Lavender & Coffee Stains

What's Going On...

Today, I am busy but then, I am not.

I am busy because I am pre-occupied and yet I am not subjected to heavy stress which is a little unusual.

Work is a little demanding but I think I can handle it, I guess.

Today, my honey and I are celebrating our 9th month of friendship and togetherness. And yet, we will not be seeing each other because...

This morning, I had my fiscal year performance evaluated. I knew I did not do well this year compared to the past few years I have been working for the company. I would say I felt so depressed and frustrated most of the time. I cried a few tears for being so honest about myself. I cried because I was not used to telling about the sensitive things of my life to anyone, especially if it will pull me down; Worse, even degrade me. But that time, I shed all pretensions and outrightly told the truth. I do not care what they might think. For once, I wanted to let go of the negative emotions wreaking havoc to my physical and emotional being. Anyway, I had freed myself from that.

Tonight, our company will be having a small bowling tournament. Except for my 2 officemates, all of us will be playing at the Coronado Lanes. Afterwards, dinner will be served at the Cafe Via Mare in Greenbelt. I hope I will score better than last year...

Senator Enrile says...

"They want us to delete that portion showing the electric bill. And replace it with what - a water bill?"

Mejo natawa ko dito eh. Eto kasi yung hirit ni Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, a re-electionist senator regarding ABS-CBN's condition for running his campaign ad. Meralco is a sister company of the well-known network. If you are reading the papers, you will know the connection of what I am blabbing about. =)


BOLD Resignation...

This was funny as hell...

Actual letter of resignation from an employee at Zantex Computers, USA to
her boss, who apparently resigned very soon afterwards!

Dear Mr. Baker,

As an employee of an institution of higher education, I have a few very
basic expectations. Chief among these is that my direct superiors have an
intellect that ranges above the common ground squirrel. After your
consistent and annoying harassment of my co-workers and myself during the
commission of our duties, I can only surmise that you are one of the few
true genetic wastes of our time.

Asking me, a network administrator, to explain every little nuance of
everything I do each time you happen to stroll into my office is not only a
waste of time, but also a waste of precious oxygen. I was hired because I
know how to network computer systems, and you were apparently hired to
provide amusement to myself and other employees, who watch you vainly
attempt to understand the concept of "cut and paste" for the hundredth
time.

You will never understand computers. Something as incredibly simple as
binary still gives you too many options. You will also never understand why
people hate you, but I am going to try and explain it to you, even though
I am sure this will be just as effective as telling you what an IP is.

Your shiny new iMac has more personality than you ever will. You walk
around the building all day, shiftlessly looking for fault in others. You
have a sharp dressed useless look about you that may have worked for your
interview, but now that you actually have responsibility,you pawn it off on
overworked staff, hoping their talent will cover for your glaring
ineptitude. In a world of managerial evolution, you are the blue-green
algae that everyone else eats and laughs at. Managers like you are a sad
proof of the Dilbert principle.

Seeing as this situation is unlikely to change without you getting a full
frontal lobotomy reversal, I am forced to tender my resignation, however I
have a few parting thoughts.

1. When someone calls you in reference to employment, it is illegal for you
to give me a bad recommendation. The most you can say to hurt me is "I
prefer not to comment." I will have friends randomly call you over the next
couple of years to keep you honest, because I know you would be unable to
do it on your own.

2. I have all the passwords to every account on the system, and I know
every password you have used for the last five years. If you decide to get
cute, I am going to publish your "favorites list", which I conveniently
saved when you made me "back up" your useless files. I do believe that
terms like "Lolita" are not usually viewed favorably by the administration.


3. When you borrowed the digital camera to "take pictures of your Mothers
birthday", you neglected to mention that you were going to take pictures of
yourself in the mirror nude. Then you forgot to erase them like the
techno-moron you really are. Suffice it to say I have never seen such odd
acts with a sauce bottle, but I assure you that those have been copied and
kept in safe places pending the authoring of a glowing letter of
recommendation. (Try to use a spell check please, I hate having to correct
your mistakes.)

Thank you for your time, and I expect the letter of recommendation on my
desk by 8:00 am tomorrow. One word of this to anybody, and all of your
little twisted repugnant obsessions will be open to the public.

Never f*** with your systems administrator. Why? Because they know what you
do with all that free time!

Wishing you a grand and glorious day,

Cecilia

This is the funniest resignation letter I had ever read...=)

World's Top 10 Corrupt...

GRAFT TOP TEN

Suharto: $15-35bn
(Indonesia, 1967-98)

Ferdinand Marcos: $5-10bn
(Philippines, 1972-86)

Mobutu Sese Seko: $5bn
(Zaire, 1965-97)

Sani Abacha: $2-5bn
(Nigeria, 1993-98)

Slobodan Milosevic: $1bn
(Yugoslavia, 1989-2000)

J-C Duvalier: $300-800m
(Haiti, 1971-86)

Alberto Fujimori: $600m
(Peru, 1990-2000)

Pavlo Lazarenko: $114-200m
(Ukraine, 1996-7)

Arnoldo Aleman: $100m
(Nicaragua, 1997-2002)

Joseph Estrada: $78-80m
(Philippines, 1998-2001)

*All sums are estimates of alleged embezzlement

Source of data came from the Global Corruption Report of anti-graft group, Transparency International . Hay, sikat na naman ang Pilipinas. Nakakahiya.


Living Through Your Wounds

This one is a nice read. I had picked it up from some sites I had surfed last week. Read on...

You have been wounded in many ways. The more you open yourself to being healed, the more you will discover how deep your wounds are. You will be tempted to become discouraged, because under every wound you uncover, you will find others. Your search for true healing will be a suffering search. Many tears still need to be shed. But do not be afraid. The simple fact that you are more aware of your wounds shows that you have sufficient strength to face them. The great challenge is living your wounds through instead of thinking them through. It is better to cry than to worry, better to feel your wounds deeply than to understand them, better to let them enter into your silence than to talk about them. The choice you face constantly is whether you are taking your hurts to your head or to your heart. In your head you can analyze them, find their causes and consequences, and coin words to speak and write about them. But no final healing is likely to come from that source. You need to let your wounds go from that source. You need to let your wounds go down into your heart. Then you can live them through and discover that they will not destroy you. Your heart is greater than your wounds.

Understanding your wounds can only be healing when that understanding is put at the service of your heart. Going to your heart with your wounds is not easy; it demands letting go of many questions. You want to know "Why was I wounded?" "When?" "How?" "By whom?" You will believe that the answers to these questions will bring relief. But at best they only offer you a little distance from your pain. You have to let go of the need to stay in control of your pain and trust in the healing power of your heart. There your hurts can find a safe place to be received, and once they have been received, they lose their power to inflict damage and become fruitful soil for new life.

Think of each wound as you would of a child who has been hurt by a friend. As long as that child is ranting and raving, trying to get back at the friend, one wound leads to another. But when the child can experience the consoling embrace of a parent, she or he can live through the pain, return to the friend, forgive, and build up a new relationship. Be gentle with yourself, and let your heart be your loving parent as you live your wounds through.

