hangover

Jaime Alberto is the new kid at JM's block. He'll be baptized on the 21st at the Green Meadows church. Reception is at the estate in Corinthian.

S. GURL: Sino ba sa atin?

ME: Sabihin mo sa kanya ikaw na lang.

S. GURL: O nga. Ako na lang. Di ka mabait sa mga inaanak mo eh.

And that's how she became the godmother.

* * *

JM: Andyan si Ces. Lika! Magpakita ka muna.

Before I could react, JM had led the way. One thing I noticed was a weird grin.

Ces is JM's younger sis who had a big crush on me. Back in sophomore high, she used to call me up at home. Too friendly. Too caring. One day, she pulled out a John Stamos poster from Tiger Beat, pinned it on the class bulletin board and attached a note. My name was on it and an arrow pointed at the poster.

Our last phone convo wasn't cool.

CES: What's the date tomorrow?

ME: Dunno. Why?

CES: Bukas birthday ko.

ME: Okay. And?

CES: There. Aren't you going to greet me?

ME: But your birthday's tomorrow.

CES: You don't want to be the first to greet me?

ME: Bukas na lang. So why did you call?

CES: Wala! Yabang mo! Ba-bye na nga!

The next day, I bumped into her. I smiled without saying a word. That prompted her to blow up her frustration, "Putang ina!"

I turned around and saw her really mad. She threw her hanky at me and then ran away. She cried, according to her friends. I didn't see it.

Di mo kasi binati eh.

It's her birthday and you know that! She called you up yesterday.

Ikaw naman kase eh. Sana binati mo na lang.

It's been long years since seeing her again. And she's all different, which is good. She's got 3 boys, was once married (became a young widow) and now manages a bank owned by the family.

She doesn't look like a mom at all.

CES: Hey! How are you?

ME: I'm okay.

CES: So what do you do? Still in school? Graduate ka na ba?

Did she just say school?

Alright.

7-11 has more convenience. It's like the hangover made by the time between now and that day she cussed me was making us awkward. All in a grown up way.

* * *

ME: Still in Corinthian?
S. GURL: Oo.
ME: Anong handa?
S. GURL: Di ko alam.
ME: Maraming bisita? An's family is already one barangay.
S. GURL: Siguro.
ME: Eh... si Ces?
S. GURL: Uuuy!
ME: Ano ka ba!

She gloated.

ME: What?
S. GURL: What ka dyan!

* * *

kids should know that...

Tiger Beat is an American teen magazine. Founded in 1965 by Charles "Chuck" Laufer and his bother, Ira, Tiger Beat has dedicated itself to teen idol gossip, movies, music and fashion. Known for its covers with 'cut and paste' collaged photos of the latest teen idols on them. Its publisher, The Laufer Co., also founded and published the teen magazines FaVE (now defunct) and Right On! (now owned by another publisher). Tiger Beat's main target has always been girls ranging from the age of 9 to 19, but because of the high volume of 'Disney Stars', is usually bought by elementary age girls. (wikipedia)

Full Moon Chronicles 3

Today, out of my whining, I was so gastronomically creative I ended up making a sandwich.

I name it the 2 Cheese-Chicken Sandwich. The spread has shredded chicken thigh, a slice of Philadelphia cream cheese, minced button mushroom stalks, white onion, chopped pickles, drops of extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper and mayo. The sandwich is perfect with crispy iceberg lettuce, topped with Australian cheddar cheese on rye bread.

Really yummy. My special gurl says she can sell the 2 Cheese-Chicken Sandwich at 50 a pop.
Anyway, my whining was all over including my SMS.

It's pretax season, that's why.

Last Friday, Tin and my special gurl boxed out my plan to whine the weekend away. So, I threw out the whining and hurried to pick up Tin.

Things were typically fine until both of them transformed into Drama Queens (DQs). On our way to the Lami Restaurant in Luneta, Tin said that her heart's literally hurting because she and P (her man) were in a "la lang" LQ.

ME: Literally? Pwede ba yon?

S. GURL: Oo naman, no.

TIN: Eh, masakit nga. Kumikirot konti.

ME: Sus. DQ!

TIN: DQ?

ME: Drama queen. Kayong dalawa, DQ.

First sip of my coffee at Starbucks Intramuros, Tin proposed to talk about business.

Bad idea. I put my mug down and told her no. She ignored me. I told her to go ahead with the topic for as long as she let me tune out and enjoy my essence. So she did with a slight complaint. My special gurl talked about marketing. When it was time to cover creatives, Tin brought me back to the table.

With a small amount of enthusiasm, I said, "We're geniuses."

The plan is to venture into indie films. I agreed to do the script. Tin will direct.

The producer is still out there.

And then, Tin set a deadline for the screenplay. Wednesday.

Right.

Yesterday she asked my special gurl if we could attend the marketing meeting for her art school project somewhere in Katipunan.

My special gurl consulted and left the decision to me. I texted Tin and told her yes if only Bogart will be allowed to come along. She replied I was whining again.

TIN: You're coming?

ME: Yea yea.

TIN: Goody.

ME: About what pala?

TIN: Marketing nga of the art workshops. I'll ask (beep) and (special gurl) if they could contact schools, companies, etc.

ME: Oh props lang ako.

TIN: Because you're always spacing out when we talk business. I ought to bring a ball or a toy truck to entertain you whenever we talk about money.

ME: Crossword puzzle.

TIN: Uh-huh.

