Ken Could Tell

Extras (Book 4), Scott Westerfeld

2010-02-05T13:34:00.000+08:00

Fame wasn't like beauty, where you had to wait till you were sixteen. Fame you could make yourself.

It's a few years after rebel Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules, the world is in a complete cultural renaissance. "Tech-heads" flaunt their latest gadgets, "kickers" spread gossip and trends, and "surge monkeys" are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. And it's all monitored on a bazillion different cameras. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol. Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules.

As if being fifteen doesn't suck enough, Aya Fuse's rank of 451,369 is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. But that's just until she gets to kick a good story for herself.

This fourth entry in the Uglies series will keep Westerfeld’s “face rank,” to borrow his own invented slang, significantly above anonymous.

Specials (Book 3), Scott Westerfeld

2010-02-04T09:52:00.001+08:00

Frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast.

They are elite forces called Special Circumstances, a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

And now Tally Youngblood has become one.

Like the previous books Uglies and Pretties, Tally's entire personality shifts and changes constantly as she undergoes not just plastic surgery, but mental surgery. So be prepared for MPD tantrums.

Specials is a breathtakingly beautiful end to the Uglies trilogy. This should be made into a movie ala The Matrix or Aeon Flux.

The best parting lines: You see, freedom has a way of destroying things. So be careful with the world, or the next time we meet, it might get ugly.

Pretties (Book 2), Scott Westerfeld

2010-02-03T08:58:00.005+08:00

So, there was this beautiful princess.

She was locked in a high tower, one whose smart walls had clever holes in them that could give her anything: food, a clique of fantastic friends, wonderful clothes. And, best of all, there was this mirror on the wall, so that the princess could look at her beautiful self all day long. The only problem with the tower was that there was no way out. The builders had forgotten to put in an elevator, or even a set of stairs. She was stuck up there.

One day, the princess realized that she was bored. The view from the tower—gentle hills, fields of white flowers, and a deep, dark forest—fascinated her. She started spending more time looking out the window than at her own reflection, as is often the case with troublesome girls. And it was pretty clear that no prince was showing up, or at least that he was really late.

So the only thing was to jump.

Tally Youngblood is back and now she's pretty, but (guess again. .) her mind is still very ugly.

To The Flight CSR I Harrassed. .

2010-02-02T09:28:00.007+08:00

I'm sorry if I sounded like a whiny irate caller yesterday, I didn't mean to be rude. Uhmmm..well, actually I DID MEAN TO BE RUDE because your system sucks! Plus, I just had two hours of sleep, you were probably talking to a brain-dead zombie who had no sympathy for accepting sorrys. I handled calls like that before, and believe me, there will be customers who'd be much worst than me. XD

Anyway, my flight is confirmed. So, thank you.

I Tackled The Minotaur and Passed The Test

2010-01-29T22:19:00.005+08:00

Her beauty was exotic. Her hair, like tangles of ebony. She wore a puffy gown of gold petals and she looked like one of those Miss Earth contestants. Hell, maybe she was one of those contestants who decided to stay and find some career opportunity here after the pageant.

"So," she began looking at my resume, "you have the same name as my husband. I should be nice to you."

Great. She's married, I muttered.

"Tell me about yourself, Ken."

I told her about myself. Basic info first, then my exceptional qualities. The catch.

"Okay," she was writing notes. Must be listing down comments about moi.

"Anything else you want to talk about?" I asked.

"Tell me about your fave sport."

Uh-oh. Jeff was asked the same kind of question. And it's a tricky one. "She asked me about my sports hobby. Tapos pinadescribe sa 'kin kung anung mechanics! Step by step!" Jeff told me earlier. Unfortunately wala siyang fave sport, so he had to make up one - tennis.

"Actually, I'm not into sports stuffs. I'm more into the intellectual side."

"Is that so?"

"Yes!" I smiled confidently.

"Then tell me about your fave subject."

"My fave subject is.." the wheels in my mind was reeling fast. Quick! I need to impress this lady. But I couldn't say Math. What if she asked me something arithmetic or gave me a couple of problem sets? And I couldn't say my fave subject is English, coz that would be too obvious. Too natural.

"Literature," I managed to say at last, "I'm interested in Greek myths actually. I'm reading about Greek mythology these days, more complicated and more exciting than what they taught me in high school." I didn't tell her I was addicted to a children's book series entitled as Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

She was impressed. "So could you tell me about the story of a half horse, half man?"

