Year-end Chuva

Because I am not so busy today, here I am again pretending to have something to do.

What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Attend court hearings

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make new year's resolutions. Never did.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not really close. My childhood friend's sister. I didn't even know she already gave birth.

Did anyone close to you die?
Some neighbors. Still, that was sad.

What countries did you visit?
I did not even leave Cebu this year.

What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
An mp3?

What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
When my phone was robbed! 'cause I was so danghag that night.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?Making it through the year with my sanity still in place?

What was your biggest failure?
I have not accomplished something that should have been done before Christmas.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope! But if you're trying to say... headaches, colds, insomia...I have loads of them.

What was the best thing you bought?
my cd man

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Ask me later

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
some people whom I recently came to know they behaved like real friends but let them be without you...THEY'LL EAT YOU ALIVE!

Where did most of your money go?
transpo (grr!) and to my family

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
When i did something really nasty...and looked forward to the results.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2005?
Actually lots..but as of now, kelly clarkson's because of you still rocks.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I dunno
ii. thinner or fatter? where does dako tiyan fall?
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer

What do you wish you'd done more?Sleep

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Caring for people who did not even bother to spend a single peso to answer your inquiry thru sms.

How many one-night stands?
Nyahahaha!

What was your favorite TV program?
Jewel in the Palace

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Some people have disappointed me but I don't hate them. I just wish they'd all go to hell (just kidding!).

What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

What was your greatest musical discovery?
I still have to learn how to play the keyboard, and that'll be my greatest musical discovery (if in case I'll really learn).

What did you want and get?
a clamshell phone (however you say it..it flips)

What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I attended a media forum the whole morning and wrote my stories in the afty. I was a year older.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having my own internet connection at home (I still have to have a pc).

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
comfy...jeans and T-shirt and sneakers

What kept you sane?
The thought that I still have so many bills to pay

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Enrique Iglesias/Mark Nelson and Amanda Griffin

What political issue stirred you the most?
Impeachment?

Who did you miss?
My childhood friends

Who was the best new person you met?
This year? J, a fellow justice beat reporter

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
Trying to please all the people just won't make you any good, well, to them! So I'll never try to commit that same mistake again. Never!

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
Nah! Wa jud tawn!

The most touching experience you've had this year?
When we treated 48 indigent kids to a Christmas party.

What did you like most about yourself this year?
I have become more outspoken. I know most people hate me for being such but heck, this is me!

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Unti-unting mararating, kalangitan at bituin...(wahaha, I told you I'm a Jewel...addict)

Was 2005 a good year for you?
I dunno

What was your favorite moment of the year?
When I went to Gary Lao's ancestral house to see his aunt's collection of antique stuff.

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
when i was invited to a birthday party and instead of having fun and all I was, instead, trying to contain the shame of being a shitty guest bec the celebrant and her friends sneaked into her room for their li'l party. imagine sa akong kalagot! But noh, i don't hate but never will I forget. That was actually the first!

Where were you when 2005 began?Outside the house watching the display of fireworks.

Who were you with?
my family

Where will you be when 2005 ends?
at home

Who will you be with when 2005 ends?
My family

Do you have a new year's resolution for 2006?
No. I can't follow it anyway.

What was your favorite month of 2005?
December (bonus!)

Did you lose anybody close to you in 2005?
Death, you mean? God no! But another close friend left for Lebanon.


How many concerts did you see in 2005?
Bamboo's, joe mari's, I think that's all.

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2005?
No. But if you combine all those tiny sips I made the whole year that'll be like a glassful. But I'm trying to learn, mind you.

...do a lot of drugs in 2005?
For headaches (every other day), colds (sometimes), cough (just very recently), hyperacidity (always), shabu (soon)

You did anything shameful this year?
I can't remember (thank God!)

How much money did you spend in 2005?
Like 22 million? I'm not good in Mathematics actually.

What was your proudest moment of 2005?
When I made it to The Freeman Foundation (mabaw!).

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2005 and change something, what would it be?
I'd go back to the night when I hailed a PUJ and sat beside a woman who took away my phone without my permission. I could have asked a friend to fetch me at the office so we could go together to that darned send-off party. But I don't cry over spilt milk, swear.

What are your plans for 2006?
Have a real vacation somewhere outside Cebu. S*#$% I never had that this year!

How are you different now that the year has ended?
I know better the people around me. I think I'll save my trust to the very chosen ones. Where the hell are you?.

What are your wishes for the new year?
That I'd get more rest... and more real friends.

Santa Claus: gotta go pips!

The two-day rest is over. But there’s still another round of it this weekend.

Neways, I was so glad the kids’ party last Christmas eve was successful. There were over 50 in attendance but those who did not make were still given their gifts, which consisted of some toys and some candies, chocolates, mallows, wafers, corn chips, etc.

Before I had my childhood friends who helped me with it. Actually, it used to be a group project but since most of them are already working abroad (and could no longer be contacted for some reasons) the task was left to me. I think it is more of a commitment to these kids, who for the last years have multiplied exponentially, are expecting from me every Christmas. Hmp! Mura ta’g datu ani da, may nalang nay mga fwens nga buotan. Tenks to Sir Rolex (the most friendly editor on earth), Wennagirl, Jasmin, Cristina, Sona, Jonald, Ate Brenda, Atty. Mitchelle, Gary Lao, Joy B. and some friends back home. I love you all!

One of the games, I asked those 2 year olds who would be celebrating His birthday when 12 mn struck. One baby boy, Third, said “Ako!” (it was not his birthday, obviously!) Then, another kid, Hyacinth, said “Kuya!” I thought she was gonna add “Jesus” but she said “Van-van.” Of course, her older bro is Carl Van. Hmp! No one won but I had to give them chocolates and lollipops because they would not go back to their seats.

And then it was the singing contest. A five-year-old girl sang the Panday theme song and everyone was singing along. I first heard that song from the indigent kids, whom we treated to an early Christmas party last December 10. I had to ask someone what that song was.

It’s really amazing how these young people could memorize Tagalog songs (Pinoy Ako tops the list). I wish these soap operas would also use English songs so their knowledge of this foreign language would improve, even a bit.

When I asked the same group of kids, the 2-year-olds if they could render me a Christmas song. And this Hyancinth started singing “oh..ah..woah.” and ventured unto the lyrics, although haltingly, of the Panday song. He-he-he to you li’l kid!

Whew! We wrapped it up at past 7pm so we could all attend the 9pm mass.

+++

The whole Christmas day was raining. I was inside the house the entire day eating whatever’s on the fridge. It was cold that I had fallen asleep twice, one at noon and another on late afternoon. I was supposed to go to Poblacion, my native land and where those kids are living, to see people coming by carrying loads of gifts.

But I had no choice as I could not walk in the streets carrying umbrella just to see those people! So Christmas was spent listening to my new CD (thanks to Phoebe) of which cuts include “God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You,” “This I Promise You” (English and Spanish versions), and a hundred more songs from way back when.

As of this time, I’m still not over with Kelly Clarkson’s Because of You that I have this habit of replaying it thrice in a row. Sagdi lang matagbaw ra pud ko, pohon.

That was not such a bad Christmas. But of couse, there's no such thing as a bad Christmas. I remember Fr. Tajanlangit, our parish priest, in his homily, who said we should not compare this year’s Christmas to last year’s or next as it is the “now” that is important and that is what we have, thus, we are stuck to it, I mean we should celebrate it in whatever way we can.

And now it has become a past, too. New Year na pud!

(Lesson learned: beer makes a good remedy for headaches.)

Party sa tah!

In the background are my officemates singing in the videoke. It’s already two days before Christmas and we’re still here at the newsroom, and although we have work today we had it done before noon so that by nightime everyone was ready to party.

Party, that is! We had a videoke, as I said earlier, hauled here at the top floor of The Freeman building. And of course, we had food, as in loads of it. I’m actually near it right now but I’m already full or I would have been filling my stomach with two types of pasta. One of which I called Cheetos crunchy as it really looks that cruncy version of my favorite junkfood, although this one is, of course, not crunchy. But it’s tasty, nonetheless.

I’ll be going home with loads of goodies, half of which I bought for my “kids” and the other half were prizes I won or took (hahaha). I was the head of the prize committee, so I had all the chances of doing this petty crime (*hush). Chocolates, and more chocolates, I can’t wait. Hehehe.

This is actually our last day here before we all go home for the Christmas holiday. This is one of those few occasions where we get to really rest. I’m looking forward to watching movies, well, on Christmas day itself. I still have to give the party I promised to my little neighbors on Christmas eve. And afterwhich, the vacation will be all to myself. Yum yum!

I think we’ll have a videoke in my friend’s place on the eve, too. We did that the past years, and although we finished at almost daytime the next day it was still fun. Whatever is instore for me this Christmas I’ll gladly embrace but if I had to sleep the day away, well, that’d be a welcome retreat.

My feelings? Uhm…still the same. Although there’s a little bit of that Christmas spirit now.

Heck! I’ll still be merrying this holiday. This only comes once a year.

