Thursday, December 27, 2007

¡Feliz CumpleaƱos Jesus!

I thought I would not be able to post any entry this week due to my yearly Christmas banishment to the rurals. Err... OK, not really the rurals - my hometown's not that estranged from civilization and from the benefits of Industrial Revolution.

I, together with my mother and two brothers, went to the mall. It's by good chance that I brought my laptop and dined at Burger King 'cause it has free WiFi access. That's why I get to blog right now. Hehe.

So how was this year's December?

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The Universidad de Santo Tomas has always been known for its annual Paskuhan - the institution's university-wide Christmas party. For some circumstances, I went to the event, though very late at around 9 PM (yeah, and I missed the fireworks). My so-called "school-coming" was quite emotionally corny and utterly nostalgic. You see, it's been almost a couple of years since I last set foot on the humble grounds of UST. The ghost of my college days just went through my nerves and I was suddenly feeling "studentish" again. Plus the fact that some of my college guy friends, the ones who formed my college clique, were there. I just couldn't help but be reminiscent despite a lot of changes in the infrastructures and student atmosphere in the campus (I must give note that a lot of UST students that I saw were so different from the once I've actually encountered and dealt with three years back.)

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The infamous company Christmas party was at it again... and needless to say, it was a costume party again, only this time, a Retro Christmas party (contrary to the boring Hat party of 2005 and the floral Luau party of 2006). It would have been a hard time for me looking for a vintage costume set if not for my resourceful Aunt who have a friend who collects fancy costumes. I opted for a 70s costume set of a butterfly-collared top, a pair of bell-bottom jeans, and a pair of humongous sun glasses. The costume was great (I think I even had one of the bests in the party), except for my fat ass, which a lot of my officemates noticed (and they actually bullied me for this... err).

The yearly department presentations were included in the program. And for the second time, my team won. I was so proud 'cause I was one of the organizers of the team. I just felt so happy that our 5PM practice everyday, despite haunting busy work and deadlines, paid-off.

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Some of the gifts I received this Christmas!
The big Elmo's from my dear best friend. She surprised me with this - I didn't really expect she would remember me wanting an Elmo stuffed toy (It was two years ago the last time I was so compelled to buy Elmo). Thanks guys! Merry Christmas!

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Err... it's already 4PM... my mother and brother are waiting for me to finish this blog entry. I guess I'll end at this point and just continue my Christmas entry when I get back in the metro... or by chance tomorrow... that is, if I go to the mall. Hehe.

But before I leave, let me leave my sincere greetings to you dear reader even if it's two days late... Merry Christmas! Even if you can't get a wedge of the Strawberry Cheesecake I baked last Christmas eve, let me still share it with you, even if just through this photo.


Happy New Year too! (^_^)

Monday, December 10, 2007

A Gift from James

December 8, 2007, 7:55 PM

Tired from swimming and lack of sleep, I dragged myself up the second floor and entered my humble room. Turning on the lights, I saw a seemingly foreign object down the desk of my dresser - a parcel! Presumptuously, I already knew who sent the package; It was from James!

The natural feeling went over me - thrilled to open the package just like the feeling of excitement and anticipation a kid experiences while opening his birthday presents (I'm such a kid-at-heart). Though I already know beforehand the contents of the parcel, I was still very much excited to open it. I even unpacked it carefully enough not to torn much of the packing (I like keeping packings of letters and stuff sent to me). I was so so delighted when I fully uncovered James' gift.

Here it is...


Thank you very much James! It's really really nice of you to even get me an original copy (bumili ka pa yata talaga ng bagong kopya para sa akin). Thanks a lot James! You just don't know how happy you made me be. God bless you James! You're one kind generous man. (^_^)

A million thanks! Thanks thanks thanks! >:D<

Saturday, December 8, 2007

A weeklong banishment from the cellular world

It's been almost a week since my phone gracefully crashed. The cause? I surely don't know. My phone just can't seem to start up properly. Whenever I push the power button, the LCD lights up, stays that way for a couple of seconds or so, and then shuts off. One of my officemates said it might have been squeezed in my crowded backpack and rendered the it inoperable.

For the record, my SE K700i has been with me the longest time - two years and three months. My previous phones lasted in my possession for only less than a year due to some unlikely reasons (e.g. being held up by gunned robbers and by a fat tattooed man with a knife, being snatched through the side pocket by an adjacent man pretentiously sleeping on the driver's seat of a jeepney, and ridiculously leaving the phone alone inside the classroom).

This is bad timing - I don't need another major expenditure to get a new mobile phone. My plan for that is next year. I just hope it gets fixed (the phone is now in the possession of some technician my aunt recommended) and at least recover my contacts.

Days without mobile communication surely was weird. My habits were abruptly altered: no more music playing while dressing up in the morning, no more lullabies before slumber (my phone sings for me), no alarm to wake me up on time (my analog alarm clock is also dysfunctional so I just trust my body clock for now), and of course, no communication with far-away friends and family. Pathetic as it may sound, but I miss my phone. It's never normal the day it went comatose and got confined in the ICU of the technician's hub.

If all else fail and my phone is delivered to the morgue, I'd have no choice but be compelled to scout for a new replacement. I just hope my funds would cater this expense this holiday season a.k.a. the season of spending.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

IV - X - MCMLXXXV

Was tagged by Flinch of Feast on Chaos. Here goes my reply.

