National Treasure: Book of Secrets

A rarity of it's kind, last night I was fortunate to turn on the TV and check out a few channels while eating my evening repast. Whimsically pressing the remote control and changing cable feeds, I suddenly bumped into the ET show and saw what I would call a mere surprise to me - Nicholas Cage and his co-stars were shooting the sequel of National Treasure.

A sequel? I didn't know that! I've appreciated and enjoyed National Treasure when I saw it in the big screen. I even watched it several times since then in DVD. Such type of flicks are some of the many I like watching in the same way I enjoyed Indiana Jones and The Mummy.

I am hoping National Treasure: Book of Secrets, which will be released December of this year, will carry on the fun, thrills and mysteries in the same degree of or even surpassing its prequel.

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

"Apo, bakla cu"

::Saturday, July 14, Brunch Time::

The morning was gloomy then and I had a long good night respite from my humble beddings. My mind was dry from all the past week's overwhelming encounters and thoughts - it's imperative to have a hefty break. My breakfast was my lunch and my lunch was my breakfast. I took quite a longer than usual bath to renew myself from the taxing remnants of a mind-boggling week. And then I went to my unprecedented revelation.

My "Apo" (that's what I call my grandparents) was playing cards on her usual siesta time. I approached her and jumpstarted a seemingly atypical conversation ('Twas my first time to have such a talk with her).

Our tête-à-tête went from talking about my parents, how they’d been, how they’d handled us, their children. I was surprised actually then, that my Apo was hiding some thoughts about me as a child of my parents, and how I got along pretty well with what had happened in the yore – that despite my parents’ emotional unattachment (especially with my mother) to us, their children, we were very accepting and considerate. (To tell you the truth, I have never opened up any problems to my parents [except maybe for some temporal ones]. They are not the expressive type. It’s just lately that I try to be the one who starts talking just to motivate them.) Several topics regarding me and my family went in, segueing from one to another; then I felt like crying for some sentimental reasons. I wasn’t nervous then as I was, surprisingly, very comfortable with my Apo, despite my prior wariness for her being a "sagrada Catolica" (conservative Catholic), thinking my revelation might set her aback in dismay, or something to that effect. She was very commiserating as I talked, rubbing her palm on my back. She felt that I was burdened and asked me to let out whatever it was that was bothering me. Hugging her once in a while helped me muster the courage to actually speak out. With extreme care and boldness, I averred, “Apo, bakla cu” (“Grandma, I’m gay”).

Then she hugged me, and hugged her in return. My Apo was so comforting and affectionate. Without a hint of abhorrence, I felt her sincere acceptance. She said, “Baka yan ing caburyan na ning Guinu queca” (“Maybe that’s what God planned for you”).

I have loved my Apo since I was a child. And now… now that I share my true self with her, I love her even more! Thanks Apu! Caluguran da cang tune!

Emotionally Investing...

I'm thrashing through the meandering path of jeopardy
Uncertain of what will commence.
I'm fearful but ready
Wary but naive.
It's a risk I am taking.
A sincere act I choose to do.
I only rely on what I sense
That's all and just I.

So here I am, ready to take a step
Of jovial pursuit and wishful sighs.
Though I know that the path is rough
I still take courage to move ahead;
Even if bereavement is imminent.

Whatever happens, I am responsible.
For this life that I keep, I is the navigator.
Play safe no more - it's not living at all.
'Cause I'd want to fail trying
Than not trying at all.

Back from Reprieve

I've been away for nine days and now I'm back! There are a lot of catching up to do - for work and for this blog. A lot of stories to tell to colleagues and close friends. Arrghh... Sometimes I think taking a vacation is not really a good thing. It gives you the pleasure of being in a surreal state then suddenly arrests you and transports you back to reality without gradual transition. Just like this one I had. Haha! Nevertheless, the joy and experience I had is irreplaceable, right Beyonce? (Uber corny!)