Deceived...

Hay naku! Naisahan ako ni Jon. Hah! Kasi ba naman may ipinadala siya na email including this link: http://www.crushcalculator.com/cc.cgi?id=1080067352cht. Sabi pa niya: "i realized that keng and i are 99.9% compatible. try with your partner's name. :)"

Ako naman si timang, ginaya. Nagkataon pala na aware din yung unang nagpadala sa iyo ng email kung sino ang ilalagay mo na name. Shucks talaga oh! Buti na lang, pangalan lang ng honey ko ang nailagay ko. Nakakahiya naman kung malaman na may pagnanasa pala ako kay Andy Garcia & Alec Baldwin.


To Baguio...

My brother, Jeff left for the Summer Capital at exactly 2 in the morning. Actually, he went home late last night and packed his bags. Good thing that he was able to eat the food that we prepared. Kasi kung hindi malulungkot ako. Hehehe. Anyway, inggit ako sa kanya kasi 4 days sila doon. Mga classmates niya daw kasama niya. Classmates daw? Sus. =)

Trooping to the Highest of Them All...

RP forms first expedition team to scale Mt. Everest
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 03/24/2004

A Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) executive will
be leading the first expeditionary attempt by Filipinos to put the
country's flag atop Mt. Everest, the world's highest peak.

DOTC Undersecretary for Land Transportation Arturo Valdez, an avid
mountaineer and sportsman, said that the attempt will be made in 2007 by
a 20-man Filipino team.

The members of the team, composed of three women and 17 men, were
presented yesterday at the Rock Climbing Complex of the Powerplant mall
in Rockwell, Makati City,

"There are three Igorots, one Muslim and a female lumad from Bukidnon in
the team," Valdez said. "The rest are from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
These are top athletes, mostly mountaineers and frequent participants in
local adventure races." He added that three personnel from the Armed
Forces of the Philippines may also join the team in the coming weeks.

Valdez said that the team members will have to train rigorously for two
years. Part of their preparations will be training at the Malayan
Mountaineering School in Manali, India in June and July and climbing the
high mountains of Kyrgyzstan in September.

"In Manali, India, we'll have basic and advanced courses including
crevasse rescue and many other things," Valdez said.

"Then in 2005, we will mostly be in Nepal and Tibet to expose ourselves
to high altitudes and frozen peaks," he added, explaining that Filipino
mountaineers may be physically fit in our tropical climate but may not
make it under extremely cold weather conditions. "We have to
acclimatize," Valdez said.

"In the next two years, we'll be climbing eight major mountains which
will culminate sometime in the last quarter of 2006 in the sixth highest
mountain in the world, Mt. Chooyo in the Himalayan range," Valdez added.

But prior to these foreign expeditions, Valdez said the team will first
climb the unexplored portion of Mt. Guiting-guiting on Sibuyan island in
Romblon.

Valdez, a pioneering adventure mountaineer and marathon runner,
organized the first successful climbs to the highest mountains in the
Philippines. In 1982, Valdez led a team that climbed four mountains -
Mounts Kanlaon, Mayon, Pulag and Apo - in one month. In 1992, he again
led a four-man Filipino expedition team from Bacolod, Negros Occidental,
that climbed the highest mountain in Southeast Asia - the 14,000-feet
Mt. Kinabalu in Malaysia.

Valdez stressed that the first Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition will
try to accomplish many firsts. "Maraming thrusts ito. Isa sa mga thrusts
nito (This has many thrusts. One of these) is to put the first ASEAN
woman at the top of Mt. Everest."

The first nationals from the Association of Southeast Asian nations that
climbed Mt. Everest were a group of Indonesian military men, which
reached its peak on April 27, 1997. Next came a team from Malaysia and
then Singapore.

"As a sportsman, you always aim for the top but it's also a way of
lifting up the Filipino and showing to the world that the Filipino can.
The subliminal message here is that if given the focus and if we put our
act together, we can triumph in the midst of extreme challenges," Valdez
said.

This will be such a great feat for us Filipino! Go, RP, Go! Hehehe! =)

Am I Really Like That?

I received an unexpected call kanina. Unexpected kasi I was not really hoping I would receive one.

The call ended up with me being accused as 'nangti-trip'.

Am I really playing with someone's emotions? Hindi naman eh. I was just being concerned. Darn! I hate feeling like this.

Up to now, naninikip pa rin dibdib ko sa sama ng loob. Too ironic that when you show you care, it was otherwise meant as "fooling around."

Question is: Can I even keep a poker face afterwards...?

Today, Yesterday and The Other Day...

Today - It is my youngest brother's birthday. I am planning to go home early and buy some take-out food so the family can somehow celebrate his special day. I just wish that he will still be home tonight. He is bound to leave for Baguio with his friends. I learned about it a few days back. I even gave him a couple of thousand bucks so he would be able to enjoy himself there; without worrying about money.

Also, I want to greet dear pal, Joel, who I wonder where the hell he is now. He celebrates his birthday the same as my brother, Jeff. Ei, if you are just around the corner, you know where to contact me. You owe me a great deal. Lolz.

Yesterday - Surprise! Surprise! From Canada.

I got a very surprising over-the-coast phone call from close bud, Jon. It was funny because I mistook his voice for another close bud, that of LA. But it was dear Jon, alright. It was nice of you to call though I knew why you called. Was that guilt? Hehehe. Still, *tampo* pa rin ako.

The Other Day - I went shopping galore at Rob Place Manila that afternoon. It was sale! When I arrived there and found out that there were so many people, I got so excited. I do not know why I felt that way. All I knew was that it was only a few times that I really indulged myself in a shopping splurge during mall sales. I bought a couple of blouses and it hit me a "couple" of thousands.

My boyfriend accompanied me that time and it was only him who noticed that most of the items that I bought were not really on sale. Talk about discouraging and frustrating me. For your info, my dear, I was not in the least disappointed with my shopping items.

First Thing That Comes To Mind...

coffee ----------> Starbucks...

yellow ----------> Cory Aquino

Britney ---------> cheapy

J.Lo ----------> sophie

pink ----------> cheeks

Josh Hartnett ----------> matinee

popcorn ----------> movies

summer ----------> vacation

winter ----------> gloominess

spring ----------> life

party ----------> chat & laughter

memories ----------> smile & tears

dog ----------> loyalty

country ----------> Thailand

pillow ----------> sleep

Friendship...



From Peyups...

After trying for more than a year to plan a
weekend together with three dear friends I met
in college, we finally set the date for July 20-
22. For the first 10 years after college, I kept
in good contact with them all and there were
many telephone conversations, visits, and cards
and letters--and I was even asked to be maid of
honor in two of their weddings. In the past five
years or so, however, contact dwindled and
became minimal.

As our big weekend approached, life became quite
hectic for me. I traded a trip scheduled on that
weekend to attend. Doing so had me flying seven
days in a row—-something I never do. However, I
was very happy I could arrange my schedule for
the big meet.

