Postcards from Nowhere

2012 is here

2012-01-28T21:45:00.003+08:00

2008. 2012. Four years.

Four years since I last put down thoughts on this wee space.

It's been awhile since I last tried to write a blog entry. I don't know what stops me or what hinders me from making a go of it like I used to in these very pages.

Age catching up. Jadedness? A misplaced sense of protecting one's privacy? In the facebook and tweeter age that sounds utterly anachronistic.

I have tried maintaining other blogs. For a time, I was active in multiply until I wasn't. Then there are my attempts at a wordpress account using my real name no less. But it still doesn't feel quite right.

Maybe, I need to go back to where it really started. Where I took roots, so to speak.

Hello, blogspot.

saturday morning with the moonchild

2008-02-09T08:59:00.000+08:00

V: My barbie doll is made in China.

Ang sinabi ko: yes, anak. Because it’s cheaper to make them in China.

Gusto kong sabihin: Outsourcing ang tawag diyan. Isang manifestation ng globalization

V: My Barbie doll clothes are fake.

Ang sinabi ko: No they are not. They’re called unbranded. Fake is when you pass off something not true as real.

Gusto ko talagang sabihin: Tawag diyan ay value shopping. We need not always get the branded ones. What’s important is what we do with the toys/things that we have.

V: Why do some people destroy the stuff of the sidewalk vendors?

Ang sinabi ko: It’s quite complicated. There are many reasons: 1) sidewalks are for people, 2) vendors on the sidewalks means people walk on the streets causing traffic and possibly harm to their bodies, 3) there’s a proper place for everything. It doesn’t mean though that what the stompers are doing is correct.

And then I was rambling already as I couldn’t stop myself from going into explanatory mode. I explained to her the quandary of vendors, Pinoys buying habits that makes sidewalk vendors a reality, the mandate of the MMDA. Infodump much? In other words, sinabi ko talaga ang gusto kong sabihin, pero syempre in kids speak. Kaya lang baka na-lost na sha. But at the end of it sabi niya: "Kawawa naman pala ang mga tindera." (cue music here:"Manggagawang impormal, Kabalikat sa buhay.")

Confused

2008-02-07T13:08:00.000+08:00

When Knorr came out with its Makulay ang buhay campaign, I was one of those who were swept up in melodic take, if not too subtle strategy to sell vegetables to kids. The TV ads featured healthy-looking children singing the jingle and obviously relishing their souped vegetables (sinabawang gulay). And the copy was really catchy: “Makulay ang buhay sa sinabawang gulay.”

We took our cue from this ad when it came time for me and my groupmates to implement a project for one of our classes. One of the results was a one-minute jingle titled “Bilin ni Bibo Basurahan” You can hear the jingle at our group’s site.

So, it really bothers me now that their new ad somehow overturns whatever leverage the previous campaign gained. In this new radio ad, a teacher is asking her students to classify food into meat and vegetable. The class got the first one correctly, but the following veggies they classified as meat to the consternation of the teacher. And then a voice over comes on to announce that by adding Knorr meat seasoning, vegetable taste like meat.

I know it’s still selling vegetables to kids (via the taste) but it sort of undermines the message of their earlier campaign. Once again, vegetables are treated as substandard fare and needs to be masked as meat for it to become a treat for kids.

The Great Veronica Mars Re-watch

2008-02-07T09:17:00.000+08:00

Television Without Pity.com is doing a Veronica Mars Re-watch starting with the Pilot this Saturday, February 9, 2008.

From the TWOP calendar:

The bitch is back, people.

This week we start rewatching Veronica Mars. So either you've seen her kicking asses and taking names for dozens of times already, or you still know nothing about this girl (shame on you), please come and join us in watching and discussing one of the most brilliant series ever.

Here's the schedule

Feb 9: Pilot
Feb 16: Credit Where Credit's Due
Feb 23: Meet John Smith
Mar 1: The Wrath of Con
Mar 8: You Think You Know Somebody
Mar 15: Return of the Kane
Mar 22: The Girl Next Door
Mar 29: Like a Virgin
Apr 5: Drinking the Kool-Aid
Apr 12: An Echolls Family Christmas
Apr 19: Silence of the Lamb
Apr 26: Clash of the Tritons

Tara na. Ulit :)

Made up

2008-01-25T10:51:00.000+08:00

And she says no
There’s no one behind the door anymore
She’s packed her clothes and shoes and her dog
She lives in a different room now; facing a different park.

She’s made up her mind
She’s somewhere new where you’re not allowed to go
Eating in a new café, chatting up the cool waiter
She’s on first name basis with people who are strangers to you

And it seems strange
To witness this scenario
When just a few blinks ago
You were not a “her” and a “him” but a you

help is on the way

2008-01-15T06:03:00.000+08:00

Say what you will about horoscopes but sometimes they can be so dead on.

My horoscope for today, Tuesday, January 15, 2008:

It may be difficult today to relax with your family or find the solitude you prefer as one little crisis after another finds its way into your space.

Fortunately, no one thing is enough to upset your day, but you may grow weary as you put out each and every fire.

Sometimes you receive support from others, yet now it might seem as if you have to do everything by yourself. Don't panic; help is already on the way.

I really hope so. There's just so much going on nowadays. It's always nice to have a shoulder to lean on even as we share our own. Life, you've become quite complicated.

Sad sackery

2008-01-08T08:56:00.000+08:00

Am watching this youchub vid ng arcade fire and david bowie called Wake Up. tapos yung caption ng uploader said: If you don´t cry watching this, you are dead inside

Then someone commented: I didn't cry watching this but you know how it is when you get older your bodies get bigger but your hearts get colder.

I just found that as sad-making. I don't want my heart to grow cold.

And then Lia tells me: it wont! grabe naman yung comment na yun. ay nako nag e-emo ka lang kasi birthday mo na eh hahahah

Hahaha birthdays.

This made me think of Seth Rogen's breakdown in Knocked Up: "Fuck you, hormones" although dapat i-substitute yung birthday.

I am sorry if i am confusing you. These are confusing times and the year is just one week old. Wtf talaga.

life cycle

2008-01-04T13:06:00.000+08:00

RH Code for QC

2007-12-17T15:13:00.000+08:00

We're currently hurrying to finish the production of our various props and paraphernalia for tomorrow's mobilization at the QC Hall.This is to show support for and pressure the local government to pass the QC Reproductive Health bill which was earlier filed by QC Councilor Joseph Juico.

A group of women from different organizations and residents from different communities in many areas in Quezon City will converge near the Sunken Garden (in front of QC Hall) on December 18, 2007 from 9AM to 12NN during the public hearing on QC Reproductive Health Bill. The hearing will be held at Carlos Albert Hall, Legislative Wing, Quezon City Hall and will be conducted by the joint council Committee on Laws, Rules and Internal Government and the Committee on Health.

Since it's christmas time, the organizing committee have decided to adopt this as its main theme. Therefore we have santa hats, gifts, parols and we even modified the lyrics of the "Ang Pasko ay sumapit" to fit the theme of the event.

Ang Pasko ay sumapit

Tayo ay mangagsi-awit

At sa ngayong umaga

Ang hiling namin ay iisa

Huwag pong kalilimutan

Ang aming mga karapatan

At ang aming hiling

QC RH Code ay ipasa!!

I also had fun designing some stuff and am particularly proud of this parol.

The QC RH Code is really important especially in light of the fact that we don't have a national RH bill. And it's not because for lack of trying. The women's movement has been lobbying for its passage since 4 congresses ago. If it were a real live girl, she would be hitting puberty soon.

The QC RH Bill encompasses the following 10 elements of reproductive health:

1. Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition
2.. Family planning information and services
3. Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications
4. Adolescent and youth health
5. Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmittable infections (STIs)
6. Elimination of violence against women;
7. Education and counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health;
8. Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions;
9. Male involvement and participation in reproductive health;
10. Prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction

if the local ordinance is passed, QC will join the provinces of Aurora and Ifugao in recognizing the reproductive rights of its citizens.It maybe a really small club but it's a start.

Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.

2007-12-12T06:10:00.000+08:00

It’s quite the sweet coincidence that this morning I’m humming Hey, Jude and I have in fact gone on to you tube to hear the song in its entirety.

It’s been a long time since I was in a Beatles frame of mind. I remember a time though when it was all I ever listened to and talked about. (much like what i feel right now for VM). Smile. It’s good to hear their voices again.

It’s so nice too to see John Lennon’s face again. Then of course, I had to be reminded that this time of the year is his death anniversary. Sigh. Every now and then I think about how the 90s musical landscape would have been if he were still alive during that decade.

Aray!

2007-10-30T14:34:00.000+08:00

- The Art of Prank

Love after Love

2007-10-22T07:17:00.000+08:00

Niña lent me this book called The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It's a love story about a time travelling man and the girl who eventually grow up and became his wife. I just started it and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the ideas presented in the book. It is an interesting read though. Iba yung concept ng author about time travel like the time traveller can't bring anything with him not even clothes (he arrives at his destination naked, hungry and puking.)

From the book's synopsis: This is the extraordinary love story of Clare and Henry who met when Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty."

There are parts that are kinda iffy like when they meet and Clare is 13 and Henry is 36 and just came from a time when he and Clare are married. So, syempre iba ang mindframe ng lolo. On the whole, I am enjoying it.

Anyhow, the book is preceded by this lovely poem by Derek Walcott.

Love After Love

The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

Ten Things You Can Do Right Now to Love Your Body

2007-10-19T12:43:00.000+08:00

I really like this list :) I got it from feministing.com.

1. Make the radical choice to commit to healing your relationship with your body.

2. Never diet. Never ever. It is a $31 billion industry that fails 95% of the time. That's just stupid.

3. Reconnect with your authentic hungers. When are you hungry? When are you full? What are you hungry for?

4. Move in ways (African dance, yoga, running, sex...) that make you feel happy instead of adhering to strict fitness regimens.

5. Add a compassionate voice to the chorus in your head.

6. Don't spend money on products made by companies that make you feel inadequate. Duh.

7. Stop hanging out with toxic people that make you feel bad about yourself.

8. Change conversations about weight to conversations about wellbeing.

9. Nominate someone for the REAL Hot 100.

10. Redefine your notion of success to include your own wellness--including joy, fulfillment, resilience, and self-love.

how to go grocery shopping

2007-10-15T18:02:00.000+08:00

via gizmodo.com

of cancers and cellphones

2007-10-08T15:50:00.000+08:00

Currently reading this article on Salon.com about how we are all living in some kind of petri-dish where almost half of the stuff we are in contact with can give us cancer. It's an interview with Devra Davis, head of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in relation to her new book, "The Secret History of the War on Cancer."

A big part of the blame is attributed to relevant agencies'(at least in the US) apparent lack of concern in regulating cancer-inducing products.

Why do you have concerns about aspartame, the artificial sweetener in many soft drinks and other low-calorie foods? What's a drinker of Diet Coke to think?

I can't tell you what to think: I can just tell you what I know, and what I recommend to my children.

In 1977, Richard Merrill, who later became dean of the University of Virginia Law School, was the chief counsel of the Food and Drug Administration, and he formally asked the U.S. attorney to convene a grand jury to decide whether or not to indict the producer of aspartame, G.D. Searle, for misrepresenting "findings, concealing material facts and making false statements" in aspartame safety tests.

This is not some left-wing group. This is the actual chief counsel of the FDA asking the U.S. attorney's office to convene a grand jury. It never happened, because by the time the grand jury was ready to be convened we had a new president. That president was Reagan, and within a month of Reagan taking office, he had a proposal from a guy you might have heard of named Donald Rumsfeld [who was then chief operating officer of Searle].

And Jan. 22, 1981, one day after Reagan's inauguration -- one day -- Searle reapplied for FDA approval. Prior to that, ever single request for approval was turned down by all the scientists ever looking at the data. That's a fact. There's no dispute about that fact. And then, it gets approved May 19, 1981.

Remember what happened with the Reagan revolution? It was: "We need to get the government off our backs." One of the backs it got off of was suppressing the aspartame industry. Later, many of the people who worked at the FDA to evaluate aspartame ended up going to work for the company producing it.

So you tell people to avoid it?

Absolutely.

First of all, there's no evidence that it helps you lose weight. And there are people who drink a lot of diet soda. It's a question of a risk-benefit trade-off.

read the whole article called Life Will Kill You by Katharine Mieszkowski.

Chasing calm

2007-10-08T10:23:00.000+08:00

Can we just stop and stay still for a moment or two?

Can we not reconfigure our lives just yet? I just want to be still and not be buffeted by all these constant, seemingly inevitable changes that seem to define our lives now.

I don’t know what I have been feeling lately but there is a certain sadness lingering about me. I don’t know if it’s me mourning as I finally say goodbye to the last vestiges of my childhood. Ayayayay. And so early in the morning yet.

