Maddie ° Fauce Nuptials

Weddings? I'm both excited and reluctant about attending them. The former though far outweighs the latter at the thought of reuniting with Lear friends whom I have not seen in full force in the last five years that I have been visiting annually (the reluctance stems from the program games with which I am wont to hide from finding it too childish...lol).

I had Lira for company on this trip. To get the most out of the 24 hours that Lira could afford to stay away from Bella, wetook the first flight out of Silay bound for Cebu. For this tobe feasible, I stayed the night at Patricia, spending almost half of it glued to the internet (stalking...lol).

It was the first time that we passed by the direct route to the airport from the circumferential road which surprisingly opened just this week. The cruise took only 20 minutes to complete.

We took the Opon jeep from Mactan airport like the locals do. Lira's excitement at being back was amusing. She couldn't help remembering the places she held dear like the the lab where she went to when Lear hired her,  her old boarding houses, the ferrystation...We both marvelled at the changes in the cityscape notably the new arcade which houses the same old guitar shops, the metro shop just after junk food factory and the massive construction going on on the spot where AA used to be.

When we alit at Mercado, we decided to give Ace a surprise by showing up at he door only to know that she left already. Instead, we roused Ping from her slumber and got her to have breakfast with us at Tamiya. It was both a sad and happy meeting which ended with Ping seeing us off to SM bound van terminal.

Pats and Greg were already in SM whom we agreed to meet at the department store to pick our gift. Service that day was an all-time low experience for us as the agents were so enamored by a certain celebrity couple that we waited ages before our orders were made ready. Then we have to qeueu at the cashier and wrapping sections that we decided to have al fresco lunch of grilled fresh fish just across the mall.

When we got back an hour later, wrapping wasnt done yet. And when we finally got the finished product, it was a massive disappointment :(

Our siesta indulgence made us miss Maddie walking down the aisle but ample time to meet and greet friends long have missed. What a happy afternoon.

Business + Pleasure

Four Houses in Four Nights

Bacolod had the honor of  hosting this year's seminar for Registrars around the country. It ran for three days that to spare my fragile body from travel fatigue, I included accommodation in my budget request, citing the minimum rate to have it a greater chance of being approved.

Day one (Nov. 27) - We listened to three speakers, from which I gleaned most relevant information (to our operations as a TVET institution) with regards to the implementation of K-12. Most of CHED's discussion dealt with the basis and standards in classifying, evaluating and monitoring HEIs which is good to know. As for TESDA, I already know the topic by heart.


The day ended with me watching Catching Fire and grabbing dinner at Pizza Hut with Grace and checking-in at Casa Mait for the night (spending much of it tinkering with the electronic gadgets while ingesting chips and soda)
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Day two (Nov 28) - L' Fisher did not serve coffee that during the lunch break, I took a little trip to my favorite cafe and bought Americano for Sir Mandy, Latte for Ms. Lani and the Drip Variety with whole milk for myself. We had guests from Immigration who talked about the Policy on Foreign Students and a Lecturer (was it from Adamson or San Beda) on Legal Implications of the Education Reforms (who is a very funny man).

I had to sit through the socials and I won a sheet and pillow case for my indulgence. The program, amazingly wasn't corny, I have to say I was glad I stayed for it.

For the night, I checked in at Circle Inn with Grace and Mimi and took advantage of their swimming facilities. Their mom popped in after work and stayed for an hour for a chat and coffee.

Day two (Nov 28) - After the business meeting and before heading home, Grace and I took a detour and popped in at Cutis Care along Burgos St to get some facial. It was a late birthday present I gave her.

This time I spent the night at Lira's in Patricia Homes. I only went home to see about everybody and have a fresh set of clothes for my dawn trip to Cebu for Maddie's wedding.

Oh, what a week!

Of Hunger Games and Catching Fire

Catching Fire was met with so much buzz, it following a big first installment and now featuring big music groups as Coldplay in their soundtrack, I was compelled to join in the bandwagon. Almost always an informed moviegoer, I challenged myself to read the middle book (of three), downloading a copy online and saving it in my tablet which I always bring with me. It was shorter than Tolkien or Rowling but it took me almost a week and finished the last 77 pages on the bus ride to Bacolod on the day that I watched the movie.

Fidelity-wise, the movie did not disappoint. It featured the all the necessary scenes that can fit a 2-hour feature. Some went exactly as I imagined, a few did not (maybe in a parallel universe, I am a movie director). I especially liked how Katniss' gown transformed into a likeness of a giant mockingjay.

I like how the events were arranged and executed. They were well thought of and I couldn't help but nod my head in agreement each time they are presented.

As a whole though, the story line struck me as sick: putting 24 lives in line for the "pleasure" and "entertainment" of the minority rich. It is a place and time that no man would want to be.

Impossible it may seem but I think this is based on real events, maybe in a grander and in a much exaggerated scale. I haven't read any on Suzanne Collins so I cannot make a conclusion with just one book.

But consider this, I am a believer that we, too, are just pawns in the game masterminded by our politicians. We may not feel or realize what wedge we are in in their scheme of things but trust me, something is happening which we do not know of. The whistle blowers are our only chance in knowing the truth behind every news that we are allowed to witness. With that, like the residents of the Capitol, we can tolerate them or emulate the people of Panem who felt that they had enough and start a rebellion (aw!)

Haiyan and PDAF

Wow! Look at the time! November, so far, was beset with trials beyond human comprehension and control. With all that's been said and done, I have managed to maintain a low profile.

There's Napoles' hearing that gave birth to "Napolzoned"(read: "di ko po alam" slash I "invoke my right") which was derived from one of Ramon Bautista's coined term. There's also the matter of PDAF which SC has finally declared to be unconstitutional. Both issues were almost wiped out of circulation when Yolanda hit the nation leaving Tacloban a wasteland and kept Filipinos either united or divided.

Besides the little help that I have afforded to share, life goes on for us who were spared. Home has always been a refuge from adversities, man-made or otherwise.

The first weekend after all these found me and Jing2 dining at MO2 San Juan following a. Our impression on their good food (back ribs and chicken misono) was set back from the poor service that we got from our waitress. Apparently the only other customer in the room was THE BOYFRIEND that our menu was given to us in haste and we were given a butter knife to cut our steak with just to mention two. It was funny in a sick way that we were treated that manner and that Jing2 can be really nasty when she choose to (slapping the table with her menu...I mean, look at the big smile on that face....lol).