lunch at the main core ("main core" sounds redundant, doesn't it? but that's how they call it!), eagle point resort
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Saturday, April 23, 2005
don't leave me behind...
nice driving music, this old ebtg album...
from boracay to baguio to batangas. yes, that's how my mini-vacation has evolved. and much emphasis on the mini, as it was supposedly a friday night to monday noon thing which dwindled to an overnight stay from sunday to monday (!)
ah, basta matuloy na lang.
went to megamall last night to watch a free concert with a friend, her colleague and p. it was a pleasant surprise as the band Juana, the guitarist of which is my friend's friend and the main reason why we were there, had a nice cute song that was getting good airplay on NU. oh, and by the way, the drummer is gorgeous. too bad I'm straight. Ü
i'm just waiting for p right now.
oops, he just called to tell me his blue beetle isn't home (probably drove itself to the mall to score some chicks hehe) and i'll be meeting him along commonwealth. guess i'll try to sneak in another post within the day (or the weekend).
hi, carlo! glad to know you're religiously logging your pilgrimage experience!(anubaz ang dami ng links sa post na 'to!) personal comments on my email for ya.
from boracay to baguio to batangas. yes, that's how my mini-vacation has evolved. and much emphasis on the mini, as it was supposedly a friday night to monday noon thing which dwindled to an overnight stay from sunday to monday (!)
ah, basta matuloy na lang.
went to megamall last night to watch a free concert with a friend, her colleague and p. it was a pleasant surprise as the band Juana, the guitarist of which is my friend's friend and the main reason why we were there, had a nice cute song that was getting good airplay on NU. oh, and by the way, the drummer is gorgeous. too bad I'm straight. Ü
i'm just waiting for p right now.
oops, he just called to tell me his blue beetle isn't home (probably drove itself to the mall to score some chicks hehe) and i'll be meeting him along commonwealth. guess i'll try to sneak in another post within the day (or the weekend).
hi, carlo! glad to know you're religiously logging your pilgrimage experience!(anubaz ang dami ng links sa post na 'to!) personal comments on my email for ya.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
of chariot horses and albatrosses
the lyrics of the song "pretending to care" by todd rundgren (of "can we still be friends" fame) which you can view by clicking on the title of the previous post tells me much about dealing with the possibility that having -- and keeping -- a relationship doesn't always include love as a main reason.
how tragic it must be to love someone who doesn't love you back, yet creates the illusion that s/he reciprocates the emotion.
how tragic it must be to love someone who doesn't love you back, yet creates the illusion that s/he reciprocates the emotion.
****
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
the promise you've been living by is just an empty shell...
just to let those who read my blog know (if you haven't discovered it yet)...
when my posts' titles are in burnt sienna you can click on them and see the full lyrics of the songs they were taken from. they may not all be accurate but it saves me time and blog space so all you can read here are my thoughts...or my opinions on other people's thoughts.
which brings me to another thought my barkada made me ponder on that fateful evening we went to the hospital: we were talking about how much we've changed or how much we've stayed the same and one of us posed the question, "sige nga, sino sa atin yung talagang nagbago?" Not one answered positively, but I sensed there was something in that resistance to reply.
are we just pretending we haven't changed because we're afraid of being alone? or because we're afraid of abandoning those we think need us? or could it be our own need to recognise who we used to be and try to reconcile (or evaluate) our present selves with that?
hmm. gumugulo na ang isip ko. more on this soon.
when my posts' titles are in burnt sienna you can click on them and see the full lyrics of the songs they were taken from. they may not all be accurate but it saves me time and blog space so all you can read here are my thoughts...or my opinions on other people's thoughts.
which brings me to another thought my barkada made me ponder on that fateful evening we went to the hospital: we were talking about how much we've changed or how much we've stayed the same and one of us posed the question, "sige nga, sino sa atin yung talagang nagbago?" Not one answered positively, but I sensed there was something in that resistance to reply.
are we just pretending we haven't changed because we're afraid of being alone? or because we're afraid of abandoning those we think need us? or could it be our own need to recognise who we used to be and try to reconcile (or evaluate) our present selves with that?
hmm. gumugulo na ang isip ko. more on this soon.
Monday, April 11, 2005
not for the first time i look back...
met with my high school friends last night in a hospital (one of them had an aunt confined there) and decided to have dinner after at shakey's tomas morato. funny how such dismal occasions could really round us all up -- only 2 weren't there, 1 is out of the country while the other is out of circulation (hehehe).
"have you thought about next year when we all would be going in different paths?", one of them thought aloud.
"haven't given it much thought...i've been walking a different path for 4 years now," i replied, referring to my having a job. all of them are still students.
"no, really, i mean we will really be pursuing different careers and going to different places," she reiterated.
hmm.
i don't know if i'm the only one who feels this way, but i think for me it wouldn't make much of a difference. i haven't really maintained close ties until late last year when we started IM-ing each other on YM, burned sun cell's lines with its "unlimited" facility (which is misleading, given the fact that we have only 15 minutes for every call), and reading each other's blogs. landline telebabad as a favorite form of communication has become less and less frequent with our working hours, study habits and evening rehearsals (besides, we have the boys to telebabad with too -- one caller is enough!).
talking to them yesterday was comforting...it felt much like senior high when we had pizza at shakey's katipunan on my birthday -- laughing at the same jokes, picking on the same slow friend, and sharing pretty much the same dreams, while waiting for our food that took like, well, forever to get to our table (same bad service, by the way). and to think i was getting worried about not being able to talk to each of them the way we used to -- what with past issues and present concerns that caught me in such uncomfortable situations...guess it goes to show that after more than 10 years of being together, nothing can break us apart.