"Of course. The Centaurs," I began, "were forces of nature like the dryads, they were mostly war-freak but only-"

"No, no." she cut off. "The half man, half horse."

"Right. Centaurs."

"No," she kept insisting I was telling her the wrong story,"the one inside the labyrinth."

"Oh. The Minotaur."

"Yes, Minotaur." she pronunce it as Mee-nah-tor. "Tell me about it."

"Well, the name Minotaur came from the word Minos, the King of Crete. But the King wasn't its father. The Minotaur was created because Poseidon, the god of the sea, gave the King of Crete a bull."

"A bull?"

"Yes, the Minotaur is half-man, half-bull. Although the sea god Poseidon also created the horses," I explained. "The bull was so beautiful that the King's wife got horny and fucked..I mean, made love with the bull. So the Minotaur was born. King Minos kept a scientist named Daedalus who invented the labyrinth. There they trapted the Minotaur because it liked eating people."

"That's great." She smiled.

"Thank you." I didn't know if she meant about my whole story or the part that the Minotaur liked eating people.

"So, Ken. You want to work in a call center?"

"Is that the only one available right now?"

"Yes."

"Well..okay."

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why do you want to work in a call center?"

A trick, I realized. If I tell her that's what she's offering me after all, that would be the end of it. I would sound desperate and pathetic. And I would likely fail this interview.

"I have many reasons why I want to work in a call center," I began, I also have many reasons why I don't want to work in a call center,"but mostly I would like to improve my interpersonal and technical skills since call centers are about communication and technology." Beat that Janina.

"What qualities do you think a call center agent must possess?"

"Well..he should be open, friendly. Socially adept in dealing with different situations," God, what am I babbling about? "Most importantly, he should be sensitive. Because he would be dealing with people, and not just the people he works with at the office, like his subordinates but also the company's clients. Call centers are BPO so most likely there would be people calling from abroad. He should always sympathize with what the customer's needs."

"You think you got that?"

"Of course!" I gave her a beaming smile. I couldn't say no, could I?

"Then you're in." She stood up and smiled.

"You mean..I passed?!" I can't believe this is happening!

"Yes, we'll be recommending you for the job. But you still have to take a series of tests."

"No problem!" I shook her hand, "Thank you, and I haven't gotten your name yet, Maam."

"Barbara. You can call me Barbs."

"Nice meeting you, Barbara."

I got out of the room and headed to my friends waiting in the lobby.

"Anung pinagusapan niyo?"

"Uh..The Minotaur."

"Was it hard?" they asked.

"Not really," I gave them a smile.

2010-01-29T14:17:00.008+08:00

After two hours, I'll be having my very first application screening. But first I need to ask permission to our Project Manager, then go home at my bhouse, change clothes and print my resume.

Yea. This is it!

Anyway, thanks to Mais, she's a trainee on some recuitment company in Ortigas. She's our "feed".

Wish me luck, guys.

PS I got a good night sleep of nine hours just to feel normal and calm for the interview. I hope I wouldn't say and do something stupid.

Uglies (Book 1), Scott Westerfeld

2010-01-28T10:14:00.002+08:00

In a world where everyone is movie-star-gorgeous, normal people are so not pretty. In short, they're ugly.

Set in a dystopian future where new technology ensures safety and luxury, weapons of any kind are largely illegal, and at the age of sixteen everyone undergoes a series of extreme surgeries to better conform to society's standards of beauty. The logic being that, since humans are preconditioned to respond to certain visual cues in each other already (big eyes are non-threatening, a clear complexion and good teeth indicate that a person is healthy), applying these beauty standards will reduce conflict and create a more harmonious society.

Since then, young girls and boys are told they are ugly by their parents and the government, they think they are too fat or skinny; they have big noses and squinty eyes.

Up until their 16th birthday they are considered an Ugly, go to ugly schools, live in ugly dorms, reside in Ugliville all the while dreaming that one day they will become pretty and get to live the good life in Pretty New Town. All they have to look forward to is that day when they turn sweet sixteen and get to shed their Ugly skins to be normal and pretty.

But what exactly lies in Pretty New Town that every Ugly finds divine?

Maybe that's because they have better stuff to do than kid tricks. Maybe having your own hovercar and new clothes is way cooler than the normal micofiber dorm jacket. Maybe partying all night is better than looking out the windows at the towers of New Pretty Town. Maybe when they do the operation - when they grind and stretch your bones to the right shape, peel off your face and rub all your skin away, and stick in plastic cheekbones so you look like everyone else - maybe after going through all that you just aren't very interesting anymore.