Something really strange happened as that
weekend drew nearer though. As I crossed the
country several times for work (with many stops
in between), began suffering from too little
sleep, and became cranky, I began to question
everything about the weekend. Despite the fact
that I had been so close to these friends in the
past, I hadn’t shared so much of myself (i.e.,
my fears, struggles, hopes, and dreams) with
them lately and vice versa. Suddenly, I began to
have doubts about the reunion. What if I moved
heaven and earth to be there and left feeling
disappointed, I considered.

Without really planning to, I wound up writing
two of them and suggesting that maybe I wasn’t
supposed to be present for the weekend. As for
the other, she instant messaged me while I was
online one night so I wound up suggesting the
same idea to her. The two wrote me back and
addressed my thoughts directly. They said that
the weekend would be about reconnecting and
catching up with ones we hold very dear--even
though it goes unsaid too often. During the IM
session with the other, she was able to convey
to me how much it would mean to her that I
attend.

As I considered everything, I decided that I had
needed to clear the air and that, although I did
so emotionally and messily, that that was okay.
I had missed them and had needed to share my
feelings with them. I had needed to say the
things left unsaid for too long if I was to feel
good about attending. And, as good friends
typically do, they gave me the best responses
possible: said they wanted me to be there, they
would miss me if I didn’t attend, and that they
would all definitely be there.

Having addressed my internal struggles, I went
and had the best time ever. I cannot believe I
ever almost opted out of such a special time
because of past disappointments, lapses in
communication, or philosophical ponderings!

I had the time of my life reconnecting with my
dear friends as we celebrated the past and spoke
of the present and future. It was so perfect—
upbeat, life-affirming and –rejuvenating,
precious, and timeless. We embraced, remembered,
talked, laughed, layed on the beach, danced,
were quite silly, had a special dinner out the
first night at a restraurant called Stars,
bought groceries and prepared our meal together
the second night, listened to each other and
understood where the others were in life, and
accepted each other.

I've already seen some photos from our weekend
together, and I will never forget laughing until
we cried the last morning as we viewed a
videotape we made the night before after the
bartender extraordinaire turned us on to her
top, top-shelf margaritas. Words could never
express all the gifts I received from that
weekend.

…So, as I drove away from Ocean Isle Beach, NC
that Sunday afternoon noticing the cornfields
and other farm crops--things you just don't see
in the city--I was smiling as I was reminded of
important lessons I had already learned about
friendship—and life, such as:

1. Friends are one of life’s greatest gifts. To
have known someone and shared so much is a
priceless gift. To be able to look into his/her
eyes after so long, remember how you always
thought they were such a special and beautiful
shade of brown, blue, or green, and accept that
a piece of your heart will always belong to that
person is knowing how magical life can be.

2. Friends shouldn’t keep score. Keeping score
is a lose-lose proposition. Nobody wins. While
there were times that the people we wanted to be
there for us on our saddest days or happy
moments weren’t, this door swings both ways. We
weren’t there for them either—to offer love and
support or share in their sad days and happy
moments of life.

3. We're all doing the best we can, given where
we are in our development or situations, at any
given moment. This is the only reason one needs
to overlook or forgive almost anything. To be
happy, forgive a friend today for something--
whatever! To be really happy, forgive everyone
for everything, and reach for the stars. …What
would we do if we each wound up with one in our
hands?

4. Lapses of time within a friendship or
lessened communications do not mean the
friendship is over, has served its purpose, or
has died. The lapses allow us to know better the
others in our lives and develop and strengthen
those relationships. In the grand scheme of
life, the lapses are strategic respites or
pauses that allow other good and positive people
and things to flow into our lives, as well as
the lives of our friends.

5. Our deepest friendships never end. They just
go through many transitions during a lifetime as
do we. Loving someone is to love them. It's not
about how much communication there is or what
you receive from the connection. It just is, and
that's all it needs to be. We should connect
with our friends whenever we can, be there
whenever possible. It’s all good. ...It's a win-
win situation for all involved.

6. Oftentimes, we receive our greatest gifts
ever in life just for showing up. Many priceless
treasures await us because we care enough to
find a way to go somewhere or do something that
is difficult or causes uncertainty and doubt.
Once we go or do it, the rest is just stars and
magic.

RAINBOW by South Border

fallin out fallin in
nothings sure in this world no no
breaking down breaking in
never knowing what lies ahead
we can really never tell it all no no

say goodbye say hello
to a lover or friend
sometimes we could never understand
why some things begin with just love
we can never have it all
no no no ohh

but oh, cant you see
that no matter what happens
life goes on and on
and so baby just smile
coz im always around you
and i'll make you see
how beautiful life is for you and me

take a little time baby
see the butterflie's colors
listen to the birds that sent to sing for me and you
can you feel me
this is such a wonderful place to me

even if there is pain now
everything will be alright
for as long as the world still turns
there will be night and day
can you hear me
there's a rainbow always after the rain

hittin high hittin low
win or lose you should go
yeah yeah
getting warm getting cold
weather can be so good or bad
but baby this is life so dont get mad
no no no

coz ohhh
can't you see
that no matter what happens
life goes on and on
and so baby just smile
coz im always around you
and i'll make you see
how beautiful life is for you and me

take a little time baby
see the butterflie's colors
listen to the birds that sent to sing for me and you
can you feel me
this is such a wonderful place to me

even if there is pain now
everything will be alright
for as long as the world still turns
there will be night and day
can you hear me
there's a rainbow always after the rain

life's full of challenges
not all the time we get what we want
but dont despair my dear
you'll take it each trial
and you'll make it through the storm
coz youre strong
my faith in you is clear
so i say once again
this world's beautiful
let us celebrate life that is so beautiful
so beautiful...

take a little time baby
see the butterflie's colors
listen to the birds that sent to sing for me and you
can you feel me
this is such a wonderful place to me

even if there is pain now
everything will be alright
for as long as the world still turns
there will be night and day
can you hear me
there's a rainbow always after the rain

Ngayong Araw Na Ito...

Well, nagawa ko naman iyung dapat kong gawin kagabi. Yun nga lang, hindi ko natapos kasi wala ng naka-store na water dun sa drum namin. Puede ko naman i-run yung motorized water source namin kaya lang gabi na sobra. Baka mabulahaw neighbors namin. Saka bigla ako tinamad kasi nabibitin na ko na matapos yung book na binabasa ko. Exciting na eh.

Kanina umaga, nakapag-jogging ako as planned. Naligo muna ko tapos mga 530am, sumibat na ko. Mga 6am, nasa CCP na ako. Hay. Ang daming tao. Dami nga mga papabols eh. Hehehe. Sana walang magselos dyan. I was just appreciating the beauty around me. Lol.

Basta yun nga jogging ako. Ewan ko kung nakailan laps ako pero inikot ko talaga yun. Walang pattern. Basta kung saan ako dinala ng mga paa ko, doon ako.

Mga 7am, dumadami na mga tao. Hehehe! Nung madaanan ko yung area na may bicycles, naisip ko mag-rent ng isa. Siempre kakaiba na naman ako. Kasi, imbes na bicycle ang kinuha ko, sidecar ang ni-rent ko. Akala nung lalaki may kasama ako. Sabi ko, ako lang. Sabi niya bike na lang daw. Sabi ko wag na siya makulet kasi di ako marunong mag-bike. Ang mokong nagulat. Di siya makapaniwala na hindi ako marunong mag-bike. Saan daw ba ako lumaki? Anak ng tokwa. Paki mo ba.

