Express

Federer beats Gonzales, wins his third Aussie Open

Roger Federer has claimed his third Australian Open crown and tenth Grand Slam overall, sweeping aside #10-seed Fernando Gonzalez in three outstanding sets on Rod Laver Arena. The Swiss tennis master outscored the Chilean, conqueror of Nadal and Haas this year, via a 7-6(2) 6-4 6-4 victory. Federer remained at the top of the world rankings after winning last year's Australian, Wimbledon and US Open cups and the yearender ATP Masters' Series. He has yet to win a single French Open title.

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To all UP Circuit Barkadahan members, here is our PHOTOBUCKET account.

Demolition

Serena crushes Sharapova to take her 3rd Aussie Trophy

Serena Williams, recovering from her injuries and the death of one of her siblings during the 2006 seasons, smashed her way towards winning her third Australian Open Women's Singles title and eighth Grand Slam trophy overall by routing World #1 and topseed Maria Sharapova in the finals, 6-1 6-2.

Sharapova had no answer to Williams' booming serve and blistering returns as the American completed a fairytale return from injury with a third Australian title to join her 2003 and 2005 trophies.

Coming into the final as the underdog, the 25-year-old made a mockery of her world ranking of 81 to humiliate Sharapova and become the first unseeded player since 1978 to claim the Australian title. She finished the match in just an hour and three minutes.

Williams won the tournament in 2003 and 2005; in 2005 she defeated Sharapova in the semifinals with a score of 2-6 7-5 8-6.

FEDERER-Express soars anew in Melbourne

World #1 Roger Federer also had his demolition job in Melbourne Park done after an emphatic 6-4 6-0 6-2 semifinal win over sixth-seed Andy Roddick. He will face tenth-ranked Fernando Gonzales in the finals where he will target his third Australian Open Men's Singles title.

Gonzales also trashed another semifinalist Tommy Haas 6-1 6-3 6-1 in the other semis duel.


Within every PATTERN, there is a TREND

You got it right! I am currently on a job-training stint at TREND MICRO in IBM Plaza Eastwood City. These coming weeks will determine the career path that I will take for the next couple of weeks.

By the way, I and Jeff are on the same level of apprenticeship at TREND MICRO. Gordon will also be with us soon.

The Amazing Race All-Stars

CBS has formally announced the eleven teams vying for the US$1million prize in the eleventh installment of the Emmy^®-winning reality show The Amazing Race.

Here are the teams:

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Kevin O'Connor and Drew Feinberg (SEASON 1)
Relationship: Lifelong Friends
Hometown: Kevin (Bayonne, N.J.); Drew (Staten Island, N.Y.)
Age: Kevin (40); Drew (41)
Occupation: Kevin (Forensic Accountant); Drew (Senior Court Officer)
Results from Season 1: 4th Place

America's favorite fraternity brothers are all grown up and married. They fell just short of the million dollars the first time around and are eager for another shot.
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Joe Baldassare and Bill Bartek (SEASON 1)
Relationship: Life Partners
Hometown: Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Age: Joe (56); Bill (53)
Occupation: Joe (Owns his own Minerals Trading Company); Bill (Realtor)
Results in Season 1: 3rd Place

"Team Guido" from Season 1 returns for another attempt at the $1 million prize. Claiming they've had their bags packed since they returned home from the first season, they are ready to go!
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Ozwald Mendez and Danilo "Danny" Jimenez (SEASON 2)
Relationships: Best Friends
Hometown: Ozwald (New York, N.Y.); Danny (Miami, Fla.)
Age: Ozwald (36); Danny (41)
Occupation: Ozwald (Advertising); Danny (Paralegal)
Results from Season 2: 4th Place

These best friends from Season 2 had a falling out several years ago, but have since mended their relationship and claim to be better friends now than they've ever been during their previous 12 years of friendship.
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John Vito Pietanza and Jill Aquilino (SEASON 3)
Relationship: Formerly Dating
Hometown: John (New York, N.Y.); Jill (New York, N.Y.)
Age: John (32); Jill (29)
Occupation: John (Trader); Jill (Product Controller)
Results from Season 3: 5th Place