An evening with Jose Mari Chan

Edited
Nope! I did not go out with him (halleeer!) yeah, I know I’m over reacting (or am I?). seriously, I had such a grand time last night while listening to the voice and the jokes (I kid you not!) of Jose Mari Chan. Physically, he’s not that attractive but give him the mic and you’ll forget your name.

I’m sure it’s a common knowledge not only in the Philippines how great this man as a singer (and probably as a person, who knows) is. But you’ll really run out of words to describe his voice, I mean when you sit just a few meters away from him and watch him sing his famous compositions, it’s like you want to fall in love with just anybody in sight (glad, I was seated next to a child).

It’s really his magical voice. That I oftentimes forgot who I was in the middle of a theater slash concert venue. I even forgot I had not taken my dinner that night. Well, thanks to the twit and calamity girl for the food trip early that afty that the mere thought of stuffing anything into my mouth was nauseating. I mean thanks to King Kong for filling up all five cinemas!

But, the 2-hour date with Joe Mari capped my very long day. He was such a performer and a JOKER! Yeah, in between songs he would crack a joke or two. A very talented musician with a sense of humor, yum! But his wife was there, too. Damn!

I still did not feel Christmas-sy that night (until now) but I was thinking it was a good Christmas gift for myself even if I did not buy the ticket (naw, I wouldn’t have bought it myself! Sooo mahal!).

Now, when I imagine him singing those Christmas songs I want to sit down at a dark and silent corner and feel the music seeps through me and completely forget I have work to do. I wish I could.

A Day With The Indigent Kids

The smiles, the giggles, I will never forget. And I'm sure so will the indigent kids, to whom that day was dedicated.

The Freeman Foundation, in which I am a new member of (*grin), last Saturday treated 48 indigent kids to an early Christmas party in Family Park, Talamban.

Those kids were handpicked from the different parts of Cebu City and outside it.

Dubbed as Adopt an Angel: A Christmas Gathering of Street Children, the foundation with its 20 members gave those kids truly enjoyable moments, that would definitely be etched in their young minds. That was actually the target of the event.

As early as 6 in the morning that day, the kids who come from Minglanilla, Talisay City, Mambaling, and other parts of Cebu City, gathered at TF administration building where they were served their breakfast.

And before they were brought to the party place, we, acting as their mommies and daddies for the day, garbed each of them with a white T-shirt and a pair of red short pants. They looked really cute in their "uniform."

At the wide playing field of Family Park the fun began. We grouped them into four: bird, cow, cat, and dog for the parlor games: coin relay, sack race, tug of war, among many others. And we were the "active" facilitators. It was exhausting but fun. If someone in the group dreamed of becoming a grade school teacher I'm sure that dream died instantly. What an "extraordinary" job grade school teachers have. Pardon us if not one of us want to be extraordinary.

After giving them their prizes and gifts, as in loads of them, we sent them home (I mean the drivers). Some of them left a good portion of their Jollibee lunch for their mothers (makahilak sad ta).

The kids’ smiles as they brought with them the gifts and the newly-acquired experience were so wide. Seeing them so happy with what they just went through was like "Yo! We did it!"

And because we did it successfully we treated ourselves to a relaxing weekend in a beach resort in Argao .

Actually, we went there to plan for the next year's projects, which include tree planting (pak-pak!) and mostly visits to home cares and children's hospital.

Hahay....exhausting but rewarding.

Humbugger? Never!

I'm no humbugger.

Yeah, I’ve written here in my previous post, It’s almost Christmas, about my being “not so excited” for the coming Christmas. But I did not mean to say I hate Christmas and things about it.

I’m just not up to rejoicing. Maybe soon.

I think I’m tired.

But I’m working hard to boost any Christmas spirit left in me.

Tomorrow, I’ll be joining TF Foundation’s activity, the Christmas party for the street kids. I am not a member of the foundation but when I heard about this event I forcibly enjoined myself to be among those who will clothe and feed and have fun with these unfortunate children.

Let’s see if it won’t do me any “good.”

Or else I’ll be a complete numb!

But really, I am no humbugger. Please…..

It's almost Christmas

(Edited)And i still don't feel it.

This is probably one Christmas when even hearing the Christmas songs being played over the radio or in tha mall isn't that exciting anymore. I don't know.

Last night I attended my first Christmas party but apart from the little joy I derived from the games the host was providing us, there was not a flicker of happiness I used to feel when Christmas was just a few weeks away.

In the office, they set up a big Christmas tree to remind us Christmas is just around the corner. I don't need to be reminded. I am actually preparing for the Christmas party I always give to my little neighbors. This activity used to excite me but I don't know what has gotten into me these days.

At home, there are no Christmas decors, yet. But I already see bottles of red wine for the party in the neighborhood on Christmas eve. At least, the rest of my family does not share my feelings right now.

This is really strange. I don't want Christmas to go without my enjoying it.

Christmas shopping won't work for me. I hate shopping. I'm just sooo lazy to move from one rack or shelf to another, and with so many people around, no way!

Except for a pair of "damaged" jeans, I don't need anything else for myself as Christmas gift. I can even let this season pass even without my having had to purchase such "gift."

I'll be having my day-off tomorrow. Maybe a Christmas movie, a funny one, will help me deal with this stupid depression (whatever!) I have here.

Yati na ni!

Ang bahay ni Lola (Gary)

It was a laag (adventure?) I have been looking forward to these past months. And after several aborted plans we finally agreed to push through that laag.

Huh! As if I was talking about a tour to Europe. It was only in barangay Tejero, specifically in Gary Lao’s beloved home.

It was last Saturday when Gary, my gay friend/workmate, asked me if I wanted to go with him and Tina to his old mansion. As I told earlier this was a laag I’ve been looking forward to so I jumped at the opportunity before Gary could change his mind. Actually he almost did when he remembered he had not cleaned up the house. But heck! He knew how I loved old stuff. One time he showed me his aunt’s collection of stamps I could not take my eyes of them. And he gave me some of them and a few very old mailing envelopes that are now enshrined in my album of stamps. He also showed me his aunt’s friends’ directory circa 1962 (more or less).

Back to the laag. Just a few minutes from Colon, where our office is was Gary’s place.

Inside a populated area was his mansion. It was a two-storey 105-year-old Spanish-era house, which, Gary told me, was used as a “school” during the Japanese occupation. He inherited the house from his aunt, who died last year.

My tour was only up to the second floor since the lower part of the house was turned into an “apartment-for rent”. Nevertheless, I had a grand tour. I may be exaggerating but this is what I become when I talk of things I really love.

It was already dark and we were only three. Gary, by the way, is living alone in that huge house and I envy him for having such an environment-the old house with antique furnishings and displays.

His kusina (kitchen) was located at the rear portion of the house. And because his power supply in that area was temporarily cut off so we had to bring candles to light us there. Mind you, Gary was carrying candles with their old-as-time “crystal” candle-holder. Spooky!

There at his kitchen, with only a total of three candles to illuminate the entire place we cooked some food for dinner. It was really a feat. First, the light was limited. Second, there was no water from the faucet (bec his water tank only works in the morning when it’s full) so we had to use his water “reserve” (a true-blooded insik. That’s Gary!). And lastly, my talent in the kitchen is only eating. And because I was only limited to that I used garlic in cooking corned beef. I only remembered I was supposed to use onion when I tasted the food.

Minutes after, we had our sumptuous dinner of noodles, garlic-sautéed corned beef, bread (pandelicious!, which reminded me of San Joe’s canteen), fried chicken (from Gary’s ma, who lives just inside the compound) and coke (we had a big antique crystal water goblets each, except for Tina, who opted for the tumbler).

And while eating the ever-tihik (thrift) Gary said we were soooo fortunate he served us food when most of his visitors, if not all, left his house without his offering them snacks even if he never ran out of junk food, biscuits, etc. So Garyish!

He actually wanted us to bring food before we got to his house but we insisted we were his visitors so he had no choice but to “welcome” us.

After eating I proceeded to examining the contents of the many shelves in the living room. There were at least six of them. Most of which were filled with antique china wares: plates with “paintings”on them, cups and saucers, big dolls from different parts of the world, among others.

There were also two shelves displaying very old bottles of perfume. This was actually the part I was stuck, as most of the bottles were still full of the scented liquid. There were numerous Christian Dior in big and very tiny assorted bottles. I read familiar names. I opened some bottles and smelled their contents. Some still had scent but already faint.

At the bottom part of the shelf, where the bottles of perfume were displayed, was a case of lil coke bottles. Very little, I think 1 ½ inch tall. The wooden case was, of course, also sized to accommodate the lil softdrinks, of which content was already dried by time although there were still traces of the dark liquid.

At the opposite wall were two cabinets full of old toys, china dolls, small trinkets, figurines which dates back during the WWII, and many others.

Then I came across two gold-plated kucharitas (teaspoons). And guess what, Gary gave me the other one to my delight. The entire time last Sunday while watching TV I was grasping it. I’d have loved to post its picture I took using my phone but I’m still learning how to email an MMS.