"have you thought about next year when we all would be going in different paths?", one of them thought aloud.
"haven't given it much thought...i've been walking a different path for 4 years now," i replied, referring to my having a job. all of them are still students.
"no, really, i mean we will really be pursuing different careers and going to different places," she reiterated.
hmm.
i don't know if i'm the only one who feels this way, but i think for me it wouldn't make much of a difference. i haven't really maintained close ties until late last year when we started IM-ing each other on YM, burned sun cell's lines with its "unlimited" facility (which is misleading, given the fact that we have only 15 minutes for every call), and reading each other's blogs. landline telebabad as a favorite form of communication has become less and less frequent with our working hours, study habits and evening rehearsals (besides, we have the boys to telebabad with too -- one caller is enough!).
talking to them yesterday was comforting...it felt much like senior high when we had pizza at shakey's katipunan on my birthday -- laughing at the same jokes, picking on the same slow friend, and sharing pretty much the same dreams, while waiting for our food that took like, well, forever to get to our table (same bad service, by the way). and to think i was getting worried about not being able to talk to each of them the way we used to -- what with past issues and present concerns that caught me in such uncomfortable situations...guess it goes to show that after more than 10 years of being together, nothing can break us apart.
now and then, do you wash your hands of me again...
"i guess there are friendships you just have to let go of in order to grow," i told a friend tonight.
* * *
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
if you like piña coladas
i want to go to a beach.
but not to bora, which i have never been to, if only for the reason that i don't want to be where people i see on tv and in metro manila's malls are; developing their tan lines to show off like a soldier's battlescars and gossiping about who the losers at station 2 were.
not to batangas either, where i went a year ago and got hyperpigmented rashes from the fishy waters i had to tread to get to the other side of the island (the marks are still on my legs which prompted me to shun wearing anything above the ankles since then).
and most definitely not when i'm concave broke (meaning, i have gone below flat broke), which i am now.
i even bought myself a two-piece suit just in case someone decides to invite me for a day or two of sea-sun-sand (sail?), never mind if i still haven't lost the 15 pounds i planned to lose since november. i test-drove the suit while jacuzzi-ing in canyon woods and i think i managed well...albeit having a biased companion (P) who couldn't really say anything bad about it or me.
i want to feel isolated from the city crowd and lose myself in a pinch of paradise. i want to taste the bounties of the sea (and not overspend on a kilo of bilasang tilapia) and rest in a non-airconditioned hut while the sound of the waves lulls me to sleep. i want to trace my toes on the sand and see a hermit crab crawl out of a little sand hole. how i'd love to see the nightsky sans the light pollution and write verses on a little notepad or sing to the cool salty breeze while a bonfire is set ablaze by the shore.
haay. ang hirap naman ng walang outing. yayain nyo naman ako.
ps
jen, la luz is booked on all weekends til may05. any other options? =)
but not to bora, which i have never been to, if only for the reason that i don't want to be where people i see on tv and in metro manila's malls are; developing their tan lines to show off like a soldier's battlescars and gossiping about who the losers at station 2 were.
not to batangas either, where i went a year ago and got hyperpigmented rashes from the fishy waters i had to tread to get to the other side of the island (the marks are still on my legs which prompted me to shun wearing anything above the ankles since then).
and most definitely not when i'm concave broke (meaning, i have gone below flat broke), which i am now.
i even bought myself a two-piece suit just in case someone decides to invite me for a day or two of sea-sun-sand (sail?), never mind if i still haven't lost the 15 pounds i planned to lose since november. i test-drove the suit while jacuzzi-ing in canyon woods and i think i managed well...albeit having a biased companion (P) who couldn't really say anything bad about it or me.
i want to feel isolated from the city crowd and lose myself in a pinch of paradise. i want to taste the bounties of the sea (and not overspend on a kilo of bilasang tilapia) and rest in a non-airconditioned hut while the sound of the waves lulls me to sleep. i want to trace my toes on the sand and see a hermit crab crawl out of a little sand hole. how i'd love to see the nightsky sans the light pollution and write verses on a little notepad or sing to the cool salty breeze while a bonfire is set ablaze by the shore.
haay. ang hirap naman ng walang outing. yayain nyo naman ako.
ps
jen, la luz is booked on all weekends til may05. any other options? =)
Monday, April 04, 2005
still on grief...
I told myself I won't be writing about the Pope's death but it's been death all week last week so I might as well get on the wagon.
I looked at a photo posted on Yahoo featuring the Pope's remains for public viewing at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace and I was relieved to see a recognizable figure resting peacefully on a dais. Even in death, John Paul II exudes a regal, almost divine aura that made even his would-be asssasin (or should it be "would-have-been"?) mourn for him in his prison cell. The embalmer gave justice to the man who was the personification of indefatigable Catholic faith. I don't know if there will ever be anyone like this Pope who made me walk effortlessly from Quiapo all the way to the Luneta Grandstand just to hear him say mass and catch a pea-sized glimpse of him ten years ago.
An article I liked reading the most described him as someone who remained conservative even in the most trying conditions that would persuade one to forego traditional morals.
Medyo amusing nga lang makapanood o makabasa ng mga alaala ng mga tao tungkol sa kanya kasi parang napaka-trivial nung encounters pero makahulugan pa rin sa kanila yun.. and it did not seem like bragging at all (like, "nahawakan ko yung kamay niya dati kaya feeling ko close na kami"); palagay ko talaga lang kasi na malaki yung impact niya sa tao na makita mo lang siya dati, pakiramdam mo nakita mo na si God.