I have just recovered from really hectic three months that involved me juggling work, school, family and friends. The funny thing was I never even realized that I was so busy and haggard until that Sunday after my finals. When I told my friend El about my finals, all she said was “Grabe, Earnest, Galing. Naitawid mo rin yun.” To which Buddy agreed when I told him later that night.

So anyway, now that sem break is here I am feeling sad naman. Ano burr? Is this how it feels after an adrenaline rush? No wonder speed junkies would rather drink downers to sleep off the descent from their 'highness.'

So I saw Zach Braff’s movie, The Last Kiss, last Saturday and it made me think about the process of growing up. Zach plays 29-year old Michael whose girlfriend of three years has announced is 3 pregnant. At a friend’s wedding, he met a 19-year old, college student, Kim (played by Rachel Bilson). Anyway, as much as Michael’s life is progressing well, he feels as though everything is planned out and finds his life a bit boring and thinks he's in a permanent crisis and hooking up with Kim is starting to look like a good idea, never mind the consequences.

The act of growing up, while it does not come overnight, is a conscious decision, I’ve come to accept. We really decide on our own: This is it, you say. I am no longer a child. I can no longer blame my parents or my childhood circumstances for the mess or state I am in. From hereon, it’s me and me all the way. It sounds so final, no? In a way, it is. There’ll be times and moments when you can be free and behave irresponsibly. But they are just moments, sooner or later you’ll get zapped into the current reality.

Ay, I have lots of free time and this is what I end up thinking? Ok, this time, I blame Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for making me feel this introspective. Sigh.

she's got style...

2007-10-05T15:05:00.001+08:00

what do you mean, you're still thinking about buying the album? Go get it! It's super worth it :)

for more on the band check out

cambiospace
cambiomultiply

it's back

2007-10-02T19:35:00.000+08:00

from xkcd.com

because no matter how crappy the world can get, there is always love to look forward to.

Do not force the issue

2007-08-03T19:20:00.000+08:00

lately, I've been noticing that I'm not much of a chika girl as I used to be.

I remember when I was younger, parang I had this mission to befriend just about everyone. In HS, aside from my core barkada, i had friends who were in the higher levels. I had theater friends. Then there's the sports-minded ones. Of course, i had my church-based pals. One time, i also hang out with this particular group of girls. One day, one of them asked another "Kabaro ba natin sha?" The reply was: "Di tsong. Sumasama lang sa atin."

This continued in my college days and the years after graduation.

Lately, however, I've noticed that I'm more inward-looking. I don't think I'm turning into a snob but it's more like I'm more focused on myself. For example, I don't have a need to befriend everyone in a new setting. These days, I'd much rather we do what needs to be done and if we become friends later on, well that's a good thing. But of course, i am still my usual pleasant self. I still strive to accommodate other people's quirks (and i hope they do the same thing with my own). I still pride myself as a team player. Pero hindi ko na pina-project na maging kaibigan talaga lahat ng makilala ko.

Dati-rati, sumasama ang loob ko pag napansin ko na hindi na ako kasama sa isang circle kasi nag-iba na ang direksyon ng buhay ko. I have learned now that we were never friends to start with. It's just that the circumstances forced us to work/hang out together. When you're younger, you tend to equate regular togetherness for friendship.

Now, I'm not insecure or burdened anymore if i'm not buddy-buddies with everyone around me. Friendship, I learned is not something you force. It happens when it happens.

if my life were made into a movie

2007-07-30T11:26:00.000+08:00

Your Score: Woody Allen

Your film will be 64% romantic, 39% comedy, 31% complex plot, and a $ 33 million budget.

Be prepared to have your life story shot entirely in New York City -- though lately Woody's been loving shooting in London. Also, your music soundtrack is all jazz from before 1949. Filmography: Annie Hall, Manhattan, Stardust Memories, Everyone Says I Love You, Match Point, Scoop, etc. Woody has released one film per year consistently for the past 35 years. For the past 15 years he's been trying to make films like his older, funnier ones, just like characters in his Stardust Memories film suggest throughout. Regardless of his personal life, his films are American classics.

Link: The Director Who Films Your Life Test written by bingomosquito on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

save energy

2007-07-19T10:47:00.000+08:00

ye, who is prone to multi-tasking; ye who has a full-time job coupled with demanding masteral subjects (namely, me: it would do you well to heed this warning.

from today's horoscope:

You often excel at sensible planning, combined with impeccable timing. You can work long and hard to reach your goals. Typically, you keep a reserve of energy for when you need it. But now something pushes from within, tempting you to burn all your logs at once. Don't do it; it's really not a good idea. You probably won't get what you want any faster, so retain some fuel for later when you will need it.

does this mean i can procastinate? to delay doing my assignment that's due on Monday since I will be working this weekend? hmmm

===
been working so hard the past month (can't believe it's only been a month since i started working again) it's only this week that i got to do yoga again. as expected, i was once again tight in some places, especially around my lower back. Ohh, the agony. I miss my flexibility huhuhuhu

To think that our crazy schedule has just began and there are still so many tasks ahead of us.

Karapatan ng mga Bata

2007-07-12T16:46:00.000+08:00

Because I had a hard time looking for a Filipino translation of the condensed version of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Mabuhay, magkaroon ng pangalan at nasyonalidad
To live, to have a name and nationality

Magkaroon ng pamilyang magmamahal at kakalinga
To have a family who will love and care for me

Mamuhay sa isang tahimik at kaayaayang kapaligiran
To live in a peaceful community and wholesome environment

Magkaroon ng sapat na pagkain at malusog at masiglang pangangatawan
To have adequate food and a healthy and active body

Mabigyan ng magandang edukasyon at mapaunlad ang potensyal
To obtain a good education and develop my potential

Bigyan ng mga pagkakataon upang maglaro at maglibang
To be given opportunities for play and leisure

Proteksyon mula sa pang-aabuso, pagsasamantala, kapabayaan, karahasan, at panganib
To be protected against abuse, exploitation, neglect, violence and danger

Ipangtanggol at bigyan ng tulong ng pamahalaan
To be defended and given assistance by the government

Malayang magpahayag ng pananaw
To be able to express my own views

Oh the wonderfulness of it all

2007-07-06T06:29:00.000+08:00

Yes, my baby turned 6 yesterday.
Can't believe it's been 6 years since that fateful day when typhoon Feria howled through most of Luzon (it flooded Baguio!) and Buddy and I welcomed our darling baby daughter into our lives.

I could never...

2007-07-04T15:43:00.000+08:00

Nothing says my favorite show is over than heading to the TWOP site and finding out it’s no longer listed under the Forums dropdown menu. Not only did I lose my show, I also lost an adopted virtual community (even though most of the time I was just a lurker).

Sigh, I really invested a lot in this show. I will sorely miss everyone in that show especially LoVe. It’s really telling that while watching Shia Lebeouf in Transformers, I kept thinking about Jason Dohring and how he would have tackled the role. The damn role just reminded me too much of Logan. I guess it’s the HS setting.

Goodbye, show. It’s been a swell ride. I’ll definitely miss your awesome cast, great writing, snarky dialogues, just-right-for-the-mood musical backdrops, quirky camera angles and lighting, cool pop culture references and the awesome fandom (virtual and real life) that rallied around you. I look forward to the day when it doesn’t hurt as much to think about your untimely demise.

Wallace: You better enjoy this, 'cause this is as nostalgic as I get. I just wanted to say...it was worth getting taped to a pole.

photo from vm-caps

Happy birthday, El

2007-07-01T13:30:00.000+08:00

I found this while rummaging through junk in one of the closets. I don't know when i wrote it exactly but I'm guessing this was sometime in 1998 or 1999 at the height of my Cynthia Alexander fandom.

What is it about a song
A flick of the hand of a gracious dancer
That immediately links you at that moment, in that place
to friends who are not beside you?

I've been watching Cynthia's set at Bistro for nearly 6 months now and I mean religiously. You'd think by now I'd be inured to her charms, to her guileless artistry. and yet here I am, with tears in my eyes, metaphysically reaching out to all of you. El, a lone woman danced to one of Cynthia's songs and under the bright lights in that small space of the stage, I saw you. Every poetic kick of her leg, every flick of her graceful fingers reminded me of you, of the way you yourself would dance: with no care whether it's 'modern' or 'ethnic." And i mutter a small thanks to the forces of nature that sent you, all of you, to my life.

I'm so mooshy, no? It's quite fitting too that I unearthed this note a day after El's wonderful birthday bash. She treated us (there were about 17 of us) to Ace Water Spa in Banaue. After that kakaibang experience (water + spa experience = one hell of an enjoyable night), we retired to her place for some fortifying food: pasta (El), bacon-wrapped asparagus stalks and fruit gelatin (Dindo), chicken curry (Nana), decadent chocolate cake called Kamasutra (Raffy) and wine, wine, wine.

Veda especially had a great time at the waters even though she got cranky by 11 pm, way, way past her bedtime; she finally hit the sack at 1 am (I know, i know but it's the weekend naman.

So, here's to you, El. I said it before and I'll say it again, I thank the cosmos for bringing us together. You're one hell of a friend!

oh, the places i have seen

2007-06-25T14:06:00.000+08:00

The creator of this meme is genius.

Pathetic that i haven't set foot in Palawan yet. Must. Rectify. Situation. Soon.

My Lakbayan grade is C+!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out atLakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

2007-06-23T11:44:00.000+08:00

As a parent, I am learning that there are certain questions and statements that I rather dread hearing from my kid. It’s not that it makes me queasy and uncomfortable; I somehow pride myself in being able and prepared to answer (or parry, as the context requires) any question that has come my way. It's just that these are indications that my child is slowly learning about some of the awful truths that makes up life as we know it.

And one of them was stated this morning, a few minutes after I woke up. Her hair tied up in two adorable, short pony tails, Veda approached me and said “Ma, me mga stories pala na hindi happy ending.” She then went on to tell me the synopsis of the last episode of the ABS-CBN telenovela “Maria Flordeluna.” Something about a cliff and the protagonist dying and how even if it was sad that she died, the story also ended on a hopeful note because a baby was born.

She’s turning six in a couple of days. Much as I know that this is a truth that I can’t shield her from, I just want her to believe that all stories end in happy endings just a tad longer.

the politics of engagement rings

2007-06-17T19:37:00.000+08:00

from slate.com

Until the 1930s, a woman jilted by her fiance could sue for financial compensation for "damage" to her reputation under what was known as the "Breach of Promise to Marry" action. As courts began to abolish such actions, diamond ring sales rose in response to a need for a symbol of financial commitment from the groom, argues the legal scholar Margaret Brinig—noting, crucially, that ring sales began to rise a few years before the De Beers campaign. To be marriageable at the time you needed to be a virgin, but, Brinig points out, a large percentage of women lost their virginity while engaged. So some structure of commitment was necessary to assure betrothed women that men weren't just trying to get them into bed. The "Breach of Promise" action had helped prevent what society feared would be rampant seduce-and-abandon scenarios; in its lieu, the pricey engagement ring would do the same. (Implicitly, it would seem, a woman's virginity was worth the price of a ring, and varied according to the status of her groom-to-be.)

via feministing

Once upon a ballerina

2007-06-03T02:13:00.000+08:00

Veda just nailed her first ballet recital with flying colors!

Yesterday during their dress tech she was all nervous and anxious as Sophie, the girl beside her was home sick and Mela, their side's group leader had to leave early. Sabi niya sa teacher niya: "Teacher Maricar, I get confused when Sophie is not beside me." There were times when it really looked like she was at a loss on how to proceed with the dance. she admitted it afterwards, saying "muntik na akong maiyak." But then today during the actual run, she was truly confident. It helped that their group was complete as was the extra practice before the actual show. Syempre, the whole time she was on stage, I was at the edge of my seat. What i felt, however didn't compare to what Teacher Maricar felt the whole time who was quite worried. The girls have a much smaller studio than the stage they performed in. This meant the kids had to adapt quickly to the new set up. But in the end, her girls really pulled through. She was beaming as she welcomed them at the classroom that doubled as the kids' dressing room.

This evening, i asked her how she felt about the whole recital. "I was really nervous, Mama," she answered. "Ang bilis ng beat ng heart ko, ang sakit nga, e. But I took two deep breaths tapos hindi na ako nervous." Aww, what a brave, brave girl. I heart my little Veda.

More pics here. Not much on the actual dance itself as our camera (on loan from El) wasn't that powerful. Picture- and video-taking weren't allowed on the day itself although we were promised a DVD copy of the whole show.

In other news: school has officially started! Here we go again.

sometimes it snows in april

2007-06-02T12:01:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, you have to look behind you to move ahead. No matter how much you try to set aside the past in favor of the present, it catches up with you sooner or later. In cases like these, sometimes, the only thing to do is to become the daughter you never were.

rise and fall

2007-05-24T00:50:00.000+08:00

I am gearing up for that rollercoaster ride called job hunting. This means scouring the Sunday papers, asking/bugging friends to send whatever job opening that they stumble upon my way and of course polishing ye olde resume.