There's not much work to be done in my company this season. Gain nowadays is courtesy of the PR mats for candidates running in this year's election. Just yesterday, a new job order was sent through fax.

I guess without the elections, I'd say the industry I'm in is slowly dying. Blame it on the economy.

So what chills these days? Daily work outs.

This morning Jayson, the trainer, increased the weights for the pullover, a chest exercise. Likewise, he increased by ten the plates for the inclined barbell bench press. I've also learned to love the cross-trainer, preferring it over the treadmill.

Working out. It's a great stress-buster.

* * *

ME: Akyat kaya tayo sa Baguio?

TIN: Puta! You're feeling this fucking heat too?

ME: Yea. It's gettin' that infamous. Gonna try to twist some arms. If am able to borrow a house up there, food na lang prob. Tapos, sama kita sa trunk.

TIN: Yipee!

* * *

kids should know that...

The independent film scene's development in the 1990s and 2000s has been stimulated by a range of factors, including the development of affordable high-definition digital video cameras that can rival 35 mm film quality and easy-to-use computer editing software and the increasing visibility of independent film festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival. The first independent film released on HD DVD was One Six Right on November 1, 2006. (wikipedia)

bogey's new ears

Yesterday, Bogart went to see his vet in Better Living. Aside from the regular shots, he had his sutures removed.

It was an accident waiting to happen, I guess. No one warned us on the consequences of leaving two loved pets on their own in the backyard, considering their sizes are absolutely opposite.

Last week, Rufus (the large one) played tag with Bogart. Siguro nanggigil. It cost Bogey's left ear, torn and bleeding.

The ear was torn in the middle that it required surgery, especially when the cartilage was affected. So, very late in the evening, we had to rush Bogey to the clinic for emergency treatment.

Doc Eddie applied cosmetic surgery. In short (no pun intended), Bogey had his ears trimmed. Now he looks like a mini pit(bull) rather than a mini pin.

Rufus, on his own, has kept his mouth at a distance from Bogey's head. It's the big guy's way of showing how sorry he is (and proving that everything's not a Dog Eat Dog world?). The only thing Rufus still has to learn, though, when it comes to playing with Bogey, is to avoid stepping on the lil guy's feet.

Like Rufus, Bogey is a pro when riding cars. He's a backseat regular. Most of the time, he just takes a nap.

He also has a sweet heart so he could snuggle to his ninang, Tin.

Sunday, on our way to the Blue Wave, Tin and my special gurl sat in the backseat with Bogey.

TIN: Hi, Bogart! (Pauses) Parang nag-iba mukha niya.

S. GURL: Ginupitan ng tenga.

TIN: Ha? Bakit?

S. GURL: Nakagat ni Rufus.

Bogey stared at Tin, moved over to stay beside Tin.

TIN: Eeeww! Wag mo kong dikitan. Yoko makita yang mga tali.

S. GURL: (Laughs) Gusto ka niya, o.

TIN: (Sweetly, to Bogey) Yucky ka eh.

The animal behavior is nothing sexual, I assure you. During the operation, Bogey was also castrated.

* * *

kids should know that...

The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, or for their song. Pets also generally seem to provide their owners with non-trivial health benefits; keeping pets has been shown to help relieve stress. There is now a medically-approved class of "therapy animals," mostly dogs, who are brought to visit confined humans. Walking a dog can provide both the owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction. (wikipedia)

catch

I would be a platinum member of the Crammers' Society if there's any. The wheels of my mind grind at its best when I beat the deadline. Before working on a project, I always ask for the deadline. I leave the project on my desk for days and nights until the eve of the deadline.

This isn't always the case when even my drafts are priced. You won't get the best of me, though, until I've consumed the number of drafts with pay. When I present the final draft, the client's bleeding on his chair and all (thinking that he may never get the juiciest potential out of my concept as the time ticks away).

And then...voila! Project closed. I run to the bank a merry man.

Now let me tell you what happened when my brother called me impromptu on a Saturday morning because he had a project of his own. My role? His best alternative mind.

Just in case his presentation blows up on his face, I'm on hand to do either a quick revision or to redo the whole thing. Of course, most of the time, it'd be for free.

So there I was, in his office with a good view of Ortigas. Outside the hall, the beautiful teen commercial models vying as endorsers line up with their moms and/or agents.

The acoustic singer for his project who sang Michelle Branch-style was ready to present the jingle.

In a moment, my brother told me that he had to enter the boardroom and leave me to start the presentation. The clients, owners of a cologne and a line of feminine products, had walked in.

I told him that I'd rather go down to the cafeteria and wait with brewed coffee. He was nervous but, like a responsible cuya, he took the time to ride with me in the lift and drop me off at the caf. He even ordered the coffee for me and saw to it that I was comfy before he exited to face the clients.

In less than 10 minutes, he came back with acoustic singer in tow. The latter was ranting because apparently the clients didn't like the jingle.

Can you fix this for me? he asked.

Sure. Come back in 5 minutes and I'll be ready. I replied.

I told him to leave the singer with me. He had to go back to the conference room.

It's a million peso-ses account and the firm couldn't afford to lose the contract. Before he left, he narrated what transpired in the boardroom while I intermittently looked out of the window, down at Julia Vargas Avenue from the tenth floor.

I imagined his anxiety, his kids if he lost the account.

I imagined too the enthusiasm he exerted when he made his presentation. But, unexpectedly, the clients shot his concept down.

The juvenile acoustic singer who sang the jingle during the presentation was fuming because she felt offended by the clients' remarks. Obviously, it was her first experience and took it personally.