Oh well, I better get going and do my chores. (^_^)

Drake In The Spotlight

• Is this your first meme? Yes, courtesy of Makoy.
• When did you start blogging? 'Twas May 2 of this year.
• What makes your blog unique? It's my ragbag of sorts! Need I say more? ^_^
• What do you hope to accomplish with your blog? I want to transcribe and eventually share my hidden thoughts, repressed beliefs and advocacies, experiences, interests.... For one specific aim, I'd want to share why Drake is queer, and how the world apparently conspired in this plan. If people can find anything that I write helpful, of good use, or even pleasing to the senses and mind, I'd be very much glad. It's always nice to have people being "disturbed" by writing in a good way.
• What's your favorite childhood memory? Probably the one when my whole family went to Luneta Park for a day of family bonding.
• Are you a spiritual person? Yes, but not religiously rigid and astute. Spirituality and religiosity are two different things.
• What is the weirdest thing that ever happened to you? Being the youngest in a class and the top ranker at the same time. For me, that's seemingly weird.
• What is your best quality? Being patient.
• What is your worst quality? Being insecure.
• If you were stranded on a deserted island what three things would you want to have with you? This is a bit hard... Let me think ^_^ 1) A healthy coconut germ that can grow and bear fruits to give me potable water and food 2) A compass 3) A boat
• What are your feelings on the "blog popularity" issue? I'm not much into it, but I don't mind if, for any reason/cause, Drake's Ragbag would be popular.

I was tagged by Makoy for this meme.

The creator of this "interview" is Christy of Christy's Coffee Break. There are a few instructions on how to answer it so please check them here.

If you haven't answered this meme and you have just read mine, then I'm tagging you to write your own "In The Spotlight". Got you! =)

Hong Kong, here I come!

Yes, tomorrow is the most awaited day of recent time - my sojourn to Hong Kong. Everything in my mind now is just plain preoccupation on what I'll bring, what I'll buy, and what I'll do in the three-day trip. Of course I have a tentative itinerary; But still, a lot of surprises await me there. It'll be my first time in a foreign world and my first time to be a stranger to most.

On this trip:
- I'll be with my 3 college friends.
- We'll be staying in a cheap hostel in the notorious downtown Kowloon.
- Disneyland and Ocean Park are the main treats! (at least for me, but not for one of my friends 'cause he's more into shopping).
- Of course, the dim sum eating doesn't get far from these two, as far as enthusiasm is concerned.
- I'll just be bringing exactly 448 US dollars and 2000 pesos (But when emergency happens, my credit card will save. Haha! Just kidding!).

I am tremendously excited! Wish me well on this trip, and my other friends too. =D

Three sunrises to pass and off I go to Hong Kong

I can't believe I only have three nights left before I embark into the islands of Hong Kong. The more I am anticipating now our (my friends and I) adventures on this Chinese territory - Disneyland, Ocean Park, the food!, The Peak, the airport, the infamous hostel where we're about to lodge in, the food!, the MTR, the people, the shops... did I mention food already? All the more I should get excited since this will be my first international flight, hopefully (With fingers crossed).

Personally, this vacation is a budget trip as I do not plan to expend a lot in shopping. I'm more into the sights and feel of the places we're going to. Of course, the food, especially the dim sums, are a given to my "to experience list". I just hope we'd get good food choices for affordable prices. I've read a number of articles that Hong Kong restaurants' menu prices can go from dirt-poor ranges to socialite levels. Anyway, the restos are a less of a concern, the street food is what I am after food. I just hope I don't get ill after binging all those buns and glistening dumplings. ^_^

Are those Hong Kong banknotes in the picture still in circulation? My maternal grandmother gave them to me from her last HK trip, which is more than a decade ago. Hehe.

(Don't!) Super Size Me

One of my colleagues told me to see this documentary about fast food eating, which was released three or four years ago in the US. The title was Super Size Me: A Film of Epic Portions by Morgan Spurlock, the director and at the same time the "test specimen" of the documentary.

Super Size Me's an experiment regarding eating fast food and if the people can actually eat fast food alone without jeopardizing health, in its different facets e.g. mental, bodily, psychological, sexual. Morgan underwent a month-long McDonald's diet, eating McDonald's food all day and night, no exception (That's so taste fatiguing! I myself can't imagine eating similar foods with fairly the same taste in a row of days. And it's fast food! Gross...). Ultimately, the film delivers a message that fast food eating is not healthy at all (Err... that's a no-brainer!) and can cause drastic if not life-threatening diseases to the organic human body.

If you're fond of gorging McDonald's and any fast food for that matter, and it seems to be addictive to you, you better see this film. Though the experiment is extreme ('cause people don't really eat fast food "all the time", though a lot eat fast food "more often" than they should), I'm pretty sure you'd get a good insight and somewhat an "inspiration" to slow down your eating and focus on what you take in down your gut. As the adage goes, "Moderation is the key".

