the cross-eyed bear

moving out

2008-04-18T22:53:00.002+08:00

yes, i am moving blogs again. for the nth time.

owenongayon!?

but in case you are interested,
visit impulse blogging.

nice postsecret, this one

2008-03-31T16:46:00.002+08:00

one of the postcards from postsecret this week.

i really like it. feels very positive and hopeful. so i say the same thing to everyone out there. :)

american gods: online

2008-03-27T18:10:00.002+08:00

Neil Gaiman's American Gods happens to be one of my favorite books from him. I was engrossed with new kind of mythology was able to create and how he was able to research all those obscure gods that appeared in his story.

Well, you have until March 31 to read it online if you are interested. Here's the link.

While most people expected sales of the book to slump, Neil actually figured it would rise. And he was right!

post-Easter

2008-03-24T11:04:00.002+08:00

the trouble with long holidays is it's always difficult to get back in the work groove. i've been staring at the computer monitor for some time already and there are these tons of work running around my mind waiting to be done or to get started.

but *sigh*, i just can't drag myself to start.

help. (or don't help. hehe!)

Easter

2008-03-23T15:42:00.003+08:00

It is time for HOPE.
Jesus is among us once more!

what if God was one of us?

2008-03-19T14:17:00.003+08:00

This was more or less the context of the second segment of Holy Week show of NoyPi, ABS-CBN's post-Bandila show. NoyPi would stage situations to determine how the Filipino would respond. Reactions would then be analyzed by sociologists and psychologists and other experts.

Last Monday, the second segment was about a guy posing as Jesus. He'd approach people in or coming from the church and start a conversation. At some point he would ask them, "Maniniwala ba kayo kung sabihin ko na ako si Kristo?" Would you believe it if I told you I was Jesus Christ?

The reactions were quite expected. Some got angry, some thought him to be a lunatic, and one even responded, "Oo. Lahat tayo si Kristo." But there were some quite interesting reactions from a couple of people.

The guy approached this old lady who just finished lighting a candle and her prayers. He went and told her that she should just lift up her concerns to God. To which she responded, "interesado talaga ako diyan sa sinasabi mo. Interesado talaga ako. Maari ba kitang makausap?" And so they had a conversation about her problems. In the middle of it all, the guy spilled his spiel of being Christ. The lady looked at him, with slight doubt and was somewhat apologetic, "Pasensiya na, kung ako ay may agam-agam pa." But in the end, it was all good. She appreciated the conversation and a chance to unload her yoke.

In another story, the guy was talking to another person when a woman listening in to the conversation approached him and said, "Maari niyo bang mahilot ang aking asawa?" It turns out, she and her husband were homeless. The husband was paralyzed for a few years already and had trouble moving. She asked the stage Jesus to massage her husband. The stage Jesus was actually doing a great job, being accommodating and solemn the whole time. He massaged the man and probably had a conversation about lifting burdens to God. When asked what the paralyzed man felt, "malamig lang." But his wife answered with a slight sense of hope despite the discovery that it wasn't Jesus who held his husband. She was saying, "first time ko kilabutan ng ganun nung sabihin niya na siya si Kristo." What could've those goose bumps meant?

Several others, who may not have believed him to be Jesus, were just glad to have someone come up to them and have a conversation with.

Was there a black and white response to such a situation? The priests and sociologists don't seem to think so. Those who deny or accept the man as Jesus can not be branded as lacking in faith or strong with it. It just goes to show, we all love God in our own ways and believe in Him in the way that we are most comfortable with. And at the end of everything, people just need to believe in something greater and something better. Thus the goose bump reaction from that lady, maybe? Hope is enough to keep going.

What would my reaction be if I were approached? I'd definitely be a doubting Thomas. With Judiel Nava surgically transformed into a woman, it's a little difficult to just accept any man who comes and claims to be Jesus.

Sidekuwento: Timing how this story was featured at a time I was reading C.S. Lewis "The Last Battle" where the Ape pushes the Donkey to pretend that he is Aslan so they may control Narnia. Wala lang. ko-inki-dink.

Too bad it seemed to be NoyPi's last episode. It was only my second time to watch it in full, then bye-bye already? I do hope it's a temporary hiatus. With all the not so good things happening in our country, a certain sense of positive nationhood and personhood is necessary. I think NoyPi does a good job in reminding Pinoy's of good ole' Filipino traditions.

absolutely restless

2008-03-17T16:53:00.002+08:00

that has been the case for the last few days.

have you ever had that feeling that change is about to come but its shadow has not even fallen upon you yet? there's that restless feeling... probably of anticipation if it's a good thing or anxiety if you are uncertain. you want to do something drastic just so you can be ready when it comes or to start the change yourself.

maybe that's why girls (and some boys) have their hair done or shop. my present compulsion is to move to another blog. yes, for the nth time. thank God, it's free. and it's possible, but not any time soon. times are busy and crazy right now. another part of me wants to shout what's happening. to hear what other people have to say. maybe to make it real for myself too. but one must be prudent. timing is important and thorough thinking is necessary.

the past few days i have had the compulsion to write and write online. exhibitionist tendencies, i know. so what has been happening is the past entries have actually been my diversion from writing down what is really happening.

but yeah... change has come. not just for me, but for many people. 2008 has been quite a year already for most and it's only been the first quarter. the great thing about it it's mostly good things. and that is always wonderful. so even with the rotten political situation (idjots GMA and Abalos... why don't you try having yourselves nailed to the cross? just for a Holy Week penitence. the nation may forgive you, who knows), at least people's personal lives, those I know anyway, are doing well.

uh. so there. have a meaningful Holy Week. though i'm bound to say something again in the next few days. (mayabang na ako kasi may DSL na sa bahay).

goin' bulilit

2008-03-16T19:54:00.002+08:00

in fairness, it IS funny. the past few weeks that i unintentionally catch it, i find myself laughing at a lot of their jokes.

tonight i was laughing so hard with their zte soundtrack featuring the nuns and chairman hambalos. not bad, not bad. hehe!

so what do you do when you still have 18 minutes in an internet cafe?

2008-03-14T11:57:00.003+08:00

write a spontaneous blog entry, i guess. just like what i'm doing right now. am also chatting with a couple of friends.

now i only have 12 minutes of internet time left.

now it's only 11 minutes. but wait? that was only a minute ago when i wrote the previous line? ayiii.

aba... six minutes left. meant a long chat. hehe! but i've said goodbye na. ang bilis ng isang oras na ito ah. yesterday i only spent fifty minutes on the net. thought it was already an hour.

anyhoo... will be going back to davao after lunch. yey! i miss my bed, i do.

God loves me too much (just another day at work)

2008-03-13T13:45:00.004+08:00

so... it's a rainy day in cabanglasan. we had to be off for miaray to meet with the parents and discuss with them what we ask of the community in return for our support. the jesuit's decrepit pick-up let us off at the hanging bridge over pulangi river where a couple of motorcycles were waiting for us to take us to the community.

we've actually been warned by everyone. the roads were difficult especially on a rainy day. and well... in my line of work, when someone says that, you better take it seriously. the roads scores an 8 in terms of difficulty level. it was rocky and slippery and all that. my arms were sore from holding on for dear life. muscles that i was not aware of made themselves known by acting sore from clenching butt and thighs to make sure i stay on the bike.

we got to the community, chatted a bit, looked at the land where the school will be, had coffee, went back to the bridge. all in two hours.

while i was on the ride, i thought to myself... God loves me too much, it's actually funny. when I was assigned in Calapan as a Jesuit Volunteer, I was often jealous of my batchmates assigned in Bukidnon for living in the mountains, riding the habal-habal and living in constant adventure. i guess God acknowledged that jealousy and said to me, "ganun ha... eto sa iyo!" and there ya go... i'm always in Bukidnon on habal-habal rides that are beyond adventurous. God grants wishes so be really careful when you make one that you mean. Hehe!

anyhoo... so we were finally on our way down. the pick up dropped us at the cabanglasan multicab terminal. i plugged the earphone to my ears and listened to music on my phone. after an hour or so, i was surprised to see everyone in near panic. and i was like, huh, what happened? apparently, the multicab wouldn't respond to the steering wheel so the driver had to fix it. thank God we didn't get into any accident.

so okay... we went down. paid the fare from cabanglasan to wherever in malaybalay we were. a few long minutes after there was this giant jeep full of sacks of corn. it was our only way out, so i didn't mind riding top load. i've always enjoyed top load riding (taplod dito sa mindanao). the rain has stopped and it was cloudy so the weather was perfect for such a trip.

the mountainside was beautiful. herons following carabaos around. goats and horses and cows grazing in the fields. fields of gold as the corn is bursting and ready to be harvested. mountains in the shape of whatever you want them to be... a beautiful lady, a wooly mammoth... anything.

we passed by a fiesta in managok. whadayaknow... a bikini open? for sure janina san miguel would take the crown. or maybe she'd have tough competition there of other contestants not being able to answer the question. forget the fact that it was terrible grammar and deplorable pronunciation. she did not answer the question. and she won. she does give hope to all those "hipon" beauties out there.

anyhoo... guess what. the jeep broke down again. i wasn't able to catch the reason because we were able to get a motor to the highway (we were quite near our destination). but isn't it funny! two vehicles breaking down within an hour. what should've been a single ride of P50, turned out to be four rides totalling P85.

(rosing, di ka naman nakisakay sa amin, di ba?)

so it's just another day at work today. the rest of the afternoon i will spend lying down at the comfortable bed of the jesuit retreat house. if i wake up while there is still sun, maybe i can take a few photographs.

saya.

test your speed

2008-03-08T12:29:00.002+08:00

i remember those days with mrs. ramos in typing class. since i only started studying in st. scho second year, i missed the paper bag over the head exercises. i only had to endure blindfolds. hehe!

84 words

Speedtest

singapore photos

2008-03-03T18:07:00.002+08:00

i've uploaded some of the photos already.

flight and arrival at singapore.
day one: duck tours, suntec city and night safari.
singapore zoo.
jurong bird bark

kamusta langit, rosing?

2008-02-29T22:32:00.004+08:00

is it seven years already? or is it eight?

i wonder kung katulad 15-15-15 ka pa rin ayon kay rez? salamat na lang sa wonderbra at naging 18-15-15 ka. hehe!

when i told quint about the news, he mentioned how kilig and happy you would have been. at napaisip ako, oo nga. you might even take me out to dinner or something. and i'd ask you in secret if i'm making the right choice. just as i have mimo.

we miss you still. mimo made me cry during his concert when he sang the song fr. carlo magno wrote for you. naririnig mo siguro si sharon na kumakanta, "nasaan ang langit, rosing?" yun yung title. pati si gaultz humihikbi nung kinanta yun. imagine mo na lang kung pictures mo nilagay sa power point. ngee. hagulgol na ako. kahiya. hehe!

watch over us mortals here. most of us are wondering how our lives would be like with you as our confidante...

bye, jay tan

2008-02-28T22:00:00.003+08:00

i just came home tonight from a four-day area visit to agusan del sur, only to be met with the news that jay tan, a college batchmate, passed away. i really did not know him too well, but i had the opportunity to spend time with him occasionally. he was always friendly and accommodating, ready with a smile, a joke and song. i could just imagine how good a friend he is to those he is close too.

ganns, a college barkada, knew jay very well. he will do better justice in talking about him. it is a sad time for ganns since also lost his half-brother who was murdered in cebu.

if you could please spare a prayer for the eternal repose of jay tan and sandy deen, and those who loved them dearly.

ten tag

2008-02-23T12:08:00.002+08:00

I've been tagged by Jovan. Yey! It's lunch break, so I am allowed. And besides, I promised myself since yesterday that I will be consciously grateful for at least one thing until Easter (and hopefully beyond that). So this tag is perfect!

The rules are easy, just post 10 things that recently made you happy! Then tag 10 people and force them to post this meme on their blogs.

1. Jan never tiring of picking me up from the airport and bringing me there. It's not a very fun thing to do to drive/commute through traffic, but he does it anyway. That's my love. (I will allow a moment of mush here.) It's always nice that he is the first person I see when I'm in Manila. (Mush moment over!)

2. Strawberries from Baguio. I said before that strawberries are not my favorite fruit. But it seems that I keep on buying strawberry flavored and scented stuff. And eating the fresh fruit is always a treat.

3. Chocolate flakes from Baguio. Chocolate and corn flakes. Yum!

4. Youthful idealism. Spending those three days with college kids has been a breath of fresh air from the frenzy of the past few weeks. They give me hope. While the rest of the nation is in turbulence, these kids will choose to give up their fun summer to teach indigenous communities. I just hope they bring their experience with them until forever.

5. Dondi. Dondi was such a wonderful host. Even if he is his usual Dondi self, he's secretly one of the sweetest people I know. I mean, he's keeping it a secret that he is sweet. Hehe!

6. Singapore. I love the place. I love their transit system. I love the fact that people follow traffic rules (most of the time). I love that you can just walk and walk and walk and you'll always end up somewhere. I love it that there are so many things to do and places to see. I love how their money looks. I love that their cables are all underground and there aren't a lot of billboards. I love their food. I love kopi-o. I love being a stranger in a new place. I love Singapore.

