Yema Adik: Ang Pagbabalik

Konyo v. Bakya

2006-06-27T03:44:00.000+08:00

Konyo Client: Ah, Chin, follow-up ko lang yung pina-pa-check ko sa'yong tables...
Bakya Me: (totally unprepared, di pa na-che-check ang tables) Ah... eh... nakapila na kay Ate Programmer. 'Wag kang mag-alala, pinagtutuunan naman namin ng pansin e....
Konyo Client: (tumawa bigla) HAHAHAHA!
Bakya Me: O bakit?
Konyo Client: Haha wala lang, nakakatawa, Tagalog na Tagalog, "pinagtutuunan naman namin ng pansin!"
Bakya Me: Ahhhh......

(After 2 hours...)

Bakya Me: Follow-up ko pala yung list of categories for table so-and-so...
Konyo Client: Ah, onga pala. Wait.
(Kaluskos ng papers. May nahulog.)
Konyo Client: Holy cow!
Bakya Me: (tumawa bigla) HAHAHAHA!
Konyo Client: O bakit?
Bakya Me: Holy cow?!?
Konyo Client: Ah, gumaganti ka ha, ako naman pinagtatawanan mo....

Seriously, may gumagamit pa ba ng expression na holy cow??? Sa "Pretty Woman" ko lang huling narinig yun a. Hehe.

How to avoid OT with your boss's consent

2006-06-01T04:14:00.000+08:00

Go gaga over an officemate, who works on night shift.

I never thought this would be the best solution to the increasing and demanding OTs we've done for the past 6 months (almost) this year. Had I known that an F4-looking guy is the solution to my OT problems, I should've looked for someone and recruited that person early on!

Apparently, my boss's "moral compulsion" to prevent me from--ahem--"falling" for the guy is stronger than her need to make me work overtime for a project. (And now you're wondering why many women in MR end up still being single...).

POST-X-MEN REMARK: Hey, why suppress the romance gene? This is what made humanity possible. :D

******
Yes, I like the guy. Maybe I like him that much that I'm willing to make certain sacrifices for him (more specifically, be more determined to continue my diet for him). Girlfriends expressed their slight disagreement on the issue of me dieting/losing weight for a guy, but dear friends, this is my reality. I should've done this dieting thing a long time ago, but I kept stopping when good food comes along (hehe!). Let's see how strong a catalyst this guy is. Romance or no romance, at least I'm relatively physically fitter than I was....uhm...3 days ago? :P
Basta let's just see what happens.

*****
It's nice to know that a client sincerely appreciates our hard work as their research supplier. Hearing from them that, "buti na lang kayo nagtratrabaho sa projects namin" is a compliment already, knowing you always work hard despite the measly salary and under-appreciated work environment.

(***WARNING: boylet stalking mode!***)

It also helps that client is cute.

Ang landi ko. Hahaha.

2006-05-19T01:28:00.000+08:00

Today's the happiest day in my pathetic office life. Bakit? Walang bosses, wala ding intrimitidang officemate! :D

At. Inaway ako ng isang beych na nakatira Down Under. Well, kahit naman 3rd world country tayo may ibubuga naman tayo diba? Kaya ayun, nag-apologize ang lola after niyang ma-realize na *ae pala data nila.

Sa wakas! May cute na ka-officemate! (Another sign of my pathetic existence, 2006). Ka-career-in ko siya, pramis. Talaga. (NOTE TO SELF: Don't be too discriminating and choosy. Free-for-all muna, saka na mamili!)

Ayun. Yun lang. Na-miss ko rin mag-blog.

Nga pala, sa mga nag-text, nakaalala pero di nag-text, nakabalita na birthday ko nung May 3, pasensya na sa di pagsagot. OBVIOUSLY, WALA akong load. Hehe. Basta I LOVE YOU PIPS. SOBRA.

Until next year! (Joke!) (Half-meant joke!)

Ranch dressing, anyone?

2006-03-30T02:37:00.000+08:00

Just bought Kraft's Ranch dressing for my damo-filled lunch and dinner for this week, but I didn't like its taste. Do any of my dear friends want to have it? Nanghihinayang naman ako, marami pa 'yun. Will wait for your responses! Ciao for now!

Celebrating mutiny

2006-03-20T10:19:00.000+08:00

Seems like I'm not the only one feeling mutinous today.

La Vida Purita

2006-02-21T13:26:00.000+08:00

Bi-monthly money shortage. Liquid assets gone dry, all because of that-project-with-the-name-I-will-forever-forsake.

And so I went through January and February in a zombie-like state. I began staying in the office until midnight, sometimes until morning (if I feel like it). I work late hours because I don't want to work on weekends; late night-work, then, was my way of getting off weekend work.

Now because of all the deadlines for this project, which required us to make a presentation per week (for review daw), I totally neglected my sideline work, which is--take note--my real bread and butter. Without sideline work, I'd be getting my daily food allowance from selling empty ink cartridges at the crossing (or at the corner of Galle, whichever's most accessible). I've resisted getting help from mi familia, kasi ang layo nila. But I got a little help from my friends (i.e., free dinner at Tin's place and temp financial support from Jenix "The Loanshark/Madam" de Vera).

But all these are over now, since we're finished with that-project-with-the-name-I-will-forever-forsake. And pat me on my back, please, 'coz I just finished the major paper I was supposed to finish last Jan. Wooohooooooo!!!! Now I can live like....well, like I've got money again.

So now I'm busy working on another project, taking also a lot of rest before report writing begins again. Other pursuits have preoccupied my mind lately, and I hope this new pursuit in my poverty-filled life will succeed.

This humble pauper would like to thank the stars who made her universe bright and expanding:

AXN- Life is never this big.

Mama & sisters (3Marias)- who visited me at my kariton house under the flyover at Shaw. Who, after checking my ref for food, exclaimed, "ano ba yan puro gulay at tubig!!!" Well, who said I eat at the unit anyway? Go fast food! Go delivery! Go tira-tira!

Raffy-regular chatmate. Naughty girl. BI of all BIs. Yet she inspired me to pursue my new project :)

Tin-jogging mate. My "Safeguard" conscience, who kept me on my guard (safeguard?) all the time with her Golden Rule: "Do not count your eggs until they're hatched." (Tama ba?) Well, lola, my eggs're already hatched!!! (Eeewwwwww....) Hehehe!

Judy-ever-reliable friend, sasamahan ata ako kahit saan. Game na game kahit saan. Good luck with your "project," too.

CROI-kept me insane when I'm...insane :D Ah, I still can't forget the expression on their faces as I told them about my purita adventures (shaking head (side-to-side), half-laugh, half-tsk, tsk). Priceless, I tell you.

OTHERS- Food delivery guys (they're all guys, haven't seen a girl yet); ATM machines; Internet, Ate Lunch, Kuya Meryenda.

Special mention: Empty ink cartridge buyer at crossing. You know who you are. Thank you for redeeming us from starvation.

Cheap shots

2006-01-23T09:21:00.000+08:00

Things that were so irritating and so wrong in the Morales-Pacquiao match yesterday:

a. Mike's presence before, during & after the match.
b. That phone call from Mike's wife, which took up most of the interview time Quinito Henson and Brian Villoria had with Pacquiao.
c. Politicizing Pacman's victory through incessant calls for "unity" among Filipinos.

The only right thing there was the Filipinos' genuine happiness for their champion.

God save us from theatrical politicians.

Confession: CSI vs CSI Miami

2006-01-16T14:10:00.000+08:00

I confess that CSI Miami had a better storyline than CSI, at least this last season's.

I hope CSI will have a better season than Miami.

I hope Gil would start wearing shades, too. Or something that will allow him to take something off during dramatic moments, a la Horatio's FPJ-stance after each CSI: Miami episode.

I confess that I, a loyal CSI fan, have finally succumbed to Horatio's 'tragic hero' charm.

Naku dapat talaga mas maganda mga episodes ng CSI ngayon....kundi....

....manonood pa rin ako. Hehe.

Diminiciency

2006-01-16T13:05:00.000+08:00

I hereby declare I want a full body massage....NOW!

I'm expecting this week to be a ho-hum week: the order of things settles into the familiar routine once again, where work becomes work (not chaos), at least in the meantime. Funny how I reacted late to all the stress and pressure I've put myself into on the last days of 2005. I hoped that I will win that contest, when I know the odds of winning are way, way, muy, muy imposible. I inflicted stress on Tin, Rye, and Macris, simply because I believed we could win it. But hey, we got some money in exchange, and we had a bountiful Christmas with it, si? And of course there's work, which is both exciting and stressful--well sometimes more stressful (and because it's stressful, sometimes it's no longer exciting). December was chaotic because of clients hoping they can still accomplish that over-delayed research scheduled early in the year but delightfully set aside to accomplish other money-making pursuits. So we, moneyless researchers, gladly accepted your project, so that we could reach our quota for the year, never mind the sleepless nights and endless days.

And the first week of January was spent tidying things up, washing office clothes (so that I won't be washing clothes all year, as superstition goes), cleaning the unit, throwing away papers (oops, shredding pala), cleaning out my e-mail account, and giving my laptop its much needed reformatting and cleaning. I welcomed 2006 with a clean slate.

I have a good start this year. I now got a regular job and the promised salary increase (cheers!). Just last week, I learned a lot of research stuff I would've probably learned in school for two years. I stopped working on papers for now, just to give myself some time to rest (and because I also need to have my eyes checked, too).

My priorities are shifting. I am now looking forward to going to work everyday. Imagine me getting excited over projects. Exciting naman talaga e. On the works is a project that's so thesis deja vu--I'd be working on something related to ICTs!!! (OK, you're now entering a nerd zone).
Hay basta, it's so related to our thesis last year, kulang na lang sabihin ko sa client, "yan po yung thesis namin!"

I am actually thinking my future is in MR, you know?
(But of course, this is just me talking at the moment. Who knows what might happen these coming months?)
But for now, I'd like to document this point in my life when I am feeling very optimistic (ika nga ni Tin, 'I'm so optimistic, I just can't hide it.') :)

After all, this year's supposed to be my year (nga ba?). Ewan. Basta.
Bring it on, biatch.

(The title's supposed to mean "diminishing efficiency." But since I'm feeling lalalala today, it's now "diminishing DEficiency." O dava.)

Tagging myself

2006-01-06T10:30:00.000+08:00

Yey! Suprisingly, I have nothing to do this morning. So I'm back to blogging.

I'll start the year right by....answering a survey (lifted from Rye's blog). Hehe.

What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Go after 400+ people in key cities in Metro Manila.
Braving the streets of Metro Manila, everyday, from morning until night.
Giving my hair its much-needed attention by having a haircut 6x this year (used to do it twice a year only).
Assuming the roles of full-time blogger & camera whore/paparazzo (paparazza?).
Not think about my boylet issues for at least the first three quarters of the year.
Having the courage to prioritize myself over others.
Having honest, kikay, unapologetic, radically diverse friends who are not afraid to speak their minds.
Live on my own: cook/iron/clean for myself, paid the bills myself, laugh/cry/comment all by myself (baliw!)
Re-uniting with old eng'g friends.
Finally rooting for the Maroons after years of indifference towards the UAAP (or at least for the UP Team).

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and did you make more for this year?
Hmmm. Let me check my notebook first. I'll update you on this later.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
None.

Did anyone close to you die?
Our dog matriarch, Armani, died last Dec. 24. May God grace her with lotsa dog food (and sinigang, too).

What countries did you visit?
Rye's right. Philippines. Visited numerous Filipinos all over Metro Manila, and got to know beautiful Filipinos in urban Philippines.

What would you like to have this year that you lacked in 2005?
A body that I'll love.
Ditto: the state of being carefree.
Fling boylet.
Boyfriend (preferably this one).
Promotion & salary increase (ulit, hehe).
More opportunities to travel around and outside the country.
A mini-business.
Pamangkin/s (sana mag-asawa na si Kuya)
Meaningful, genuinely happy & memorable Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Sherlock Holmes novels (2vol. set, Library Collection edition)
Complete stories and novels of Edgar Allan Poe.
A new lay-out design for my unit.
Passport & visa.
Time: leisure time/free time/do-nothing-at-all time/reading time
add-on: my own component pala :)

What date(s) from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Every 15/30 of the month. Suweldo days.
Sept 1. First day at work.
April 24. Graduation day.
Jul 23. Reunion with my engg'g girlfriends.
Jul 28. My baptism of fire (er, books) at National Bookstore-Cubao.
Mar 18. Walked around with Rye & J-Anne, enjoying the UP environs for the last time.
Apr 8. Tambay sa Sunken with Jeg, Mel & Gwyn.
Oct. 16. Moving-in day.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Learning the logistics behind the real life (i.e., budgetting, doing household chores: ironing (!) & cooking (!), dealing with domestic life alone, quiet days spent on reading and watching TV)

What was your biggest failure?
Being a lousy daughter/sister.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes! I broke my chin after 50 counts of jumping rope. Stupid Chin.