Ay, ewan. I don't really feel that sad about the Pope not surviving his illness; what is sad is the apparent reality that there will be none like him.
I looked at a photo posted on Yahoo featuring the Pope's remains for public viewing at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace and I was relieved to see a recognizable figure resting peacefully on a dais. Even in death, John Paul II exudes a regal, almost divine aura that made even his would-be asssasin (or should it be "would-have-been"?) mourn for him in his prison cell. The embalmer gave justice to the man who was the personification of indefatigable Catholic faith. I don't know if there will ever be anyone like this Pope who made me walk effortlessly from Quiapo all the way to the Luneta Grandstand just to hear him say mass and catch a pea-sized glimpse of him ten years ago.
An article I liked reading the most described him as someone who remained conservative even in the most trying conditions that would persuade one to forego traditional morals.
Medyo amusing nga lang makapanood o makabasa ng mga alaala ng mga tao tungkol sa kanya kasi parang napaka-trivial nung encounters pero makahulugan pa rin sa kanila yun.. and it did not seem like bragging at all (like, "nahawakan ko yung kamay niya dati kaya feeling ko close na kami"); palagay ko talaga lang kasi na malaki yung impact niya sa tao na makita mo lang siya dati, pakiramdam mo nakita mo na si God.
Ay, ewan. I don't really feel that sad about the Pope not surviving his illness; what is sad is the apparent reality that there will be none like him.
are not our hearts burning within us?
how do you grieve for someone you hardly know?
I attended the funeral of a close friend's grandmother yesterday. I knew no one from the family but my friend, yet I had no second thoughts about going. Maybe it was because I haven't seen him for quite a while and I wanted to be with him even for such a sad occasion. It was obvious that we wouldn't have time to talk, but kebs. So I went to the funeral mass at Arlington and to the burial at Loyola.
It was apparent that his grandmother was close to her children and grandchildren, with the long farewell before they closed the coffin. The kids each had a white balloon that they released into the air once the coffin was laid to the ground. It was a nice gesture (though the afterthought of where the deflated balloons might end up is alarming for the environment!), and I must say that albeit the usual melodrama of tears and regret, the family mourned gracefully for the passing of a loved one.
The only awkward situation was me being there.
I had no tears for the deceased; I never got to meet her while she was still alive -- in fact, she was never mentioned in any of the few meaningful conversations I've had with my friend. Even he did not seem too gloomy when I saw him yesterday; perhaps, it was the busy job of attending to everyone and leading the prayer that kept him from breaking down and making it appropriate for me to comfort him. I felt a bit uneasy when I hugged him primarily because he had this straight face that looked like it didn't need any tenderness -- or, at least, he didn't need it from someone like me who didn't know his Lola the way he or his cousins did.
Nevertheless, I think we both understood and appreciated seeing each other again despite the circumstances. I told him I wanted to see him again on another day where, he said, he wouldn't be distraught. I kidded him and asked when that could ever be, knowing how we often met for sad stories and rarely for fun...he replied, "Tomorrow -- chiz!"
And with that, I went home knowing tomorrow will be good.
I attended the funeral of a close friend's grandmother yesterday. I knew no one from the family but my friend, yet I had no second thoughts about going. Maybe it was because I haven't seen him for quite a while and I wanted to be with him even for such a sad occasion. It was obvious that we wouldn't have time to talk, but kebs. So I went to the funeral mass at Arlington and to the burial at Loyola.
It was apparent that his grandmother was close to her children and grandchildren, with the long farewell before they closed the coffin. The kids each had a white balloon that they released into the air once the coffin was laid to the ground. It was a nice gesture (though the afterthought of where the deflated balloons might end up is alarming for the environment!), and I must say that albeit the usual melodrama of tears and regret, the family mourned gracefully for the passing of a loved one.
The only awkward situation was me being there.
I had no tears for the deceased; I never got to meet her while she was still alive -- in fact, she was never mentioned in any of the few meaningful conversations I've had with my friend. Even he did not seem too gloomy when I saw him yesterday; perhaps, it was the busy job of attending to everyone and leading the prayer that kept him from breaking down and making it appropriate for me to comfort him. I felt a bit uneasy when I hugged him primarily because he had this straight face that looked like it didn't need any tenderness -- or, at least, he didn't need it from someone like me who didn't know his Lola the way he or his cousins did.
Nevertheless, I think we both understood and appreciated seeing each other again despite the circumstances. I told him I wanted to see him again on another day where, he said, he wouldn't be distraught. I kidded him and asked when that could ever be, knowing how we often met for sad stories and rarely for fun...he replied, "Tomorrow -- chiz!"
And with that, I went home knowing tomorrow will be good.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Sabay Sa Ihip ng Hangin - click to view lyrics
Being active in a choir for liturgical activities for the past 10 years or so, I've found myself imposing my own religious traditions for the two busiest Catholic observances -- Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. I've struggled to complete the Advent novena from Dec 16-24 (Simbang Gabi) almost every year not only because I'd be a singer or instrumentalist for the liturgy but also because I'd be caught up in the whirlwind of excitement of my choirmates who braved the cold December mornings (4:00 AM!!!) and walked or carpooled like schoolchildren from their homes to church -- and back, armed with bibingka and puto bumbong to share with the lazy family members who decided to forego the mass and sleep a bit more.