7. Walking and people watching sa Session Road. I love Session Road. While the modern world has penetrated its streets (Yellow Cab, fastfood chains)... them old classic Baguio restos refuse to die. And why should it? I'd take Sizzling Plate any time! Or Pizza Volante even. And how can you not fall in love with people in sweaters? I love sweaters. People in sweaters are lovely.

8. Food-tasting. It's free! And it's delicious. :)

9. Minette Santiago. She's a wonderful woman and very talented artist. Let's just hope she can execute our collective vision. Hehe!

10. Great friends. Especially Rowie who has been such great help with some stuff I need to work on. Plus countless others, who are doing legwork for me while I am dying here in Davao.

Tag! You're it. Tatit, Mayette, Toni, Maean, Leanne, Ate Billie, Maita, Eric and Bing, Gogolody, Manding

busy, sleepy, tired

2008-02-22T12:32:00.002+08:00

i woke up with a runny rose and itchy eyes. what caused the allergies again, i can not identify. it must be the running around for work (and some pleasure) since the beginning of 2008. and the last two weeks have been awfully hectic. and it won't be ending anytime soon. so anyway, i popped some celestamine to get rid of the sniffles and itching. and now i'm awfully sleepy. i have a meeting in the afternoon, i do hope i'm alert enough for the discussion. been thinking of playing hooky to watch juno... still not sure if i would.

thank God for all this. means i'm still alive and doing something with my life. :)
(i'm genuinely grateful!)

baguio uli

2008-02-18T14:15:00.002+08:00

for once in my life i wasn't excited to go up to baguio because i knew i was going to be just cooped up in our little lodge doing work.

but, i was able to get out for a while by offering to buy some stuff for the other facilitators. at least i got the chance to walk around session road. hopefully i have enough time to eat some corn at burnham park. and that will already make up for the tiring trip and the quickie no-quality stay in baguio. hehe!

but yeah... at least i got to walk session road. something i always liked doing in baguio. walking and people watching.

another day at the office

2008-02-15T14:32:00.002+08:00

walking through shin deep mud while the weather constantly changed from cloudy to drizzling to rain. at the end of the trip, i was all covered in mud mixed with horse dung. my back hurts from the horse ride and my legs hurt from the uphill climb.

that's just going to the area.

of course, i have to do all that in reverse (well minus the horse ride because the incline made it dangerous for the untrained rider) just to get back to our take-off point.

and yet... i feel great.

ibang klase.

jurong bird park

2008-02-11T10:39:00.000+08:00

be forewarned. the pamphlet says you may take bus 251 or bus 194 from the boon lay mrt station to get to the jurong bird park. do not. i repeat. do not take bus 251 unless you want a tour of the factories of singapore! though i did get to see the khong guan biscuit factory. but it ain't worth the extra 30-minute tour. so just take bus 194 if you are truly excited to see the birds.

here are some of our pictures. there are 158 of them. but the raw photos... around 800. bwahaha! the trouble three people with a digital camera each. hehe!

g-max at clarke quay

2008-02-11T10:23:00.000+08:00

i'm not yet able to upload the video of our experience. but basically it's just screaming our lungs out. it's only now when i googled videos of g-max that i was able to see how we looked like from the outside. mehn... katakuuuut. basically, it's being placed inside an open pod that is slingshot in the air. of course there are giant garters that keep us from flying back to the philippines.

see what g-max is like.

singapura

2008-02-09T12:07:00.000+08:00

honestly, singapore was not what i had in my mind for my first out of the country trip. i've always thought it to be too metropolitan for my countryside taste. bangkok or cambodia or vietnam would have been where i would start off.

however, since i promised a jvp batchmate that i will try and visit him this year, i had to keep that promise. and besides, i figured it would be best to have someone you know in a foreign country. so singapore it was.

and it was a wonderful, pleasant surprise! while it is indeed metropolitan, it was also able to satisfy my taste for adventure and culture. i actually loved the metro-ness of it! its wonderful transportation system, the walking from one point to the other, the discipline of the people on the streets. it was a welcome breather from the congested cities of the philippines.

and there were simply so many places to go to! with five days there... we were still unable to do everything that we wanted. we were able to do the singapore zoo, the night safari, the jurong bird park, sentosa, the clark quay in g-max and ikea (tourist attraction na pala to ngayon!). the last day we had to split up to do our own desires - eiza and kris for shopping , while i went around the landmarks for picture-taking. and still it was not enough time!

plus there were free maps all over the place. maps to certain locations, maps to the entire singapore, the train line, the bus line... it was both easy and hard to get lost there. and the people were just so nice and accommodating (numero uno si dondi! love you batchmate!). our questions were answered politely and properly, and with a smile too.

and i love it when we go to restaurants and they'd go, "philippines?" and we'd say,"yes!" and they'd go, "mabuhay! try this..." and when we pay, they'd go, "salamat." aliw!

i also loved loved loved the diversity of the people there. when we got off the airport, we were first greeted with a magandang hapon by a fellow pinoy which made me think twice if we went to singapore or another philippine city. doubts where gone when i saw indians, chinese, whites, malays all over the airport. i love it! i think diversity helps people to be more tolerant and consequently more understanding of others. the philippines is too homogenous compared to singapore.

i love love love it there. while i usually have a been there, done that policy for my travels... it is not so with singapore. i don't mind going back. in fact, i want to go back. see more of the place, and even do the same things we did when we were there. i enjoyed it that much!

traveling abroad is addicting, mehn. i need to save up for another trip! hehe.

view from the back

2008-02-08T12:47:00.000+08:00

because i knew that sting would probably just be a dot from where we are, i put dixie to maximum memory of 10MB so i can zoom in so he won't be too pixelized.

so for those waiting for what he looks like from where we were, ta-daaaaah!

so what can you say about those jeans and shirt! tight ain't it? and how old is he? older than 50, right? does. not. look. it. trudy is a lucky woman. damn her.

oh yeah, this is a the police concert and not sting's. so just look for adam and stewart in this slightly zoomed in photo cropping.

and the concert is over. this is the only picture i might ever have with the police. hehe!

last day in singapore

2008-02-05T23:49:00.000+08:00

potsa nakakapagod maglakad ng maglakad ng maglakad ng buong araw. promise. last day na kasi. pero masaya naman. super pagod lang talaga. aaaah.

clawed and stung during day 4

2008-02-05T00:20:00.000+08:00

tiring day! as in.
jurong bird park was fun. loooooved feeding the birds. thought i wouldn't enjoy it as much as the other two parks since we have the philippine egale and malagos gardens in davao. pero hep! so fun! they have so much more birds and more interesting tricks.
and
and
and
after several attempts of volunteering to be part of the shows like the one in the dolphin lagoon in sentosa and the splash adventure in singapore zoo, i was finally called today! once for the bird and buddies show, which was corny because they only made me hold the hoops for the bird to pass through. the other was definitely more fun! the host finally called me to feed the vulture. yeaaaaah! and i got to do it 3 times. yeaaaah! and got me a free post card too. yeaaaaah!

and then...
i got caught by the police. stung by sting!
how mhay geeesh!
confession: i probably know just four songs of the group. the popular ones that has been remade over and over. but who cares! legend ang pinapanuod namin.
at at at
even if we were just looking at sting's back, at least he wasn't just a dot. more like half-a-thumb kinda big.
and and and...
tight jeans and tight shirt... shows off his nice tight ass. mwehehe!
kung si judy ann ay nagsabi kay piolo na, "ngiti pa lang, ulam na!"
masasabi namin ay "ngiti pa lang, ulam na! may dessert ka pa."
ngrrr!
oh... and the singing was great too. two hours bai! sulit. panalo!

singapore day 2

2008-02-03T00:18:00.000+08:00

better than yesterday.
lots of things that were fun and/or spectacular.
just one of the exciting things we got to do today. there are PLENTY more. saya! kapoy kaayo pero saya!

singapore day 1

2008-02-02T00:06:00.000+08:00

ito lang ang masasabi ko.
di siya maswerteng araw.
pero...
...
...
nakakatawa siya. bwahahaha!

ang saya maging turista. magastos. pero masaya. bwahahaha!

milestone 1 for 2008

2008-01-30T18:03:00.000+08:00

tomorrow i do something for the first time. travel abroad. yey!

for some people this is easy as pie that they do it as often as the davao gang island hop around the Philippines. for common people like me, this is a major production that meant months of saving up and dreaming of it.

2008 is a milestone year for me. and i start it of with this trip. i have this mole on my foot which according to local superstition makes me a "lakwatsera." while i do not like going out on gimmicks much, i would always jump at the prospect of out-of-town travel.

last year, as people started to drift off from davao and out into the big bad world... i realized that i had to do something myself. that my travel-hungry feet must be fed. so i decided, before i turn 30, i must have my passport stamped. I MUST.

and so tomorrow, it shall be. with eiza and her cousin, i'm off to singapore to visit dondi. off to see sting's back on february 4. and more importantly, off to strike one item out of not-really-there list.

feels good. :)

at sa mga hihingi ng pasalubong... kuwento at larawan po para sa inyo pagbalik ko. hehe! ;p

them hidden actors

2008-01-30T13:03:00.001+08:00

there was this one lazy saturday at my house when tatit, jan and i were just too lazy to move after a UAAP game. don't remember if we won or lost but the post-game ended up with an unintentional guillermo del toro-doug jones tandem movie marathon.

we watched hellboy first, then pan's labrynth next. after those two, i was an absolute doug jones fan. who he? why...he's the fishy man in hell boy and the faun and the pale man in pan's labrynth. being silver surfer must have been easy after wearing a foot long horn on the head!

so it's absolutely cool that he is second among the top 10 hidden performances. well-deserved! it ain't easy acting inside a sweltering hot costume, and he does it! a lot.

there are other hidden actors out there who often are unnoticed (kasi nga hidden), but play a great part in making a movie great. sometimes they are the ones you remember after watching. my other favorite "hidden" actors are warwick davis (marvin in the hitchhiker's guide, willow in willow, wicket the ewok in star wars and professor flitwick in the harry potter movies) and deep roy (that oompah-loopah in charlie and the chocolate factory and the dwarf with jadis in the lion, the witch and the wardrobe).

love these dudes! astig kayo, mga tol!

hehe! aliw

2008-01-26T11:44:00.000+08:00

got the planet m link from kage. and here is how i look as a piece of m & m.

friends in the US!

2008-01-26T10:24:00.000+08:00

Fr. Mimo Perez is going to have a concert from March to May in some states there. He was my former JVP supervisor in Mindoro, and believe me... he was a factor in making that year one of my happiest and fulfilling ever.

He writes great music. Not the kind that makes you go, "wow! what a beautiful voice!" or "what a spectacular arrangement!" What makes his music great is it lets you sit back, relax and let your heart listen to the Gospel in music. His songs really make you feel loved by God. And he does not only sing, his spiels are stories of his own life and his own experience with God. Not the usual I am a priest, the God send way... but rather "I am a sinner myself, and I have gone through many struggles with God, and in the end God woos me back." That kinda story telling.

So after all these years, I run to him all the way to Tagaytay just for a quick talk and bear hug. To listen to him deal with his getting to know God, and at the end of the visit, I am spiritually refreshed.

Here are several versions of his song, "Buksan" sung by someone else (used in Ligaya ang Itawag Mo sa Akin, i think). I don't really like this version because of the kulot-kulot diva-like version, but at least they lyrics are there. This one is closer to the original version.
And another one by a youth band. Needs a little work, but I like the attempt to "band it." Hehe! He was unaware that it was circulating in youtube. By the time we saw each other in Tagaytay, he's fully aware already. Hehe! He also wrote the second place song "Way of Love" during the World Youth Day '95 here in the Philippines. "Tell the World of His Love" by Trina Belamide took first place, if you remember.

Below is his schedule in the US, and way below that is his e-mail. For those who are interested in watching him, just forgive his delusions of looking like Sam Milby, Piolo Pascual or Patrick Dempsey. He even used to claim to be Rico Yan look alike until the poor boy's demise. I guess, we are allowed to be crazy sometimes. Hehe!

FR. MIMO’S US GOSPEL CONCERT TOUR ITINERARY

March 13 Departure from Manila direct to Las Vegas via San Francisco or LA.
March 16 Concelebrated Masses in 3 parish churches in Las Vegas 20 minutes:
promotion of Acoustic Gospel Music, 5-minute video presentation about the seminary vision and fund campaign - "1,000 Friends of SAS"

St. Bridget: 2:30 PM
Martin Luther King: 5:00 PM
Our Lady of Las Vegas: 6:30 PM
Organizer: Fr. Rey Salditos (702) 870 2767 or (702) 335 3205

March 17-23 Holy Week / Meetings with Filipinos/Mindorenos in Las Vegas
March 24-30 Los Angeles, Glendale, San Francisco

FREE SLOT (March 25-28)

Being worked out: March 29-30 Meetings & Intimate Concert with the members and friends of the Association of Calapenos in Northern California.

March 31-April 7 Los Angeles, Lancaster

Being worked out: April 5 Los Angeles Concert with OMASC officers and members with Bishop Oscar Solis' support.