For us in the ad world, we've seen worst. Presentations are more dreadful than public-speaking and so we thank God that these are all done in closed doors.

He briefed me about the concept one more time and I promised him a 101% fix.

So right there at the caf, as other office workers went in to enjoy their break, I took the pen and started to scribble. And like what I told him, in 5 minutes, it was done - a jingle for a cologne that my special gurl will never use (I wasn't even aware that it existed).

He came back, listened to my work, loved it, went back to the boardroom with the acoustic singer and wasn't heard from until close to half an hour.

The clients, when they heard my work, according to him, were completely quiet - like jaw-dropped shocked. He began to feel at ease when at the end of the song, the clients threw their fists in the air and cheered, "Wahoo! That's it!"

The magic pen moved efficiently across the table to seal the contract. Production would start immediately.

The ad's aired especially on MTV. It's a TVC for a cologne targetting young adults. They even pulled out a line from the jingle and made it the product's tagline.

How much didI get for the whole thing? A lot of graces that money can't buy. That's the heavenly reward you get for helping out a brother and his family, as well.

* * *

kids should know that...

The first television advertisement was broadcast in the United States at 14:29 on July 1, 1941, when the Bulova Watch Company paid $9 to New York City NBC affiliate WNBT (now WNBC) for a 20-second spot aired before a baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. It simply displayed a Bulova watch over a map of the U.S., with a voiceover of the company's slogan "America runs on Bulova time!" (wikipedia)

a talk show

ME: Am I suplado?
SHE: Oo. Sometimes.
ME: Why d'you say that?
SHE: Because it's true. Do you want me to lie?
ME: I'm a snob with a handful of stalkers.
SHE: That's what makes you attractive to them kaya shit! (Laughs)
ME: Do you like me when I'm suplado?
SHE: Ay putik! Stop it! It's irritating! (tweaks my left ear)
ME: Well, do you? Ha? Ha?
SHE: Depends.
ME: Does it turn you on?
SHE: (Laughs) Sometimes.
ME: So I guess it's really not a bad thing.
SHE: Sometimes.
ME: Why do my stalkers persist? There's something wrong with me.
SHE: No. (Pauses) Fishing ka ha.
ME: Is it okay to have stalkers?
SHE: (Sighs) Cho-kulit. No.
ME: But you're cool about it?
SHE: CAN'T do anything about it.
ME: Are stalkers all the same to you?
SHE: No.
ME: You like some of them?
SHE: Course not!
ME: Do they make you insecure?
SHE: Sometimes.
ME: Then... that's not good. D'you want me to do something about it?
SHE: Ako na lang.
ME: What does that mean?
SHE: Ako na lang gagawa ng paraan.
ME: But some stalkers can be really nice. They don't really push IT.
SHE: Hmm... Pano sila naging stalker?
ME: When they text or email me, is that stalking?
SHE: Riiight.
ME: But they don't ask me to do stupid stuff. Some send me quotes or wish me well. Those are nice. And what's nicer is that I don't reply...riiight?
SHE: Hmp! Sometimes.
ME: Am I a snob in a good way?
SHE: Yep.
ME: So...I guess you don't want me to change. Di rin mawawala ang stalkers?
SHE: Oo.
ME: Buti you're not suplada. (Pauses) Mataray ka lang. And that scares me sometimes.

For a couple who's been together for about 4 years, it turns out that we haven't run out of things to talk about.

Amazing.

* * *

kids should know that...

In "A Study of Women Who Stalk", by Purcell, Pathé and Mullen, the authors concluded that the two major psychiatric variables that differentiate female from male stalkers is motivation for stalking and choice of victim. Female stalkers seek intimacy with the victim, who usually is someone already known. The victim is most often chosen from those who assume a professional role of helper. This could be a doctor or nurse, a therapist or counselor. Context was found to differ, but the conclusion was the intrusiveness and harmfulness did not. Female stalkers are potentially as dangerous as any male stalker. (wikipedia)

29

I woke up to her birthday morning today.

SHE: (Hugs) Gising na. Magluluto pa tayo ng breakfast.

ME: (Groggy) Hm.

SHE: (Nodges me) Gising na. Magluluto pa tayo ng breakfast.

ME: Tayo?

SHE: Oo.

ME: Gimme a break.

SHE: (Hits my upper arm) Dapat yata ako nagsasabi nyan a.

She complained that I'd been picking on her since last night. Don't ask me. I don't remember what it was all about.

But at exactly 11:59 last night, I sang "Happy Birthday" to her and cut the song near the end just so I could sing her the last line at exactly 12 AM.

ME: Happy birthday, happy birthdaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay....(Pauses) Matagal pa ba?

I went down to the kitchen with her and we made breakfast together. The driver sent her an sms and told her that he was feeling under the weather and would be unable to drive her to work.

I drove her to work, of course. I'm pretty much her slave today, you know.

She was born in a private hospital in Pasig City 29 years ago on a Monday afternoon.

She is unique and I love her.

* * *

kids should know that...

The melody of "Happy Birthday to You" was written by American sisters Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill in 1893 when they were school teachers in Louisville, Kentucky. The verse was originally intended as a classroom greeting entitled "Good Morning to All". The version as we know it was copyrighted in 1935 by the Summy Company as an arrangement by Preston Ware Orem, and is scheduled to expire in 2030. This was the first known written version to include the lyrics. The company holding the copyright was purchased by Warner Chappell in 1990 for $15 million dollars, with the value of "Happy Birthday" estimated at $5 million. (wikipedia)

we.r.all.energy

Learning is achieved when you have changed your ways.