Kaya lang naman ako nag-rent kasi gusto ko ma-practice yung mga hita at legs ko. Tagal ko na rin kasi hindi nagpupunta sa gym eh. Wala na rin namang stationary bike sa house. Saka naalala ko yung feeling ng hangin na dumadampi sa face ko at ang refreshing feeling (parang Nestea Ice Tea ang dating no) pag nililipad ang hair ko.

Mga 8am, nag-decide na ako na umuwi. Jog ulit ako towards Roxas Boulevard. Siemai. Ang daming bata. Family Day eh. Nakakatuwa silang pagmasdan.

Nag-stay muna ko dun for 30 minutes. Gusto ko lang silang makita. Mga toddlers na natuto maglakad, mga magkakapatid na naglalaro ng tayaan. May mga mag-twithart pa nga ko nakita. Kakatapos lang din nilang mag-jog. Kakilig silang tignan. May dumaang nagtitinda ng balloon. Binili ni guy ng 3 red pink balloons si girl. Sabay kiss sa lips. =)

Tapos may nakita din ako na 2 matandang mag-asawa na nakaupo doon sa may covered na duyan/benches. Nakaharap sila sa may Manila Bay. Pareho ng puti ang mga buhok nila at bakas na sa mga balat nila ang panahong nakalipas. Sa mukha nila ay mababanaag mo ang klase ng buhay na pinagdaanan nila. Sila yung mga tipong naghirap noon pero makikita mo kung paano nila hinarap ang mga paghihirap na ito.

Hawak-kamay silang nag-uusap tapos magtatawanan.

I promise, I saw that loving look on their faces after sharing that hearty laugh. Some kind of a joke only them were aware of.

Anyway, bago ako tumawid towards Pedro Gil, bumili muna ko ng buco juice kasi sobrang uhaw na ako. Malayo-layo pa naman lakarin ko towards Taft Avenue. Bumili rin ako ng taho nang nakasalubong ko yung magtataho.

930am na nang dumating ako ng house. Pagkabihis, hinagis ko na iyong mga pantalon ko sa washing machine. Madami-dami din. Bago magtanghalian, natapos na ko.

Pagbaba ko, nagkataon na nag-ring ang telepono. Ang boyfriend ko pala. Kanina pa raw siya tumatawag. As usual, chikahan to the max gamit ang cellphone niya. Hehehe.

Sana hindi siya bangag kasama ngayon. Pupunta ko ng Robinson's Place para mag-mini-shopping.

Ayaw ko na gamitin ang salitang mini-shopping sa harap ng boyfriend ko kasi iba daw ang mini sa akin. Todo daw iyon. Ubus-ubos.

Tingnan na lang natin mamaya.

Surfing All Day Long...

Hay. Mula nang magising ako ng alas-dose ng tanghali, wala na ko ginawa kundi magbabad sa harap ng computer. Ok, give me credit naman. Ako ang nagluto para sa lunch - sinaing and sinigang. Tsalap nga sinigang eh. As usual, sa malaking mangkok na naman ako kumain minus my chopsticks. Pagkatapos hugas ng pinagkainan namin. Naisip kong mag-mop ng floor tutal walang tao na paikot-ikot sa 2nd floor. Wala mga kapatid kong makukulit at ang parents ko naman eh nasa 3rd floor at nanonood ng tv. Magandang timing. So, nagwalis ako tapos mop na. Ayos, tapos na.

After non hanggang ngayon, computer pa rin kaharap ko. Say mo, nagsaing na lang ako for dinner since may ulam pa.

Hindi ko na naisip gumimik ngayon kasi mas trip ko mamalagi dito sa house. Nakaka-miss din. Tinext ko na lang ang boyfriend ko na hindi na lang ako sasama sa kanya na pumunta sa house nung isang friend namin sa climb. Sabi ko siya na lang. Mejo nalulungkot ako kasi gusto ko makapag-paalam sa father ni Arnel. Nakasama ko kasi iyon sa climb ko sa Mt. Pinatubo at sa totoo lang, cool ang dating niya. Normally kasi mga ka-age ko lang din ang mga nakakasama ko eh. Iba rin kasi iyung may ibang ka-henerasyon kang kasama. May mapupulot kang ibang knowledge at may macha-channel sa iyong wisdom (magkaiba ang knowledge sa wisdom).

Tinext din ako ni Chummy chu-chu kung pupunta ako sa Cavite. Sabi ko hindi na kasi may ginagawa pa ko. Hay. Di ko pa nasisimulan ang laundry ko. Mas trip ko sa gabi gawin yon kasi malamig. Habang nagha-hum ang washing machine, nandun ako sa sala sa 3rd floor at magbabasa ng book. Planado na iyon. Mga 9pm ako start tapos tatapusin ko na din basahin 'yung paborito kong book na sinulat ni Dan Brown. Exciting na iyung story eh. Sigurado ko, tapos iyon ngayong gabi.

Sana matapos agad ako sa laundry para maaga ako magising bukas. Magja-jogging kasi ako sa CCP. Gusto ko kasi kahit isang beses man lang sa isang linggo eh nakakapag-jogging ako. Sabihin na umaakyat ako, iba pa rin para sa akin ang jogging. Miss ko na din kasi makita ang Baywalk na teeming with kids with their parents. Family day nga di ba?

Happy Birthday, LA!

Today, March 20 is the special day of my dear friend, Lemuel Aquino.

Ei, dude! All I want for you is to be happy, healthy and contented with your life. I hope we can be friends forever kahit both of us are busy and sometimes walang communication.

I promise you I will always be here should you need a friend. You know that.

Rottweiler...

Nadagdagan na naman ang collection ko ng stuff toys. Kanino pa ba manggagaling eh di sa boyfriend ko. Actually, most of my collections now came from him. Yung iba na nasa possession ko long before were either given to someone or donated to outreach. Iyong mga iyon eh binili ko. Hindi ko pinamimigay ang binigay sa akin as gift or whatever. Bigay yun eh. Kahit ako sasama ang loob kapag nalaman ko na iyung binigay ko eh pinamigay lang. Ouch yun ha.

Ewan ko ba jan sa boyfriend ko.

Nag-away. Inaway ko nung isang araw. Actually, hindi naman talaga. Ilang araw kasi kami hindi nagkita. Ewan ko ba pero iyon lang napapansin ko. Feeling ko nga, expression ko yon kapag nami-miss ko siya. May pattern kasi. Ang baliw ko no?!

Basta nagtampo ako nun. Tapos kahit anong gawin niyang suyo, wala pa din epek. Ako naman, bangenge. Naiintindihan ng utak ko pero di naman kaya ng nararamdaman ko. Hay. Ganito yata kapag inlababo. Nagiging mahina ang pang-intindi. Ganon nga ba yun? Kasi sabi nila, dapat understanding ka daw. Eh bakit iba sa akin? Anak ng tokwa naman o. Kakaiba na naman ako sa karamihan. Hay buhay.