Season 3's John Vito and Jill are back for another chance at winning the $1 million prize. What's different this time around? These former lovebirds are no longer romantically involved.
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Teri Pollack and Ian Pollack (SEASON 3)
Relationship: Married Parents
Hometown: Palm City, Fla.
Age: Teri (53); Ian (54)
Occupation: Teri (Homemaker); Ian (Private Investigator/Retired Police Lt.)
Results from Season 3: 2nd Place

Second place in Season 3 just wasn't good enough for this dynamic duo. Teri and Ian are still the oldest players to ever finish in second place in the Amazing Race and they are back to show that they haven't lost a step.
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Charla Baklayan Faddoul and Mirna Hindoyan (SEASON 5)
Relationship: Cousins
Hometown: Towson, Md.
Age: Charla (30); Mirna (30)
Occupation: Charla (Real Estate Investor); Mirna (Attorney)
Results from Season 5: 6th Place

Charla and Mirna captured America's hearts the first time around. They are proud of the way they played the game and look forward to another trip around the world together.
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Rob Mariano and Amber Mariano (SEASON 7)
Relationship: Married
Hometown: Pensacola, Fla.
Age: Rob (30); Amber (28)
Occupation: Rob (TV personality/host/pursuing a career in TV); Amber (TV personality)
Results from Season 7: 2nd Place

America's Sweethearts met, fell in love and got married...all in front of the cameras, beginning with the filming of Survivor: All-Stars, where Rob finished in second place to Amber. They finished as the runners-up to Joyce and Uchenna in Season 7. To what lengths will Rob and Amber go to avoid finishing as the runner-up yet again?
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Uchenna Agu and Joyce Agu (SEASON 7)
Relationship: Married
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Age: Uchenna (42); Joyce (46)
Occupation: Uchenna (Land Developer); Joyce (Sales)
Results from Season 7: Winners

Uchenna and Joyce are one of the most beloved teams from any season of Race. The winners of Season 7, Uchenna and Joyce were relentless and stopped at nothing to win the $1 million prize... including shaving their heads.
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Eric Sanchez and Danielle Turner (Dee) (SEASON 9 - Separate Teams)
Relationship: Dating
Hometown: Eric (Deerfield Beach, Fla.); Danielle (Staten Island, N.Y.)
Age: Eric (28); Danielle (23)
Occupation: Eric (Waiter); Danielle (Bartender)
Results from Season 9: Eric (2nd Place), Danielle (7th Place)

This unique duo met while racing against each other during Season 9. During their travels, they developed a bond which evolved into a romance and the two have been dating for the past year. Will the combination of big-city girl and self-proclaimed "beach bum" be a force to reckon with or will the other Teams discount this new pair who has never raced together as Team?
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David Conley, Jr. and Mary Conley (SEASON 10)
Relationship: Coal Miner and Wife
Hometown: Stone, Ky.
Age: David (33); Mary (32)
Occupation: David (Coal Miner); Mary (Homemaker)
Results from Season 10: 6th Place

Everybody's favorite coal miner and his wife are back for another trek around the world. David and Mary, the lovable, wide-eyed couple from Stone, Ky. are ready to compete and believe they have what it takes to bring home the $1 million prize for their children.
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Dustin Seltzer and Kandice Pelletier (SEASON 10)
Relationship: Beauty Queens
Hometown: Dustin (Seattle, Wash.); Kandice (New York, N.Y)
Age: Dustin (25); Kandice (25)
Occupation: Dustin (Grad Student); Kandice (Student at NYU)
Results from Season 10: 4th Place

These former Beauty Queens are back for a second chance and are more determined than ever to prove to the world that they aren't just pretty faces. Proven to be fierce competitors during the 10th installment of Race, Dustin and Kandice are focused and have their sights set on becoming the first all-female team to win the $1 million prize.
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Sources:
http://www.movieweb.com/tv/news/31/17031.php/
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race11/

New Beginning

The year has just started. It's high time for trying new things and doing everything twice as well as I used to.

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Bad Habit

While waiting for the job offers from HP and NEC (I already got one from Accenture), I usually stay at home every single day of the week. It's only at review classes during Saturdays and Sundays that I have the chance to go out. Unfortunately, instead of studying at home, I usually can't help but spend precious hours in front of the TV watching almost all of the programs and movies shown on Animax, Cinemax, ESPN, ETC, HBO, JackTV, and StarNetworks.