Changing advances you to your destination faster.

The core of one's destination is greatly simple, constant:

Love unconditionally.

But to love, although huge and great, is not simple because one is surrounded by too many man-made conflicts.

The institutionalization of these man-made conflicts has made loving unconditionally more difficult to define by many. So many interpretations have been said that made many of us enormously lost, confused.

early dawn

When I was young, I saw Cookie Monster eat a black telephone on TV. I envied him because the phone seemed so yummy and crunchy. And that envy led to emulation. Of course, I wasn't able to eat our phone in the living room. I hardly even made a dent on the receiver.

One of the basic learnngs I had before I was enroled in preschool was to memorize our home phone number and to use the telephone.

It was a must so that in case of emergency, I'd be able to call home from a lost location or answer the phone when everyone else was doing their adult thing.

One morning, just when my folks left for work (I don't remember seeing my older brothers around because maybe they left for school) and my nanny was in the kitchen, I opened the telephone director. I started reading from the back cover.

Alright. It wasn't really reading. I was looking at pictures because that's the only thing I appreciated. But I wasn't that ignorant because I could read numbers and recognized these on the telephone dial.

And then I saw this picture of a white horse. It was beautiful.

Without thinking much, I picked up the phone and started to dial.

I heard a lady at the other end.

LADY: Hello.

ME: Hello.

LADY: (Realizes she's talking to a kid; becomes cheerful) Oh. Hello. Anong kelangan mo?

ME: I want to order the kabayo.

LADY: O-order ka ng kabayo? Anong kulay gusto mo?

ME: Ahm... White.

LADY: White. Ilan?

ME: Ahm... isa.

LADY: Isang kabayo. Puti. Tama?

ME: Oo. Yung maganda ha? Parang sa picture.

LADY: A, oo! Maganda mga kabayo namin. O sige. Paki-intay na lang, ha?

ME: Okay.

LADY: Ba-bye.

ME: Bye.

I put down the phone and immediately kneeled on our couch and faced the window. I was excited. I was going to have my own real live horse.

And then the excitement faded and turned into nervousness when I realized that I didn't have any money. My folks would surely get angry because I just got myself into trouble.

I was silent the whole time and kept thoughts to myself. It was hard to think of a get-away plan when you're that young. When I saw that my nanny was still in the kitchen, I went outside and stood by the gate. I thought that maybe I could wait for the delivery to arrive and inform them that it was all a huge mistake. That being said, they would leave without placing myself in an undesirable situation both with my nanny and my folks.

But my nanny saw me outside the house and so she called out to me and told me to get back into the house. She ordered me to keep still on the couch, where she can see me while she defrosted the ref in the kitchen.

So I sat on the couch quietly and waited...waited...

An hour later, I told my nanny about it because I couldn't stand the stress.

I expected her to berate me but instead she laughed and said in her Visayan accent, "Hala! San natin ilalagay yung kabayo dito? Dun na lang sa kama mo. Tapos, ikaw sa sahig ka na matutulog."

Her tease sounded serious to me. I began seeing pictures of myself sleeping on the floor because I bought a silly white horse. And I wasn't happy anymore.

I waited for the horse to arrive the next day. When it didn't come, I was relieved. I knew it was over.

When I got older, I realized that the number I dialed belonged to a liquor store. The picture of the horse was an ad of White Horse Castle Whisky.

Lesson learned here is that, back then, they already disallowed selling alcohol to minors. But buying of horses is permissible.

Right.

* * *

kids should know that...

The idea of Cookie Monster setting a good example for children with respect to their eating habits is not new; it has been used since the 1970s with public service announcements and individual sketches. In fact, Sesame Workshop released a home video in 2000 called Happy Healthy Monsters, cookie monster was recently in rehab for his severe cookie addiction. he is often tranquilized for smuggling cookies into the rehab clinic. He tries to blame the whole thing on derrick because he was on the john. since his release he has been spotted in a stall in the ladies room trying to make his own cookies. (wikipedia)

a capricorn blows candles

My God! My God!

This is what she says in panic everytime she retrieves a ticket from her deep bag and couldn't find it right away.

She was born a Capricorn, spent pretty much of her growing years sheltered because she was the sole girl. Her parents were school teachers in Dumaguete and they were able to give her and her male siblings a good country life.

At St Paul College in Dumaguete she took up a degree in AB. This is also the school where she participated in piano recitals and became an active member of the Glee Club.

Yes, her fingers can run the ivory keys and play Fur Elise with so much passion.

Yes, she can sing as a coloratura although her fave song is a standard entitled Sinner or Saint.

After college, her father sent her to Manila to keep her away from entering the convent. She expressed her intention to be a Paulinian nun to her father, who denied her that request.

In Manila she enroled in UST but after a year, transfered to the University of the Philippines. She stayed in a ladies' dorm near the university. This is where she met dormmates who were from different places and would prove to be good friends of hers. One of these women became her maid of honor and the godmother of her first-born.

She isn't a housewife and I don't think that she's really comfy working in the house. Don't let her work in the kitchen and expect food to be ready within the normal cooking time because she will take her time. In the same way, she will wash the dishes and it will seem like forever.

Maybe it's the way she looks at things she handles. This woman is a researcher, a scientist and time is elastic for a purpose.

She dislikes chicken (except Max's) and fried egg because she got a lot of this as a kid.