Note: Photo above is taken from the Super Size Website.

Emancipation Anniversary Part 2

Best friend and I met again yesterday evening to have coffee session at Starbucks in Shangri-La Plaza mall, the same venue where I had my revelation a year ago. We were not able to get the same set of table and chairs we sat on before, so we just sufficed ourselves with a vacant sofa set, pretty much perfect for us.


As usual, I ordered my favorite Raspberry Iced Tea. Best friend wanted to eat SB's Oreo Cheesecake but unfortunately, it wasn't available. So, I just got her a Mango Ref Cake (I forgot the actual name of the dessert). As for me, I ordered a chocolate frosted Cream Puff.

Cream puffs are one of my guilty pleasures. I like their subtle sweet taste and creamy centers. As for the Cream Puff I got last night, too bad to say, wasn't at par to the other cream puffs I divinely enjoyed in the past. The bread was a bit tougher for its class ("makunat-kunat" if I'd say in the vernacular). The cream, though generously filling the whole pastry, was lacking its buttery taste. It actually tasted more of the commercial whipped cream, and wasn't gourmet at all. The epicure in me was unsatisfied. Then again, I did not let it spoil the occasion.

To console my bereft senses, I tasted best friend's Mango Cake. To my surprise, it was actually good! The taste was a tad different from that of the Sansrival, if not just for the mango.

While relishing our sweet treats, we talked about my coming to her and how I made my confession/revelation a year ago. We reminisce most of the details - how the talking started and ended. Though we both couldn't remember vividly everything, we still tried to pull out the memories we had left. It was nostalgia creeping through my veins as we tried to recap things.

Last year, I wasn't overly detailed about my revelation so as to be wary enough not to overwhelm best friend with the why-am-I-gay stuff . But yesterday, since we were just seemingly reminiscing everything, I decided to tell her the details. Of course, I asked her if it was OK with her 'cause everything I'd say required a very open mind and mature understanding. Giving a nod, I started to share with her the fragments of my incredible yore.*

We talked and talked, one piece of yesteryear segued to another. I tried to tell everything in chronology for her to understand everything well. The conversation went on not knowing that it's almost time for the mall to close. Though I wanted to extend the tete-a-tete, our personal curfews were cutting us short. So, we abruptly capped the day off and went to the MRT station, parting in opposite ways.

*I've been meaning to transcribe my past in this blog but haven't gotten the perfect time to do so. Soon is the time. ¡Adios!
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Emancipation Anniversary Part 1

Today is the first anniversary of my emancipation - my coming out! But not a coming out to the whole clan, friends, colleagues, society... no, I am not there yet. This day marks my first attempt to open up myself to a close friend, my best friend now, that I am homosexual. And not just my being homosexual, but also the profession of my heart's true desire - that my once high school best friend is not just simply a best friend, but is the person whom my heart has found refuge.

How time flies swiftly, I hardly noticed it's been a year already.

To remember this "somehow" liberating day of mine, my best friend and I went on for dinner last night at SumoSam, located at the Ledge of Shangri-La Plaza Mall. SumoSam has been a venue for one of the significant events in my life.

Marvin Agustin's SumoSam: Americanized Japanese eating place.

I haven't tried their California rolls so I opted to get them. (Yum yum!)

Best friend's Katsudon (we shared), my Green Iced Tea, and her Red one.

The California rolls were delectable to the palate - the mango tasted fresh. The only kvetch I had was that the rolls were not tightly made and sealed, and seemed to be a bit anorexic to my expectation. The Katsudon, which's often ordered whenever we dine at SumoSam, was fairly delicious, though the meat wasn't tender enough for me. Best friend thought that its taste was different from the first time we had it on our table almost a year ago. And so did I... (Probably because of change in chef(?)). Then again, the rice was still divine - glistening like sparkles of crystal to the eyes, and cooked well enough to achieve optimal pleasure while chewing.

For dessert, we bought each one a cup of ice cream from FIC. I was the one who suggested to have dessert so... I had to pay for our treat. Haha! Well, I actually volunteered. (^_^)

FIC Ice Cream Booth

LITE Mango and Raspberry Ice Cream

This evening, I am anticipating another meet-up with best friend. We hope to have an SB moment on the same venue, on the same set of table and chairs, where I finally emancipated myself, at least, to an important person whom I can now talk freely and confidently about anything, even if it's queer. ;)
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