Boxing Day 2012

The family was complete (save Volts) on the 26th.
At 9am, mother has already smsed everyone she invited for the lunch that she single-handedly prepared.

 It was the day after TD Quinta and it was quite a challenge getting off from bed. It was still raining outside when I left.

At 11am, everyone crowded around the small living room waiting to be called.

Mother wrapped the planner I had from Glen and the thermos I got from the school's christmas party in addition to the PJ's that she got me. It's funny.

Shortly after lunch, power was down so I went back to seclusion and started reading "Ally Mcbeal".

When electricity was restored, I went at mother's to upload the luncheon pictures on her social network page only to hurry back and find Glen at the boxhaus, with luggage in tow, getting wet in the rain. Not long after, KZ arrived.


I gave Glen a battery operated shave (so I won't have to endure looking at his unshaven face) and Ipanema slippers for KZ. We had blueberry preserves and cream cheese sandwiches with Starbucks Cristmas blend (and a flute of California white for KZ).

An Alternative way to Spend Christmas

Note:  Spontaneity is the key (except for the Accommodation)

Christmas Eve

~ Go out of town on a 1245 business class ferry ride
~ Prepare a good alibi why you need some company and wish hard that it's plausible
~ Window shop for stuff you can only dream of buying (like the acer touchscreen desktop monitor or a Fender electric guitar)
~ Eat something new from an old favorite joint (how I missed Kenny Rogers roasted chicken and the corn muffins. I had the classic healthy combo)
~ Watch the last full show to kill time before going back to the hotel ("The Hobbits" ~ my first 3D movie ~ seated in the balcony were only two homeless crazy people with nothing to do while the rest of the world celebrate the age old tradition of eating together a midnight meal )
~ Substitute Starbucks bevy (off-business during the holidays) with Nescafe latte (Glen's) and Mocha (mine) with Nagaraya from Go Mart.
~ Update social network while watching TV on cable/downloading stuff from the internet.

***historic Christmas eve indeed***

Christmas Day

~ Walk around for a coffee joint to start the day right
~ Visit institutions like Roberto's and JD's for stuff to bring to people you did not spend Chritmas eve with
~ Share a death defying experience with special people (crossed the seas in the middle of an impending tropical depression Quinta)

Nerds/Geeks/Dorks

They hold a certain charm I was not prepared falling for.

Most missed activities :
> exchanging inanities 'til the wee hours of the morning over BBM
> hanging around the house all day maximizing the use of wifi or watching NatGeo and Dog Whisperer on cable
> jogging in silence (each listening to own rep on mobile)
> playing with canine family members
> sleeping over



Most appreciated gesture :
> making the time (though most of it is compensated with dinner or expensive coffee)







Most liked eccentricities :
> propensity for eating (like finishing a loaf of bread and half a bottle of Smuckers blueberry preserves)
> attention to detail (Monk-ish as we call it)
> spontaneity (except when used for baling out on an agreement)
 > sheldon-ic quirks(it irks at times but the comparison never failed to elicit a chuckle of amusement regardless of the circumstance)



This is the downside of not being busy. The brain entertains thoughts that are better kept private. My table is now relatively clutter-free from the deliverable that have been finally submitted to an external customer yesterday.

Isla Margarita

When the going gets tough, the tough gets some RnR.

Some virulent cold caught up me with over the week on top of the unnecessary stress that I had to deal with. What better way to spend the weekend than laze in a far flung hideaway.

That description fitted Isla Margarita to a T. We had to take a motorboat ride from mainland Guimaras to get to the island which we had to oursleves for 24 hours.

Manang Neneng fetched our group (in order of seniority: Ids, Tiny,Lars,Myself, Mae, MJ,Sherwin, Febe, Anse and Jovinch...all of them from UPV) from Jordan.

Geekiness? Programming or Chemistry? It didn't matter which field they choose. They are all the same (Hahaha!)

Apparently all the good resorts were located at Lucmayan that it felt like summer again. Dust was everywhere with the roads still unfinished since we were there last (with different company).

Tide was low, our banca crew had to push our way through the waters that snaked towards the sea. As soon as we stowed our belongings to the rooms assigned to us, we changed into our swimming suit and went back to our banca for an afternoon of island hopping.

The sky was overcast. At the sandbar, the water was cold and the water knee deep.

Food was great! When we got back, "ibos" was served with the specialty of the house, iced tea (with lemons and lemon grass).

Night was spent swimming in the pool, where the water was comfortably warm. The jaccuzzi was relaxing but the chlorine level wasn't tolerable. After dinner, there was the requisite drink and videoke number. I did "Make it Real" by the the Jets :)

Means to Multiple Ends (the 37th to 60th hour)

Day 2, Nov 17 - Maddie did not call in sick today. Instead, she clocked in after handing me over to Dolly whose birthday we celebrated that day. Before going grocery shopping, she made sure that she invited us personally by going at Maddie's where we were having breakfast of pansit canton and fried lumpia.


Running low on christmas gifts ideas, I spied upon Maddie's luggage full of Ipanema slippers. I brought home with me four pairs :)

I spent most of the day at Yenyen's (Dolly's big sis who just gave birth). The air-conditioned rec room had me sleeping in no time not long after lunch of dinuguan and fried milkfish.

The birthday girl, being spared from the prep, toured me around the exclusive village when the sun rode low on the horizon.

At dinnertime, we had Russians (next door neighbor) for visitors. Dinner was seafood smorgasbord (mussels, crabs, prawns, broiled fish, plus the authentic spanish paella, spaghetti, ice cream, cake and leche flan.

It was an interesting night and I missed the last shuttle to Ayala, I had to pass by SM first (where I came too late to avail of the English muffins from the French Baker).

I settled in at the Baguioros like it was my home. For a night, they welcomed me in their honeymoon suite (thanks!)