Her birthplace is Meycauayan but somehow the municipal govt couldn't find her records. So she registered anew in Manila.

She is an irate driver and anyone who makes a false move on the road and gets in her way is, in her own word, a, "Puta!" But as a passenger, she will be the last person to enter the car because of kikay reasons.

This woman is my mom and she is one heck of a fighter that sometimes it could be embarassing. But she has very good PR skills and when she's not at home, the house becomes very quiet - and a bit lonely.

My friends are in love with my mom because she will tease them and make them feel like part of the family. Mi casa es su casa.

She's been practically around the world as a tourist yet she will always tell you how she hates the cold and share with you funny stories when we went to Suzhou in China or when she went to London with my brothers.

She prays a lot but will frown on religious organizations because she thinks these groups have more money in mind than grace.

She loves my father dearly and would forgive him for his mistakes every now and then.

And I love her for everything that she is.

Happy birthday!

* * *

kids should know this...

Dumaguete has earned the distinction of being known as "the center of learning in the south," or a "university town" due to the presence of these universities that have made their mark nationally and abroad. The city's ambience and tranquil, moderate way of life make it conducive to learning and intellectual pursuits. The city has become a melting pot of students, professionals, artists, scholars and the literati coming from different parts of the country and the world. (wikipedia)

love sick

Hello.

The voice at the end of the line was coarse, a lil soft like tired.

She's coming down with a flu. Yesterday she was feeling a slight chill and didn't have the appetite for lunch. This early afternoon she gave me a call and said she wanted to abandon the rest of the day in the clinic and head home.

Could I pick her up?

No. Blame it on coding. But that problem had an immediate resolution. I sent a sms to the driver, Mang Leo, to pick her up.

Normally, I would meet her halfway after work. Our meeting place would be the Petron fuel station in Macapagal Avenue. We would sometimes grab a quick snack there before heading home.

From her clinic, she will find her way to the MRT Boni Station that will send her to the end of the line, EDSA. She will get off and ride the bus that goes to SM Mall of Asia.

But we didn't do anything of that today. I went home by myself, without stopping at the familiar Petron. I called her up and asked her what she wanted me to bring for her. She replied, vanilla coke and a bag of clover chips.

She whimpers when she's really sick. So when I arrived and woke her up, she hugged me and cried.

Masakit ang ulo ko.

I'm good giving alcohol baths and sleeping lightly to make sure that my patient takes meds on time.

Needless to say, I feel like a zombie as I write this post because I lack complete sleep. But that's alright.

These will be one of those days when the doctor becomes a patient.

* * *

kids should know that...

The most famous and lethal outbreak was the so-called Spanish flu pandemic, which lasted from 1918 to 1919. Older estimates say it killed 40–50 million people while current estimates say 50 million to 100 million people worldwide were killed. This pandemic has been described as "the greatest medical holocaust in history" and may have killed as many people as the Black Death. This huge death toll was caused by an extremely high infection rate of up to 50% and the extreme severity of the symptoms, suspected to be caused by cytokine storms. Indeed, symptoms in 1918 were so unusual that initially influenza was misdiagnosed as dengue, cholera, or typhoid. (wikipedia)

we want your soul

How much is your soul?

Now that is an unconventional question that practically halts you into terror unlike the embarassment of the question, how much do you weigh.

Now take a moment to release denials, expectations and what-nots if you believe human beings have no souls.

Let's just say we all do, alright.

Yea, just for the sake of discussion.

Now here is somethng you should know, which I didn't find out not until very recently...like a few minutes ago. This material is totally effing bloggable. Check it out.

29% of people have a purer soul than me.

What the heck does that mean?!

That outrageous finding serves as partial basis to determine the cash value of my soul, which is by the way, L29630 in pounds.

If you want to find the value of your soul, you ought to be prepared to answer questions such as:

1. Are you a practising Christian?
2. Have you been baptised?
3. Have you ever given money to the homeless?
4. Have you ever tried to contact the dead?
5. Have you taken any of the following drugs? Heroin, Cocaine, Crack, LSD, PCP
6. Do you indulge in autoerotic practises?
7. Do you own goods made by the following manufacturers:nike, sony, nokia, apple, microsoft?
8. Do you watch any of the following news channels: Fox, MSNBC, CNN, SKY
9. Do you eat on a regular basis at any of the following food outlets: McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Starbucks
10. I support the war on terrorism (Agree/Disagree)
11. War is a necessary part of social evolution (Agree/Disagree)
12. Capitalism is the future of our society (Agree/Disagree)
13. Homeless people generally bring it upon themselves (Agree/Disagree)

There's a pop-up ad that reads: "Did you know that you can increase the purity of your soul by purchasing one simple product?"

And this is no religious come-on.

You want to find out your own soul-value? Add dot com to my entry title and you'll get there.

* * *

kids should know that...

During the late 19th and first half 20th century, researchers attempted to weigh people who were known to be dying, and record their weight accurately at the time of death. As an example, Dr. Duncan MacDougall, in the early 1900s, sought to measure the weight purportedly lost by a human body when the soul departed the body upon death. MacDougall weighed dying patients in an attempt to prove that the soul was material and measurable. These experiments are widely considered to have had little if any scientific merit, and although MacDougall's results varied considerably from 21 grams, for some people this figure has become synonymous with the measure of a soul's weight. (wikipedia)

Twiggies

How far will you go when your best bud sends you an unpretentious explanation-not-needed sms, I want to talk?

It took us about 90 minutes to journey from Sucat to Morato so we could pick up Tin who wanted to talk. It was a full moon, I noticed.