Funny thing is, I actually feel good tweaking my resume. In three pages or less, you get a clear picture of where you have been and a somehow more concrete view of where you wanna go. Ang galing nga, e. In the past I had some misgivings about my ‘career trajectory.’ I remember this professor who interviewed me during the application process for my masters in sociology. He said, ‘you have a very inconsistent resume. You jump from one type to another.’ At that time I thought, it was because I was still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

Less than a decade later, I find that all my work experiences and the skills, values and strategies I learned from them are important components of the field I want to specialize in. They don’t look so ungainly anymore. In fact, they look so coordinated (in my eyes at least).

Writing a cover letter is a different story altogether. Where tweaking one’s resume gives rise to a sense of accomplishment, writing the cover letter is some sort of a rude awakening. It’s like “sure, you have all these and that but you still have to convince TPTB to give you the job let alone include you in their short list.” Selling myself - whether it's a personal essay, a short blurb to accompany an article - has always caused me some anxiety. This time around though, I am more comfortable. A big part of that is probably due to the loads of self-describing blog entries I have written here. Navel-gazing has its benefits.

LOLcats

2007-05-23T02:33:00.000+08:00

There’s this internet meme called LOLcats that has been making me laugh my ass silly. It’s such an internet thing that when I try to describe it in real life, I can’t really present it accurately or why i find it so amusing.

LOL Cats (sometimes referred to as “Kittah“) are Image Macros featuring cats, and boy are there a lot of them. In general, they anthropomorphize the cat in the photo, sometimes using purposely bad grammar (conjugation seems to be a real problem for the cats) or web-speak. - mental floss

The thing that really cracks me up are those that follow the "I am in your X, Y'ing your Z" variety (influenced by "I am in your base killing your d00ds" pronouncements during surprise attacks in gaming). Behold:

More here.

Another subspecies of LOL cats are what Anil Dash calls kitty pidgin. Instead of the "I am in your X" structure, the texts are written in an awkwardly ungrammatical way as exemplified by "I can has cheezburger."(via Table of Malcontent)

They are so cute, what can I say? I don't own a cat (the last time yata was when i was still a wee kid in Bontoc) but i just find them and pictures of them so cute. Tapos me accompanying funny text pa? Ay, I is a goner.

2007-05-22T11:29:00.000+08:00

When the old gods have ceased
To be the gods you’ve made them out to be
(Or maybe you shouldn’t have in the first place)
When the climes have turned hot
And stifling (and uninspiring)
And when navel gazing
Has made a permanent mark on your belly

Then maybe its time to honor the past
To seek out the two gods who never were
Who always, always loomed bigger than life

broken into pieces

2007-05-18T02:26:00.000+08:00

It's official. The news I've been dreading for quite some time now has finally come to pass. Veronica Mars is canceled. Waah.

I actually don't feel quite so heartbroken yet as Buddy and I just saw Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep and I still feel so buoyant. Perhaps next week when I watch the two-hour season-ender (and now inevitably series finale). I knew i should have stayed away from the internets before bed. this is news i wouldn't have minded not knowing asap.

Group hug anyone? Aimee? Cyn? Lia? Marie? Quark? Teens?

Sunday

2007-05-13T15:56:00.000+08:00

So, tomorrow, I’m headed to the precinct to vote. I haven’t been really minding the ongoing election campaign (save to rant when I hear Zubiri’s stupid, stupid jingle. Yes, Indi it is a relief not to be here during election fee-vah). I have, however been thinking about my possible senatoriables and so far I only have about 6 or so. Akbayan is definitely getting my vote for party list.

Walden Bello, one of the fielded candidates of Akbayan, has a website. Ang galing ng testimonials niya – from Noam Chomsky to Naomi Klein to Tado! Hahaha fantastic! (Thanks Len, for the tip)

Walden Bello used to be my teacher in one of my then-masters sociology classes. At that time, I didn’t know him at all except that he was a really good teacher who is often out of the country. But, oh how he made up for those absences. When he’s in front of our class, the air was vibrant with learning and knowledge; I was in a heightened state of learning and was just captivated by Mr. Bello’s intelligence and insight. It was from him that I began to truly understand the lopsided world economic state and how if we ever hope to come up with a real equitable and just global economy, we need to dismantle current structures starting with the WTO. Heady, heady class discussions or rather lectures. Back then, I was thinking, if I ever will have an affair with a much older man, it would be Walden Bello. Hahahaha

A few years later, I came across Mr. Belo in San Mig, El Pueblo during one of the Fete dela Musique events. I was the stage manager for the jazz stage and he happens to be inside my venue. Naturally, I had to approach him and nervously, I held out my hand for a handshake, introducing myself as a former student of his. I told him my name but I could see that no matter how much he jogged his memory, he can’t remember me. Ahahaha. But that’s alright; I wasn’t much of star pupil then (kahit naman ngayon, e).

I am glad that he’s running. Doubly glad that given the ranking of Akbayan in the latest surveys, he’s a shoo-in. Akbayan’s ranking (second) is also something to be happy and proud about. Many of the identified oppositionist party lists were hemmed in by the lack of funds. Government funds due them were held back on flimsy excuses. Despite this setback, Akbayan forged on with friends and supporters to come up with activities to raise much needed campaign funds. A friend who works for Akbayan willingly mortgaged her mother’s house just to be able to keep the campaign afloat. My good friend, El also made an AVP for them gratis while Aimee did her part by holding a fundraising event in Portland, Oregon.

--\--@

Happy mother’s day to everyone! Despite some reserve about the growing consumerism, you cannot deny that it is a special day. Especially when you are greeted first thing in the morning with this sight:

And receive text messages from friends far and wide, including from:

Caring: maligayang araw, magagandang ngiti sa mga nanay na di lamang mga duyan ang patuloy na inuugoy, kundi pati mga isip, puso, kiliti’t diwa’y inaaruga.

El: “My mother wanted me to be her wings, to fly as she never quite had the courage to do. I love her for that. I love that she wanted to give birth to her own wings.” – Erica Jong. Happy Mother’s Day.

Parang birthday ang pakiramdam :)

Flores Y Mujeres

2007-05-12T01:30:00.000+08:00

Currently at El's house assisting Carina as she prepares the flowers for Carlo's and Leah's wedding tomorrow. My right thumb and pointy finger are a bit sore from all the twisty wires. It's so fun to watch Caring as she turns all these flowers into the bride's bouquet, posies for the bridesmaids, wreaths for the flower girls' heads and corsages for the rest of the entourage.

Yes, Aimee, we wish you were here, too. Dindin and Aloy are also here. Earlier, Veda was around and helped out a bit, too by picking and segregating the loose petals :)

Before

When El told me it was gonna be an all-nighter, i thought it was just a figure of speech. Totohanan pala. We finally finished at around 5:30 in the morning. I went home (walking two-thirds of the way because there was no tricycle in sight) and slept for 4 hours. But i was truly happy with the results.

After

The wedding was at 4:30 in the afternoon in the picturesque Bonsai Garden in UP. After the reception, we all headed to Cravings for some cake, well more like 5 slices of cake and a profiterole) hahaha. Went home at arnd 10 pm and was asleep by 11. The following day, Sunday, i found out sina El, Din and Caring had wine and cheese til 4 in the morning!

if men had periods...

2007-05-11T01:04:00.000+08:00

So what would happen if suddenly, magically, men could menstruate and women could not?

Clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event:

Men would brag about how long and how much.

Young boys would talk about it as the envied beginning of manhood. Gifts, religious ceremonies, family dinners, and stag parties would mark the day.

To prevent monthly work loss among the powerful, Congress would fund a National Institute of Dysmenorrhea. Doctors would research little about heart attacks, from which men would be hormonally protected, but everything about cramps.

Sanitary supplies would be federally funded and free. Of course, some men would still pay for the prestige of such commercial brands as Paul Newman Tampons, Muhammad Ali's Rope-a-Dope Pads, John Wayne Maxi Pads, and Joe Namath Jock Shields- "For Those Light Bachelor Days."

Statistical surveys would show that men did better in sports and won more Olympic medals during their periods.

from Gloria Steinem's classic essay, If Men Could Menstruate which is included in her book Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions.

Makes me laugh and shake my head every time i read it.

Made of what?

2007-05-10T14:08:00.000+08:00

Indi posted a thinker in her blog today.

I followed the link to Momus' Click Opera and this quoted text from Ronald Inglehart' Culture Shift in Advanced Industrial Society struck me:

"Inglehart's thesis, restated repeatedly throughout the book, is that a gradual but steady and profound shift has been occurring in the basic values of the mass publics of the more advanced industrial societies. The shift is away from the long predominant preoccupation with material well-being and physical security and toward greater concern for the quality of life, more self-expression, greater sexual freedom, and interpersonal relations that are less formal."

Indi and I have had numerous conversations about the merits and advantages of favoring quality of life over material aspirations (within our/my context mas mananatiling aspirational ito than actual possesions, hahaha). Just three weeks ago, we had this YM conversation:

cocobeans12000: alam mo theory ako, (naks, i read tom wolfe's i am charlotte simmons and there's this group of student intellectuals who are forever forming theories in the hope that one of these will be the one that catapults them to fame)
yinyoung: ah ooo. student careeristas
yinyoung: they wanna be the next chomsky or chuva
cocobeans12000: i have this theory about the expectations of this age. parang since we have all these technology and time-saving devices coupled with the fact that we're forever bombarded by consumerism and we're somehow obliged to display everything we own including the kitchen sink, parang unti-unting namamatay tayo inside
cocobeans12000: para na tayong automated na habol ng habol sa next big thing, i mean even the travels which are supposed to revive us have become hobbesian, pagalingan sa pictures, patalbugan sa kung sino ang nauna, pataasan ng ihi sa kung ano ang authentic
yinyoung: competitive chorva
cocobeans12000: ewan ba, tapos parang kailangan lagi kang nasa uso pagdating sa mga tech advancements
cocobeans12000: correct
yinyoung: its da kano
yinyoung: eyyy try wiki-pedia-ing "affluenza"
cocobeans12000: mismo. i've read about that before

I have this childhood friend who seems pre-occupied with ‘making’ it, not that i judge her or anything. Iba lang talaga ang perspectives namin. we seldom see each other due to our busy lives but I remember this one gimmick a few years ago and I found out that our other dear friend is already at the top echelon of her company – one of the biggest in the country. Turning towards me, she remarked “I’m happy for her. She’s already made.”

That got me thinking about what that means, especially in these times. Momus writes a lot about Slow Life (a Japanese-led lifestyle movement which aims to “pursue satisfaction and quality of life, with comfort rather than economic and material prosperity”) and it is inspiring. It fits in so neatly with this passage quoted by Momus from Yu Dan's book, a modern adaptation of Confucian philosophy which has become a surprise hit within the economic-miracle nation that is China.

"Just because you have a successful career does not necessarily mean you have made your dreams come true," writes Yu Dan. She tells the story of three field mice preparing for winter. "One gathered food, one built shelter and the third did nothing but play. Winter came and there was plenty to eat but nothing to do inside the hideaway. That was when the third mouse made himself valuable by telling stories from his days of fun and games."

Thanks, Inds for that lovely blog entry. I initially started this out as a comment in your page, but look at that hahaha.

left, right

2007-05-09T20:07:00.000+08:00

I am old. I have seen so many things, been to so many places, witness to so much drama, real and otherwise. As much as I try to fight it, jadedness creeps in or at least its half sister “been there, been that” takes a semi-permanent spot on my side of the bed. And so without knowing it, I have begun to look at the world through this lens, to filter the sound- and landscape through these somewhat world-weary glasses.

At this point, there are only very few people who downright fascinate me. Although, I’m still outgoing and still prefer the company of people to being at home curled up in front of the TV or reading a book, the truth of the matter is, I find myself wishing more for the latter. Big pronouncements come my way and I can only muster enough interest and excitement to ask at least three questions about it. Boredom? I don't know. Conceit? Maybe.

I will admit this: I have a love-hate relationship with blogging – writing and reading. Hate it, because sometimes I can’t take the inanity, the pettiness, the vanity that almost always accompany each blog, mine included. half the time I, myself see this blog as more of a vanity project than anything. Love it, because, many, many times, and despite my jadedness and conceit, I get a glimpse of what it means to be human, to be vulnerable and strong, to be frustrated and hopeful, to admit defeat and still have the will to move on.

Just now, I stumbled upon a piece of internet property, a former home of a young friend. And as I read her entries and gaze at the lovely, original artworks that accompany her words, artworks and words written and made at a point in time when I have yet to meet her, I can feel a different sort of respect bloom in me. And I am amazed with what she had to say, with how she handled the hurt that came really early on in her life and how she articulated these feelings. And how this other persona resides in her which is so different from how I know her. It gives me some inkling as to why she is able to capture her subject’s intrinsic emotions in her work.