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'Good' Friday

Meanwhile, last Friday, I and Clarwin accomplished a multitude of tasks plus more. We already got the official copies (in NSO SecPa paper) of our birth certificates. We also toured Ayala to hunt for job vacancies late in the morning; he was interviewed on-the-spot at NEC Philippines. We. then, visited Lizelle at Safeway in RCBC Plaza. Early in the afternoon, CL obtained his SSS number. Late in the afternoon, we dropped by EEE building and pretended to be MS students. (That was fun!!!) ... And the greatest part of the day - we went to Kapuluan to renew our faith that we somehow neglected for the past year(s). Later in the evening, we parted ways - he went to meet a batchmate for business reasons and I went to May's house to meet some 01s (Danes, Dyan, Fil, Ghe, Liz, and May) for a videoke night. I ended the night at home playing with my very cute 6-year-old niece and 8-month-old nephew.

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Smart Start

Hopefully, before the month ends, I may eventually start working in and working with a company where I can apply all the knowledge I learned from UP and enhance my skills that will surely make my market value soar higher.

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Cheers!!! :)

What Nature Destroys Man Rebuilds

"I lost my daughter 36 hours ago, what's so natural about a natural disaster?"
--- IAN CARTER, Tsunami: The Aftermath

The highly-anticipated docu-drama in memory of the 2004 Asian Tsunami premiered on HBO (in partnership with BBC Networks) last night, exactly two years after a deadly tidal wave hit 11 countries across Indian Ocean that killed more than 200,000 people, a third of which were children. It was loosely based on the accounts and interviews conducted on several survivors from Khao Lak Fishing Village and Khao Lak Resort in Phuket, Thailand.

The two-part made-for-TV-movie is one of the best of its kind because it delivered clear, unadulterated, and well-written script. The actors are also commendable considering no one among the cast is an A-list celebrity except Academy Award^® nominees Tim Roth and Toni Colette.

The plot was very heart-touching and the effects were breath-taking. For the synopsis of the said film visit its website.

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Detour

Earlier this day, I recieved a job contract from Accenture. They gave me until the first week of January to accept or turn down the offer.

That gives me enough time to weigh my options as I undergo a final interview at NEC tomorrow morning.

YUL-tide

Yul Kwon is the 13th Sole Survivor

Yul Kwon managed to strategically defeat Oscar "Ozzy" Lusth and Becky Lee in the season finale of Survivor XIII: Cook Islands. The Asian-American lad garnered 5 votes from the 9-member jury; Ozzy got 4 while Becky had none. This is the first time that the final tribal council involves three castaways.

Kwon won US$1million while Lusth won the Mercury Mariner 2008 after winning the online poll.

Next season, the hit reality show will visit FIJI.

Ye! Ye!

My interview at NEC Philippines was a short and easy one. Aside from the usual "why-I-want-to-work-there-Q&A", the HR head only threw personal questions and questions concerning my educational and family background. After that, she promised to transmit my resume to the executives and asked me to wait for their call some time in January 2007 for a series of interviews with the bosses. She informed me that they will be needing more engineers next year and assured me that my name will be endorsed to higher authorities. :) I have her word but I don't know if she has mine. While waiting for their call, I'll take chances at my other prospect companies like HP, San Miguel, Globe and Accenture.

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UP EEE alumni who are reviewing at EXCEL are really enjoying our weekly sessions especially at times when some of us meet at McDo Recto to copy each other's answers to our homeworks, eat at carinderias and food establishments with incredibly low-low-priced student meals, strolling around the U-Belt during breaks, and right after making-"takas" before the third and last session starts during Sundays. We might end up as a bonded barkada by the time we take the Licensure Exam next year. We even have our own Yahoo! group, too!

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The Amazing Race 10: The Barbies are Phil-iminated this morning (Manila time) and the Sistas became the first all-female team to qualify for a slot in the Final Three (Season Finale) of this hit reality competition alongside engaged Rob and Kimberly and models Tyler and James.