She waited for us at Starbucks and after picking her up, I told them I needed to eat supper. So we drove to Banaue and settled for good ol' KFC.

Convo digressed from office politics and her personal dilemma (her salary on the 15th might not be released due to govt bureau-crappy).

We then decided to head over to Starbucks Intramuros because we never really had that caffeine-strung talk. And besides that coffee nuthouse branch is closer to her house in Tondo.

In the car, along Espana...

TIN: So, how are you?

ME: Hmm... okay. I'm okay.

SHE: Like a dead leaf.

ME: Dead leaf? Course not. A dead leaf, once you place iton your palm, it crumbles like in that soap commercial. I am not a dead-leaf.

SHE: O sige. Twig.

TIN: Ay, ako rin. I want to be a twig.

ME: Why a dead leaf? Why a twig?

TIN: Maganda nga ang twig eh.

SHE: Drifting.

TIN: (Mumbles to herself) But I can't afford to be a twig. Kelan kaya? (pauses) Twig...

We arrived at the coffee nuthouse and opted to sit outside so they could smoke. They shared a pack of Marlboro Green menthol lights.

TIN: Nauusukan ka. Palit kaya tayo?

ME: No.

TIN: Alam ko na. Magyosi ka na lang.

ME: Ayaw!

TIN: Nagi-guilty ako. Sige na, palit tayo. Dito ko na lang ibubuga sa likod.

SHE: Ako rin.

TIN: Meron akong ikukuwento. (To me) Huwag ka munang magsalita.

ME: Who says I'm not quiet?

TIN: Eh basta. Meron akong kakilala. Sumakay sa elevator. Ay, hindi. Ganito pala. Meron isang tao, kunwari siya. (Points to my special gurl)

ME: Kunwari tao siya.

TIN: Hiiindi!

ME: Eh, sabe mo...

TIN: Kunwari siya yung tao.

ME: Right. That's exactly what I just said.

SHE: Ano ka ba, B?

TIN: Ayoko na! Ayoko nang magkwento.

ME: Whaat?!

I can be bratty when around these two ladies. And I get away with it.

One of the other things they share together is being first-born kids in their respective families. I, on the other hand, am the charming, witty, extra-special, courageous, street-smart, wise-ass, obnoxious, confident bunso.

Ah! The stuff the full moon brings to cherished earthlings.

On our way to bring her home...

TIN: You're both bloggable.

ME: Bloggable. Is that a compliment?

TIN: Oo naman!

ME: Syempre, it depends on what kind of blog you have. Eh kung puro rants and angst.

TIN: (Laughs) Oo nga, no. Pero coming from me, it's a compliment.

I'll take her word for it.

Twig.

* * *

kids should know that...

In The Witches' Goddess, Janet and Stewart Farrar note that the Babylonians considered the new moon to be the time when the Goddess was menstruating, and it was bad luck to do work on that day. In Jewish culture, this is the first day of the month, called Rosh Chodesh, and is still observed by some as a holiday for women. (wikipedia)

relax, see a movie

We are currently subscribers of Sky Cable. Our cable provider will include Zee TV in its line up if we pay an additional amount. But we're not willing to pay more for that extra package.

Zee TV is the Bollywood Channel. Somehow I find myself very eager to watch Indian films. And so when Sky Cable had a technical glitch and showed Zee TV all of a sudden without paying extra, I was glued to my seat.

I was able to watch the full-length movie entitled Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Although I don't know any Hindi word, I was able to follow the story and appreciate the whole drama.

Planetbollywood.com has given a synopsis of the film, which reads:

The story is novel yet presented in a simple manner. The film opens with Rahul at his wife Tina's funeral. Tina has died during childbirth, leaving eight letters to be given to their daughter Anjali on each of her first eight birthdays. In the eighth letter, Tina reveals to her daughter the story of Rahul and his best friend in college, also named Anjali. Via flashback, we learn that though Rahul and Anjali were very close, Rahul fell for the sexy Tina, while Anjali was left with an unrequited love for Rahul. Anjali then dropped out of school, but not before Tina was able to discern Anjali's true feelings. Through the eighth letter, the deceased Tina then asks her daughter, little Anjali, to re-unite the old college friends. The only problem is that big Anjali is now engaged to Aman.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai starred one of Bollywood's five big artists, Shahrukh Khan. His popularity is similar to our very own Aga Mulach. His edge, however, is that he has a sing-and-dance talent. He has won awards in his country and an achiever at a young age of 39.

I'm not really an avid movie-goer but I am starting to collect movie titles. I look at it like saving for that boring rainy day. There will be times when you are stuck at home, maybe by choice, and everything on cable is bleah. With a title collection, at least you have options to choose what you want to watch, never mind if you've seen the movie twice.

But there's one title that is elusive. There's even no bootleg copy available in Manila. It's the film, The Sunflower (1970). I've seen this movie when I was very young over at RPN 9. Somehow it was shown after the noontime variety shows, just when kids were coerced by their nannies to take a nap.

It's a classic and starred Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, Italian actors.

