How you doin’? Ready for some KOKOLOGY game?

Okay, today, for the girls, put on your best evening gown and for the boys, your neat tux. Let’s go and watch a Symphony concert; or should I say grab your instruments since you’re joining the Orchestra.

A Night At The Symphony

There’s something magical about a night at the symphony – a sense of expectation and pure pleasure. Imagine being able to take a place on that stage among the other musicians, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform at your very best. If you could join the orchestra, what instrument do you see yourself playing?

1. Violin
2. String Bass
3. Trumpet
4. Flute

Musical instruments are symbolic of members of the opposite sex. The pairing of you and your instrument shows how you perceive yourself in making the music of love. The instrument you chose gives insight into what you think of as your strongest lovemaking technique.

1. Violin
The violin demands sensitive fingerwork and a delicate touch with the bow to draw forth music from the taut strings. You see yourself has having the same awareness and skill in locating and playing upon your partners’ most sensitive points. There’s a sense of adventure in the way your hands can create such beautiful music by running over the same familiar notes.

2. String Bass
There’s a feeling of power gotten from taking position behind an enormous bass and making it call out in a tremendous moan. In love, your skill rests in the ability to bend your partners to your will, taking complete control, and driving them onward to pleasure they never imagined the could experience. You never ask permission, but that dominating character is what makes you so irresistible.

3. Trumpet
There’s no getting around it – your mouth is the strongest weapon in your arsenal. Whether it’s whispering love talk in your partner’s ear or exploring them with your lips, you have all the characteristics of the oral personality.

4. Flute
The flute demand incredible patience from those who want to master it. You show that same patience in the way you wear down your partners with persistence, determination, and stamina. Your lovers are often taken off guard when what they thought would be a brief recital quickly develops into a full concerto in six movements.

Time for our fourth round of KOKOLOGY. A lot of my friends are enjoying answering these questions and discovering something about themselves. So why stop?

Today, it’s all about YOU because… It’s your birthday!

But before I give you my precious gift or even before you blow your cake, here’s some quick questions for you. Let’s go!

On Your Birthday

Your Birthday is the one day a year when you’re justified in expecting things to be just a little nicer than usual. Well wishes and congratulations, presents and cards, maybe even a party or romantic dinner for two.

It’s your birthday today, and when you check your mailbox you see you’ve gotten a card from someone you would have never expected.

Who is the sender?

You have also received a number of gifts from family & Friends. Of that group,

Who sent you the biggest package? (Give the names of people in your life when answering the quiz.)

The responses you gave signify your true feelings about people in your life, feelings you might not even be aware of yourself. The person who unexpectedly sent you a cards is actually someone you would like to care more about you or give you more attention. In short, the person you named as the sender is someone you’ve been hesitant to approach, or just a friend you haven’t heard from in a while? Maybe it’s time you made the first move toward bridging that gap.

On the surface, you might associate the biggest package you received with good feelings about the sender. But from a psychological perspective, the person you named as the sender s someone whose affections you take for granted. This doesn’t necessarily signify a lack of respect, but you definitely feel confident of their feelings for you. Be careful not to get overconfident. What feels like security to you may look like plain selfishness to others.

Now it’s time for our next game. I’ve also decided to show you my answers here. Just for sharing.

Ready? Here we go.

Deep In The Mountains

The mountains and the sea—nature has a power that draws us to her. After all we are all nature’s children, born into her world and fed on her bounty. No matter what marvels technology may develop, getting back to nature lets us feel truly alive. Medical science may make advances, but the best medicine will always be nature’s own healing power.

Your next journey will take you back to that green world, and what better setting for you to rediscover your natural self?

1. You have set off to climb a mountain, in search of a fabulously rare stone. What is your impression of the mountain as you stand at its foot?

2. After a hard search, you still haven’t found the stone, and now the sun has fallen. What will you do next?

3. You have finally discovered the stone you were seeking. What kind of stone is it? Describe its size, weight, and value.

4. Now it is time to come down from the mountain and return home. What parting words do you have for the mountain, and what is its reply?