There were actually so many little old things like the tiny bottles of perfume I wished to take home with me even without Gary’s consent but his great grandpa, the full-blooded Chinese, was staring at me. His portrait, already graying, was pinned near the door and he was like “hoy!” (yup! That’s Chinese too.) This picture, according to Gary, was discovered among piles of old photos in frames from one of the rooms in the house while he was cleaning the place after his aunt’s death. His family actually did not know who that Chinese-looking man in that photo was. It was Gary’s constant search for answers of his family background that led him to the discovery that that man was his father’s lolo. Sad!

There was no four-poster bed in any of the rooms. Gary told me those kinds of beds were taken by his relatives like what they did to some of the furniture.

Gary’s room, which used to be his aunt’s, was very huge. You could actually play tubig-tubig there. And like in the kitchen there was no lighting. There used to be a fluorescent lamp but a few months back it flared up while he was sleeping. Scared the same might occur again he never bothered to replace it and transferred his single bed to his sala.

It was so dark when we got inside his room. There were at least two big aparadors with life-sized mirrors in the room. I wonder how he manages to go about the place without knocking down some of the furniture or "other occupants" there.

I was really amazed at how vast Gary’s ancestors’ collection was. There was even a glass case full of empty chocolate boxes, softdrink cans, soap boxes (plum blossom, safeguard, etc), small scented soaps (still with soap bars inside) his aunts took home from hotels, and other stuff that when in disarray are trash. But they were uniquely arranged inside that glass case, another attraction to visitors.

I asked Gary if he would sell any of the items ‘cause I’m sure many collectors would pay a good price for most of the antiques he had there, but he said he never would. The house and everything inside it were his family’s, his past. Well, that’s one good thing about him and I’m very glad he’s keeping and taking care of the entire collection, which I would be visiting again soon. There was one abandoned room I still have to see. I’m excited!

moment ko 'to

Forgive me i just soooo love this song. i think it's bec of its melody. and the mmhhh mmhh part :D

NO ONE ELSE COMES CLOSE By: Joe

Mmhhh..mmhh..ma..mhhh..mmhhh…
When we turn out the lights
The two of us alone together
Something’s just not right
But girl you know that I would never ever let
Another’s touch come between the two of us
Cuz no one else will ever take your place

Chorus:
No one else comes close to you
No one makes feel the way u do
You’re so special girl to me
And you’ll always be eternally
Every time I hold u near
You always say the words I love to hear
Girl with just a touch
You can do so much
No one else comes close

Mmhh..mmhh..ma..mhh..mmhhh…
And when I wake up to
The touch of your head on my shoulder
You’re my dream come true yea
Oh girl you know I’ll always treasure
Every kiss and every day
I’ll love u girl in every way
And I always will cuz in my eyes

Repeat Chorus 2x

Mmhh..mmhh..ma..mhh..mmhhh…
Oh girl no
No one else comes close
Damn I love you

Survey me

Some survey I got from someone’s blog ;)

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY
1. vatski
2. libyang (yati!)
3. Libby Siamo

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF
1. I have enough self-descipline to keep me away from all evils except coke.
2. I am easy to please.
3. I’m most of the time on-time.

THREE THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF
1. My laziness (not always though).
2. I misspell words most of the time (what can I do, tao lang ako).
3. I’m inconsistent

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE
1. Spanish
2. Filipino
3. Talisaynon (hehehe)

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU
1. Snakes
2. Famine
3. War

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
1. My cellphone (I just got a new one)
2. My hanky
3. My shades

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW
1. T-Shirt
2. Pants
3. Rubber shoes

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE MUSICAL ARTISTS
1. Spicegirls (forever)
2. MYMP (while its music is hot)
3. Michelle Branch

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS (OF ALL TIME)
1. At Your Best (MYMP)
2. God Must Have Spent A Li’l More Time On You (N’Sync)
3. No One Else Comes Close (Joe)

NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
1. Go to Disneyland Hongkong (I need donors here)
2. Buy a new guitar
3. Play that new guitar

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP
1. Trust
2. Trust
3. Trust

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE (in no particular order)
1. I read newspapers at night
2. I’m an insomiac
3. I’m a girly girl

THREE THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX THAT APPEAL TO YOU
1. His looks (must be good)
2. His sense of humor
3. He must be clean (but never vain)

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO
1. Public speaking
2. Dance
3. Wear skirts

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES
1. Read
2. Watch TV/movies
3. Listen to good music

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW
1. Go home
2. Eat
3. Watch Jewel in the Palace

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING
1. Politics (hmmm…)
2. Write a book
3. Conceptualize ads?

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION TO
1. Disneyland Hongkong
2. Egypt (mummies)
3. Europe or wherever there are castles and royals

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Have a charitable institution for the street kids and the homeless
2. Tour around the world and go back home
3. Drive a top-down MB at the coastal road (and definitely not die while doing it)

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL
1. I sometimes think I am Jessica Alba(tross)
2. I watch movies starred by Anne Hathaway, Hillary Duff, etc. (not bec of the kilig)
3. I am a couch potato (girl na?)

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY
1. I always wear jeans and T-shirt and rubber shoes
2. I drink coke straight from the bottle (kay mas lami)
3. I have a crush on Amanda Griffin (lagi!)

Harry Potter finally!

I watched it with jute and phoebe this afty.

A few minutes before 10 I was already in SM. It was actually my first time to be that early for a movie. We had to be there that early for so many reasons: people would come in droves in the afty, jute had a class at 2, phoebe had to go back to pluto, and I still had to report to work.

But it was worth it. It's one of those movies that give you no time, even a second, to go to the CR, for example. In my case I felt like relieving myself in my seat, but of course, I did not! I just could not!

Harry was already big. Ron's nose was even bigger. Forgive me. But he was funny huh!

Hermione was really captivating in her dress she wore during the Yule ball. Uhm, Katie Leung who played Cho Chang wasn't that pretty. She is in her pics though.

And Genny, she was a cute lil thing. I was closely paying attention to her cause I knew she was gonna be Harry's next love interest 2 years later. Oops!

The fight scene of Harry with Voldemort was 'bitin.' I actually forgot how that confrontation ended in the book.

But the scene when Harry clang to Cedrick was really touching.

Series of Unfortunate Events

It was really not a normal day, for me, last Wednesday. First, I woke up early than my normal waking hour of past 10am as I had to cover a forum at 10:30 at Abuhan Dos.

Before I came out of the house my ma texted me to inform me she admitted my younger sister to the hospital. They came there only to have her checked her asthma, which for the last several days had enjoyed its stay in my sis’ already-weak lungs, however, her doc advised her to stay for a night as there were some medical check-ups she had to undergo.

Hospital is the last place I want to spend even a single minute. If I can spend the entire day marveling at the sight of public cemeteries with their old tombstones and unattended human bones, hospital is a spirit-draining place, to me.

Well anyway, I did not go there that day, I did not have to, but even with that, still I was already feeling weak. I worry too much, that’s why.

I've actually sent some cash in case. It was actually there where I had my first encounter with Count Olaf.

I was at the ATM, where there were about 7 or so people in queue. It was already few minutes before 10 and my ma was also in hurry to get back to the hospital where she left my sis alone. So my ma appealed to those people in queue that I came next to the one who was at the booth. The power of that "emergency" word got me nearest to the ATM. And when it was my turn, for the first time in the history of my using the ATM, my card was captured! I think eveyone there was cursing under his breath.

Luckily, there were already people inside the bank. Minutes later I was still able to get my card back and withdraw some cash. Whew!

At Abuhan Dos, I was already 30 minutes late and I thought the forum, Supreme Court Appointment Watch (for the next CJ), was already started but fortunately, or should I say unfortunately, most of the panelists were still not around and apart from myself no other media person was present. But they came in horde minutes later.

It was only over an hour later when they decided to finally open it and I was already hungry then since I only had milo for breakfast. It was already almost 12nn.

In fairness, the panelists, most of whom were lawyers, were giving us substantial information regarding the selection process. At least it was not a boring coverage.

And it was during the lunch when I met Count Olaf, I think his junior.

I was excited they would serve us pochero, Abuhan’s specialty, but only after like 30 minutes of waiting (we could not just go as it was very unethical considering most of the people stayed for lunch and we were really hungry)). And it was already almost 1pm! Grrr!

I don’t know what was with that day. All I knew it was not mine. I mean not the day, not the afternoon, not even the night!

In the afternoon, I was using our copy ed's computer to check my mails in the internet as the one designated for the reporters was used by another reporter. The editors then were having a meeting when suddenly our eic appeared at my back and slapped me! Well, not really. But it was more than a slapping he gave me. He actually told me, within everyone’s earshot, why I was “there” when I shouldn’t be there! Then he left.

Two reporters, Ryan and Gary Lao, who were then in the newsroom were actually laughing. They, like most of the people there, knew that I was our eic’s most favorite person. It was the third time he did it to me, the first time I hated him, the next I cried and this latest insult I just laughed. I don’t know why he LOVES me so much. There were so many reporters using that particular computer and they never receive any LOVING insults from him. Why?!!