Filmthreat.com has this synopsis, which reads:

The story of Sunflower is, admittedly, heavy on sentiment. Loren and Mastroianni are a young couple in the 1940s who marry shortly before he is sent off to fight in the Italian Army alongside the Germans on the Eastern Front. Mastroianni never comes home and it is presumed that he died along with most of the Italians who found themselves unprepared to engage in combat during the brutal Russian winter. Loren, who was never convinced of his death, tries for years to gain a visa to visit the Soviet Union to investigate for herself and, in a victory of Neapolitan persistence, is able to go behind the Iron Curtain. She traces the journey of her husband's battalion in their doomed invasion and visits the memorial where the Italian dead are buried (a vast field of sunflowers, hence the film's title). She eventually discovers that he is alive--and married to a Russian woman and the father of a daughter. Their reunion is brief and painful and she returns to Italy. Mastroianni, ashamed of his conduct, is able to gain an exit visa to return to Italy to find Loren, which he does--but by that time, she has moved on with her life and is in love with another man. Mastroianni leaves for Russia, never to return.

Here is a list of 5 films (not in order of preference) that I am glad to have my own copy.

1. Frankie and Johnny (Al Pacino & Michelle Pfeiffer). I saw this film twice on board the NWA on my way to and from LA. I remember I broke up with my gf then (see item #4). Maybe that's why the film is memorable. As for the gf, we got together again after my trip.

2. Reality Bites (Ethan Hawke & Winona Ryder). A girl in Silliman who eventually became my gf borrowed a copy of this movie and invited me to watch it with her at home. The story is great, very cult-ish.

3. Money Train (Wesley Snipes & J-Lo). It's Wesley Snipes. Period. But this is also the movie that made me notice J-Lo. I think I developed an itsy bitsy crush on her.

4. Akiro Kurosawa's Dreams. Thank God for subtitles. I wouldn't really know this Japanese cinema master if not for the UP english teacher of a gf then who was required to watch this film at SM Cinema North. Message of film is deep and I appreciate this.

5. Sister Act (Whoopi Goldberg). This film absolutely contains laughing gas. Perfect companion when I need to be happy.

Now here is a million dollar question is.

What is the first movie that I saw with my special gurl?

I don't recall. It is embarassing that I have to ask her for the answer.

* * *

kids should know that...

Westerners would tend to classify most Bollywood films as musicals, because few movies are made without at least one song-and-dance number. The standard Bollywood movie is expected to contain a number of elements, and one of the essentials is catchy music in the form of song-and-dance numbers woven into the script. Indeed, a movie's music is often released before the movie itself and helps increase the audience. Ranking second to Egyptian cinema, Indian films have historically been popular in quite a few Arab countries, particularly in the Gulf countries. Almost all imported Indian films are immediately dubbed in Arabic upon their release. Indian film stars have huge fan base in a variety of Arab countries. (wikipedia)

the kid opener rescued

We often hear the word rescue from men in uniform to the paramedics. It's like a technical term they use everyday in their job.

That word is alive to me only when a news reporter uses it in the midst of a coverage of a landslide, conflagration, inundation, shipwreck, stampede or what-not.

But last Monday, I was like a cat on a tree chased by an unfriendly dog named hunger. I needed some rescuing. Good thing I was the kind of cat that carries a mobile phone.

ME: HUHUHUHUHUHUHU

TIN: Why? (Hugs)

ME: Kasi I don't know how to cook rice. I'm starving. Yaya is nowhere. I can't go out to buy food kasi I'mthe only one left at home.

TIN: Put 1 cup rice in pot. 1 cup water. Medium fire. Kaya mo yan!

ME: How many times do I let it boil before I remove the water?

TIN: Basta whenever nag-bubbles, lift the cover then put it back. You'll know if it's cooked na. Go go go (smiles).

I was about to follow the instructions when my master Pauline arrived. She came from the bank to do errands.

To save me from what could have been a kitchen calamity, perhaps God sent her home right away.

It's a good thing she arrived before I turned on the stove. I forgot to ask Tin about my viand.

I have a feeling, though, that she will tell me to open a can of Century tuna, her fave. Now any cat will risk one of her 9 lives just to feed on tuna.

* * *

One day I'm going to read Dan Brown.

One day I'm going to know the secrets behind that Davinci code.

One day I'm going to see that mystery novel on film.

* * *

They used to tell me not to eat siopao (pork buns) because it contained cat meat.

When I was in grade school, other kids warned me about the mysterious white siopao. Someone swore to have found cat's hair inside.

But another kid said it was all BS. The siopao has only to to be undressed of its outer covering before eating.

I'm over the cat meat urban legend. But I still remove the first layer.

* * *

kids should know that...

Legend in Japan has it that a cat waved at a Japanese landlord, who was intrigued by this gesture and went towards it. A few seconds later a lightning bolt struck where the landlord had been previously standing. The landlord attributed his good fortune to the cat's fortuitous action. A symbol of good luck hence, it is most often seen in businesses to draw in money. In Japan, the flapping of the hand is a "come here" gesture, so the cat is beckoning customers. (wikipedia)

next in line

Karl will be in highschool a couple of months from now. His father is now shopping for schools. When Hoot found out that Karl might be sent by his father to Don Bosco Makati, he showed disapproval.

My brothers had a taste of Don Bosco learning in Makati. Our folks sent them there for their primary education. But they left Don Bosco and continued secondary in UPIS in Diliman.

Karl was at my brothers' alma mater all day. He took the written entrance exam for high school. Moral support was extended to him by my mom.

Mang Leo, our driver, was on hand to drive him to Don Bosco in an MB. A little pampering on the side to keep his composure.

Karl is currently finishing his elementary in Elizabeth Seton. When he was given a tour by the guidance counsellor of Don Bosco, he wasn't that impressed, according to his father.