What was the best thing you bought?
Things. All the books I hoarded last year, deluding myself I will have the time to read them after graduating. Yeah right.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mama, who managed to have a truly happy and positive outlook in life despite her illness. May God grant you more laugh-filled years to take care of your dear plants. They need you. :)

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
That president of a beautiful Third World Asian country.

Where did most of your money go?
Books, land, bills, meds.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our thesis! A dream come true :)
Job-hunting and its craziness.
Ditto: Release of Harry Potter 6.
Seeing the Dark Tower 7 at Powerbooks. (Haven't bought it yet, though).
Gift-shopping with Macris.
Book sales! Great book finds!
Planning for a business with Rye.
Breathing the cool, festive air of December.
Meet-ups with engg gfs, Croiness, Judy.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2005?
Pinoy Ako
Hanggang Kailan
Ever After
All Black Eyed Peas songs
ditto: that Green Day song that was played over and over again last September, hehe
Imago songs
the Encantadia song na akala ko kinanta ng Imago ("Rainsong"-like kasi yung dating) or some Indie singer
Maling Akala
Lintik

Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? - neither
thinner or fatter? - fatter
richer or poorer? - richer

What do you wish you'd done more?
Travelling
Reading
Resting/Relaxing

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Eating
Procrastinating
Worrying

How did you spend Christmas?
Ditto: simply

How many one-night stands?
Nada.

What was/were your favorite TV program(s)?
Lots!
CSI, CSI NY, CSI Miami
House
4400
Amazing Race
Pinoy Big Brother (before the Big Night)
Cooking shows at the Lifestyle Network, esp. Ciao America
Iron Chef America
SNL reruns
Friends reruns

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Wala naman.

What was the best book you read?
Hmmm. This is hard. Maybe "999," a collection of gothic/horror short stories. For non-fic, "No Logo" by Naomi Klein.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
redisovery: ska (reggae) music of Brownman Revival

What did you want and get?
bags
paper holder for my laptop
Diploma (na makukuha pa lang sa April)
my own place
book collection of my fave authors
a hard-core quantitative, too-good-to-be-true survey research (me & Nina as authors)
bi-monthly salary

What was your favorite film of last year?
Hands down, it would be "13 going on 30," kahit 2004 pa 'to. Haha! I really liked Jennifer "Alias" Garner there. Remember, Jeg & Gwyn? "I moved on, you moved on, we both took different paths...." Hehe!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 23 last May. I celebrated my birthday at home, pero I got calls and texts from close friends, HS friends and classmates :). I ended the day looking over my long-term/short-term goals, checking if I indeed accomplished them before I turned 23. Yuck, seryoso. Hehe.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A boylet/boy toy/toy boy. Hehe.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Uhm....semi-corporate? Hay naku, 2005's a year for sensible shoes (no sandals/slippers, imagine!), slacks, and long-sleeved blouses.

What kept you sane?
Dinner/weekend dates with Rye, Gwyn, Jenix, Tin & Jude.
Lifestyle Network & AXN.
My book collection.

Which celebrity/public figure/s did you fancy the most?
Johnny Depp din. Lindsay Lohan (not the post-Mean Girls Lohan ha).

What political issue stirred you the most?
Everything that President of the beautiful Third World country did.

Who did you miss?
Eng'g people, HS friends and barkadas, Gigi, Elaine, UP, 54 Mahinmean, Ate Jen, random people I met during our survey

Who was the best new person/people you met?
Old people in the workplace who are secure of themselves, bakya people whose feet remain firmly on the ground. Buti na lang I have not met any 'poser.' Yet.

Tell us a valuable life lesson/s you learned in 2005.
I should give myself a break. To give happiness to others, you must first be happy yourself. It's not bad to be selfish. (Or, it is not always good to be selfless).

Did you fall in love in 2005?
Nope.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so you can fly away
You gotta make a decision
You leave tonight or live and die this way"
-- Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car"

Pwede rin 'to:
"Lintik na pag-ibig..."-- Brownman Revival, "Lintik"
(Yun muna, saka na yung susunod na lyrics pag may boylet na. Nyahaha!)

Murphy's Laws

2005-12-02T11:36:00.000+08:00

Because I tend to have sudden bouts of paranoia at a Stresstabs-level these days, my officemate MaCris gave me this gut-churning reminder that the worse is yet to come. Wonderful.

Though I'm usually optimistic, here's a dose of pessimism before the Yuletide season absorbs us in a time- and space-warp.

MURPHY'S LAWS
1. Nothing is as easy as it looks.
2. Everything takes longer than you think.
3. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
4. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong.
Corollary: If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then.
5. If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway. (Bummer.)
6. If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop.
7. Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse. (Always.)
8. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. (I agree!)
9. Nature always sides with the hidden flaw. (Then why's Nature not cooperating with me? I'm a walking flaw!)
10. Mother nature is a bitch. (Ain't we all?)
11. It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
12. Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first. (True. Lalo na kapag uwian na.)
13. Every solution breeds new problems.

Murphy's Law of Research
Enough research will tend to support your theory.

Murphy's Law of Copiers
The legibility of a copy is inversely proportional to its importance.

The Murphy Philosophy
Smile . . . tomorrow will be worse.

And finally. Something that will help you determine how haggard you'll be next year.

Four-eye mode

2005-12-01T09:58:00.000+08:00

I'm back to being Four-Eyes. After 2 weeks of endlessly working in front of the computer, I've decided to stop using my contact lenses (in the meantime). I fear that my eyes will turn mutinous against me: I am experiencing involuntary movement of my right eyeball, which is really scary. So now, I am relaxing my eyes a bit by wearing eyeglasses.

The next time you see me rolling my eyes, it's not because I'm being nasty or sarcastic. It's just my eyeball's being silly again, asserting its newfound "independence." Pasaway. Mana sa amo.

Not en vogue

2005-11-30T16:22:00.000+08:00

Apparently, complaining about lousy service is not en vogue here in the metro. People seem to consider one week a speedy period to have your phone installed, or whatever utility service you might want to have. Two to three weeks' the norm, while more than that's tolerable. Customers will just say, "we understand. Ganyan talaga kabagal service nila. Let's just wait."

I say: "why fucking wait for the fuckingly slow, fuckingly lousy service???"

And people will give me a look of disdain, then reprimand me, "'wag mo kasi silang awayin, lalo nilang babagalan pag-install ng phone."

What?!?

(Help me out here, I'm hyperventilating!)

(And oh. I was just informed that they cannot install a phone line because some cooperative wiring in the unit shortcircuited. The heavens favor you, PLDT installer.)

(Reflecting on my misfortunes, I realized these misfortunes are actually blessings in disguise. Without internet connection (at least for this week), I'll have more time to relax, watch TV, and finally finish one or two books waiting patiently to be read in my bookshelf.)

(The heavens favor us, PLDT installer.)

Good morning?

2005-11-18T11:36:00.000+08:00

7:35 am

Phone rings. Still sleeping me answers the phone.

'Hello?'

'Gising ka na? Pa'no mo nga pala babayaran 'yung credit card bill mo? Bale Php xx,000 kelangan mo bayaran. Sana mabayaran mo na, para mabawasan ang interest.'

'Wala pa'kong pera, baka sa susunod na buwan na lang...'

'Sana bayaran mo kahit Php x,000 lang.'

'Sige bahala na. Try ko.'

Salungat sa sinabi ni Notorious B.I.G.: NO money, MORE problems.

Aru!

2005-11-15T17:05:00.000+08:00

Ang sakit ng likod ko.
Hmmm....ang sarap magpamasahe, lalo na kapag mala-Adonis na papa ang taga-masahe...

Hay daydream, daydream...

Kelangan ko ng Bactidol. (Haha got that? Backtidol. Haha.)

Me, Sucker

2005-11-14T11:50:00.000+08:00

PROLOGUE:
A sucker was born yesterday.

THE STORY:
She went to Megamall to buy an ironing board for her ironing chore that night.

But ooohhh, the ironing boards are heavy!

expensive! (especially the light ones!)

Images of her ironing clothes didn't help her decide whether to buy the cheap, heavy ironing board or the light, expensive one.

She went outside Ace Hardware. Walked around in a trance, when....

"Sir, Ma'am, maganda po itong produkto na 'to, kahit anong klase ng damit, napa-plantsa....!"

Then, DING! a light bulb short-circuited in Sucker's brain. Now she's a bona fide sucker.

Sucker approached the booth, marveled at the "magic" of the product called Steam Brush.

"Ito po'ng Steam Brush, Sir, Ma'am, e madaling gamitin. Konting tubig lang, hintayin lang po natin uminit ang tubig, pwede na pong gamitin. Ito po ang mga plantsa para sa mga nagmamadali..."

Sucker nods her head in agreement.

"...di na po kailangan ng ironing board, nakasabit lang po ang damit, pwede nang magplantsa..."

Sucker has just broken the record for most number of head nods in a second.

After asking too many questions (baka naman masira ang tela nyan?) (saan ba gawa yung plantsa at di natutunaw yung buttons kahit daanan?) and threatening the demo person (naku miss sigurado ka diyan sa sinasabi mo ha), Sucker bought the Steam Brush (iron), for a steamy price of Php 999.

Sucker. sucker. sucker.

Sucker went home and tried her newly-bought steam brush.
The steamy thing worked.
Her blouse looked well-ironed (and definitely better ironed than Sucker's previous attempts at ironing).

EPILOGUE: The morning after

A sucker was born yesterday.
Now, she realizes, being a sucker (sometimes) isn't that bad after all.

(The Steam Brush is now placed in a special spot in Sucker's bookshelf.)

And Sucker, Steam Brush and Stubborn-Crumpled-Clothes lived happily ever after.

THE END

Why randomness is better & easier

2005-11-07T11:09:00.000+08:00

1. It's wala lang. Easier to read, faster to type (write). You don't have to write coherently.
2. Which requires time
7. And since you don't have much time, you write whatever comes to mind within the
4. nanosecond your fingers touch the keys of your (key)board.
5. Randomness makes task-switching in computers easier. For example,
23.I can work on my tables (Excel) when the boss passes by;
7. but I can switch back to my blogging (Blogger c/o Internet Explorer)
4. when the boss's gone.
9. I can also chat (Yahoo Messenger) with whoever's online,
10.browse eBay for auctioned bag items,
12.check who's got new photos at Friendster,
12.then go back to Excel.
13.Randomness is just like channel-surfing/switching
14.you can switch to HBO or Channel 2 or Channel 7
15.when there's a commercial on AXN.
16.Randomness is a glimpse of what that veined, throbbing,
37. greenish glob part of your body
18.has got
8. But randomness can also be
33.shallow,
33.incoherent,
33.incoherent,
101l1keundeci0herab1ew00rdsw111he1Nt1h101ere1sa11c00mput1rg11ch
101l1keundeci0herab1ew00rdsw111he1Nt1h101ere1sa11c00mput1rg11ch
101l1keundeci0herab1ew00rdsw111he1Nt1h101ere1sa11c00mput1rg11ch

Sex movie title

2005-10-28T18:44:00.000+08:00

'Pag wala ang mga bossing, ito ginagawa namin: mag-isip ng possible sex movie titles.

Panalong banat/title for the day:

Diligan ng Suka ang Uhaw na Lumpia

(OK, guys, uwi na tayo. Malala na 'to.)

This song makes me want to cry

2005-10-27T14:07:00.000+08:00

Try listening to this on a Friday night :(

Hanggang Kailan

Orange and Lemons

Labis na naiinip

Nayayamot sa bawat saglit

Kapag naaalala ka

Wala naman akong magawa...

Umuwi ka na baby

Di na ako sanay ng wala ka

Mahirap ang mag-isa

At sa gabi'y hinahanap hanap kita...

Hanggang kailan ako maghihintay

Na makasama kang muli

Sa buhay kong puno ng

Paghihirap

At tanging ikaw lang ang

Pumapawi sa mga luha at

Naglalagay ng ngiti sa mga labi...

Di mapigilang mag-isip

O baka sa tagal

Mahulog ang loob mo sa iba

Nakakabalisa

Knock on wood wag naman sana...

Umuwi ka na baby

Di na ako sanay ng wala ka

Mahirap ang mag-isa

At sa gabi'y hinahanap hanap kita...

Hanggang kailan ako maghihintay

Na makasama kang muli

Sa buhay kong puno ng

Paghihirap

At tanging ikaw lang ang

Pumapawi sa mga luha

Naglalagay ng ngiti sa mga labi...

