Lorna's GC treat at Circles sa Shang early December...

Dessert looks so gastronomically unappetizing....just pretty to look at...




But the prawns, crab and fish definitely made the buffet the best ever...



My 3rd plate of sea creatures...

My Christmas Wishlist

1. Will and Grace complete season dvd's
2. Journal
3. Cheetos
4. Body Shop's Moonflower cologne
5. A Nick Bantouk book
6. Folding Chair
7. Bart Simpson pillow
8. colored tees
9. A perm
10. Daria keychain

I wish I could go back to Balicasag...



After a few minutes after this shot, it began to drizzle and too late for me to run back to the restaurant to make somebody take my pic lying on it.

The Mind that Always Sleeps

I'm finished my palitaw lunch and in the process of deleting my spam mails as well, which, I suppose will take forever. Up to know, I can't think much and I am exaggeratedly lazy reading and learning the many many things I should learn and should have learned at this age in my life. I'm 28 alright and I feel so aged but immature because I have no list of accomplishments done in life yet (generally speaking people my age start building their houses, arranging meetings for their staff, choosing what car to drive, etc.). I am honestly regretting the fact that I majored a stiff and useless course in college. I'm not gonna mention the course at all. (Clue: it's what Calendar Girls candidates in Eat Bulaga usually major in) It seemed that I didn't go to college at all, that's why I am all decided to apply for an MA in UP this next school year and God in heaven please help me to save enough money for the anticipated tripling of UP's tuition fees. I found out that my favorite professor in Ait no longer teaches there so how in the earth will I find out where he works now? I need to allot a day magstambay sa stairs of Ait and wait for a former prof. to come by and plead (kahit na hindi kami close) if they are willing to be my reference person for my application.

Sadly, my anticipated Baguio trip was cancelled, due to the indecisiveness of Ging's friends whether to go 2 weekends ago or last weekend, then hearing from him that they are pushing to a Subic day trip instead. Nevermind. Not interested in Subic after all, maybe sa px shops, but I don't think it's recommended nowadays. Subic and Clark are not on their limelights of shopping grande anymore. But Baguio would be a blast. There's a store in John Hay that I haven't been to yet. Outside it flashes jeans and bags, too bad, I have to make my own trip plan instead, maybe next year.

Burnt nose and warm hands

Monday...Tuesday...Wednesday...and so on...daddy in the hospital for MI that could lead to a heart attack. I promised myself not to get sick by taking double dosage of VitaminC but my frail body's not able to resist the strong powers of pollution and weather changes. This is again the time of the year when we had to relive and retrack the ins and outs of hospital sojourn. Last year, daddy was rushed to Baguio Gen Hospi since he had a project during that time when he passed out, so me and Denise got the first bus heading to the mountains. Those were the times when I had to eat breakfast alone at the nearby Pancake House, practice my caregiving skills and test my wearying patience. In spite of daddy's condition, I was able to pass by work and finish the much needed tasks before I be burried alive.

Well now we have a Jerry Yan campaign...this picture is shown in our website: www.worldvision.org.ph....

My SERIES of UNFORTUNATE EVENTS

Now, I've got a little time to update this blog. Last Sunday was a minitaure chaos when me and my bro rushed daddy to the hospital because of heart and lung problems caused by his cirrhosis. We spent the whole day in the bitter coldness of the airconditioned ER's of both the NKTI and Lung Center in nearby East Ave. We got bad espensive lunch at the tiangge of the Lung Center, and lukewarm crab and corn soup for dinner at Dimsum N' Dumplings. There was confusion with my EA card as NKTI not being an accredited hospital, being advised only during the time when we have confined daddy in the private room already, so we had to discharge him in the evening and just void the confinement. Alas, in the morning, when I talked with Generali, they said it's possible to confine him there but is subject to reimbursement and not the usual LOA. So much for worrying whether it's accredited or not. Just had to make sure, cause I don't have the money to pay for the PF's of doctors that could range to P10,000 per doctor, and how many doctors will daddy need, maybe 4 specialists? ehem...