Doha Asian Games 2006: Have you watched the Opening Ceremonies last December 1st? The enkindling of the torch and cauldron was, for me, the most spectacular sporting event ceremony I have seen so far. However, has anyone heard about the Filipino athletes' rain-soaking-incident after the opening rites? Amidst a 30-minute downpour, many participants from the Philippines, Malaysia and Japan were barred from re-entering the stadium while waiting for their delayed transport buses that would take them to their villages. Anyway, four days has passed and our country has yet to win a single medal. Let's continue to pray for our fellowmen's success in Qatar.

PBA: Barangay Ginebra is now solo #1 in the team standings after a come-from-behind-win over Air21 last night with a score 116-105.

Philippine Idol: It all comes down to the ultimate showdown among Gian, Jan and Mau at the Big Dome. Final Performance Night will be held on the 8th while the Grand Results Night will be held on the 9th. I am rooting for either Gian or Mau to win. Jan is always off-key whenever he sings.

Survivor: Cook Islands: Candice was voted out last Friday afternoon (Manila time) via a 5-3 vote and became the fifth member of a 10-man jury. Seven castaways are left in dispute of the $1-million prize.

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Christmas breeze is in the air. Carols are playing on radio stations and music players, cool winter wind from the north is already felt especially before daybreak, bargains/sales and shopping sprees happen almost everywhere and the workforce is already looking forward to large bonuses and holiday pays.

Sana magkatrabaho na ko. Andami ko pa namang inaanak na papamaskuhan. Haha...

Addict

Aside from sleeping and being a pseudo-bum (which means I am really not a real BUM because - Hey, I am a full-time EXCEL reviewee!), here are the addictions I currently indulge with:
1. The Amazing Race 10, The Amazing Race Asia, Detective Conan, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Survivor: Cook Islands, Yu Yu Hakusho and many other cable TV shows.
2. Bananas, Chukee, e-aji, Hersheys, Hotdogs, Picnic, Tofi-Luk and many other pampataba.
3. Blogging, playing SIMS, YM and other computer-related activities.

I bet, you won't be surprised if one day, you'll see me in the reality show - The Biggest Loser. Haha. :)

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Happy Birthday to the following:
Nov. 2 - Tin, Tupe (November 2006 ECE Licensure Exam Second Placer)
Nov. 4 - Ige
Nov. 5 - Joe, Zasha
Nov. 7 - Jim
Nov. 11 - Ja
Nov. 13 - Ochie
Nov. 18 - Romarie
Nov. 21 - Regina
Nov. 22 - Arolf, Carlo, Ivy, Ralph
Nov. 23 - Charmaine
Nov. 24 - Ate, Fil, Larisse
Nov. 28 - Kelly, Kiko, Kring

Cafe Lupe 2

A second Cafe Lupe event for the Barkadahan was held last Thursday 16 November 2006. Again, we watched and listened to the music of Ige's band NICCO. It was actually NICCO's third gig at Guadalupe - we missed the second one. All of the attendees two weeks ago were also present that night minus Ivan and Norman; and aside from Bananie and Fed, this time, 01 and beyond's Elma, Ghe, Jeff and Teejay were there. Speaking of Elma, just visit her blog entry for details and photo/s.

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Reality show update: Our Filipino comrades fell one-by-one these past couple of weeks both in Survivor and The Amazing Race. Brad Virata was voted out of Survivor: Cook Islands and became the first member of the jury. Jenny Guzon-Bae was one of the two castaways eliminated yesterday (Manila time) and became the third member of the jury. Ernie and Jeena of The Amazing Race Asia missed the Fast Forward because of a stupid cab driver and fell from second to last place in Jakarta, Indonesia and became the first team to be eliminated. Aubrey and Jacqueline finished sixth and stayed in the game.

Couch Potato

The Amazing Race

Season 10 Episode 7 (aired 29 Oct 2006): "I Wonder If This Is Going to Make My Fingers Pickle"
Married couple David and Mary received their third lease of life as Phil Keoghan, for the second time, marked them for elimination after finishing last during the 7th leg (Kuwait City, Kuwait --> Mauritius) of the award-winning reality competition. Stepping on the pit stop map first are beauty queens Dustin and Kandice who after a couple of word wars with single moms Lyn and Karlyn, flirtation at the airport with models Tyler and James and a car accident along the streets of Mauritius ended up choosing a wise Detour task that sailed them smoothly towards winning a pair of scooter motors.David and Mary, once again, need to wind up in first place at Antananarivo, Madagascar (8th leg) to avoid a 30 minute penalty that may ultimately boot them out of the race.