Back to that scene, so I stood up to leave, and bought burgers and coke outside, with Jasmin and our ever understanding and friendly copy ed about it. He, too, was actually told by no less than that loving eic why he allowed me to use his pc. This copy ed did not actually know someone was using his pc, and if he did he would not have even cared as it was open for everybody. Or the management could have advised everyone to lock up his pc to avoid other people from using it!

Eic forgotten. I was on my way to a gathering of fellow court beat reporters in Pizza Collection, in Ranudo St. (?). It was actually a send off party for GN of SSC, who was soon leaving for a better career.

I was riding a PUJ when my phone beeped. A text message from Malou Tabar read they were already there. So I replied, said: “I’m on my way.” Put the phone back to my sling bag and looked outside the jeep, which during this time had stopped to take a passenger. Then when I looked back, just a minute or less after I last touched my phone, my sling bag was already opened. I knew right then and there something was missing. And when I checked it was my 6510 cellphone. Not the latest model but the only one I got.

I saw a woman, who was then beside me now disembarked from the jeep, walking away while the jeep was increasing its speed. Although I was already resigned to the fact that my almost 2-year-old phone was lost, I still wanted to confront the suspect. So I said “para” and jumped out from the PUJ to run after that woman.

It was just a minute or so but the woman was already gone. I walked some meters searching for that woman, looked for corners where she could possibly be hiding. I even went to the extent of going to a “compound” hoping she was somewhere there hiding, but, of course, she was smarter than me. She was Count Olaf's cohort, by the way.

Hey! It was not that I wanted to have my phone back badly (well, partly as I could not, as of the moment or anymore, afford to buy a new one) but I wanted to give a “good fight” for it. I felt stupid for losing it that way (well, it’s more stupid leaving behind a phone or any valuable at a phone booth or any public place, I mean, hey!)

The only consolation I got there, or I forced myself to be consoled so I could bear the thought of being phoneless, was that that woman would have something to buy for her kids or whatever using my phone. That is if she could sell it for a thousand, which I believe is unlikely knowing that that phone was already dying. Hehehe!

Realizing that the fight was futile, actually the realization already hit me when I found out that the phone was no longer in my bag, and that I was in a place where I could get held-up any moment as it was not well-lighted (glad my wits was back at this time) so I hailed a PUJ. This is a manifestation of how poor I am. Don't worry I'm not blaming our government.

I was almost at the meeting place. I sort of knew where it was but my guardian angel was probably somewhere (definitely not beside me) when I found myself already seeing Robinson’s building when I was supposed to have alighted from the jeepney several meters away as the Pizza Collection was near Velez College. Luck at this time was having a Count Olaf-sponsored date with my guardian angel.

Needless to say, I walked several meters to that pizza resto (imagine the walk I made, from Robi to Ranud St.!).

If there was any consolation in this unforgettable event, it was the carbonara. Of course, there was pizza there, we actually had 2 orders of it, spaghetti, and other yummy pasta, and coke (I had 2 big bottles of it and everyone was really supportive) but this blog is strictly for unfortunate events.

It was already past 10 when we left the place. We were almost inside the car on our way to a wine shop when one of the resto’s waitresses holding a black jacket called our attention. It was my jacket she was holding. Glad we were seconds late or I could have lost my favorite jacket, the same night I lost my only phone. That was fortunate but everyone there was already teasing me for my you-know-what, and I felt like pulling my hair for being so.

At The Wine Shop. Well, no unfortunate event took place except that we went home at almost 3 in the morning. I actually had too much of KNR’s non-stop talk, 99 percent of which was in English, about our job, his guns, his P5K flashlight, which except for its price is nothing special (well, save for its “special” battery, which, he said, costs P500 but only lasts for an hour). He confessed being stupid anyway. But he never knows (or cares) if he’s one hell of a hambug.

So at past 3am J dropped me at my place.

All the events that took place that day were forgotten (well, temporarily) as I felt strange while I was inside our payag. My sis, with my ma, was spending a night in the hospital so I was alone in our room. And the room was what it was when I left it, very messed up! Yeah, my sis does all the cleaning/arranging that is why I never want to have my own room (as if there’s an extra one). Honestly, it is because we have to watch each other during the night, we are both asthmatic.

That night was really empty. The previous nights I could not sleep because of my sis’ constant wheezing and coughing, so I had to regularly check if she was okay and all until she fell asleep. I even made "pik-pik" to her back like what our ma usually does when we're having cough. Sweet me? I don’t think so. We are not actually close, but then she’s my sister and I care for my family members more than anything else in this world. I should be whipped for being away the entire night! But that was very seldom.

So that night I slept alone. But no longer tonight bec she’s already back!

Naks!

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hai!

Yahoo!

November! in less than 2 weeks Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire will finally be here (in Cebu, yeah!) i can't wait!!!

i just hope Mike Newell, the director, has given justice to the film as the book is so far the second best interesting read among the 6 (the Half-Blood Prince tops the list, to ME).

Cho Chang, played by Katie Leung, is also something to watch out for. It's just so sad she no longer appears in book 5 and 6. i mean, a bit of her na lang.

This fourth HP movie must be gaining a lot of publicities. the stolen 1962 Ford Anglia, for example.

this "flying" car was used in HP and the Chamber of Secrets. the suspect? whoelse but You-Know-Who. who could have carjacked it without having to fly it from the place as according to the authorities the car was not capable of driving and that only magic could be used to steal it.

meaning Lord Voldermort is really enjoying all kinds of publicities.

hmmm....

A pointless view

(Note: This is a plain point of view of a pointless individual. Don’t tell me I did not warn you.)

Power. Is this all about that? What with this word that everyone seems to be craving about? I don’t have to spell it out what is/are associated with power.

Here in Cebu, the historic Consultative Commission (ConCom) on Charter Change was recently held. This was believed to be a better way to address the call for a change, a change of the kind of government we have in general, in administrating it, in particular.

I got from Bobit Avila, in his column piece, that most of the representatives (from the government sector, civil groups, NGO’s, military, judiciary, media, etc) in that consultation, which by the way was recorded by the National Economic Development Authority, would go for federalism. But this does not mean an immediate shift from the presidential form of government must take place. Of course, the result of this consultation/debate, and also those in other parts of the country (in the major cities where other consultations are also set to be held), will be raised before the Congress, where the real battle whether we should embrace a federal government or retain the old one shall be fought.

This may be a good way to tell to the public that everything is under control and that the government is doing something, that its power actually emanates from the people. I sure want change but I don’t know what works for this country.

The government, as of this posting, is President Arroyo. Whether we like it or not she’ll stay there, with her full power as the chief executive of this country, until her term ends, that’s like 5 years from now (that's why they are trying to amend the Constitution as it may mean cutting short her term). And while they're still at it instead of getting soaked by water cannons of the anti-riot police why don’t we sit down and talk (or raise our voice, if need be), if we really want a Charter change or not. Sometimes democracy is taken to the limits that’s why I’m not complaining with Arroyo’s Calibrated Preemptive Response.

So far, the public, I mean the majority of the Filipino people, seems to prefer Arroyo as the President. That can be gleaned from the poor representations of many street rallies, asking for her ouster. Needless to say the people don’t want a new president, not yet. Or the people may be tired of it all (I am).

This country is left without a choice. It’s like we have to make do with what we presently have. If along with GMA is the continuing price hike of all the commodities then we have to continuously work harder for us to survive. We don’t have a country so rich that can take care of us when we are broke and hungry, and we already know that fact.

What’s happening around us is inevitable, I think. If the price of gasoline has soared high and will even soar higher when EVAT is implemented then that will be beyond us, as people. Street demonstrations no longer work here. We can’t blame the Philippines for not having its own oil deposits! And I don’t think GMA can ask the oil cartel to stop further increasing its products. Nor can GMA beg the World Bank to lend us more money to plug the country’s deficits of billions. Hence, the EVAT law was pushed. It may be unfair to the many poor people to pay for the country’s debts by way of paying more for their basic needs but that’s how it must be. A bitter pill to take, they say. There are other better ways to address these problems but unfortunately our leaders want the easy way out.

GMA may want to stay in power bec the Constitution allows her to, or bec the people want her to (no choice gani). There are groups that want to dethrone her (with her alleged rigging the last election, among many other allegations), what’s new. And these people only want what? Power.

They think they can better address the problems we have. Let us not forget they’ve been there since the start of this political game and I don’t remember they have done something apart from further ruining what is already a ruined situation.

I think this blog needs direction.

I’m out.

(So?)

hopping in Argao

Argao Church. The second oldest church of Cebu. The construction started in 1734 and was finished in 1788. its wooden doors, i bet, are still the original ones, so grand i couldn't take my eyes off them. and the frescoes were sooo magnificent! even with the obvious chips and cracks all over them.

Then there was its equally fascinating altar. There was obvious attempt to make it look like the Basilica’s (del Sto. Niño) but it still looked amazingly antique. I like it better than that in the Basilica, the restoration has made it looked modern.