Means to Multiple Ends (the 13th to 36th hour)

Day 1, Nov 16 - The plane left earlier than scheduled that by 9 a.m. I have already deplaned. By the time I was at Mactan airport, Maddie has just left her house to fetch me. I suggested that we meet at McDo Mactan. I had pancakes.

From Tamiya to Brookfields area, the landscape has changed so much. Tamiya now has Robinson's supermarket and a terminal across it. The once planned Gaisano Mall now stood in once I remember to be an unused lot.

It's a good thing that Maddie's place is easy to find.
After freshening up, I took a nap until 2 p.m.

Its's funny that of all the people I contacted for information on how to get to PRC, only Dolly was confident about it. It didn't matter though as we decided to take a taxi. Hahaha!

There was no queue, and thankfully my card was made already. We left not more than 10 minutes later with a plastic that says I am an Engineer. Hahaha!

For the pre-game dinner, Ace joined us at KFC in IT Park.

Abellana was not as crowded as I predicted. Nothing beats the Negroshanon in supporting football. I found my seat no sweat but it was taken so I just sat at the far end with the humongous post blocking my site from the Azkals goal for the first half (as Maddie and company got tickets for a different rate). Ping and Eugene way after the kick off.Seatmates were great fans, their energy was contagious I was off my seat a lot :)

My biggest surprise for the night! James and Phil came in during the second half (My bad. Mary saw the two boys during the pre-game warm up to which I was oblivious, hence the surprise). For this game, I would say that I came to like Phil (but not as much as I adore his brother). His game has matured and he has learned to give. I really liked how Phil  passed the ball to another team mate who scored a goal. That was a fantastic moment.

High and dry from all the excitement, we made our way to Fuente and had another meal before finally heading "home". It was already midnight.

Means to Multiple Ends (the first 12 hours)

Day 0, Nov 15 - Excitement was high as I looked forward to three glorious days away from routine. To maximize the day, I got a ticket for the first flight out of Silay. It, of course, posed an issue on how not to get left behind by the carrier. Bel-air was an option but I find it an unwelcome imposition to have my hosts wake at 4 and shuttle me to the nearest bus stop. Lira's place was out of the question given her present and pressing domestic squabble. Spending the night at the school was not possible as well as the Call Center Training has just ended. Travelling on the day from home was risky since the first bus leaves the terminal at 5a.m. I have come to a less likely solution while ruminating on my predicament over dinner. Why not find some company and sit it out at McDonald's East? That I did.

We took the last bus trip out to the big city.
Then the vigil began.

He had "big and tasty" which he declared the patty to be to dry for his taste while I had an iced coffee float.

After an hour, we had brewed coffee.

Hours later, we ordered double cheese burger and brewed coffee ala carte which cost twice as much if we had combo instead. Tsk.

Wifi was dependable enough to stream videos and update online stuff but there was no provision to recharge electronic gadgets which utility are put to extreme test.

Talk to alleviate boredome hovered on the mundane and ridiculous to the point of orally creating a scifi fiction.

Day 1, Nov 16 - At 4, we strolled towards the shuttle terminal and made some enquiries. The fist bus leaves at 5. By that time, McDonald's already served breakfast. I had a filling rice meal. He had pancakes.

Six Tormenting Days After

Again, it is easier said than done.

For days I tormented myself with all sorts of thoughts ranging from the likely possible to the most absurd.

something new from a favorite comfort food joint

Anybody in the same predicament I know would think the same way. Today's century boasts of everything modern yet people still believe in the unseen. For them to judge me in this light is most likely to happen. Even if I say I don't care, the thing is I do really care about what people had to say (well, about some specific things).

All I really want is just a teeny weeny time to talk. It still bugs me that I get snubbed for no reason at all. Is it a crime to ask for some explanation?

Or do I need some lesson on psychology to tell me that some people just need time to sit things out until they feel that whatever it is, it has been forgotten already? Or until it's time to move on as if nothing that mattered happened.

Oh boy!

Is this a curse for making life difficult for a character in the past with unfortunately the same name?

I Can Handle This!

It's difficult acting cute when you know (and people close to you) you're too independent to be acting like one. I think I just made the same blunder and got caught red-handed (sheepish grin).

The (not the realization) recognition of that fact came after spending a night sleeping like a baby in sis' room in her new crib with a fluffy stuffed dog for company and the hum of the air-conditioner shutting out all external noise.

What people do in their sleep that may have triggered a neurotic reaction from roommates?

Sis always remarked my being a heavy sleeper. I have slept through minor quakes, heavy rains and howling winds.

I have been observed to move around the bed a lot. It is often evidenced by pillows on the floor and the sheets partially or completely removed from being tucked under the mattress.

When sleeping in my own bed, I usually have at least two pillows. One to rest my head on and the other for hugging.

Pee breaks? They come naturally. Twice on a regular day and as many as four when nearing Christmas.

But whatever I do in my sleep, they are all done subconscioulsy.

(Hala, rationalize gid!!!)

Box House Warming

A crazy weekend followed an equally crazy workweek. Compensated the lack of sleep by waking up only to eat.

Midway through lunch, I remembered that Finishing Course for Call Center Agents NC II will commence same night and I had yet to call Ging about filling the Trainer vacancy. The call didnt last very long and we agreed to meet 8ish in school. That marked another sleepless night for me.

Barely 3 hours of sleep after going home from the night shift, sis enlisted my help about getting stuff from Bacolod into her new crib she named box house.

From Our Home, we had this Queen-sized bed which I get to sample first last night (with still the plastic on the foot in thick mattress neath the flat sheet), then from SM appliances various electrical stuff mostly for food processing (sandwich maker, juicer and the lot).

Lunch was back at Sharyn's Cansi House. This time we finished off the soup (with the additional cup). Just by looking at the sumptuous serving, we both know that this was different than last time when we opted to go on a little adventure and try the less popular joint.