Why's everyBODY thinking about SEX lately?!?

2005-10-27T10:23:00.000+08:00

Ok, ok, I'll qualify that: why were Tin and Jonah thinking about sex this early in the morning?!?

Trust Jonah to welcome my morning with her psychological tests-cum-trivia(lities):

May question ako. Ano ang uunahin mo....

....nag-ri-ring na phone?
....umiiyak na baby?
....yung kumakatok sa pinto?
....yung sampay niyo kasi umuulan?

I chose no. 4, yung sampay niyo kasi umuulan.

The interpretations are in the comments section :)
No cheating!

bogchi, logtu

2005-10-26T15:33:00.000+08:00

Ayaw talagang makipag-cooperate ng kape sa'kin. Pagkatapos kong inumin ang Venti-size na coffee na ang halaga'y katumbas ng anim na venti (nyahaha corny!), wa-epek pa rin ito sa gigantic antok na nararamdaman ko. Stresstabs-level na nga ang eyebags ko e.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Yahoo may sweldo na!!! Grabe at di biro ang pagtitipid na ginawa ko simula Saturday hanggang Tuesday. Recap ng aking pitiful existence nitong nakaraang mga araw:

Saturday

No food; cash on hand-Php 50.

Breakfast- mamon na dala ni Mama.

Lunch- Nova BBQ

Dinner- Clover Chili 'n' Cheese

Sunday

Breakfast- deadma.

Lunch- Nova BBQ uli

Dinner- Adobo, donation ng United Nations (ay, ng pamilya ko pala. hehe.)

Monday

No breakfast

Lunch- Jollibee spaghetti

Dinner- tirang Adobo from my Salvation Family

Tuesday

Breakfast- Kababayan mamon

Lunch- Sour Cream & Onion soft pretzel (sounds sosy, but really, tinapay lang 'to)

Dinner- Wendy's Super (Duper) Value (read: cheap) Salad

"Cantcha see I love you..."

2005-10-25T18:38:00.000+08:00

....ganyan ko kakantahin ang "Wooden Heart" ni Alison Krauss.

On a more serious note (pun intended):

Baby, Now That I've Found You
Alison Krauss

Baby,
now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so,
baby even though
You don't need me
now

Baby,
now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though
You don't need me,
You don't need me oh, no

Baby, baby,
when first we met
I knew in this heart of mine

That you were someone I couldn't forget.
I said right,
and abide my time

Spent my life looking
for that somebody
to make me feel like new
Now you tell me that you want to leave me
But darling, I just can't let you

Baby, baby,
when first we met
I knew in this heart of mine
That you were someone I couldn't forget.
I said right,
and abide my time

Spent my life looking
for that somebody
to make me feel like new
Now you tell me that you want to leave me
But darling, I just can't let you

Now that I found you
I built my world around you

I need you so, baby even though
You don't need me now

Baby, now that I've found you
I won't let you go
I built my world around you
I need you so
Baby even though
You don't need me
You don't need me no, no

No, I'm not in love. (But I wish I am).
Maybe I am in love with the idea of me falling in love.

Bahay-bahayan

2005-10-21T14:38:00.000+08:00

What's kept me busy this past week was my moving-in--to my new "place." You can call it a condo unit or a pad, but I prefer calling it my place--chez moi.

my not-so-girly-Spartan-like room

Friends have been telling me I'm finally living the independent life. Before, I used to think "independence" means simply having your own place, no curfews, and freely doing whatever I damn wanted to do. Surprisingly, independence is both a wonderful and scary concept. It is wonderful because you make your own decisions, but it is also scary because there is always the possibility that your decisions will not be the best ones.

Purita na ako ngayon. I've exhausted my financial resources, and borrowed some from my parents and tita, just to push through with Project Independence. But really, I only wanted to be independent from one thing: commuting. The tiring and sometimes irritating task of commuting was the main objective of this project (naks! research na research!). Also, I can now work fully on my research-writing, which I've somewhat neglected because of work and commuting.

Of course, chez moi is still a work in progress. Cable TV will be installed on Saturday, but I haven't applied yet for an Internet connection, which is actually the most important utility for me because of my research work. Kaso saka na 'pag nakabawi na'ko sa gastos ko, wala na'kong moolah eh.

Now, I must get used to the idea that:
1. I would be sleeping and waking up alone (not everyday, since I have my happy camper CROI friends as "transients");
2. I will wake up having no idea about the time of the day, whether it is rainy or sunny;
3. the only thing I'll know about my "neighbors" (other tenants) are their profiles (behind the curtains) and voices; and
4. I'll be working overtime at the office. OK lang daw kasi malapit na ang tinitirhan ko (says my boss).

Bitten by the poetry bug (Tin's influence)

2005-10-19T11:17:00.000+08:00

Because I have little time to rant or rave, but just enough time to cut and paste some of my favorite poems :)

Dream Deferred
by Langston Hughes
(Tin has J. Lacaba's Tagalog translation of this poem)

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

------

she being Brand
by e.e. cummings
(my first exposure to cummingsian poetry)

she being Brand

-new;and you
know consequently a
little stiff i was
careful of her and(having

thoroughly oiled the universal
joint tested my gas felt of
her radiator made sure her springs were O.

K.)i went right to it flooded-the-carburetor cranked her

up,slipped the
clutch(and then somehow got into reverse she
kicked what
the hell)next
minute i was back in neutral tried and

again slo-wly;bare,ly nudg. ing(my

lev-er Right-
oh and her gears being in
A 1 shape passed
from low through
second-in-to-high like
greasedlightning)just as we turned the corner of Divinity

avenue i touched the accelerator and give

her the juice,good

(it

was the first ride and believe i we was
happy to see how nice she acted right up to
the last minute coming back down by the Public
Gardens i slammed on

the
internalexpanding
&
externalcontracting
brakes Bothatonce and

brought allofher tremB
-ling
to a:dead.

stand-;Still)

------
r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r
by e.e. cummings
(pasaway na tula. hehe.)

r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r
who
a)s w(e loo)k
upnowgath
PPEGORHRASS
eringint(o-
aThe):l
eA
!p:
S a
(r
rIvInG .gRrEaPsPhOs)
to
rea(be)rran(com)gi(e)ngly
,grasshopper;

Apology not accepted

2005-10-15T21:53:00.000+08:00

Ok. Naging suwail na anak ako ng blogosphere. Kung ano ang sinipag ko ng September, ganon naman ang ikinatamad ko ngayong October. But what really kept me busy this week was....

(to be continued)

pasintabi

2005-10-13T09:59:00.000+08:00

Pasensiya na mga ka-kosa, di na'ko nakakapag-post simula noong nakaraang linggo. Kelangan kasi doble-kayod ngayon, marami akong inaasikasong bagay (specifically, gastos). Pero marami akong kwento, pramis. Saka na 'pag ayos na mga plano ko. Paki-kawit naman ang inyong hinlalato sa inyong hintuturo (uhm, keep your fingers crossed?). Sana nga maging maayos ang lahat.

Chikachiks sa next time nating kitakits. (Baduy!)

Excellent singer

2005-10-08T18:13:00.000+08:00

daw ako, ayon sa pamosong Magic Sing.

Totoo nga na nakaka-destress ang pagkanta, samahan mo pa ng kainan at sayawan. Pangalawang banat ko na'to sa pag-re-relax, ang una'y ang food bingeing at makalaglag-baryang shoe shopping namin ng croiful people.

Riot panoorin ang mga bossing mo na sumayaw sa Pinoy Big Brother song.

Riot makinig sa mga bakaw sa mikropono (attention: oldies!) na kumanta ng Delilah (my, my, my Delilah), Top of the World, at Dancing Queen.

Riot kumain ng baked mussels, liempo, sahog-based pansit, sangkatutak na sandwich, siomai, chicken, ensaymada, at bottomless juice (na kahit kinabukasan ng hapo'y di pa rin nauubos).

Riot maging balahura sa harap ng mga bossing mo (minsan lang naman e, hehe).

Riot umuwi ng gabi, maabutan ang baha, at lumusong sa baha pagkatapos ang nakakapagod na pagkanta at pagtawa.

Sa uulitin!

Hala!

2005-09-30T09:29:00.000+08:00

May bagong feature ngayon ang Friendster: "Who's Viewed Me"

Huli ang mga stalker. Hehehe.
Huli ang mga lurker. Hehehe.
Huli ang mga old HS and college acquaintances na 'di mo friend. Hehehe.

Kaso may option pa rin na 'anonymous viewing' sa mga ayaw pahuli.
Oh well, buti na rin. Stalker and lurker din naman ako e.

Hehehe.

This commuter's pet peeves

2005-09-29T11:12:00.000+08:00

1. Busmate who coughs with all his/her might and phlegmy gusto without covering his/her mouth. We may be sharing the same seat, but I wouldn't want to share your bodily germs.

2. Commuter who eats peanuts, then throws the shells on the bus floor.

3. Commuter who talks while eating peanuts, spraying peanut spittle on his/her busmate's cheek.

4. Male commuter who spreads his legs widely across the bus seat, even though someone is already sitting beside him. Kung naiinitan ang ano mo, mag-palda ka na lang kaya?

5. Commuter who sweats a river throughout the ride. I know it's a hot morning, but can we at least arm wrestle than bury my arm under your sweaty sweaty armpit?

6. Female commuter (middle-aged, most likely a mom, who looks so nasty and suplada) who likes to squeeze her big big butt in the teenie tiny space between two passengers by sitting on both passengers' laps, letting gravity do its fantastic job of free fall.

7. Grimy-looking bus curtains, victims to numerous incidences of hand-wiping after eating itlog ng pugo, mani, and fish crackers.

8. Commuters who play the game of switch-a-seat, with the objective of finally reaching the front seat behind the driver or near the door. Commuter who switches more than five times wins.

9. "Bus spokesperson" for medical missions who drops donation envelope on your lap without consent.

10. MMDA-bashing, power-tripping, greedy bus drivers who waste 30 minutes to 1 hour of people's time by waiting for (potential) passengers at Starmall. Yes, 30 minutes-1 hour of waiting at Starmall only.

chibog

2005-09-28T14:28:00.000+08:00

Amoy pansit puti, lumpiang sariwa, at barbeque sa office ngayon.
Masarap palang kumain 'pag walang kuryente sa office, wala kang pagbabalingan ng atensyon kundi 'yung pagkain.
Dapat paspasan din ang pag-inom ng Coke, kundi malulusaw ang yelo.

Mamaya meryenda naman.

Nightmares are made of this

2005-09-27T12:00:00.000+08:00

I am in a second-hand bookstore, crouching to browse through books in the lower shelf, when suddenly:

Enter men in uniform. The leader shouted, "Blah blah blah blah order of Shaw,* we are now under Martial Law."

All people in the bookstore, including me, raised both hands in an act of surrender. Still raising my hands and remaining in a crouched position, I placed myself against a bookshelf, not wanting to see what will happen next.

I woke up, feeling the fear I know I'd only feel when faced with death (mine or someone else's).

Neal Cruz said people are no longer afraid of martial law, but all these news about She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named declaring our country is in a 'state of emergency' somehow sank into the deep recesses of my brain, inducing itself in my dream-nightmare last night. I don't want to involve myself too much with local politics, because for me it's just fodder for people's entertainment. But witnessing SWMNBN's political maneuvers nowadays made me realize that she can and will do anything to stay in power. Damn those (us) who gets on her way. And that scares me.

The only good thing about my dream was, I'm going to die in a bookstore. Heaven.

*yes, the boulevard. and yes, that line's all I can recall from my dream. Weird.

The internet junkie wants her fix! Now!

2005-09-26T10:26:00.000+08:00

ATTENTION: PLDT

PARANG AWA NIYO NA.

ILANG TAWAG PA BA ANG GAGAWIN NAMIN PARA MAGKABIT ULI KAYO NG BAGONG PHONE CABLE.

HINDI NAMIN KASALANAN NA MAY KAPWA PILIPINO KAMING NAGNAKAW NG KABLE NIYO.

HINDI NAMIN ALAM KUNG KOMPETISYON NIYO O ANG MGA KAPITBAHAY NAMIN SA SQUATTERS AREA ANG KUMUHA.

ISA PA, TRABAHO NIYO NA ALAMIN KUNG SINO ANG MAY SALA.

HINDI NA LANG PURO KAMI, KAMI, KAMI.

AKALA NIYO MAY PHONE CABLE PA RIN KAMI...

....PERO WALA, WALA, WALAAAAA!!!!!!!

NAKNAMPUCHA.

Dogs, you can trust...

2005-09-22T10:34:00.000+08:00

....politicians? You definitely cannot.