Finally, we just decided to bring daddy home and observe his condition since he claims his breathing is better. I was like a zombie yesterday when I attended to him, might be because I have fever but I had no choice but to be automated.

URBANISM

I go to work through public transport, so it's a series of a lot of unloading and loading since at this time, I stay at my lola's and it takes 4 rides to get to Quezon Avenue. Unlike when I stay in Fairview (my daddy's), it just takes 1 long shuttle ride. This morning, I saw a man in the jeepney who looked like a thinner version of Samuel Jackson and he was wearing a classic Hush Puppies pair. The shoes gave him an attitude even if it seemed he is a messenger of somewhat. Then I also would like to add that one of our utility men in the office, also is an older version of S. Jackson, except that he has body odor...well I would'nt know since I haven't smelled S. Jackson's armpits yet.

Life in the country is getting more difficult for the urban poor. It creates newly-defined jobs like shoe-shiners for the little kids on the corner of Agham and Quezon Ave., parking assistance (atras) boys, barkers (hooters for passengers inviting them to ride their jeepney/shuttle customers, grass-cutters and small-time gardeners (my lola once in a while asks for Danny to toil her garden soil and clean her garden). When I visted Taal Lake last month, it was unnerving that the wooden platform they raise that serves as a bridge between the beach sand and the outrigger has a user fee of P20. A lady is in charge of that. She is just there at the daungan with her wooden platform and her wood-like skin.

There was also a 50+ year-old rakista of the sort that goes to your office and expresses her desire to sponsor 4 children, narrating her life as a PhD graduate of the UST, a resident of Cavite, and how she tragically lost her wallet when she took the FX going to SM North Edsa to check-out the real estate booths (because she claims her sons work abroad and are planning to buy a house so she has to take care of the house-hunting). Then later on as she continued bragging about her weak assets, she confessed, with a frog on her throat, that she needs money for pamasahe to go back to Cavite. Gotcha! That was the line I was waiting for. She promised she would come back after 2 days to fill-up the sponsorship form and return her owed money in good faith, it seems that she's telling the awful truth with matching eyes closed, as if swearing. Since I had no choice and we are a charitable org, I handed her P100 for her fare (earlier I advised that I only got P50, but she argued that it won't be enough for a bus ride, jeepney and tricycle whatevs mode of transpo she' s planning to take). I could have launched her on a tricycle missile and land somewhere in the Payatas site, or maybe the murky waters of the Pasig River. You may say I'm cruel, but isn't it an undecent raket after all- deceiving people how rich you are and later on asking for money enveloped with lies. I could have appreciated a person who approached and directly asked for money to buy food. The efforts of....geeesh...if I had more time to relay the whole story of how she even lured the mall booth staff at SM North and was even able to get a lunch treat in Chowking c/o the mall staff. Unnerving, despicable!

I just recalled that yesterday morning was jinxed. I cried at the house when I was about to leave for work, I bought calamansi-sized ponkans that costed me P12 each (a big one costs P10 in Divisoria but I desperately needed fruits for lunch), I ordered Nai-Cha in crushed-ice at Chowking and it took me 30 minutes to wait only to see that the ice wasn't crushed but in small blocks...Urgghhh, somebody with muddy shoes stepped on my foot while sitting in the jeepney. What more? At least I survived the day at work not feeling grumpy.

Sometime in October

Last weekend was in Davao. First aim was to go to the Philippine Eagle Sanctuary where I finally met Pag-Asa, the first Philippine eagle born and bred in captivity. There were more than 20 of these monkey-eating eagles. What's so recognizable about them is their punky feathered head (reminded me of Rod Stewart) and when lured, they can show-off their wingspan of 8 meters.