I guess what I’m saying is that, on those days when the pendulum swings to the hate side, I should not dismiss the people behind the blogs. No matter how much we pour ourselves into these virtual pages, no matter how much we aim to be honest and truthful in our blogs, the thing is no one can ever, ever know who we really are, least of all here in the internets.

*artwork nicked from boingboing circa 2004

road trip, anyone?

2007-05-07T15:19:00.000+08:00

Just came from a short road trip to partake at Gibo’s mom’s 70th birthday in his brand, spanking new home in Cavite. There’s something about being on the road, on the move, just seeing the scenery pass you by while you listen to the voice of Aimee Mann cautioning a new acquaintance not to pick on her when “an act of kindness could be deathly.”

Listening to music and being on the road has always been a twin pleasure for me. Even my one-hour-each-way commute to my most recent place of employment was made enjoyable by my trusty Zen player. The murky waters of Pasig took on an almost van gogh-ish sheen as i looked from the train on my way home.

I remember solo trips I made just to visit friends in La Union and Baguio. With my battered walkman and an ample supply of batteries and cassette tapes, being on the road felt like home. I would imagine situations where the bus would suddenly lose a tire or heavens forbid get hijacked. After a brief check at the levels of my walkman’s energy juice and a quick grope for my reading material and cross stitch stash, I heave a sigh of relief knowing I’d be able to survive the ordeal no matter if it extends beyond a day.

Right now, I’m listening to Wilco’s new album, Sky Blue Sky and I have this sudden urge to be on the move. It’s like the music is more magical that way. Naalala ko tuloy, several years ago when I was still driving. One of my best moments was driving (carefully) Buddy’s gray box type while listening to Pulp Fiction’s soundtrack. Badass!

paranoia factory

2007-04-25T23:50:00.000+08:00

So here’s the problem with taking a break from doing things.

You eventually hit the point where you begin to feel as if you’re being left behind. By what? By anything; by everything you can ever imagine (except of course in the household/child rearing department, although that is still debatable) even if you were/still are fully aware of the reasons why you decided to take a break in the first place.

Where does this root from – these self-doubts? Why is that, in these times, it’s almost considered a professional suicide if you took a leave of absence from work for more than three months (sabihan niyo lang kung OA ang assessment ko). It’s as if the acceptable amount is somewhere between two weeks to one month and a half. Otherwise, you’d be left behind; you’re wasting time not to mention the fact that you need to explain this gap to your prospective employer.

Just recently I attended this meeting. During the introduction part, someone, about three persons to my left introduced herself as such: I am ____. I am a writer. I am currently hibernating and I’m happy to be doing so. Two things struck me: I’m glad she’s taking a break (I know how it feels) but at the same time I felt that she need not add the last thought. It just felt like she needed to justify her decision to take it easy. Then again, I maybe over reading or probably projecting my own thoughts; it still made me pause.

To make a long story short, I’ve been feeling a bit restless lately although I have yet to make a serious dive into the wanted ads (if you know of any openings, please feel free to send the announcements my way). Truth be told, I’m enjoying my vacation but at the same time I feel guilty about not being out there, slogging it out with fellow commuters, logging in hours in my own wee space at an air-conditioned office. But I know, my days are numbered (para namang preso) and I need to be out there soon – my mind is starting to look for it and so is my pocket, let me not kid myself. Money or as my little girl would say it while scrounging for coins in her favorite video game: budget, is one of the main work motivators. If it weren’t for our serious need for money (and the gratification that a job well done brings us, sige na nga hahaha), we’d be all taking breaks incessantly, especially in this scorching heat!

But seriously, bakit ganoon? Why do we (meaning I) feel guilty about taking longer breaks than the prescribed norm? Is it really a waste of time to spend longer time on one’s self? Alam ko mahirap ang buhay lalo na sa Pilipinas and I can totally understand how a lot cannot afford the luxury of taking breaks or let alone the barest of luxuries. But what about the others who can? Ang sisipag, I swear!

Hahaha i just realized, if any prospective employer read this, I'd come across as tamad. Hindi ah. I just know the value of taking care of one's mind and body and that means living and resting well which in turn translates to working well (artesian?).

Good Golly Mr Cary

2007-04-18T19:14:00.001+08:00

...you are always dead on.

Go back with what you found. New York is your home. It's where you are known and understood. If you walk around strangers too long you get strange. You get estranged from yourself. They don't understand who you really are. They haven't seen what you have seen. It is a struggle to make them understand.

--Mr. Tennis, salon.com

@---\---

There was loneliness, there was forgotten happiness, there was sorrow and despair.

begin rant

2007-04-15T02:51:00.001+08:00

Context. Always context. There are some things that are better understood when seen within its proper context. And there are people who understand exactly where you’re coming from and where you intend to go and who are willing to hold your hand as you navigate your way towards whatever future you’re slowly evolving.

I read an article once before that states that man’s downfall is his adherence to being consistent. Like if he said something in a debate or an argument a few days ago, even though he never really believed it at that time (perhaps he just needed to have a position on the matter at hand), chances are he’d stick by that ‘truth’ a few days later, because he needs to be consistent. Otherwise, he’d be labeled as, oh, I don’t know inconsistent.

Is it really that bad? Being inconsistent? I mean we have so many emotions and feelings that run through us during any given hour. Must we always be consistent? What’s wrong about contradicting one’s self every so often? I think it’s when we try to stick to one truth or one version of the truth that we become inert, dogmatic, static.

Beware of becoming a fair-weathered friend. Something has to be said also about just being a fair-weathered friend – reluctant, hesitant, not wanting to disclose problems or whatever issues your currently confronting. That is a weird friendship. How can you expect a friendship to grow if you’re not able to talk about angers and hurts and frustrations? It can’t always be about the grand life, the masterpieces, the sheen. We need to wallow together in the grime, the dirt, the muck – the other half (or a third if lucky) that make up our lives. Otherwise, we’re just travelers swapping funny stories and tips on the best bars and spots this lonely planet has to offer. That may be good for a night or a weekend; it hardly warrants a lifetime commitment to preserving the ties. Then again, an argument can be made that true, lasting friendships are made out of such chance encounters between kindred souls.

Self-censorship, second-guessing one’s self – crippling personality aspects. Are these picked up from the environment (i.e. cultural) or are they internalized self-defense mechanisms?

Does the internet make you bolder, more courageous about your statements, more open to other perspectives, more tolerant of other people’s beliefs? Or does is it back you into a corner, defending earlier decisions, proclamations; just standing your ground because as they say “you are as good as your word.” Palabra de honor. Stephen Colbert on Bush: “When the president decides something on Monday, he still believes it on Wednesday -- no matter what happened Tuesday."

[/end rant]

The Big C

2007-03-23T20:37:00.000+08:00

I’ve been in front of the computer for the better part of the day, mostly editing, partly reading this really engrossing graphic novel about a 43-year old woman’s battle (war metaphor talaga) with breast cancer.

It starts innocuously enough: “What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married, big-citygirl cartoonist with a fabulous life finds a lump in her breast?!?”

What happens is an adventure filled with denial, dread, financial scares (her insurance lapsed months before the diagnosis), hope, love, anger, despair, confusion all set against a backdrop of loving, demanding friends (“bossiness is love”), a devoted fiancée later husband, dedicated (s)mothers, among others. And though it is only an excerpt, there are 136 pages online. Riveting and engaging, it presents an honest insight about her whole ordeal presenting the varied aspects of breast cancer and how one phone call can neatly divide one’s life into two categories: BC (before cancer) and AC. Although it’s written almost tongue-in-cheek (she’s a New Yorker, after all), you can feel the emotions run through the screen. I may have to rethink my former position on paper being more tangible and transcendent than its online counterpart.

The author also manages to put in the varied aspects of breast cancer: the science behind it, advocacies, and controversies surrounding the causes of cancer – it manages to be political without resorting to hysteria.

The storytelling reminds me of Marjane Satrapi's brilliantly written and illustrated Persepolis (except this one’s in color).

Even though my eyes (and pointy finger) are tired (and of course there’s work to be done) I can’t seem to stop reading. To borrow Teenee’s expression, it’s like crack. I keep telling myself, last page, last page. Where am I now? Page 91.

And oh, it’s called Cancer Vixen and is written and illustrated by Marisa Acocella Marchetto.

burp!

2007-03-22T01:44:00.000+08:00

With all the parties being thrown left and right by good old friends and hanging out with the band during their gigs, it’s beginning to feel like Christmas in March. God help me and my efforts to become beach-able by April. ;-)

First there was last Friday where we stayed chatting and drinking and eating (Dindo just had to order appetizers at 2 am) until 3 am at Big Sky. The Dawn, Pedicab and Sugarfree played that night. Angela is in town (here from Paris for two weeks) and Hugo (from UK naman but likewise staying in Manila for 2 weeks).

Then I joined The Dawn the following Saturday night all the way to Paskuhan Village. It’s my first trip north since three years ago. Of course we had a veritable feast when we stopped at Select. Kunwari pa, healthy options ako: castanas and dried jackfruit pero nakikikain naman sa chips, cashew nuts at squid jerky ng iba. To top it all off, I just had to try the new flavors of kitkat – yum yung coconut éclair :)Syempre pa me konting kain pa din at the venue.

Sunday was rest day, thank God. Monday saw me at the start of my second week of yoga. That night however was vegetarian galore at Joseph’s despedida. He left 1 pm yesterday and it would be quite a while before we get to see him again unless we visit them in Oregon. But… damn you visa-monsters! If it weren’t for your paranoia, we’d have an easier time visiting friends in faraway places. at least isa na lang ang balakid: pag-iipon ng pera.

The following day it was Angela’s turn to throw a party for her birthday. Buti na lang there was swimming involved so I’m not so guilty about kind of eating I did. Damn. Those smelly cheese sure taste good. I know all that sodium is bad for my health but… This was a fun nite: tarot reading care of Aurae, Sherman preparing tarragon tea for Caring’s tummy, Caring depite her tummy preparing sundaes for everyone (magnolia vanilla ice cream + raspberry wine + jammed strawberries = delicious), the kiddies having fun with Wiki the Pawikan – a swag Auraeus got in one of those film festivals, Dindin cooking pasta, me washing the dishes. Ayayay ang saya.

Wednesday night, we had to visit Caring at the hospital. Poor girl. Even though Sherman was successful at making her comfortable and despite the stone massage she got last night, her bum stomach didn’t get well. Buddy and I joined El who promised her an efficacent oil rub. Later, the three of us had a mini dimsum feast at the Emperor in Wilson Street before heading home. Ang sarap ng hakaw nila. We’re definitely going back.

Then tonight, we’re supposed to have a dinner with Boni and his family. It is in honor of Aimee and family who are leaving in a couple of days din (nauna lang si Joseph) and the food over at their house is always a gastronomic delight. Friday lang yata ang walang kainan. And then by Saturday, all of us will troop over to Laiya, Batangas for our first-ever out-of-town gimmick. Imagine, we’ve been friends for over 16 years now and we’ve never had an out-of-town vacation. The tragedy! The tentative itinerary involves pit stops in Tagaytay and at the produce market of Batangas. Wanna bet we’ll be eating non-stop the whole weekend. Hay. Christmas , I tell you.

*picture taken at Caring's flat, Feb 2007 (Aimee, Din, Dindo, baby Miy'ka, El, Caring, Oman, Dandan)

pimping time

2007-03-19T01:17:00.000+08:00

Heyo. The Dawn has released their latest video off the album "Tulad ng Dati." It's directed by Mike Sandejas, he who wrote and directed TND the movie. Speaking of TND, the movie, it will finally be shown commercially from April 25 to May 1 at all SM Digital Cinemas (Manila, Cebu, Davao, Pampanga). for the latest, join The Dawn List. Just send a blank email to thedawnlist-subcribe@yahoogroups.com

if you enjoyed it, please vote for it by texting MYX VOTE DIFFERENCE and send to 2366. Thanks in advance.

summer blagging

2007-03-17T12:24:00.000+08:00

There’s something about the onset of summer that makes me nostalgic. I don’t know if it’s because of the weather – the almost drastic change from February’s comfortably cool climes to the scorching temperature that is summer or to the farewell rituals that epitomizes these months – graduations, year-ender gimmicks, final class presentations, grad parties.