My Answers:

The mountain that looms before you represents your father, or a father figure in your life. In psychological terms, it is a manifestation of the archetype of the “wise old man.” The stone you seek symbolizes abilities and strengths you must discover within yourself on your own journey to adult independence.

1. Your impression of the mountain show the image you have of your father. Was it difficult and unforgiving? Gentle and easily conquered? Or did you have an idealized image of a magnificent peak that somehow seemed to welcome you and encourage you in your quest?

2. The stone you are searching for represents your as yet undiscovered talent or strength. Your response to this question shows whether you will ever realize that untapped potential.

People who say they’d keep searching for the stone no matter what tend to show the same persistence and determination in their own lives, never giving up even when efforts seem fruitless.

Those who said they’d call it quits for the day but come back again to continue the search are the type who pace themselves, spreading their efforts over a long period of time. There are probably more than a few late bloomers in this group.

People who gave up looking for the stone altogether are in danger of never fulfilling their true potential.

3. The way you described the stone shows your feeling of self-worth. How big and heavy was it, and what did you think of its value?

“Oh, about twenty dollars or so.” Hmmm, that’s not much of an appraisal, is it?

“It turned out to be a huge diamond worth millions!” Hold on now; let’s not get carried away with ourselves.

4. Your parting words to the mountain reveal what you have always wanted, but never been able, to say to your father. Do you recognize any of these patterns?

You: Thanks for everything.
Mountain: You take care of yourself.

Did you have that kind of ideal exchange? Or did it go more like this:
You: Well, it looks like I’m finally through with you.
Mountain: You can say that again!

Maybe it’s time you and your father sat down for a talk.

So, how was your first KOKOLOGY game? Surprised on how true the interpretation of your answers were? Trust me, it was a jaw dropping experience for me too. Now who’s up for some more?

As promised, here’s the second KOKOLOGY game for you to answer. This one is one of my favorites and speaks the most truth about me in this aspect of life. You’ll know why later.

Goodluck on your next self discovery.

The Ride Of Your Life

How do you bring thrills into your lives? Watching movies, traveling, playing sports and games of chance. Or maybe a trip to an amusement park, a world where thrills mingle with fantasies. Let’s take a trip back to that realm of childhood excitement and fun.

1. You enter the park gate, the roller coaster looms before you with a line of people waiting their turn. How long do you have to wait in line before getting to ride?

2. Your turn finally comes and now you’re racing and plunging around the course. What kinds of feelings does the speed bring out in you?

3. At the most exciting point in the course, the roller coaster dives into a pool of water and you’re drenched by the spray. What do you shout or scream at this instant?

4. Next you decide to try the Merry-Go-Round. But during your ride, for some reason the horse you’re riding breaks down and stops moving. What do you say to the horse?

5. Your ride on the roller coaster was exciting, but it wasn’t all that it could have been. If you were going to design the perfect roller coaster, what would the course look like?

Did you have a good time in the park? In psychological terms, rhythmical up-and-down motions represent SEXUAL EXCITEMENT. So your responses to the five questions actually show your attitudes toward sex.

1. The time you spend waiting in line reveals how much time you spend, or would like your partner to spend, on foreplay. Did you have to stand in line for hours before the main event, or did you just jump aboard without waiting?

2. Your feelings during the roller-coaster ride reveal how you feel while making love. Did you think, “This is the best ride I’ve ever been on!” or was your reaction closer to, “Get me off this thing! I think I’m gonna throw up!”

3. In Jungian symbolism, water represents the source of life. Your words at the moment the roller coaster splashed into the pool show what you might say at the moment of sexual climax.

4. The horse, in psychosexual terms, is a symbol of the masculine principle. Your words to your broken-down steed reflect what you might say to yourself or to your partner in situations where the man failed to rise to the occasion. “It’s all right, don’t worry about it. It’s only a ride.” You have a truly gentle and forgiving nature. “Come on you stupid animal, giddyap!” Yikes!

5. Your plan for the ideal roller-coaster course shows your vision of the perfect sex life. The ups and downs of a roller-coaster ride are an exact metaphor for the thrills and lulls of lovemaking. Was it a long, slow ascent followed by a terrifying plunge? A series of acrobatic loop-the-loop and 360-degree rolls? Or maybe you drew a course where you spend the whole ride turned upside down and backward?