Hungry for more old objects I, together with a fellow reporter, toured other Spanish-era buildings.

We went inside the municipal hall which looked like a typical house during the Spanish time. Inside was a picture of history: the big and uneven-shaped beams, the old chairs, and the floor! (Gad, I was stepping-for the first time in my life- a very old wooden floor)

Too bad they created rooms out of the entire floor making it appear like a raped virgin. Abusive people!

The place also has a museum. It was closed that day so I had to feast instead on what were left in the convento. There were three rocking chairs, I sat on the one in the middle (it felt good to feel what my ninuno did during their siesta time). There were a handful finely-carved sofas too. But they were not properly preserved (well, Church!).

I ended the tour at the hall of justice, the very reason I was there. It was also a very old building but was transformed into a modern one. Still, the past was very evident, with the capiz windows, the coral-stoned walls, etc. Chief Justice Davide, a native of Argao, said it was the very place he stood to take his elementary diploma 56 years ago. the hall of justice was actually his brainchild project.

I would have liked to continue my tour after the coverage but we were running out of time so we left without even taking home with us torta, the place's famous deli.

I really am fascinated with very old objects. Well, except for TF's battered and antique FX which was our service vehicle that day. Grrr!

la conversation parmi français-parler d'idiots

(conversation among french-speaking idiots)

Liv: je suis jasmin dit mignon
Jasmin: et liv a dit que je suis aussi
Liv: Exactement, nous sommes tout mignon par la nature. bon wengkat ?
Wengkat: Approuver, quoi que vous dites ! vous êtes le patron ici.
Jasmin: Grand ! par la façon, que faisons-nous ici ? ! !
Liv: Nah, nous sommes juste whiling loin le temps. Vous savez que nous avons à tout moment dans le monde. Richesse !
Wengkat: hou là ! mignon et riche, vous êtes ? je ne peux pas me blâmer pourquoi je suis dans votre compagnie. Hehehe

Jasmin: Hmmm. ..sad était le Dieu de jour nous avait faits les amis. maintenant, nous sommes enfoncés l'un avec l'autre, et ici dans quelqu'un blog. Grrrr
Wengkat: Hé ! nous nous avons. Nous sommes mignons et riches. ce que peut nous demandons ?
Liv: Corriger ! et nous sommes des menteurs aussi. Wahahaha

And so they left my blog.

Fiesta!

(updated)Talisay City. October 14th. at an internet cafe.

5:30pm (sir leo lastimosa is inside the cafe too writing his column for TF. he told me he was here for the live broadcast of TV Patrol from here, not in the cafe but near the Church, several meters away from here!)

outside, the vehicular and human traffic are amazing. the noise, great! well, you cant help it, it's fiesta here.

the drums are playing Viva Sta. Teresa! i guess Cardinal Vidal had just finished his holy mass and the procession is started (im itching to go out).

there are stalls of various merchandise in the sidewalks, i may check on them later.

but the bingo, aha, you wait i'll play tonight.

there's miss talisay city at 8pm, okay, i sure won't miss it.

if my friends would want it i might as well ride the horror train. i had this trauma one time when the "ghost" leaped to our train to our shock. gad!

im hungry, i have to go now to my friend's house for dinner.

be right back!

past 8pm

several minutes after the procession i went home in dumlog. and goodness just as i was on a corner i heard the drums about to get near where i was. so the procession was yet to pass at the street where i would be traversing (nagbike gani ko para madali kay traffic kayo. grrr)

so i waited for more than 10 mins.

finally, the street was cleared of the crowd of people but not of cars and trisikads.

i was back to pedaling the mountain bike i borrowed from my neighbor in poblacion (i still call them neighbors even if i dont live there anymore) when i saw my high school classmate driving a car. great! im sure she was thinking i would only be up to driving a mountain bike, never a car. ugh! i didnt even own the damn bike! (but we have 1 huh!) whatever! it's not about who's driving what but who's getting where (wait! im not getting anywhere. not yet. or not ever. waaaaah...)

at our place i exhausted what had been bothering my tummy. leche!

past 10pm

miss city of talisay 2005

my bet, candidate # 4 (she was really soooo kewl), did not even make it to the top 5 finalists.

im not gonna write about the winner, # 9. hmp!

however, the show was really great! they've got flying dancers, and other spectacular special effects. i was really entralled by all of it that when candidate # 11 collapsed i was still amazed thinking it was part of the show.

i was home at almost 1am.

what a day and an hour!

wounded

i'm still pissed off from last night's laag.

don't ask me why. my wounded pride is still under construction!

this is not a diary (trust me)

Saturday

4pm: (SM giftgate)
I-gold (meaning I arrived on time or so I thought as the two were still not around)
Jute-silver (but she actually got there first she just left to pay some bills, bootan kaayo!)
Phoebe-bronze (feeling Talisaynon!)

past 4pm: KFC
talk. talk. eat while talking and talking while eating. laughing pud diay in between.

past 5pm: (cinema 4)
getting scared (or pretending to be) by the zombies of The Land of The Dead. well, if scary lang ang estoryahan scary jud ang movie what with zombies popping out of nowhere (and eating human flesh still oozing with blood), but kalagot the director failed to explain how those dead bodies were resurrected. sakto ba na?!

8pm: (bound to phoebe's mansion in Pedro Cui)
phoebe and i were to be taken to her mansion while jute to labangon but the zombie-hearted taxi driver started complaining when we told him that. he said, when we’re near pedro cui, we're supposed to take separate cabs kono kay di pwede ang duha ka rota. huh! boot2 sad ang tawo. Irritated by his illogical reasoning, in Pedro Cui we, including jute, disembarked from his taxi (Phoebe saved the cab’s plate number for future complaint). bye nimo noy!

past 8: (at phoebe's place)
we bought barbi-q (the best-tasting bb-q I’ve ever tasted!) for dinner, and of course, two liters of coke (we only consumed one) and a beer grande, which only jute, who agreed to stay only for dinner, and I drank mixed with our coke. The phoebe, who insisted we should buy it (even suggested Red Horse) never even took a drop of it. Huh! We left it in her fridge to remind her she should consume it before expiration date, if there’s any.

It was already past 10, jute was already itching to go home (dad just phoned her eh) while the calamity girl was taking her time in the bathroom. I thought she was already preparing for bed but when I saw her in her jeans. Goodness! She was still thinking of making good her “ultimate dream” for the night: watch Bamboo live in concert.

I had no choice. I agreed to spend overnight in her place for said “ultimate dream” (and yeah for the early morning scrabble contest) so I had to go with her, against my body and will (hmp!).

Past 11pm: (standing at a corner where the taxi driver driven by a zombie-hearted driver dropped us)
Jute left in a taxi cab, of which plate number was noted by Phoebe, so like Tricia Evangelista.

The two of us still contemplating if we’d go or not. The Phoebe at this time had no idea where the concert was happening or had already happened. Goodness for the second time!

Then we had to go to her former boardmates now neighbors, whom she earlier made arrangement about the said night-out. And these boardmates, mind you, were still preparing to take a bath. What were they?!!

So we left without them, and I was glad Phoebe had already an idea where to go. I actually thought the concert was in Fuente Circle while she thought it was in JY Square. But it was actually in Banilad, but still no specific place where it really was. Goodness ( I lost count)!

And thank God, the taxi driver, this time a friendly one, knew where the event was.

We arrived at Bright School (whatever) with the band already on its 7th song. The ticket people told us they just started. So Phoebe, who really did not want the night to end without watching these people, shelled out P300 for two tickets (utang sa coz I only had P100 in my pocket, but the iyaan was soooo generous declined my bayad the next day)

There, at the football field of the school a large crowd of young people was already wild while the band was playing Noypi. We sought for a better view but it was impossible. But we had to get the value of our money so we managed to get to the front seats, thanks to my ID (hehehe).

We were already enjoying the night especially when the group played its famous hit hallelujah when after that Bamboo told the crowd the next song after it was their last. What?!!!

When the group disappeared from the stage, we were still not moving and Phoebe’s face was like “mao ra to?” so I had to tell her: “You’re not paying for the songs but for the experience.” Actually, it was my first time, and Phoebe’s too, to pay for a concert (I always get free invites).

Almost 12 midnight: (while walking aimlessly from the Bright School whatever)

Phoebe did not want to go home yet so I was thinking of bringing her to a coffee shop instead of having to mix with her boardmates, who were in NASA.

It was really an experience to walk that late with no any idea where to actually go. I was silently praying Gaisano Countrymall had at least one store opened. But luck was on our side Banilad Town Center, which I did not know was in that direction although I’ve heard of that place several times, came into view. Well, there were many people from the concert going in that direction too so the walk was kinda safe.

There was Bo’s Café there but we opted for Yellow Cab, a pizza outlet with ladies in halter tops and tubes speaking in English. I was almost tempted to ask the cashier if their customers had to speak in English but stopped myself for fear she might affirm my greatest fear: wearing tubes while speaking in English. (I don’t have tubes noh! Tee hee)

So we ate our pizza, actually just one-fourth of the 10” serving, and drank the whole contents of our coke, a can each.