I suspect it’s more the latter. I first felt this when I was in my freshman year in college. It was the first weeks of March. I was inside an Ikot jeep and the radio began blaring New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle.” All of a sudden I was transported to my old decrepit high school, particularly at the precise moment that my schoolmates were rehearsing a dance number to the tune of BLT. I think it was for something Foundation Day-related. i was never part of dance routines in high school. My natural inclination was forever killed when, after a grade 2 class dance number, my lovely Lola so matter-of-factly commented: ang tigas ng katawan mo. Anyhoo, so there we were hanging out at our sorry-ass stage half of whom are rehearsing this dance while the other half observed/heckled. And yeah, Eugene was there my almost-first BF and so were our other friends. I can’t recall what was said between us but it probably involved flirting, the pa-cute kind – this, after all is high school in the mid 80s. hahaha

Where was I? ah yes, nostalgia. Ever since then, I’d feel sentimental once the hot winds of summer begin manifesting itself. Every now and then, I’d find myself looking out the window staring at our neighbor’s star apple tree and just thinking about the past and how my actions have led me to this one singular moment. At times, it makes me think about the people who I have shared a significant amount of my life but who are no longer part of this life.

There’s thing called seasonal affective disorder also known as winter depression. I may have a mild variation of it. But I don’t think it’s depression for me, though. I think that on these days I just become more reflective. A way to pay respects to actions past as I prepare to make new summer memories. I really don’t know. [shrug]

Anya Ngay?

2007-03-15T22:39:00.000+08:00

I’ve been spending most of my time at home these days and invariably I find myself castigating, no wait that’s too harsh a word, reprimanding Veda for various whatevers. All part of parenting I know but it really puts a damper on my day every time I do it.

Seated on the couch tonight, I asked my favorite seatmate if he ever remembers being scolded as a young boy. Before he can even formulate an answer, I replied right away, "I do." Talk about answering your own question. Hee.

But I do remember being castigated and reprimanded and spanked as a little girl. To say that I was a handful would probably be an understatement. Hahaha. I can just picture my lola (and lolo), in all her glorious anger pointing her finger towards me spouting words like “Anya ngay? nagtangken ti ulom (Ilocano for: What the? You’re so hard-headed.”) Followed by either a) a threat to be spanked, pinched or slapped silly on my heiny or b) actually being spanked, pinched or slapped silly… you get the picture.

I shake my head at these memories and wonder how my grandparents and eventually my aunt Mayette and cousin, Ate Sonia ever survived me.

To be fair, Veda is more manageable than I ever was during my heydays; even I could see that. She easily understands why she's being reprimanded and does make an effort not to commit the same mistakes but you know she is a kid, and she needs to be constantly reminded. Plus, she's my daughter and she knows exactly which buttons to push - that's Buddy's theory. The challenge here is not to give in to acts which are somehow calculated to get a rise out of me. Zen is where it's at.

TVlandia

2007-03-14T21:56:00.000+08:00

I have these TV series-es on DVD – I’ve been hoarding them since I first discovered the paradise that is the LRT 1 Carriedo station. I was really stocking up for when that day arrives that I’ll have little-to-nothing responsibilities or when I am looking at days of virtually doing nothing. Let me see: I have Grey’s Anatomy (1 &2), Prison Break, Numbers, Six Feet Under (all 5 seasons), The OC (1-3), One Tree Hill (1-3), 4400, Coupling, Scrubs (1-5), Battlestar Galactica (1-3) and an inordinate amount of full-length films.

Now that I’m finally within those days that I longed for, I find myself not so hot at watching half of the TV series that I have (some are still unwatched. Hoarding, i tell you).

There is one and only one reason for this: Veronica Mars has totally soured my taste for vapid TV. Granted, I have always been critical of so many TV shows but there were some which I considered guilty pleasures (OC and OTH, among them). But now, BUT now, I find not one ounce of tongue-in-cheek joy at following the so-called narratives of these shows – shows that have, in the past, been able to afford me some sense of pleasure. What have I done?

Everything about Veronica Mars, for better or worse has raised my standards for what makes good TV – from the superb writing to its great cast headed by Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring to its great execution. Kahit sabihin pa nila na hindi ganoon ka-tight ang season 3, it’s still one of the best TV shows around. And there isn’t a stronger female role model than she is – feisty, intelligent, stays true to self, toughie but a marshmallow nonetheless. Basta, magaling sha.

So now, when I have free time as I do now, I find myself ruing the day I followed Lia’s advice to check out VM. I mean, we all need mababaw shows once in a while. But I find that even my mababaw standards have gone higher. I can’t even enjoy Entourage now. But maybe it’s due more to the fact that I’ve seen the people and the circumstances that show portrays first hand. It’s just a little too close to home for comfort. Hee.

But I still try to watch these shows ploddingly. I mean, Seth Cohen still makes me laugh every now and then and there’s some residual infatuation with Lucas (am watching season 1 pa lang).

On the other side of the spectrum, Scrubs still cracks me up (Zach Braff, I heart you). Like the rest of humanity (at least those with TV), Buddy and I are hooked on Heroes (why must they go on hiatus? it's bad enough that i'm suffering from VM-withdrawal, must they take away Hiro and company, too?). As per Quark's suggestion, we're also logging some Battlestar Galactica hours as well as spending QT with Ugly Betty. Then, there's also the 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm not really keen on the supernatural but everyone says BtVS paved the way for VM (i'm inclined to agree although Sarah Michelle Gellar lacks the comedic timing of KB,imho).

Can you tell that i have lots of free time these days? :) Speaking of free time, maybe what I need is another 9-5 thing to make me appreciate the mababaw aspects of TV again? Hahaha how roundabout is that? But not just yet, ok? I so deserve this break.

Nemo is found

2007-03-04T01:22:00.001+08:00

nemo maki. look at those eyes. hee.
via boingboing

hope, grasping at straws and all that

2007-03-02T21:43:00.000+08:00

Saw the last episode of Veronica Mars before it goes on hiatus. It's gonna be a long 8 weeks. sniff, sniff. And still no word regarding Season 4.

Finals in less than 11 hours. See where my priorities lie? Thank heavens too, that I'm having a hard time accessing TWOP. Otherwise, I'm shot.

screencap via VM-caps

Reading is cool

2007-02-19T18:51:00.000+08:00

you gotta see this vid clip. One of the best arguments for teaching kids a love for reading.

meh

2007-02-17T17:55:00.000+08:00

for want of a blog entry. gawd, it's so hot these days. thank god, it's still cool at night and in the early morning.

Your results:
You are Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman		65%
Spider-Man		60%
Robin		55%
Supergirl		55%
Catwoman		45%
Iron Man		45%
Superman		40%
The Flash		35%
Green Lantern		30%
Hulk		30%
Batman		25%

You are a beautiful princess
with great strength of character.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

overworked?

2007-02-07T03:46:00.000+08:00

And how are you being played? You have been conditioned to be the best. You have been taught to do what they say, or you'll end up on the street. But is there really a risk of ending up on the street? And are your capacities limitless? Are you incapable of error and possessed of infinite stamina? Is that what it says on your résumé? Is that what it says on your job description, that you promise to work unending hours and take infinite amounts of crap because you agree, in writing, that as an employee you have absolutely no choice?

--Cary Tennis, Since you asked. salon.com

Moosh, Moosh

2007-01-31T01:08:00.000+08:00

You know you’re among friends...

When you can argue about something passionately, even to the point of stubbornness and still share a lovely meal afterwards.

When you can just blurt out “you know I felt so down and out the other day. I really cried a bucket” without getting any pity glances. They just understand it’s something we all go through at some point in our lives.

When they don’t mock your obsession with Veronica Mars. Although they sometimes can’t help but roll their eyes because let’s face it, every fifth word that comes out of your mouth these days concerns the noir universe of Neptune, California.

When they say "I hate you, you turned me into a Veronica Mars addict." you just smile and together you plot how to convert the others into worshiping at the LoVe altar.

When during a phone call, you say “can’t talk. I’m busy” and it’s ok with them.

When even if they are a thousand miles away with a different time zone, they manage to accompany you (via YM) and encourage your late-night studying.

When you feel safe talking about not-so-clean thoughts and dreams or venting about your anger and frustrations without fear of being judged.

When tasked to do an assignment and you feel you’re not up to the challenge, they tell you “how can it not be brilliant?”

When you can unconsciously say "So, is this your pasalubong?" broadly hinting that yes, you are kinda expecting a Christmas gift as well.

When faced with an uncertainty, he says “It’s ok, we’ll manage. We always do.”

you said what?

2007-01-29T18:40:00.000+08:00

there are just some days when you just need to sit back, relax and say 'aw, frak it. tomorrow can take care of itself. for now, i just want to sit back and relax.'

nebulous

2007-01-26T13:39:00.000+08:00

Severing ties – there’s something oddly comforting about this particular act. In some cases, it comes as violent a metaphor as it can get; other times it’s a protracted, slow march towards the inevitable. It can be a two-way street with both parties agreeing to the terms or it can be a silent, one-sided affair. Either way, there’s something about it that gives some sort of clarity to whatever that was clouding you.

Love lost. Lost connection. When you finally reach that point, you expect some sort of dramatic emotional upheaval but surprisingly what you feel is… a certain emptiness. You don’t care. You want to feel sad but can’t muster any of its elements except perhaps a shrug and a deep sigh. Strange. Then you realize, perhaps you’ve finally learned the valuable lesson you needed from him. The time has come to move on; time to clear up his space in your heart and make way for those you want to be a part of your life from now on.

and a happy new year to you, too

2007-01-11T17:40:00.000+08:00

got this from Lia. Seems like a good way to start the year :)

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:

”To do this, therefore, you should have a clear idea of what”

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?

the top of a cubicle divider

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?

The Quick and the Wed, Veronica Mars Season 2 episode 15 (re-watching it. Got Buddy hooked on the series. Yey)

4. WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is.

5:20

5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?

5:18

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

the whirr of the A/Cs that keeps the library cool. How’s that for noise pollution?

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

An hour ago, bought some blank cds

8. Before you came to this website, what did you look at?

http://www.mybrochure.com looking up some leaflet designs

9. What are you wearing?

floral blouse, brown slacks and brown maryjanes

10. Did you dream last night?

Yeah, I dreamt of Jason Dohring (my first) and he was guest starring at some sitcom kaya lang he looks about 10 years older and 15 pounds heavier. Weird.

11. When did you last laugh?

a few hours ago when Jugs called me up. Tsismis, ever.

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?

To my right a sign that says “It’s ability that matters not disability.” (printed out by yours truly a year ago) To my back, a cork board. To the left, some school stuff.

3. Seen anything weird lately?

An MMDA officer texting while crossing a busy intersection. Or is that idiotic?

14. Last movie you saw?

Howl’s Moving Castle, wait Billy Elliot yata.

15. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

A house in Antipolo or anywhere where there are trees and open fields and fresh air.

16. Tell me something about you that I don't know.

I sometimes check my daughter’s breathing when she's asleep at night. It’s paranoia I know. But I’m a mother….

17. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

end poverty

18. Do you like to dance?

Yeah, but I really don’t know how hahaha. I just stomp or jump or sway

19. George Bush: is he a power-crazy nutcase, or someone who is finally
doing something that has needed to be done for years?

definitely a nutcase

20. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

No need to imagine. Veda but I used to fancy the name Rain hehehe hippie-hippie eh?

21. [Same question for a boy]

Quentin? I dunno. Basta definitely hindi Junior hahaha

22.Would you ever consider living abroad?

yeah but only for a short while. Despite our conditions here in the country, it’s still Pinas for me, baby.

Whew! A great way to start the new year! Polluting the net with more unwanted detritus about myself. But hey, if not the net, where else? Hmmm..

previously on....

2006-12-18T14:13:00.000+08:00

okay, 2 posts in a row about veronica mars. more explicitly about LoVe. Ano ba? I dunno how i got int this jam. I am so in deep i dunno what to do anymore. I'm almost done with Season 2 and Lia just promised me to hand me a CD of season 3 tonight at the grand opening of Blow Up Babies in Serendra, Makati (adjacent to Market!Market!).

I've never felt this way in a long time about a tv show: feverish, agitated, just want to talk to LoVe freaks to let off this thing off my chest. I already know much about Jason Dohring, the actor who plays Logan Echolls: 24, married to Lauren, 2nd gen scientologist, originally auditioned for the role of Duncan Kane, says fuck a lot during his interviews hehehe

I've also added the Season 1 sound track to my mp3 player which means there are three entries now for "Such Great Heights": one from the actual Postal Service album, one from VM and yet another one for Garden State. Now i remember the last time i went gaga like this. it was when i was so infatuated with Scrubs and Zach Braff. The only difference was that Buddy and I were both so into the show. sha naman kept ogling Elliot.

Hay. Oks lang. it's good to be obsessive about temporal things once in a while hahaha. but what a great tv it makes. ika nga ni Salon.com's Stephanie Zacharek: While both shows [Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars] pretend to be geared toward a teen audience, it's really adults, well past the trauma of teenagerhood but still all too aware of how much it can sting, that gravitate toward them.

homaygazness!

2006-12-15T13:18:00.000+08:00

ayeeee!!!!!