Back home, I cooked spaghetti and had Mary buy chopsuey and char-broiled chicken for dinner which we shared with Auntie Cel, her only grandchild and great granchildren who were cute until Ive had enough of their noise :)

I was so bushed, I had my revisions done in a jiffy and jumped in bed before 10pm.

In a Celebratory Mood

Months of hard work have finally paid off.

Yesterday, after a very long day, I went home bringing with me the Competency Assessment Reports Summary bearing the checkmark inside the "Competent" box. Yey!

The Assessment took all day to finish with each candidate (of 8) given at least 30 minutes to demonstrate facilitating skills and another 30 minutes to answer a 4-page written test.

For preparations, I took a leave the day before to finish some last minute revisions on my portfolio as well as cram with the voluminous reading materials.

To celebrate the glory that was overdue, I went to Starbucks where Glen has already finished his Java Chip venti. I ordered the same before walking to McDonald's to grab some late take out dinner we ate on the bus ride home.

anything goes

The pay for this pay period came out really early so I treated the alpha team out for dinner at solstice. The only guy and erstwhile member of the pioneer group went home while us girls went back to the office for the graveyard shift.

In preparation for my National Assessment tomorrow, I started taking notes on PTS until I got hooked with BBM. I finally got connected with my second contact and the drunken (I had two beers over dinner) exchange lasted until midnight, at which time I already started to get drowsy and slept with only halfway through the first module. It's amazing! I was able not only to send texts but audio and photo files as well. THe only thing Glen has done with his 9220 which I dont think works with an 8520 is chat on FB which I have yet to try.

Time flew by. The cold woke me up. It was almost 5 a.m. already. We all agreed to go home. Some vigil that was.

I passed by the morning fish market and spied some 'baby' prawns. Had it sauteed with garlicky butter for a sumptuous brekkie.

At home, Limbo was already awake and begged to be let out. He peed and asked for breakfast. I got his softened pellets from the fridge and mixed it with Esbilac and warm water. Boy, did he like it!!! He was going around the room with the bowl licking it clean.

It's a fine day. Hope it stays the same until tomorrow :)

Disappointment...

What I lack is somebody to say to my face, "You brought that to yourself! Why whine?"

So, I have begun a new attack to my bouts of contradicting myself. Martin Luther King just happened to have the words that I want to read. Not only did it ring true, it also justified the things I do (and feel).

He said, "We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." How timely is that? Of all the time in the world, I have to come across this quote so it must be to encourage me more (hahaha!).

Furthermore, he said, "There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love." And to this, I've no more to say.

He said, She said...

He said, She said...

He said: Sometimes you only love the person because he or she loves you. So when they stop, you also cease to feel.
She said: "fortune and love favor the brave" ~ ovid
He said: So I'm brave? Drool. :D
She said: Brave? On what premise?
He said: I promise I don't know the premise... :D
She said: I don't know any better but that ain't sound brave at all!
He said: Surely it doesn't. Brave barks!
She said: Love is always bestowed as a gift - freely, willingly and without expectation ~ Leo Buscaglia

******

He said: Hope will kill you if you don't use your mind to control it. It is like courage to fight without the strength to attack or the chance to win. It is expectation. It is waiting. For something to happen you know will never be. For someone who left to 'hopefully' come back.
She said: let the hopeful hope. miracles do happen ;)

Nonsense begets nonesense

The fateful day was October 25.

The nonsense "monologue" went this way:

8:57:31 - Funny how I can't stay mad at u...
9:07:14 - I guess its obvious my fixation is...
9:08:03 - Help me...be an ass...promise I won't hold it against u :)
9:27:26 - Be as dumb as they all are...that's the greatest deterrent...
9:48:35 - And when I'm on a whimsical mood, PLEASE refuse vehemently, and with conviction.

I can be as glib and as outspoken but not with you.

Mygreatest fault would be assuming too much that an almost forgotten picture in a pretty new gallery meant something. I thought, I saw something there.

Apparently, I thought wrong.  I assumed too much. And the saddest thing is that I'm still riddled about stoking that glimmer of hope to find what was supposedly "lost", to bring back that person who has "left", into a roaring fire of waiting and expectations.

My, I didn't imagine this to be so sad that it made me cry.

Chasing Pavements No More

That's right!

Phew! I never thought I had it in me.

I expected tears.
Buckets of it.
It didn't come.
The ducts refused to exert even the littlest effort.

Yes! My heart constricted (I think, it still is) but then again, it is only imperative that I would feel anything like it, being human and all.

He can "roll in the deep"!!!


 

Suddenly it's magic...

One year ago, I slept through "Praybeyt Benjamin" at SM Baguio with Annie and Arlen while waiting for our trip back to Manila. To celebrate the time we first traveled as a group, we decided to watch a movie together. And what better movie to watch than "Suddenly it's Magic" which was partially filmed in Ilocos.

We had a grand time taking the photographic trip to the places that we've been and the things that we did: marvel at the Bangui windmills, getting wet at the viaduct, walking through crisologo st, visiting the old churches (Paoay), riding  the calesa, eating empanada.

The cupcake store that was ran by Joey was just beside an eatery where we had the best shomai ever.

So anyway, I was never an Erich fan but Mario? He had me at hello in "Crazy little thing called love", the movie my little bro introduced to me just a year ago. Again, he proved why he's currently the hottest asian actor. His line were actually cheesy but coming from him, he had me convinced that he was really in love with Joey.

He's sad when he's sad, happy when happy, hurt when hurt. Name the emotion and I could feel it emanating from him.

As if the movie wasnt enough, we (annie) waited for his appearance at Gandang Gabi Vice. I had nothing left to say. If not screaming, I was grinning from ear to ear that by the time they said goodbye, I felt so tired about doing something else :)

Civic Duty

After a year-long absence, I was finally able to show up at our HOA (where I am an appointed secretary) meeting. The timing was impeccable. We have visitors from HLURB and my presence meant a lot with all the discussion points that needed to be on record.