So when Tally's friend runs away to a place called The Smoke, where all the people who don't want to turn pretty go, our heroine is given a risky choice; she can find her friend and turn her in, or remain forever ugly. She also learns something about being pretty, and it is not very pretty at all.
~~---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~
★ Featured Spin:★

The Last Great Star in Hollywood - Meg & Dia

Piss Flu

2010-01-28T09:19:00.003+08:00

The early January sky was charged with negative energy trapping every good vibe in its wake.

No, its not gonna rain, stupid. I'm just having a bad morning start. Because. .I haven't started my paperwork yesterday thinking I left the essay questions at the boarding house. As it turns out, dito lang pala sa office nakatambak under my pile of rubbish.

I only had four hours of sleep dahil inumpisahan kong bumabasa ng ibang sci-fi series. I'm posting a review later. .ahehhehe

Tapos di ako sinuklian kanina ni mamang driver. nang pababa na ako parang may sinabi siya, ewan ko kung tungkol sa akin. Late na ako dumating.

Di pa ko nakapag-almusal. my stomach feels like a vacant venus-trap.

Starched Shirt..For Serious?

2010-01-27T13:39:00.022+08:00

A conversation this lunch got me into thinking which career path I would take. I have completed my 400 hours internship just yesterday but I'm extending till the first week of Feb because reason number one: I haven't finish my paperwork for my internship. Hell, I haven't even started yet. When I had taken a first peek on the essay questions the HR lady gave me, I immediately folded the paper and tucked it safely inside my bag. So now I got a homework-slash-written-interview.

I hope this is what the HR lady will ask during the post-internship interview.

The questions range from what I learned from my internship, to how can I improve the company's work flow process (if there's any), what professional qualities I have obtained from work, and also give some worst scenarios I've encountered.

The truth is. .konti lang ang natutunan ko. Really. X my sweet heart. Eventhough Conde keeps on telling me how lucky I am with my company since his (ABS Interactive) treats them real B-A-D, di pa rin ako satisfied sa natutunan ko, sa environment, oo siguro masasabi kong I like it here but when it comes to task and proj development, wala na ako. Also, one disadvantage here in this effin company is that I get to wear long-sleeves with tie.

Everyday f*ckin extra-ordinary-not day.

Mondays to Fridays, you would see me rushing past the streets of Makati early in the morning in that starched long sleeves, then at night doing laundry, frantically scrubbing the soaked sweat, dirt and grime away.

So it's just fitting that another justification popped up as an excuse: I.WANT.to.LEARN.MORE!

Puhleez, puhleeez. Puhleeez..teach me something useful to cram in my head! I need to have enough qualifying experience before I graduate since I'm didn't take my education here in Manila (because Kuya J told me that most people who graduated here has a higher chance of getting hired).

Presently I narrowed down my prospects to three companies - one is a BPO, another is a ~~multinational~~ international computer company, and the last one is into banking.

However, I'll have to cross out BPO since it is too mainstream. Or maybe I'll just move it on the bottom of my list. That leaves the Computer Company and the Banking Company.

My colleagues, Anna, Maydee and Sir Rain, convinced me to submit my resume to the HR. "Sana ma-assign ka sa aming dep," said Maydee, "dahil maraming projects na ipapagawa si Sir Tim this year."

Uh-oh.

I gulped a mouthful of my lunch before asking something. "Okay lang po ba ako maging colleague niyo, offically?"

"Siyempre naman," she laughed.

Hear that? They like me! Baka mataas ang grades ko sa evaluation..ahheheh

"Try ko po mag-apply. ." I said, distracted.

But I'm not sure I could spend my entire life wearing formal shirts for work.

My head hurts from just thinking about this, my nerves are like taut cables, I keep adjusting my tie and checking if the crease on my pants are still there, noting that I should buy Kiwi to polish my dull shoes. Good thing my shirt isn't rumpled yet.

Things To Do:
★ buy airplane tickets (TOP PRIORITY)
★ check if my boss has finished "grading" me thru the evaluation
★ do NOT look what's inside the evaluation envelope
★ bring home evaluation sheet + internship certificate
★ finish writing entries for OJT journal
★ forward attendance log for this Jan to HR (TOP PRIORITY)
★ finish the d*mn paperwork (TOP PRIORITY)
★ buy new chinos
★ grocery
★ refill drinking water
★ pack-up
★ hook up
★ haircut (LOW PRIORITY)
★ DL's Sol's fave tracks and pics
★ meet the green-eyed monster (VERY LOW PRIORITY)

A Teacher's Visit

2010-01-26T14:49:00.009+08:00

OMG! They're inside the conference room. Our OJT coordinator Maam Beth and Mommy O, our college director. With Anna.