At the Paradise Resort in Samal, there's a mini-zoo where caged animalias like this are a sight when they get tired doing nothing in the Lucena or La Union-type of beach resort.








You can even witness a ship passing by your snorkeling area when you're lucky. The resort is directly in front of a small port where you'll see Petron oil tank docks and B-Meg Fertilizer smoke belching factories I am perfectly not sure if Choliform is high in the area. I wasn't also sure if I saw swirls of oil in the water when on a boat ride headed to the island. I was not sure if Mayor Duterte knows about this.



While all the showbiz birds of Malagos flaired their tricks when the show was about to end, this owl just hid in its tiny little grassy corner.

Another set of pictures from last week's retreat.

ATE GUY ba?

This morning on my way to work, I took the tricycle, and when I said "Manong alis na ho". (That meant I wouldn't want to wait for another passenger before it leaves the terminal. Then hi ho, this other guy (another driver) just blurted out, "Ok Manang alis na daw kayo". Goodness gracious is it deja vu?!! This is the second time I was replied back that way whenever I use that remark "manong" for public vehicle drivers in general. Honestly I got annoyed and flashed that dirty look on the guy. Maybe I think it's time I coin another term for them, possibly "Kuya" even if the guy might look 10 years younger than me.

Village of the Damned

The owner of Chateau Royale and Evercrest Golf is the owner of Ever Gotesco that's why there are devils to welcome us (the staff who first inspected the place should have realized that we are on a prayer retreat, thus the need for those figures to guide us.

They were bad omen. The power was always out and we relied on a generator that wouldn't even get the microphone work right the entire week. The food was bland and not fair for the price. Dirty trinklets of water in the shower for bathing. Musty smell of the room.The flush would not work. No changing of blankets and towels daily. Ameobic drinking water for everyone.

Lettuce farm at Chateau Royale, Batangas.

Fried green tomatoes...

Just trotting along the organic farm alone.

Had to crawl a little to not get the sheep get away while peeing.

Resident turtle at Chateau Royale, Batangas.

Last week, the organization held an All-Staff Retreat at Chateau Royale (not recommendable for large groups) at Nasugbu. It was a lot of quiet time praying, eating (held every 2 hours making sure we were all fattened up for the BIG sacrifice), understanding why the flush doesn't work even how many times it's been repaired), photoshoots, singing and dancing in the plenary hall and some corners of the spooky place.

I had a few shots of subjects worth taking.

The creature of the Resort who was all ready for a photoshoot.

The hum of this song has been playing on my mind and has been one of my all-time favorites aside from Enya's. It becomes reconfirmed whenever I have meat pizza at Yellowcab. I just recalled that the English version was used as a jingle for Ayala center's first TV advertisement many years ago.