I have started watching Veronica Mars (take a bow Cynthia, Lia) and i must say i am hooked. Actually i was hooked from the get go but dang if the line didn't get any deeper with the last few episodes of season 1. I can't quite articulate how i feel. Suffice it to say that i haven't felt this kilig for a long time. And it all started with this particular shot:

I haven't seen the whole of Season 1 yet so please do not spoil it for me. If Logan Echolls becomes an asshole again at the end of season 1, please let me find out for myself. I am so dying here. I have tons of deadlines and loads of things to do and places to go to and yet all i wanna do is just stay at home and curl up in front of the tv.

nablopomo winners

2006-12-07T15:28:00.000+08:00

the winners of nablopomo has been announced. as you can see above, i am not one of them hahaha sayang, i was secretly hoping pa naman i'll get that flickr pro account :) to all the winners, congratulations. maybe one day i get to read all your blog entries.

Hello Kitt-ar

2006-12-07T14:46:00.000+08:00

ang cute ng mga guitars. me want one. Isn't Frances Bean lovely? And, I'm glad for any picture of Courtney Love wherein she looks clean (not sober-clean - can't do anything about that- just hygienically clean). pero kahit ano pang sabihin nila or gawin niya, I still like Courtney. There's just something about her that i respond to.

(photo from perezhilton)

backstage at the rock awards

2006-12-03T12:06:00.000+08:00

I almost didn't make it to the rock awards last friday. I was at home sick - with slight fever and aching joints. my eyes were burning a bit (which come to think of it has been burning since the start of last week). Buddy left for the venue really early in the day and couldn't come back to pick me up. Buti na lang Sherman came over and helped me get out. After a nice dinner at Krua Thai (thanks to Sherms) and a quick stop at Starbucks (where Sherms claimed his planner) and Mr. Donuts, we headed to the World Trade Center.

We mostly stayed backstage, hopping every now and then to the right side of the stage to check out the performances. A quarter of the way, my fever broke out. Ang init sa venue!

My fave moments of the night are: Myrene winning the Bassist of the Year award for Imago and Sandwich, Buddy, Raims and itchyworms for being the Producer of the Year for Noontime Show, Sandwich's DVDX performance and The Dawn's producttion number with Raims, Gabby Alipe (UDub), Dong Abay and Chito Paroks. I took a video of that number kaso lang youtube won't let me upload anything bigger than 100mb. Sayang. I specifically borrowed El's digicam for this purpose. makahanap na nga lang ng ibang hosting site.

Ang saya backstage. we're all just posing for each other's cameras wehehehe while everyone got sloshed by the minute. The show ended at 12 mn. afterwards we headed to Cafe Luce in Jupiter for some drinks and crispy pata. Ako? I had me some garlicky cheese sticks and pineapple juice.

Some snapshots from that night.

Day 30

2006-11-30T18:15:00.000+08:00

I did it! I made it through. There were some rough patches there but I was still able to follow through. I'm talking of course about nablopomo or national blog posting month.

Taking its inspiration from nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month where you're expected to crank out a novel in 30 days), nablopomo participants are expected to write one blog entry a day for 30 days. There are prizes at the end of the line. Grand prize includes "Six months free hosting with purchase of a full 12-month Economy Hosting plan - or, if the winner does not wish to change hosts, a Flickr Pro Account for one year and 1 custom banner/masthead for your blog." There are other random prizes, too.

So sorry if i wasn't able to inform you about it, i only knew about it a day or two before it started. Maybe next year, we all can do it. As what fussy.org, nablopomo organizer says: Some of us lack the imagination, stamina, and self-destructive impulses required to write a novel that quickly, but, by Grabthar's Hammer, we can update our blogs every day for a month!

in the meantime...

2006-11-29T22:56:00.000+08:00

If you were to ask me when I was 16 what kind of life I would be living 16 years hence, I’d probably paint you a scenario that is so far removed from my present life. I’m not being regretful. In fact, I’m kinda amazed at where I am right now and how far I have gone and evolved from the foolish, impetuous girl I once was.

A good friend once told me, do not judge your life against the achievements of other people; judge yours by how far you have come as compared to your mother or grandmother. Parang every generation should be an improvement on the one that came before it. I know that if my grandparents can only see me now, they’d be proud – especially my dashing lolo Pedro. Sometimes, I just wish they lived longer.

===

just had a quick dinner with old friends at The Block in SM North. the main purpose for this meal was for Bamba to hand us her wedding invitation (woohoo. I'm one of the bridesmaids, errr matron nga ba dapat?)as well as that of her sister Marie. They are getting married within less than a month of each other. Ang hectic siguro sa bahay nila ngayon :)

and the winner is...

2006-11-28T22:03:00.000+08:00

It's the NU Rock Awards again.

It's been 13 years since that very intimitate first awarding night held at the now defunct Music Hall in Annapolis.

Buddy is nominated this year for producing Sandwich's Five on the Floor and itchyworms' Noontime Show (with Raims). The Dawn is also performing along with so many of our friends but somehow i'm not that into it this year. Maybe it's because i have a lot of things to do and i feel really tired. besides, i don't have anything special to wear (hehe vanity). anyhow, it'd still be a fun night and i already missed Admit 1's 5th year anniversary show.

Bollywood thriller

2006-11-27T18:31:00.000+08:00

I suddenly missed my good friend Indi when i saw this youtube clip.

it's a Thriller-tribute Indian music video. the only word i understand throughout the song was "Killer!" which i think is part of the chorus. i could be wrong though hehehe. It was posted October 2006 so i'm not sure if this was done in the 80s or just recently as the costumes looked authentically 80s.

Samosa!!

some days you just need to survive

2006-11-26T20:50:00.000+08:00

some of the things that really make me go into a tizzy, these days:

1. Veda getting sick (forever na siguro ito hanggang sa pagtanda niya)
2. Being unable to spend enought time at home during weekdays. One-hour commute (each way) to work has definitely lost its novelty, trains nothwithstanding.
3. not being able to access the IVLE
4. flipflopping decisions. commit yourself already!

it's close to midnight

2006-11-25T23:09:00.000+08:00

sometimes there are just days (or nights) when you can't say or write anything. i don't know whether to be sad or glad or just not care.

I choose C.

yes, nicky, this is a non-blog entry. this is a 'for requirement's sake' entry. i am not proud. but these are the days i must live hahaha corny. but you know what i mean :)

friday madness

2006-11-24T21:36:00.000+08:00

Thank.God.It's.Friday.

Although my week is far from over. There are just so many things to do this side of my life.

Happy weekend everyone. Remember to take joy wherever and whenever you can.

to the promised land

2006-11-23T19:32:00.000+08:00

my cousin called me up yesterday at lunch to tell me he's leaving for Qatar to work as a laborer there. I was mildly surprised but not really. There really is no way for him to get a decent job here. He didn't graduate from college and the past 8 years or so, he was doing this dead-end job doing menial stuff.

His salary there is really small. I kind of made provisions of the fact that he has free uniform, lodging and food but it still doesn't give much comfort. His fiancee was really sad to see him go but what can they do? Kung yung mga me college diploma nga wala pa ring mapasukan dito, paano pa siya? How can he hope to give his future wife and family the good life he envisions for him when even brilliant teachers are forced to become domestic helpers abroad (where good-for-nothing recruiters complain about DOLE's edict that the minimum wage of DH be increased from $200 to $400 saying that in essence it's a buyer's market out there and we have no right to complain. “The Philippines, being a labor-supplying country cannot demand what it wants from foreign employers,” Fama president Eduarto Mahiya said. “That is a function of a free market, dictated by supply and demand.”)

Naalala ko tuloy itong sabi ng isang kolumnista sa Inquirer nung malaman niya na $200 lang ang sweldo ng mga DH sa Lebanon, yung mga nagsiuwian nung panahon ng pagbobomba ng Israel at Hezbollah : Why can't we even provide them with jobs that pay P10,000 here in the country?

Imagine, that they risk life and limb in a fragile country for just so they can provide for their families. And now my cousin has joined their ranks, taking the same path that his older brother and sister took a decade ago.

sneaky wikitikiliki

2006-11-22T10:01:00.000+08:00

Horoscope for today:

"You are already considering ways to go into hiding, but reality probably has something else in mind for you. There's just too much activity for you to sneak off into a corner without being missed. As soon as your absence is noticed, someone will come and get you, so you may as well just go with the social flow for now. Make plans to withdraw later on when less is happening and it's safe to escape."

what the...? Oh, well.

How to kick start your week

2006-11-21T17:30:00.000+08:00

Nothing like dinner with old friends to help you get out of a rut.

Last night as per our agreement some two weeks back, Cyn and Arnold, Maps and Raims, Buddy and I took time off from hectic schedules and all trooped to the newly-opened and sparsely-occupied Serendra mall in Fort Boni.

We all agreed to meet up at the 2nd branch of Blowup Babies. (yes, a second branch and they were invited by the mall developers no less to put up another branch. Go visit now. Bring your pets, too!) Afterwards we went to Thai Silk. The food was lovely especially their tom yung kai. Pad Thai was great although it still doesn’t quite give me the same pleasure as that street pad Thai I had a few years back (all for the price of 10 baht!). Quark and Lia were a bit late and joined us for dessert at the lovely Mary Grace home to delicious ensaymada, mini cakes, chocolate drinks and Jona, one of the most attentive wait staff I’ve ever come across. We were supposed to have dessert at Cupcakes, unfortunately, by the time we were ready for sweets, the place was closed for a private function. Dammit! We were so looking forward to it. Ika nga ni Raims “Bakit me funk naman kami a.” Di bale, we will be back.

We had loads of fun at Mary Grace. It’s great to hang out with friends and just talk about anything. My gawd, the things we talked about: Arrested Development, Entourage, how some people you just call by their full names (i.e. ArnoldArre, DiegoMapa, MarcAbaya – who incidentally we bumped into earlier in the night), work, etc… Basta, it was a fun night. I felt so relaxed and slept like a baby afterwards (which is a luxury as lately I’ve been tossing and turning in bed – too much heaven, I mean, clutter in my mind).

best scene:

Jona: Sir, kayo po ba si Quark Henares?
Quark: yes.
Jona: pwede po magpa-sign at magpa-picture?
Quark: Of course. (a little softly) Astig, kasama ko ang Eraserheads pero ako ang nakilala.

Hahaha. Riot. In fairness, when she saw Buddy’s name sa guest list (we were asked to sign 3 times: guest book, a notepad and feedback forms) she gave a tentative “zabala? Buddy Zabala?” “Sir, Erazerheads po ba kayo?” Tawa na kami ng tawa. And then we started pointing to Lia (editor ng Exodus!), Myrene (NU DJ!), Arnold (maker ng Mythology Class!), Cynthia (graphic designer ng magazine!).

Plugging:

Do watch Quark's latest movie, Wag Kang Lilingon. I'm plugging it because I might not be able to watch it. I'm such a scaredy cat. The last time i ventured into that genre was with Kelvin and Jugs to catch "What Lies Beneath." Turns out, we were a trio of easily-scared babies. Nakakatawa kami sa loob ng sinehan. Nakakahiya na nakakatawa.

fleeting, fleeing, feeling

2006-11-20T18:50:00.000+08:00

Can't believe November is almost over and that the year is just a few weeks away from officially ending.

wow,i just stared at the monitor for almost 3 minutes there. is that any indication of how this year went for me. Can't think of anything or maybe my mind is just cluttered with so many unwanted things.

No matter. Life is still good, even though i am miserable most of the time, these days. the buggers responsible for this will get their comeuppance soon enough, ha. I so believe in karma. Must insert some kinda smiley here lest people assume i've gone all bonkers and vindictive. Nah, just venting.

Pacman rules.

2006-11-19T21:59:00.000+08:00

Three cheers for Manny Pacquiao.

I'm not much of a boxing fan; in fact, i really don't like the sport. I am almost always at the edge of my seat not because of excitement or nervousness about the outcome. it's more that i'm wincing at each blow given - it doesn't matter who's giving it or who's receiving.

i must admit however that Pacquiao's fight (i saw parts of his 2nd fight with Morales) was exciting. I still can't shake that awkward feeling though. Boxing really looks a like managed barbarity, if you ask me. Then again, that's just me. There's still no denying he's at the top of his game and has consistenlty brought glory to our motherland.

So, hurrah for Pacquiao.

inhale, exhale

2006-11-18T21:59:00.000+08:00

The other day, Veda gleefully recounted that they are now learning about living and non-living things at school. Oooh, science. Call me geeky but I am happy about this development.

So I asked her for examples of living things and she answered: plants, dogs, animals, us! What about non-living things, then? “Pillow, bed,” she replied. How do you know that something is a living thing I asked her. She said “If it walks, eats, talks, breathes.” Would you call a robot a living thing then? “No,” came the reply. But, it walks and talks, I answered back. “But Ma,” she answered a bit exasperated, “it doesn’t breathe.” Sigh. Ain’t kids grand?