Procedures:
1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a
comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

Natal Day: IV - X - MCMLXXXV

Loves to chat - Lately, yes. Chatting, especially with friends over a coffee table, seems to be very relaxing to me. It's sort of a stress reliever.
Loves those who loves them - Of course. No-brainer.
Loves to take things at the center - Ideally, yes, but I do get distracted at times.
Inner and physical beauty - It's difficult to say an acceptable yes or no here. Either way, you might think I'm too confident esteeming myself. The truth is, more often than not, the "beauty" that I hold I underrate. Though I'd like to believe I have more of the inner beauty.
Lies but doesn’t pretend - In as much as my consciousness is concerned, I don't approve on lies in the same degree as with pretension. Though I would have to give comment that during my younger years, I had the propensity to pretend being masculine "by the norm", though innately, I wasn't. So I surmise, if you'd credit the past, I pretended more than I lied.
Gets angry often - Definitely no.
Treats friends importantly - Definitely yes - "Whatever you tame, you become responsible."
Always making friends - Not always. But whenever I establish ties, I make sure my sincerity is there.
Easily hurt but recovers easily - I would have to say yes, I hurt easily (though you might not sense it). As with the recovery, that would depend on the situation.
Daydreamer - A big YES! Hehe.
Opinionated - Yes, but would not, in most cases, do assertions.
Does not care of what others think - I would care if what they think is something substantial.
Emotional - Yes, though I was more emotionally sensitive in my younger years.
Decisive - Yes, though I may need some time to arrive at a decision. It's not an easy deal for me. But when I arrive at one, I stick to it.
Strong clairvoyance - Not really though I had a few extrasensory experiences during my high school days.
Loves to travel, the arts and literature - A big YES for traveling. With arts, that would depend on what form of art you're talking about. As with literature... uhmmm... no.
Touchy and easily jealous - If I'd have to answer this way back like more than five years ago, I'd have to answer yes! But now, well, I'm still touchy and jealous, but not on the same degree as before. I get more control now for both.
Concerned - With what? Ambiguous... Hmmm... In most aspects, yes.
Loves outdoors - Yes. This accounts to my enthusiasm with traveling.
Just and fair - I try to be one in this unjust and unfair temporal reality.
Spendthrift - I'm guilty of this one. Sue me!
Easily influenced - Not really easily influenced - I'm actually quite stubborn.
Easily loses confidence - This I'd have to check. I'd like to believe I am more resolved with my self-esteem so as not to be unconfident. But if you'd check my childhood, you'd find me to be a very very shy timid unconfident kid.
Loves children - Yes, yes, yes!


JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

* As usual, I am not tagging specific bloggers to do this meme. But if you'd want to continue the tradition, make this your own and post it on your blog. (^_^)

Thursday, November 22, 2007

From Suspension and Back

It's been a spell since I bothered to update Drake's Ragbag; Seems to me it's been eons already. OK... I'm just exaggerating. Frankly, I've been sporadically present in the blogosphere in the past weeks. No blog hopping and no blog updates. To tell you the truth, I do not miss it much...

Apparently, I do not qualify myself as someone would call a "certified blogger" or a blogophile. For one, writing does not come close to my "i like to do" list. Err.... Is this a paradoxical statement? So would it mean that I'm doing something I do not like right now? Well, not really.

To continue... I only get the itch to write, or in this case, to blog, in occasions when I feel cathartic enough to expel some internal tension, or when I'd want to tell some personal anecdotes. In some superficial cases, I blog to share some stuff that seem to interest or catch my attention, whether intellectual, trivial or ridiculous. The bottom line is, I blog whenever I feel like blogging. When blogging becomes a hobby of mine, that I'd have to wait and see. So please, bear with me... (^_^)

OK... so what's been with me lately?

Actually, nothing much. I've been partially occupied with intermittent office work from some same old project that I do not really like dealing with. I just despise how the project schedule goes and how many requirement change cycles have passed despite prior sign-off of the design document. Sometimes, it beats the hell out of me when the customer I have to deal with is my own employer, 'cause it could easily change the project schedule. OK... enough said about office task.

What's been keeping me up right now is capoeira. Oh yeah, it's getting addictive alright. It's been more than a month since I joined the class and I must say, every capoeira class gives me that feeling of vigor (despite the grueling exercises) to pursue on my daily tasks. This is quite silly to say, but my capoeira class motivates me to do my office work better, especially now that I don't feel anything fulfilling from my office chores. I guess capoeira covers up to that missing factor in my workplace. Haha! Absurd!

In the coming days, I'll be very busy with a different project. If management goes final and the role presumably assigned to me is fixed, I'd be on the run to total mania. This project that I'm talking about is the "Israeli" project that died more than three months ago and now had come to life to whack me to the bones. I could foresee the prolonged office hours in the next months. My Christmas break is in danger. Err... OK... I'm getting paranoid. You might be wondering why do I react as such. Well, it's hard to explain. I'll just leave it at that. Hopefully, this project would be my last best effort for this company, and hopefully, I'll do very well.

Before I go back to my indefinite suspension, let me share you this video from HappySlip.com. I've seen HappySlip videos before to prevent me from falling to slumber, and from what I've watched so far, this HappySlip video is the best for me. Enjoy the questions game. (^_^)

Friday, November 9, 2007

Sally Dworsky

Love is so moving as it turns around you
Your heart never figures out how love found you
Love's aftermath stage
'one of the lonely'
You're only a number
left counting the days.
Turning circles, turning circles...

*****

Tears fell down yesterday - that should be the last time. The haunting should wane; time should not retrograde. Thank you for your recent presence, you made it more clear to me... the joyful torment should absolutely end.


