free this soul

truth ISNOT KIND& u SAYNEITHERAM i

* * *

I saw her Saturday and couldn't wait to take her home with me.

Sunday, I told friends about her and even they couldn't wait to meet her.

Monday morning, we set the date for the pick up.

And when I got in her, she wasn't complicated. My drive was smooth and easy. It felt good.

V. dark 3m tint including a one-way tint for the windshield, leather seats, German-made audio system, keyless entry, 15" mags... and more.

The best part of it all is knowing that she's mine. I'm hers.

(I finally got my Nissan.)

* * *

kids should know that...

Like Hino and Isuzu, but unlike Toyota, Nissan partnered with an established European company to gain access to automobile and engine designs. Nissan chose Austin of the United Kingdom, which later became the British Motor Corporation. Nissan began building Austin 7s in 1930, though the legitimacy of their license at that time is debated. (wikipedia)

Go north

All it takes is just a few phone calls for my mom to get into my case of pad-hunting.

Yep, you've read it right. Pad-hunting.

For the next months, I'll be spending more working hours in Libis and, eventually, in Cubao. Not wanting to suffer travel fatigue to and from Sucat, as well as to do away with living my life on the road, I choose to find a place to stay.

Hence, the pad-hunting.

So far, one "tita" suggested a condo unit owned by someone from Dumaguete. It is a brand new condo and is situated along e rod, across Christ the King. She said that, at least, when I need to hear mass, all I have to do is cross the street.

Right. I was thinking of maybe just opening the window from my unit to be blessed from a distance.

Another "tita" suggested that I should look at what Xavierville has to offer because the neighborhood is secure.

Ahm...wag na lang. Memories...

My aunt who is my dad's cousin has her own condo unit in Cubao. She suggested that I check out the units for lease in the Libis area. With Eastwood in the background, for sure, she said, that takes care of my "social" needs.

I'm not that keen on living in a condo bec I feel that it is so boxed that I won't feel the difference between office and home.

I'm more of a 2-bedroom-pad-with-a-carport person. The place must be suitable for pets because I plan to bring one of my dogs. Pampaalis kasi ng pagod yun. There are currently two maids in my house and I plan to relocate the other and transplant her with me in QC.

And so while my mom helps me find a place to stay, dad is still making his presence felt with regards to my auto-hunt.

Yep, I still have to purchase the car that isn't a gas guzzler. I guess, Dad will always be the frustrated Toyota "sales rep" but because, in the end, it is my credit on the line, he'll respect my decision.

My dad. He can be so Crosby-ish, I swear. The other day, he sat on the rocking chair and we had a heart-to-heart talk about my career. He philosophized good words and said I'm on the right track. And although what he imparted that day were worth taking heart, the moment made me feel uncomfy. I was partly distracted with the reality that my dad is a retiree.

He may have the 6-figure assets going for him now while he works on his garden and cars, but he doesn't wear the tie anymore and head out the door, to the garage and wait for us, his kids and wife, to join him and perhaps catch some sleep in the vehicle on the way from the suburbs to the city while he controls the wheel.

Matagal na pala yun. Matagal na talaga.

I guess I work so hard and put aside everything personal that when I get to think about my dad on a break, the very first thing that pops into my head is that father-figure that moves all of us every dawn on a school day.

And that memory inspires me to work because simply, profoundly, really, kinaya nya kaming buhayin.

The other side of being a Crosby is that, because he's well off and has been there, he has earned the privilege to "talk when I'm about to hit the golf ball." You know what I mean, right?

Sometimes, even when I assure him, "Dad, alam ko na yan, " it's not sufficient to keep him still in the background and let him watch me swing the iron.

* * *

kids should know that...

The Cosby Show is an American television sitcom that ran from 1984 to 1992. Starring Bill Cosby, the sitcom was first broadcast on September 20, 1984 and ran for eight seasons on the NBC television network, until April 30, 1992. The show focused on the Huxtable family, an upper-middle class family living in Brooklyn, New York. Patriarch Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable, an obstetrician gynocologist, and his attorney wife Clair Hanks-Huxtable presided over a raucous yet loving household. The popularity of The Cosby Show was often seen as a symbol of hope and progress for African-Americans in the late 1980s and early 1990s. (wikipedia)

across wireless

We have finally arrived in this century after being stuck in pre-dsl years.

There's now broadband in the house!

(And it came with a free wireless phone.)

There was excitement when I first saw the Globe Lines tent in BF. When we checked out their service areas, we were told lines weren't available yet in our village. And so we had to wait and suck our thumbs.

We earlier inquired from both our cable company and PLDT whether they have at least our street in their list of service areas. Nada.

So imagine how happy I was when I saw the Globe Lines tent at the entrance of our village. I signed up and gave my cash right then and there.

A week after, PLDT called and told us that we can apply for DSL.

Right.

Parang pulis na darating pag tapos na boksing.