 

The activity went all day. Over lunch, HLURB reps answered our queries on rights and obligations of the developer and the HOA alike. Well, it's good that we did that as the orientation of the members started late with us waiting for the number to reach at least a hundred. Well, unfortunately, it did not so we started at 2pm which is not enough time for them to finish all the powerpoint presentations as well as answer queries over and over again.

 

It's grating how some people dont listen at all, and have things repeated. It's such a waste of time. Add to that those who dont really have anything worthy to say but say it anyways.

 

I am so saddened that very few answered to the invitation. HOA is a very important people's organization. "No man is an island". It pays a great deal to know who your neighbors are. Here lies not only l iving in harmony and cooperation but alsoeveryone's safety from good-for nothing-scums-of-the-earth.

Depressed?

Three days ago, somebody remarked about my really short hair and lack of usual vigor. I quipped back, it's the heat.

Then, it had me thinking if I am indeed depressed about the recent turn of events or not.

And how convenient that today, yahoo posted an article on "5 warning signs od depression". Just for kicks, I took sometime and examined each point. Lol

1) Lack of Interest - On the contrary, I've resumed my morning brisk walk today, had coffee with bff this afternoon, will attend to secretarial duties with HOA/HLURB meeting tomorrow and scheduled a movie date with Annie and Arlene on Sunday.

2) Change of Eating Habits - Well, except for today when I completely forgot about lunch (I was so engrossed with sketching this portrait, which unfortunately, did not come out right), I still eat whatever it is that they make in the kitchen.

3) Problems with Sleep - Mine is more like a problem on waking up. With the coming of the pups, my sleeping schedule has changed drastically. But now that they're feeding at an interval of four hours, everything is practically back to normal. I still sleep not later than 12:30 am, which is normal given that I have a very strong internet connection.

4) Physical Pain - I have been complaining about a sore right arm and left behind since the day after that unplanned bowling match which lasted 6 rounds. Apart from that, I'm fine.

5) Self Harming - This is definitely not my thing.

But if there is something really odd about me, it should be my sudden inspiration for writing and sketching, two things that I used to love doing often but relegated to the backseat for a long time. Well, until now.

Point is, I'm not depressed at all, hahaha!

A Broken Record...

...is what I am beginning to sound.

Forgetting is easier said than done, made even impossible listening to dad's 50s, 60s and 70s music (on this lazy day when the neighbors are busy cooking coconut milk based food as opposed to our soupy lunch) like: The Great Pretender, Sad Movie, Have a Good Time, Impossible Dream and a hour and half worth of music with the same theme :(

Facing the music on the other hand is as difficult as avoiding it. It is juvenile but getting an upset tummy fore an impending meeting, it did happen. Pretending not to care at all is as upsetting.

Independence is a beautiful thing. What a foolish thing as to entertain even the thought of giving it up. And look at where it ended? Nothing but memories of good times and a broken heart.

Turning back time, I wonder if there is a way to make it right. If it was something I did or said...

Oh, what to do?

And yes, kung, it's about a boy :(

Recipe for a Disaster

1. Get comfy
2. Nurse a bottle of California Red
3. Drown in Adele's Music
4. Start smsing
(expect to be shocked of the result when you get sober enough to think)

Serves me right!

Ma's 70th

It's not everyday that you wake up with your mother still fussing over you. It can be stifling at times but it's comforting to note that somebody cares.

A living contradiction, that's what mom is. The only consistent thing she possess is always thinking what others would think or say. It is so old-fashioned. But that's her, old-fashioned.

At 70, albeit a little hard of hearing, she is still her feisty self. She knows what she wants and gets them a will. If she couldn't after trying so hard, she just keeps quiet and secretly hopes she gets noticed.

She celebrated her birthday with a group of young professionals which she seemed to enjoy. Her only frustration came when she was unable to upload her own pictures online when the guests finally left.

recipe for getting sick:

1. get on the bus
2. endure the afternoon heat and end of business traffic
3. work aimlessly for an hour or so
4. get lost to get dinner...it pays to follow your nose
5. walk some more and get wet in the rain
6. get shelter in an a/c establishment
7. start shivering...
         That was cutting the long story short for the FB version of this post.
         The main event for this trip to the city was the submission of the portfolio required of us prior to to the national assessment. Upon checking though, it still lacked dividers for the competencies and tabs for the requirements of each competency. By past 6pm, my stomach was already complaining (after having only half rice during lunch) so I left my folder at the center and went off for dinner with Glen (who have been around the city all afternoon) in tow. We were still deciding between KFC and DBB when we arrived at Burgos-Lopez Jaena intersection where we alit. And so off we went to DBB.Disoriented in the dark that I am, I relied so much on Glen's being the city boy but we still had a few wrong turns until the smell of roasting patties reached our direction
Each of us had fries while waiting for the ultimate burger which we didn't finish. 
At 7, shopping was already quiet. We walked northeast from DBB passing by St. John's Institute until we reached Siberia, then CSA-B where the rain caught up with us. We were only a block away to Starbucks but the rain pelted so hard, my jeans were already wet and I was beginning to feel cold.  And so we took a pedicab.
Inside Starbucks, the A/C was running full blast I had to rub my arms to keep them warm. Good thing, the hot mocha beverage I ordered was more chocolatey, it was comforting.
And what do you know, only Metro Bacolod was washed with rain. The earth was dry from Sum-ag going home.

Miracles do happen...

(and one happened on my historic 400th post)

Since Monday, leaving the office at exactly 5 p.m. was not an option. TMC1 Assessment requirements are scheduled to be submitted on the 22nd and we had to prepare additional materials for another learning outcome to complete our portfolio.