Sana 'wag akong laglagin ni Anna.

Please Lord, maski i-criticize niya na lang ang tie ko or matakaw akong kumain but hindi lang tungkol sa performance ko. Ginagawa ko naman lahat ng mga projects na binibigay sa akin. Isa lang naman ang hindi ko natapos dahil nasira na ang application tool na ginagamit ko.huhu. Please don't let Anna say bad things about me. Tsaka bigyan Niyo rin ako ng mataas na grades for this evaluation. Thank you po.

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and The Olympians Book 5), Rick Riordan

2010-01-22T14:13:00.011+08:00

OH MY GODS...This is, like, the perfect ending for the series. All the loose ends were tied and all the questions were answered. The conclusion of the saga was perfect. Not at all sappy and lived-happily-ever-after. Simply perfect. (Okay, I need to stop saying that word). Perfect! XD

While the Olympians battle against the hundred-headed Typhon, Kronos is now planning an assault on Manhattan where Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson, an army of young demigods and Artemis' faithful Hunters (led by Thalia, the daughter of Zeus) to stop the Lord of Time. Percy had also finally set out with the son of Hades to the River Styx and convinced the Lord of the Underworld and his father Poseidon to help save Olympus.

I thought the Last Olympian refers to Percy but (he's not a god..yet) to Lady Hestia, keeper of the Hearth. When all the other gods are out there having a hard time fighting Typhon, when it looks like Olympus is sure for destruction, there is only Hestia left which also means family and friends. Percy realized in the end that "Hope survives best at the hearth," and gave Lady Hestia Pandora's ~~box~~ ~~bottle~~ jar where Hope is kept. Because when your friends are dying around you and when you are fighting something like Kronos, there might only be one thing you could hold onto - family.

This book is full of love and lost, of friends and faith and sacrifice. I couldn't help but look forward for another generation of demigods because there's a Second Great Prophecy near the ending...*drums roll/lightning flash/spooky music*

Seven half bloods shall answer the call.
To storm or fire, the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

RICK RIORDAN, SIR..DON'T LET THIS BE THE LAST ONE! AND DON'T TORTURE ME IN WAITING TOO LONG FOR ANOTHER SERIES!! AND IF YOU DON'T HOOK UP A BETTER PERCABETH ROMANCE NOW THAT THE MORTAL GIRL RACHEL IS OUT OF THE PICTURE, I'LL SUE YOU!!

The Case of Rotten Apples and Rainbow's End

2010-01-21T17:57:00.004+08:00

Maydee: Kakasawa na magtrabaho. Tinitiis ko na lang ang mga pinapagawa ni Sir Tim. *turns to me* Pasensya na, baka madisappoint ka sa mga pinagsasabi ko.

Me: Hindi naman po. .

Maydee: Alam mo hindi ko talaga akalain na IT ang kukunin kong course. Gustong-gusto ko kasi dati maging stewardess. Makapag-travel, ganun.

Me: Gusto ko maging doctor! Or forensic pathologist.hehe

I want to help either the living or the dead.

Edmund: Sana hindi na lang kinain nina Adam and Eve yung apple para hindi na tayo masyadong maghirap. *pause* Gusto ko maging pornstar.
~~---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~
Edmund has a point. Kung 'di lang kinain ang forbidden fruit siguro (halos) wala nang problema ang mundo. Walang sakit. Kung may mamatay man, hahayaan ka na lang mabulok sa lupa dahil diyan din tayo nanggaling. Tsaka wala na ring problema kung anong damit na susuutin. Kitang-kita mo na lahat (patay-malisya ka lang lagi). Ayos 'to ah.

Reminders:
★ buy airplane tickets (TOP PRIORITY)
★ wear one of my best suits this Tuesday for a teacher's visit
★ last class meeting at Shang next Friday
★ The Paperwork (TOP PRIORITY)
★ forward attendance log to HR
★ DON'T BE LATE!

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and The Olympians Book 4), Rick Riordan

2010-01-20T11:30:00.009+08:00

You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze,
The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise.
You shall rise or fall by the ghost king’s hand,
the child of Athena’s final stand.
Destroy with a hero’s final breath.
And lose a love to worse than death.