No wonder Haydee Yorac was a dog-lover. She was better off dealing with her dogs than politicians. At least her affections (ohhh how can you develop affection for a politician?!?) were not misplaced. You can't blame the woman.

Comatose State (of the Phils.)

2005-09-22T10:08:00.000+08:00

Story 1: Death of Haydee Yorac, PCGG chair.

Story 2: (Possible) Auctioning off of Imelda jewels ("Honolulu collection"), under the care of PCGG. This report came out yesterday, one day before Yorac's burial (today).

Tsk, tsk. Kailangan na kailangan niya talaga ang pera, pang-tapal-bibig.

*For more of the delightful mud-slinging on She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, read this.
**Had a laugh last night listening to reports about Norberto Gonzales' being tagged as a "pimp" by the Senate tribunal. How apt.

Madam Rosa

2005-09-21T13:51:00.000+08:00

Kasalanan ni Anj ito e. Hindi naman talaga ako mahilig magbasa ng horoscope. Di rin ako naniniwala dito. Pero minsan, nag-try akong tignan ang horoscope ko sa Friendster. Swak na swak talaga nakalagay don, katulad na katulad nung nangyari sa'kin noong araw na 'yon. Kaya nang wala akong magawa kanina, tinignan ko horoscope ko. Wala lang. At ang fearless forecast ng Friendster?

Are you prepared for romance? You'd better be, because one is headed your way.

Sabaw.

2005-09-20T09:44:00.000+08:00

Dear Manong (na naka-Amerikana),

Ipagpaumanhin mo kung di sinasadya'y natusok ko ang binti niyo ng dulo ng payong ko habang naglalakad ako sa likod nyo kahapon sa may Paseo de Roxas. Hindi ko po sinasadya yon. Siguro iyon ay reaksyon lamang ng aking nagmamadaling katawan dahil male-late na po ako sa aking FGD observation. Bagaman sabi ng utak ko ay magpasensya ako sa iyo, isang parte pa rin nito ang nagsasabi, "bilisan mo naman!"

At nangyari ang di dapat mangyari.

Natusok kita ng dulo ng payong (slight lang naman). Tumingin ka sa likod mo.

May nakita akong opening. (Ayos, dere-deretso na paglakad ko).

Pero namayani po ang pagiging magalang ko. Naalala mo ba, sabi ko, "ay, sorry po."

Ngumiti ka naman at nagsabing, "it's OK."

Gusto ko pa sanang makipagkuwentuhan sa'yo, mag-sorry uli. Baka tanungin din kita kung bakit relaxed na relaxed ka gayong lahat ng tao sa paligid mo'y nagmamadali.

Pero nagmamadali talaga ako, kaya ngumiti na lang ako, sabay lakad sa espasyong ipinagkaloob mo sa'kin na lakaran.

Sorry po uli.

Gumagalang (pero nagmamadali),
Chin

Ang saya saya!/Time out muna!

2005-09-15T11:06:00.000+08:00

Katatapos ko lang ayusin ang presentation materials ni ma'am. Duling na ang mata ko sa katitingin sa graphs and figures, kaya lalo ko pang dudulingin mata ko sa pagtingin sa text. Kahit tinakot ako ni J-O-E-Y about my work, so far naman nag-e-enjoy ako dahil:

1. Ngayon ko lang tuluyang naintindihan ang mga pinagkukuha kong exams sa mga market research agencies. Clarity, kumbaga.
2. Araw ng sweldo ngayon.
3. I am surrounded with people who love research and are hard-core researchers, doing hard-core research studies in hard-core market research agencies.
4. Dati, OK lang sa'kin ang legwork sa survey research, pero after observing how it is really done in market research, masaya na'ko na ako na lang mag-analyze ng data. Sobrang hirap at hard work talaga.
5. Masayang mag-observe ng FGD! As in. Para kang nanonood ng sine, libre pa breakfast, lunch at merienda!
6. Walang feeling artista. Walang nagmamagaling-magalingan. Tinitignan talaga ang kakayahan at galing mo, hindi kung ano ang suot, hitsura o galing ng acting mo.
7. Shemps masaya ako dahil hindi PA ako nabubulyawan o namumura...
8. Lahat ng gastos mo pag umaalis ka for a meeting or field work ay sagot ng agency.
9. Napakasaya masaksihan ang mga bossing mo and to take part in a heated discussion about a project. Eto 'yung mga mind-boggling situations na kung saan parang pini-pingpong ang utak ng lahat, batuhan talaga ng ideas. And the best part is, they acknowledge and appreciate your input. Asteg.
10. Mababayaran ko na si Ma sa utang kong pamasahe sa kanya. Shemps may bagong blouse siya dahil matiyaga niya 'kong ginigising kada umaga. Sweldo day=Mother's Day! :D

Ayan, Ina, binasag ko na ang aking katahimikan. =P

Beware of this gurlalush

2005-09-01T19:12:00.000+08:00

Jonna Jenica de Vera, a.k.a. Jenicker

Notoriously known as the bugaw and primary agent of the disease called workaholismus.
Last seen inside the Makati Stock Exchange, whereabouts at present still unknown (hint, hint: still inside MSE?) :)

Last known sidekick: John
Last known love: John

Latest sidekick(s): computer, deadly weapon shoes
Latest love: now prefers human affection, too (tsk, tsk. what workaholism can do to you...)

NOTE: For more documentation, please refer to Appendix section.

APPENDIX:

History of a disease (workaholismus)

Before workaholismus.

After workaholismus.

Tips on avoiding workaholismus:

One must not disclose his/her birthdate to avoid the wrath of moneyless and hungry friends. Failure to do so would be disastrous and may result to a smear campaign of his/her image. A famous tactic used by disgruntled, HUNGRY friends include posting uberly embarassing pictures of the subject's not-so-candid photos during his/her days of silliness (read: college years).

Can only be cured by treating disgruntled, HUNGRY friends to any godforsaken place serving mounds of food and endless supply of rice, i.e., bars, restaurants, grills (carinderia pwede rin....pero. NAMAN.).

Happy Birthday, Jenica!

Eto na.

2005-08-30T19:46:00.000+08:00

Ito ang entry na matagal ko na gustong i-post, 'yun nga lang di pa nangyayari. Sabi ko, ano kaya magandang entry title 'pag may trabaho na'ko? Iniisip ko "Hired!" o di kaya "Unemployed no more," basta may term na "unemployed" or "employed" sa titulo. Yun pala wala man lang ka-glamour-glamour maiisip kong title.

E kasi ito talaga nararamdaman ko ngayon.

Malapit na ang Sept. 1. Bukod sa birthday ni Jenix, ito rin ang araw na gigising ako ng 6.30 ng umaga, bibiyahe papuntang Ortigas, at lalakarin ang kahabaan ng Julia Vargas Ave. Makakabisado ko na ang pasikot-sikot ng Megamall. Gagamit na rin ako ng deadly weapon na shoes. (Pero sana pwede pa rin mag-jeans, asiwa ako sa pormal-pormalang damit e). Sa ngayon wala pa 'kong pinaghahandaan, wala pa akong ideya kung ano sa dinami-dami ng natutunan ko sa CommRes ang dapat kong gamitin.

Kinakabahan din ako. Hindi ko alam kung kaya ko ba ang trabaho, kung makakapag-deliver nga ba ako. Kung mami-meet ko ang expectations ng bosses ko. Kung mami-meet ng agency ang expectations ko.

Excited din ako. Kasi, finally, nakahanap ako ng trabaho sa field na gusto ko. Sana nga di ako nagkamali sa pinili kong karera sa buhay. Nakatulong din na andiyan sila Rye, Jovy, Joy at Edz sa Ortigas, meron pa ring ka-chikahan matapos ang isang nakakapagod o nakakabatong araw ng pagtratrabaho.

Hinga ng malalim. Eto na. This is it, pansit.

nag-uwi ang kapatid ko ng isang box ng yema

2005-08-23T11:58:00.000+08:00

Laganap na ang Erap-less MRT cards ngayon. Ito ang binibigay sa mga commuters na dulo-dulo ang byahe (e.g., Ayala-Buendia or Q.Ave-North Edsa), ginupit para di na dumaan sa slot machine. Ginupit kung san andon dati ang picture ni Erap. Hmmm...bagong gimik ng administrasyon: hindi rewriting, kundi "cutting," history.

***
Bungad (na naman) sa'kin ni Jocel pagkakita nya sa'kin last week, "O, maglalayas ka?" sabay tingin sa malaki at ever-flexible kong bag. Since college ata di pa niya 'ko nakikitang gumamit ng bag na kasinliit ng pocketbook. Mas type ko kasi ang malalaki at functional na bags. Yung tipong pag napadaan ka sa mall, at biglang, "uy, may book sale!" walang problema kung saan mo ilalagay ang nabili mong libro, plus wala pang iba pang bitbitin.

Minsan naman, halos wala talaga akong dala, binder lang tapos andon na sa loob yung notebook, ballpen, cellphone, calculator, suklay, at tissue. Nung 2nd year ko sa college, ginamit ko yung pinapamigay na pouch ng Qantas Airlines, kung san nakalagay yung toothbrush, toothpaste, ear plugs, at socks para sa mga passenger. Di pa man nauuso ang pouch sa mga lalaki, ginagamit ko na yun, kasya kasi lahat ng gamit ko don: ballpen, cellphone, calculator, suklay, at tissue. Madali pang bitbitin kasi may strap siya sa side, across the zipper. Feeling ko kasi may bulaklak ako sa tenga kapag gagamit ako ng fancy, gurlalush shoulder bags.

Naalala ko tuloy si Lourds, na mahilig mag-bag na sing-liit ng pocketbook. Imagine, kasya don sa pagkaliit-liit na bag na yon ang payong, notebook (tickler), cellphone, kikay kit, at PE shirt niya. Pati yata ref at washing machine kayang ipagkasya ni Lourds don e.

***
San ba makakabili ng posas? Kelangan ko kasi i-posas sarili ko sa bahay, otherwise lalarga na naman ako sa Makati at Cubao para lang bumili at suminghot ng libro. Kahit walang pera, alis pa rin ako para lang matignan kung ano'ng mga bagong bargain books. Favorite hobby ko na nga ang magpa-reserve ng libro na gusto ko, tapos after 3 days di ko naman babalikan. Wala lang.

***
Ngayon ko lang naranasan na ma-interview sa araw ng Linggo. Sa phone sa loob ng 10 minuto. Nang naka-tapis (dahil naliligo ako nang tumawag sila). Patulo-tulo ang tubig mula sa buhok kong may shampoo pa. Pagkatapos ng interview nagmistulang lawa ang kinatatayuan ko. (Buti na lang attentive si kuya, pinunasan agad bago pa 'ko ma-kuryente ng mga nabasang saksakan at cable).

Peninsular

2005-08-05T10:21:00.000+08:00

During a jeepney ride along Ayala Avenue yesterday:

Driver: (as jeep approaches The Peninsula Manila) "Peninsula, meron?"
Lady in Jeans: "Insular ho, meron."

Driver stops in front of Peninsula Manila. Nobody got out.

Again, Driver asks, "Peninsula ba, meron?"
Lady in Jeans answers again, "Insular po." Then questions us passengers, "Ano daw sabi niya (driver)?"

Hoping to clear up the confusion, Guy in White Polo says, "Peninsular daw ho."

In times of confusion, reconcile.

Tag-taranan....