Night One, 17 Oct. - While I was busy printing the output of two long days spent in the office, I got an insisting call from mom. It was unusual since I already cut her unli plan but still I ignored it. But then I got curious and called home and heard excited voice exclaiming, "Dang, nagbata na si Coco. Isa patay" (Dang, Coco gave birth. One did not make it).

The news caught me off guard. We were unprepared. Tatay has been bugging me for weeks to buy tarp and have the dog house ready for birthing but procastination got the better of me. The pups decided to come out early, so we just had to make do with what we have.

I was in a state of panic, seconds after hearing the news. I packed my bag hurriedly and requested for the office to be closed and ran off to the other shop to get sis into the action. We were off as soon as she locked up. I called Tata ( the sire's owner) to break the news.

Mom found three live puppies in the doghouse (one puppy had an injured leg and one was still which looked to have been crushed to death by a heavy weight. I couldnt bear looking at it very long. The still figure was so small and so frail. They all have the same color as Coco and Brave, golden brown.)She had coco stationed by the main door and the little things inside an emptied drawer lined with blankets and paper. Their bodies were still wet.

We had no idea what time they arrived but soon I learned that the interval between two pups was 10 min. I knew that because not long after we arrived, I notice Coco looking up at my crouching form as if to say something. She panted a bit and started to sit with her back in my direction. No sooner I found myself catching a miracle wrapped in its wet and warm amniotic sac with my two hands. I was too overwhelmed to speak.

Apparenlty, Coco has had enough practice already she got the sac open and the umbilical cord cut in no time and started cleaning her baby up. I helped clearing the nostril, hoping I did it right the whole time. The time was 5:27 on my BB. Ten minutes later, another one arrived. When they were almost dry and their coat visinle, they were both showing a much lighter hair color. Sis named the first one Limbo and mom got the honor of naming the runt Lucky.

The night was a long one. The shooter advised to buy Bonna and to feed the little ones every two hours. When Glen arrived, he only had some droppers so Mary went out to buy two 2-oz feeding bottles (which by the way cost P73.5 each).

By some unwritten agreement, I was tasked to take the night shift. The most amazing thing is that the puppies were consistent. They made that peculiar sound every two hours to signal feeding. I also get to wipe off the very first poop they ever excreted. Sleep for me came at 4a.m. I was feeling none too good. While the two latecomers were so demanding over food (sucking heartily everytime), Bella (the one with an injured right foreleg, more that once during the night, maybe one or two bro or sis had been sucking on that injured leg. That must have hurt so much) was not asking for food at all.

So I wasnt surprised to hear the news that by the afternoon of the 18th, she was gone.

Coffee, anyone...?

The trouble about being 38 and still living with your parents is that they think you're still 18. You have to let them know when you leave the house where you are going and when you are going to be home. I must have been the most dutiful child in this regard until last weekend.

After a gluton-ous dinner of cheese sticks, fried chicken and two light beers on a chilly rainy night, I succumbed to the lightest temptation of going to the big city to grab some REAL coffee. The time was 7:30 but in a very small city like ours, it was already late.

The time spent at Starbucks was only a quarter of that spent travelling but it was enough to finish a paid hot drink, answer a short survey and win another drink.

It was an adventure I haven't had in years. It was fun, I'm thinking of getting some REAL coffee at ...hmmm where to next.

applied math

Without a means to calculate how far I go each day I spent on my road to 27, I counted the steps I made halfway through the circuit  that I've been keeping all this time. And I got this figures.

550 * 2 * 4 =    8800
1100 * 2     =    2200
                       11,000

11,000        =  3.3528
3280.84

The first line show that half of the circuit measures 550 ft. I made four rounds last Wednesday. The second line shows how far I walked from the house to the vacant lot and back. Adding the figures up together, this means that I finished more than 3 kilometers in 40 minutes.

I don't know what these figures mean. The thing is I no longer feel my lungs burn from jogging at least a distance between three electrical posts.

Adding some legwork on dribbling and I should be ready for an afternoon of scrimmage with some time colleagues back at Lear soon.

the road to 27...back to square one

Lawin and lpa's that hover around the archipelago were responsible for a lot of things.

The rainy mornings made waking up a struggle.
The wet concrete was not inviting.
The lack of company was discouraging.

I was only making excuses of course.

Sis was away the whole week, I had to mind the house and its "heir". I had to leave not too early in the morning nor to get to it too late in the night as to give those with idle hands something to process in their evil minds.

I started walking again yesterday after almost five days of taking it easy. This time stretching was foremost on the activity. I pulled something somewhere in my thighs last week I had to endure the pain for three days.

I usually make three rounds added to the walk from the house and back. I started late today and only made two which I compensated with running about a hundredor two hundred meters.

My weight has not changed these last weeks. I figure it would be another month of serious walking before I ever get to run (run like I did on the pitch I wanted to make a goal).

DBB

DBB stands for dalum balay burger.

When Ms Jo mentioned the origins of this burger house, I remember Iloilo's Perri Todds. Both originated from home-based snack joints which eventually evolved into a bustling restaurant.

Half finished with our fraps (Ms Jo had a caramel grande, glen's was mocha venti and mine, a dark mocha venti), we decided to try DBB at their shopping branch. We walked most of the way with Ms Jo regaling us with a little bit of history.

I forgot what we ordered but it was the biggest and the most expensive :)

It was too much for one person so we had it cut into four. Each of of the girls had only one-fourth and guess who ate the rest (he was secretly recording how fast he could finish his portion off. apparently planning on taking on the 5-min challenge, i.e. to eat a giant burger, fries and down a glassful of iced tea in 5 minutes and not pay a cent)?

We had to wait for about 15 minutes to be served. No wonder it needed a lot of time to cook. The patty was about an inch thick. And by the time we finished, the sandwich was still warm.