Holy Week would be the counterpart of Advent's 9-mass ritual during Lent for me. I recall a few years back when we had choir practices from Holy Monday-Wednesday for the Triduum masses headed by the seminarians at our parish's in-house formation center, then participate in various activities in remembrance of Christ's passion and death. These would include Stations of the Cross along the village roads, our family's Pabasa/Pasyon, Visita Iglesia, and looong masses and processsions from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday. All throughout this week, I would avoid using the phone for anything other than coordinating choir schedules, and would deliberately disconnect my cable TV. At the end of the Easter Vigil mass, we'd go to the seminary's backyard and hide plastic eggs in preparation for the kiddie Easter egghunt, then go back home to rest for a few hours before marching again to the village streets and witness the Salubong before Easter dawn, have breakfast, and finally give food and goodies to the children who eagerly and patiently searched the entire seminary field of prize-laden eggs. It seems like I practically wouldn't have slept from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, but it wasn't much of a bother. It was my tradition, my own ritual.
This year's Holy Week, I didn't join any parish activity because I chose to participate in Hangad's own Triduum duties (masses, Stations of the Cross) in Ateneo. I didn't go to the Salubong for the first time in 10 years. And there wasn't any kiddie Easter egghunt because the church apparently had construction ongoing at the seminary's back field (uh-huh, right. at least that's what they said). And because my 24/7 load would be expiring by Black Saturday, I chose to forego my telebabad sacrifice altogether, as well as allowing myself to watch non-Lenten shows on cable TV.
Come to think of it, I wasn't that active either for the Advent/Christmas parish events last 2004.
I realised I had been following and complying with these rituals and failed to remember the reason why I started them in the first place. It came so automatically for me to be there all the time that I wasn't there for the right reasons anymore. It then dawned on me that I no longer found such activities helpful for my own spiritual reflection. And I discovered I was able to ponder on my faith even amidst the nonchalance of daily life.
Yet somehow, there remains a part of me that wishes to find meaning again in those practices I chose to let go of. Maybe I will find it again, not in a whirlwind of excitement as it was in years past, but in the soft whisper of a breeze inviting me to come home.
Holy Week would be the counterpart of Advent's 9-mass ritual during Lent for me. I recall a few years back when we had choir practices from Holy Monday-Wednesday for the Triduum masses headed by the seminarians at our parish's in-house formation center, then participate in various activities in remembrance of Christ's passion and death. These would include Stations of the Cross along the village roads, our family's Pabasa/Pasyon, Visita Iglesia, and looong masses and processsions from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday. All throughout this week, I would avoid using the phone for anything other than coordinating choir schedules, and would deliberately disconnect my cable TV. At the end of the Easter Vigil mass, we'd go to the seminary's backyard and hide plastic eggs in preparation for the kiddie Easter egghunt, then go back home to rest for a few hours before marching again to the village streets and witness the Salubong before Easter dawn, have breakfast, and finally give food and goodies to the children who eagerly and patiently searched the entire seminary field of prize-laden eggs. It seems like I practically wouldn't have slept from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, but it wasn't much of a bother. It was my tradition, my own ritual.
This year's Holy Week, I didn't join any parish activity because I chose to participate in Hangad's own Triduum duties (masses, Stations of the Cross) in Ateneo. I didn't go to the Salubong for the first time in 10 years. And there wasn't any kiddie Easter egghunt because the church apparently had construction ongoing at the seminary's back field (uh-huh, right. at least that's what they said). And because my 24/7 load would be expiring by Black Saturday, I chose to forego my telebabad sacrifice altogether, as well as allowing myself to watch non-Lenten shows on cable TV.
Come to think of it, I wasn't that active either for the Advent/Christmas parish events last 2004.
I realised I had been following and complying with these rituals and failed to remember the reason why I started them in the first place. It came so automatically for me to be there all the time that I wasn't there for the right reasons anymore. It then dawned on me that I no longer found such activities helpful for my own spiritual reflection. And I discovered I was able to ponder on my faith even amidst the nonchalance of daily life.
Yet somehow, there remains a part of me that wishes to find meaning again in those practices I chose to let go of. Maybe I will find it again, not in a whirlwind of excitement as it was in years past, but in the soft whisper of a breeze inviting me to come home.
Monday, March 28, 2005
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our Jimmy Boy (seen here playfully posing for the camera at home) passed away just this morning. everyone (even Dad and Mom) mourn the loss of such a lively soul whose cheery face and bubbly disposition brightened the darkest of evenings and the bleakest mornings. he is survived by his mom, Lucky; his twin brother, Paquito; his uncles, Java and Ampon; and a father he never met. hope you can spare a moment to pray and thank the Lord for blessing our lives with such a wonderful pet even for just a while.
Friday, March 25, 2005
sometimes i wonder where i've been...
Why didn't I find out about this blog thing at the same time my other friends did? I feel kinda lonely writing to myself knowing that there are only about 3 people who know this exists: Person #1 who reads every now and then (but actually knows the story pre-published and unabridged); Person #2 who got the link from Person #1 and probably didn't visit more than twice; and Person #3 who just knows it exists but doesn't bother visiting.
I've been looking at other people's blogs -- some of them by acquaintances; some by complete strangers. All of a sudden it feels like late 2003 when I registered to Friendster and had about 12 friends under my account while others' were close to 200. Like a blast of urban NLEX breeze I felt dizzy and wanted to sleep the loneliness away.
I've been looking at other people's blogs -- some of them by acquaintances; some by complete strangers. All of a sudden it feels like late 2003 when I registered to Friendster and had about 12 friends under my account while others' were close to 200. Like a blast of urban NLEX breeze I felt dizzy and wanted to sleep the loneliness away.