Águas de Março

É pau, é pedra,é o fim do caminhoÉ

um resto de toco,é um pouco sozinho

É um caco de vidro,é a vida,

é o solÉ a noite, é a morte,

é um laço, é o anzol

É peroba do campo,é o nó da madeira Caingá,

candeia,é o Matita Pereira

É madeira de vento,tombo da ribanceira

É o mistério profundo,é o queira ou não queira

É o vento ventando,é o fim da ladeira

É a viga, é o vão,festa da cumeeira

É a chuva chovendo,é conversa ribeira

Das águas de março,é o fim da canseira

É o pé, é o chão,é a marcha estradeira

Passarinho na mão,pedra de atiradeira

É uma ave no céu,é uma ave no chão

É um regato, é uma fonte,

é um pedaço de pão

É o fundo do poço,é o fim do caminho

No rosto o desgosto,é um pouco sozinho

É um estrepe, é um prego,é uma conta,

é um conto É uma ponta,

é um ponto, é um pingo pingando

É um peixe, é um gesto,

é uma prata brilhando É a luz da manhã,

é o tijolo chegando

É a lenha, é o dia,é o fim da picada

É a garrafa de cana,o estilhaço na estrada

É o projeto da casa,é o corpo na cama

É o carro enguiçado,é a lama, é a lama

É um passo, é uma ponte,é um sapo,

é uma rã É um resto de mato,na luz da manhã

São as águas de março

fechando o verão

É a promessa de vidano teu coração

É uma cobra, é um pau,

é João, é José

É um espinho na mão,

é um corte no pé

É um passo, é uma ponte,

é um sapo, é uma rã É um belo horizonte,

é uma febre terçã

São as águas de março fechando o verão

É a promessa de vida no teu coração

Waters of March

A stick, a stone,It's the end of the road,

It's the rest of a stump,It's a little alone
It's a sliver of glass,

It is life, it's the sun,It is night, it is death,

It's a trap, it's a gun
The oak when it blooms,A fox in the brush,A knot in the wood,

The song of a thrush
The wood of the wind,A cliff, a fall,A scratch, a lump,It is nothing at all
It's the wind blowing free,It's the end of the slope,It's a beam, it's a void,It's a hunch, it's a hope
And the river bank talksof the waters of March,It's the end of the strain,The joy in your heart
The foot, the ground,The flesh and the bone,The beat of the road,A slingshot's stone
A fish, a flash,A silvery glow,A fight, a bet,The range of a bow
The bed of the well,The end of the line,The dismay in the face,It's a loss, it's a find
A spear, a spike,A point, a nail,A drip, a drop,The end of the tale
A truckload of bricksin the soft morning light,The shot of a gunin the dead of the night
A mile, a must,A thrust, a bump,It's a girl, it's a rhyme,It's a cold, it's the mumps
The plan of the house,The body in bed,And the car that got stuck,It's the mud, it's the mud
Afloat, adrift,A flight, a wing,A hawk, a quail,The promise of spring
And the riverbank talksof the waters of March,It's the promise of lifeIt's the joy in your heart
A stick, a stone,It's the end of the roadIt's the rest of a stump,It's a little alone
A snake, a stick,It is John, it is Joe,It's a thorn in your handand a cut in your toe
A point, a grain,A bee, a bite,A blink, a buzzard,A sudden stroke of night
A pin, a needle,A sting, a pain,A snail, a riddle,A wasp, a stain
A pass in the mountains,A horse and a mule,In the distance the shelvesrode three shadows of blue
And the riverbank talksof the waters of March,It's the promise of lifein your heart, in your heart
A stick, a stone,The end of the road,The rest of a stump,A lonesome road
A sliver of glass,A life, the sun,A knife, a death,The end of the run And the riverbank talksof the waters of March,It's the end of all strain,It's the joy in your heart.

Marat Safin my beloved...
a good view for a very hectic and sluggy day

This morning, I took the Kalaw FX for work. When it was payment time, I handed P20 and said what my destination is. When it was almost near my stop, I remarked, "Manong, sukli ho ng P20 ko, Roosevelt lang." He pretended he didn't hear me. After a long dead silence, he pulled coins for change, handed it to me, alongside his remark, "Manang, ito yung sukli". I didn't have much time to react for I had to unload right away.

Had been drooling on this shoe for the past months. Haven't found something close to this one. Actually got it from the Aldo site...a red one would also look fantastic.

The day is quite long, started at 8am and still up maybe until 9pm, lots...no loads of paperwork...coffee doesn't taste good these days. I'm getting a bit gawky trying to install programs all day. Adminstrator window keeps flashing asking for this and that passwords, have sought help with IT but I had been going in circles.

There were little yellow bubbles below but I doubt it if it was boiling. My friends went down(challenged themselves actually through the most difficult trail) to test the water, said that it was just warm in some areas. The breeze smelled like fart (there may be sulfur content in fart and boiled egg that's why they smell similar).

Hot breeze. Had to walk 5 kilometers to reach the crater.

The trail upwards.

That's inactive.

With Ellis and Talitha at the jumpoff dingy resort heading to Taal Lake.