Definite: April 6 Lancaster Mini-concert

Organizers: Jun and Tess Madrigal / Edgar and Gloria Camago)

FREE SLOT (April 8-13)

April 14 Chicago
April 16 Intimate Concert with CTU faculty and Filipino students

Organizer: Sr. Araceli, OSB

April 19 Concert at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit run by the SVD missionaries / 2001 Waukegan Road, Techny, Illinois
Organizers: Chicago-based SAS alumni Weng Cosico (773) 403-7549 & Jess Deniega (773) 418-1033

April 21 New York and New Jersey
April 24 Mini-concert being arranged in the house of Dr. Alex & Tita Mila Cueto-Tolentino
April 26 Concert at Our Lady of Lourdes Church / 500 Green Tree Road Glassboro, New Jersey

Organizer: Fr. Danni Quiray (609) 271 9154

Being worked out: Concerts in New York c/o mindorousa.org headed by Tita Juliet Payabyab

FREE SLOT (April 28-May 12)

May 14 Mimo's Departure from New York to Manila, Philippines

NB. This itinerary has been last updated January 24, 2008. For inquiries and suggestions please contact Fr. Andy Lubi (063-928-376-9132) or Fr. Mimo Perez (063-928-505-6941).*

His e-mail:

Hi! I am writing to you as a dear friend to inform you of the latest, unbelievably bold and faith defying undertaking of mine. I am having a two-month concert tour in the US from March 15-May 15. Yep! I know it sounds a bit outrageous but if you are indeed a friend you should be familiar by now with my brand of courage which indeed far exceeds my talent (if there’s any!).

Anyhow, in case you have friends and relatives in the states or cities mentioned in the itinerary I am attaching here, please invite them to my acoustic Gospel concert. No, don’t just invite them, force them, bribe them or beg them to come. I will be forever indebted to you if you do that because I will be assured that at least five (or three?) US based Filipinos will be there in every concert venue, never mind if they are asleep or busy texting the concert away, at least me audience (utang na loob ko ‘yun sa ‘yo).

On a serious note, this concert tour is an official trip, with no less than my bishop sending me with two other priest-formators to help raise funds for our seminaries. In case you do not know, for many years since its beginning, our diocesan seminaries have been operating, thanks to generous benefactors, mostly Europeans, whom we have inherited from the SVD missionaries, the ones who started to develop the local clergy of Mindoro.

Fast forward from the late 60’s to the present. Foreign aid is fast drying up and unless we do something about it, we run the risk of closing down the seminary, not a very good thing especially now when we have invested so much on reviewing and updating the priestly formation program side by side with on-going efforts to intensify the recruitment among the young who might be interested to follow God’s call to the priesthood. This is a major, double-edged challenge that keeps life for me and my colleagues constantly intense yet hope-filled.

As S.O.P., a priest who does “mission appeal” (an ecclesiastical term, which is a dignified word for BEGGING), usually says mass in a First World catholic community, then recounts his tales of woes in some forsaken Third World parish or diocese then simply pleads for monetary aid. This always works and truth is, there is really nothing wrong about this as those who have been blessed with more are morally obligated to give more to the less fortunate. However, we thought that in exchange for the aid that we stand to gain from this US mission appeal, we would like to give something substantial in return, ergo, the gospel concert.

Know that I am sincerely grateful to you for spreading this info to your US based friends on behalf of our seminarians who all come from poor families and are unable to support themselves financially in their many years of priestly training. The only thing we promise in return is to remember you in our daily prayers.

Kasama ko sina Fr. Andy Lubi at Fr. RV Villavicencio sa mission appeal na ito. Sana, magtagumpay kami sa aming pakay dahil kung hindi baka magsimula na kaming tumanggap ng labada sa susunod. God bless you, my friend. Me pasalubong ka pagbalik ko, promise… isang napakatamis na ngiti at istampita na me litrato ng Santo Papa!

Keeping the faith alive,

Fr. Mimo

in mourning

2008-01-23T10:31:00.000+08:00

heath ledger is dead! nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

my australian hottie who i fell in love with in 10 things i hate about you is gone. :(
so young and so talented. and he's gone.
darn it. i can't work. :(

* * * * *
update: 3 hours later, i'm still not over it. over lunch, my mind was constantly whirring with the words, "heath is dead, heath is dead." sigh.

i just had to search youtube for my favorite heath ledger scene of all time. why, it's the "can't take my eyes of you" serenade to julia stiles' character kitty in 10 things. been watching it over and over... and sigh... no more heath movies after "the dark knight."

star trek cast

2008-01-22T14:04:00.000+08:00

i'm no trekkie. but i am excited about the new star trek movie (even if with the dvds bro, i have not seen any) especially with zachary quinto aka sylar starring as spock and john cho aka harold of harold and kumar and american pie as sulu. yeaaaaahhh! talks about who will play kirk was still ongoing at the time when sylar was confirmed as spock.

now that the casting is out, zoe saldana as uhura ain't bad. imagine her in a 70's micro mini-trekkie uniform? vava-voom. but, uh, chris pine as kirk? he's not my type, but ain't he too good looking to be someone that william shatner once portrayed?

oh my. more renaldo.

2008-01-19T12:16:00.000+08:00

not even two hours since my last entry, i receive an email about him. i thought it was just another youtube video. but apparently not. he already has a wikipedia entry! and somebody put up a website for him!

the site includes a ringtone of the song (which would probably be a hit here in the country). but he's alsoselling renaldo shirts! whaduh? talk about enterprising. makes me wonder a bit if all of that was all just part of a ploy.

who knows? anyhoo... at least he made the world laugh for a bit.

kapatiran

2008-01-19T10:43:00.000+08:00

the filipino term for brotherhood.

so for those AI fans, you know what's coming. hehe!

oh, yeah! it's about the newest hit sensation *drumroll* -- fellow Pinoy, RENALDO LAPUZ!!!

AI fans would know who is. For those who are not able to follow, here is the the you tube video of why he might just be the next William Hung. Or bigger! Though I have to say, he has a much, much better voice than William Hung. And he does have some, uh, skills in song-writing. Or at least knows how to find a great hook. Looking for the lyrics? (as if you need to!) Found it here. But will re-post anyway. See the bottom of the entry.

But being a fan of another reality show, Stan Lee's Who Wants to be a Superhero?, I think he has better chances of winning that one. He already has a superb costume. That shining silver cape? Simply ingenious! He can already blind the enemies with his approach. Plus he gets a healthy does of Vitamin D, provided he wears sufficient sunblock.

What would his powers be, you ask? Isn't it obvious? Every time he sings, "We're Brothers Forever" the enemies will forget their evil deeds and start COMMUNITY SINGING! And they shall forever think of the virtues of brotherhood. Since the song is an earworm, they would keep singing and singing the song in their head or out loud, and would be unable to do any bad thing as long as they remember that song.

And what would his superhero name be? Like his power verse, it is simple and easy to recall -- RENALDO!

Imagine the crowd from below, shading their eyes from his cape... "Look, it's a bird! No, it's a plane. No! It's... RENALDO!"

Saya, di ba? Like his song. So here are the lyrics. ;p

"We're Brothers Forever."
Lyrics By: Renaldo Lapuz

I am your brother
Your best friend forever
Singing the songs, the music that you like.

We're brothers 'till the end of time
Together or not, you're always in my heart
Your hurt, your feelings in you will worry no more.

tragedy

2008-01-18T18:29:00.000+08:00

most of you have probably heard of the brutal death of fr. rey roda. i first heard about it tuesday night when jerry got a text about it. i was shocked. more so because i met the man once during my trip to tawi-tawi.

i was introduced to him in bonggao while his scholars being interviewed by another ADF staff. we had a bit of conversation while we were waiting for them to finish. our small talk eventually led to JVP. he actually asked for one and was approved but never pushed through because of the messy peace and order situation back then. we also talked a bit about the late rosing (then executive director) as well as his days in the underground. i think he was a bit disappointed about how some of his peers lost their bile and have ended up in the hands of the administration anyway.

all in all, it was a pleasant conversation. he was very likable and had a good sense about him. i never got to see him after that, but he was the only priest i remembered other than the one i had a meeting with.

then the news of his death. another sad time for the Church. losing another priest with a missionary spirit. he should be a hero for thinking others before himself.

sigh. when will this end?

please pray for him.

memory in a slab of stone

2008-01-14T15:53:00.000+08:00

while we were on our way home from tagaytay, i asked jan if we can pass by manila memorial to visit my dad. it's been a while since i have gone there to visit. mainly because sucat is just so far away from sta. ana. at the same time, my schedule with living people is already squeezing half of my own life. and there are still some people i am unable to meet.

so anyhoo... jan was more than willing to take me there.

when we finally got to his nook in the wide expanse of green and i saw his name in a marble slab, i never realized how much i missed that actual space where he is. i felt anchored to my spot, hypnotized by his name, while holding and being held by jan. somehow, i felt he was there... excited to see me since i haven't been there for a while.

it's strange. i usually don't give the cemetery much thought since i still talk to my father once in a while. but it was strange missing him right then and there. complete with runny nose and a wonderful man with me. i felt my dad there, where his name was. and it felt difficult leaving since i know it will be a long time since i can come back and see him.

but it felt good. knowing that after all these years, the love of and for that pogi old man is still alive.

sick but full of grace weekend

2008-01-14T13:08:00.000+08:00

runny nose. watery eyes. low-grade fever.
still plodded our way to three and half hours of SLEX traffic.
10 PM, we finally reached tagaytay.
1030-12MN, a long talk with mimo.
despite still feeling sick, my spirit feels a whole lot better.
quotable quote of the night: "if you keep yourself full of worries, then you don't give room for God to make miracles happen."
ibang klase ka talaga, mimo!

the next day, mass at rehab center.
nothing is more soulful that a choir of people singing earnestly and wanting forgiveness and change so much... even if they were out of tune most of the time.
but it was a beautiful mass, as the sound of repentant souls moved me to tears. their hunger and thirst for God is overwhelming.

nuninuninu...

2008-01-08T15:03:00.000+08:00

the police's feet. at least. will get to see it. damn.

yehooooo

2008-01-07T16:34:00.000+08:00

see those goggles?

i've always wanted muro-ami goggles.

and sonny had one made for me in his homeland antique. yehooo! and one for jan, and one for jerry and one for giovanni, too.

oraaaayttt!

2008

2007-12-29T17:20:00.000+08:00

year in, year out... my favorite new year's wish remain to be neil gaiman's message for the new year of 2005.
May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

and so i reprise his message to all of you, my dear friends. there is nothing like true love and dreams coming true. though getting there comes close. ;p

* * * * *

with the many news and events of the tailend of 2007, 2008 does not only smell like change. it will all be about change. before 2007 began, i already had the feeling that it won't be my year. and i was right. but some time middle of the year, i could sense the winds blowing to a new direction. maybe because i will be 30 next year. or maybe it's just one of those five year phase that plagues people after they graduate for college.

i'm feeling positive, i'm feeling happy. 2008 is my year. and i already know it.

it's all about the positivity baby. ;p

it's all about the yes

2007-12-25T13:15:00.000+08:00

it was hard taking to heart the Mass last night since it was in deep Cebuano. while I can understand and converse in the language, listening for an entire two hours can be draining. there were a lot of words missed here and there. considering that i have the tendency to get lost in a regular English or Tagalog Mass.

I decided to reflect on my own instead of following the priest sermon. i remember watching "the Nativity" last year and finding myself more touched by it than "The Passion of the Christ." I felt somewhat guilty feeling since it is Holy Week that is the most meaningful Catholic celebration.

However, as I look back at "the Nativity," it was probably the humanity of everyone surrounding Christ that touched me the most. I kept wondering what if Mary said no... what if Mary said yes but Joseph said no... what if the three Magi decided that the star was just another star... what if they did not listen to the angel or if they do not believe in it...

the birth of Christ became possible not merely because God willed it to be, but rather the people he asked let their free will and choice to bring forth the event of the birth of He who is to save us all.

it is and will always be about the YES. it started with Mary's yes and ultimately Jesus's yes to accept his destiny as God to suffer for mankind.

yes, Christmas is all about the giving. while it takes form of gifts for mankind... each gift that is given should be a symbol of a yes being shared with that person. our yeses to the people we love... our yeses that in the end returns to that little child born on the manger.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

hear ye, hear ye!

2007-12-23T17:17:00.000+08:00

May our hearts be filled with the joy of the birth of He who is to be our savior!
May we find hope in the coming of a little child born in a manger.

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

what makes a wedding beautiful?

2007-12-22T09:58:00.000+08:00

i just came from rojean and alwin's wedding last night. and what can i say? another beautiful wedding with a wonderful couple. simple and intimate. just like the couple themselves.

as i was looking at the entire event, through my own eyes and dixie's... what really makes a wedding so happy is not really the food or the church or the program, though it helps... what makes it really special is when you look at the couple and know in your heart that these two people want to be together, that those two people of the night love each other dearly.

it was a beautiful night. heartfelt love between the couple and among the guests. that is what every wedding should be like.

more pictures to follow!

a time of love

2007-12-14T17:47:00.000+08:00

while i am not so much into the season yet... i do feel an overwhelming sense of love from people around me right now.

i look back at the past days and realize how many people in my lives are willing to share their resources and talents just to help.

i feel so loved.

thank you, guys. :) someday i will be able to return the favors. for now, may God bless you all with his fierce love. :)

is it really december yet?

2007-12-13T15:31:00.000+08:00

i don't feel it at all. haven't really gotten into the christmas spirit. it actually feels like a chore thinking of gifts.

kinda busy. but not really. but i am. but still relaxed. so.

i'm actually just letting the world know i'm still alive.

