are portrayed to a dot – especially the man who played Diddy. He danced liked him, if you can call that dancing! (img from concreteloop)

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – My only gripe about watching this movie is that I’ve never seen the other two Underworlds. Since the Rise of the Lycans is a prequal, my friends assured me that I wasn’t missing much. As you all my know I love Twilight, but this movie was completely different in a great way – I think I just love vampires! The action scenes and the cinematography were off the charts! If you haven’t seen the other two Underworlds like me, this will make you want, too! (img from mimg.sulekha)

(img frm blognetnews)

Slumdog Millionaire - I now know why it’s been deemed Oscar-worthy! This movie captured my heart with the storyline and characters. I loved how they showed aspects of a country that are normally not portrayed in regular movies (i.e. the actual slums of India). At the same time, the people who live in these slums – despite their hardships – portrayed a positive spirit like no other. I didn’t cry, but there were definitely parts of the movie that was just ‘wow’.

MaR_advice: If you’re not sure of which movie to watch, go see them all!

It’s been a while since I’ve updated, and last week was just really crazy with the inauguration!

I was on Perez Hilton today and found this clip:

MaR_advice: Just because Obama’s in office, don’t expect change to come with a snap of your fingers! Keep praying that he will deliver and provide America and the rest of the world a chance to get out of this economic slump. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this clip as much as I did!

Disclosure: This is completely a thought post and I’m not really serious about my allegations at all.

In honor of the movie Notorious (in theaters today!), I decided I would share my hypothesis of who killed Biggie. (img frm offtheblockent)

I remember when he passed – it was crazy! I knew one girl who cried and everything. Christopher Wallace was a talented man who will forever be known as one of the best artists that rocked the hip hop nation.

I have to be honest, when I heard he died the first person that came to mind was Diddy (known then as Puff Daddy). Why?

Although Diddy might have helped Biggie with his stardom, we all know who the sidekick was – Diddy. Biggie was the man. He had it all, fame, fortune, and a family. It’s tragic that he died during the height of his career. Although he was gone, Diddy did carry that torch for Bad Boy Entertainment.

After Puffy’s rendition of I’ll Be Missing You, I couldn’t discredit the amount of attention he received. “…through your family I’ll fulfill your dreams…” That phrase alone made me think it was all a dream conspiracy. Faith Evans (Biggie’s wife) and Diddy were having an affair and that’s what he meant by through your family I’ll fulfill your dreams. Crazy conspiracy theory, huh?

Another tip off was all of a sudden, Diddy was everywhere! He was no longer under the shadow of Biggie, he ran Bad Boy Entertainment with a golden torch, and his Sean Jean clothing line really took off. Diddy created himself a personal brand and everyone knew him.

I don’t think he would have been as successful as he is now if Biggie were alive today. He would still be the wingman. He wouldn’t have multiple reality series shows on MTV or VH1, and no one would be saying, “Bitchassness,” (which I use often – when I drive!).

So that’s my conclusion, Diddy killed Biggie and covered it up. Now he’s so successful, no one will question him.

Ahh. That’s probably not what happened!  Of course I don’t really think Diddy did it! On the real, it probably was Suge Knight. (img frm kindercore) He was the man behind Death Row Records and after Tupac accused Biggie of getting a hitman on him (the first time Tupac got shot), it was down hill from there. The rivalry between the West and East rappers was born! I believe that’s when I kept hearing, “Westside!”. Eh. (If you say “Eastside” it doesn’t sound as cool). Suge probably hired a hitman to get Biggie. 

This is all just speculation. We’ll never know who took the life of one of the best rappers ever. All we can do now is hope that Biggie is resting in peace. What do you think?

MaR_advice: Please share your thoughts with me. Who do you think killed Biggie and why? Also – what is your favorite Biggie song? Mine is Hypnotize. Have a save and wonderful weekend!

In honor of President-Elect Obama’s Inauguration next week, I thought I’d write about a technology that many drivers will need when in DC – a Bluetooth headset. DC drivers are not allowed to be on their cell phone while driving!

I’ve had three Bluetooth headsets – one Jawbone and two Jabras. I’ll discuss with you my Jawbone and my current Jabra headset.