I related this story to my good friend Aimee and she recounted her brush with this particular subject back when she used to be a pre-school teacher. She asked her pupils what characterizes a living thing and one child answered: “they move.” Suddenly, a strong gust of wind went through the room and all the children excitedly spoke: “the wind, the wind! It moved. It must be a living thing.” It took sometime for the class to move on after this – they all went quiet for awhile pondering this statement.

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. ~Oprah Winfrey

Bring me home

2006-11-17T17:15:00.001+08:00

I am in serious need to be where I belong. I have strayed too far, literally and figuratively. I need to find the way back.

It’s all coming to a head. Pray I don’t change my mind at the last minute.

the flip side of "supersize me"

2006-11-16T21:37:00.000+08:00

Ever wondered why environmentalists like Greenpeace, consumer groups, labor rights activists seem to be forever getting on the case of Mcdonald's?

Here's a game that lets you experience the ins and outs of mcdonald's and its global impact. It might give you an understanding of where these activists are coming from.

Making money in a corporation like McDonald's is not simple at all! Behind every sandwich there is a complex process you must learn to manage: from the creation of pastures to the slaughter, from the restaurant management to the branding. You'll discover all the dirty secrets that made us one of the biggest company of the world.

Do give it a try and see if you can come up with an environmetally-, consumer-, employee rights- friendly food corporation? Or give in and accept that "this is the price to pay in order to preserve our lifestyle."

the cost of life

2006-11-15T18:27:00.000+08:00

I came across this game called the cost of life. you are given a haitian family to take care of: 2 parents, 3 kids all uneducated with limited funds and a small farm. The goal mo is to help them overcome their very third world beginnings - get them to school, work, volunteer with unicef. Nakakaloka kasi ang mga trabahong nakukuha nila ay pamatay katawan dahil nga wala silang napag-aralan. It took me a long time before I got the right strategy.

What is it like to live in poverty, struggling every day to stay healthy, keep out of debt, and get educated?

Find out now in this challenging role playing game created by Global Kids and Gamelab, in which you take responsibility for a family of five in rural Haiti.

Play it here. (via jayisgames)

don't smoke

2006-11-14T18:25:00.000+08:00

somebody emailed this to me sometime ago. Very clever.

she whistles

2006-11-13T21:33:00.000+08:00

After a month or so of practicing, Veda now knows how to whistle.

I am so impressed and amazed at this development. for one, I don’t really know how to teach anyone how to whistle. I just told her it’s a lot like blowing air and that’s it.

For a time, she would blow air in our ears; I thought at first, she was just tickling us. yun pala, she was already practicing. In due time, we heard a distinct whistle – very soft at first but growing stronger by the day.

I am so proud of her. It really takes patience and tenacity to learn this skill. Basta, I can’t express how I feel. Tuwang-tuwa lang ako tuwing pumipito siya.

Delete-ious

2006-11-12T18:02:00.000+08:00

I tried to watch my copy of Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s messed up though so I wasn’t able to progress beyond Jim Carrey taking an impulsive train ride to Montauk (it’s pirated kasi bought at a measly price of P60 – so I can’t really complain if it zonked out.)

I love this film. It’s such a wonderful insight into how our hearts and minds work. I won’t attempt a review here as I know you have your own take on the movie. But if you do want to read about the movie and what the critics say about ESOTSM, go here.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about deletion – not so much in the extreme way that Joel and Clementine and all the other patients in the movie did – but something akin to that.

What if somehow, we have evolved a social norm where if you got tired with someone, you just say: I delete you from my life and the person instantly goes away no questions asked? I am not implying I wanna do these to some people in my life but sometimes lang I think we get into situations where it’s just so tempting to do it this way.

It’s escapism I know and somehow it’s sad if we can actually do that. I remember this story about a friend. During a more turbulent time in the country, their father was forced to go underground. By dint of whatever circumstance, he met a woman and they formed their own family. When the father emerged sometime later, he asked his wife for an annulment. My friend’s mom denied his request on the grounds that annulment makes it seem that the marriage never happened; that prior to his leaving, they didn’t have a life together. Annulment, at least in her view is tantamount to invalidating their life together.

Delete. Oh dear, the many times in my life when I would have loved to have this convenience. Delete this person and along with the person goes all the bad things and vibes and hurt feelings. But it does beg the question: who will I be and where will I be without these people in my life. When you delete someone from your life, logic dictates that even the good times should be thrown out – a bad case of throwing the baby with the bath water. Naalala ko tuloy the many times when I deleted software or programs from my trusty computer only to be confronted later on by a message that goes something like: software not available to open this particular document. The software may have been deleted but some files in my computer needed that to run perfectly.

For better or worse, these delete-ious people do define who I am at the present. I just wish I had more wisdom to weed out the not-so-nurturing people in my life before they had a chance to imprint themselves on me. Here’s hoping that I’m better equipped now.

guidepost

2006-11-11T15:17:00.000+08:00

something about me #23: sometimes, i rely on my daily horoscope to help me get through the day or aid me in my self-reflection.

Although you are often concerned with production and accomplishment, today you might not care as much about what others think of you. You are more concerned about the ethics motivating you and your associates. Self-contemplation has you seeking meaning in your life instead of advancement. Don't worry about leaving the real word behind, but for now, sink into the hidden mysteries for a new set of answers.

11 Nov 2006 via tarot.com

...

2006-11-10T16:55:00.000+08:00

=====

more here

tired is the new 'busy as a bee'

2006-11-09T15:35:00.000+08:00

The Dawn album launch, a success.

"Ang Iyong Paalam" music vid directed by Quark and edited by Lia, is great. Can't wait for the final edit.

Gonna watch The Prestige tonight with Buddy somewhere in the Makati area. Hang out with Teenee afterwards.

Prepare for Sherman's birthday dinner this Saturday.

Looking forward to dinner with friends two Mondays from now. Without meaning to, we all have turned into people who need to schedule things like 'have dinner with friends.'

In the meantime, work.

how projects really work

2006-11-08T12:28:00.000+08:00

Ever wondered how projects evolve from conceptualization to execution?

Project Cartoon shows you how.

How the customer explained it.

How the project leader understood it.

How the analyst designed it.

See the whole series here or make your own here.

make love not war, literally

2006-11-07T17:32:00.000+08:00

Let us continue with yesterday's topic about orgasm, shall we? hehehe stumbled upon this site called Global Orgasm.

I'm at a loss for words on how to describe this site and its purpose so i will let the site speak for itself.

"The mission of the Global Orgasm is to effect change in the energy field of the Earth through input of the largest possible surge of human energy. Now that there are two more US fleets heading for the Persian Gulf with anti- submarine equipment that can only be for use against Iran, the time to change Earth’s energy is NOW! Read more about the fleet buildup here.

The intent is that the participants concentrate any thoughts during and after orgasm on peace. The combination of high- energy orgasmic energy combined with mindful intention may have a much greater effect than previous mass meditations and prayers.

The goal is to add so much concentrated and high-energy positive input into the energy field of the Earth that it will reduce the current dangerous levels of aggression and violence throughout the world.

Global Orgasm is an experiment open to everyone in the world.

The results will be measured on the worldwide monitor system of the Global Consciousness Project.

This is the First Annual Winter Solstice Synchronized Global Orgasm for Peace, leading up to Winter Solstice of 2012, when the Mayan Calendar ends with a new beginning."

Here's their demo on how the whole thing works.

Naloloka ako sa concept.

Conversations

2006-11-06T19:53:00.000+08:00

During lunch today, i found myself eating with 3 kindred women. We all used to work for women NGOs before our current stints with this educational institution.

I don't know how we got from point a to point b but somehow during that short spell we got around to talking about contraceptives and how condoms aren't really pleasurable though of course one can't deny the fact that in this day and age, it serves a very definite function (actually 2 functions): preventing unwanted pregnancy and preventing the transfer of sexually transmitted diseases. Ika nga kanina : No orgasm is worth dying for.

Risque conversation especially when you consider where we were at that time - at the school cafeteria of a very Catholic school. hmmm.

We also got around to talking about HIV and HIV testing. One of my lunchmates recounted her experience with regards to taking the test locally. (She was constantly nagged by her friend to get one to make sure that she's safe since she has a bf residing at a Southeast Asian country known for its high incidence of HIV-positive patients.)

In other countries, HIV-testing, she says, is a matter of fact - no stigma attached to it. You can just go in a testing clinic and have the tests done. apparently, it's different with us. Here you have to show reason why you need the test. In her first try, she admitted that she was single. Instead of being accommodated and being patted for her vigilance, she got a sermon telling her why it's bad to have sexual relations considering she's single and not married. Next, she went to a different hospital where she was pointed to the communicable disease section. There she was asked to give her name and was told that her statistics will be sent to some agency for their database purposes. Huh? What about her privacy then? In the end, she went to a different clinic, gave a fictitious name complete with a fictional background (she is married; her husband is an OFW - a seaman) and she got her tests right away. They came out negative.

This is really weird. We still hang a big stigma sign around the neck of HIV and AIDS in this country. It's really weird that with nearly a quarter of the country's population not Catholic, we are all subjected to laws and regulations that are decidedly Catholic in orientation. Which got us to thinking: while the stats for HIV and AIDS are low compared to that of say Thailand, there's a great possibility that the numbers are underreported. There maybe a greater number of Filipinos out there who have it - knowingly or not - but who are afraid to come out for fear of bringing shame to themselves and their families. How can we come up with a proper strategy to battle this if the first line of defense is shrouded with stigma and shame?

Happiness

2006-11-05T21:38:00.000+08:00

We just picked up Veda from her lola's and once again the house is alive with her presence.

So good to have her back and once again, ordering us around hahaha.

Books, Books

2006-11-04T17:01:00.000+08:00

Fully Booked has released a list that, well, lists down the top 100 books of the last century. It’s foremost a marketing thing I bet but this is one rare time I’m really grateful for such as I am lately stumped as to what books to get at the bookstore. Ok, part of the problem probably is the fact that I have a ton of unread books at home but still…

My statistics with regards to this list:

Books read: 37
Saw only the movie version (tsk, tsk): 12
Read the book and saw the movie version: 13

So, even with this inclusive way of gauging how much I’ve read from this list, I’m still a book away from the halfway mark. Bah.

I’m sorry I can’t give you a list of the books just yet. Come visit this site in a couple of days and I will have posted by then a scanned copy of the list.

the Bowlings from Ohio

2006-11-03T14:23:00.000+08:00

Since I was a kid, I’ve always sought out people. People fascinate me, you know. I’m always excited to meet new people. There’s just something faintly romantic about getting to know someone. Of course, some turn out to be duds but more often I get lucky.

There was one time in Bontoc – I was prolly around 7 or 8 that time – when a family of Baptist missionaries from Ohio came over to do God’s work. It’s a small town and I’m layas so it was inevitable that I would stumble upon their first ‘public appearance.’ I was smitten by these fair-complexioned people with their blonde hairs and all and so I decided to follow them home – talk about being a stalker. They saw me of course (how I must have looked then – a scrawny little girl with adorable pink cheeks and curly top – my lola’s words not mine hahaha) and bless their souls, invited me in to their homes and their lives. Later they will move to the apartment near where we were renting and their house sort of became my second home, among many. Though we lost all contact when I was 11 and already living in Manila, they hold a special place in my heart. In fact, one of my earlier ambitions was inspired by Mrs. Linda Bowling’s prowess at the typewriter and I resolved that when I grow up I will become a typist. O di ba?

It’s through their youngest daughter, Becky that I learned to ride the bicycle. Some Sunday afternoons were spent playing baseball at the town plaza. Often times, there’ll be just four of us – Becky, Becky’s 2 older brothers and me. I don’t think anyone whoever became my team mate under these conditions ever appreciated having me as one. I’m so useless. Every time it’s my turn to bat, I’d complain that I don’t know how and so my team mate – who will most likely be at the second base will switch with me to bat. I in turn will do the running until it’s my turn again to bat and it will start all over again. Pathetic but it was still fun.

For Christmas, Mrs Bowling will bake a huge batch of cookies which we later on decorated. After they’re cooled, we pack them into clear plastic bags and secured them with colorful ribbons. We then proceeded to give this away to the people we see on the street. I never knew if there was some criteria as to who gets the cookies but distribute it we did.

Some nights are spent playing with other neighborhood kids inside their home. They had an assortment of board games and a piano but my favorite activity by far are the quasi-bump cars. Since their apartment is at the second floor, they had wooden floors which were always buffed and really shiny. For our bump cars, we’d clear the living room – put chairs and sundry to the side. Then someone brings out blankets and each kid, squealing in delight will chose an adult and sit down on their respective blankets. When every child is settled, the adults gently but firmly pull the blankets around while we kiddies happily anticipate bumping into each other, making sure that we have a firm hold of the blanket. Controlled chaos. Those were the days, man.