* Stanzas above excerpted from the a Lara Fabian song entitled Sally Dworsky. If you're familiar with the 1992 film The Cutting Edge, this song was the background music while Kate Moseley (played by Moira Kelly) was solitarily practicing skates in a snowy day.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Highlights of the Past 21st Year (Updated)

Culminating my 21st year last October 4th, I've been remembering what has been. A lot of my experiences, I would say, especially with my so-called "queerness", have lapsed quite astonishing; gleeful and fun-filled; at times quirky (a redundancy) and uneasy; passionate; bereft and anguished; but nonetheless rich with erudition and introspection. One reason I like about life is the endless opportunity to learn. Despite the inevitable reality of mistakes and failures, it's often worth recognizing that such vulnerability could actually be a chance to redeem one's self. To be more erudite. To be more resolved. To be more faithful perhaps....

Whoa! Slow down... That went not quite the way I wanted - too serious I guess. Err... it's just my internal chatter talking....

My intention here is a reckoning of my 21st-year events, a summation of milestones, both elating and excruciating. I would classify, or should I say rank, my 21st year as the most "uncomfortable" of all. Uncomfortable because during this year I surged the farthest away from my comfort zones. But then, it's also one of the most fun-filled, kid-at-heart satisfying years. Well, without any more fuss, here goes my list.

Underswitch DrillSwimming E-fish-ently - I got involved into this group of swimming professionals who's aim is to teach people how to swim the efficient way (i.e. the Total Immersion way). I had undergone training in improving my front crawl and subsequently was also taught how to handle students in adults and kids swim sessions. Unfortunately, due to some unexpected problems, I wasn't able to actually teach and put all my learnings to use. It's quite frustrating. Then again, the least I could do was to improve my swimming technique.
Postmortem: I still do swim regularly every week. And for the record, I could swim butterfly without struggling (yey!) though I still need improvement (as with the other strokes); Sometimes, I get it, sometimes, I don't. Practice makes perfect!
Current Stats (Average):
Front Crawl - 12 strokes per 25 m (4 breaths, with push-off)
Breaststroke - 8 strokes per 25 m (8 breaths, with push-off)
Butterfly - 10 strokes per 25 m (3 breaths, with push-off)
Backstroke - N/A (haven't tried swimming 25 m in a Total Immersion way; I often get misaligned from unconscious head tilting!)
*Mind you, I am not a competitive swimmer. Currently, I am more of being technique-oriented. I believe an efficient technique can yield faster, longer and enjoyable laps. Sometimes, I could even deem myself a mediocre in water despite the knowledge I hold.

Sailing"I love you high school best friend" - The culprit why Drake's Ragbag was conceived. The most excruciating experience of this year. The sleepless nights, the tormented mind, the unfocused employee in front of my PC, the almost-everyday absentmindedness... My first serious "cardiac" dilemma - I fell in love with Shane, my HS best friend. What I did? I told him. Yeah, I told him. It was my chance and I needed to grab it. Did it, yielded, and ended up just hurting more. Was it worth it? Yes. Despite the futility of that foray, I had the realization that I could really be in love with lack of reciprocity, and I could be stubborn at that. Then again, that same bullheadedness made me more resolute on the truth that in a situation, one is challenged to make up a decision, no matter how easy or difficult it is, in order to carry on. Yes, we are beings of whims, but we are also beings of will.
Postmortem: I followed through this gradually. One tearful night made it clear to me to accept that we're just friends. It wasn't easy, then again, I made it through somehow. With this experience, at least, I had a chance of averring to someone how much I've loved him. (Shane and I have reforged our friendship after my passionate torment.)

Paraw SailingBora... bora bora - Woohoo! My first airborne trip was last March's Boracay getaway with fellow officemates/friends. 'Twas a four-days-three-nights sojourn to this famous Visayan Island, with tons of epicurean anticipation. Much to the need of my "fresh" heartbreak then, I indulged to the natural wonders of the beach and the water (as with the bars, I just simply let go - I am not really fond of them.). I could not imagine how much solace Boracay smothered me then (despite the ubiquitous commercialism) - I guess I was a merman or a sea creature in my past life. It was then that I had my first open water swim (with no life support), snorkeling without a snorkel (haha! quite paradoxical) and Paraw sailing (Paraw is an outrigger boat). Also, due to some whimsical cause, I even had my hair done like a pineapple (ouch! that hurt my scalp) and by upper back painted with a henna tattoo.
Postmortem: The Philippines is one richly endowed archipelago of wondrous creations. God's really an artist. I badly wanted to go back to the beach the day we left. Thinking about the future possibilities, I might consider retiring near the beach. *wish*wish*wish* (^_^)

DolphinsPuerto Galera! - Almost a couple of months after my Boracay trip, I went to Puerto Galera. 'Twas my first time then in the island so I was very excited to see the place, especially the beautiful corals and fishes that most people would tell about Puerto Galera's water. Given the various resorts available, our HR department decided to make a reservation in this secluded family beach resort. The cove was pretty much admirable, with semi-white sand and a snorkeling site, if not for the abrupt sloping of the beach and the quite turbid water. Then again, it was still a beach and there was abundance of water for swimming - that alone was enough to energize the kid in me.
The vacation wasn't all swimming though. There were games that the organizers planned for all employees to join: Charades, Dress-up Relay, and Amazing Race. I played in each game with such promise I did not even expect from myself. Especially with the Amazing Race leg, where I needed to drink almost 2 liters of cola, I violated my no-sodas rule and gulped, gulped, and gulped all the way to winning the competition. Later that day, during the evening band session, I even won an overnight stay for two, with free accommodations, on the same resort, from a "Guess the Song" game.
Postmortem: After all the day's activities, I had a realization that I could really be very competitive, be oblivious of self-consciousness, and even be daring enough to go overboard if needed. Some people in the past have noted my dedication and promise in some of my endeavors, which I have deemed in doubt due to some trivial lack of self-confidence. Just until I quaffed that volume of cola did I change my perception about myself (Hehe). As for the return and overnight stay gift certificate, I guess that would just get forfeited.