2005-08-03T02:26:00.000+08:00

(courtesy of Rye)

three names you go by:
1. chin (para sa mga kaibigan at ka-org)
2. christine (para sa mga kaklase at professors)
3. Christina (para sa mga kapamilya)

three screen names you have had:
1. chinchikurin
2. yema adik
3. mango float (dormant identity)

three physical things you like about yourself:
1. eyes (any book whore needs these)
2. hands (typing & writing, pangalawang propesyon ng mga researchers)
3. feet (making adventures and misadventures possible)

three physical things you don't like about yourself:
1. belly (because it's uber flexible)
2. feet (shorter than what I wanted it to be)
3. torso

three parts of your heritage:
1. Chinese (eyes from Pa's great-grandmother)
2. Spanish (freckles from Ma)
3. noy-Pi! (Ilokano + Bisaya)

three things that scare you:
1. RATS!!!!! (any animal that says, "ik-ik!!!")
2. being incompetent
3. being alone in a very quiet room

three of your everyday essentials:
1. tissue
2. accessing the Internet
3. eye glasses/ contact lenses

three of your favorite musical artists:at the moment...
1. brownbeat all-stars
2. hale
3. gwen stefani

three of your favorite songsat the moment...
1. maling akala
2. cool
3. pangarap ka (yeah, I know, can't help it...(sheepish grin))

three things you want in a relationship:
1. attraction
2. honesty
3. spontaneity

three lies and truths in no particular order:
lies:
1. I'm a control freak
2. People are predictable & consistent
3. Impartial judgment

truths:
1. I'm a book whore
2. I truly believe in God
3. Ignorance is bliss

three physical things about the opposite sex that appeals to you:
1. height
2. expressive eyes
3. a nice set of white teeth

three of your favorite hobbies:
1. reading with legs stretched on a stool
2. watching tv with legs stretched on the center table
3. book hunting

three things you want to do really badly now:
1. have my long-delayed, well-deserved vacation
2. look for and live in my own place
3. learn a new language

three careers you're considering/you've considered:
1. entrepreneur
2. bookstore personnel
3. freelance researcher-writer

three places you want to go on vacation:
1. Ilocos Norte, Philippines
2. Venice, France
3. New York, USA

three kid's names you like:
1. Sonja
2. Diwata
3. Santi

three things you want to do before you die:
1. travel the world with my family
2. make my dream biz come true
3. create a written work I'd truly be proud of (not necessarily publish it)

three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
1. I'm chismosa
2. It takes me an hour or more to dress up
3. I'm overly-sensitive

three ways that you are stereotypically a boy:
1. I don't wear make-up
2. I like looking at other girls' polished nails (and I don't like polishing my nails)
3. I think Angelina Jolie and Lindsay Lohan (not the post-Mean Girls LL, ok) are vixens (rawr!!!)

three celeb crushes:
1. Eric Szmanda
2. Brad Pitt
3. Edward Norton

my turn to tag...
1. Jenix
2. Tin-Tin
3. Ina

Plugging muna: Waiter Rant

2005-08-03T00:55:00.000+08:00

I've been reading this blog for sometime, this guy can be brutally honest, witty, and keeps his audience awake and entertained with this writing. Though I don't eat at restos that much, I find his tales of woe as a waiter helpful for me (1) as an occasional (fine) diner and constant food aficionado, and (2) as a chismosa interested in knowing how people from all walks of life behave while enjoying gastronomic delights.

Welcome to the highly-addictive Waiter Rant blog.

Notes from an unemployed

2005-07-31T22:07:00.000+08:00

I feel like a caterpillar slowly inching its way towards the border going forward from the unemployed to the employed side don't know when I'll be on the other side I'm getting bored but what can I do right now I'm not in control of things in my life everyday these past three months I wake up late in the morning to eat brunch and chat with my friends yes some of them already employed but I really don't mind I always think that yeah yeah my time will come I'm going to be employed soon so soon like what rye said patience is a virtue like what jenix told me the best is always saved last like what my sisters preached God has a purpose hallelujah of course I believe them people who've always encouraged supported me making me feel uber well so well I'd spoil myself again spend the rest of the afternoon reading some novels some short stories so that I won't have the intellectual slump rye thinks she's getting of course TV's part of my routine I'd watch 24 Oras Attic Cat always switching to Oh Feel Young when commercials come in then I'd switch back to Attic Cat Monday Tuesday Wednesday nights spent on watching CSI Miami New York Las Vegas just watched its season finale Nick's acting's superb Greg's hair went down oh how I miss his spunky hair Grissom and his bug mania saved Nick's life being buried alive a la Kill Bill 2 listening to the anonymous tape message you can try to please me but it won't be easy seeing in black and white gore blood ax not scalpel cutting through Nick's skin HBO Cinemax Star Movies whatever movie's on chatting while watching drinking while chatting browsing sites while chatting drinking watching read some novel again I read too much novels but never never never finish them No Logo Dark Tower 6 Little Friend Gothic Tales You Must Remember This Catcher in the Rye all not finished but someday I will don't worry time to sleep to wake up late the next day too much TV too much reading it'd be nice to go to Baguio but I can't because of exams interviews job applications whatever these companies demand you jump over the ring of fire do the trapeze become the clown please them impress them don't make them angry job application is like a whirlwind romance they'd court you call you they'd tease you I'd tease them make me feel I need them make them feel they need me nice professional words handshakes after marriage contract if you passed snobbery if you failed at the end of the day after several months this craziness will end no more favorite TV shows no more reading unfinished novels no more chatting no more notes no more no more

"First time mo, miss?"

2005-07-28T19:05:00.000+08:00

"Opo."
"Ok talaga dito, mura kasi, Php200 lang, kaya nga dinadayo ng mga tao e."

Hindi ko inakalang sa Cubao ko matatagpuan ang tunay na kaligayahan. Pwede ngang masabing nasa Nirvana ako kahapon. Matatagpuan ang Nirvanang ito sa isang building sa Cubao, luma na ngunit punong-puno ng mga bagay na nakakapagbigay-aliw sa mga taong tulad ko. Sa ika-apat na palapag ng building na 'yon ay talaga namang nag-laway ako sa sobrang excitement at ligaya. Nagmistula silang mga 'pagkaing' nakaladlad sa hapag-kainan: may matataba, may payat, may mukhang bago, meron namang luma na sa katandaan. Meron ding may kamahalan, pero halos lahat--ang pinakamaganda sa lahat--ay mura.

Sa halagang Php 200 napawi na ang uhaw kong pagnanasa.
Di ako nakatiis, sampung beses kong pinawi ang uhaw na 'to.
Umalis ako ng building na 'yon na masayang-masaya't butas ang bulsa nang mahigit dalawang libong piso.

Ganon talaga siguro kapag kinakati ka....

Kapag may matindi kang pagnanasa....

drool, beybeh, drool...

....na maghanap at magbasa ng libro.

Kung tunay na ligaya ang hanap mo (ok, plugging na 'to), punta ka sa National Bookstore Cubao, 4th floor, Previously owned books section. Maniwala ka, ang daming libro, halos lahat BAGO pa.

Magpakasasa ka.

(Pasasalamat kay Tin, ang aking bugaw).

We win some, we lose one

2005-07-25T16:16:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, UP lost to UE, 56-51. UP's standing is now 3-1, that day being the first time UP Maroons broke its winning streak this season. UP lost because:

1. Jonah, Arlene & I watched the game, "jinxes" who weren't able to watch UP's first 3 games, supporting the team when it was only showing signs of "life." (It didn't help that we were speculating about Maroons' performance before the game started: "'di kaya matalo UP ngayon?" Adding the inevitable, "it's bound to happen, after 3 straights wins ba naman e.").

2. If the game was Quidditch and we were in the world of Rowling's Hogwarts, I would say the Maroons players were hexed (by Hermione). Pa'no ba naman, nasa Maroons na nga bola, dumadaplis pa sa kamay nila???

3. UE's #19 was Viktor Krum in disguise. (Sorry guys, can't help it, post-HP6 effect).

4. Referee Mang Kal-BOO! gave almost all his calls to UE's favor. (Luto! Luto!)

5. Talagang jinx lang kami (with the exception of Jocel, who faithfully followed each UAAP game the Maroons played for this season).

Maraming salamat kay...
Arlene (ang bukod tanging "employed" sa grupo), para sa masarap na tsibog
Jonah, sa pagbabalik ng mga libro ko
Jocel, sa pag-iimbita kahit na kami ay "malas" sa paningin niya
Hazel, "lucky charm" daw ni Jocel at picture-taker
Mentos, sa libreng Mentos
Smart, sa libreng banner

Jocel the "basketball guru"; Me & Jonah, the "basketball idiots"; and Arlene the "guru's apprentice" during the UP vs. UE game at Araneta

The "mini pep squad" obstructing Jocel's view of the game. Nobody sat behind the "mini pep squad." Tignan niyo naman, napakasigasig sa pag-cheer sa Maroons. Theory ni Jocel, may ambitions sila of entering the pep squad...hmmmm...

The UP Pep Squad gearing themselves for their stunning, amazingly-graceful headstand (which, not so coincidentally, the UE pep squad also copied--er, executed).

Just when we thought the Maroons were going to redeem themselves in the last period, Hermione (not seen in the picture) once again hexed the players, upsetting UP's winning streak.

Nakakainis!

2005-07-17T21:43:00.000+08:00

Isa ako sa mga nakigulo sa Greenbelt and Glorietta yesterday para bumili ng latest installment ni Rowling sa kanyang HP series, Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince. However, I am still re-reading HP5 (kasi I forgot some details which might turn up sa HP6, mahirap na baka di ko maintindihan), kaya kahit tapos na ni J-anne 'yung book, di pa rin ako nagpa-kuwento, basta sabi niya nakakabitin daw, sobra.

Bad trip lang talaga ako kasi while I'm Net surfing, I came across a friend's friend's Friendster page and that friend posted....

....who died in HP6.

BAD TRIP! (@%$###@@ spoiler 'yan!!!!!!!!!!)

Deception at the lowest level

2005-07-12T02:55:00.000+08:00

Whenever I check my Friendster account, I take time to look at some of the messages posted in my Bulletin Board. I don't mind receiving endless surveys, but what I DO MIND is the deceptive, tricky way in which people create different subject lines to send Christian messages. Here're examples of these irritating subject lines:

Usher killed in a car crash
So you opened this because it said "Usher Killed in Car Crash!!!", but if it said Jesus Christ our Lord would you have opened it? It's your choice. If you aren't ashamed to do this, repost and put your name onthe bottom.

Sex Video
So you opened this because you thought this is about a sex video? But if it said Jesus Christ would you have opened it?

What irritates me most is the self-righteous tone of these messages. Its creator/s assumed that people are trivial, hence the use of subject lines they think would appeal to the reader. When you open the message, it self-righteously tells, even accuses, you of not opening the message had it not been titled as such. And the message orders you, if you have a conscience, to join in the list of people who are "not ashamed of Jesus Christ" and repost the message to your contacts. Kung ang intention ng message is to be unashamed of JC, then why resort to such trickery? Walang pinagkaiba ang mga message na'to sa chain letters: they frighten and embarrass people to compel them to spread an otherwise well-intentioned message. You don't have to be fooled then reprimanded just to follow an order or request to do something.

The message is good, but the packaging sucks.

The circus is in town

2005-06-30T00:12:00.000+08:00

Susan Roces-Poe on GMA's "courage" in her Sorry Speech:

"Hindi 'yan courage... tapang ng apog 'yan!"

Your CROIness

2005-06-29T22:36:00.000+08:00

L-R: Jeg "midnight snack", Jenica "jenicker", Chin "yema adik", Rye "miss rye", Juzi "gym instructress", J-anne "phone cam whore", Gwyn "J-O-E-Y"

Last Saturday, kami ay nagbunyi dahil sa wakas, lalayas na si Jeg papuntang US! ("jeg, size 6 ha?") (jeg, mura libro sa US ah") ("jeg....WAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!)

Kahit di kumpleto ang mga sangka-CROI-han, kwela pa rin at di kami nakalimot na mag-kodakan. Kahit ilang ulit na naming sinumpa na di na kami babalik sa Starbucks sa sobrang hiya at picture kami ng picture, lumarga pa rin kami (kita naman ebidensiya). Shemps pinag-usapan ang mga "in" pag-usapan ngayon: job and job haunting stories. Bigayan ng job hunting tips, reaction sa mga job rejections, the sort of thing people discuss when they're still unemployed (with the exception of Rye & Jenica).

Nga pala, nais rin i-welcome ng CROI ang honorary member nitong si J-O-E-Y In My Heart. (Hehe).

"Can we just forgive and forget?"

2005-06-27T21:31:00.000+08:00

That is how I interpreted GMA's 7 o'clock breaking news tonight. I rarely talk about and contemplate the shallow goings-on of Philippine politics, but I just can't help but be disappointed at her--firstly, for being unbelievably vague about the "Hello Garci" tapes issue(confessing yet not revealing anything) and secondly, for fooling people that a special news announcement on primetime TV would alleviate the issue. If she accomplished anything at all tonight, it was that she proved how callous she is on issues that directly concern us Filipinos. She showed indifference not only on the Gloriagate issue, but also on her (and her family's) alleged involvement in the jueteng scandal.

Though I consider GMA a poor leader, we don't have any recourse but to bear the next five years under her leadership. Tin was right, we're better off with GMA, than oust her and have Kabayan Noli as president. We're currently in a lose-lose situation: GMA's retention would mean years of continued inflation, increasing unemployment, and diaspora of talented and productive Filipinos, while GMA's oust would make Philippines more unstable, politically and economically, under the leadership of an incompetent TV personality.

But I'm keeping my hopes up. Despite my father's urging, I wanted to stay here in the Philippines, just to prove that, hell, we can still live and not merely survive. I just hope that my and every Filipino's hope will not be crushed by the "ugly family" pigging themselves out in Malacanang.