Every now and then I think about them, the Bowling family from Ohio. I wonder where they are now and what they’re doing. I wonder if Linda has switched to PCs by now (I bet) and whether they still make pumpkin pies for Christmas. I wonder how Becky looks like and whether she has a family of her own. I wonder if they still think of me – this scrawny little kid who just wiggled her way into their lives – and if they ever wondered how I turned out.

I have found and ‘lost’ so many beloved friends and people in my life. After a brief spell, we all move on. These people carrying small pieces of me – scattered all over. Won’t it be grand if I get to collect them in one room? I wonder what picture of me I’ll be able to construct.

The Dawn album launch

2006-11-02T14:59:00.000+08:00

Finally, we have a date.

Mark your calendars - 8 November Wednesday 7 pm Premier Theatre Mall of Asia

The Dawn is launching their 20th anniv album complete with a special screening of "Tulad ng Dati," Mike Sandejas' alternate take on The Dawn and 2006 Cinemalaya Best Film.

Tickets to this event is free although you have to sweat it out a bit to get them. Tune in to Jam 88.3, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT, 103.5 K-Lite and NU 107.5.

It's gonna be one hell of a night so don't miss it.

See you at the launch!

Home Alone

2006-11-01T19:27:00.000+08:00

There's something wonderfully strange about having the house all by myself even if it's just for one day (even less). Of course, i had a hard time sleeping ; not because i'm spooked but I miss the sound and sighs of my housemates.

How to enjoy this rare situation? Let me count the ways:

Play PS2 games. Ah yes, the old standby. Can't play too much of this when the little kiddie is around (something about credibility and showing a good example. You can't very well forbid her from playing it if she sees you stuck to it like glue). But what i found out last night was quite sobering. I don't have the patience nor the time (nor the eyesight, i realized) to really get lost in one particular game. Since i only have this much free time, i tend to jump from one game to another. But this new game Okami just might make me go back to my old ways. Ang ganda niya sobra. Cyn, Arnold, if you're reading this, you should play this game. brilliant graphics, great gameplay (brush strokes are just one of your weapons). It talks about respect for the gods and nature without being too preachy. Somehow it reminded me of how the issue of environmentalism was tackled by Princess Mononoke.

Sort/organized DVDs. I realize our dvds were piling up again so i sat down this morning to remove them from their individual sleeves and place them inside the organizers i bought from CDR-King. Note to self: buy another one especially for the TV series-es.

Watch DVD. Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan? But since i already alloted some time for PS2, I only got to watch one: Stage Beauty - a BBC production starring Claire Danes and Billy Crudup. It is set in 17th century England when women were forbidden from acting on stage and the women roles were taken by 'pretty boys.' I had a great time watching this. It captured the passion and intrigues, the wit, the adrenaline rush, the diva tantrums - that makes theatre such a wonderful thing to behold.

Cook own meal. I haven't done this in a long time as yaya Nemia has turned into one mean cook and i totally surrendered the kitchen to her way way back. So today, in keeping with my current love for Indian dish, i tried making my own vegetable bhaji. I buy my Indian spices at Assad (there's one UN Avenue and another one in front of Sta. Lu in Cainta). It turned out well and I ate it with yogurt and mango chutney. Yum.

call people. This is the time when i really miss Indi. She who's phone i kept calling even in the wee hours of the night. My other ka-telebabad is Elnora and since her arrival, Aimee. Of course,there are regular calls to my aunt's house to check up on Veda and to ensure that she doesn't spend all her time stuck in front of the TV as the kids in that house (me included) are wont to do.

Hehehe i just realized i wrote one of those entries that i really don't like.

Walk. Don't Walk.

2006-10-27T17:25:00.000+08:00

Last night as I was weaving through people, pedicabs and produce along Taft Avenue corner EDSA, a thought crossed my mind so suddenly and naturally,as if it's been sitting there at the back of my mind waiting for me to finally notice it: I am decidedly and unabashedly pedestrian (the noun not the pejorative adjective).

I’ve always been a kid of the street – whether its treating the whole town of Bontoc as my personal playground or roaming the streets of Teacher’s Village and Sikatuna Village – I love exploring just by walking. You discover things when you’re out there walking – things like discovering the latest in street food (calamares and siomai), ukay-ukay finds (they’re like starbucks now , there’s one (or two) in every corner), wansoy is always available at this particular Quiapo street and so on and so forth.

There’s just something about being on the ground, mingling and jostling with people going about this business of living and making a living. There are times though when I feel helpless and sad about how tired-looking my fellow commuters look like especially at night – salesladies, security people, street hawkers. Life is tough for them but they forge on. Sometimes I feel a great sense of survivor’s guilt. I wasn’t born rich. If it weren’t for the perseverance of my grandparents and later on my Aunt Mayette, I won’t be here enjoying a life so many others would consider a good life. I am truly grateful for what I have now and yet when I’m walking or riding jeepneys, I sometimes wonder if I deserve what I have [don’t answer that. I know the answer :)]. Yes, walking and commuting also gives me a chance for introspective thinking.

What I’m saying I guess is that no matter how much I enjoy the convenience of riding in one’s own car or sharing a taxi cab with friends, I really prefer walking. As what Ellen, my one-time college adventures collaborator and lifelong friend (I’ve known her since I was 14!), said after meeting up in GB2 and telling her that I walked all the way from the Ayala MRT: “My God, Earnest. Mahilig ka pa ring maglakad!”

Yes, unabashedly pedestrian.

The Dawn's 20th anniv album now out!

2006-10-19T14:47:00.000+08:00

The Dawn has just released their 20th anniversary album also called "Tulad ng Dati" and is now available at your suking record bar. It's a 2-disc release and contains 18 re-recordings of your fave The Dawn songs like Salamat, Iisang Bangka, Little Paradise and of course Enveloped Ideas. Personally, i'm more excited about the new songs. (see youtube below for the vid of the carrier single, Ang Iyong Paalam. the vid is directed by Mike Sandejas - same director who did TND the movie and was shot in Aruba at the Mall of Asia. obvious naman kasi plastered all over the stage ang name hahaha)

here's a nice review of the album by tabachoi

The launch will be held on November 8 at the Mall of Asia. Tune in to your favorite radio stations to know more on how you can get free invites to this happening thing.

Get your copy now! It's so worth it :)

Meanwhile, you may also drop the band a line at the following:

http://www.thedawn.ph
http://www.myspace.com/thedawnmanila
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thedawnlist

to join the mailing list, just send a blank e-mail to thedawnlist-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

one purpose

2006-10-10T19:10:00.000+08:00

I cannot not blog about this. Nicked this from Libay's blog.

Kaloka.

hair today...

2006-09-20T17:25:00.000+08:00

as per walter's request, i'm posting photos of last friday's adventure with Doris, the fledgling hair stylist (who also happens to be Walter's friend).

Two weeks ago, Walter asked me if i would be willing to be a guinea pig, i mean, model for a friend of his who's studying at Franck Provost. She was in need of someone who has curly hair so she can practice or show her teacher her skills at straightening curly hair just by using a hairbrush and blow drier. in the interest of learning (and a little bit of vanity), i agreed.

Herewith are the pix from that Friday sojourn.

Syempre dapat me Before pic:

At eto ang After:

O di ba, pwede? hahaha

It was short lived though, around 6 pm the ends were already curling up. I still managed to show it off to my former HS classmates at our dinner in Moomba.

Mariza, Erly, Arlan and me

I dunno if it was still apparent when i met up with Teenee that night. I remember Teenee saying "Gee, your hair must really be curly because it's all wavy now."

All in all it was fun but i still love my curly hair. Besides i already tried the straight hair look way, way back in college and it just wasn't me.

This one's for everyone who saw The Devil Wears Prada, especially you Ella.

common people

2006-09-18T14:37:00.000+08:00

One of several reasons why I sometimes think brilliantly written pop songs may save us yet.

Common People
Pulp (Different Class, 1995)

She came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge
She studied sculpture at Saint Martin's College
That's where I caught her eye.

She told me that her Dad was loaded
I said "In that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola"
She said "fine"
And in thirty seconds time she said,

"I want to live like common people
I want to do whatever common people do,
I want to sleep with common people
I want to sleep with common people like you"
Well what else could I do?
I said "I'll see what I can do"

I took her to a supermarket
I don't know why
But I had to start it somewhere
So it started there.
I said "Pretend you've got no money"
But she just laughed
And said "oh you're so funny".
I said "yeah?
Well I can't see anyone else smiling in here".

Are you sure you want to live like common people
You want to see whatever common people see
You want to sleep with common people,
You want to sleep with common people like me.
But she didn't understand,
She just smiled and held my hand.

Rent a flat above a shop,
Cut your hair and get a job.
Smoke some fags and play some pool,
Pretend you never went to school.
But still you'll never get it right
'cos when you're laid in bed at night
Watching roaches climb the wall
If you called your Dad he could stop it all.

You'll never live like common people
You'll never do whatever common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view,
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

Sing along with the common people,
Sing along and it might just get you thru'
Laugh along with the common people
Laugh along even though they're laughing at you
And the stupid things that you do.
Because you think that poor is cool.

Like a dog lying in a corner,
They will bite you and never warn you
Look out, they'll tear your insides out
'cos everybody hates a tourist
Especially one who thinks
It's all such a laugh
Yeah!

And the chip stains' grease
Will come out in the bath
You will never understand
How it feels to live your life
With no meaning or control
And with nowhere left to go
You are amazed that they exist
And they burn so bright
Whilst you can only wonder why

Rent a flat above a shop
Cut your hair and get a job
Smoke some fags and play some pool
Pretend you never went to school
But still you'll never get it right
'cause when you're laid in bed at night
Watching roaches climb the wall
If you called your dad he could stop it all
Yeah!

You'll never live like common people
You'll never do whatever common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And then dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do

there must be more to life than stereotypes

2006-08-28T12:16:00.000+08:00

Got this from my friend, Carina.

=====

NEW WORDS FOR 2006:
Essential vocabulary additions for the workplace (and elsewhere)!!!

1. BLAMESTORMING: Sitting around in a group, discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed, and who was responsible.

2. SEAGULL MANAGER: A manager, who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps on everything, and then leaves.

3. ASSMOSIS: The process by which some people seem to absorb success and advancement by kissing up to the boss rather than working hard .

4. SALMON DAY: The experience of spending an entire day swimming upstream only to get screwed and die in the end.

5. CUBE FARM : An office filled with cubicles.

6. PRAIRIE DOGGING: When someone yells or drops something loudly in a cube farm, and people's heads pop up over the walls to see what's going on.

7. MOUSE POTATO: The on-line, wired generation's answer to the couch potato.

8. SITCOMs: Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage. What Yuppies get into when they have children and one of them stops working to stay home with the kids.

9. STRESS PUPPY: A person who seems to thrive on being stressed out and whiny.

10. SWIPEOUT: An ATM or credit card that has been rendered useless because magnetic strip is worn away from extensive use.

11. XEROX SUBSIDY: Euphemism for swiping free photocopies from one's workplace.

12. IRRITAINMENT: Entertainment and media spectacles that are Annoying but you find yourself unable to stop watching them.

13. PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE: The fine art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work again.

14. ADMINISPHERE: The rarefied organizational layers beginning just above the rank and file. Decisions that fall from the adminisphere are often profoundly inappropriate or irrelevant to the problems they were designed to solve.

15. 404: Some one who's clueless. From the World Wide Web error Message "404 Not Found," meaning that the requested site could not be located.

16. GENERICA: Features of the American landscape that are exactly the same no matter where one is, such as fast food joints, strip malls, and subdivisions.

17. OHNOSECOND: That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've just made a BIG mistake. (Like after hitting send on an email by mistake).

18. WOOFS: Well-Off Older Folks.

19. CROP DUSTING: Surreptitiously passing gas while passing through a Cube Farm.

Breaktime

2006-08-19T22:36:00.000+08:00

The Worst Analogies Ever Written in a High School Essay

Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by mistake.

Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like "Second Tall Man."

He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.

More here.

There's a concert somewhere near our house. Gawd, it's noisy. I know my life revolves around live music half the time but man, this is a residential neighborhood. I am waiting for the neighbors to complain. Kahiya naman sa mga banda if i do (o di ba conflicted ako hehehe)

Thankfully it stopped. I was actually hoping that the concert ends at 10. Well, stopping at 10:30 can still be considered being considerate. Ah, peace.

10:46 spoke to soon. they just lowered their volumes. oh man, this is gonna be a long night. Neighbors, i'm counting on you to sort this thing out. waah. not to dis, but i can't even appreciate the type of music the bands are playing. and i'm tired, i'm dead tired. maybe i'll drink a glass of red wine to make sure i zonk out as soon as i hit the matress. hay.