:)

2007-12-06T12:14:00.000+08:00

it has been more than a week that i find myself suddenly breaking into a smile, heart beating to a merry tune. reading and re-reading such beautifully written words, looking at staring at a wonderfully-crafted gift. night after night, i am reminded of my blessing.

it was amazing.

but what was more amazing was the joy of those around me. i never thought my story would have made eyes tear up, nor bring out shrieks and shrills.

joy is more joyful when shared. i know that now.

thanks you, guys. :)

mr. magorium's wonder emporium

2007-12-03T10:36:00.000+08:00

i remember back when i was a kid, before i go to sleep, with the lights off, i would scan the room for shadows and silhouettes of familiar things. in that corner is my plastic doll, and in that corner another plastic doll and on the shelf are my favorite books. then i'd close my eyes and listen if they would suddenly start moving once i go to sleep. i'd imagine the words of the books start jumping from one page to another and make a mess of the story i love reading. but i never got to hear those words crawling to another page or the toys going off to another playing on their own, without me. but i believed with all my heart that they did things on their own when i don't notice them. i slept soundly, knowing what few toys i have will protect me from the ghosts that lived next door. or my nanny would. ;p

(and even now that i'm older... when i'm in my sister's house... i try to see if my nieces' and nephews' toys would do something too. just in case.)

so i was so excited when i hear about "mr. magorium's wonder emporium." the same way i was excited when the movie "toys" of robin williams was going to show (exclusively) in SM North Edsa back in college.

when it finally came to davao, i took a break from the stressful, christmas shopping i was doing, dumped all the stuff i bought and got a ticket for cinema 2. a little grin was plastered on my face as i entered the cinema. in my mind, a little thought balloon was going agog shouting, "toys and magic, toys and magic. wheeeeee!"

and as the credits rolled and the movie unfolded, the little thought balloon was getting more and more excited, my smile getting bigger and bigger.

i love mr. magorium! i want to play with him. and i wish i could go to his store and just hang out the entire day with eric, the little kid and mahoney, the store manager. and even, bellini the chronicler. i love all of them... even henry the mutant. tee-hee!

the story, is magical yet simple and pure. it tells of wonder, and friendship in unlikely people, and finding dreams in a block of wood. and nothing can feel as good as that!

the movie feels like cotton candy back when it was known as fairy's thread, of caramel apples and a game of tag. it's the joy of mud ball fights (there isn't any snow here) and swimming until your hands are raisins. in other words, i thoroughly enjoyed it and want to watch it over and over. i think it may just have kicked charlie and the chocolate factory from my top children's movies of all time. tee-hee!

toys and magic! toys and magic! and dragons. and wooden dinosaurs. and krakens from a book. and petulant stores. and a book that has all the toys in the world. and giant balls you can never dodge. wheee! what can be greater than that?

and so i slept that night, knowing in my heart, that that little child in her room full of silhouettes and shadows never left and was just waiting in her quiet corner playing with her plastic doll and reading her favorite books, still sure in her heart that toys had their own lives and books rewrite their stories. ;p

:)

2007-12-03T10:15:00.000+08:00

this one was from last week. that's catterwillar... my new microbeads pet. forced jan to get it for me. and look... he's staring at happy peanuts. and has that funny grin on his bug-gy face.

and then this one... from my favorite icanhascheezburger.com. now that's perfect photography timing... as for the birds... good job, mates. asteeg kayo! hehe!

so to everybody... have a nice day and an even nicer week.

moar funny pictures

more issues on Philippine education

2007-11-27T13:35:00.000+08:00

the second part of mike luz's article came out of the inquirer today. this time, it discusses in detail the concerns on teachers' salaries. while it is true that elite private schools are able to provide a relatively competitive wage scheme for teachers, smaller private schools are the opposite. something i have experienced myself when i was still a jesuit volunteer in bukidnon. my partner and i were assigned in a small Catholic school there.

i received a salary ofP3,200.00 a month. at that time, i thought of that amount as "wow! saya." because my previous assignment in mindoro was just P1,500.00. after a while though, i began to realize it was okay for me because i was only taking care of myself in a far-flung town where the money i earn just goes to my snacks and coke. but how about other teachers who have families to take care of? i chanced upon the payroll one time and saw that the principal of the school was only receiving P5,600. dang. for the headache of running a school of 2,000 students. my. and even those who are single teachers could barely make ends meet as they would often share what they earn with their families.

no wonder there are a lot of teachers who'd rather work as domestic helpers abroad.

the third part of the series will come out tomorrow. i'm pretty excited about what mike luz has to say about parent education. for the last four years that i have been with assisi, i've come to realize how important it is to involve the parents in the education of their children. parents, especially those in poorer communities, tend to put all the responsibility of their child's welfare in the hands of the school. a fact, that we urban-raised people, know is untrue. parents play a crucial role in the development of their children. study habits and discipline in learning often reflect how a child does in life as well.

i think i'm starting to have a bigger crush on mike luz already. hehe! but it is just wonderful to see the things i've been mulling over work be put on paper. whenever i suggest something for the program i can say, "mike luz said in this article he wrote that..." nyehehe!

a funny exchange and a serious thought

2007-11-26T10:38:00.000+08:00

i have just been enlightened by toni what a naughty gift pearl necklace means. and i had to go "eeeeeeek!" i have just been sending that to friends over facebook? what the hey. i am so sorry.
so note to self... if it is a naughty gift and it looks pretty harmless... it still means something else. so if you don't know what it means... don't bother sending it. jeez. kakahiya. hahaha!

kasalanan mo to, sigmund freud! nyeta ka. hahahaha!

* * * * *

after paying the water bill, i arrived at an empty office with just today's paper waiting on the table. (hmm... how did that get there? moomoooo!) . so i flipped around and saw the usual bad news and did not bother to read. until i came across an article on education written by mike luz.

it talk about systemic answers to the problem of the department of education, rather than band-aid solutions. one of the band-aid solutions that he points out to is cyber-education. which i totally agree with! when i first heard jesli lapus talk about it during the karunungan festival in the ateneo, i was totally skeptical about the idea. having gone around several indigenous communities in mindanao, i have seen the state of public elementary schools in the area. and using the internet would do nothing to improve it at all. heck, there is no electricity and much less phone connections! and with zte deal... makes you wonder, really. cybereducation would probably just widen the gap between urban and rural education centers more.

what these children in the forgotten regions of our country needs are good teachers and better classroom conditions. they need schools that are near their communities and not one that can be reached only after a three kilometer walk. what they need is definitely not the internet. yet.

mike luz makes a good point about the department of education budget. while it has the biggest budget allocation (as it should be), the real test of government commitment to education should be budget per child. and he indicated, other countries spend seven to ten times more than we do.

and the teacher's salary... most urban private schools are able to provide good benefits for their educators. the government and the people have to realize that teachers are the core to the progress of the nation. salaries must be competent and one that will allow a teacher to live on it, not merely survive. imagine that our nation's future is in their hands. so investments on good teachers is a must.

and applicants should be screened properly. not just on the intellectual basis (which i actually find lacking still), but also on their capability to handle and educate a class. teaching is not about having the smartest people in front of the board, but one who is able to have an idea understood. (i've had so many near-genious teachers in the ateneo, but some of them do not know how to teach at all!) and any person who believes in corporal punishment applying to be a teacher, should be kicked out as soon as they step in the door. threatening a child will not do anything to a child's learning. at all.

on mike luz... juan miguel luz used to be the undersecretary of education. while i was not able to follow his short career on the post, i find it tragic that he wasn't able to stay longer to make the changes he had discussed in his article today. i had the privilege of being in a meeting in him january this year.

when i was informed that we were to present our program to him for comments, i got nervous. i barely had an idea about him and i've always been afraid of presenting thoughts to education experts. but he came. late but quite apologetic because he came from another meeting. and i was aghast... he was a handsome fellow. if i were in my 40's, i'd have a super crush on him. since i'm only nearing 30's, i only have a slight crush on him. hehe!

but i was more blow away by the way he thinks, by his ideas. in that man, i find a true educator. one truly concerned by delivering education to children and not just an official concerned with statistics to present to people. we both advocate against GMA's english policy for early childhood level students. and our program was lauded for using the native dialect as medium of instruction for class (yey!). and he was encouraging with focus on our skills-upgrading for teachers rather than prioritizing infrastructure (which tends to be a government folly).

anyway... that meeting made me a mike luz fan. i would like to work with someone who has that kind of drive for change and the intellectual capacity to lay options out. i do hope to hear more from this man next time. for now, i will content myself with his articles.

why this weekend i hate living in davao

2007-11-22T17:42:00.000+08:00

because neil gaiman is going to be speaking at the ad congress this saturday.
and he will be at the fully booked boni branch that sunday.

damn it.

and where will i be? here in davao. wracking my brains on saturday evening. secret. and stuffing myself silly at entree's buffet during lunch to send off jan who is going home to manila on the 28th, and to celebrate my bro's birthday with my mum (oh-hah. brit yun).

waaaah!

sure, sure. i'm doing something over the weekend... pero si neil gaiman itoooooo!

walang mang-iinggit ha. huhuhu!

halloween then

2007-11-22T12:53:00.000+08:00

halloween is not really a Filipino tradition. the event just caught up in the last ten years or so, manufactured by malls and consumerist products. however, back when i was still living in angeles city in a village full of expats (since we were near clark air base), my october 31 was all about halloween. i had two or three neighbors who'd put up ghouls and ghosts in their yards and would invite me and my yaya at their houses.

what i looked forward to during those times were preparing for a costume and getting free sweets. i'd usually end up dressing as a fairy since most of the stuff i can find in the baul were my sister's gowns for school programs back when she was studying in ateneo de davao grade school.

after every invitation, with me wearing my sister's ten year old gown holding up a star-tipped barbecue stick or jeans with an old robin (as in batman and robin) shirt of my kuya, i'd hop, skip, jump home carrying a few bags of candy. there was the usual chocolate fare of that coconut chocolate thing which name i forget, small bars of snickers and mars and baby ruth, some chupa-chups, mint candies and my favorite -- candy corn.

so it felt strange that when i share halloween stories with friends and i get all wistful about candy corn... they don't seem to know what it is. it can get to be frustrating when i'm so terrible with describing it. yellow-tipped orange conical thing a little bigger than a tic-tac and very sweet. how else can you describe it? so to those guys i have shared those pampanga halloween stories to... here's a photo of candy corn. :)

grasya

2007-11-14T20:15:00.000+08:00

the past few days i have been overwhelmed by unexpected kindness. people have been generous of their time and their resources with me. i have received wonderful gifts that i truly enjoy. i have received answers that have been very useful. i have received advice for something i really need.

just today, as i was about to leave from the training that i was facilitating for our teachers, two teachers gave me nicely packaged organic rice. then another partner came calling as i was walking to the gate carrying a bunch of calla lilies. things that i did not ask for but greatly appreciate.

my heart is overwhelming with gratitude. to those good friends who have been so kind and generous that i don't know how to repay. to other good friends who have shared their experience and advise to help me try for my dream. to work partners who have treated me like family. i feel so undeserving of all of these. i can only hope to repay you, or at least pay it forward to others.

thank you.

(at the back of my mind, i can imagine how much more generous God has been to me. at least to these people i have shown my gratitude. i know i sometimes forget to extend my thankfulness to He who truly loves me.)

early christmas gift

2007-11-12T11:57:00.001+08:00

rowie was so very kind to give me a flckr pro account for christmas. whoopeeee!

i hope i have the time to fix my photos and upload them soon.

thank, thank, thank you, rowie. dixie and i are very happy. :)

this photo was blogged from the flickr account.

my newest favorite jumping picture

2007-11-08T13:50:00.000+08:00

taken in pulo diyot snorkeling area. after getting tired from snorkeling, we decided to jump off the boat for fun and photos (of course!).

pulo diyot is the name on the map, but the locals call it virgin island. we weren't able to dock the beach because the owner of the island was coming and tourists were not allowed to enter. too bad. the beach looked very promising.

plugging

2007-11-07T14:12:00.000+08:00

when in bantayan island, go to sta. fe beach club. that's where we stayed. the food is delicious (as in!!!), and the staff are generally friendly.

yun muna. i hope to post some photos soon to make you want to go there. ;p in the meantime, enjoy these photos and an article from their website.

discoveries in cebu

2007-11-06T17:15:00.000+08:00

malapascua means"bad christmas." according to the locals, there was a strong storm that sent magellan's galleons to the island on christmas day. thus he called the island malas pascua. cool, huh? the name stuck around for almost 500 hundred years!

bantayan island has been given papal permission to eat meat on good friday. we finally discovered the truth. good friday is their fiesta. i didn't know that good friday could be a fiesta. but there you go... bantayan is evidence. how considerate of whoever that pope was. how strange too. tee-hee!

and now for the true discovery: we have truly become adults on a trip. what does this mean?

1. we'd rather pay extra fifty to a hundred bucks than suffer through hordes of masses rushing to a single bus. a long time ago, we'd have stuck it out to save on cash. but what else is disposable income for?

