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!

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

this is really a big surprise! i am speechless.

Something about me (kono)

Your Monster Profile

Death Fiend You Feast On: Lasanga You Lurk Around In: Closets You Especially Like to Torment: Your Exes

What's Your Monster Name?

Your Personality Profile

You are dependable, popular, and observant. Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness. In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do. You are unique, creative, and expressive. You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while. And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

In a Past Life...

You Were: A Gentle Jester. Where You Lived: Mongolia. How You Died: Hung for treason.

Who Were You In a Past Life?

nyaaaa....

Your Japanese Name Is...

Yukio Imaidegawa

What's your Japanese Name?

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....