I am not, nor will I ever be, a good photographer. I just don’t have the eye for composition or whatchamacallits. I don’t know if colors clash or if something isn’t straight in pictures. All I know about lighting is limited to what I learned to provide tech support for Kodak in my past. Kaya hayaan niyo na akong mag-ilusyon na marunong ako mag-picture

Here are some of the Instagram-edited shots. They’re no DSLR pics but I’m pretty proud of them.

Anyway, earlier today I received my order (yay!) which included the following:

• Natural Moisturizing Shampoo with CREAMFoam® Technology
• Natural Moisturizing Conditioner
• Intensive Hair Mask – Gugo Bark & Avocado (Jasmine Scent)
• 100% Natural Tinted Lip Balm (Flame Tree)
• Body Butter – Goat’s Milk & Cocoa (Mango Scent)

I’m going to be a first time user of the most everything except for the Mango-scented body butter which I can guarantee is made of pure awesome. Aside from the fact that I love the mango scent, it also REALLY moisturizes the skin. I use it after baths and/or before I sleep. And I wake up to really soft, smooth skin. I really felt the difference the first time I used it. I thought something was wrong with my hand when I touched my arm. Plus it somewhat cured my mild KP (Keratosis Pilaris). And THAT should be a different review but hey! I really love the product. And the banana-scented Hand & Foot Salve

Okay, back to my hair experience. I was so excited to try out the new shampoo and conditioner, I immediately jumped into the shower.

The Shampoo
The original shampoo (which I reviewed here) had a jelly-ish feel. You know, when you pour it onto your hand it won’t run down the sides and would actually wiggle. The Natural Moisturizing Shampoo feels like your usual commercial shampoo.

I poured a small amount on my palm then latered my hair. And that was when I understood the “CREAMFoam” bit because it did feel creamy. You know when you put on shampoo and lather your hair, and the bubbles are everywhere until you get a white sudsy Afro? This doesn’t have that kind of foam. It’s like a milk foam in a cup of coffee rather than a Tide foam in your laundry. I like it. It feels like your shampoo is concentrated on your hair rather than foaming up for show.

And when I rinsed it, I was met with the familiar sqeaky clean feel on my hair. Yes, it actually squeaked when I ran my hands down in *sigh of contentment… for both me and my hair* It immediately felt lighter. And that may be in my head, knowing that I just washed down a couple of months-worth of chemicals from my locks. It also has the mandarin scent of the original shampoo which I appreciate.

The Conditioner
I’m definitely more excited about using the conditioner because… well, of this. I love the after-the-olive-oil treatment but I can’t exactly do that everyday, can I? My hair needs conditioning!

So after rinsing my hair, I immediately poured just the right enough amount of the Natural Moisturizing Conditioner on the palm of my hand. It’s richer than the shampoo, and has the consistency of lotion. So I rubbed it between my hands and lathered my hair. I ran it over my head and between the strands. And I kid you not, my fingers just went through the tangles right on the first pass. I thought it was because it had the product in it, so I shrugged and bundled my hair at the top of my head while I went through the rest of the motions of taking a bath. But when I rinsed it, my hair still felt soft and silky. I stayed under the water longer than I normally do because I thought I wasn’t rinsing the conditioner.

The next challenge is for how it would feel when my hair dries. I didn’t comb my hair after the bath and allowed it to air dry. I have curly hair so tangles are a normal part of life. I did break a comb once when I was trying to tame my hair, so yes, that really happens in real life. Anyway, I lost track of how long I sat, waiting for it to dry until I ran my fingers through my already semi-dry hair and encountered not one tangle.

I think I’m in love again.

So do I recommend this combo? Heck, yes. But of course you have to keep in mind that your hair might not react to it the same way as my hair did.

I can’t wait to try out the hair mask too. I’m thinking tomorrow. But since I already know that it works, having used the original scented one before, I just want to see how the jasmine scent works out.

So again, thank you Human Heart Nature for making these exceptional products.