And the greatest thing is that DBB kept hunger at bay even after an hour of malling, an hour and a half of Hotel Transyvania and another hour on the bus going home.

Does it merit another visit? Definitely...and soon.

EPSUG 2nd Meetup

Returning to this page six days after the event, I was surprised to see that all I have managed to write the last time I visited the site was the title :)

EPSUG stands for ETEACH Programming Society Users Group which the 2001 senior IT students of AMA put up. The purpose of the meet up was simple: "Learn by Sharing in the Cyberworld".


They did the sharing while we did the learning.

I wasn't sure about going but somehow I found myself preparing for the 7:30 bus to the big city last Saturday. From the smses that I exchanged with no less than the club's secretary, there will be talks on programming, animation and robotics and an on-the-spot Web Design contest. That sounded interesting enough.

I went with seven students, two of which, Champ and Gilbor, tried their mettle and competed with visual graphics design students in website development.

A seminar is a good venue to share what's new in any field of expertise. In IT, a more effective way of sharing learning is a seminar workshop, which hopefully  EPSUG will sponsor soon.

Modelling and animation have always fascinated me, but who has the time?

another mouthful to go

Finally after the most agonizing six weeks of my current existence, it is (almost) over.

The seemingly endless trips to the big city, gallons (true, I have quite a soft spot for venti) of Starbucks coffee, reaching the safe haven that's home at almost midnight (or even sleeping over at Bel-Air), countless double cheese burgers from McDonald's have proven to be fruitful after all.

To enhance the learning that we have derived from the training, the provincial director herself facilitated a workshop on the critical aspect of the agency. We worked in groups of five. Two groups worked on the same topic. One group reports on their output and the other group reacts or adds to what was presented.

from left to right: Julius, Edward, JM, Moi, Herbert, Ms Gin, Ms Roms

We called our team TRANSFORMERS with members from my school, lcc, pcci and that other school (I'm sorry Jules). I can safely say that our synergy has done us well.

the road to 27

I'm being cryptic, I know.
All I can say right now that this is something related to my "linger'-ing dilemma.
I'm not sure if this is overdoing it.
However which way, I believe that this is a win-win endeavor.
Today has been my third day into this new venture.
Everything feels right so far.
My only hope is sustaining the effort in reaching "the road to 27" finish line.

new toy for big girl

(this is a week and a day late)

After school last Saturday (before my unofficial graduation dinner), I dropped by the Sun Shop and Robinson's to inquire about the status of my plan. Though I have an idea that it's on a September, I am not sure about the exact date. According to the agent, my plan turned two on the fourth. That made me eligible for the Sun Loyalty perk. There were only three choices: Alcatel Glory (which I am already interested in), Nokia and LG cookie.

Ended up going home with a new toy which doubled as an advanced graduation gift to self.

Tonight's Study Schedule

8:00 PM - TMC 1 (sms trainor on data required for pre-test/post test statistical analysis. Update Facebook and chat on mobile while waiting for response)

9:00 PM - EDUC 101 (Post a very short essay  listing and explaining the waysBy which education improves the Filipinos’ quality of life.)

11:00 PM RECESS (saute minced garlic in 2T olive oil. Add hotdogs, prawns and Clara Ole chunky tomato and basil sauce. Pour over cooked spaghetti. Top with cheese, photograph and post status on FB. Eat.)

12:00 AM  TMC 1 (Statistical Analysis of Pre-Test/Post Test Results using t-test, Interpretation of Data, conclusion and recommendation.)

1:00 AM - EDS 103 (read Module 2 on Learning styles)

2:00 AM - Sleep

the (unofficial) graduate

The day was met with a lot of oppositions.
I went to school and stationed myself in the server room hoping for some peace and quiet while preparing for the assessment of my last module. Thinking that if I stay in the office, people stopping by to chat or paying their accounts would be inevitable. One thing I did not count was the presence of a very chatty colleague who decided to chat me up that day. So, my session ended with my having been able to print some portfolio materials but never get to finish the video I intended to emulate during my presentation.
I left the house at sometime past 1 already. The trip to the big city was fine until we got to Manville area where we got stuck for a good 30 minutes. An immobile PUJ has unfortunately blocked one lane of the narrow bridge separating Sum-ag from Tangub.
On the PUJ drive from the terminal to Burgos, a hearse went before us. So we arrived at the center two hours later than planned and presented two hours later to finish some documentary requirements.

I had to do my demo twice. The first time I did it, transitions from various stages weren't emphasized. I reckon I should be a good actress to get better at this. Ed's input are well appreciated. I know it will help me greatly in bagging that NC next month.
To celebrate my unofficial graduation, I ordered a roast beef set meal from Pancake House with refillable brewed coffee tempered with fresh milk (from a carton...hahaha) and brown sugar. Sweet!

reading and happy-ness

Reading works all the time.
Yesterday, I took an e-test on Conducting Competency Assessment after much prodding from fellow trainees, Herbert and Edward, to take a plunge like they always did. It was a venture into the unknown. And as expected, the result was dismal. I was a point shy of the passing score on my first run. I did another take after briefly scanning the self-check for the items which I thought I made a mistake. I passed the test on second try and naturally, I wasn't happy at all that I took the bait.
Today, I stretched my patience a little bit and read through the CBLM and answered all the self-check activities in earnest before asking to be tested. And the end justified the means. I passed the test. At this time, I only have one thing to think about, i.e., how to ace my demo on facilitating a learning session after lunch tomorrow.
To celebrate our near-finished status, JM and I stopped by McDo for some comforting double cheese burger meal. I dunno but this combo never failed to make me happy.

coffee talk

Her infectious laugh or the funny way she keeps repeating some words or phrases,  I can always trust Annie to put a smile on my face. It was a good thing that I made it to our meeting tonight.