I just may have lost my old friends.
I think I distanced myself too far for me to grow up with the buddies I had in high school (even college), and now that I get to read about their lives I begin to wonder if I could spend more than 10 minutes with any one of them without feeling a bit queasy. I know nothing about chamber music or bestselling novels, my poetry sucks, I've never joined a charity/volunteer group, can't relate to the toxicity of med school, got no juicy illicit love affairs (don't get me wrong, I'm totally satisfied with my lovelife), and I think I've stayed pretty much the same after a decade while all my friends have made spectacular progress in their lives.
Of course there are a few whom I have managed to keep in touch with and still get to talk to; pero syempre andun yung kalungkutan na dulot ng pagkakatuklas na mayroong mga taong maaaring nakalimot na sa akin o sa pinagsamahan namin, tulad ng mga kaibigang nangibang-bansa na, ang mga kapitbahay na nagsisipag-asawa na, o ang pangkat na nakakabangon na kahit wala ako.
Buti na lang naisipan kong magbasa ng email kanina at nataong may pinadala sa yahoogroups ang isang dating kaklase -- isang panalangin, na humihiling sa Panginoon ng katatagan ng loob sa gitna ng pag-iisa, pagkabigo o pagtalikod ng iba. Naroon din ang pagsusumamo na matutunang gustuhing unahin ang kapakanan ng iba bago ang sa sarili.
Naalala ko na naman nung minsan kaming nag-usap ni Daddy. Sabi niya, hindi na siya mapaghinanakit ngayon sapagkat malaki na ang kanyang puso. Sa kanyang katandaan naunawaan na niyang kahina-hinayang ang nalalabing araw niya rito sa mundo kung hahayaan niyang maghari ang sama ng loob sa kanya; kung kaya't minabuti na niyang magmahal at magbigay nang hindi na naghahanap ng pansin.
Siguro nga'y musmos pa ako sapagkat mahalaga pa rin sa akin ang makatanggap ng panukli sa ibinibigay kong pagtingin sa iba; at ako'y madaling nagdaramdam kapag nalalaman kong hindi ko na makilala ang kinagisnang buhay ng aking mga kababata.
Sana hindi na lang ako matampuhin. My loneliness is killing me...(insert Britney clip here)
Of course there are a few whom I have managed to keep in touch with and still get to talk to; pero syempre andun yung kalungkutan na dulot ng pagkakatuklas na mayroong mga taong maaaring nakalimot na sa akin o sa pinagsamahan namin, tulad ng mga kaibigang nangibang-bansa na, ang mga kapitbahay na nagsisipag-asawa na, o ang pangkat na nakakabangon na kahit wala ako.
Buti na lang naisipan kong magbasa ng email kanina at nataong may pinadala sa yahoogroups ang isang dating kaklase -- isang panalangin, na humihiling sa Panginoon ng katatagan ng loob sa gitna ng pag-iisa, pagkabigo o pagtalikod ng iba. Naroon din ang pagsusumamo na matutunang gustuhing unahin ang kapakanan ng iba bago ang sa sarili.
Naalala ko na naman nung minsan kaming nag-usap ni Daddy. Sabi niya, hindi na siya mapaghinanakit ngayon sapagkat malaki na ang kanyang puso. Sa kanyang katandaan naunawaan na niyang kahina-hinayang ang nalalabing araw niya rito sa mundo kung hahayaan niyang maghari ang sama ng loob sa kanya; kung kaya't minabuti na niyang magmahal at magbigay nang hindi na naghahanap ng pansin.
Siguro nga'y musmos pa ako sapagkat mahalaga pa rin sa akin ang makatanggap ng panukli sa ibinibigay kong pagtingin sa iba; at ako'y madaling nagdaramdam kapag nalalaman kong hindi ko na makilala ang kinagisnang buhay ng aking mga kababata.
Sana hindi na lang ako matampuhin. My loneliness is killing me...(insert Britney clip here)
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Saturday, February 26, 2005
jars of play-doh
kainis. gusto ko pa namang manood ng jars of clay but no, i think i shouldn't spend my negative savings on it (my salary has been devoured by my car's amortization before i even get it from the atm). besides, the one person i want to watch it with just texted me today and told me she's been delinquent with rehearsals for an upcoming concert (not Hangad's -- though if you're interested WATCH HANGAD'S ALBUM LAUNCH 7PM FEB27 at GESU hehehe plugging na naman), so she begged off na rin. P's not too interested I think because he said no already prior to checking his schedule...haaaay nako!
di bale na nga. i don't know all their songs by heart anyway so i just might look like a ditz trying to follow the lyrics if ever that they'd ask the audience to sing...*sigh*
and i guess i've outgrown alternative christian music for quite some time now -- perhaps due to the fact that i've outgrown my own church band. bumabalik na ata ako sa crossover jazz roots ko ah...other than that, it's francis brew's playlist that's keeping me preoccupied. hmm...may blog kaya siya? sometimes i think about going to another gig and approach him again and this time have the guts to EXCHANGE NUMBERS. ibang klase kasi talagang lahat ng patugtugin niya gusto ko, tapos nakakatawa pa siya!!! magsama sila nina jessica zafra at sting sa fantasy barkada ko...
teka nga i'd better sleep. got a LOOOONG day ahead of me. tech rehearsal na before concert!!!!!
di bale na nga. i don't know all their songs by heart anyway so i just might look like a ditz trying to follow the lyrics if ever that they'd ask the audience to sing...*sigh*
and i guess i've outgrown alternative christian music for quite some time now -- perhaps due to the fact that i've outgrown my own church band. bumabalik na ata ako sa crossover jazz roots ko ah...other than that, it's francis brew's playlist that's keeping me preoccupied. hmm...may blog kaya siya? sometimes i think about going to another gig and approach him again and this time have the guts to EXCHANGE NUMBERS. ibang klase kasi talagang lahat ng patugtugin niya gusto ko, tapos nakakatawa pa siya!!! magsama sila nina jessica zafra at sting sa fantasy barkada ko...
teka nga i'd better sleep. got a LOOOONG day ahead of me. tech rehearsal na before concert!!!!!