2. junk food is not a meal anymore. there was a time i could survive on merely eating chips and biscuit or maybe a luxurious tub of instant noodles. during this trip, we had to have a decent meal. anyone who got hungry, got grumpy. and boy did we feed ourselves! and boy, did tita susan and tito peter feed us too.

3. extra bed please! and extra towels. and could you please clean the bathroom while we snorkel? thank you. gone were the days when we would plead to resort owners to allow 7-14 people fit a room for four. "overnight lang naman e." just to save money. this time, each one had to have his/her own bed and sleep comfortably. why? this leads to discovery number 4.

4. sleep is part of the vacation. there was a time in our lives when "morning the night" was part of the fun. who cares if one only had an hour sleep? we had a wonderful conversation! not anymore! the day is for adventure and after twelve is for sleep. earlier sleeping time would also be good too. i mean... we will see each other again tomorrow, and probably after this vacation. so yeah... we could use the night for sleep. and damn, we paid for the beds and the room so might as well use it.

di ba? like i said, what is disposable income for? and we have been ready for this trip since march. so.

bantayan and malapascua

2007-11-04T23:27:00.000+08:00

it was quite unexpected fun really. i flew to cebu not expecting much, but with the kindness and generosity of the people it was very enjoyable and blessed. lots of laughter and lots of pictures. our snorkeling gears were utilized to the full as we checked out the coral reefs of the two islands. silly, harebrained ideas with jan as willing victim. tee-hee!

thank you, ray for arranging most of the trip.
thank you, jerry for being our kaban ng yaman, official haggler and PR person.
thank you, andy for the cheap rates and the great service.
thank you, tito peter for being jan's boyfriend and teaching us about bombs.
thank you, tita susan for the free dinners and the big discount on the lodging and showing us around ogtong cave resort. it is truly a wonderful place.
thank you, ray, jerry, mia, miah, ninin and jan for sharing the trip with me. i had such a great time and so did dixie. i haven't waken up that early for three consecutive days in quite a while. just to see the sunrise spectacle that decided to be quiet the days we were there. still lack of sleep but abundance of food and friends... always something worth having.

like what dixie said... let the pictures do the talking. soon. ;p

DDE #3

2007-11-04T20:42:00.000+08:00

i'm a month old today!

i spent the last few days with m.angie and her friends at malapascua and bantayan island. most of the time i was just inside my bag because i might get wet. but it was fun riding the boat, though a little scary. i might need to go back to the shop if i got wet. so i'd rather be not wet.

i've discovered two new ways to make use of my abilities. i've always known about my continuous shots feature but this was the trip where i had the most fun with it. my models did a lot of funny poses so i took one pixie after another. it's funny when you see the results. like a cartoon missing a few frames... well that was it actually. hehe! t.jan was the funniest person during the trip which was quite new. must be the fresh bantayan air. hehe!

we also played with my shutter speed. since it was already dark, m.angie and ther friends tried to write their name with light. and it was so spectacular! except m.angie took a long time to learn it. t.ninin did it quickly and so did t.ray. t.mia and t.miah had a hard time as well... but they seemed to enjoy a lot.

there is so much to tell about the trip but i think my pixies will do a better job at it. i'm just glad to have spent my first month being fully utilized. there is so much to learn about me! and i'd like to know that about myself too.

i wonder how the next few months would go with me? i hope it's as exciting and adventurous. :)

mon's wedding

2007-10-29T17:55:00.000+08:00

una: aba e... napa-gown niya ako ng pink! bakit? kasi gusto niya mang long gown ako. at dahil wala akong gown, si inay ang nag-rescue sa akin. naghanap sa mga kaibigan... at ang nahagilap... tatlo! pero dahil nagtanong ako sa ikakasal kung ano gusto ipinasuot sa akin... yung old rose na long gown daw kesa yung burgundy (motif) na knee length. sya, sya... kasal niya ito... sige na... pagbigyan.

pangalawa: sinuot ko ang gown. aba e... pixie cut, asymetric, one side lang ang may strap. naloloka ang lola niyong ito. feeling ko magkakaroon ako ng wardrobe malfunction within the day. mahirap ang walang hinaharap. or praning lang talaga ako. pero in fairness... maganda ang dating. kaso lang pink... pero di obvious na di akin ang damit. mwehehe!

pangatlo: aba e... in-love na in-love tong si mon salas sa misis. di pa nakakarating ng altar e sinundo na sa magulang. pero siyempre part ng wedding march nila. pero aba e... nagkiligan ang mga kautawan sa kanyang pagsundo at paglakad nila ng sabay papuntang dambana. ako din. i can'tbelieve pinakikilig ako ni mon salas. mwehehe! at nung picture taking na e... kung makahawak si mon... parang di na pakakawalan si dinah. aba e. kakatuwa.

pang-apat: alanghiyang mokong... set-up. wala nang toss the boquet at toss the garter. diniretso na pasa sa amin ni jan (na may birthday nga pala nung araw na iyon). akala ko nagbibiro lang nung nakita kami habang papasok sa reception... "tatawagin na lang namin kayo mamaya." ako naman... "hehehe!" di sineryoso. sinadya ko pang mag-cr nung bouquet toss. nung bumalik ako... papunta na si dinah sa akin at pinapasa na ang flowers. nge! so ang lola niyo? tawa lang ng tawa. dahil hiyang hiya. siyempre kilala na kami ng mga bisita ni mon! at aba e... madaya si jan dahil maling apelyido ang nasabi "camiño" hmph!

first time mangyari na mapunta ako sa harapan para magsuot ng garter dahil ni minsan di ako nag-attempt na magsalo ng bouquet. hay naku. pero nakakatawa. at natuwa na rin ako sa pagkapursigido ni mon.

pero masaya, in fairness. madami pang kuwento! including ang paglilibot namin nina sherwin ng buong surigao city para hanapin ang mt. baragabon resort only to end up in the first hotel we saw. hay buhay. pero saka na yun. at saka na rin ang pictures.

DDE # 2: costa marina

2007-10-29T17:45:00.000+08:00

I was so excited when t.jerry invited m.angie, t.jan and t.son to celebrate his birthday with his family in costa marina. my first trip to the beach! i know m.angie loves the beach so i think i will have a good time there as well.

so they all took me on a boat ride to meet with t. jerry. m.angie didn't take me out until we were in costa marina. maybe because it was still cloudy. i dunno. but when she took me out to take pixies, i was like... wow! look at that green and blue water. so i snapped away. i took a look at the city and there were some buildings. but mt. apo was hidden by the clouds so i wasn't able to snap at him.

it was fun taking pictures at the beach. and it was more fun taking pictures of ila, t.jerry's niece. does that mean she's my cousin? i don't think she'd want to be a camera's cousin. tee-hee. but i think we're friends because she kept smiling at me and touching me and kept making faces at me. her favorite was "nguso." so cute!

and i took pictures of everyone too. while they were eating or taking a bath or putting on lotion. i love the beach! it's such a wonderful place to be. oh! i took a fancy at two orange colored cats. the other one was elusive and was scared of people and had a problem with her eye. so i made sure i had a good photo of her. and then i took another cat's photos. she was a silly, playful one, nibbling at m.angie and her stick. played with trees and rocks. she was so fun. :)

my first jumping shot ever came from t.jerry's family. even his pop and mom jumped along. but sssh.... his dad put on a cap to hide something. *wink-wink!* he's funny.

the sto. nino boys kept posing and posing for me. i made sure they look good. it was tough but i was able too! tee-hee!

i can't wait when m.angie takes me to cebu! i'm sure i'll have lots more fun there!

stardust

2007-10-25T18:11:00.000+08:00

i've finally seen it.

the senior actors take this one. robert de niro as the sky captain and michelle pfeiffer as lamia were perfect! i'm glad they had a lot of air time. the sky captain only had a short appearance in the book but his extra time on screen was quite welcome. peter o' toole's cameo was short but striking. and the seven brothers were hilarious. ditchwater sal, the goat, the boy... they were quite fun! sienna miller IS victoria forrester. she was able to portray that manipulative but irresistable "true love" well.

taking away the R from tristran to tristan was forgivable. it isn't really an easy word to say... tristran... it's a bit of a tongue twister. yet it also took away a bit of his magic, that bit of him from the other side of the wall. charlie cox does a charming portrayal, however. makes tristan quite pinch-the-cheeks adorable but turns dashing with the "make-over."

as most of you know... i didn't like claire daines as yvaine. and it was more painful for me to watch her play one of my favorite gaiman characters. there weren't enough tantrums... and she was... too in-love with tristan. i imagined her to be feisty to the end... resistant of her feelings for the boy until the witch lamia reveals to her. and she's just too old to be the star. twice the age i imagined yvaine to be. that kinda diminished the level of wow i felt for the movie.

the scoring didn't help either. there was just too much music. it kept distracting me from the dialogue. jan was disappointed with the script and the direction. i won't say i was. i guess i just didn't feel as much magic as i did in the book. though the special effects were spectacular, i love how she glows. i just wished she did it with her back to me. haha!

and they changed my favorite part of the book... maybe that's why i didn't like it as much. for those who read it... it was when lamia discovers there wasn't a heart to take anymore. i guess it got "too adult" when they turned it into a grand fight scene kinda made me feel... "aw mehn..." but i was laughing like a loon with septimus and tristan's fight scene though. ayos yun, mehn. haha!

i want to see it again though. maybe it was because i didn't get to see the movie properly, having started in the middle. but all in all, it was fun and enjoyable and fantastic and a movie i'd tell everyone to see (well, i've been telling everyone to see it and they ended up seeing it before i did. hahaha!).

now that stardust is out of the way... on to beowulf! (but i have to re-read this one... i barely remember what happened in this epic poem)

post-glorietta bombing entry

2007-10-25T12:19:00.000+08:00

my bro texted around 2pm last friday to inform me he was okay and wasn't in glorietta when the bombing happened. and i went, huh? there's a bombing. i'm glad you're safe. what happened? yada-yada-yada.

the news wasn't on inquirer.net nor on philstar.com yet. but jan was able to find the story on yahoo. after reading the story, i was near-angry, especially after the possibility of terrorist threats. if it were an accident... one can only do so much to prevent it. but something as deliberate as a bomb attack... it's plain despicable.

it's despicable when the MRT was bombed. it was more despicable when the superferry was bombed. it was hateful when a kidapawan wet market was bombed killing mostly children. it is hateful when the weena bus line gets hit twice or thrice a year.

pusa nggala sa sinuman ang gumawa ng lahat ng ito! what is the point of hitting civilians who may not even give a care for the religious or political divide that there is? most people are just trying to live their lives as normally as they can without all these macro-drama. most people just go by each day by keeping relationships, earning a living, thinking of their families. most people have nothing to do about cessation or communism or government drama. LEAVE THE CIVILIANS ALONE, YOU d!p$#!+$! magpataasan kayo ng ihi, magpatigasan kayo ng ____, pero mga letse kayo... tigilan niyo kaming walang kinalaman sa gulo ninyo! biktima na kami kahit wala pang bomba... pero para kunin ang buhay namin? ano ang napala niyo? mas masaya ba kayo? nakuha niyo na ba ang mindanao? nakitil niyo ba ang buhay ng gobyerno? nasupil ba ang mga kalaban? naayos niyo ba ang buhay ng mga mamamayan? ano? WALA PA RING NANGYAYARI!!! KAHIT ILANG BOMBA PA IPASABOG NINYO, WALANG MANGYAYARI! KAYA TIGILAN NIYO NA KAMI!

* * * * *
update (evening on the day of this entry)
i may have come across harshly against our muslim brothers. i apologize. this statement was meant for muslim extremists, NPAs and especially to the government. like i replied to diane, 80% of me thinks the government has something to do with what happened. this anger is aimed at anyone who uses violence and terrorism as a way to get a point across. my heart goes to all the victims and their families who have perished in similar incidents like the glorietta bombing. and i pray that my friends and family and myself are kept away from harm.

stardust, finally. i hope.

2007-10-25T12:00:00.000+08:00

after the number of entries and mental rants why it took so long to get to davao... two months from the states and another two weeks from manila... IT IS FINALLY HERE IN DAVAO. hallelujah! i was almost panicking when i saw the beowulf posters, another gaiman story, and thought to myself, i am going to have a fit if that comes before stardust. but it didn't. and it's here na! yey.

fingers crossed that i get to watch it tonight. have to get my nails done (after months and months) for a wedding in surigao city. that's a long funny story that needs telling on its own. basta yun... i should get my nails cleaned by 530 so i can watch the 640 showing.

I CAN'T WAIT.

kapoy!

2007-10-22T21:27:00.001+08:00

it has been a long week and it still goes on until today.

can't wait for next week's vacation.

dixie had her first beach adventure last weekend. she seems to enjoy the beach like i do. though she shot more pictures of the resort's cats than the view. hehe! the cats even had more photos than jerry's niece, ila. she's one pretty little lady, i tell you. :)

DDE #1

2007-10-15T15:21:00.000+08:00

Dixie’s Diary Entry #1

Wow. I was only a week old and I was already off to my first major adventure. It’s T.Kit that I have to thank because M.Angie (mommy angie) wasn’t sure if she should bring me along her Bukidnon trip. She was afraid that I might get beat up from the three-hour motorcycle ride. But t.kit told her she might regret not bringing me along. He told her to just keep me in a snug and tight in my bag wrapped in Ziploc. M.Angie took T.Kit’s advice and brought me along. Yey! I was so excited for my first trip out of Matina.