Review:
I love their charming smiles but I hate their attitude. I love their being competitive but I hate their strategies. The beauty queens may become the first all-female team to win the race and the million dollars but I am expecting them to lose a lot of friends and popularity votes. I am rooting for the underdogs especially David and Mary. I pray that the Chos may find another way to help the couple escape another elimination. "They are good people.", said Dustin and Kandice.

Preview:
Season 10 Episode 8 (will be aired on Sunday 5 Nov 2006): "He Can't Swim But He Can Eat Cow Lips!"
A never before seen twist shocks the racers and causes one of the "Six-Pack" teams to join forces with the blondes. One team starts the leg with a huge handicap; and a suspenseful and emotional finish causes rivals to battle for positions and allies as they race neck-in-neck to the mat.

Grey's Anatomy

Season 3 Episode 5 (aired 19 Oct 2006): "Oh, the Guilt"
Bailey treats a young mother battling breast cancer, who is wondering if it is even worth considering a mastectomy when she feels as if she will die soon anyway. Derek learns that Mark and Addison have had a relationship ever since the breakup of their marriage. The interns defend Bailey's competence at a hospital staff meeting. Meredith and Addison examine a couple who have become stuck together in mid-coitus. In the midst of performing cardiac surgery, Burke's right hand begins to tremble again, so Cristina covers for him by asking to practice her stitching technique. Burke talks her through the delicate procedure. Izzie, who has returned to clean out her locker, watches Cristina in the operating theatre. This make Izzie realise that despite all the things she could do now that she is rich, she still wants to be a surgeon. She speaks with the Chief and asks to return to work. The Chief tells her of his own past, when he made a mistake and lost a patient due to a collapsed lund. He tells her that she is only human and therefore capable of making mistakes, and that the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and move on. To George's disbelief, Izzie decides not to cash her multimillion dollar check until she knows what good can come of it.

Review:
Izzie is still my favorite character. She has the most sincere and compassionate heart amongst the whole medical entourage. Her talent must not be wasted (as Burke remarked). And so must the $8.7-million cheque Denny gave her. Deposit it now Dr. Stevens!!!

Preview:
Season 3 Episode 6 (will be aired tonight 2 Nov 2006): "Let the Angels Commit"
Cristina scrubs in on the rare 'humpty dumpty' procedure, much to the envy of her fellow doctors, Alex questions his future medical specialty, George and Addison work with a pregnant woman with an unusual dilemma, and Derek receives a surprise visit from his sister.


Survivor: Cook Islands

Season 13 Episode 7 (aired 20 and 27 Oct 2006): "Plan Voodoo" and RECAP
After the double-elimination of Cao Boi and Cristina, an episode was alloted by CBS to review the past six episodes of the hit reality show recapitulating the voting out of Sekou, Billy, Cecilia, J.P., Stephannie, Cao Boi and Cristina.

Review:
I really cannot get the reason of Brad on voting against fellow Fil-Am Jenny. He said that he cannot trust her. Just a little bit of advice Brad, "Blood is thicker than water." - how cliche-ic it may sound but of all the remaining castaways in Cook Islands, you are the two person who must align with one another. Look at Korean-Americans Becky and Yul; Yul saved Becky from a probable exit when he knew that Becky was deemed as a liabililty to the Aitutaki tribe.

Preview:
Season 13 Episode 8 (will be aired tomorrow 3 Nov 2006): "A Closer Look"
At an extremely physical Reward Challenge, a Survivor collapses out of exhaustion, leaving the burden of completing the challenge to their other tribemates. One Survivor confronts another about their choice to sit out of the physical portion of the Reward Challenge, blaming the loss on them. With little shelter available, a raging storm makes one Survivor's trip to Exile Island a nightmare. One Survivor brings a seabird back to camp after having caught it with bare hands.