PandaDisney, Ocean Park, Hong Kong! - A childhood dream came true when my three guy friends and I set foot on Cantonese soil - Hong Kong! It has been one of my frustrations since I started studying in school. More than seventeen years back, my Auntie-Ninang, a stewardess then, promised to bring me to Hong Kong if in any case I become valedictorian in my class. Apparently, I never grabbed that beguiling rank in all my six years in primary school. Despite my consistent listing on the honor roll, she never gave any consolation. Ergo, I ended up frustrated until I reached high school when I forwent the hope.
I would have not realized this aged aspiration if not for the persistent cajoling of one of my three friends. Considering that I had just flown to Boracay last March, another trip would be too luxurious for me and unfitting to my lifestyle - I'm just your average-earning yuppie you know. Then again, after a few internal debates in my mind, and some advice-seeking from loved-ones, I decided to book a flight.
Our three nights and three days in Hong Kong, I would say were overwhelming, both physically exhausting, from lack of sleep and too much walking, and pocket busting, from what else but shopping. From late night shopping to Disney, to shopping, to Ocean Park, to malling, to Harbour Lights & Sounds Show, to shopping, to The Peak, to shopping, to strolling, to MTR rides, to food-tripping, to Tram Rides, and to malling and shopping again, it seemed that the four of us hardly needed time to rest to cover as much of Hong Kong in our short stay there. Though it seemed I had a lot of shopping, the truth was I wasn't much of a spender then except for new food to taste - it's my guilty pleasure. My Chinese friend was the one who did much of the purchasing. And because of him, we went to this chichi mall near Victoria Harbour, where I encountered this unnerving Caucasian guy who stared at me for like 10 seconds while we were riding the escalator, fortunately, on opposite directions. If not, I would not have liked what could possibly have happened (e.g. he approaching directly onto me), given that I was with my three straight guy friends - I wasn't ready for an impromptu unlocking of my closet. Good riddance, my guy friends were oblivious of this white guy's riveting eyes.
Postmortem: It's never too late to fulfill an old dream. Especially now that I earn my own money, I can somehow direct my desires with less constraints and with a higher probability of achievement. Then again, despite the freedom to spend my earnings, never forget to do it wisely and still save some for future needs. Err... I think I violated that one.

Familial Emancipation - Finally, my parents know that their eldest son is gay. It's all sheer happiness. (^_^)

A Game Contest Screening Experience - Err... until now, I haven't received any confirmation if ABS still plans to let me join their show. Also, it seems "1 vs 100" has changed its program into "1 vs 100 Kids", an apparent defensive/offensive scheme to contend GMA 7's Pinoy version of "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" (Kakasa ka ba sa Grade 5?). If that's the case, it would be totally impossible for me to join the mob (and my only chance is the "1" spot). Well, it's actually no big deal. Who's on the wait anyway? Hehe.

Blogger Friends - I never expected gaining friends through Drake's Ragbag. You see, I was never fond of connecting and discovering people through the Internet (Too much insincerity could get involved). Drake's Ragbag was just meant to be an outlet of my thoughts and blahs. To get involved with other people and even get the chance to meet them was something else more to my anticipation. For the record, I've already met three real people through Drake's Ragbag; had someone offering a kind gesture to send me a copy of RENT; and found a new blogger friend who even gave me a birthday present by surprise. Those were just simple events, but for me they meant something significant. I have always nurtured this attitude of appreciation for small things as equally important as the big ones. So to my dear blogger friends, most especially to those who have come "real" and in flesh, my sincere thank you to all of you. God bless! (^_^)

Monday, October 15, 2007

Blog Action Day: Environmental Concern

So, what do I do for the environment? Let me count some of the ways:

1. Whenever I buy items from 7-11, especially for a single item, I don't ask or even let the cashier bag my purchase. Also, if I am bringing my own bag, I just dumped my purchase inside it as long as I still have extra space.

2. I don't smoke cigarettes.

3. I don't have my own vehicle. (If I would, I want it to run with biofuel - Err... I just hope this does not cost much when the time comes I am to purchase.)

4. The REUSE/RECYCLE principle: for plastic bottles to be utilized again as water containers when I attend my Capoeira training and do swimming; for office printouts, reuse for doodling (hehe) and brainstorming.

5. Common sense: put the trash inside the trash bin. For segregated trash cans, put the right trash on the right bin. Need I say more?

6. Non-CFC aerosols for me. Always check the labels.

7. I reuse that "green bag" from SM Supermarket whenever I do grocery shopping since the day I got it. It would have been much better if the bag were made of canvass instead of the seemingly plastic green material.

I may have offended one of these (but never #2!) but nevertheless, in most cases, I adhere to them. Such no-brainers I assume, yet too hard to be habitual to some. What do you do for your environment? Do you still care?

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Control. Discern. Adapt. Think. Decide. Move.

"Since changes are going on anyway, the great thing is to learn enough about them so that we will be able to lay hold of them and turn them in the direction of our desires. Conditions and events are neither to be fled from nor passively acquiesced in; they are to be utilized and directed."

- John Dewey
... You can't be more miserable or jubilant enough than your own doing.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Getting Combative

Capoeira enrollment cardOn the eve of my birthday, I had a taste of how it was to do some martial arts maneuvers with the guidance of an erudite trainer. This was no Chinese martial arts, as most would instinctively assume in their minds. It's Capoeira, a Brazilian dance form of martial arts.