And so I went along with m.angie and her officemates. I rode with K.Don during the motorcycle up. Since I was wrapped up nicely, I didn’t feel anything much and actually traveled well. Can’t say the same for m.angie whose shoulders hurt because she had to carry her bag during the two-hour ride.

When we finally arrived at our first stop, I was finally out of the bag and the Ziploc. Ooooh! The fresh air! And the wonderful view! There was green everywhere, lots of trees and grass. And the sky was so blue and the clouds so white. I couldn’t wait to take my shots. Click, click, click I went. But I could sense m.angie wasn’t too happy because the teacher ended her class by eight thirty when it was supposed to end at eleven. Uh-oh.

We had to make our way up the mountain on foot this time. The motorcycle can’t make it through since the road was too rough. Yey! That means I can take more pixies! And it was fun snapping away, especially since it was tabo or what they call market day. Many of the people were gathering at the spillway to sell their wares and buy whatever they need. I took pixies of people on the way to the tabo. They all seemed shy. Maybe because they are not used to have their pixies taken. But they were all so beautiful!

I took pixies of flowers and the people and the children. The children were the best pixies to take. Their chocolatey skins, radiant smiles and vibrant eyes. They were always shy at the start, but eventually they get used to me. When they see me, they start giggling which makes their pixies more beautiful.

I think I made m.angie happy because I took lots and lots of vibrant pixies. She was telling t.jan how happy she was because I took better ones than meechee, the office Canon Powershot A640. ( Sssshhh… meechee might get mad.) There were even some interesting accidental shots here and there. So cool!

Imagine, just two days in Bukidnon and I took 450++ shots! I was that excited. Good thing I have a good memory to take all those in. That many, despite the fact I had to hide in my bag on the way down because it was raining. I was just glad m.angie covered us (meechie and tasha, m.angie’s old Kodak C330) up in her giant silver rain poncho. We were all safe and dry in our bags. Despite that, I had so much fun during my first trip. The pixies are here and here.

cagayan, cagayan

2007-10-12T22:25:00.000+08:00

it's strange how i used to looove cagayan de oro. especially during my volunteer year. it was a welcome respite from my humdrum life in bukidnon where it was quiet and i was a semi-respectable teacher (wearing torn jeans kinda lowered the respectability level a bit).

in cagayan, i can doo-wop until morning and i don't have to care. and until now, i can still do that. except when you ride a rickety motorcycle for three hours through rocky roads then hike up and down for six hours in two days... doo-wopping is the last thing i'd like to do.

wish i can go to a spa and have a massage... except that would be pretty useless because i have to take another seven hour bus ride to home tomorrow.

it's friday in cagayan de oro. and that means night cafe. which means bustling energy that is about to burst at the seams. this is the kind of excitement i enjoy in davao during kadayawan. but an experience i don't need to have every week.

i see a bunch of very young boys out feeling like they're cool as cucumbers. then another bunch of non-boys in their skimpy shorts and padded bras parading in front of bars. on one side of the street, curlicues of smoke come from food roasting on the grill... and on the other side, the sounds of commerce as barter takes place between seller and haggler.

it's all so fun and vibrant. i wish i had the energy to take dixie out and snap away. but my mind and body is too pooped to do anything but check e-mail and do a quickie blog post... which is fast turning into a long entry.

and for quite a while now, i have been feeling distant to cagayan. i know i don't belong here anymore... that i am what i have always been -- a constant observer. today i realized i do not have the personality to be part of this city. but i have the energy to be a detached outsider... that the mere presence of cagayan keeps me awake beyond what my body can usually handle.

i should be sleeping right now... but there is something about cagayan that just prods my senses awake. and after this entry... am off to take a bit of walk and look around and check out the people and muse to myself, "what an interesting city."

wisdom of stream consciousness

2007-10-10T06:51:00.000+08:00

it hurts to fail... but i guess it hurts more not to try. (from a quickie email i was making)

heroes

2007-10-09T18:33:00.000+08:00

on tv

my bold prediction at the end of the first season when hiro ended up in feudal japan -- he is going to be his hero kensai. will he or will he not be? we will all find out together, won't we? it would be cool though. but a bit predictable.

now... here is a funny article from cracked.com about 5 questions season 2 has to answer. i couldn't agree more.

at home

well, mom was finally released from the hospital. it's always shitty falling in line and facing cranky old men wanting their lunch. anyway... when i finally got the bill, i went to my mom to show her so she can write the cheque so i can go back down to the accounting and pay. what do you know... she insisted on doing everything herself. i tried to stop her... but she's a feisty woman who will not part with her money without a little 'chat.' some piece of her mind has to be said and relayed because of some little incompetencies of the hospital that just waste time and effort.

so there is a patient for you. paying her own bills and fighting her own battles. good one, mom. the funny thing was... she had to go back up so the nurse can wheel her down. because it is hospital policy. even if the patient is ambulatory. woman, my mother just had a small talk with your billing personnel downstairs. but who are we to deprive them of their little protocol.

though in the end... i end up being tense wondering if her BP will shoot up again or i will get the aftershock of her 'discussions'. ;P

thank God she was keeping her own BP in check. no backlashes or anything.

my sweet, sweet mom

2007-10-05T06:02:00.000+08:00

dixie and i had our first foray last night during ate maco's belated birthday bash. afterwards, i went home and played around with my mom's figurines. during the trip home, i messaged my tita in the states about dixie. she was the one who helped my mom look for a nikon D40X there, but it turned out to be more expensive that here in the Philippines.

i didn't really expect a reply, but her answer made me all the more grateful for my mom buying the cam for me.

mommy mo talaga gusto maghanap ng camera dito. she was worried na wala siya madala for you. sabi nga niya seldom ka lang daw mag-ask so talaga she wanted to get you one. syempre i also tried to help her and push for the best... (etc. etc)

i was glad my tita told me that. my mom would never tell me that side of her story of my pasalubong. i never thought that she realized that. and not that i want her to, but i appreciate that she does.

truth is... i have been eternally grateful for the many things she has sacrificed for me. sending me to ateneo was enough to have me indebted to my parents for the rest of my life. i mean... she and my dad kindly asked me if i wanted to go to UP instead, that they'd give me a bigger allowance. but i insisted on going to ateneo. they never even mentioned that it would be really difficult for them. because if they said we couldn't afford it, i wouldn't have pushed the issue and gone to UP. no questions asked.

i knew there were shoes and clothes and trips that had to be sacrificed for my sibs and i to go to a good school. so i never asked for new clothes or a birthday party or a nice gift or a graduation gift. really, they deserved the graduation gift, not i. but yeah... i was aware of the sacrifice they made to give me things that can't be taken away.

and then my tita's text... i'm just glad to know that we have a mutual appreciation of what each has extended for the other. and dixie is the symbol for that. even if i can afford more expensive cameras in the future... dixie will most likely be my favorite because of what it means to me and to my mom.

dixie: the arrival

2007-10-04T21:09:00.000+08:00

my mom bought me a new nikon D40X. her name is dixie.

i love dixie. i love my mom.

i am in photography heaven right now. :)

the full story in photo here.

kinse ka ngalan...

2007-10-03T09:21:00.000+08:00

borrowed from leanne kasi masaya. hehe! i think i tried this before in an e-groups survey. eniweis...

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
Tiny Lancer

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)

Coffee Oatmeal

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
ARes

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Lynx (steegh!!)

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born),
Marie Davao

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
IonAn

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink),
The Silver Coke (i sound like a drug!)

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
Jose Alberto (parang mexiconovela)

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)
Vanilla Reese

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names)

Campos Alix

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Suarez Sorsogon

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower).
Autumn Lily (naks! pero walang autumn sa pinas)

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
Mangosteen Shirtie

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Chicken Sequioa

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)
The Ultimate Wind Tour (parang isang malaking utot.)

disc ko poh!

2007-10-02T12:48:00.000+08:00

it has been at least six weeks since i last played ultimate, mainly because i spent my nights reading modules and references, researching on the net and writing papers (two for august, two for september). mehn, i was never this kind of a nerd at any point in my life.

so. i had to take a hiatus from playing, despite not wanting to. and dang... i missed the entire drama. haha!

enihoo... so i went back last night ready and raring to go. i was on time, which meant i was 30 minutes early. when some of the familiar people started trickling in, i realized how much i missed playing and especially the crazy banter that went on.

and believe me... with bing wearing poloy's oversized nike shorts and poloy wearing god -knows-whose too tight ones... there is just so much to hirit going about. the inanity of it all got all the worse when dong and jane, the children of the field caretakers, joined in the fun. and guess who was assigned to take care of less-than-four-foot dong? poloy. and guess who outscored, outran, outcaught the other? obvious naman sino, di ba? hehe! and guess what was blamed for it? the too-tight shorts. so in the end... it was all bing's fault. because she forgot her shorts. samoka namo uy! haha!

as for me... it took a while to get my forehand back (not that it was ever that good. hehe!), i was lost at being a handler, i couldn't catch the disc if my life depended on it, it took all my energy to keep with a 20-year old kid and i ran out of breath too soon. jan says it could be because i haven't recovered from the two month puyatan that i have been doing.

despite my lousy playing, i was still asked back on wednesday (yey!). and despite my lousy playing, i still want to go back wednesday.

glad to be back!

p.s. the monday-wednesday practices works for me kasi... mwahaha! yung inaabangan kong palabas... thursdays... at kung 830 magsisimula ang games... makakanuod pa ako ng super inggo 1.5 pag ipapalabas na. mwehehe!

how appropriate...

2007-10-02T10:54:00.000+08:00

stolen from kage.

how strange that the description feels so appropriate right now. hmmm...

You are The Chariot

Triumph, Victory, Overcoming Obstacles.

The chariot is one of the most complex cards to define. On its most basic level, it implies war, a struggle, and an eventual, hard-won victory. Either over enemies, obstacles, nature, the beasts inside you, or to just get what you want. But there is a great deal more to it. The charioteer wears emblems of the sun, yet the sign behind this card is the moon. The chariot is all about motion, and yet it is often shown as stationary. It is a union of opposites, like the black and white steeds. They pull in different directions, but must be (and can be!) made to go together in one direction. Control is required over opposing emotions, wants, needs, people, circumstances; bring them together and give them a single direction, your direction. Confidence is also needed and, most especially, motivation. The card can, in fact, indicate new motivation or inspiration, which gets a stagnant situation moving again.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

good season

2007-09-30T13:26:00.000+08:00

congrats to la salle. and damn you for your luck, winning when it is most necessary. hehe.

to the my beloved blue eagles. thank you for giving us a wonderful season. for the week-to-week adrenaline. of giving us near-heart-attack wins, and heart-breaking losses. that is what we are all about naman, di ba? heart.

it will always be... WIN OR LOSE, IT'S THE SCHOOL WE CHOOSE!!!

ANG SARAP MAGING ATENISTA! (and i'm sorry, "walang katulad maging lasalista" is a poor rip-off. una kami. hmph. hehe!)

the upside: i don't have to weasel my way from work just to get to watch a game.

hopefully

2007-09-30T05:37:00.000+08:00

by wednesday... i have her na. *fingers crossed*

YESSSSSS!!!

2007-09-29T20:27:00.000+08:00

nooo. this is not about UAAP. that's for tomorrow pa.

but... yessss! my days of being a student are done. the last six days have been hell doing two papers and reviewing for two exams. the first four days i had still had to go to the office to work. when i get home, i'm pooped, so i'd sleep until ten. then from ten to three, i work on my papers. (similar to my high school study habits.) thursday and friday, i had to take a leave so i can really study. and today, i finally took the darn exam. the last two days i kept looking forward to saturday because after that it meant freedom.

and now that saturday is done, i can start sleeping without nary a thought of second language acquisition theories nor of SMOG Grading Systems. my reading will be back to novels and comics. i can watch tv without guilt again. and watching UAAP won't be stealing time from any study hour. woohooo!!!

and after all this shit, i decided to take a leave from school. more like AWOL. hehe! i really enjoyed studying, even with all the vilying i seem to give it. the reason why i hate it is because i love it more than i like my job. i'm enjoying time spent on hitting the books and doing research and conducting interviews. if i study again this sem, i might forget that i have a job to do.

yey!!! i'm lightheaded (not mayette, but hi mayette!), but light. yeyyy!!!

and i'm playing disc on monday too. woohoooo!!! miss ko na ang agro (minus the drama. hehe!)

isa paaaaaaa!!!

2007-09-27T13:58:00.000+08:00

paos na paos ako ah.

kalahati ng mga employees ng unilever at PNG, nasa araneta kanina. paralyzed na naman ang business sector. hehe.

another heart-stopping, gut-wrenching, throat-scratching game between ateneo and la-salle. while the greens executed a well-played game during most of 40 minutes, it all boiled down to luck and courage.

sabi nga ng coke commercial na binago ng aking officemate, "la-la-la... give a little love and it all comes back to TIU!"

he is the hermione of basketball. his lethal combination of courage (griffyndor) and wit (ravenclaw) makes him arguably the most crucial player of the blue eagles.

though of course, i have a strong affinity for rookie my boy nonoy who i fell in love at first sight. nonoy, another important player, shows that his presence of the court often tips the scale to our side.

pero pesteng mga ref... laging pinagti-tripan. hmph. sila ang nakakaasar ngayon, di ang la salle.

good job team. and to you too, casio and tang.

kitakits sa Sunday.