Jawbone – how I loathe thee. (img from moble.co.uk) Jawbones are gorgeous and my bf says they’re the best Bluetooth headset he’s ever used, BUT I have to disagree. I hated mine. People couldn’t hear me; I changed my ear pieces to see if it would adjust better – just so many problems with mine. The sleek design was great, BUT I couldn’t find where the buttons were for adjusting the volume and such. To top it off, Jawbones are not the cheapest! The best thing about them though is that you didn’t have to charge them every night and it only took one hour to fully charge. But you don’t have to take my word for it. (Side note, remember Reading Rainbow and how the host would say that after every book he introduced?)

Jabra – I love you. It’s easy to use and more comfortable in my ear! No one complains about not being able to hear me and it’s not that expensive. I do wish it had a better battery lifespan and didn’t need to be charged every night (I’m bad at charging my electronics). All of that aside, my new Jabra makes me happy, it’s easy to use with gloves on AND all of the buttons are defined. (img from blueunplugged)

So there you have it folks, my assessment for the two Bluetooths I’ve used. Let me know if you have questions or would like to add to the current list. Happy talking – hands free!

MaR_advice: It doesn’t matter what type of Bluetooth you use when you’re in DC – just have one! Security is going to be VERY tight and with the estimated amount of people coming into DC (about 1-4 million), the police will be likely looking for ways to give people tickets.

About one month ago, I declared to you that I plan to lose 25lbs before I’m 25. I think I owe you an update.

I haven’t been working out as much as I hoped I would. I mean, my trip to Disney/Universal had me walking or standing in line for at least 10+ hours in a span of 6 days. You would think I would have lost weight then, but then I celebrated New Years with my relatives in SC and that TOTALLY trumped my exercise. Filipino family parties are crazy and full of food. Nonstop eating and my aunties throwing alcoholic beverages at me left and right.

Those are not excuses and I should train myself to have some sort of tolerance and self-control. This past week was a little better. Thanks to my friends Kris and Quyen, I’ve taken up swimming. Swimming is a great full body workout (if you do laps in the pool). It’s only been one week, but my arms are still sore (I just learned how to swim freestyle – thanks Maureen).

I also took my first Zumba class on Saturday. Zumba rocks! My sister, Erin, and I loved the class so much we’ve signed up for their 8-class session. If you like to dance – this is one of the best workouts. It’s not that hard to follow and the choreography is fun. The moves are sexy and can probably be mimicked at a club! I HIGHLY recommend taking Zumba! Here’s an example of what you can expect in a Zumba class:

Now for real my update: I’m still the same weight as I was one month ago. No change and it doesn’t seem like my 25 before 25 will be achieved in by my bday- but maybe 15lbs. I stopped drinking alcohol and other beverages that aren’t water – except at the clubs. When my friends and I do go out clubbing, I drink diet coke mostly for the caffeine (I’m an old fart and I will probably fall asleep at like 11 w/o it). I’ve also been eating a lot of salad and soup, and have minimized fried/junk/fast food. I will also start doing my daily exercise videos again.

That’s my update. Thanks again for your support everyone! I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

MaR_advice: Sometimes you can find yourself off the course you intended. When that happens, pick yourself up and find a way for you to get back on that path. Remember, the only person that can push you or get you to find/stay on that course if yourself. Don’t lose hope.

I came to NoVA to attend college at George Mason University (Go Patriots!). After graduation, I decided to stay in the area to pursue my career of choice and just be in a location where there’s a lot of diversity, and more events to attend that you can’t find at home (I’m from VA Beach). Even though I’ve lived in this area for about six years, I always enjoy coming home and there are some events that I wish I couldn’t have known about or attended. (img frm cpdulles)

My friend, Ji, created a blog called VB2DC. The blog is “a one stop shop/site streamlining event promotional info, highlighting local talent, and facilitating a meeting of the minds to hopefully spark more collaboration, community, and cultural production” from Virginia Beach to Washington, D.C.

The Internet allows us to be connected in ways we never imagined. We can connect to the web via cell phones, we engage in conversations with social networking platforms like blogs, Twitter or Facebook. With webcams, we can even see the people we love that are thousands of miles away via chat services like Skype of ooVoo. (img frm ultimatetaxi)

My point is: no matter where you go, home is at your fingertips via the Internet. Sometimes things in life can be really crazy and you feel like you don’t have time. VB2DC keeps me connected to the events at Va. Beach and D.C. It really is a one stop shop.

MaR_advice: There’s nothing wrong keeping yourself connected to your hometown. Use what the Internet has to offer. If you feel you’re not getting the best of both worlds (yes, Miley Cyrus rocks…hahah) then, create a social network or a community. If you need help, let me know!