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Daddy
this is actually a spiel for an upcoming concert (insert shameless plug here). better have it published as my sister and I will be doing a shorter version live.
Si Daddy, pag nagsalita ‘yan, akala mo laging galit sa mundo kasi ang lakas ng boses. His harsh words, to the unaccustomed ear, may seem hurtful but we, his family, have come to accept them as mere expressions of fleeting bursts of emotion that don’t mean harm. Every morning he calls my name, or Joy’s, three times in different tones (insert sample here) that sometimes elicit an irritated “Po?!?!? Bakit po?!?!” or even an impolite “Ano?!?!?” from the daughter who has been roused from deep sleep. Our household help get a daily scolding from him with every mistake or forgotten task that makes one shudder at the thought of ever committing the same mistake again. Like a corps commander, he makes a roll call every mealtime and will not stop until you abandon whatever it is you may be doing so we could all eat together. At sa gabi, bago matulog, ang ka-OC-han sa bahay, talagang walang magnanakaw na pwedeng pumasok sa dami ng beses niyang i-che-check kung naikandado na lahat ng pintuan at sufficient na ang ilaw. You may as well say that every member (pati inanimate object) of the house is up and about primarily because of Daddy, which is a good thing because we get to see that everything and everyone are in order, are accounted for and meet his standards. Kaso minsan talaga may pagkakataon na gusto na lang naming tahimik sa bahay for once.
A few years back, Ate Celia invited Daddy to spend Christmas with her and her family in Boston. With a little reluctance on our part, he left in December of that year for the US to take a 3-week vacation with them. And while he stayed there, our house suddenly became quiet since we all went about our tasks without anyone giving orders. Then Christmas Eve came, and it was Noche Buena time. My mom, brother, Joy and I were gathered at the table and ate quietly with nothing but a few funny one-liners or the clanging of silverware against the china here and there to break the silence. It was then that Joy suddenly remarked, “Sana nandito si Daddy. Masyadong tahimik dito, ang lungkot tuloy,” which brought tears to our eyes. Yes, we missed the racket our Dad made when he complains about the cold soup, when he would holler for an extra plate, when he proudly exclaims how good the ham is. Somehow, the deafening silence that befell us that night brought not peace but loneliness.
Dad came home a bit after New Year’s and things at home went back to their normal, albeit mildly chaotic state. To this day, he still wakes the entire household to its feet and we must admit that it still gets to our nerves sometimes, but Joy and I have come to embrace it because we wouldn’t have it any other way. We want all that noise if it means breathing zeal into our home and giving us a feeling that someone is making sure we are all alright – and is shouting it to the world! Our hearts go out to this very outspoken father of ours who tells everything as it is, and we know that his kakulitan is a testimony to his unconditional love for all of us – a love that fiercely proclaims its might and its truth.
******
Si Daddy, pag nagsalita ‘yan, akala mo laging galit sa mundo kasi ang lakas ng boses. His harsh words, to the unaccustomed ear, may seem hurtful but we, his family, have come to accept them as mere expressions of fleeting bursts of emotion that don’t mean harm. Every morning he calls my name, or Joy’s, three times in different tones (insert sample here) that sometimes elicit an irritated “Po?!?!? Bakit po?!?!” or even an impolite “Ano?!?!?” from the daughter who has been roused from deep sleep. Our household help get a daily scolding from him with every mistake or forgotten task that makes one shudder at the thought of ever committing the same mistake again. Like a corps commander, he makes a roll call every mealtime and will not stop until you abandon whatever it is you may be doing so we could all eat together. At sa gabi, bago matulog, ang ka-OC-han sa bahay, talagang walang magnanakaw na pwedeng pumasok sa dami ng beses niyang i-che-check kung naikandado na lahat ng pintuan at sufficient na ang ilaw. You may as well say that every member (pati inanimate object) of the house is up and about primarily because of Daddy, which is a good thing because we get to see that everything and everyone are in order, are accounted for and meet his standards. Kaso minsan talaga may pagkakataon na gusto na lang naming tahimik sa bahay for once.
A few years back, Ate Celia invited Daddy to spend Christmas with her and her family in Boston. With a little reluctance on our part, he left in December of that year for the US to take a 3-week vacation with them. And while he stayed there, our house suddenly became quiet since we all went about our tasks without anyone giving orders. Then Christmas Eve came, and it was Noche Buena time. My mom, brother, Joy and I were gathered at the table and ate quietly with nothing but a few funny one-liners or the clanging of silverware against the china here and there to break the silence. It was then that Joy suddenly remarked, “Sana nandito si Daddy. Masyadong tahimik dito, ang lungkot tuloy,” which brought tears to our eyes. Yes, we missed the racket our Dad made when he complains about the cold soup, when he would holler for an extra plate, when he proudly exclaims how good the ham is. Somehow, the deafening silence that befell us that night brought not peace but loneliness.