ONE BIG FIGHT!!!

mom's home

2007-09-25T11:10:00.000+08:00

she hasn't unpacked yet. bummer. so i haven't snooped around what stuff she brought.

my bro said this what he asked for was this. i'm not sure if she got it, but if she did... then that means i get to get the old xbox. yeah! but that old thing needs cleaning though. boo. as for the beloved apos, she got them a nintendo wii. oraaayyt! christmas will be a whole lot fun this year. of course, i'm going to bully them around to let me play with it. hah. i'm not sure if this is a sister loot, too. she probably got jewelry or something.

as for my loot... which i was all excited about... but it turned out that it's cheaper to get it here. i'm still canvassing for it. and i would have to add my own cash to it. i hope, i hope, i hope that i really get it. what it is... i will definitely show it off when i have it.

the anticipation is killing me.

another lease on life

2007-09-23T17:30:00.001+08:00

i came into the game (as a spectator, of course) thinking... que cera cera. what will be will be. if it was time to go home, then we die fighting. i wasn't as tense as i was the past games and just enjoyed watching a fight for school pride. there were even stray cheers and good jobs for UST from me... and then i'd remember we were supposed to beat them.

the blue eagles just won't give up (thank God!). after disappointing back to back losses for a sure shot at second place... we claw our way to keep the third. you could say it was vindication against UST for taking the crown last year. but i personally don't feel that way because they deserved that crown as much as we did.

both schools fought with pride, with heart and with skill. we were lucky that severus mirza had an off night. and my boy nonoy was in his element. arao and tiu were agressive with their shots. salamat and yuri did a great job as well.

while i rejoiced for the win, it broke my heart a little to see pido hunched up with the loss. with his players and assistant coaches trying to appease him. COACH PIDO... please know that i respect you and your team. you are a worthy opponent. see you next year!

SO OFF TO ANOTHER FIGHT WITH THE GREEN ARCHERS. mehn... this season's games with them are worth two! we have to play the game that we had today so we can have another one. ;p

i wonder what UE is thinking from the sidelines. hehe!

ONE BIG FIGHT!!!

this UAAP break is brought to you by the gaimans...

2007-09-20T18:09:00.000+08:00

listen to maddy gaiman interview neil.
and neil read the first chapter of stardust.

neil is coming this november. there isn't a definite date yet. sayang, because i could have gotten the piso fare for it. nov is already full and i don't know if i can squeeze him in. and there is the question of flying all the way to manila just to see the man... i would if i was certain that i would have another chance for a hug like the last time. and if i would be able to spend the whole day just listening to him speak. bummer.

i forgot to mention...

2007-09-19T17:45:00.000+08:00

wat up with the 15 on the dlsu jerseys? is the entire team and the community condoning ilad's actions during the UE game? dun uminit ulo ko.

naman. kahit anong paliwanag ang isuka ni ilad... ang mali ay mali. huwag nating gawing martyr ang isang taong klaro ang kabalbalan na ginawa. hindi siya si larry fonacier na injured habang nasa kalagitnaan ng laban... hindi siya si japeth aguilar na nagka-appendicitis... hindi siya tulad ng UST player last year na ipinagpalit ang buhay para isalba ang ibang tao...

siya ay isang dating estudyante ng criminology na tila mali ang pagkakaunawa sa kurso na kinuha niya. pare... ang crim... hindi nag-aaral para maging criminal...

kaya please lang. sana sa sunod na laro... wala na yang bulag sa katotohanan badge na yan.

clean and clear

2007-09-18T17:17:00.000+08:00

we beat them twice, they beat us once and they get the twice-to-beat advantage. sigh. but as i was telling jan, i do not feel as seething as i was the past two games la salle.

there was not much incident this time. there was that malabes-tiu almost scuffle but thankfully it was stopped in its tracks. i therefore conclude it's ilad that gets my goat. rico maierhoffer also toned down his jubilations this time. they should all learn from ty and jvee who work quietly but stealthily.

so it was a game that was played skill-against-skill, luck-against-luck. with an arao off-night and a fiery casio and tang... it was a pretty rough ride. it was disappointing of course. definitely. ika nga ni eric, second na naging bato pa. but it wasn't as disappointing as the NU loss. the team played with heart, they did the best they could, they were pretty steady most of the game.

dlsu got this fair and square. now, we face off with the tigers for gasp!... a twice-to-win fight against the greens to meet the gasp! red warriors.

whatever the results of the coming games will be, i will say this... i love my team. i love the rookies. i love coach norman black. whether we finish fourth or we take the (suntok sa buwan) championship... MASARAP MAGING ATENISTA. the UAAP basketball men's seniors is just one facet of what Ateneo is. and if it is that exciting... imagine all the fun we had/have in school!

WIN OR LOSE, IT'S THE SCHOOL WE CHOOSE! OBF! (and with rookies like my boy nonoy and kirk long... we have a lot to hope for. considering it's just arao who is graduating this year (i think). and who would've thunk arao graduating would be a loss to the eagles? maybe there is hope for rabeh al-hussaini!)

gutted by the bulldogs

2007-09-15T18:06:00.000+08:00

argh.

it was a disappointing loss to the NU bulldogs. they just played better and harder than we did, despite the fact that we needed the win more than they did. kudos to the dogs, especially to fernandez who just kept raining threes. they played like they wanted to win. the eagles didn't play with as much heart as they did in the previous games as they appeared to have taken NU for granted. which was what really made it disappointing.

sigh. the worse thing about is it means we have to have another face-off with la salle. which means i have to cut down on my meat intake because it will be another heart attack game. not only will it be a close-match, it will be a physical one. and all for a mad dash for second place. nge.

and you can't expect anything less from the fierce archers who will see this opening for second place a perfect opportunity to nock more of their arrows at us. the rivalry is exciting, true... but i hate the feeling i get everytime i get pissed at their players because i dislike their arrogance and their unsportsmanlike methods to make a win. i hate that feeling. i wish i can respect their team like i do others... but i just can't. they haven't really done anything to deserve it.

and the possibility of meeting them for three times makes me exhausted already. fahk. i have exams this month you know. how can i study this way? darnit.

anyway... congratulations NU. congratulations asoro. in a way, i was glad for you. you leave the league with a high note. i'm just sad it was at our expense.

my beloved team... let this fire your desire! we need all the passion and the smarts we can get. good luck! win or lose, it's the school we choose.

at ika nga sa plug ng studio 23... dinidibdib ang bawat laro. charing!

attacks from behind

2007-09-14T14:37:00.000+08:00

dlsu assistant coach salgado to arwind santos (thanks to paralusi of gameface.ph for this link) and yesterday ilad to UE's fampulme ~~(still can't find it in youtube yet).~~

update: video of the scuffle finally out.
and as far as i know, in the ethical code of fist fights, hitting an unsuspecting victim from the back is cowardice. moreso, when you run away after hitting. casio allegedly scolded ilad. good jv. bad ilad. you just wasted tang and casio's good game.

a little joy

2007-09-13T20:59:00.000+08:00

while standing up or walking under a canopy of trees, a sudden gust of wind then a shower of leaves.

that is always something to smile and be happy about. ;p

vid c/o kai, an article and some photos of the admu-dlsu game

2007-09-10T06:08:00.000+08:00

which is actually an almost five minute video from the last 30 seconds of the game with yuri drawing the defense to him leaving tiu wide open for the three to the botched casio shot to the rico's last ball to the review of the maierhoffer shot and his rejoicing to black's show of emotion after the declaration of victory... and the blue side cheering like we won the championship (it is almost as good!).

right now, that the thrill has died down a little... i could imagine how bloody the overtime could have been. i just thank God we wasted enough time to leave la salle with an alanganin possession and that casio (sorry, dear) was not in his element yesterday...

clearly everyone from both sides played hard and played heart... including the 15,000 sixth men all over araneta.

i give ourselves until this evening to rejoice. then we put back this win and relish it some other time... look forward and face NU who will definitely not give us a win on a silver platter.

by the way... TO THE ADAMSON FALCONS... hangkyut niyo! i love your pep squad cheering the final four cheers. gulat to the max ako when i suddenly heard them on TV shouting... go ateneo. "Go ateneo?" I had to text somebody in araneta to ask if i heard right. Apparently they did the final four contenders cheers. that's a good sport for you. kyuuut.

* * * * *
and an article from the ateneo website. of course, bleeding blue pride ito. but i just love jobe's hirit to la salle. read, read!

* * * * *
this photo and this photo... hubaran ba players namin, ilad?

more exciting photos at fabilioh.com!

what a delicious bitchslapping of them greens!

2007-09-09T18:40:00.000+08:00

what a sweet sweet victory over la salle!

winning such a wonderfully played game between the blues and greens makes me tingly all over.

great game talaga by both teams. steals and blocks and three points and even the scuffles. sipa, siko, arm locks, sugod... buti na lang mabilis ang mga referees at napaghihiwalay ang dalawa. kungdi baka basagan na naman ng windshield sa labas mala 70's.

pero mehn, aatakehin na puso ko sa kulo ng dugo sa madami sa kanila. i'm sorry pero ang angas talaga ni rico meierhoffer. in fairness, maganda laro niya pero di pa rin kasiya-siya na nakikita ang pagmumukha niya.

pero bwahahahaha! ang saya na pagkatapos niyang mag-rejoice-rejoice sa pagshoot ng bola at mag-feeling-feeling star player... walking with a swagger thinking that he just earned la salle an overtime...NOT COUNTED! bwahahaha! nasa kamay mo pa yung bola nung nag 0.00, dude. sensya na laaaaaanng! sana makatulog ka pa rin.

franz... sige, protesta uli.

naiyak si jai. jai love you pa rin. he didn't play as well as he did with the first.

it was actually yuri's turn to shine. finally! i have been waiting for a breakout from this boy. nuong rooking pa lang siya, tuwang-tuwa na ako sa kanyang persistence. and finally, finally, finally he does it! at the right time pa... la salle ang kalaban. oraaaayyyt! sabayan pa ng sipag ni salamat. good job, guys!

naiyak din si ty tang at super crestfallen si casio. gusto ko sila i-hug. they are the only two players i like and respect sa la salle. so heartbreaking pa din to see ty cry.

malaki ang posibilidad na kikita na naman ang UAAP dahil sa isa pang pagtatagpo ng ateneo-dlsu. pero as of now... nanamnamin ko muna ang larong ito.

SA-RAAAAAAAPPPPP!

butuan-surigao

2007-09-07T10:56:00.000+08:00

Beautiful.

To spend an afternoon in front of Lake Mainit in a place called Jabonga. And silly as it was, I dipped my finger into the ocean to check if it was indeed hot, or at least warm, as the name infers. My guess was correct. It wasn’t. So why is it called Lake Mainit? Allegedly, its source IS hot. That is something I’d have to figure out, huh?

To be comfortably chauffered by the priest’s chauffer throughout most of the day. Driven around anytime, anywhere is always good.

To witness a FULL-ARC RAINBOW in complete and vivid ROYGBIV glory! And God sure knows how to surpass Himself by actually placing a less vibrant but still magnificent twin rainbow. I would have loved to hunt down the pots of gold on both ends… or four! And I prayed that it was a promise of something good for those who took time to admire its beauty.

To ride at the back of a pick-up late at night while going home from the barrio, the wind whipping my hair and caressing my face and seeing the dark dome of sky freckled with stars the size of a powdered sugar grain and the Milky Way disguised as a wayward cloud. Spectacular.

To finally have my curiosity sated and see Surigao City once and for all. It’s still not Siargao but I am already impressed by its mesmerizing beauty. A quick trip to the Pebble beach got me falling-in-love with Surigao right then and there. A rocky beach, crystal clear water, a scenic view of Southern Leyte… Without actually seeing the area we were supposed to be helping soon, I was actually shouting, “approved! Approved!” Beautiful. Simply magnificent.

And oh… not to mention the surfers dining at Jollibee (I am assuming they are… no boards or anything… but they look like they hang ten). With eye-candy like that… how can I not want to go to the surfing cup (but I can’t go. Dang!)?

To view Lake Mainit and the mountain range that surrounds it at dusk time, with the houselights from the other side signaling signs of life by the mountainside… only God can imagine and create purple in various hues in one moving picture… hu-waaaaaw. Simply breathtaking…

Those are the times I’m glad for my work.:)

the view from saturday

2007-09-02T19:57:00.000+08:00

I think I am going to start trusting the gold and silver seals stamped on juvenile fiction books which indicate it is a Newberry or ALA Award Winner.

After two weeks of being harassed by thoughts of two papers, I took a break yesterday and today from school work and grabbed another reading material from my pile of National Bookstore purchases (the stock here in Davao is horrendous! None of what I’m gunning for are available and somebody beat me to the only copy of M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman).

I decided on “The View from Saturday” by E.L. Konigsburg (who has two other Newberry Award books, which I am planning to get after this particular read) which was recommended years and years ago by a friend.