Pinoy in Cook Islands

Yet to be confirmed, but I assume that another individual, this time a guy, with Filipino lineage is one of the five mighty Asian-Americans currently ruling the first two episodes of Survivor: Cook Islands under the banner of Pukapuka Tribe. Brad, carrying a familiar Spanish sounding surname Virata (Philippines share common family names with Spain and Latin American countries; and obviously, Virata is identified as an Asian, so there's a high probability that he is a Fil-Am.), joins fellow Fil-Am Jenny Guzon-Bae, Korean-Americans Becky Lee and Yul Kwon and Vietnamese-American Anh-Tuan "Cao Boi" Bui in battling castaways with African, Caucasian and Hispanic bloodlines.

From Survivor: Cook Islands' website, I got Brad's bio.

Brad Virata was raised in the small town of Oak Harbor, Washington, just outside of Seattle. The youngest of five children, he excelled at track, football and volleyball during his teenage years.

Virata received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in international communications from the University of Washington and was an active member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Shortly after graduation, Virata traveled throughout Europe and Asia working as a model. He then moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fashion and attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. He began working in couture clothing sales and clothing design merchandising for Guess? Men's Division. He spent five years with the company and helped launch the clothing line "Los Angeles Denim Atelier." He currently works as the Director of Men's Merchandising for Lucky Brand Jeans.

Virata is an avid beach volleyball player and surfer. His hobbies include weight training, running, rollerblading, power yoga, beach volleyball and international travel. He is most proud of giving back to his community through work with organizations such as AIDS Project Los Angeles, Project Angel Food, Starlight Foundation and the Big Brothers Program of Los Angeles.

Virata is single and currently resides in Santa Monica, California, with his Boston terrier named Maxx. His birth date is November 23, 1976.

Pinay in Cook Islands

There is a Filipina-American news correspondent included in the roster of the 13th Season of SURVIVOR. Divided into four tribes of five, twenty castaways are sorted based on their racial origins and ethnicity - African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic Americans and White Americans.

From Survivor: Cook Islands' website, I got Jenny's bio.

Born in Chicago, Jenny Guzon-Bae was raised in the western suburb of Melrose Park, Illinois. A natural tomboy, Guzon-Bae was often found playing football, softball, basketball, climbing trees or racing bikes with the boys in her neighborhood. Despite her parents' efforts to make her more lady-like by enrolling her in ballet and gymnastics (13 years of training), Jenny preferred beating out the boys. It wasn't until high school that Jenny finally embraced her feminine side, but she was still the fierce competitor on the inside.

A skilled writer, Guzon-Bae began honing her skills at age 15 when she was hired as a columnist for VIA Times, the largest minority newspaper in the Chicago area. She eventually graduated college with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in journalism from Columbia College in Chicago. She parlayed her writing skills into the spoken word when she became a television reporter for Chicago's only Filipino-American news program, "Philippine News Reports." Having retired from reporting a few years ago, Guzon-Bae continues to serve her community by emceeing various social events. She is currently a real estate agent.

Guzon-Bae heads up a volleyball league in her spare time. She also enjoys shopping, yoga, pilates, traveling and playing the board game Scrabble. She recently took up fencing, tennis and belly dancing. She enjoys watching boxing, basketball and football.

Guzon-Bae is a member of the North Shore Barrington Association of Realtors.

Guzon-Bae currently resides in Lake Forest, Illinois with her husband, Don, and their son, Casey. They have three dogs: Cola (an Australian Shepherd), Peanut (a Pembroke Corgi) and Sam (an American Eskimo). Her birth date is May 8, 1970.

Cable

Woohoo!!!

Finally, after more than six years, our cable TV connection has been re-installed (it was disconnected when I was in 3rd year high school). Now, I found a new enticing reason to choose going home over staying at the DSP Lab (where I enjoy free internet access and air-conditioned "bedroom").

I've already seen a dozen movies yesterday like American Pie 1, The Wedding Date, Hollow Man, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, 50 First Dates, Gremlins 2: The Next Batch, For Keeps? - to name a few. Also, I can now follow many quality programs such as the drama of the three CSI series, One Tree Hill, House, etc; the reality behind The Amazing Race, Survivor, Fear Factor, etc; the gags of Just For Laughs, Mad TV, JackTV, etc; the adventures of my anime faves and cartoon superheroes; and of course, great sporting events.

I just wish that my new pastime won't lead me to addiction. I don't like to become an obese couch potato.