Yun na nga. Binigyan niya ko ng doggie na stuff toy from Gift Gate. Black yung color niya. Ka-cute sobra. Hihihi!

Lahat ng stuff toy na natanggap ko from him eh pinapangalanan ko. Yung binigay niya, bininyagan ko as Rottweiler Dex. Kamukha niya kasi. Hehehe.

Isa pang nakakatuwa kahapon eh nag-volunteer siyang bilhin iyong bag na 2 araw ko nang binabalikan sa Primaries shop sa Glorietta. Nakita ko ito nung Wednesday pero hindi ko agad binili kasi nga, may tendency ako na bumili ng mga bags na tinatambak lang sa kama. In short, collection. Target ko talaga is makabili ng bago para magamit ko araw-araw sa pagpasok sa work. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, tingin muna ko sa iba. Wala naman akong nakitang iba na napupusuan ko. So Thursday, I decided na bilhin yon nakita ko sa Primaries. Dahil sa overtime ko sa work that night, hindi ko na inabutan na bukas ang shop. Bad trip talaga. Excited pa naman ako. Weird ko pero talaga pag naisip ko na gagamitin ko na agad yung bag tapos di pala, bad trip talaga yon.

Kahapon, may pre-climb meeting ang mga sasama sa tree-planting sa Bulacan sa Forest Grill sa Jupiter Street ng 7pm. Sabi ko sa boyfriend ko, susunod na lang ako. Pero hindi niya alam na pupunta muna ko Glorietta para bilhin iyong bag.

Muntik na ako mag-amuck nung malaman kong hindi pa pala ako makakaalis. May kailangan pa ako tapusin sa work. Bwiset talaga. Imi-meet ko pa naman iyong 1 kasama ko sa climb sa Glorietta kasi nga dun din naman ang punta ko kaya sabay na kami punta dun sa restaurant sa Jupiter after Glorietta nga.

Nagkataon (o tinaon) na nandun na sa Glorietta ang boyfriend ko. May binibili daw siya. Tapos sabi niya sundo niya ko. Sabi ko huwag na lang kasi may pupuntahan nga ko. Sabi niya siya na lang daw ang bili nung bag. Hindi na ko nagpakiyeme kasi malamang hindi ko na naman aabutan na bukas ang shop. Sayang naman. So binili nga niya.

Sundo niya ako sa office tapos may dala pa siya na muy paborito na barbecue flavor na potato fries from Potato Corner, may new bag na ko, may rottweiler doggie pa na stuff toy.

O di ba, ang saya-saya? =)

Query The Universal Mind...

The most common interests of people who like purple are:
music, reading, movies, writing, cats, love, books, poetry, art, sex.
---> Hindi ako mahilig sa cats eh. Sex? Ehem! Hindi ko pa alam. *lol* Maybe after 3-5 years? *wink*

The most common interests of people who like books are:
music, reading, movies, writing, art, poetry, photography, cats, computers, love.
---> Sinabi na ngang di ko type ang pusa eh. Anak ng pusa naman o.

The most common interests of people who like chocolates are:
music, reading, movies, writing, books, cats, art, love, photography, friends.
--->Ok! Cats again...hahay.

The most common interests of people who like the outdoors are:
music, movies, reading, computers, camping, hiking, writing, photography, love, books.
--->Never been so true.

The most common interests of people who like the solitude are:
music, reading, poetry, writing, books, art, photography, movies, love, rain.
--->I never desired to spend my solitude hearing the drip-drop of the rain nor did I crave to feel the loneliness it brings.

This Guy...

I call him Hilario. Of course, he does not know that I call him that. Nor does he know me, at all.

Why do I call him such? For the reason that he makes me roll from laughing hard. The guy simply knew without effort how to drive people on their stomach. He delivers his lines without a punch and yet, you will find yourself clutching hard the edges of your bed.

Hay naku, Hilario!

Ito 'yung tipong ikukwento lang niya ang nangyari sa maghapon niya and out of the blue, magiging iba na ang tone ng kwento niya. Mula seryoso, nakakainis tapos biglang...hay...talaga kaloka!

Sa pagkaka-alala ko, naiinis siya sa sarili niya kasi nga di niya maintindihan ang sarili niya. Una, nabulyawan niya 'yung kaibigan niya. Nasigawan niya all because na-disconnect siya. Nagda-download yata siya. Nagkataon na 98% na ang nai-download nang biglang na-dc siya. Simula siya ulit. Nagkataon na nung na-dc siya, 'yung friend niya ang tumawag. Makes no sense to shout at your pal, right? Yup, ganon kababaw.

Eto 'yung line na mejo nag-deviate sa pagra-rant niya. "Konting irita lang, sigaw na. Feeling ko, ang sama-sama ko tuloy. Hay. May tendency pa naman ako to hit things. Lalo tuloy ako nagwo-worry na baka magising na lang ako na nasa bilangguan na ako dahil nakapatay na ako ng tao. (Gothika, ikaw ba yan?) Hekhek. Hay."

Tapos tinanong siya nung isa pa niyang kaibigan. "Hindi ka naman battered noong bata ka?"

Meron pa. Balak niya punta dentist para obviously, alam naman natin bakit punta dentist, di ba? Hehehe! Basta ganon na nga. Ligo siya tapos nung magibibihis na siya wala siya makitang damit. Nagpaparinig siya sa 2 ate ('yung 1 abroad, 'yung 1 nasa hauz lang) niya na bilhan siya. Wala na raw siyang damit, sapatos pati pants.

Eh di yun na nga. Nung naghahanap siya ng pants, wala na talaga siya makita. Nilabhan lahat ng katulong nila. Nagkataon na 3 lang pants niya. Actually, 5 yun kaya lang growing boy daw siya kaya masikip na yung 2. Since wala nga siyang maisuot na pants, shorts na lang daw. Nagkataon wala siyang sandals kasi sinira na pala ng bro niya. Nung susuutin na niya shorts niya, sira din. Sinira din ng kapatid niya. Naisip ko lang na kung mamalasin ka nga, talagang mamalasin ka. Hay.

Eto yung nakakatawa. "Kanina, awang awa ako sa sarili ko. Ikot ako nang ikot sa loob ng bahay na naka-towel lang. Naghahanap ng maisusuot. Hay. Buraot.

At alam nyo ba kung kanino ako nakahiram ng pantalon?

Sa katulong namin. Hekhek."

Ay, sana di niya mabasa ito. Baka patayin ako nun. Madali pa naman siya magalit. Hahay.

Hindi ko siya kilala pero sa pagbabasa ko, hindi ko mapigilan mag-isip kung miembro ba siya ng 'pederasiones'. Sa mga salita at hirit niya, parang ganon nga siya. Pero ang pagkakaalam ko, meron siyang girlfriend.

Ay naku. Wala ako paki kung ano pa siya. Basta natutuwa ako sa kanya.

Hay naku, Hilario!

Scheds in Conflict...