We talked of people I knew but she never met, and vice versa. Then we decided to go home. I thought the time was still early 12am. Only when we got to Phoebe’s place that I learnt it was already past 2. Nyeee!

Past 2am: (inside her room)

Talking while texting. I was still talking when the Phoebe did not respond. She was already dead to the world while I was left trying to get back my “sleepiness,” which visited me before 11pm but must have felt disheartened for being uninvited as it did not return until early 4!

9am:

We consumed what remained of our pizza. With it, I had sugarless milo while the Phoebe with her ever present Coke. Well, I eventually gave in and had a glass of it too after my milo. Hehehe.

Almost 10am: (at the Cebu City Sports Center)

Phoebe had already left for Pluto via tartanilla while I, together with wengkat and sir rolex, was waiting for the rest of the scrabble players.

Past 12:

All four of us lost each of our games.

I cannot say it was because of my lack of sleep (well, maybe). We all tried our best despite wengkat’s tummy problems, jasmin’s sleeveless outfit, sir rolex’ forgetting it was timed (hehehe) and my over confidence, not of winning but because it was just a game. A game to just play. And I think we played it well. But there’s always next time to play it like a pro, di ba wengkat?

kids are us

sensya na tao lang magboot-boot.

my hero!

i confess im an addict. yup! you heard me right im addicted to BOY BAWANG! i think my brain is stuffed with boy bawang i can smell it. hmmmmm.

every night when i arrive from the office and im on to my reading TF or watching TV i always have this cornic snack with me.

then one day i bought a pack of it and brought it to the office and everyone started loving it. hail to boy bawang!

Yehey!

This is one of the breathtaking scenes of TF's startroopers who grabbed the grand prize of the cheerdance competition last sunday.

the people instrumental in their win were sir bhoy, TF's genman (not in photo), and their muchachas, jasmin and yours truly (both are somewhere in the background, definitely not in skirts). Saon! hehehe. si cheerdleader pud diay for bringing the house down even with the absence of her voice (left in Talisay for sure).

and not to forget wengkat for her well-trained stunts, which she used when she was still a he. ahehehe.

and everyone else, the boys and the girls directly and indirectly behind that winning cheerdance. yeah, the choreographer kikay, of course.

this is really TF's year, a take off to victory!

Faet! (not fate)

one afternoon while i was attending a forum on "3 prisms on a troubled craft" i texted a friend...(the first speaker was already starting his lengthy talk during this time)

to a friend: nah! unsa man sad ni accent sa taga afp oi! grrr
from a friend: unsa diay iya accent ya? grrr ka ron :)
to a friend: murag british ni ya kay afp man
from a friend: huh! sosyal na ang mga sundalo ron nag british accent na! wahaha
to a friend: sundalo ka diha ron! agence france presse! kusniton ko nang bugan nimo og magkita ta ba :) tug-an taka mam serna ha.
from a friend: ay! sowi ya...hehehe

GRRRR

SEPTEMBER:

Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to
point out people's mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn (sounds familiar). Quiet but able to talk well (quiet daw o). Calm and cool (nyaa). Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed.
Loyal but not always honest (huh!). Does work well (depende sa work). Very confident (very jud?). Sensitive (no comment).
Thinking generous. Good memory (huwaaat?). Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves sports, leisure and travelling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings........ Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

wish ko lang!

i feel senti tonight. for the second time, or third, i am misunderstood. thank you!

so desperate to do something to appease myself i texted a friend to have someone who would be willing to listen to me (we always need someone to talk to when we are feeling upset). and i was glad she was just there. thanks to Globe txtnonstop.

still dissatisfied i googled friend+trust+poems and voila a good number of friendship poems appeared. i'm not much of a poem lover but i am really not myself tonight.

this one is quite a poor choice but kinda fitting to my current feeling (i may delete this tomorrow when my old self is back).

what really is a friend? so corny it makes me wanna hit my head with a mouse. anyway, i'm doing this to make me feel better.

taken from a site here's the part of the poem (i cut some stanzas i don't like)

A friend understands you
Without any words,
Stands by you
When nothing goes right.

And willingly talks
Over problems with you
Till they somehow
Just vanish from sight.

That shows you once more
Why friendship is life's dearest gift!

i want to agree but i just can't.

give me a break

Exhausted! That’s what I am right now. The six court stories I had just finished writing drained me and now I’m left with just a few ounce of strength that is not enough to take me home. I really did not plan this. Thanks to my partner who was enjoying his day off while I was stuck with the job supposedly shared by two people. But hey this is the job I chose and will always choose even with the money I make is not enough to last till the next pay day.

I need a cure.

courtroom dramas, i mean hilarity

A few weeks back at a courtroom…

Prosecutor: what is your course?
Accused: Marine Transformation
Reporters: What?!!!! Unsa kono?
Court Interpreter: (as if she heard us) Marine Transformation?
Accused: (nodding)
Charlotte of Bombo Radyo: Feeling spiderman!
Me: Remus Lupin oi ( a character in Harry Potter series that transforms into a werewolf during full moon)
Jujemay: (shocked! And insisted we heard him wrong)
Me to Jujuemay: Hello! Every media person inside the courtroom was giggling except you (meaning we all heard the same answer, except her). By the way, this girl, who is from another local daily, had a crush on the accused.

This afternoon at the Office of the Prosecutor.

We (Jujemay and I) saw a handcuffed man carrying a rock (about the size of an adult head or bigger).

Me: Ah, I know why he’s carrying that rock?
Jujemay: (just shrugged, not entirely giving her full attention to me as she was still reminiscing her recent encounter with her another crush, this time a fiscal)
Me: It was what he used in killing the victim.

(Then a policeman arrived and asked a court employee where they should leave the evidence, he was pointing to the rock the handcuffed man just placed near a beam. I actually heard from another court employee a few minutes before we met the man that the accused of killing someone by pounding a rock unto his head was already arrested.)

Jujemay: (speechless and shocked by the sheer appearance of the thing that killed a mortal)
Me: (laughing at the scene)

Me: (on our way to our respective offices) Imagine if the man had used a much bigger rock (50 kg for example) in killing his victim! He could be in total misery carrying that rock even before he is convicted.

Jujemay: (still could not believe the scene)
Me: Well, he could always use a trolley.
Jujemay: (laughing)

Afterthought: Why did the police allow the accused to carry the evidence which would be used in prosecuting him?! To make us laugh I think.

Ang aking lahi, lahi!

Where in this world can you see a karaoke being treated as a saint! Only here in the Philippines, right?

The first thing you see when you enter a Filipino house is a karaoke dressed in floral outfit, for instance, like it’s being prepared for a procession (religious images in their regal outfits are paraded in the streets). I say it’s the first thing you notice as it is usually placed side by side the tv set, which normally what meets your eyes the moment you set foot in a Filipino house, or in a raised platform specially made for it (just like a Filipino fridge, although shorter by size it becomes 2 or 3 feet taller because we are too lazy to bend down to get something from it). Well, the fridge, again is another story. What’s inside this appliance is also very Filipino. Not with the vegies we have here but the yearlong supply of cold water in various bottles of various shapes and brands that fill up most of its space (to compensate for the lack of stocks).

I was actually inspired to write this blog following my tour inside Casa Manila.

Amanda Griffin (you heard it right!) toured me last Saturday in this famous 20-plus year old Spanish-style home built during the Marcos regime (you bet, it was one of Imelda’s projects, this one was for the American visitors). I really had no idea about this tourist attraction, which is inside the Intramuros, until Amanda showed it to me, well to the viewers of The Explorer.

The house, according to the tour guide Carlos, a gay Fil-Am (?), although built not during the Spanish colonialism, really looked like a century –old Spanish casa, with antique furnitures, fixtures etc, which showed vast history of my lahi (race), which is a mixture of so many other races: Chinese, as shown in how our windows are like (the sliding ones); American, chandeliers; Belgian where we borrowed our grand piano which none of the family members can play (according to Carlos and I agree with him); British, the four-poster beds (just like the beds of the royal); among many others. The only thing that is Filipino in this house are the inhabitants. But during the Spanish time there were Filipinos who looked and claimed they were Insular, a Spanish born in the Philippines, but the moment they opened their mouth…(We still have them now: those who dress like Americans, dye their hair like Reese Witherspoon-illegally blonde, peel their skin off to whiteness, and a lot more
idiosyncrasies).

Well, I got all that from Carlos, the very amusing and informative guide. He said so many things that made me laugh not only because he said them animatedly but because I knew they were true. Nope, we don’t have a grand piano and a karaoke at home.

See, how different my race is. What I’ve here is just a bit of the whole. So many things, stories, abilities, cultures, etc. that are so Filipino. Who says my race has no identity?!! My lahi is so lahi (unique)!

how weird is the result!

You Are 30% Weird

Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself.

How Weird Are You?

it's weird the test found me weird!!!

A trip to Labangon

What i had been through last night was not that memorable but I had to write it anyway, blog ko ‘to!