Photo is from Human Heart Nature Facebook page.

I have a strong feeling that this will replace Blackhawk Down as my favorite movie ^^

1. They’re SEALs and I write about SEALs and they’re active duty Navy SEALs… and did I mention they’re active duty Navy SEALs? *Again, I am NOT a groupie. If I do meet (or even see) an actual active duty Navy SEAL, I’d probably just gaze at him (covertly, of course) in wonder.

2. Inspiration. I’m writing about Navy SEALs. John, who’s still dragging his feet and Laurel, who hasn’t warmed up to the idea that she was a damsel-in-distress, are still up to 134 difficult pages and are begging to be re-written. So yes. This movie will help me write that, although I’ll have to submit this book before I see the movie. The book, incidentally, is entitled “Selfless Valor”. Seriously.

3. Research. You can never have enough resources. I’ve read a lot of books, both non-fiction (I’m going to get myself a copy of Combat Swimmer: Memoir of a Navy SEAL by Robert A. Gormly soon) and romance (Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters, Inc. series rock!). And I only now realized how challenging it is (really!) to mesh romance and the military. Anyway, I’ve always watched Discovery Channel documentaries (for the non-fiction side) and movies. It’s really interesting to see how an actual operator will show an action based on a real-life event in a Hollywood movie. But the way the guys hold their weapons or move in the water or turn on the back of a moving vehicle to return fire… gawd. I wish I could capture their movement into words… I should pero sa libro na lang hehe

4. Marami pa eh…

I’m so looking forward to watching this with Jette and Ivy, the only two people I know who’d enjoy it as much as I know I will. Hala. Now I’m excited to start re-writing daddy John, and working on the other boys! Batch 3 muna!

Anyway, let me share this screen cap.

“Angel?”
“No, not an angel, ma’am. I’m just a Navy SEAL.”
~ Immortal Beloved, Sentinels 6

And this is from the movie’s website…

“Each time they accomplish their mission, a new piece of intelligence reveals another shocking twist to the deadly terror plot, which stretches from Chechnya to the Philippines…”

Hindi imposible na nandito na si Mac! hahaha

Okay, I’m making light of it but seriously, these men are not just here to look good on the cover of a romance novel. Hindi lang sila dapat kakilig-kilig. I just want to go up to just one SEAL and say, “sir, thank you for your sacrifice and your service”. ‘Nuff said.

Official website.
IMDb page.

Acheron is an old school, first generation 8GB iPod Touch. His OS had stopped updating at version 3.1 which means that a lot of the newer apps won’t run in him anymore. But I do have a few apps that I want and can use with the old operating system.

After three years, I’m thinking that I could already upgrade. The iPod Touch hasn’t been updated/changed much recently. And I think they’ve also lowered the price. Have to check Power Mac though. Or maybe I should get something a little older. I mean, iOS 5 works on older devices.

I’m hoping I could save enough money for a new Touch by Christmas. Hay. Why did I have to fall so desperately in love with Acheron?

Anyway, I’d either keep him as a secondary device or give him to my sister. Sana makabili muna ako ng bago ‘di ba?

Just rambling. And trying out WordPress on the iPod Touch

To my Sentinel #7, this one is for you, Gage, baby.

Lyrics after the break.

Party in the CIA
Weird Al Yankovic

i moved out to langely recently
with a plain and simple dream;
wanna infiltrate some third-world place
and topple their regime.

their men in black with their matching suitcases;
where everything’s on a need-to-know basis;
agents got that swagger;
everyone so cloak and dagger.

i’m feelin’ nervous but i’m really kinda wishing
for another undercover mission

that’s when the red alert came on the radio
and i put my earpiece on!
got my dark sunglasses on!
and i had my weapon drawn!

so i get my handcuffs,
my cyanide pills,
my classified dossier!

tappin’ the phones like yeah, shreddin’ the files like yeah,
and then i rised all the enemy spies i’ve got to neutralize today.