Darn! I have been waiting for this and now that the event has been known, my schedules gave me a rocking twist. I got an update from my dear campus in Manila.

Come March 27, a major concert by one of the country's biggest & best acoustic acts --- Nyoy Volante & his Mannos will be held at the Rockwell Tent to perform the current hits!

This same day, I will be trekking from Norzagaray, Bulacan to participate and do my little share (by planting seedlings) in preserving the Angat Dam which is hitting the lowest of lows. I was not really up to joining this project which is sponsored by the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines (MFPI) since I just had a stint in Mt. Pinatubo last weekend. But the thought of having the water reservoir plunging to its dangerous level is quite disturbing.

So, I will forego this sure-to-be lively concert to bending my back and planting precious seedlings.

Anyway, in case anyone is interested to watch this concert, tickets are priced at P350 only. Reservations and Orders can be done through 0917-4983902.

If contributing to the future of the water reservoir and yours as well; if you find it in your heart to play with the sun and the earth, I encourage you to join us in this undertaking. Everyone is invited. =)

Because...

Inaantok na ko but I have to finish this. Ilang oras na lang papasok na ko sa work. Wala na rin effect ang Red Bull sa akin.

Trekking Pinatubo...

Eto kami nung March 13-14 sa Mt. Pinatubo. Pictures courtesy of Dex's website.

What we came for...

The boys: Roy, Richard, Arnel Jr, Jerry, John, Dex, Jenard, Arnel Sr and the guide

The girls: Me, Carol, Len and Chummy

Kami ng honey ko.

Mabango na kami nyan kasi nakaligo na kami.

Aray Ko...

Grabe talaga. Ang sakit-sakit ng hita at binti ko. Nag-trekking kasi kami nung weekend sa Pinatubo.

Hectic Monday...

Kagagaling ko lang sa office ng KPMG Laya Mananghaya. Nag-meeting kasi kami doon para pag-usapan ang updates ng seminar namin. Seminar lang iyan pero masyadong mabusisi. Masyado ngang complicated. As in talagang hirap na hirap ang utak ko mag-analyze. Sana maayos na lahat bukas kasi sa Thursday na iyon. Mejo nakakainis lang eh iyong mga companies na hanggang ngayon eh nagpapa-reserve ng slot. Sinabi na ngang wala na eh. Di na kasi kaya ng venue. Tapos pag nasikipan sila, magre-reklamo naman. Hay naku!

---------------------------

Pramiz! Di siya makulit ha. "Ang kulit-kulit mo." Sinabi na ngang hindi na puede kasi beyond na kami sa target limit namin. Sobra sobra. Kahit na bolahin mo pa ko, di na talaga puede. Ano bang gagawin ko sa iyo? Hay!

---------------------------

Oh may golay! Nate-tension na agad "beauty" ko. This will be such a busy, exhausting Monday for sure.

Same as Yesterday...

Hay! Akala ko Pinoy lang ang makulit, pati pala sila. Sinabi nga na ngang tapos na ang deadline. Araw-araw nakikita nila sa pahayagan nila ang advertisement na yun. Kung kelan ka naman nag-advertise na tapos na ang registration for a slot, dun naman binaha ang fax machine namin. Ilang beses na ako nagre-revise nitong document na ito dahil sa kanila ha. Last na ito. Kapag may dumating pa, por que Chair o CEO pa siya, leche, hindi ko na isasama ang name niya. Paki ko!

Now I am being mean...

Ranting...

Sobrang naiirita na ko sa hinayupak na lalaking ito ah. Di mo maintindihan kung anong gusto. Gusto niya nagbibigay ka ng suggestions. Ginawa mo, mamaya iba naman ang gusto niya mangyari. Pag nag-initiate ka naman, anak ng tokwa, iyong gusto niya rin ang masusunod.

Kainis talaga kanina. Gusto ko na tuloy magmura. Paano ba naman. May itinatanong ako sa kanya kasi hindi nagko-complement iyong press release niya dun sa actual turn-out nung trabaho namin. Eh, obvious naman kung ano ibig ko sabihin kasi inexplain ko na nga beforehand. Akalain mo bang ako ang tanungin kung ano ang dapat. Pinalabas pa niya na di ako nag-iisip. Anak ng....! Kaya nga ko nag-e-explain kasi di niya maintindihan. Lumabas pa ako ang di nakaintindi. Ang hilig pa niya i-cut ka pag nagsasalita. Leche! Nanginginig na talaga ko sa inis kanina pa.

Nabubuwisit pa ko lalo kasi gusto niya pag hiningi niya, nandiyan na dapat. Demanding ang mokong! Hello! Makukuha ko ba iyong documents niya sa government ng ganon kabilis? Sabi nila, I can get it within the week kasi busy din daw sila.

Sabihan ba naman ako na pag tinanong niya ang status, huwag ko daw siya bibigyan ng excuses. Eh, baliw ka pala eh. Paano kita sasagutin sa developments kung maya-maya tinatanong mo kung kumusta na yung documents na kailangan mo? Anong sasabihin ko sa iyo? Ayaw mo ng excuses eh. Anong magagawa ko kung kahit araw-araw ko sila tawagan eh hindi nila agad maibigay! Ano yun? Puntahan ko sila sa Cebu at sakalin ko mga leeg nila? Ikaw kaya gumawa non???!


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Hay, bakit uncooperative ang mga contacts ko ngayon. Ayan, tumutugtog na sa ulo ko ang kantang Torete. Sama pa kaya ako sa despedida party ni opismeyt mamaya? Malamang hindi na naman.


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This morning, I got the results of my physical-medical exam. Unlike the previous results, this one gave me a little shiver. I was tested positive for a mass in my anterior side of my neck and my urinalysis is saying something else. My fears that were long before harboring in the deepest recesses of my mind came shooting forward. It might be a minor thing but for me - being sick or having something wrong in my body drive me nuts. Even the thought of being sick with something rattles my nerves.

Now, I have to pay a visit to the clinic just to follow-up what is going to happen next. Oh may golay...huhuhu!


-----------------------------------

Gusto ko nang sumigaw... AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!

Sobrang daming work di ko na alam kung ano uunahin. Lahat urgent. May lakad pa ko.

Kainis!

Kasi naman...

Kung kelan mo naman kailangan ang Net, doon naman ginagalaw ng hindi dapat. Gawin bang experiment sa studies nila.

Low Spirit...

I am a little disoriented today. I do not know why or maybe I do. I just do not want to think that "it" is the reason. Maybe I am being paranoid again or maybe I am not.

Sometimes when you want something to be perfect, you try to strive harder, reaching for the moon. But one thing that I learned - after a series of trying hard -, there is still no guarantee that things will be okay.

Pondering LOVE...

Which is harder, to fall out of love or to love again?

Isn't it hard to say goodbye to somebody whom you have been with
through tough times and it has been proven that he loves you and
would love you forever and you just have to put an end to
the relationship for you have outgrown the person?

Wouldn't it be more difficult and heart-wrenching to be the one
to ask for its end? Sometimes even if you do your very best in a
relationship, when it is not meant to be, it will never flourish.