So, how were you during sex?

Last Sunday, over some Nachos, Buffalo Wings, and rounds of Tanduay Ice, my friend Edel introduced my friend Ian to the very unique and fun game of KOKOLOGY.

KOKOLOGY comes in two words — KOKORO and LOGY. The Japanese term KOKORO means a soul or spirit and LOGY- a greek word for study. It simply means a study of Soul or spirit. The game present a series of psychological questions that are designed to reveal one’s hidden attitudes about sex, family, love, work, and other elements of one’s life. It is essentially a game of self-discovery that can provide interesting, and often hilarious insight by answering questions to seemingly innocent topics. We played this a couple of months ago and we were amazed on how TRUE our answers turned out.

So, if me and my friends can play it, so can we! Starting today, I will post a couple of KOKOLOGY questions here. You will answer it and then, theres a “Click to Reveal Interpretation” button at the bottom of the screen. You will click that to view the interpretation of your answers once you FINISHED answering ALL the questions.

Remember, there are no right or wrong answers; just write down the first thing that comes into your mind. You can also share your answers by leaving a comment.

Ready??? Let’s start.

Into the Depths

This scenario leads us into the dark world, where the line between simple thrills and actual fear is blurred.

Jot down your answers to the following questions:

1. You are in an old, abandoned building where no human has set foot for years and have discovered a staircase leading underground. Slowly you make your way down, counting the steps as you go. One step… two… three… How many steps is it to the bottom of the stairs?

2. The underground room is pitch black. Then, from the darkness you hear the sound of another person. Is the person weeping softly? Moaning wordlessly? Is it a voice speaking to you?

3. How do you react on hearing the sound of this other person? Do you try to search out the source? Is your first instinct to run up the stairs without looking back? Or are you paralyzed with fear and frozen where you stand?

4. You hear a person now calling your name and see a figure descending from the light at the top of the stairs. Who is this person coming down the stairs?

Abandoned buildings and underground rooms are highly symbolic of buried memories and old psychological scars. All of us have had an experience we’d rather not recall or a heart-break we thought we’d forgotten. But the memory is not so easily erased, and the things we hoped to forget linger for longer than we’d like to admit. Your responses to this situation show how you deal with painful memories of the past.

1. The number of steps to the bottom of the stairs indicates the impact of the psychological scars you are bearing. People who said there were only a few stairs feel little adverse effect from the past. But those who described a long staircase leading deep into the earth carry correspondingly deep wounds inside.

2. The sounds you heard out of the darkness reveal how you got through bad experiences in your past. Those who said they heard weeping have been comforted by others in times of trouble and recovered with the help they received. The people who took care of you in their kindness have helped you become the person you are today. The tears you cried were not in vain. People who heard wordless moaning went though hard times in their past alone. The moaning you hear in the dark is your own buried pain. Perhaps the time has come to open the door and let the sun shine in. Things won’t look so bleak in the light of day. Those who heard a voice speaking to them wear their old scars like a badge of honor, refusing to think of them as wounds. Nietzsche said “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” And you seem to have taken this philosophy to heart. But be careful not to let this harden you to the feelings of others.

3. Your reaction to the sounds in the darkness shows how you deal with the painful aspects of your own past. If you went out to search for the source of the sound, it’s likely you show the same take-charge attitude in your own life. By facing your problems head on, you’re bound to discover solutions. Those of you who ran straight back upstairs without confronting the sounds have a history of ignoring problems in the hopes that they’ll just go away. That approach may work sometimes, but don’t be surprised when the trouble stays around longer that you anticipated. Sometimes you need to stand and face your fears. If you were frozen in place with fear, it may be that you have unresolved conflicts in your own past that continue to haunt you and keep you from moving ahead with you life.

4. The person who appeared at the top of the stairs calling your name is someone you feel you can rely on in times a trouble. The name you gave is the person you believe will comfort you and help to heal your wounds.