yeeeaaahhh, it’s a party in the cia!
yeeeaaahhh, it’s a party in the cia!

i’ve done a couple of crazy things that have almost got me dismissed,
like terminate some head of state who wasn’t even on my list.

burn that microfilm buddy, will you,
i’d tell you why but then i’d have to kill you!

you need a quickie confession?
well, start a waterboarding session!

no hurry on this south american dictator
i’ll assassinate him later
that’s when he walked right in my laser sights,
and my silencer was on,
and my silencer was on,
and another target’s gone!

yeah, we’ve got our black ops all over the world, from kazakhstan to bombay;
payin’ the bribes like yeah, pluggin’ the leaks like yeah;
interrogating the scum of the earth, we’ll break them by the break of day!

yeeeaaahhh, it’s a party in the cia!
yeeeaaahhh, it’s a party in the cia!

need a country to stabilize?
look no further, we’re your guys!
we’ve got snazzy suits and ties,
and a better dental plan than the fbi!

better put your hands up and get in the van,
or else you’ll get blown away!
stagin’ a coup like yeah,
brainwashin’ moles like yeah,
we only torture the folks we don’t like,
you’re probably going to be ok!

yeeeaaahhh, it’s a party in the CIA!
yeeeaaahhh, it’s a party in the CIA!

Lyrics from MetroLyrics.com

On second thought… I think I just want an iPod Touch ^^ Isa pa, baka kasi for the price of an iPhone, I could already get an iPod Touch AND a new laptop. Plus, I’m not much of a cell phone user. If I have an iPod Touch, I can live with a Nokia 1100. Basta may pang-tawag at pang-text lang. I also still want my music to be separate from my phone.

I’m also reading on iOS 5, and I think I’ve fallen in love. So yes, I really want to update Acheron (who is a first generation, 8GB iPod). I’m going to name him Mackenzie teehee <3

And I kept trying to post this last night but I keep getting an IO error. I’m trying again. I already posted this on Facebook but I just have to keep up with the eye candies that keeps popping up. I was reading the New York Times when I clicked on the link for a US Navy SEALs album and wonders of wonders, this little gem came up.

I love it when I get a lot of “knowledge” from the news ^^

Anyhoo, I also found out about this massive collaboration by a lot of romance writers called “SEAL of My Dreams” where they actually used the above picture as the book cover! To say that I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy is an understatement. There are awesome, awesome writers contributing to the book including some of my favorites: Stephanie Tyler, Jo Leigh, Alison Kent, Cindy Gerard, and a lot, and I mean A LOT more. And what’s really cool about this is that all proceeds are pledged to the Veterans Research Corporation which is a non-profit foundation supporting veterans medical research (yes, I lifted that right out of the site).

And here’s the uber-sexy cover.

I think it’s awesome ^^

But you know what? While I’m fascinated with SEALs, I don’t think I’d be a SEAL groupie. I wouldn’t sleep with one just because he has a trident pin. Just saying But I’d probably interview him to catatonia.

Whoever you are, sir, you who are the SEAL in the picture, thank you for your service. And I mean that in the sincere way.

Whenever you pick up and read a My Special Valentine book, does it fill you with the desire to write your very own romance story, but you don’t know where to start? Do you very much want to submit a manuscript, but feel like you’re not doing enough?

Worry no more: From one of our esteemed editors comes a new book that answers your questions… and more! In How To Write A Tagalog Romance Novel, Apple Masallo delivers a very thorough and straightforward guide to writing your own Tagalog romance novel. In it, she explains the very intricate process of crafting memorable characters and an equally memorable plot, handling the intricacies of grammar, and dealing with writer’s block among other things.

So, what are you waiting for? Buy a copy at your favourite bookstores today or at our online bookshop! Only P74.75!

Currently, it’s only available at Bookware, but hopefully will ship out to NBS branches very soon.

UPDATE: You can find the book at the REFERENCE Sections of NBS, not the Tagalog Romance section You can also ask the friendly attendants if you can’t find the reference section. Thank you!