Like a sandcastle symbolizing your love for each other,
it may stand still for a while and be widely spread with
beautiful ornaments, be able to stand tough winds and kicks
but if there is really something wrong or lacking in the foundation
or something needed was taken for granted at the start,
it will take effect at one point and even if you keep on
smoothening up the edgy parts, it may be too difficult to mend it.

You may continuously mend it but you might end up doing that forever,
for a relationship is like a sandcastle, once it is falling into pieces,
it is either you think of ways in order to save it or accept the fact
that you should just let it fall and start from scratch, while having
the decision to make, on whether you will build a sandcastle with
the same person or not.

True love exists even in separations. Sometimes, we have to part ways
with somebody not to let him or her know what he or she will be missing
when you are gone but to let him or her realize what he is missing in
his life, the gifts he or she has in him that he/she hasn't touched and dwelled
upon.

In the ocean of love that runs deep and never-ending, we should know
up to what extent should we swim deep or shallow, and in a
relationship, one should be stronger than the other for if not, both will drown in
the ocean of love, tides made out of trials and doors to maturity.

Though I believe that to say goodbye to somebody who has hurt you
physically, and emotionally is so much easier than saying goodbye to
somebody who you really love and loves you in the simple way he or
she knows.

Knowing that you have done the right things along the way and waited
patiently for the right time to be with your loved-one, and still
things didn't work out, it makes it more scary to trust your emotions and
love again. For the next one will always be somewhat like a bargain
and one couldn't help but compare it to the latter one. Nevertheless,
our faith and fate has its own way of talking to us and pointing us the
right path. Love not with your heart alone but also with your mind.

Whether you are happy or sad with your life right now, always talk to
God each day. Make him your bestfriend on earth. Talk to Him as if
he is beside you and whisper to Him your wishes, your pains, your
thankfulness, and your weaknesses. Things will happen in its right
time. Just continue being a good person and share your gifts to other people
as long as you can. He has his own way of reaching you.

In order to have and find love, you have to know your self first,
your strengths and weaknesses and love your self and make prayer a
delight in your life. In this way, you will be somebody's delight in
his or her life, his/her sunrise and sunset, and his/her dream while
he/she is asleep.

Lovapalooza Kiss last Feb 14...

I never thought that I would be one of the people be seen at the Baywalk joining the throng of people wanting to witness the event. Well, I was not there to watch couples lock their lips for 10 seconds long much more, be one of the couples seal their love with a kiss. You see, I was with my boyfriend. That time, I thought that he was not sold to the idea of going there.

Anyway, the reason behind my presence in that area was because I wanted to see and hear the acoustic songs Paolo Santos would be singing. He was one of the performers that graced that event.

It was actually a pre-planned evening for both of us. I was supposed to run the show. Well, I made a reservation at Gerry’s Grille at Jupiter Street in Makati and had a sumptuous dinner with him. Afterwards, we proceeded to Starbucks at Robinson’s Place Malate. While waiting for our friends, we ordered something cold. I got my favorite iced café mocha.

Let us just say I got a little pissed off waiting for them. So I told them that we will just meet them somewhere at the Baywalk. During that time, I was already torn between going to the Baywalk or going home. We found ourselves at the promenade.

It was such an event considering the tons of people that went there. Families, peers and couples alike abound. You could not walk straight without bumping into someone.

We stood by in one area and waited for them. While waiting, I had the pleasure of observing the people around me. It shocked me to see that most of the couples that I saw parading the area where we stood by were mostly in their younger teens.

Going back to the friends that we were waiting for, they informed us that they were in Yakitori Dori – somewhere along the promenade. I was thinking about how much profits those restaurants incurred during that evening.

The people who made it through that night were Richard, Jenard, Arnel, Francis, Chummy, Suzette, Ron, Andy and Marge. All of us chatted almost about anything. Well, mostly about trekking stuff.

Experience told me that during such events, one must not go there with too much liquid intake. I had the experience of my life peeing into the so-called portable toilet stationed nearby. It was such a long line, waiting for your turn to relieve yourself. It made me laugh to see that all of us were tapping certain dance steps just to delay something which is expected.

That night was also celebrated as a mini-party for Suzette’s impending departure for the United States. I wished I had talked to her and said my piece. I just uttered a small prayer for her happiness and luck.

It was already early morning when we decided to part ways. Actually, it was my fault. We were not supposed to but I went into my tantrum streaks again.

Honestly, I hated myself for days for that ill behavior. For those who were aware of it, I let them know how sorry I was. I just hoped that they had already forgiven me, especially Dex. Ok lang kahit hindi ko napakinggan si Paolo Santos.

Mobile Phones...

As I was thinking what to write today, my eyes came in contact with my handset lying on my computer table - mere inches away from me.

I decided to write something about it – based on observations and my experiences.

Modern technology had surely reduced communications to this small pack of equipment we call mobile phones. It has shaped the way we live our lives, the way we communicate. Even the youngest of the young ones carries a mobile phone. Proof of that is the son of superior who is just a 10 year old.

I learned some hard facts which I had come to accept (no matter how hard I try to deny it) based on the relationship I have with my mobile phone.

• That without my mobile phone, I feel like a naked mannequin being scrutinized from head to toe.
• That if I left my mobile phone at home in a rush, I would immediately go back home without a buzz.
• That if I do not receive a message over a long period of time, I would feel gloomy, depressed.
• That when I am at the edge of boredom, I would stare and wait for my handset to beep and say Halleluiah when the “Message Received” flashes on the screen.
• That I would feel hurt when I am animatedly narrating something to my boyfriend and suddenly his mobile phone will sound with a beep and he will attend to it and postpone hearing the juicy part of my story.
• That sometimes in a meeting, I would sneak out my handset below the table and send a text message to a friend and tell her that I am ready to fall into a slumber.
• That not a long time ago, my superior who was seating in front of a lecture and I at the back seat sent me a message that I must wake him up or else...
• That I am getting confused deciphering all the new rising so-called emoticons.
• That sending and receiving a text message without these “cute” emoticons can spark delusions of unfriendliness, irritation and sarcasm.
• That texting is cheaper so why make a call?
• That texting makes up words for the lack of spontaneity.
• That texting over calling makes me more brazen and forward.
• That texting enhances my ability to make up lies to save my face (the saddest part).

Funny thing was I checked the most special texted message (which I had saved in my mobile folder) I have received in my life. It was the text message my boyfriend sent me when he revealed his feelings. I checked for any emoticons – of smiley, of a wink, of a kiss. Nothing. It was devoid of connecting colons, semicolons, open & close parenthesis posing as icons of human emotions.

Before I kept that texted message as proof that what he was telling me was just a joke and that it would not last. Now, I kept it because it was something to remember. Something so special...

According to the Stars - 1-15 March...

Your health can be affected by pressure at work and travel. Someone at work may cause you a problem. Stand by your principles but be humble enough to admit mistakes. A perfectionist tendency can lead to a soured relationship both at home and at the workplace. Love matters can be disrupted as time for your loved one can be eaten up by career responsibilities. Health also needs attention.