When my training demo did not start on time, I silently slipped out of the room and took the long way to Starbucks where Annie has been in the past four hours. Instead of my usual venti cup of the house blend brew, I ordered capuccino for a change. The wise barista must have sensed my aversion to cinnamon, she suggested I try dusting my drink with vanilla powder. I did. It was good but not as good as Kuppa's. The caffeine was very much evident though. It chased my headache away. If only it could chase the pain in my heart as well (drama).
Our little corner rang with laughter as we regaled each other with stories of our Gs and what nots.

Look at who's been promoted...

Progress is everywhere.

Buildings are being built one after the other.

New discoveries are unveiled everyday.

Well, ten years is a long time not to see any progress about a person. So it's no wonder seeing a former "konduktor" of VTI now working as an Inspector in the same. 2003 is a long way back. Well, enough time to age, I had to look real hard to match the "now" to the "then" face. He used to work with the Bacolod-Cebu via Canlaon route and looked like just out of his teens. Back then, he was good at his job, quick to assist the passengers and kept the trip light with his amusing stories about just anything. He's still good at what he does, i.e., inspecting tickets, not mincing words with the errant "konduktor" who kept collecting fares without punching the tickets. 

Moral of the story is do what is right. 

God is too good not to reward you in His time.

Perpetuity of a dream...

I could be just dreaming for all I know, replaying events in my mind of which I have no control whatsoever.
I'm lucky if it brings me joy. Woe to me if I find myself stymied.
What's not fair is that just when you're about to wake up, something happens that make you want to hold on to sleep some more. And more often than not, it's moot to dismiss the potent lure of slumber. One rarely wins over it, especially me.

Stupidity is on me again…

I might have aced my TMC test but this one, I could not even make the passing grade. The part where I made the wrong choice, I am aware that it's not the right one but I can't seem to stop myself from choosing it.  

Do I ever feel bad about the choices I made?

Sure I do. But the feeling passes. And before I realized what happens, I'm at it again.

This is as hopeless as hopelessness go. I guess I just have to live with this and just have the constitution to deal with disappointment every time.

Good thing going back to school is for me. It gives me the venue to prove that I'm not stupid at all.

look...who's busy

Aren't you wondering what I've been up to since last post?
Where has the time gone?
Work, work, work! That's where all my time went.
On the 19th of July, Filimagineers founder and good friend JC came to visit. Our back-end office is going to start operations soon. So, there was the business permit to think about. It was required for the application of DSL. Tsk! It was a good thing the shop next door was closing down, we bought the fire extinguisher so permit processing was done in less than a week.
Right now, we are just waiting for PLDT to install stuff. Meanwhile, we work nights at mom's house until the wee hours of the morning. That means, two work shifts for me four days a week which unfortunately me prey for the cold virus so prevalent in these stormy months. Worrying about hiring and furnishing the office has given me migraines on occasions.
To escape from all these if even once each week, I watched Dark Night Rises two Sundays ago (only because The Amazing Spiderman was no longer being shown at SM). I never really liked Christian Bale. But, rumor had it that the Spidey flick was still on at Robinson's. I checked to confirm it on the net and happily watched it last Sunday.

Look at Who Spent His Birthday Watching Porn...er...Star World

Azkals vs Guam

It was an interesting day.
At 2:35 a.m., the rain pelting on the galvanized iron woke me.
During the day the weather shifted from sunny to cloudy to rainy without a definite pattern. I reckoned it would be wise to bring a poncho rather than risk getting wet during the game and call in sick on the first day of the semester.

the only decent shot I got with my BB

While the wind was markedly cool at home, it began to warm as we (that would be Glen and myself) neared
Bacolod. When we alit at our stop the (mis)adventure began.
First, we missed our stop and had to walk back.
Second, the RPHS marked puj let us off at the highway, we had to walk through woodside and rphs (missing the team arrive).
Third, we had to leave our unopened bottles of water at the gate.
Fourth, we chose seats near the gate and had to endure streams of latecomers pass by.
Fifth, the organizers let in people with no tickets in the P400 side.
Sixth, the home team should have made more goals than the 3 (I counted more than ten attempts from Phil. I dont understand what happened there).
Seventh, we had to walk the same way we went before the team took their parade around the pitch to catch the last trip going home.

Kudos to Capt. James. He worked so hard during the game.

my "kung" got hitched

 I love weddings...hmmm...except the game part of the reception when I would usually find my name specially mentioned. The same happened to me last Monday despite conscious efforts of making myself invisible at my corner but I stood my ground and let the kids enjoy :)

with lear and lexmark teams

As planned, Kung and Greg got hitched. My personal invitation was issued last January when I crashed their crib to renew my license. Despite the looming of the big day, still I wasn't deprived of a gastronomic experience during my stay with them.

with lear football club belles...and some lear alumni

Apparenty, both their love for food showed at the reception. Besides the cordon bleu and the customary lechon, we were treated to a gustatory experience that was worth sharing. I especially liked the ham and fish dish. It was a bit salty but the texture of the soft white flesh on the mouth had me relive the experience quite a few times. 

AI 11 - Still Hooked

Last night, Phillip's rather indulgent performances were a perfect foil to Jessica's serious renditions.

As I have posted on my FB page, I casted 60% of my votes for patriotism and 40% of it for love

This owes to the fact that I've been promoting Jessica's journey on Idol via an FB page that I collaborated on creating and maintaining (*Save the Best-Save our own-Save Jessica Sanchez*) while Phillip Phillip's had me at "Superstition".

All the while, I thought that the finale would be a battle between two "divas". I was already resigned to Phillip Phillips being in third place. Then, I would have not had any trouble placing my votes. But as fate would have it, Joshua left last week.

It was a tough (hahaha) decision to make and I'm glad I did what I did.

la puerta al paraiso

Barely a week ago, the four divas reconvened and spent three glorious days on the road and under the remaining heat of the summer sun. 