120, 165 and 190 all over again....

2005-06-22T23:43:00.000+08:00

...am currently working on a presentation for tomorrow's interview. I hope everything goes well. All these numbers scare me...dunno where to start. Yet I can feel an adrenaline rush going through me as I manipulate (or mutilate?) and organize the data. I must really love quanti... (What?!?)

Funny, we celebrated Father's Day LAST WEEK

2005-06-20T00:59:00.000+08:00

This is embarrassing. We (I, actually) thought Father's Day is celebrated every 2nd Sunday of June, similar to Mother's Day, held every second Sunday of May. I even argued with my brother Jay, insisting that FD's on the12th rather than the 19th (which he insisted). Ayon, Papa treated us last week with fried chicken and pansit. Tawa kami nang tawa when I told them I saw an SM ad saying, "it's Father's Day on the 19th"!!! So much for Papa's treat, eh? Kaya eto, bati uli kami ng "Happy Father's Day!" sans the handa, of course.

Job hunting update

2005-06-19T01:04:00.000+08:00

I've been busy job hunting with Tin these past two weeks. Though we've spent so many hours traveling in Ortigas and Makati and passing our resumes for application, I won't (as of now) go into the details of our hunt. You see, I've been praying real hard for a job I applied for last week, and ayoko maudlot 'pag nagkuwento ako. Ganon daw talaga, sabi ni kuya: 'pag gusto mo 'yung trabaho, sobrang kinakabahan ka and you really, really pray na mapupunta sa'yo 'yun. Kaya quiet muna ako. The exam I took last Thursday was f*****g difficult, the "mother of all job exams" (holding the exam papers a la Sam Ong). I really need and want that job. Basta, saka na lang yung kuwento. I don't really believe in superstitions, but I'll shut up for now so that I won't mess up my chances of getting a job this time.

Abangan.

Where's the rain? Give me the rain!

2005-06-18T22:29:00.000+08:00

It's now mid-June, but the afternoon rains I've loved these past weeks were replaced by the angry rays of the sun. I woke up this morning realizing that we now only have one instead of two electric fans in our sala, the last one hurriedly 'delivered' to my sister's dorm. My head ached badly, which worsened when I wore my glasses and looked at the PC monitor. Perhaps I should start commencing the rain dance Imago-style.

I forgot to tell you that I have a new job! I am now the 'temp' errand girl in our house (hehe). I spent the afternoon looking for my sisters' college books, pushing against the human traffic not uncommon in National Bookstore nowadays. The sun greedily sucked everything wet, humid, and liquid; my head throbbed, my mouth breathed fire, silently cursing the heat and the people. Worse, there's a singing contest nearby, and I had to contend with the amateur, unpracticed, and screeching voices of children singing blasted through a very loud and basag sound system. Arrgghh...all these sacrifices and troubles... I may have to resign soon.

Vamos Alfonso!

2005-05-09T21:01:00.000+08:00

Now that most of AXN's reality shows are coming to an end, I put my bet on:

The Contender
Alfonso Gomez
(runner-up, Jesse Brinkley)

Amazing Race
Rob & Amber
(though I really wanted Uchenna & Joyce to win)

A note on "Lost": Though Nabbalicious expressed her faith in Locke, I daresay HE IS THE ONE. THE TRAITOR. Can't wait for the season finale...hope this series won't end up 'cliffhanging'--as Abrams' "Alias" did.

Bum box

2005-05-02T10:38:00.000+08:00

a.k.a. Idiot Box
a.k.a.a.k.a. TV

Now that the Yema Adik is temporarily immobile in terms of cash flow and blood flow (a.k.a. moving around and paglalakwatsa), she has temporarily assumed the revered position of Sofa Potato (sorry, no couches here....). She now presents you her list of 'favorites,' the ultimate guide to Sofa Potatoship:

CSI:Las Vegas
oooohhh the plot thickens as Gil and the gang were split into two groups. Now I'm beginning to hate Catherine Willows. I still love Greg!

CSI:Miami
Stopped watching it a looooong time ago because (1) Horatio's acting's too scripted, and (2) the show always ends with Horatio striking an FPJ-like pose or wearing his shades a la Ray-Ban or Oakley ad.

CSI:NY
BUT OF COURSE IT HAS GARY SINISE IN IT!!! Of course, the show's distinct NY-flavor gives this new series a different feel, more urban and less methodical than LV or Miami.

The Contender
Blame my brother Jay for 'tipping' me to watch this new show. Watched one episode (Sergio Mora vs. Ishe Smith) and man, was I HOOKED! I really liked the match between Alfonso Gomez and Ahmed...ang bilis ni Alfonso! Astig! For that, bet ko na si Alfonso. OK din si Sugar Ray, you feel humbled when you see him on TV, so soft-spoken yet so great.

LOST
Blame my kuya for recommending this show. Since this show is created by J. J. Abrams, creator of Alias, expect the show to be more than a lost-in-the-island theme. I bet that an Alias-like conspiracy is behind the airplane's crash, and one or more of the survivors are involved in this (conspiracy). Just my theory, though; I expect Abrams to come up with a thicker and more complex plot.

Xtra Challenge
Kahit corny si Paolo, kwela naman si Ethel. Minsan dragging yung show, but once in a while it keeps you entertained while I wait for....

All About Eve
Go Nicole! Always root for the underdog, hehe. When the show started, Warren's gwapo and Kenneth's jologs. But as the show progressed, nagmukha nang bonjing si Warren, and cool naman si Kenneth! I guess their roles affected my perception of each character's attractiveness. I like Nicole, if she would just change her oh-so-big pouty lips.

Darna
Duh. wala lang. Maganda lang talaga si Angel, not to mention her sexy costume. Yun lang.

Amazing Race
I pray to the highest heavens that the bickering teams Ron & Kelly and Rob & Amber be eliminated from the game, and let the two other teams (the one with Uchenna and Meredith in it) win. Between Ron & Kelly and Rob & Amber, though, I like the engaged Survivors better, coz they have the right attitude and drive to win (compared to the constantly irritated Kelly and the stingy-tongued Ron).

Graduated!

2005-04-27T09:10:00.000+08:00

Oh yes. With UP's stamp of approval in it.

Despite the complaints we had about our grad dress, we did ok during the ceremonies. And masscomm wouldn't be masscomm kung walang mga PASAWAY. "Bawal mag-sleeveless?" You have studes wearing off-shoulder, halter, tube, and anything-without-sleeves dresses. "Dapat white grad dress?" You have beige (which is actually pale brown); one even wore a black skirt. And when the admin said, "dapat closed shoes," of course expect J-anne to be one true pasaway by wearing strappy sandals. I love masscomm!!! ;p

Graduation made me nostalgic, look back at my Engg days. I'm happy that half of us (our block, I mean) are already graduates, with only a few ones making that pivotal mark in their lives when they'll eventually succeed (and FINALLY graduate! Jonah, you can do it!). And of course I'll be forever grateful to CMC for giving me the drive and inspiring me to accomplish things beyond my limits.

So, so, so. Am I hearing, "mag-wo-work ka na ba?" or, "where will you apply?"? I am still waiting for ABS's nod after a month-long application. My interview with the VP went fine, though of course I'm not sure if she considered me fine for ABS. When before I am not that hopeful, I am now, considering that I already went through what I considered the last phase of the app process (unless Gabby Lopez needs to interview me, too?!?). Will keep you posted what happens next. Sige, kabuhayan muna atupagin ko....

Chin broke her goddamn chin

2005-04-10T21:09:00.000+08:00

This almost-fatal "accident" happened just this afternoon. I was fooling around with the jumping rope, did at least 50 jumps with it. After that, I jokingly told my sisters, "naku, feeling ko magpa-pass out ako." Then I just fell forward. My chin absorbed the impact of my fall, thus resulting to a deep cut in the chin and lip. I passed out twice. When I finally woke up, the whole family was hysterical, telling me, shouting at me, that I should be rushed to the hospital.

And since I'm already conscious, my first thought was, "sandali, magbibihis lang ako! Nakapambahay ako e!" Then I changed to somewhat decent clothes, laughingly grabbed some tissue, and tried to wipe my bloodied mouth and chin.

Four stitches were needed to close the cut on my chin. I was concerned with how much time it will take for the stitches to be healed, since, well, you know... malapit na graduation. Kakahiya naman kung may tahi ako sa baba, di ba? Hehe.

And so I am now sporting a bandage on my chin, with a cut lip to boot.
Feeling ko I'm a contestant for "The Contender."

And that's how Chin broke her goddamn chin.

2005-04-09T10:35:00.000+08:00

hunchbutt, midnight snack, yema adik, and J-O-E-Y at the Sunken...(believe me Sunken yan, di nga lang kita, madilim e)

Blanko.Bored.Blah.

2005-04-09T10:08:00.000+08:00

I never thought I'd dread the day I'd be doing...NOTHING.

Yep, at di ko alam kung ano una kong gagawin ngayon. Dapat ba akong
a) manood ng TV magdamag?
b) magbasa ng libro magdamag?
c) lumafang magdamag?
d) tumunganga sa harap ng PC magdamag?
e) lumayas ng bahay?
f) all of the above?

As they say, our thesis days are over. I'm sure not going to miss the deadlines, but I'd definitely reminisce about our ma-parusang data-gathering, dahil sa pinagpilitan naming mag-survey sa buong Metro Manila. Oh well ok naman kinalabasan ng thesis e. Nakakaloka lang ang remark ni Ma'am sa final draft namin: "you should use Times New Roman...." Huwaattt??? After so many drafts na cute-na-cute-na-Futuristic font ang ginamit namin, we have to re-format our paper to make it extremely BORING with a TNR font??? And pagdating sa binding ng thesis, ilagay ba naman daw ang thesis ni Tasha sa thesis cover namin! Hehe buti na lang nakita namin agad....kundi....

Still waiting if I'm going to get accepted for that job in ABS. Sana. Juice ko, nag-invest na'ko ng pera diyan ha, preparing for the interview... So far, sa 3 beses na balik ko don, wala pa rin akong nakikitang artista. Corny.

Wow, I miss UP already.

Last Friday, Jeg "midnight snack," Gwyn "J-O-E-Y," Mel "Hunchbutt," and yours truly, Chin "Yema adik," went to Sunken....para ano pa? e di mag-senti. Had fun eating dinner there, exchanging/listening to stories about 'bokot' boyfriends and happy relationships with current ones. At ang walang katapusang posing sa camera...ika nga ni Joy, "cam whore" na daw ako ;P

Can't wait for the "new phase" in my life to begin... But for now, my day's just a complete BLAH.

2005-03-20T22:32:00.000+08:00

Aaaarrrgghhh talo si Pacquiao!!!! ;-\

Where you just want to sit down and dream

2005-03-19T00:13:00.000+08:00

This picture was taken hours before it rained. Good thing we were there to 'capture' this moment. Ah, clarity.
(The guy in red must've thought we're stalking him...)

OK na, 'te!

2005-03-18T22:52:00.000+08:00

After taking some pics of the Sunken Garden, Rye, J-anne and I fooled around with the cam, and had our "vanity" pics (as usual). Three Main Lib kids (those who often follow you and say, "'Te, penge ng pagkain" or "'Te, palibre naman") helped us get a "good" shot. Excerpts of our conversation with them:

me: (to the ML kids) Tignan nyo kung gitna ha....
ML Kid 1: Opo ate...
me: OK na ba?
ML Kids: (all three of them, with thumbs up) OK na, 'te!!!

And so I clicked.

Here's the result:

Gitnang-gitna, di ba???

Makes Graduation More Real... and Imperative

2005-03-17T11:13:00.000+08:00

Floating Sensation

2005-03-15T02:15:00.000+08:00

flow-teeng sen-say-shen
physical state after sleep starvation, usually accompanied by mind emptiness, impulsive drinking of cups and cups and cups of coffee and sudden bouts of hunger, concluded by a paranormal activity (i.e., finding yourself asleep anywhere without you knowing it).

I'm not holding my breath anymore.

Yes, we've managed to pass our second draft, but that doesn't mean we've finally overcome our thesis struggle. Hardly, considering that our second draft was more like our real first draft, and of course, our third draft would be our actual second draft...well, you get the flow: our thesis would be a grand third draft!

But of course, Nina and I would jump ahead and would Flash-like work on the revisions for the third draft so that our thesis will have Ma'am Mateo's stamp of approval in it.

This means more floating sensations to come.

C'mon, interpret (or whatever you want to say about) this!