It was past 8 in the evening when Sona Mae, who could no longer contain her hunger after our planned bbq dinner was aborted (thanks to our ever busy editorial assistant, Jeff), insisted we go home immediately. I was hoping to stay longer as the Half-Blood Prince captivated the whole of me, including my empty stomach and exhausted brain, but I did not want to go home alone that rainy night. By the way, I could not bring the copy of that book as it was stored in my computer, an e-copy yeah, so I had to look forward to every minute I could squeeze into my hectic schedule just to read it.

So we braved the rains with only our copies of The Freeman as payong (umbrella).

Several minutes later we were still standing near UV Colon and no Pardo-bound PUJ was trying to save us. We even walked farther but only got more drenched and frustrated.

Then a Labangon PUJ “rescued” us, or so we thought. But that was actually a relief than having to wait forever for a Pardo jeep that would never arrive.

We were somewhere in Labangon, when Sona saw this eatery that served siomai. Food! So we alighted from our temporary refuge (from the cold rain) just to fill our gurgling stomachs.

This eatery, a table with an extension with large umbrellas, was situated just at the side of the busy street. I would have paid my day’s earning just to get a seat or two in a cozy place eating a decent meal but all I had that night was a hundred pesos so that left me (us) no choice. I was broke like I always am (I think I’m cursed).

Then we ate, and occasionally touched our backs to make sure the water pouring from the umbrella went straight to the ground. But it did not, the back of my jacket was already soaking wet, and sipped through my T-shirt. And I saw Sona had her share too.

For that meal- 4 siomais, 3 pork adobos or something porky, 5 pusos, a Coke (for me) and a bottled water (for Sona)- we paid almost a hundred, that’s divided by two. Not bad for a very hearty meal, but I already felt the cold in my back.

And then Sona said we had to ride a Labangod jeep. Again! I was thinking we were already near the place where multicabs going to the south were. We were still in Tisa, she said, quite far from where we should take our (her) last ride, so walking was out of the question. Well, another P6 to spend.

With only P50 in my pocket, taking a taxi cab was a preposterous idea, although I was thinking of stopping over Tabunok to withdraw but I was also thinking the next payday was four days away, that’s hundreds of pesos from my dwindling funds. Plus taking a cab these days is no longer practical that even riding a PUJ is almost becoming a luxury considering the unabated increase of fare.

Back to the story, so we stopped, as usual, at a bakeshop to wait for a multicab. Again, the wait was like that in Colon.

And finally, it arrived in all its glory, the red multicab to take me to Tabunok and Sona to Lawaan.

And from Tabunok I took a tricycle to get met to Dumlog and from a corner where I was dropped I took a trisikad as my place was still 500 meters or so away from the highway. And from where the trisikad stopped (I would not allow the driver to bring me to my doorstep as it would mean hearing him cursed for having to pull his trisikad that would likely get stuck to the muddy path we had there) I had to walk the remaining 100 meters or less. I was exactly doing that with only the partly dry newspaper as my payong.

And when I changed to a fresh T-shirt and pajamas (not fresh) I realized how great it was to be home. Well, that was not the first time.

you make me smile

One afternoon while I was riding a PUJ I saw a minicab (a multicab with a roofless back, you know what i mean) with a sign on its rear that read: “When I grow up I want to be a Nissan Patrol!”

I told a friend about this the next day. And this friend said she also saw a minicab (definitely a different one) with a sign: “When I grow up I want to be a dump truck!”

And in a PUJ: “My take home pay won’t take me home.” Cute.

It’s a relief to read these signs you see in the streets while the PUJ you're riding is stuck in middle of the unmoving traffic or when you see in front of you a poster that bears the title CERTIFICATION, which means you have to pay at least 6 pesos.

And recently, I created a group blog. I was about to update it but I could not. I forgot the password.

But nothing beats the East West Bank story.

Kids' stuff

last sunday night i went out with friends at a nearby resto which serves the most delicious halo-halo in the entire barangay (city actually).

seven of us were all seated and enjoying the treats and laughing at someone's corny jokes when suddenly a toddler, a two-year old i think, came to our table and was also laughing. Everyone stopped laughing to see what was this little being doing in our table. His big buddies, just across us, were just watching him. We thought he was attracted by our noise.

Then this cute creature slowly climbed to a vacant chair and confidently seated himself, and his looks was like “hi pips! care to chat?”

And we all laughed.

Goodness! Kids are really smart. This one thought he belonged to our group as there was one empty chair left while there was none for him in the table where his big buddies were. Well, his mom had to carry him with the chair as he did not want to go with her without it.

I remember a lecturer who once said children are born smart they become dumb when they go to school, where teachers are morons. (well, not all. but most)

i'm a blog girl so what!

several months back i was asked what was a friend to me. someone who replies to my text message even if he/she has no load, was my answer. that was not too much to ask for, piso ra gud na. but i understand if that friend is living in a cave or a bukid where she is the only one who owns a cellphone.

then last month, i asked, thru text, a friend/workmate an update of a national news as during this particular day i had no access to the internet and newspapers. she did not reply so i was thinking she had no load. that night i was at friend's house then this friend received a forwarded message from my friend/workmate who was the former's common friend. then i murmured, "maayo, naay load para's way ayo!"
using my friend's phone i asked her nganong wala siya mo-reply nako importante man unta to and i was really expecting a response from her. guess what she told me, "my load is exclusive for smart subscribers." Mao ba, was all i said, while thinking of retaliating.

the next day was it. i received a text message from a new number, a TM, of which i immediately knew was hers (the friend/workmate) even if she did not bother to introduce herself. she sent several messages inviting me to a product demo where she was into at that time. so what could she expect from me for what she'd done the day before. for the first time since we became friends i did not reply to any of her messages.

so the next day when we met at the office, she was like "hey that was my new number exclusive for my Globe and TM friends" and "why wala man ka ni-reply?" and i told her, "so you know the feeling na?" and smiled.

but that was forgotten as it was just a minor, a very minor "lapse of judgment." i admit i'm a jealous friend like God is a jealous God :)

then a few weeks back, we, this friend/workmate and i, again clashed and blame it on texting! she asked me to check her stories if they were carried for the next day's issue and to tell the editor she would email her stories in 20 mins. the meek me did as was told even if it was against my will, not that i did not want to check if her stories were really carried and her emailing them (that's just a feet away from my workstation). my point was we all came to the office to write our stories while she was somewhere, probably at the comfort of her home, waiting for the sun to set so she could submit her stories. i understood she came from the south to "get" her stories and she must have been too tired to go to the office which is an hour away from her house. granted it was true: her being tired and all, could't she just go to the office as what was required to each one of us.

but even with my hesitation to become an accessory, again, to her "laziness" i still informed the editor on her emailed stories. the editor said "nasad!" but what could he do? they've already reprimanded her for doing it but she never learnt.

to make the long story short i told her what the editor said and she was so angry that she sent her message supposedly for that editor to me. then the boot-boot me replied by saying i had nothing against the editor's comment, walang personalan, i added. and then she felt like i was rallying against her and replied i should have saved my comment. i did not as i had enough of her being what she was with her work. we have been asked to take an extra mile pero she's like 'kiver!'

and because of that she was ranting and calling me names (thru text) i never thought she had the nerve to. she even tagged me a "blog girl" so what? that was just the 'softer' part, actually.

so now, we no longer talk, what for? but i feel guilty for it as practically everyone at the office is not in talking terms with her. i did not tell my other workmates [save for those close(?) to me] our falling out as i wanted it "private" as much as possible but they're reporters, they kinda hinted it. well, she's doing her job, too, by telling her fellow reporters from other networks about us, duh!

the sad thing about this is her being alone. a few days back she came to the office late and was greeted by a memo for her not in her beat that morning. i heard so many negative feedbacks about her and i do not want to add anymore to that.

lesson learnt: not all close to you are real friends. sad but true.

Just for the heck of it!

(updated) i slept very late last night and woke up almost 1pm today so i had no choice but to call it a day's off. it's actually my day off and im very glad.

last night i went out with fellow reporters and we partied till 2am. i came not actually to stay that late as i was planning to work the next day.

fellow reporters/friends were playing acoustic music at the capitol for its founding anniv so i came. their number came first and with only 5 or 6 songs they were done in less than 30 mins. but we stayed because everyone was in a party mood.

i was handed a beer which i took even with my stomach's protestation as it was still empty. but i was able to grab a bite of everything in the table in between gulps.

my friend who drank 3 or so bottles of beer plus sips of white wine had to drive those going to the south including myself so we kept on asking if she was still okay. well, she was no neophyte when it comes to drinking.

she wanted to do that again tonight, i begged off as i wanted to rest.

im glad the hyperacidity is a past.

+++

former senator Raul Roco died this morning. this is such a sad news. i like(d) the man and i consider(ed) him as one of the best legislators here. i voted for him last elections even if i knew the chances of his winning were slim. i believed he'd make a good president. well, he's gone now so idole d'adieu!