Last Monday, when I had my second session, I finally enrolled into the class. Yey! This was like a product of The Secret. Months ago, I was practicing my cartwheel for some childhood frustrations. Then, I held knowledge about Capoeira from a men's magazine. The next thing, I found myself enthused by it. And just recently, it came into reality, like wishing it to the worldly genie responding to me: Your wish is my command. Haha! Roffle!

If you could recall one Bench commercial, which featured Rafael Rosell (only wearing a nether undergarment), the routine he did there was a series of Capoeira moves (if I am not mistaken, the first stance he did was esquiva frontal).

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Whatever!!!

This kid is so cute doing the Whatever!!! routine. Hehe. Very funny with eye rolling and hand raising. Whatever!!! (^_^) Cute cute! I just hope she doesn't grow an attitude with this act.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Self-Portrait: Thankful

Hi! My name is Nineteen. Today is my birthday and I am three years old. Drake's my surrogate father. I've been in his custody from the time my six godparents presented me to him on his nineteenth natal day. (^_^)




Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Free View My Desktop

Makoy tagged me for this one... So here's my current desktop screen cap. =)

The desktop background is a photo I took on my last day in Boracay this past summer. Apparently, I have a number of opened windows/applications just minimized in the taskbar on the left - work obviously. I maintain a few icons so as not to clutter and in a way deface my desktop background's visually transmissible solace. On the top right corner, you see five yellow squares, are minimized e-Post-its where I dump miscellaneous notes. And on the lower right, obviously, is iTunes running.

If you like your readers to have a peep of your desktop, then I am tagging you to do this. (^_^)

TAG STARTS HERE

My Desktop Free View Instruction:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. You can do a screen capture by:

[1] Going to your desktop and pressing the Prnt Scrn key.

[2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).

[3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of Icons, things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well. (Sorry, I did not follow this one)

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

iRonnie - I Set No Corner | Thess - Thesserie | Rebecca - Skippy Heart | Knoizki - A Dialogue With K | Dicey - Dice Six | Pao - Lifelog Beng Hafner - Kauderwelsch | Bluepanjeet - OTWOMD | Melai - Manilenya | Kofi - 3 Shots Of Espresso | Marni - Midori-X | Nika - Clay Pots and Wooden Spoons Marie - Vanidosa | Girlie - Hip n Cool Momma | KK - My Good Finds | Francine - Chez Francine | Sardonicnell - Tales of A Melodramatic Moron | Azrael - AZRAELMauri - MAURISM | Emmyrose - Just Let Go | Kristine - The Mind of a Kristine Sendy | Tere - Journey in Life | JP aka Elmo - Ako si Eagleman! | Lotis - In a class by itself Mindy - MindyTV’s Home | Caroline - Gagiers Striking Zone | Jojie - Spontaneity | Jeangr3y - Letters From The Soul | Kristine - All In My Head | Rhapsody - Rhapsody Yenny - Me and Mine | Krisa - POINT & CLICK | Kengkay - Kwentong Kengkay | Taroogs - Taragis | Weng - Munchkin Mommy | Bursky - At wit’s end| Lutchi - My Two Cents Worth| Stel - Baby Rambutan | Jenny - My 3 boys and I | Cheh - Moderately Confused Pinay in Deutschland | ZouL1380 - ZouL1380 | Katherine - Underneath | JP - I Digress | Jenny - Wandering Thoughts | Rho - RhoRho’s Flow |Sofie-Sehdi | Pikey - Simple Tofu | Sha -Shalimar | Ferdz-EnRoute | Makoy - Makoy's Memoirs Of A Certified Blogger | Drake - Drake's Ragbag

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Surprise Call

10:54 AM, Delifrance, The Podium

After paying the sandwich I ordered, the cashier lady handed me my change and my order number - 4 (Must be my lucky day; Four's my number). I sat on the chair of one of the vacant table sets and waited patiently to get my midday repast. Whimsically, I checked my phone to see if there were lingering new SMS in my inbox. To my surprise, someone was calling.... The number: +000000 - how obscure.... Coming to my senses, I thought it might be some computer generated or international call dispatched indirectly to my number.

"Hello?", I said. No one answered.
"Hello?", I said again. This time someone answered back with a familiar voice. Who could that be?
Rehashing my memory... oh my gosh! It's Jannah, my college friend who's been living in the US for three years now.

She called me just to greet me a Happy Birthday - geez, how thoughtful of her to do.. Well, it's not yet my natal day. Then again, she ringed me just to make sure she does not forget to leave me a greeting.

Thanks Jannah! I appreciate the call very much! Hope to see you back here in Pinas. Don't forget, I still owe you a movie date. (^_^)

Monday, October 1, 2007

A Gluttonous End for September

I and my close guy college friends (the ones I was with in Hong Kong three months ago) got together again yesterday, this time at TriNoMa. Itinerary for that day: have lunch, watch Resident Evil: Extinction, and do spontaneity afterwards (e.g. shopping, coerce me to play DotA, gallivant along the mallways).

As planned, we had lunch from Mexicali (my treat 'cause of my forthcoming natal day), and viewed Resident Evil afterwards. I even managed to grab Darwin's Origin of Species: A Biography from Powerbooks, which I did not pretty much expect from myself then (why the heck did I get that book anyway?).


Anyway, our repasts from Mexicali, I would have to say, was hefty enough to our average stomachs. My two friends got each one a California-sized burrito (one Grilled Steak and one Ground Beef, which they hardly consumed because of the enormous serving), and I ordered a good-for-two serving of Chicken Fajitas.