“Since my life has been an open book, no one wants to read it anymore”

This quote hit me today. In addition to that, my friend Lester have decided to deactivate his Facebook account. I asked him why and he just said “Gusto ko lang na magkaroon ng katahimikan, na pag-dedma sa pinaggagagawa ng iba, at para hndi binabaha ng notifications, invites, at kung ano-ano pa”.

Actually, it makes sense.

A couple of months ago, I thought of having a Facebook Hiatus to have break from all these craziness. Today, I tried listing the reasons why:

I AM DISTRACTED - Having an iPhone, I can check my Facebook anytime, anywhere, and anyday. Here at work, we are allowed to browse from time to time and that’s the point. With all my access to the site, every notification distracts me from what I’m doing at work. Kasi feeling ko, if I don’t respond now, it won’t be as much fun later. And let’s admit it, its the notifications that keep us coming back for more correct? It’s very tempting! The result? I couldn’t concentrate on the tasks that I need to do and worst, I don’t do it well. Tsk!

SILENT GET TOGETHERS - When friends go for a coffee or dinner, they should be talking to each other about the things that happened to them the whole day/week. I just observed that some people, when they arrive at the venue, they automatically pull out their smart phones and update people where they are and whom they are with, which in fact, no one really cares. Then the circle will be in total silence. It happens. (I’m guilty too).

NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT - Sometimes, when I’m very excited to see someone because I wanna tell him/her something, they are not curious or excited about it anymore. Why? Because they have already seen everything on Facebook kasi I’ve already posted it, and vice-versa. So the whole meeting becomes awkward with nothing to talk about anymore. I really miss hanging out with friends and talking to them in person. That’s more fun I guess.

NEGA-STARS - A lot of people use Facebook to complain, release their anger, attack people without confronting them, posting negative comments, etc. Some people are even out there to get sympathy, post their personal problems online and post “PATAMA Quotes”. It’s quite annoying and I’m just tired of it. I did this too before, but I’m glad that I was able to overcome it. (Ironic since I guess this is a type of complaint too?). Oh well.

GET RID OF THAT “OBLIGED” FEELING - Now I actually feel like I’m obliged to check my account and respond to every notification and I dont want that feeling anymore. Maybe I just need a quiet time.

On the contrary, Facebook is a great way to connect with people you already know especially when they are miles away, like my Mom (although my Mom has Twitter and she can call us anytime). Also, I get some of my blog readers from Facebook and its fun to share my latest discoveries with them.

I’m still thinking about it though. Maybe I’ll give myself a day or two.

I found out that its the newest food lover’s hub in the Metro called Distrito – a weekday lifestyle market located at the Amorsolo Open Parking lot (beside Makati Med) which actually opened last Friday, November 25.

It’s kinda like Mercato, Salcedo, Banchetto and the newly opened one in Alabang called Soderno but the difference is its open during the weekdays, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM. Definitely a good news for us working in the night shift eating “fast food” the whole week. Yey!

This is also the first-ever Night Market in Makati and it will run until the end of December. So if you’re near the area and you wake up hungry at midnight, go in your pyjamas and eat there.

I’ve invited my office mates and friends later to try it during our lunch break. I will do a follow-up article on the goodies that we will try.

Distrito at Makati
Amorsolo Open Parking Lot
(beside Makati Medical Center)
Every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
9 p.m. until 3 a.m.

Last Monday, I’ve decided to give in to my cravings, went to the nearest grocery store, and look for the ingredients for a popular staple food in Thailand, Pad Thai.

I suddenly remembered my first encounter with Thai food. It was when me and my very good friend Ian walked the streets of Bangkok, just moments after we checked-in in our Hotel to have dinner. We saw this street with small restaurants with chairs outside full of people happily eating. The guy gave us the menu and we ordered Pad Thai and Mango Salad. That’s when I fell in love with it.

My First Pad Thai, taken last July 31 in Bangkok.

It was unfogettable. Stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chilli pepper, bean sprouts, garnished with crushed peanuts, coriander and lime. You can also choose between shrimp, chicken, or tofu to add to it. That alone proved that Thai food is quite good.