Dad came home a bit after New Year’s and things at home went back to their normal, albeit mildly chaotic state. To this day, he still wakes the entire household to its feet and we must admit that it still gets to our nerves sometimes, but Joy and I have come to embrace it because we wouldn’t have it any other way. We want all that noise if it means breathing zeal into our home and giving us a feeling that someone is making sure we are all alright – and is shouting it to the world! Our hearts go out to this very outspoken father of ours who tells everything as it is, and we know that his kakulitan is a testimony to his unconditional love for all of us – a love that fiercely proclaims its might and its truth.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
stay awake
I was having a case of insomnia last week and decided to dig up my old palancas from my DWTL. Not a few letters kept me amused that evening. I was particularly engrossed in reading those from my sister, my best friend and an old flame.
My sister's palanca was such a delight to read as it was just a bunch of nonsensical nostalgia exclusive to us two! It was a feat to keep my laughter muffled throughout the night and not rouse her in our room with her kajologan that only she could pull with confident humor...at the same time it was comforting to realise that she and I are friends close enough to be sisters, and sisters indeed that are close enough to be called friends.
My best friend's letter startled me a bit as I almost imagined her suddenly appearing in front of me and rattling off in her usual pessimistic voice about how difficult life is but how great it is to live nonetheless (and I thought she started complaining as a habit only in our post-college years...). But it was a revelation of sorts when she implored me to not leave her, which she wrote every so often in that letter. I feel that was when our drifting apart started kicking in; we started going out with other friends in our last year of high school, but were too busy to mind how alienated we have been to each other. I could almost feel her arm hooking to mine as she used to in school corridors, begging me to stay with her until her mom picked her up (knowing very well my driver was already waiting in the parking lot). She wrote about finishing my iced tea during recess time; I remembered how it was and how my barkada used to drink from my water jug and leave nothing for me (which probably reinforced my habit of not drinking enough fluids!). She also disclosed how tiring it was to keep laughing and making people laugh because that's how people knew your personality to be and you couldn't exactly afford to be quiet and not be left alone; and how I was one of the few she could be her true, imperfect, unhappy self. Over the years she has mastered the art of keeping her emotions to herself and/or translating these frustrations into petty vices and managed to go through each time without having to divulge anything to me; we barely call each other up (in stark contrast to our telebabad phase which infamously disturbed every exam week); and perhaps, we have outgrown the need to stick to a single best friend. We both have other people who probably know more of ourselves right now, but what remains is the memory of knowing who we used to be and the longing to look back on those times with someone who understands how we were then. I decided to email her after this and we've started sending letters (albeit the electronic way) again.
My ex (who was my boyfriend at the time) wrote the sweetest letter for me. He was vacationing in another country then and sent an email to me that served as his palanca. It had none of the bitterness that we both felt a few months into our relationship's demise; it was at its peak, we were in love, we were contented, we believed so much in what we had and that was what kept us going. To this day I still can't point to an exact cause of our breakup; it just crumbled apart till I woke up and found it not there anymore. Nevertheless, I have nothing ill to speak of him and we are on good terms, albeit on a lower level of closeness. This is probably the only letter I have left that came from him; all the others were burned in an act of closure and commitment to move on. I haven't heard from him lately and neither has he replied to invitations from our mutual friends to meet again and catch up on each other. All I hear from friends who see him once in a while is that he has gained a few pounds and appears to be happy. I sincerely hope he is. Happy, I mean. :)
Friday, January 14, 2005
forgetful jones
I have resolved to help myself and admit that I tend to forget vital points in my work and will set up a reminder log. Dati kasi parang iniisip ko kaya ko naman kahit walang mga little notes pero talagang ang daming mga na-overlook at hindi ko na kaya yung stress when I fail to complete a task. Hopefully it'll really get the momentum of my workflow glitch-free.
Don't you just hate it sometimes when you start things right then just because you missed a step everything seems to fall apart and you don't want to do them anymore? I think this is my biggest problem -- and the biggest reason why I don't finish tasks earlier than I should.
Honestly, I have moments when I doubt my psychological balance, especially when I'm faced with tweaks in the system of doing things. Sa simula talagang I do the task with zeal, then when something just doesn't work out right (i.e., the client i'm calling isn't at home and can't be contacted, or the forms miss one signature), parang nagkaka-A.D.D. ako (note walang H, I'm still quite slow in my movements pero not in the same task) tapos talagang ayoko nang balikan yung una kong ginagawa...tuloy, naiiwan lang siyang incomplete hanggang sa makalimutan ko na siya. Then time passes by so quickly that I don't feel it's been a while and the task becomes a threat to my work performance at crucial na dapat siyang matapos at mas sumakit na yung ulo ko kaysa kung talagang tinapos ko na lang siya the moment I left it idle.
I didn't use to forget things like names, birthdays or duties as often or as easily as I do now, and I'm certainly not at an age where this deficiency is common. I'm not taking illegal drugs either or significantly infusing my blood with damaging chemicals. Is it the stress? I'm not even too stressed lately. If this is my brain's idea of taking a vacation leave I hope it'll use up its credits soon and get back to work like it used to!
Don't you just hate it sometimes when you start things right then just because you missed a step everything seems to fall apart and you don't want to do them anymore? I think this is my biggest problem -- and the biggest reason why I don't finish tasks earlier than I should.