Day 1 (18 May) - Scientist met Lawyer and Engineer at the pier. First stop was lunch at Perri Todd's while waiting for our check in time at Days Hotel. We had a giant burger (as big as a plate) and a plate of pasta which held  us through a very late dinner.

When Teacher arrived, we rested at the hotel and watched the american idol 11 race to the finals. I was already set to see MY Phillip Phillips on third place but the fans prevailed. Then I was torn between voting for patriotism or for love.

All the singing triggered among us to sing as well so off we went to Smallville and hunted for an available karaoke room but we had no luck. Instead, we had a leisurely Japanese/Filipino dinner before going back to the hotel and watched the american idol review :)

the mess hall which doubles as reception

Day 2 (19 May) - Maximizing our stay at the hotel, we spent most of the morning enjoying the buffet breakfast. At 10, we checked out and hit the road going to the pier. Crossing the narrow expanse of water between Guimaras and Panay island cost only P14.00 but the PUJ driver that conveyed us from Jordan to Lucmayan where our resort is located asked for P700. It was steep but if more than four are sharing, the rate is quite reasonable given that the trip was completed in one hour, traversing kilometers of unpaved highway.

As agreed over the phone, we had the hilltop room overlooking the cove below.

The best thing was that we had the pool to ourselves for the afternoon. We lost track of time that the staff had to take our order (for dinner) while we were still frolicking in the warm sea water. We left when the sun has finally set , when mosquitoes started to make their presence felt and when I could no longer keep up with the question and answer :)

Day 3 (20 May) - Water sirens that we all are, we hit the pool after the requisite sunrise shots from our private cove until it was time to leave.  After check-out, we had our driver pull up at the Trappist Monastery The original plan was to spend the night here. That we were not able to do so was fine as it was not as remtely located as I imagined it to be. The noise of the passing traffic was just a complete turn off. It is even distinct inside the monk's place of worship.

What's going home without pasalubong? Before heading to the pier, we grabbed some packets of "otap" and butterschotch from the trappists and delish siopao from Roberto's.

Team Alpha in Manila

Day 1, Apr 19 - Endured an hour delay of Cebu Pacific flight from Bacolod to Manila. Making up card games saw us through the waiting and cruising. Glen had his cam inside his checked-in luggage so we're just left with the memories. Soon after we have deposited our stuff at Friendship Suites, Bepbep had us undergo a  brief commuting initiation (taking MRT from Guadalupe to Megamall). Sure enough, we had our first blunder with KZ not being able get through the gate. She inserted her card too soon.

2, Apr 20 - And I thought my role was limited to chaperoning my kids to Manila, this being their first trip to the big city. I should have taken a hint when my zero level skill set in creating apps was put to test. When we finally got settled in the office at Verde, I was given CMS to work on using Drupal and php. What?!?!?! Exactly!!! I swear, I was laughing secretly thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?".

Day 3, Apr 21 - The team spent the whole day at MINT College located on the second floor of PCCI Bldg at Mckinley Hill.

We spent the morning listening to the Fireside Chat between Rep. of Taguig and Plug and Play CEO. The talk dealt with the state of ICT and the making of  Philippine version of Silicon Valley. After lunch, we witnessed around 18 start up companies attempt to convince venture capitalists to finance their projects. We left during the rush hour and experienced being squashed against sweaty bodies inside MRT going to Trinoma, SM North Edsa and finally Rodic's at UP Diliman for dinner.

Our day did not end there. After a brief tour of the campus and a short pictorial session with Oblation, we had supper of beer and pizza in one of the staff houses.

rumination...

The inevitable has come. I was ready (or so I thought), still it left a bad taste in the mouth. It was tempting to resurrect a ghost from the past to wash it off (which I did not succumb to). Sometimes sleep is enough to make one forget.

By 3pm of this year's Black Saturday, I  have already circumnavigated the island of Negros. For four days and 3 nights, eight individuals with common passion in travelling completed a grueling 800 km drive from Bacolod-Hinigaran-Sipalay-Hinobaan-Zamboanguita-Dumaguete-San Carlos-Don Salvador Benedicto- Bacolod.

Only 15 minutes from the jump-off point, I already lost my resolve to minimize rice at the sight of these oysters. Losing weight went downhill from there with steaming fish stew eaten al fresco facing the vast coast of endless white sand and pristine waters at our Sipalay stop.

Settled at our home for three days and two nights in a two-storey villa about 200-m away from the South Eden Beach resort (that was already fully booked for the holidays) which surprised us all. Though, we only rented one huge room, we had the whole place to ourselves. It has two rooms, each with humongous toilet and bath upstairs, a sitting room with telescope and a veranda facing the sea. On the ground floor was , a huge living room spanning the length of the Master's bedroom and pantry, a powder room under the stairs, a dining room adjacent to a bar (where we would later brew liters of coffee to tide us through late night conventions.

Most of our second day was spent on the beach, We rented a motorized a banca to get to Obong cave which was about 15 minutes away from the resort. The place was so enchanting we have completely forgotten about lunch, the searing heat of the sun ignored :)

Third day, we started on the road again, taking stops we deemed necessary like this pebble-bottomed beach on the Oriental end of Hinobaan.

Father Tropa, for me is the epitome of Paradox. He was an ancient man trapped in a Modern man's body. His body was buried in the midst of what was left of his life's work: a struggling mini zoo located in Zamboanguita.

Infused a bit of work-related activity on the trip. Here's us checking out great finds from Booksale.

The trip was not picture perfect. At Ayungon, we had to take a detour at a nearby coconut plantation. This bridge testifies that all is not well yet in this area. Some people still stayed in tents (including in-patients of one hospital we passed by).

Highlights of homebound trip was unplanned but it seems useless not to take the chance while we were there. A requisite toiletLa Vista Highlands zipline has recently opened. We missed out at Alta Tierra, maybe because we had to take this one. It was exhilarating!