Just looking at the book had that nice feel to it. Just that positive vibe I get when I know I’m going to have a thrill of a ride. And once my eyes set on the words on the first paragraph of the first chapter, I was hooked. My eyes absorbed every page, enjoying the different stories of four children, Noah, Nadia, Ethan and Julian, connected by fate, by circumstance and by an invitation to a tea party and eventually chosen by their paraplegic sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Olinski, to be the class representatives to the school Olympiad. In the end, the make it and win the Nationals. And everybody asks Mrs. Olinski why did she choose these children? Even she does not know.

Honestly, I am not good with doing reviews of anything. So all I can say is, I closed the book with a smile on my face thinking, “I am going to get my oldest niece this book for Christmas.”

admu vs. ust

2007-09-01T10:54:00.000+08:00

i hate ust. know why?

because all their players look so nice and friendly and are really good at basketball. there is jervy cruz and dylan ababou who flash those winsome smiles that just makes one all motherly and think... "oooooh! oversized grade two children... how cute." or that japs cuan looks so much like barkada trip's bok. or that mirza, the rookie, looks so much like a young severus snape (and i like snape). or that allera is just so my type.

i hate ust because there isn't anyone to dislike in the team. there isn't anyone to throw vile cuss words at. they ARE good. but they are nice. it's no fun making fun at them because it simply feels evil. the only thing i can think off is calling them the UST jebras because their uniform uses black stripes on white which is no way a tiger, but a zebra or a jebra if you are from bohol which i'm not but it sounds funny so there.

last thursday was already nerve-wracking for me, with a paper due the next day. but instead of starting on it, of course, i had to watch the ateneo-ust game. wearing my nice and soft ANG SARAP MAGING ATENISTA shirt (c/o tat and nin). of course.

and so quarter after quarter, i saw my team pummeled by the jebras... i ached seeing them fumble with the ball... i hated seeing shots miss the ring while the yellows just stabbed us with threes and twos... and i resented the fact that i could not dislike jervy cruz... and more irked that i wanedt to pinch dylan's cheeks...

and then the fourth quarter came... i think it was my jai-namite who started pumping life back into the team. of course, everybody else did a great job especially chris tiu who has been using his smarts the entire game. i was getting that wonderful feeling of "kaya to!"

and even during the last minute when ust got their lead back at 69-70... with less than 12 seconds to go, i think... "kaya to!" my heart was beating fast, my hands linked with jan's, like the rest of the team on the bench... the UST was defending real hard... from jai to ford who was double teamed... to kirk long who looked unsteady but still had to take that last shot... as he was about to release the ball... i thought to myself, "there will be a miracle! i know it!" and there it was... what seemed like an awkward shot went in! clean and clear!

we won the damn game! almost killed me getting there... but we did it!

i know, i know... it's a regular game. but hey... for most ateneans, every uaap basketball game is a championship game. we aren't called ateneo's 6th men for nothing.

i think i can conjure an patronus charm easily thinking of that last second...

lecheng photo finish

2007-08-31T18:56:00.000+08:00

deadline ng assignment august 31.

sinubmit ko10:47PM august 31.

crammer ako nung college. pero never ever akong na-tense ng ganito katulad ng pagkapraning ko ng mga nakaraang dalawang linggo. %&*#$@@!

hay naku. isang buwan pa. isang buwan pa. ayiiiii.

holes

2007-08-28T14:40:00.000+08:00

he logical thing to have done on a holiday on a week a paper is due is: wake up, eat, study whole day, eat when you feel like it, sleep when tired or done.

but after stressing over a paper just two days before, i wanted my mind to be on autopilot. so what i actually did was: woke up, read a book, eat, paid the house bills, had good lunch, watched movie, finished book, then researched paper. which actually left me with just an hour! which actually had me finish the day with doing nothing for school. bwahaha!

but i can't help it. i love steve carrell, so i just had to watch evan almighty. and i'm happy i did because he was great, and the movie was fun, and morgan freeman dancing is worth 20 bucks of my 55. so.

and how would i have known that holes by louis sachar's would actually turn out to be a romp of a book! i mean, hello, with a lead character whose name is stanley yelnats who has a no-good-pig-stealing-great-great- great-grandfather... how can it not be interesting? i really couldn't put it down. read it in bed, read it in the restroom, read it while eating, read it while on the jeep, read it while waiting. if it weren't dark, i'd have probably read it during the movie trailers or the boring bits.

it's the story of young stanley, convicted of a crime he did not commit. as penalty, he was sent to Camp Green Lake instead of jail. the name sounds like a good place to be. except the place has no lake and there aren't may things green. and you have to be careful of the yellow-spotted lizard. so the camp turns out to be what exactly it is supposed to be -- a punishment.

we meet his new delinquent friends. we also catch a glimpse of the yelnats curse which began with his no-good-pig-stealing-great-great-great-grandfather and would continue on for the rest of the yelnats boys. we also get to witness a forbidden love story, one that occurs at the time of stanley yelnats, sr. and in the end... how it all comes together.

it's really a fun read, with lots of things to learn from too. i'm definitely getting my ten-year old nephew a copy for Christmas.

more kadayawan photos

2007-08-26T23:53:00.000+08:00

check out these photos!

pawikan sanctuary in punta dumalag, matina. who would've thunk the heart of the city nestled these beautiful creatures?

a sumptuous lunch enjoyed with lots of laughter with friends. davao peeps, you should try pards seafood. yummy!

stealing the show from imago at jack's ridge. i think we were banned from staying near the stage. just in case we end up stealing the show from the main band again. hehe!

there are more, more, more! let's just see if i can upload them anytime soon.

tamis (sweet) to the bones!

2007-08-22T11:06:00.000+08:00

or so repjen says. hehe!

i love kadayawan because i get to eat mangosteen everyday without having to worry about the dent in my pocket. yummmmy. and durian with coke. ooooooohhhhh. and free rambutan from friends with farms. yeaaaaaahhhhh.

kadayawan 2007: photo documentation

2007-08-21T16:14:00.000+08:00

it is that time of the year again when the city of davao comes alive with people and activities. streets are colored with fruits selling cheap and tasting sweet. i've probably devoured 10 kilos worth of mangosteen in five days!

this year was complete attendance and more, as friends from manila flew over to enjoy our yearly tradition of a crazy August weekend. it may be quite a while since another gathering of this number may happen. if that be the case, it was a fitting swan song for a tradition that brings the barkadayawan/fuhkers (fun house kids) together.

friday at pawikan sanctuary in punta dumalag, matina.
thanks to sherwin for allowing us to tag along. :)

lesbian lovers in their bikinis sitting on the painful dead corals
just to have a nice photo shoot.
nice backs, girls!

welcome to davao, tubero!
fuhktastic four with shiva and dave at the imago concert.
huwag niyo na hanapin yung imago, noh! kami ang bida.

yummy slipper lobster in garlic sauce at pards ilustre.
chris and edward, our waiters, must have enjoyed serving us
as we threw hirits back and forth at each other. tatit has video of crazy lunch. abangan!

huli kami! because we were so noisy we were caught in the net with the squid and lobster.

aldevinco is for photo shoots. the wares for sale are our props.

it would have tatit's first street dancing. unfortunately, it ended early this year. darn. we were able to get pictures of the dancers commissioned by marco polo though. pretty little lass, ain't she?

surprise despedida for tatit who is going to netherlands.
the whole barkadayawan/fuhkers friends were present. and guests, too!
thanks to kitoy, morten harket and mon salas for the belly-aching laughter ;p.
neuken in the keuken. badankt!

punta ng inamong falls! look at that beauty.
arakan valley, entering through marahan in davao city.

trekkers in the midst of cogon!
seedlings donated for the rehabilitation of the place.

sugarfree to cap a tiring day.

go ride magnolia fragrance malu f!

2007-08-16T11:04:00.000+08:00

toni buzzed our yahoogroups about this malu fernandez woman who wrote an article for people asia magazine talking about her trip to greece and being stuck in an economy seat with OFWs. while she brand-name-drops her way throughout the entire article about her cavorting in greece then to boracay, malu fernandez makes the mistake of bashing her countrymen at her self-declared private hell of the plane's economy class. it has created such a stir in the blogosphere that there are reactions from all over. they're all quite interesting reads, from what i would term as uupakan kita, jologs na may Louis Vuitton bag retorts to the poor woman who thinks her poop is gold doesn't know better entries. other entries about it here, here and here.

my reaction to toni's email was, "isasakay ko tong babaeng to sa magnolia fragrance papuntang tawi-tawi, tingnan ko lang kung di siya masuka sa louis vuitton bag niya!" (i'm gonna put this woman on magnolia fragrance to tawi-tawi and let me see if she doesn't puke in her LV bag!). and my reaction to her article, "you're mouth and mind needs some lysol itself. some of your gold are stuck up your arse, too."

she also makes a retort here. an excerpt:

As I type this, I’d like you to know that it’s not about whining, complaining and bitching but just stating the facts. Just recently, I wrote a funny article in my magazine column and my friends thought it was hilarious. It was humorous and quite tongue-in-cheek, or at least I thought so, until the magazine got a few e-mails from people who didn’t get the meaning of my acerbic wit. The bottom line was just that I had offended the reader’s socioeconomic background. If any of these people actually read anything thicker then a magazine they would find it very funny. Most people don’t get the fact that they need bitches like me to shake up their world, otherwise their lives would be boring and mediocre. I obviously write for the a certain target audience and if what I write offends you, just stop reading.

puh-leeze. some people with lower socioeconomic background are better bred than you are. even if all they get to eat are noodles and rice to get by and you get to stuff yourselves with escargot and champignon (which is just the sosyal way of saying suso at kabute, noh). we may not be your target audience, we middle class people, but we can read and we know when we are being put down.

people asia publishers, why did that article made it in your pages in the first place? i know your mag is all about the finer things in life, one that majority of us can not afford... but to actually put down hardworking people who just want to give their families the comforts that you enjoy everyday... it's inexcusable. you're like a voldemort-controlled daily prophet who just employed rita skeeter.

i did stop in my tracks about my reaction and wondered... might have i done the same? might i have put down people of different calss? i had to review my entry about that magnolia fragrance ride to be sure whether i deserved to bury my head in shame as well. for most part of the entry, i thought... damn shit, letse rin pala ako! but thankfully, i saved myself from further shame by ending it with saying that it was a lesson of humility for me. whew. however, i realized that i should really be more conscious of how i deal with those who are different from me. because i definitely do not want to be like this woman.

i used to envy these people living the good life... to just be able to get things easily without needed to scrimp too much just to get it. but then, after all this... i'd rather learn to respect people without regard to their cash or class.

buzz on the web: phil hansen

2007-08-15T18:12:00.000+08:00

here's a modern creative genius that takes his art to a new level. i've always admired artists, especially how they can conjure fantastic images from a reality that exists only in their minds. but there are guys like phil hansen that make ordinary art extraordinary by how he makes them. be sure to check out the video!

dreadlocked davao.

2007-08-15T12:05:00.000+08:00

how do you get rastafarians (in look or in beliefs) and reggae-lovers to come together? why have a reggae concert of course!

last night, dread-heads and the rest of reggae fandom trooped to matina town square's taboan for roots, arts, reggae concert featuring reggae and ska bands of davao, bahaghari from iloilo and top reggae vocalist papadom of tropical depression.

reggal8 and ragged had the crowd bobbing their heads up and down to their latest singles and fine-enough covers, but it was PLO (popong landero organization) that finally got the crowd up and dancing. bayang barrios made a most welcome appearance as back-up singer and dancer, too! waway saway's percussion group joined the band for a mean, drum-tastic dancing to that famous popong song which title eludes me at this moment. talk about fusion!

bahaghari, a reggae band from iloilo, came after PLO and continued to get the crowd going. the people shimmied a little harder to the reggae-lized rey valera "wala nang iibigin pang iba." shamefully, i was actually singing the song with the rest. the party got more wild to eric clapton's "you look wonderful tonight" and billy joel's "just the way you are." i therefore conclude, dreadheads are hopeless romantics deep inside, the music just has to have funky reggae beat.

come in papa dom singing the classic tropical depression song, "kapayapaan." once he came in, the flock from outside started trooping inside the already crowded taboan. the music that was already palpable started becoming a tangible entity as bahaghari, PLO and waway's group played together to bring alive papadom's vocals to juan dela cruz band's "ang himig natin." hu-waw! after that, it was only one last song. "bilog na naman ang buwan" began to play. crowds whooping, skankers moshing and everybody dancing as the venue throbbed with good vibes and reggae rhythm.

it has been a while since i've seen a davao crowd that participative! from the front row to the last, people were up on their feet dancing with no care. it was like a night in xaymaca, except with more dancing space and less cigarette smoke. i wondered, where have all these rastafarians been?

wherever they were, i'm just glad they came out of hiding and made my rare self-kaladkaded night out an enjoyable one. for once in my life here in davao, dancing felt like what it is, a natural reaction to music. ;p

irie! oi. more reggae music in davao, jah!

i lurv kitties!

2007-08-14T14:50:00.000+08:00

i stumbled upon icanhas cheezburger website today. the photos of cats and other furry creatures are so adorably funny. ~~half of me don't get the point of the wrong spelling and grammar. but maybe it's cat's speak. dunno.~~ i finally get the point of the wrong spelling and grammar after a few pages or so. i is sutch en idjit.

but the pictures are absolutely hilarious. a great way to pump you up on a sleepy afternoon.