With the ancient Labyrinth growing throughout the world and time, the world is now honeycombed with magical tunnels.

When our heroes learn that a traitor has breached Camp Half-Blood's security through an exit from Daedalus' Labyrinth, they enter the maze in search of the inventor (using a mortal girl who can see thru the Mist because the enemy has gotten Ariadne's string), and a way to stop the invasion, and find the son of Hades who's been summoning the spirits of the dead by offering McDonalds Happy Meals. Along the way they encounter a lifetime supply of nightmare-inducing, richly imagined monsters like the exemplary Sphinx (now with 20 questions instead of only just one riddle. Aaaeeeii!), the Primal monster Kampe, the empousai, giant scorpions, telekhines etc. Grover's own quest to find the lost god Pan, meanwhile, provides a subtle environmental message.

Lots of actions here. And a love triangle too. I am so looking forward on reading the last book!

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and The Olympians Book 3), Rick Riordan

2010-01-15T17:41:00.009+08:00

In a way, it's nice to know that there are Greek gods out there, because you have somebody to blame when things go wrong. For instance, when you're walking away from a bus that's just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning, and it's raining on top of everything else, most people might think that's just really bad luck; when you're a half-blood, you understand that some devine force is really trying to mess up your day.

In this third book, Annabeth is kidnapped and the goddess Artemis is MIA! What's worse: the General of the Titans has escaped and is preparing an army of monsters to attack Camp Half-Blood.

Good thing there's Aphrodite for some advice, Nereus - the Old Man of the Sea who knows everything - and Lord Apollo who owns a red Maserati and is pretty much obsessed with haiku.

This also tells the tragic tale of the fifth Hesperid who was exiled and blotted out from history and her unrequited love for the half-blood Hercules, and the history of Percy's sword, Anaklusmos.

Skeleton warriors, a manticore, the Nemean lion, the Erymanthian boar, an Ophiotaurus named Bessie, and Ladon the dragon are some of the creatures the heroes will encounter. Also watch out for the ~~children~~ son of Hades.

PS. And oh yeah, I go for team Percabeth! LOL

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and The Olympians Book 2), Rick Riordan

2010-01-13T17:34:00.006+08:00

This book follows The Odyssey on the same level. The main creativity being shown here is the retelling of the ancient myths in modern-day New York City. It was fun to see how Riordan creatively converted the myths to fit modern times.

As the camp's magical border weakens, Percy and his half-brother cyclops together with Annabeth sets out on another adventure to find their satyr friend Grover - who's found himself in an inter-species entanglement in which he doesn't quite see eyes to eye with his suitor, Polyphemus - and retrieve the Golden Fleece as a cure for the poisoning of Thalia's tree. The Golden Fleece, disguised as red-and-gold jacket with a glittery Omega sign on the pocket, is hidden somewhere on the Sea of Monsters where Scylla and Charybdis resides, where the Sirens who lured sailors to their death eternally sing the songs of truth, and where the evil sorceress CC aka Circe turns men into cute guinea pigs (because pigs are so smelly and large and difficult to keep).

Only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name: The Bermuda Triangle.

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and The Olympians Book 1), Rick Riordan

2010-01-11T17:59:00.007+08:00

Now this is a twist of Edith Hamilton's boring compilation! I'm sure you'll find this interesting enough to bring in your Lit class, just don't let your prof catch you reading!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is a clash among Greek gods, myths and modern heroes parallel to the worlds woven by JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien and B. Jacques, where magic and mist works behind the veil of human vision so everything isn’t always as it seems.

This means that Mount Olympus is located on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building while the door to the Underworld can be found at a recording studio, somewhere in LA. Haha.

Our hero, Perseus Jackson, is dyslexic - because he’s supposed to read ancient Greek - suffers from ADHD – because his mind is trained for fighting - and is always getting into trouble. He's been expelled several times, and the only thing that holds his interest is Greek mythology. With his new friends from Camp Half-Blood, a disguised satyr, and the daughter of Athena, Percy sets out on a quest (find Zeus’ Masterbolt, catch the lightning thief, and most importantly, save his Mom from the Underworld) to rectify a feud between Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Along the way they must cope with the Furies, Aunt Em aka Medusa, Crusty aka Procrustes, the motorcycle thug Ares, and various other immortals.

Move over Harry Potter.

2010-01-06T12:19:00.005+08:00

Walang magawa.

Mine

Krista's

They say a paticular theme reflects your character. What's your theme style in Google Mail?