Bite Me please

This afternoon, i received a call inviting me to a presscon which would start in 10 minutes. i did not immediately go to the place as i still had to check the office of the ombudsman for additional stories (the office is a forever walk from the palace of justice, where i was when i got the call).

glad i was with a friend/fellow reporter, so the walk despite the drizzle was not that depressing, even if it came out i got no story (this friend got hers from the DA’s office located nearby).

So, gakuyog naman lang mi, I invited her to go with me at my expense sa plete (well, not really). Thinking that I heard my caller right about the place we proceeded to East West Bank near Ayala Center. Why the presson had to take place at a bank? I questioned myself (and my friend also asked herself, we did not ask each other promise). That bank was robbed early this year and I was thinking since I would be meeting with a lawyer so the presscon would be all about the robbery of which suspect was arraigned that morning [his case was different although it was still a robbery (of a bank) case]. It fit!

So there, we arrived at the bank and asked the guard if this certain person who called me (I need not mention his name) was already around. Of course, he was not the guard told us.

When I texted this caller asking him where he was he told me he was already in East West. He then asked me if I was coming, I told her I already was inside the place. You should have seen my expression: I was looking at the people inside if anyone was holding a phone, there was none.

I asked again the guard if they had an office where visitors could wait, he said no special rooms for waiting visitors. Then I asked him if they had another branch inside the mall, he said none and was about to kick us out of the place for being so insistent.

But before he could do so, we walked ourselves out and thought if the caller could be joking but he could possibly not as he was a respectable and credible man.

My friend and I deliberated possibilities such as if there was an East West ATM, the guard already told us they had no other branch inside the mall, so that could not be possible plus no presscon takes place in front of an ATM! Another, was there a West Bank nearby? Or inside the mall? Gosh, I heard him right, EAST WEST and INSIDE THE MALL!

Then my IQ returned to where it should have been for the last couple of hours, I remembered a diner/resto/bar/whatever named EastWest. S___!

We ran our way there laughing at our stupidity, well, thanks to me.

The presscon was almost finished but you could always ask the panelist/s for a repeat which I did.

I’ll never forget this day (it's almost 12 na and i'm still stuck here). I love this office, really. bite me please.

have some laugh...

Pinoy wit is really extra-ordinary... whew! iba talaga ang Pinoy...
please read if you want to have some good laugh...


Excuse Letters - Filipino

These are excuse notes from parents (including
original spelling) collected by schools from all over
the country.

My son is under a doctors care and should not take
P.E. today. Please execute him.
-hala! Sige. Silya elektrika at bitay. Sabay pa! O
kaya niyo yun?

Please excuse Lisa for being absent. She was sick and
I had her shot. -pag nag-absent pala papatayin ka
..... siyet! Baka may rabies...

Dear School: Please ekscuse John being absent on Jan.
28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and also 33.
- A grabe to. Nasa kalindaryo pa ang birthday ko
kung ganon. Hahaha!

Please excuse Gloria from Jim today. She is
administrating. - ano daw????

Please excuse Roland from P.E. for a few days.
Yesterday he fell out of a tree and misplaced his hip.
-- hanapin natin!

John has been absent because he had two teeth taken
out of his face.
-bwehehehe... la ako masabi... Bwahahaha! Ganito
kasi yan. Kinagat siya ni Lola sa noo sa gigil. Tapos
nabali yung ngipin ng pustiso niya. Hahaha!!!

Megan could not come to school today because she has
been bothered by very close veins. - Buti pa veins
niya. Close sila. Hahahaha!!!

Chris will not be in school cus he has an acre in his
side.

Please excuse Ray Friday from school. He has very
loose vowels. -ah.....eh....i.....ow....u....

Please excuse Pedro from being absent yesterday. He
had
(diahre)(dyrea)(direathe) the shits. [words in ()s
were crossed out. -Sinabi na kasi LBM na lang e.
Pasosyal pa kasi.

Irving was absent yesterday because he missed his
bust.
- So transsexual pala si Irving?

I kept Billie home because she had to go Christmas
shopping because I dont know what size she wear.

Sally wont be in school a week from Friday. We have to
attend her funeral. - Ala e! Mabuhay ang Patay!!
Mayroong Himala!!!

Please excuse Jason for being absent yesterday. He had
a cold and could not breed well. - stud service ba
yung school nya? baka gremlins siya.

Gloria was absent yesterday as she was having a
gangover. - Ay grabe! Iba na talaga ang mga kabataan
ngayon. Hahaha!

Maryann was absent December 11-16, because she had a
fever, sore throat, headache and upset stomach. Her
sister was also sick, fever and sore throat, her
brother had a low grade fever and ached all over. I
wasnt the best either, sore throat and fever. There
must be something going around, her father even got
hot last night. - hahaha, telenovela... bow.
Makuwento siya ha... Kulang lang sa pansin...

Please excuse Jennifer for missing school yesterday.
We forgot to get The Sunday paper off the porch, and
when we found it Monday, we thought it was Sunday.
- winner to!!!!!!!!!! Anggaling!!!! Puwede rin kaya
sa office ito?

copied from www.wennagirl.blogspot.com

SONA

Everyone here in the newsroom was glued to the television waiting for the President to arrive at the Batasang Pambansa to deliver her SONA.

After almost an hour, the President in sparkling blue gown (Filipiniana ba ‘to, basta!). Then immediately she proceeded with her state of the nation address, well, after a long applause from the audience (char ba lang!).

It her fifth and by far the shortest SONA. We were actually surprised when she said “Maraming Salamat sa inyong lahat.” That’s all?!! Well, this was probably the line of those viewers/listeners, including myself, who were expecting her to say something like “Yeah I cheated, so what?” But her speech was “perfectly” composed.

And, she delivered it with simplicity, even when she said we should opt for a charter change. I guess it’s about time we do it, our consti is kinda obsolete na for this age.

There was also the federalism system of government as an option. And almost everyone in that hall clapped (United States of the Philippines yo!). I say ‘almost’ as Sen Pres Drilon remained silent the whole time, poker face eh. When asked why he did not make any reaction he simply said he was listening to the speech “intently” but I say he was praying “intently.” Tsk tsk tsk.

And of course, what way to end a speech than to say thank you and may God bless us. “Let us call on the Lord…ask Him for the grace to make us worthy of His healing our land.”

“Is the world sick?” asked a 4-year-old genuis boy to his father after hearing from someone that the world needed to be healed. The father explained about the war, the sickness, the corruption, etc…The this boy said: “I guess we should find another planet!”

Well, I guess we should “abandon ship!” And where would we go?

The Freeman’s 86th Anniversary

Sunday: The 10K Fun Run (or a Walk With Mary for the four of us ) attended by professional runners and TF employees

Yeah, I was one of the runners, in the employee category (3K), that is. Not actually a runner but a walker. We joined not to run but to have fun. Still it was exhausting even with only walking the 3-kilometer stretch in Cebu Business Park. But in fairness to the four of us (the last pack of runners) we were also forced to run: everytime we did not see the people ahead of us or when there were cars coming.

After over 40 minutes, we finally made it to the finish line. No awards of course, just pure exhaustion, sweat-drenched t-shirts and why-did-I-ever-join looks.

Monday: July 18, the anniversary itself.

We heard mass at the Cebu Cathedral then proceeded to the Waterfront Hotel for the lunch and the “speech” program (except for some dances and songs from UV Chorale everything else were speeches from columnists, owners, etc).

The best part was, of course,the lunch. But I was really disappointed with the food and the service the 5-star hotel offered. The main dish included tanguege (fish!), the taste was bland. Glad, chop seuy saved the day. There were appetizers and other side dishes which were satisfactorily yummy. But I’d rather sit in KFC and devour its hot and crispy breast chicken than be in that place waiting in vain for stuff they call food. It was past 12 and you wouldn’t be picky at this hour.

The coke. Each was given one glass of either coke or sprite. Of course, I asked for my all-time favorite Coke. The meal had four courses with only 1 round of Coke. Mine was gone during the second course and when I asked for a second round I was given water. I was thinking of Red Ribbon where you get to have a pitcher of softdrinks all to yourself.

Five-star hotels are supposed to impress their guests. But this one, the cup in which my soup was placed had dark smudge in its brim, the table napkin of my seatmate had yellow stains on it, my friend’s fork looked unwashed, most of the chairs’ covers were really dirty, an insect in the pepper, etc. etc. Our opinion editor who sat with us actually published the following day a blind item about all of it.

I can't wait to dine there again. Will the waiter spit on my coke? Or put roach on my salad?

Blogging and blog-hopping.

Recently, I came across with blogs of journalists I only see on TV and read on papers or in the internet (thanks to PCIJ.org/blog). This has really made blog-hopping more fun and informative as these people’s blogs are accounts of the real events behind the stories they report, and their lives (more or less) after work. While reading their blogs I felt like I wanted to delete mine, with all the non-sense I have here, geez.

I’m a visitor who always leaves a comment to someone’s blog hoping to gain friendship, at least in the blogosphere. Who knows I become a friend of Kara David, for example. Well, I haven't come across with her blog though (don't know if she's a blogger too). Or Howie Severino, he's a blogger!

Bloggers rule.