HOOT: (To Buddy) Bakit doon? It's a technical school. Baka maputulan yan ng kamay sa makina. (To Karl) Anong matututunan mo dun? Magiging mekaniko ka ng kotse?

You must understand that we are clannish. In a clan, the eldest son stands as the head. In our generation, Hoot is the eldest son, although the eldest child really is a female cousin. Hoot may be the son of the second cuya of the clan but because he's the first-born male in our generation, then he will one day be king.

As prince, Hoot is expected to be the most successful. There's no problem in this aspect because he is now a millionaire, a rich doctor earning dollars in the US. He is also expected to bring everyone in our generation together and stand as the father one day.

Karl will be following his footsteps, being the first-born male in their generation.

But Karl is still too young to be pressured by this role. All he worries now is leaving behind his friends and classmates in Seton.

BUDDY: (To Karl) Wow! Ang laki ng soccer field nila.
KARL: (dedma) Hm.
BUDDY: Meron din swimming pool.
KARL: (dryly) Yea.
BUDDY: Ang laki ng canteen!
KARL: (Perks up) Dito na lang ako, dad!

And this early, the saying already applies to him: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

* * *

Last Saturday I went to the PC Unlimited shop in Sucat to buy an an AOC 17" silver-black flat monitor.

I just want to include this activity in my entry today to remind me that I couldn't afford the LG monitor I wanted.

Maybe next time.

* * *

kids should know that...

Some clans are patrilineal, meaning its members are related through the male line; for example, the clans of Armenia. Others are matrilineal; its members are related through the female line. Still other clans are bilateral, consisting of all the descendants of the apical ancestor through both the male and female lines; the clans of Scotland are one example. Polish clans differ from most others in being a collection of families bearing the same coat of arms, as opposed to actually claiming a common descent. (wikipedia)

real food, pls

Let's talk a lil about unusual F&B for a moment.

The net can be a very strange library. In here I chanced upon this recipe for Stewed Dog (Wedding Style).

Pardon my ignorance. How many ways can you cook a friend?

Yes, the word dog means dog like a chihuahua (if you're into small bites - highly recommended for the dieting dog-eater?) . The cook isn't referring to a weenie. Nuh-ah. Recipe requires furry dog's meat, 3 kilograms, as a matter of despicable fact, to serve thirty freaking appetites.

This recipe was prepared by a certain Joe Sweeney. Who knows if that's the fellow's real name? Procedure number one reads: First, kill a medium sized dog, then burn off the fur over a hot fire.

Sounds like somebody who had an unhappy childhood.

I'm starting to feel something.

Sick.

In other news...

There's a new soda on the rise in the US markets today. It's designed to keep kids awake to cope with the demands of playing in LAN parties.

The drink is called Bawls.

This bev must be drank moderately because it is loaded with caffeine. This product is sold in a blue bottle like that Mule drink.

Kids must check out the label first before they drink up. This high caffeine soft drink depends much of its basic ingredient from guarana berry. Sugar-free Bawls will be available soon, they say.

Or maybe kids should not drink it at all.

Bawls...shit.

Let's just throw these kids a different kind of upper, one that's caffeine-free and off the stone. We should make them smarter than us, not dumber.

* * *

kids should know that...

A LAN party is a temporary, sometimes spontaneous, gathering of people together with their computers, which they network together primarily for the purpose of playing multiplayer computer games. Usually smaller LAN parties consist of people bringing their computers over to each others' houses to host and play multiplayer games. When a broadband Internet connection is available, some LAN parties will join on-line servers, where everyone connects to the same server to play together, often on the same team. In this case, the LAN party helps bring the team in one physical location, to talk/chat more efficiently. Big LAN parties often offer a quiet place to sleep, shower, and eat, as well as hired security, alternative entertainment (such as music), and a dedicated support crew, as well as a professionally managed network including a connection to the Internet. Catering might come in the form of a bar, delivered food such as pizza, or nearby shops. (wikipedia)

mellowing

2003 will always be the year I discovered weblogging (thanks to Tin).

Now, Chinese year 2004 brings the year of the wood monkey.

But since it's not yet time to talk about the Chinese New Year, let me make a short salute to the year that was.

In 2003 creative jobs were slightly a bleah. Although I was able to successfully line produce an RC of a national telecoms company and to co-head the publication of a giant financial institution, not to mention to produce my own bar events, 2003 was just fine.

A lot of lessons learned in business were gained.

I've been told though to wait til 2005, which is the year of the cock, my year.

So for the time being, I'm keeping things together, riding with the wave, going with the flow, practicing patience.

I was more active two years ago - socially-speaking. But 2003 kept me more focused away from my circle. I've lost touch, not by choice,but due to change of priorities.

Pinky, my highschool friend and a colleague in socio-politics asked me once, "Why, are you tired of politics?" She expressed a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

I never got to reply to her because I was unsure then. But now I'm sure of the answer.

The answer is yes.

I'm mellowing and maintaining a few friends who will grow old with me regardless of distance.

If there's anything 2003 has taught me, it's shown me to be tired of the old ways. And that, actually, is profound.

* * *

kids should know that...

The Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde supersonic transport (SST) was the more successful of only two supersonic passenger airliners to have operated commercially (the Tupolev Tu-144 being the other). First flown in 1969, Concorde service commenced in 1976 and continued for 27 years. As a result of its only crash (in 2000), world economic effects arising from the September 11, 2001 attacks and other factors, operations ceased on 24 October 2003, with the last "retirement" flight on 26 November that year. Even in retirement, Concorde remains an icon of aviation history. (wikipedia)