What if I say that what is written above is starting to resemble reality? Very real, huh!

Pay Time...

I am supposed to haul my laundry in the washing machine, clean the mess in my room before my scheduled flight tomorrow evening. But what am I doing? I am currently engaged in allotting money for the electricity, home phone, credit card & mobile phone bills. My wallet is now devoid of fresh, crisp money bills. Worst, I have to "tamper" again my savings account just to pay off my other miscellaneous.

Sometimes, life can be so hard but I am not dwelling on it. I would rather think about other things. Happy things...that this so-called life can offer.

Shuttlecocks...

Right now, I am conditioning myself to get into the latest sports craze in town. I am talking about this once-a-backyard-game called badminton. I still do not know when to start this but right now I am checking out what right gear for my skill level and scouting for a nearby venue to learn the sport.

So far, I have indulged in checking the equipment first. I am torn between investing on a Carlton and a Yonex racquet. But Yonex appeals more to me but I still have to check which is much better.

Enthusiasts of the sport gave advice in buying a racquet. A wannabe must consider the weight, composition, shape, grip, flex, length, string & tension of the racquet he/she is going to buy.

• RSL & Carlton brands have the claim of having the lightest racquets at 83-85 grams.
• A full graphite racquet is the best (and really requires investment).
• High modulus graphite racquets are stiffer & has better resiliency giving better power unlike ordinary graphite racquets.
• Square iso-metric shaped racquets usually have bigger sweet spots (part of the string bed with most power).
• Choose grip size that does not limit wrist movement.
• Get long racquets at 670mm for more pops in your smashes but it takes a lot of getting used to.
• The thinner the string, the more power in your smash.
• The harder you hit, the higher you should string your racquet; 17-22lb is ideal for beginners.

I think I am going to get that Yonex racquet, after all. I wonder where its price would hit? All I know is that it is somewhere in between PhP800-PhP14,000. *hmm*

Refusal to Engage...

In all honesty, I really find our upcoming elections too satirical. My goodness! I feel so ashamed thinking about how the international community views this. Our political system reflects a drama of combined immaturity & irony.

Anyway, I had already voiced out how I feel about Fernando Poe, Jr's gunning for the highest post in the land. To think of it gives me the jitters. Okay, maybe I am biased because of what other people say about him. But thinking about why he still refuses to engage himself in a debate among with other contenders is entirely beyond my comprehension.

His “asungots” always claim to the press that he had less time reaching out to people, talking to them during his campaign. People from all walks of life have been questioning him what can he tell the citizenry of the Philippines about his platform of governance. He has been elusive ever since giving curt replies to questions of enormous significance. He always let his “asungots” do the talking for him.

Yes, I do understand that it is his right to refuse not to engage himself in such debates. His choice must be respected. Everybody has choices and it is only right that they are given due respect. I knew that he thought that the debate will come to nothing and might further divide the country. Probably he really wanted to be different from the traditional way our so-called “trapos” persuade the people to vote them for office. Maybe he is truly a man of few words and not the traditional man of less act, more talk.

In spite of these justifications I have for him, I still perceive his refusal as a representation of weakness. It is his right to refuse but it is also the right of the people whom he will lead to know more about his platform and how he will lead this poor country of more than 80 million people to the threshold of light.

Accept that he may be poor in words & that this ability is not a requirement for seeking office but it is a skill one must hone and acquire to fully associate himself with his constituency. A skill that will render him the ability to explain and elaborate his platform of governance. The people must be able to acquire answers from him when he is pressed with inquiries relating to his capacity, his ways to lead the country for 6 years out of its poverty. It is his business to speak out, to reach out to people.

Just About Anything...

Since yesterday, I have been trying to sort out the mess cluttered in my bed. For the past 2 months, I have been at the mercy of the sofa in the living room, trying to sleep the night away. My collection of bags, books and even stuff toys which my boyfriend gave me had already ousted me from my resting space.

I stood by my bed and contemplated how was I going to start the task. For me, it was a little bit complicated. I did not know where to start. Undecided, I got a big trash bag and hooked it somewhere. I was ready.

I started from the edge of my bed. Papers and my everyday bags were piled up. Papers that I would have opted to read given a free time found their way to the trash bag. The bags were placed in one corner as I worked my way to the other end.

An idea popped into my head when I saw some of my belongings that I had no further use. Instead of throwing it or letting it rot for nothing, I decided to resort back to my usual acts. Small, kikay bags plus pencils, notebooks and stationeries were enclosed in clean plastic bags. To complete the package, I rummaged through my old clothes and put a couple of clothes there. I just hope that I can place a smile into the exhausted faces of those poor, young girls.

(^-^) (^-^) (^-^) (^-^)(^-^)


Hehehe! While still cleaning my stuff, I came across these small, yellow-colored thick papers. Written in it were the results my future and that of my boyfriend. Just for fun, we tried out this weighing machine in a mall in Cebu last December. Drop 5 pesos in the slot, stand still and the machine will read your future. Insane as it may seem but I always try to be one when I am not somewhere in Manila. After all, I went there to rest and have fun and not be judged by anyone, much less a stranger. It was me who urged Dex & Richard to try it out.

Dex got a resounding 80 kilograms and predicting a future of new business ventures, methods and partnerships that will sweep away old covenants.

On my part, I took it twice. Hehehe! Would you believe that I acquired 49 kilos that time? I never crossed the threshold of 46 kilos ever since. Goodness!

Anyway, it says like – persistency is all I need to win. To succeed, I must not wait for luck to help me out but win my way to strife. The 2nd one is pointing out that indecision marks my life that otherwise should be a great success.

I fairly think that it is true. As much as I would want to do some things that I had planned long before, I always find myself lost in a crossroad.

Stuff & Memories of the Past...

A few moments ago, I was in pursuit of finding this elusive ID which I have been searching for a mere 2 weeks now. It is deemed important that I find it or else...Anyway, I tried to search on for the boxes wherein I kept all my personal stuff. I checked the oldest box stashed in the topmost part of our oldest cabinet. It was thickly covered with dust.

When I opened it, memories of the past flew by. Not to leave but to linger on for a while. It contained keepsakes of the past; my young, innocent past.

Varied IDs from my kinder to younger high school years [goodness! I really look very, very ugly back then];
countless cards and letters from relatives, friends;
hard-earned medals as a consistent honor student & those which I got from various contests;
old photos of my friends.

But one thing that really caught my eye was this letter written in a yellow pad and simply folded. In a heartbeat, I knew from whom it came from. It tugged my heart to see that handwriting. For how many times in the past that I had read it, I remembered the sting of hot tears flowing down my cheeks. Reading that letter again brought back flashes of the past. For that letter reminded me of both good and bad, of happiness and depression. It reminded me of how I discovered the real me - my strength and my weaknesses. It also reminded me of the power of human ties. Sadly, it reminded me of severed friendships - friendships that I thought were forever.

Grrr...

I just got back from my trip and guess what? I checked my email and this blog. So what did I find? One of the icons that I used showed a link to some yucky site! Gosh! Those perverted people! Darn! I wish I could squeeze their necks...