* * *

Hi wacky! Might leave May 18, fri. Can I stay at ur place May 15 to 18? Ksi wala na gamit sa apartment ko by May 15. Also, end na ng lease ko. Naisip ko din ksi we didnt have time to catch up. Ok lang ba?

That was sent to me by one of my best buds from UP (and my mom's closest), Mei. She's about to leave everything behind, except for the secrets we both share, to start anew in Spain.

She arrived last night, close to midnight according to my maids. I didn't wait up for her.

I texted her and said that I'd just see her in the morning.

My house is her house. She can come and stay anytime. This also goes with my vacation home in Dumaguete where she, one day, popped out of the blue. Walang pasabi. She just asked the address from my mom and took a plane to Dumaguete.

I only have to tell the maids to take care of her needs while I'm out of the house or asleep. Special pabilin talaga and I explain to them that this gurl gave me everything that I needed before.

One special thing in common with us is that we have wings. And we like to use it whenever we feel like we've reached that certain difficult or confusing spot in the labyrinth.

And so we ride planes. And we fly away. Even if it means crashing at a friend's house who would understand without asking so many questions.

Hola! She's bound for Spain. Now there's a reason for me to go to Espana.

Vamos.

* * *

Should you ask if I exercised my right last Monday, the answer is yes.

I tell you, I spent more time outside the polling place than inside. It seemed like Sunday morning outside a big church. There were lots of street vendors.

I ate a corn cob and 3 pieces of chicken balls on a stick. I was looking for catsup for the chicken balls but my special gurl laughed at me and said there was none. The chicken was among the other balls swimming in cooking oil such as kikiam, squid and fish.

How did the chicken balls taste? I dunno. It was too hot in my mouth that I had to eat and swallow it quickly.

There was a vendor selling squid that looked like hot pot style of cooking. The squid was rolled in flour (?) and something pink. I just looked.

I also bought popcorn sprinkled with very orange cheese and good ol kropek.

One of the residents nearby opened her gate and put up a long table. On it were pots of goto, arroz caldo, dinuguan and spaghetti sauce (I didn't see where she hid the pasta). I bought a serving of blood soup and took it home.

We live in a good neighborhood. People like to eat here.

Vamos a comer.

* * *

kids should know that...

Since 2000, Spain has experienced high population growth as a result of immigration flows, despite a birth rate that is only half the replacement level. This sudden and ongoing inflow of immigrants, particularly those arriving clandestinely by sea, has caused noticeable social tension. Spain currently has the second highest immigration rates within the EU, just after Cyprus, and the second highest absolute net migration in the world (after the United States. In 2006, from the total number of immigrants arrived in the European Union, 44.7% chose Spain as their final destination. (wikipedia)

say "czechoslovakia"

Peter the dog Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers and ate these peppers when no one was looking.

This is what happened next.

Music Video Codes

Clients are flying in from the US tomorrow.

Butterflies flew in earlier and they're now trapped in my stomach.

Hopefully all works well tomorrow that we'll be able to say, "eric clapton," in harmony and they'll be so impressed that they'll pull out all their chips in their pockets and give it to us because we are good "working dogs," after all.

* * *
kids should know that...

In his 1996 book Good Natured, ethologist Frans de Waal discusses an experiment on guilt and reprimands conducted on a female Siberian husky. The dog had the habit of shredding newspapers, and when her owner returned home to find the shredded papers and scold her she would act guilty. However, when the owner himself shredded the papers without the dog's knowledge, the dog "acted just as 'guilty' as when she herself had created the mess." De Waal concludes that the "guilt" displayed by dogs is not true guilt but rather the anticipation of the behavior of an angry superior in a given situation. wikipedia

laid back

doyouloveme, lady jane?

It's a nice sunday morning and songs by j kadison sometimes fit the light mood to the t.

(Nope, he's not a pop star. Just a piano player who really knows how to sing poetry. And he's damn good.)

Sunday, last day of a weekend, and 24 hours isn't enough.

The other day I was on the phone talking long distance to a nice lady in southern cali whose nephew is a choreographer of Justin Timberlake.

She told me a big booboo she made recently when she went to Kinko to have an edition of the paper photocopied because it featured JT and included the name of her nephew. But something went wrong that she ended up with a badly messed up paper.

Despite this, we were laughing at her admission that the world has changed in terms of mechanical advancements and her encounters with such can be served as party anecdotes. She is like the other women out there who until now probably don't even know how to operate the controls of the CD player in the cars they drive.

My own mother has still difficulty understanding her mobile phone, although it's a great relief that she fully knows how to send sms. Just don't expect her to play with the phone settings. To her, that's the role of her grandchildren.

So it's sunday. Later today, I'm thinking of bringing my mom to the bingo games at the mall. She sure likes to try that out. She's been telling me of how our family jeweler once played and won P50k in bingo.

And what would my mom do with a P50k-winning?

I don't know. But that's not going to stop her from selling plans to me.