Let’s go back to the grocery store. Ofcourse I wouldn’t be able to get the exact mix of those ingredients since not everything is available here. So, as much as I dont want to, I went for the next best thing… INSTANT. Yes, I found this instant Pad Thai in the grocery store which the package includes rice noodles and that special ready to cook sauce in a pouch. All you need is to add the vegetables and meat. I tried it yesterday and I’m gonna share how did I do it.

“GIVE IN TO CRAVINGS” PAD THAI
By: The Lazy Don Predilla

You will need:

1 pack Kitchen 88 Instant Pad Thai (complete with rice noodles and sauce)
12 pcs. Peeled and deveined Shrimps
1 pc. Egg
Handful of Bean Sprouts
Handful of roasted Peanuts
1 Tbsp. Chili Sauce
3 Tbsp. Oil
Half of Lime

Ok, lets do this:

1. Cook the rice noodles in 4 cups of boiling water until al dente. Roughly 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a wok, heat the oil, cook the shirmps until they turn orange in color.

3. Add the egg and mix it.

4. Empty the contents of the sauce pouch. Mix. Add the chilli sauce and the bean sprouts and peanuts.

5. Add the noodles and stir-fry it. Put in a plate and garnish with crushed peanuts and lime.

Tadaaaaah! And thats your instant Pad Thai. So easy huh? A pacakge serves two.

Now, it was not that close to what I first tasted in Bangkok, but its good. The tamarindy and peanuty taste was there and the noodles were just perfect. Overall, it was a nice “give in to your cravings” moment.

Kŏr hâi jà-rern aa-hăan! (Bon Appetit!)

Before heading to the falls, we stopped by Joy’s beautiful home in Victoria, Laguna for lunch where they served us a seafood feast fit for a King. There was Inihaw na Bangus, Tilapia, Ensaladang Mangga, Kare-Kare, Sinigang na Isda, Seaweed Salad, Guinataang Langka, and the sweetest mangoes ever! Her family, as always, was so nice and accommodating and we were so damn full. Adrianos and Elena cant resist on trying every single dish. (Sorry, I have no photos, I was too busy eating)

An then we went to the town of Pagsanjan which is a 30-minute drive from Victoria. I’ve noticed that there were a lot of resorts along the riverbanks where tourists like us can stay in if we plan of staying overnight. After paying the tickets which costs P 1,500 per head, we were so ready to go; and me, scared as hell as always. I dunno, I’m really scared of drowning since I can’t swim.

Two boats were allotted for us since each boat can only accommodate three people plus two boat guides. We were each provided life vests to ensure our safety in case our boats tumble down.

At the start of the trip, our boats were hooked up on a motor boat that dragged us for about 15 minutes upstream until we reached the rougher waters of the river where rocks pile up and the waters get shallower. From the boat, we saw the set of GMA 7′s TV series Amaya and the beautiful tree which, according to the boatmen, became the setting for that old teen TV series entitled ‘Tabing Ilog’ (the hut and the dock was not there anymore though).

A few minutes more, the hard tasks of our two boat guides started. With one Manong in front and the other at the back, each of them used their feet (barefoot) and hands to push the boat upstream against the rushing rapids. I saw the struggle on their faces as they push and pull our heavy boat towards our destination. I really feel for these men. At this stage Me, Joy and her husband Tomas were discussing that perhaps our original tip amount was too small and their efforts should be fairly compensated. I then noticed that the river was calmer and quiet which only meant one thing, we were on the deeper sections of the river. Thoughts in mind were Crocodiles, Piranhas, and Anacondas. Seriously!

We then stopped at a big waterfall but, it was not the Pagsanjan Falls yet. We were told that when the waters are too violent due to heavy rains, sometimes the boats go only until here. We got off and there was a store offering us some food and water since this would be our only chance for refreshments as there was nothing available at the falls itself. We were too excited to be thinking about food at this point so we continued our journey.

Now, the path along the river is full of lush greenery. It was very quiet and the only sound that I heard was the water, the creatures in the nearby forest and our voices saying “Wow, and ganda”. It was a worthwhile sight. Kinda reminded me of those scenes in movies Jurassic Park, along the Amazon River or from the movie Anaconda (and yes, I’m still thinking of the big snake).