Chicken Fajitas Chicken Fajitas Meal

Darn, the food was too much for my appetite (I underestimated their good-for-two serving. Apparently, it was "really" meant for two persons). Though the chicken was very tender and tasty, with all the sliced onions and julienned red bell peppers mixed, I was feeling almost sated after having just a couple of tortilla wraps. That was quite surprising as I often have big appetites, especially when rice's not included in the course. Good thing they had garlic dressing served, which helped my craving last long enough to take in all the remaining tortillas and chicken strips.

For dessert? Oh yes! We had dessert after that filling Mexican meal. One of my friends then was compelled to buy the trio afters as a penalty for arriving half an hour past our meeting time.

Exiting from Mexicali, we saw a nearby Mrs. Fields cafe. I thought it was a good idea to have a white chocolate macadamia cookie from the said store so I suggested he get us our sweet treats from there. Unfortunately, instead of getting cookies, my other friend suggested we get ice cream. Being complaisant enough, I submitted to the suggestion as I haven't tasted Mrs. Fields' frozen delights. From the six flavors available, I sticked loyal to my taste and chose the macadamia-flavored one. To my disappointment, the ice cream was too sweet and had more of a sorbet feel on the tongue.

Mrs. Fields Ice Cream Booth Macadamia, Chochomint and Banana-Cashew

After watching Resident Evil: Extinction, the three of us waited for the fourth member of our clique. He was late to arrive due to some Sunday work in his company.

It was already dinner time when our group was completed. My late arriver friend came in famished. Though my stomach wasn't aching for more food then (as I could still taste Chicken Fajitas from my occasional belching), we decided to get our evening meals. This time, we went outside the mall and into TriNoMa's facade, where Terikayi Boy was installed. Here's what we had.

Tempura Maki Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon Strips Mango Shake Salmon Rice Bowl
Tofu Appetizer Chicken Rice Bowl

The Tempura Maki, Tofu, and Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon Strips are the ones I ordered for sharing. Unlike my friends, I did not get a rice bowl of my choice because I was still feeling sated. Then again, I enjoyed the food we had - of course!

After that satisfying dinner, I thought we were to do some strolling along the mallways just to let the food sink deeper into our gastronomic systems. We debated on what to do next: Watch another movie? Play DotA, which I really do not know how to? Sing karaoke at Red Box?

When we seemed to be going into a futile discussion, one of my friends butted in and suggested we get dessert from Razon's of Guagua - his treat. What?!? Food again?!?

Much to the delight of me and my other two friends being regaled, we agreed and apparently became oblivious of our satiation.


Gosh! I could hardly finish by serving of Halo-halo. In as much as I wanted to enjoy it, it was more of a chore for me to even spear a spoon of milk and ice to my mouth. Only my late arriver friend managed to finish his. I... just half of the plastic cup.

After that icy treat, I thought we were about to call it a day. Surprisingly, again, one of my friend, this time it was late arriver, volunteered to take us to Five Cows to try their ice cream cakes. Waaah! Dessert again!


And guess what? Without much hesitation to disregard the generosity, we accepted his invitation as it was on him this time (Well, we don't reject blessings do we. Haha!). Check out these fancy creations.

S'mores Cake Rocky Almond Bars Torta de Manila

The cakes: S'mores Cake, Rocky Almond Bar, and Torta de Manila. The first two are too sweet for me, especially their crusts (I suspect embedded granules of white sugar to be the culprit to over-sweetness). The last one, which was the most intriguing of the three, was actually a cake made of vanilla ice cream and saging na turon (banana spring rolls). Yes, you read it right, saging na turon (what a clever idea!). I liked it the most because of the vanilla ice cream used - it made it less sweet compared to the two chocolate-based ones. But then, my gustation was just too tired from over-indulgence and I couldn't be righteous enough to criticize and savor the delicacy of each cold wedge.

It was almost mall closing time when we ended our gastronomic caprice (whew!). Thank God! On the other hand, I felt quite guilty being a glutton for a day; It was a total deviation from my mundane life. Oh well, I guessed an episodic food tripping wouldn't hurt much, especially if shared with good old friends. (^_^)

Read more of this post...

Friday, September 28, 2007

Measure of Life


In daylights, in sunsets,
in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles,
in laughter, in strife.

In money, in jewels,
in dinners, in plates of dishes.
In parties, in beers,
in dances, in songs.

In friends, in family,
in lovers, in dates and flings.
In work, in promotions,
in merit increase, in yearly bonus.

In kindness, in giving,
in hatred, in fear and sorrow.
In mercy, in forgiveness,
in acceptance, in moving on...

How do you measure your life?


Explication inspired by the first stanza, taken from the song Seasons of Love by Jonathan Larson (may he rest in peace).

Monday, September 24, 2007

A Declaration to My Parents

September 23, 2007
- Sunday -
In 1972, this was the same day martial law was announced to the public by the then president Ferdinand Marcos.

----------

My Mama and I, together with my youngest brother, were watching DVD inside our family room on a rainy afternoon. My Tatang (father), on the other hand, was taking a bath, preparing himself for his weekend pastime with his friends.

"There is something inside me that wants to explode. It has been whirling round my mind and I cannot help but be preoccupied by it. There is willingness inside, a humble soul that wants to speak his heart. But is it courageous enough? I hoped it is."

Yacu (Me): "Ma, ninung ginawa quing nickname cu."
(Who invented my nickname?)

Mama: "Di dara mu. I dara mung D**y. Ya naman mamyeng lagyu que cayu."
(Your Aunt D**y. She's the one who creates nicknames for you and your cousins.)