Honestly, I have moments when I doubt my psychological balance, especially when I'm faced with tweaks in the system of doing things. Sa simula talagang I do the task with zeal, then when something just doesn't work out right (i.e., the client i'm calling isn't at home and can't be contacted, or the forms miss one signature), parang nagkaka-A.D.D. ako (note walang H, I'm still quite slow in my movements pero not in the same task) tapos talagang ayoko nang balikan yung una kong ginagawa...tuloy, naiiwan lang siyang incomplete hanggang sa makalimutan ko na siya. Then time passes by so quickly that I don't feel it's been a while and the task becomes a threat to my work performance at crucial na dapat siyang matapos at mas sumakit na yung ulo ko kaysa kung talagang tinapos ko na lang siya the moment I left it idle.
I didn't use to forget things like names, birthdays or duties as often or as easily as I do now, and I'm certainly not at an age where this deficiency is common. I'm not taking illegal drugs either or significantly infusing my blood with damaging chemicals. Is it the stress? I'm not even too stressed lately. If this is my brain's idea of taking a vacation leave I hope it'll use up its credits soon and get back to work like it used to!
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
lyrics
When was the last time I took time out to repeat a song over and over again so I could take down the lyrics? I believe I had about 2 cds then and tons of cassette tapes that I paused, rewound and played till I got the words of a current favorite. Then lyrics.com was born -- and was subsequently closed. Soon other lyric-lending websites sprouted from every searchable keyword in the web. And I lost interest in doing it myself and opted to just read, laugh at mistakes sometimes, or print out the legit words I probably wouldn't be able to ear out of my mini-component.
But that was also the end of memorizing songs altogether; I think I could barely get to stanza 2 of any post-90s song without pausing to remember the lyrics...then from lyrics, it became names, then tasks, then reports that never reach my boss.
Ang saya ko. Nakahanap na naman ng ibang sisisihin sa paghina ng memory.
But that was also the end of memorizing songs altogether; I think I could barely get to stanza 2 of any post-90s song without pausing to remember the lyrics...then from lyrics, it became names, then tasks, then reports that never reach my boss.
Ang saya ko. Nakahanap na naman ng ibang sisisihin sa paghina ng memory.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
what a day
Today I had an extremely difficult day at work...it was so bad I had to take a drag ( and then some).
I had this client whose bank account bordered on the minimum balance of the top bracket (and barely made a dent in our portfolio anyway) who called and asked for her chequebook which was ordered yesterday. I told her it wasn't available yet and advised it would probably be here by mid-afternoon. She called again around 1pm and said she was expecting her order to be delivered before lunch; I told her it still wasn't in the batch received around that time. By then she was already pissed and told me whe made a commitment to her contractor and she needed to issue a cheque right away. She grated chalk on the board when she told me that I committed myself to deliver her chequebook today (which I didn't do, by the way) and proceeded to treat me with such insolence by insisting that I comply with her request asap!
Aba naman, the orders are placed in the branch but picked up from the main office in makati. At ang maganda nanggaling na yung messenger namin mula sa makati at hindi nakuha yung order!!! He got back by 4pm and we promised it would be here by 4pm...AND we insisted on having another messenger to send the said chequebook so it could reach us before the bank closes dahil baka naman magalit pa lalo yung client...good luck na lang sa pagdala diba?!? Anyway akala ko naman ok na dahil tinawagan ng officer namin and the client said she'll just get it tomorrow morning. But nooo, I called her again to tell her it would be delayed and she said, "Never mind, you gave me a false hope that I'll get it soon so I told my contractor to come back tomorrow." DO WE REALLY?!?!?
Then I left my charger at home and had it sent from the house to the office dahil dead batt na ako, only to find a few hours later that I couldn't turn on my freaking cellphone dahil apparently nasira yung battery dahil wrong charger model! Ito yung nokia 6150 na binili ko sa tutuban...I canvassed for cost of a new battery around here and found out it would be arnd PHP250-PHP350....ang ganda talaga.
Haay. More to come.
I had this client whose bank account bordered on the minimum balance of the top bracket (and barely made a dent in our portfolio anyway) who called and asked for her chequebook which was ordered yesterday. I told her it wasn't available yet and advised it would probably be here by mid-afternoon. She called again around 1pm and said she was expecting her order to be delivered before lunch; I told her it still wasn't in the batch received around that time. By then she was already pissed and told me whe made a commitment to her contractor and she needed to issue a cheque right away. She grated chalk on the board when she told me that I committed myself to deliver her chequebook today (which I didn't do, by the way) and proceeded to treat me with such insolence by insisting that I comply with her request asap!
Aba naman, the orders are placed in the branch but picked up from the main office in makati. At ang maganda nanggaling na yung messenger namin mula sa makati at hindi nakuha yung order!!! He got back by 4pm and we promised it would be here by 4pm...AND we insisted on having another messenger to send the said chequebook so it could reach us before the bank closes dahil baka naman magalit pa lalo yung client...good luck na lang sa pagdala diba?!? Anyway akala ko naman ok na dahil tinawagan ng officer namin and the client said she'll just get it tomorrow morning. But nooo, I called her again to tell her it would be delayed and she said, "Never mind, you gave me a false hope that I'll get it soon so I told my contractor to come back tomorrow." DO WE REALLY?!?!?
Then I left my charger at home and had it sent from the house to the office dahil dead batt na ako, only to find a few hours later that I couldn't turn on my freaking cellphone dahil apparently nasira yung battery dahil wrong charger model! Ito yung nokia 6150 na binili ko sa tutuban...I canvassed for cost of a new battery around here and found out it would be arnd PHP250-PHP350....ang ganda talaga.
Haay. More to come.
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