Then we reached the famous Pagsanjan falls. It was not as big as I imagined but I felt that it’s strong, mighty, and still majestic. You see, I have this fascination about waterfalls, fairies, and forest creatures so it was like the perfect setting.

But here’s the fun part. Under the waterfall there is a hole and you can actually go under the falls and into that cave right on. So, with no hesitations, we left all of our things, jumped into the bamboo raft, and went underneath the falls. The bamboo raft was strongly and tightly secured to big ropes and was navigated by two very muscled Manongs. I was so scared that the falls might kill me but guess what, I had the coldest, craziest, hardest, and most unique shower of my life! Its like being in the middle of a hurricane. We went for a short swim inside the cave and went back. We got drenched from head to toe!

We then decided to go back. It was faster going downstream and less effort for our boatmen because we were going with the flow. We were so excited by the speed that we raised our hands only to realize that we were supposed to stay still. The water gushed in so fast and we panicked. I thought were gonna drown but luckily, we didn’t. But it was fun! Hahaha! We got back at the river banks past 6:00 PM and was so excited to change out of our wet clothes. We were all happy of the experience and glad that Adrianos and Elena enjoyed the trip. Getting wet was all worth it!

It was a one boring night shift when my friend Richard told me about this new fitness place that opened its newest branch a couple of blocks away from our office building. It’s called 360° Fitness Club. He immediately gave me the link and I, with much excitement, researched about the gym and guess what, we had our “Free Trial” a while ago.

The whole idea behind the 360° Circuit Training session is to incorporate a full body workout in just 30 minutes. You go around 20 exercise stations (10 active and 10 active rest stations) in 30 minutes. You spend 30 seconds per station. The fitness club does not rely on heavy machines; they believed that, “Machines limit the body’s range of motion and the number of exercise it can do. Most exercise machines force us to sit down while working out, that takes your core out of the equation.”

The 10 active stations has either weights in the form of dumbbells or balls, mats for floor exercises, a TRX suspension cable, and so forth. The 10 active rest stations have a trampoline, a pair of hurdles, or just a pair of stickers to indicate that you should jog in place. After the warm –up, you exercise non-stop by going around all the stations in 10 minutes. Per station, you will be given a 30 second time allowance to do the exercise. After completing one round, you do it again twice, making it a 30-minute full body workout. You don’t need a timer for this since they have their own “playlist” playing in the background which autmatically reminds you when to move to the next station.

The 360° Circuit Training combines cardiovascular and strengthening exercises. It’s suggested that you do it at least 3x a week in order to get the full benefits. Aside from circuit training they also have special classes for Hip Hop, Body Jam, Yoga, Pole Dancing, Latin Dance, TRX training, etc.

The workout reminded me so much of my high school days when I was in training for a CAT Officer. There was a sergeant (coach) telling you how to do the exercises and the 30 minutes felt more like the 2 hours I spend at my previous gym. Muscles I didn’t know existed were sore (until now while I’m typing this), my heart rate was up until I was about to go to sleep, and I had already been sweating like a pig from the first 10 minutes of the circuit (at my previous gym, I needed to run 30 minutes before I would start to sweat). It’s a one of a kind work-out and exercising the whole body for 30 minutes was really cool, especially for us people on the go. It really felt good! That’s why we got the one year membership (P 2,090 per month).

I would recommend this for people who are too busy to insert a physical activity in their daily schedules and those gym-goers who would like to try something new. If you want to try it first, you can just call or walk-in to avail of a free trial 360° Circuit Training session.

Hope to see you there!

360˚ Fitness Club Ortigas
13th Floor, Strata 100 Bldg.
F. Ortigas Jr. Road [formerly Emerald Ave.]
Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City
[t] 577.7807
[m] 0917.560.0360
[e] 360fitness@completethecircuit.com

360˚ Fitness Club Makati
7th floor, 107 Dolmar Gold TowerC. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City
[t] 940.9575
[m] 0917.860.0360
Duo: 02 623.0911
[e] 360fitness@completethecircuit.com