Yacu: "Bala na kasi ning meg-interview cacu napun gawa-gawa que. Sabi cu pin caya, Tita cu ing ginawa quing nickname cu. Childhood nickname que pa ita."
(The interviewer thought I made it myself. I said then to her that my Aunt was the one who made it. It's a childhood nickname.)
(Mama did not reply after this. She intently watched the movie.)
Yacu: "Ene kasi balung i-pronounce. I think she found it too... [unuttered:gay]"
(She did not know how to pronounce it. I think she found it too.... [unuttered:gay])

"Gosh! I could not utter the word! Err..."

"Why can't I say it? Am I too scared? Too ashamed to say it? I've just made an introduction just to help me spill out the right words..."

My Tatang finished bathing and went on choosing a shirt to wear from the cabinet. I asked him, "Are you going?". "Yes", he said, sensing a bit weird on my tone.

"Why do you ask", he said.
"Uhmmm. I want to say something"
"What is it?"
(I paused.)
"You want me to buy you something?"
"No. Uhmmm... I'll just tell you tomorrow.", I said, getting a bit cowardly at that moment.
(Mama just watching intently on the TV.)
"He wants you to buy me and him a laptop.", my youngest brother jokingly told.
"No, it's not that.", I answered quickly.
"Then what is it?", Tatang said, a bit annoyed by my hesitance.
"Uhmmm..."
"What is it? You'll just make me worry, thinking about that if you'll not tell it now."
Mama suddenly spoke up, a bit agitated. "Tell us. Here we go again. You start telling something, then suddenly you stop talking."
"Uhmmm..."
"What is it? About what?", Tatang said.
"Uhmmm... It's about me."
"Then, what about you?"
"Uhhh... Yesterday, during the interview... the interviewer asked me if I were straight or gay..."
(Finally... I uttered the word.)
"So what did you say?"
(Surprised by the boldness my father demonstrated, I got a bit awestruck...)
"The truth...", I said.
"('Yon naman pala...) I told you before, we [your parents] are here just to give you advice. I never forced you to do anything against your will. Besides, we can't really choose who our children will be. As long you are being a good citizen, there's no problem with that. I do not ask anything more than for you my children to be very loving to each other."
"As long as you're not doing anything wrong...", my Mama added.

"Hearing those kind words come from my parents' mouths was total bliss. The passing of arguments, the cries, the nonacceptance... that I imagined before is not what I encountered."

I hugged my Mama, while my Tatang was saying his words. When he finished, he went on his way towards the room's door. I said, "Wait!".

Then was the time I had my longest hug with my father.

----------

"My parents are naturally evasive from the common family drama that one would watch from a telenovela. I've long been accepting that fact. Despite their mere expression of thoughts and feelings, I know deep down those straight faces is a humble manifestation of parental love to their child that is I." (^_^)

A mis padres, los amo mucho!

Re: To be one of the 100?

Call time: 10AM.

I arrived half an hour early on the site at the ABS-CBN compound. The heavy rains then would have convinced me to cancel my attendance. But then, my friend, who accompanied me to the screening, was eager to help me get over my second thought. It was just too bad he wasn't allowed to go inside the compound as only invited persons were permitted.

Going inside the entrance gate, a security guard, slash event marshal, asked for the invitation SMS. Checking it was valid, he let me pass through.

Around 40 people were there, under the covered area for 1 vs. 100 applicants. I queued to get a Basic Application form. When I reached the counter, the man asked for the SMS invitation and a valid ID. I turned in my phone and my Social Security System ID card. After he searched for my long name, he let me sign my record entry on the applicant's list, to make sure my slot was filled, and handed over the Basic Application form.

10 AM came in and I wasn't yet finished filling up the queries on the form. One of the event marshals instructed the participants to follow him towards the studio where the tests would be given. I just completed the form when I took my seat inside the cold studio room.



The Test


I only expected an exam paper, filled with anything-under-the-sun questions. Yes, I was given that. But it was not the only test I needed to pass. Before the written examination commenced, all the participants had a dose of some slapstick "mature" comedy. Yes. The cold room was suddenly transformed into a comedy bar. I laughed a few times, for some corny reasons, but most of the time, the host wasn't funny at all. Or probably it was the other way around -it was just me who wasn't getting the hang of his raunchy humor.

According to the host, he needed to do his comic routine in order to see who among us could handle seemingly ridiculing or abashing antics. Was he bluffing or not, that I did not know.

After almost an hour of "torturing" the conservative minds of some grandmothers inside the studio, the test papers came in.

The exam lasted for only 6 minutes. The number of questions? Thirty.

Items in the tests were pulled from various topics: from World History to Greek Mythology, to Sciences, to Calendar Events, to Showbiz, to Pinoy Common Knowledge, etcetera, etcetera. The questions are literally a combination of sorts. On the first minute of the exam, I was actually quite awestruck as I wasn't able to answer quite surely on my first run on the papers. Probably because my brain was lagging from two years of suspension to such examination. Fortunately, I was able to drive my brain cells to work and answered the best I could.

The Test Result

When all the papers were checked, they were turned over back to the host to announce which ones qualified. As he was announcing the names of those who passed, I waited patiently, hoping my answers were good enough to make me qualify. 5... 10... 15 names were called... I did not hear my name. Then out of nowhere, I heard a very familiar phrase... MY NAME WAS CALLED!

I went out of the studio to queue for the qualifier's list. When it was my turn on the booth, a lady facilitator took a picture of me, and had my finger marks digitally recorded, so as not to bring any identification cards if told to come back. She then told me to get a form and come back after an hour for the interview. What? A new form to fill-up and an interview? I thought I only needed to pass the test to become a player. Err...