2005-03-08T00:19:00.000+08:00

Solitaryo

Kinakalawang na bakal

Inaanay na kahoy

Buhok na nabaon sa pintura

Yerong tumatakip sa kaanyuan mo

Paghampas ng hangin

Sa halama't puno'y

Ninais ko na ring

Pati yero'y liparin

Ako'y nanatiling

Umaasa, tumitingin

Ngunit kahit ano man ang gawin

Ako'y nanatiling

Nag-iisa,

kasama ang solitaryong hangin.

My heart is crushed

2005-03-03T11:28:00.000+08:00

I just can't help it. I'm going to share this with you, otherwise I'm gonna burst into tears. I promised myself that I'll never cry at ANY Oates novel again. But this one's really a crusher. Argh.

Exerpt from "You Must Remember This" by Joyce Carol Oates:

Mid-May Felix telephoned Enid for the first time in months. To tell her he was getting married.

He wanted her to be the first to know--before the woman herself knows, he said.

He wasn't going to tell her who the woman was and she wasn't going to ask.

They weren't on the phone long, perhaps ten minutes. There were pauses, stretches of strained silence, Enid tried to muffle her sobs, she didn't want him to hear her cry and he wasn't going to acknowledge he heard her cry or guessed it or wished for it. Why hadn't he died, she was thinking. Beaten in a tavern down by the docks, beaten savagely, his wallet taken and his clothes ripped half off him even one of his shoes thrown into a toilet....

Now he was asking how she was and Enid said the usual things and he said he'd heard from Lyle she was going away to college to study music in the fall. If she ever needed money--
No, Enid said carefully. I won't need money.
If you do, said Felix, just let me know.

Why hadn't he died.
Why hadn't they both died.
Why hadn't they.

To put things into context:
Enid is 18 years old. Felix, 30-something.
Felix is Enid's uncle (or half-uncle, since he and Enid's father are half-brothers).

Tragic.

Work, work, puro na lang work!

2005-03-02T16:39:00.000+08:00

Now that we have finished the first draft of our thesis and it seems that, yes, I'm going to graduate after all, I can now ponder things that would inevitably come up after graduation.

Like employment. To work or not to work (immediately after graduation, that is)? I have friends who've waited until July or August before they started looking for jobs, and this, for me, is a good idea. Why work when you have all the free time to take a rest, have a vacation anywhere? But after attending the UP job fair, the pressure to find and have a job immediately greatly increased. Though I want to give in to my gluttonous need for rest (sleeping, watching, eating, and wow--reading--all day), every day from hereon until April is an opportunity for my parents to tell me that I'm finally graduating, that though I'm not expected to help out full-time, I'm at least expected to help out in any way I can (sounds vague, right? The operative term here's "help," which could mean anything from paying up utility bills to supporting my sister's college education). I don't mind helping out, because that's what I intend to do anyway. I guess they just have to give me time to adjust to my new 'life' before the full weight of responsibility sinks in.

Plus I'm not optimistic about my chances of finding work. Nakakainis, the way recruiters would stutter when they hear the course "Communication Research," realizing that they don't have job items for that course, or worse, they don't even have an idea what CommRes is all about. I remember talking to a call center employee, inviting us to apply for them. When I told them my course, he looked so surprised, he only said, "Oh, you can apply as a call center representative, blah, blah, blah..." Grrrr. Sabi na nga ba e. I left him there, sorry na lang at nagpahalata siyang di niya alam course ko.

Last Monday, I went to Makati with Jenica and Joanne for an employment exam for Accenture. Funny how the exam made me feel like a high school student taking a college entrance exam. After the exam, which took almost 2 hours for us to finish, the three of us ate lunch at Glorietta, and had a blast laughing at our silly answers to some of the questions. Who would've thought that words like 'stationary,' 'extraneous,' and even 'adroit' would become oh-so-difficult items in the test? And I really dig the flow chart exam, or whatever they call it. We're hopeful, but not that hopeful. We're hoping we'd make it at least up to the first or second interview. Sana.

Sometimes the pressure is not so much about applying for work, but having work instead. After graduation, who among the twenty- or thirty-something companies you have given resumes to would actually call you for an exam or interview? And who among these companies would actually hire you? Gaya nga ng sabi ni Jo(anne), "pa'no makaka-apply ng trabaho e wala pa ngang tumatawag sa mga companies na binigyan natin ng resumes nung job fair?"

Hay, magtanim na lang tayo ng gulay.

Sick leave

2005-02-23T02:30:00.000+08:00

2.35am.
Right this minute, I am hating my work.
And I hate myself because I know I am at fault.
I love my work, but its joys left me a long time ago, when I realized I am not working for myself anymore, but for my family, too. Which is a burden, especially if there is always pressure to earn money for bills I have taken upon myself to pay for.

Does this always happen to families? When you feel that you have given enough, and still feel that you haven't given enough to compensate for the sacrifices they've made for you? Or, more importantly, are you really obliged to 'repay' what others have freely given to you?

I am afraid to quit my work because:
1. I know we'll all end up in debtsville after I quit.
2. I am afraid of being dependent on my family again, at least financially.
3. I am going to miss the stress, excitement, and reprimands of my bosses.
4. Work has been part of my system. Why take it away?
5. Earning money makes you dream dreams you never thought would become possible.

I'm contradicting myself. I want to quit, but I won't.
I hate my work, but I hate myself more because I know that I shouldn't hate my work.
It's early morning, and I'm going through a 'phase' again (to quote miss rye). When the sun shines, you need to remind me that I just ranted, because I often forget I was NOT fine a few hours before.

OK, back to work.
Good morning.

Just a thought: Did I just say, "I love my work, but its joys left me a long time ago...."? Can love exist without joy? Hmmmm...

I'm missing....

2005-02-09T11:54:00.000+08:00

Eraserheads, for their wonderful, Beatles-like-pero-really-Pinoy music (listening to 'Ang Huling El Bimbo' still gives me goosebumps);

Eng'g pips, where most guys are guys and almost evey gal is a gal and not somewhere in between;

Econ CR, dahil malinis at di matao (di tulad sa CMC na bago pa lang e bulok-bulok na);

Arlene, ang pinaka-nice at -pasensyosang kaibigan. Kachokaran ko sa pag-stalk ng mga boylets once upon a time when we were still young. Ang taong may talent matisod every 10 seconds sa kahit anong lugar sa UP;

Jonah, sa kanyang walang katapusang tawa (tumigil na lahat pwera lang siya);

Jocel, and our adventure trips in Ateneo and UP gyms, stalking basketball players, asking for their signatures. Ang taong laging nakasimangot kahit masaya;

someone I used to dream about, ano kaya nangyari kung naging tayo? Kinikilig ka pa rin ba kapag nakikita mo 'ko? Kasi ako, oo....

Math Building, NIP, NIGS, for the long walks I had with my blockmates. For the secrets shared while reviewing for a Math exam. For the chance encounters with former classmates at NIGS. For the 100+ people I get to see attending my Physics class everyday. For the frustrations as I looked at class standing results. For the endless hours spent waiting for the prof who would (hopefully) redeem me from the shit I put myself in. For the happy feelings felt knowing I'm no longer going to experience the torture of taking a Math courses. For passing these buildings during Ikot and Toki rides, with me thinking, "buti na lang I got out of this shithole in time..." (hehe);

Kainan sa KNL, where our block had bonding sessions over 30+ lunch meals (with unlimited rice). Secrets shared. Secrets revealed. Cybs & Berns tuksuhan. Berns nakatapak ng tae. Kadiri. Bringing our Form 5s, exhanging schedules.

Balara, for the unforgettable Talent's Night when we were still Eng'gSoc applicants. The dressing room with the 'manila paper curtains.' Frustrated feelings behind the happy smiles and laughter. Me shifting out of Eng'g the next year after being accepted as an ES member.

ES batchmates, people who made me feel belonged at Eng'g. Hmmm.... interesting pala Eng'g. Hehe.

Nad, my HS friend who used to visit me at home. Nangungulit. Wala lang. Sobrang yabang pero masaya kasama. Minsan barbero, pero tolerable naman pagiging barbero. Appreciates me for what I am. Saan ka na ba ngayon?

My thinner self, circa 1999-2002, I never appreciated myself before. Kala ko ang taba-taba ko noon. Now I'm beginning to see how I was thinner 2-3 years ago. Hay.

Rey, ang lalaking kinalokohan ng karamihan sa block namin noon. Galing-galing sa Math. Crush ko 'to, as in. Kaso in-love sa iba. Nice pa rin naman. Saw him last August, mejo tumaba (tulad ko). Maliit pa rin (tulad ko). And i bet he's still in love with the same girl.

Rose, ex-friend turned enemy. Pero I miss her company. Tibak. Maraming issues sa buhay. Hopelessly in love with Chix. I miss her and her smoking. Sigh.

Neoprint, kung saan nagiging distorted ang aming mga mukha. Pics with friends, documenting times when we were still carefree and not busy with other priorities in life.

EK, last day-out with my blockmates. I was then shifting to CMC, Lurds had shifted to BA, Jonah and R-lin to IE, and C-lin, Katfaj, Jocel, and Char to MatE. Last day-out with Alex, C-lin's ex, who was really nice to us but turned out to be gay (shocking). After that day, we never met again as a group, much less see each other constantly anymore.

Mania

2005-02-07T10:08:00.000+08:00

Thesis
Ano pa nga ba? For 3 weeks straight, wala na akong bukambibig kundi, "musta thesis nyo?" or, "nasa analysis na ba kayo? kami nasa data gathering pa lang e..." Gaya nga ng sabi ni jeg, nakalimutan ko na rin kung ano itsura ng TV. Di ko na alam ang mga usong kanta sa radyo, maliban sa "basketbol" (?) ng hotbabes na laging pinapatugtog sa mga Japayuki bus (yes, Jeg, Gwyn, and Mel, JAPAYUKI bus and tawag sa mga 'yun, hehe) na sinasakyan ko. Mga dyaryong binabasa ko, one day old na, parang balut. Ang latest issue na alam ko e 'yung tungkol lang sa MMDA at book tax. Di ko na rin alam kung ano na nangyayari sa bahay, kung may damit na ba sa prom mga sis ko o wala pa. Nami-miss ko na rin luto ni Mama, although mas masarap pa rin magluto si Manang Norms dito sa boarding haus (wink wink). At eto pa...wala na kaming picture-an moments ng CROI and CRes pips! Waaaaahhhh! Imagine, january pa ang last entry ko sa aking album...so sad....

Pastillas
Sabi ko na nga e, agenda ng CMC canteen na patabain at palalain ang adiksyon ko. Matapos kong ma-adik sa kanilang mala-pyramid nilang yema, heto at naloloka na kami ni jeg sa mala- Nido (yes, Nido, as in yung gatas) na lasa ng kanilang Pastillas. Take note, di pangkaraniwan ang pastillas na ito: para siyang barquillos sa taba at laki, mas mahal pa ata sa barquillos (Php 6 kada isa!), at higit sa lahat, madaling maubos. Kaya ubos din pera ko sa pastillas lamang. Hay.

Books!
Yes, with an (!). It is an understatement if you say that I love books: I breathe, eat, live, fart, and excrete books. Especially novels by T. C. Boyle, J. C. Oates, Stephen King, and other short lit reads. I also dig sociology and psych books, kahit ano topic. Maloka na'ko sa thesis, di ko pa rin nalilimutang bumili ng books kahit saan.... yesterday nga, I bought "The Bell Curve" sa Diplomat sa may P. Tuazon sa Proj. 4 while looking for an informant's house, imagine. My other recent book finds are:

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt- Php 245
The Road to Wellville by T. C. Boyle- 120
I'll take you there by J. C. Oates- 180
The Bell Curve by Herrnstein & Murray- 150
Sigmund Freud collected papers- tumataginting na 45!!!
Tattooed Girl by J. C. Oates- 180

Nauubos agad baon ko kabibili ng mga books na yan.... pero ano magagawa ko??? I'm hopelessly attached to National Bookstore, Powerbooks, second-hand bookstores, saan man ako pumunta...hence, lagi akong napapabili ng mga librong hanggang ngayon ay di ko pa rin nababasa dahil sa panggulong acads na 'yan... (hehe).

Shopping & slimming
Ah, related itong dalawang ito, kasi everytime I shop for clothes on sale, lagi na lang akong nafru-frustrate dahil nga sobrang dami kong tABS. Yes, tABS, as in six-pack-like na taba, hehe. Kaya after kong bumili na naman ng damit, lagi kong sasabihin sa sarili ko, "o sige, magpapapayat na talaga ako. promise." Tapos, kinabukasan, pag nasa CMC uli ako, bibili na naman ako ng pastillas, tapos kakain ng paborito kong Mr Chips with coke sa film center habang nanonood ng Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. So much for my promise.
(Footnote: Pero promise namin ni Meler na after the passing of our first draft, magja-jogging kami sa acad oval starting feb14. O dava, bongga, pagtakbo bilang protesta sa komersalisasyon ng V-day!!!)

Lovelife
Tigang. Di na dapat pinag-uusapan ito, maliban nga lang kapag nagse-senti si Rye, o di kaya starry-eyed na nagkwekwento si jeg about rib, o di kaya ay mala-telenovela na naman ang buhay ni gwyn. Ok lang, di pa naman umaabot sa point na magiging issue sa'kin ang love. Wala lang, nabanggit ko lang kasi feeling ko imperative na banggitin ko ang love, baka isipin ng iba diyan e 'heartless' ako.

Money
Major problem ito. It seems I'm running out of money all the time. Pagkabigay ng baon, ubos agad. Ewan ba. Kaya eto, kailangan ko na uli kumayod para mabawi ko naman yung mga gastos ko starting 2005. Hay.

OK na yan. Next time na lang uli iba pang kwento. Marami pa'ko kwento about our thesis, pero siguro after feb.14 na lang. In the meantime, maglalaba muna ako, tambak na labahan ko e. (Naku, naubusan na rin ata ako ng sabon & downey....)

The Maniac

Respondents: A Typology (Part 1)

2005-01-20T11:18:00.000+08:00

Sa halos isang linggo ng paglalamay ng panahon upang makapag-survey sa kasuluk-sulukan ng Metro Manila, heto at inaalay ko sa inyo ang isang Survey Special hango sa aking karanasan sa "field" (naks!).

Nahahati ang mga survey respondents sa limang klase: mga BIBO, PASAWAY, PANDAGDAG, MASIPAG, at GOLDEN respondents.

BIBO- from the word itself, ang mga respondents na ito ay mahilig magmagaling at mang-irita ng mga field researchers o survey assistant.

e.g. Sa may Bgy. Ramon Magsaysay sa Munoz, may Bibong Respondent na ipinagpilitang mali ang sentence construction namin. Dapat daw yung statement ay naka-phrase ng "Is it" instead of "It is." Statement nga e, kaya "It is" ang phrasing namin. Kung question pa yun, pwede pang "Is it." Tanga. Buti na lang nag-co-computer and Internet siya, kung hindi, baka nakutusan ko na siya sa inis ko.

Isa pa: e.g.: Si Nick Cervantes na-interview ko sa Bgy. Hagdan Bato, Mandaluyong. Ang hilig mag-singit ng kanyang career achievement, kesyo "I've been using the computer and Internet 30 years before you learned how to use them." Or, "What kind of statement is that?" sabay ngisi sa'min. Hay naku, pwede ba, tigilan niya ko, kahit na-recognize ko name niya, I won't give him the satisfaction that I know him noh!

Ang mga BIBONG respondents kasi, ok sana ma-survey interview, kaso they are wasting our time arguing or trying to argue with us by criticizing instead of cooperating with our survey. Gaya nga ng sabi ko, kung ayaw nyo, wag nyo!

PASAWAY- eto yung tipong ayaw mag-isip na respondent. Fine, pinagbigyan niyo kami na ma-survey kayo, pero wag naman kayo maba-blanko habang sinasayang naming ang aming laway sa kababasa ng survey form para sa inyo. Pag sinabing Agree, Not sure, o Disagree ang choices, Agree, Not sure, o Disagree lang isasagot. Walang labis, walang kulang.

e.g. Habang nagsu-survey ng isang pasaway na respondent sa QC:
AKO: (Reading an attitude statement) Walang pagkakaiba ang lalaki at babae sa...
PASAWAY: (Staring ahead sa kawalan)
AKO: ....kayo po ba ay sang-ayon, di-sang-ayon, o di sigurado?
PASAWAY: (Malilingat sa kanyang daydream) Huh? Ano uli sabi mo? (Ngingiti) Pakiulit?
AKO: (Uulit naman) Walang pagkakaiba...
PASAWAY: Ay, ewan ko, hindi ata ako sigurado...Ay, sang-ayon pala ako.... Ay...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

ABANGAN: Respondents: A Typology (Part 2)

Yema Addicts Anonymous (YAA): Session One

2005-01-20T01:11:00.000+08:00

Know the rules.
Ignorance is not an excuse.
"Bawal ang tumawid, nakamamatay."- MMDA

Lesson 1: YAA Commandments

1. I am the Yema Addict, and I know there had been other Yema Addicts before me.
2. The title "Yema Addict" shall not be taken in vain (i.e., patayin at i-abolish ang titulo na ito).
3. Remember to thwart the Holy Binge and Purge days.
4. Honor Mars, Cadbury, and Hershey's after every meal only (no eating in between).
5. You shall not kill yourself by bingeing on chocolates and other sweets.
6. You shall not covet your friend's chocolate.
7. You shall not STEAL your friend's chocolate (if s/he refuses to share it with you).
8. You shall not deny that you have eaten 1 whole Cadbury bar in 30 seconds flat.
9. You shall not covet other forms of sweets.
10. You shall not covet to destroy these YAA commandments (or else...).

The forbidden fruit.

Muni-muni

2005-01-19T01:04:00.000+08:00

DISCLAIMER: This post is just one of the numerous incidents of self-loathing the Yema Addict has constantly inflicted upon herself. These sudden bouts of self-pity often happen when: (1) she has enough time to surf the Net and check her Friendster account; (2) she feels tired and lazy of her work and acads; and (3) she simply feels lonely. These bouts shall pass after 30 minutes of logging out of Friendster. Rest assured that the cheery, optimist, Chin-ist self of the Yema Addict will resume after an hour.

Looking at the happy faces of my friends in Friendster, I begin to wonder how much in life I am missing right now. I hate it when I feel so bad about myself. I hate being negative, but I'm beginning to feel nasty. At myself.

Poor yema addict.

Feet ache

2005-01-17T09:24:00.000+08:00

my battered shoe... the loyal friend of a field researcher

After plying the streets of Quezon City, Mandaluyong and Pasig for four days, my feet is now on a mutiny. It refuses to take me as far as our boarding house's gate, so I am now here in our room, wasting my time telling you that my feet aches.

But what the hell. I'm so happy we're finished with more than half of the 400 respondents that we need for our thesis. With 230+ respondents, think of the possibilities we can now do with those accomplished survey forms (yey!).....analysis, here we come!!! Nina and I are scheduled to finish the last leg of our data gathering, which would be on wednesday to sunday, if things go well as planned (meaning, walang pasaway na respondent).

Surveying the people of Metro Manila made me realize a lot of things, especially people who live in the depressed areas (or squatters, as we call them). Wala lang, knowing them more (because most of them are our respondents) opened my eyes to certain things, but I'll talk about them later na lang, masyadong seryoso yun e.

Anyway, I am also officially broke, having spent this week's allowance in photocopying our survey forms, transportation and meals. Hay naku, lalo na sa transpo, tiba-tiba mga trike drivers sa'min, pano ba naman 30 agad charge sa'min dahil di naman namin alam rates nila, or malayo yung place na pupuntahan namin.

Though my feet (and pocket) aches, I am really happy with the progress we are having with our thesis. Excited na rin ako, although I know you guys would chide me for getting excited over a THESIS.

My panic attack has subsided, and after being reprimanded by my pseudo-shrinks, Jenica and Raissa, Im finally back to being a yema (and coke and cadbury and any food) addict.

So, starting wednesday, I'll be back on my feet again, mutiny or not. :)

170 respondents more to go!!!

Panic attack

2005-01-11T01:55:00.000+08:00

I am officially panicked (and panicking).

Three more weeks, 21 days of facing the probability of having panic attacks every hour of the day.

400 golden respondents needed, 2 slaves looking for them.

And here I am, writing a blog entry.

IMAGINE.

(damn!)

Interview with "the" Nemenzo

2005-01-06T23:27:00.000+08:00

haha! imagine, na-survey interview namin si nemenzo, UP ex-prez, at PRE-TEST pa lang kami nun ha!

ganito kasi 'yun. nag-pe-pre-test kami ni nina, my thesis partner, sa may pook dagohoy. e di na kami familiar s dulo nung place, so pumunta kami sa may likod ng Church of the Risen Lord. E di hanap kami ng respondents... first stop namin is #51 Mabini St.. Kulit nga namin sa bahay na 'yun e, parang walang tao, pero paniwala namin, meron, kasi nakabukas ilaw sa loob.

kaya nung may lumabas, kahit yung maid lang, we seized the chance to survey interview her. Ganito naging usapan namin:

MAID: ano po yun?
ME (assuming commres voice:malapot sa tamis na may hint ng pakikiusap): magpapa-survey lang po sana kami, tungkol po sa computer and Internet use...
MAID: Ay, di ko alam yan, pasensya na sa iba na lang...
ME: Hindi, ok lang, pwede kang maging respondent namin...
MAID: Ganon ba? O sige... tanungin ko muna bossing ko...
ME: (Humirit pa) Baka pwede isama mo na rin ung "bossing" mo...?
MAID: O sige, sandali lang ha...

(after 15-20 minutes...(tagal 'no? feeling ko sinarhan kami, hoping ung may-ari na mag-give-up na kami... but no, determinado kami, and so we stayed and called again: "Ate!" "Ate!" "Tao po!" "Tao po!"))biglang bumukas ang pintuan.....at....LUMABAS SI NEMENZO!!!

NEMENZO: what is the survey all about? (or something like that)
ME: (thunderstruck, starstruck) ah, sir, may survey lang po kami, about computer and Internet use. We're from masscomm, blah blah blah....sir you can have a copy of our survey if you...
NEMENZO: No, just read it to me, my eyes are bad, and I just came from the hospital.
ME: (sabay tingin at bulong kay Nina) ikaw na....Umupo si nina with Nemenzo.
NINA: Ah, sir, ano pong name nila?
NEMENZO: Francisco Nemenzo.

SHIT! Di kilala ni Nina si Nemenzo!?!? Ohy my gulay!

Humirit pa nga si Nemenzo ng, "You do know me, right?" dahil baka siya nakapansin na bakit walang idea si Nina sa kanya habang fini-fill-up-an nya yung personal info sheet ni Nemenzo.

Hehe! Enjoy talaga incident na yun! Imagine, house to house survey lang, na-tiyempuhan pa namin si Nemenzo! Naglolokohan nga kami ni Nina e, yung survey form na lang daw ni Nemenzo gawin naming basis sa pre-test report namin. Hehe.

Anyway, enjoy naman ang survey pre-test day namin. Maraming adventures: nakakairitang respondent, bibong respondent, potential respondents na hanggang potential lamang dahil ayaw magpa-survey, at shemps, and mga matitinong respondents, hehe (yes, they do exist, commres pips).

Nga pala, got a bargain today at SC. Bought an almost-new Donna Tartt novel worth half its original price. Yey!

And, oh, just watched My Sassy Girl (finally). Mas gusto ko pa rin Windstruck. Iba nga siguro effect kapag unang pinanood Sassy kesa Windstruck. Oh well.

"Malay mo..."

2004-12-28T01:00:00.000+08:00

I'm supposed to work on a paper today. A long-delayed paper, and here I am, composing an entry for a friend whom I've felt for deeply ever since she confided in me her (sigh) love lost...

(P.S. Yes, I manage to work inside the rehab...have to find a steady income to pay for the costly fees here, especially my therapy sessions with MinChin.)

I'm an optimist. Being one, I harbor hopeful thoughts about everything, from work to family life, and yes, even about love. Though I've never been in a romantic relationship with anyone, serious or otherwise, I talk about love in the same hopeful manner star-eyed (or heart-eyed?) lovers do.

OK, everything here's beside the point I'm trying to make. What I'm trying to say is that, love lost and found and lost again will not stop me from believing that there IS true love that lurks around, strategically camouflaged so that I'll find it years later, just when I am about to declare myself (officially) a spinster (hehe).

The proverbial "Malay mo" is my favorite line when advicing friends about their love lost(s). Malay mo, yung ex mong naloloka sa ibang babae e ma-realize na he has lost a lot giving up on you than pursuing (and losing) that girl. O kaya, malay mo, mas nagdudusa ang lalaking yon ngayon kesa sa'yo.... (evil laugh). Of course, my "Malay mo's" always try to stick to reality, kaya nga wala pa akong sinasabi na, "Malay mo, kayo rin sa bandang huli." Yuck, parang linya sa sine.

I empathize with people who cannot understand what befell them when one day, someone tells them, "Hindi kita mahal" or, "I am still in love with the same girl nth years ago" (sounds familiar, raissa?). These someones are selfish people who failed to be true to themselves and become honest to the ones they had hurt.

Sana naman, kung ayaw nyo, wag nyo.
You can't have your cake and eat it, too.