The Interview


Not all the passers got an instruction to wait for immediate interview. Only 10 (more or less) waited. I wondered why.... My suspicion was that one of us remaining were still under consideration for the "1" spot (the main contestant's spot in the game). When it was my turn to be interviewed, I wasn't nervous at all. That was so unlikely because interviews had always been nerve-wrecking to me (I am just good in hiding the tension from the interviewer). On second thought, maybe I've changed. Hehe.

My interview elapsed for like 10-15 minutes. It was a casual conversation involving some slam-book questions. Everything went well - I answered all questions confidently, except for one, which made me stammer a bit. I did not see the question coming. So when I heard it, it was a bit mind-blocking. The question was: "Straight or gay?"

Whew!

Friday, September 21, 2007

To be one of the 100?

I forgot to check my phone this past morning. Just when I was reminded, I took it from my green messenger bag. To my surprise, seven SMS ready to be read; Not a typical scenario as I often receive, on the average, less than 5 text messages in a day, two of which are SMART's unsolicited promo texts (such an annoyance sometimes). As I skimmed over the new messages list, I saw this ostensible promo text from 231. I was about to delete it, good thing, I read the first part of the message 'cause it wasn't one of those SMART alerts. It said verbatim:

MOB:May chans ka 2b a 1 vs. 100 contestant!Ur invited 2 come 2 ABSCBN QC on SATURDAY 9/22/07,10am for screening.Bring valid ID & ballpen.Dnt erase ds msg.

Hahaha! My first reaction was to laugh. I couldn't believe the one registration SMS I sent a couple of weeks (or more?) ago, on the night I first watched 1 vs. 100 would really entitle me of a screening invitation.

When it sank into my mind, the next imperative question came in... should I go to the screening?

I was supposed to leave the metro this evening for my weekly reprieve to my hometown. I guess that would be postponed until tomorrow afternoon, right after the screening.

Yes... I am going tomorrow. Haha! This is so out of my league, and it's making me anxious!

Tomorrow will sure be a new experience. I only like participating in such quiz shows from a boob tube perspective. A probable participation inside that boob tube is a different one. Haha!

----------

The irony of it all: I do not watch 1 vs. 100, except on the night I sent my registration out of sheer curiosity and whim. (^_^) Good luck to this seemingly capricious pursuit. Who knows I might end up getting a bit richer after all. *Wishful thinking*

Chuck and Larry

A quarter passed six in last evening, I arrived in this mall after approximately 10 minutes of cantering from the office. Good thing the atmosphere outside wasn't too humid to incite my sweat glands to work, else I'd be one sweaty fella on the run. Apparently I was 15 minutes late and my best friend, Sib, has been there waiting and gallivanting along the mall corridors. We did not have much time to waste as we planned to watch Chuck and Larry then. Time slot: 7:20 PM.

Good riddance, we still had time to grab some food as Sib was terribly famished. But before our gastronomic gratification, we went to the movie house ticket booth, asked for two tickets on the 7:20 slot, reserved good seats, then paid 300. With no much time to perform Elimination Method through the limited choices of food places available, we just opted to eat again at this diner-like place. We dined, that is, despite our time constraint, as we had less than half an hour to devour each repasts. Good riddance again, service was fast and the crew was very accommodating. I got Smoked Salmon and Gruyere Cheese Omelette with an extra serving of wheat bread on the side (yeah, I was starving alright, hehe). Sib ordered Grilled Chicken Tortilla Wrap (gosh, I actually liked hers, though the omelette was too persuasive to be shrugged off from my attention - I'm a sucker for eggs you know - no punning intended please =p). We emptied our plates... (Alright, only mine. Sib wasn't able to finish her food. Ergo, I got to take the leftovers. Haha! Talking about being a glutton.)... just in time to get the bill, pay, and head off to the cinema. Lucky us, we arrived a couple of minutes earlier before show time.

Inside the Movie House

The dark room was sparsely filled with viewers - I think there were less than 30 people inside. The "flashlight" lady helped us locate our seats - very comfy seats by the way, with cushioning support on the head. Sib and I were situated within the "best seats area". Unfortunately, the "best seats" qualifier was voided too early during the show due to some overacting XX-chromosomed viewers at my back who kept on splattering their annoying "oh no!", "no way!", "aaawwww", "oh my gosh".... Well, I just quelled the thought and enjoyed the rest of the flick.

The Movie

Apparently, the movie would superficially qualify to be comical in theme. Well, yes it was. A lot of times I went laughing, giggling or simply savoring the gay and not so gay punch lines of the casts. There were some eyebrow-raising scenes though, which gave me the instinctive I-don't-agree face, especially those relating to gay issues and the sex-crazed, promiscuous perception imposed on the queers - my default perception that is. At hindsight, I just let everything pass. Besides, it's a comic film.

Looking outside the box, the story was not mainly rooted on gay inspiration (though a lot of good insights regarding queers were shown) but on the idea of friendship. I won't tell much about it as I don't want to spoil anticipating viewers.

As a whole, the movie's worthy of good laughs and some good inspiration.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Self-portrait: A Kid at Heart


Vibrant, young, gleeful and freewheeling!

My cousins and brother doused themselves in the calf-high flood in our family compound in the province. Not enervated by the dirt of the annual flood, they satisfied their hearts' desires, evidenced by their joyful grins. I could still remember the same jubilant aura I had while swimming with friends in the flood more than a decade ago.

The joy of youth! (^_^)