Buffie

2010-01-03T13:54:00.002+08:00

~~Hot~~. Heat. And light.

Scratches. Like mice scampering over old papers. Shaking. Someone or something was shaking the bed.

The air. A bit different now, strong and heavy fused with fumes and strange scents. Aftershave.

That's what invaded my consciousness while I was immobile and defenseless to reality, still residing in darkness.

"Ken gising na.." a voice called.

It wasn't my sister's (who woke me up insisting I'm gonna be late and I'll be missing today's quiz). And the voice wasn't my alarm either, though it was a man's voice.

"Late ka naman, Ken! Gumising ka na." another voice urged.

"Hmmmmm..." I wanted to snap at the voice(es) to stop bugging me. Ohgod. This feels like old school.

I opened my eyes. I was greeted by the warmth of the day first. Something furry was resting on my left arm - Pi, lying face down on the rumpled sheets. I searched the room where the voice had come from. My eyes settled on another pair of eyes reflected on the mirror.

"Tanghali na," Kuya Jan said. "Anong oras ka ba natulog kagabi?"

I yawned in answer.

"Bilis, ligo na. Late ka na." another voice came from the lower deck. Not Dan. Si Kuya Emman. Lately they have been teasing me about my Saturday and Sunday sleepovers and I'm starting to get used to them. In fact I could tell now that Kuya E was lying because of the lightness in his tone. There wasn't some urgency on it di katulad ng pagsabi niya sa 'kin na siya muna mauuna maligo sa banyo.

I grabbed my phone to check what time was it. Past 10 AM. I didn't get up from the bed.

It's Sunday. And I have all the time in the world to relax just like Someone up "there" was doing.

"Ken, bangon na. Excercise tayo. Tuturuan kita mag-weight lifting," said Kuya J.

"Hindi ko kelangan yan."

"Bumagon ka na. Dali!" Now he was very insistent with starting-the-new-year-right. Kuya Jan was into weight lifting eight months ago but gave up due from too much work. This year he wanted to get back in shaping up. And seems like he wanted me to join.

Weight lifting. Bah. I had some second thoughts about that. Because primarily, I dig food. And ice-creme, ~~junk foods~~ chips, cookies and sweets are a NO-NO once you started lifting weights. And besides, I should be gaining weight instead of losing them! I think I lost a pound or two from eating at fastfood joints. Nakakasawa talaga 'pag fastfood, I'm telling you. Eh, di naman ako makaangal kasi this is the price for being independent - limited resources. And another thing, once I started weightlifting, I'll probably turn into a vain person, like the rest of those gym buffs here in the city with heads swelling from too much perfume and powder. Ppfff!

Finally I got myself out of bed para matahimik na si Kuya J.

"Heto," he gave me the..ano bang tawag diyan? Weights? Right.

"Wait lang po," I turned towards the lavatory. "Sipilyo muna ako."

Nang matapos na tinanong ko siya, "Kumain na po ba kayo? Breakfast or snacks?"

"Mamaya na lang yan."

I took a look at him. He was serious. About getting back in shape.

Ohkaay, this couldn't hurt, I told myself. Back at home nag-iigib at nagbubuhat din ako ng tubig. The only difference is that I have to lift it up and down, building a ~~retraction~~ contraction. I took out the weights. Ow. It was..heavy. kinda. I gave it back to him.

"Bakit?"

"Stretch muna ako. Mabigat kasi."

"Mabigat talaga 'yan"

"Ayoko na."

"Stretching ka muna."

So I did a couple of twist and turns and hops and little shakes that I learned from my Kindergarden days. Kuya Jan taught me some few standard stretching. Then the ~~hard~~ challenging part: lifting sessions. He instructed at the same time demonstrated some examples, which in turn I followed obediently.

It wasn't hard though, just tiresome. I learned that there four (correct me if I'm wrong) major muscles in the arm that needs to be worked out, each in different execution.

What I hate most was the push-ups. I gave up after 3 push-ups. And Kuya J was making it worse by saying, "lower pa.."

"Balik na lang po muna tayo weight lifts," I said, getting up. The weights were just right for me, not too heavy or light. After a few executions it did feel like a normal everyday routine. Hmmm..maybe I could squeezed this after dinner, between laundry time and soundtrip mode. .

"O, baka ma addict ka dito Ken ha?"

"Sana hindi naman.."

He's kidding right? What is this? food? or blog or s*x? LOL Anung kakaadikan dito? It turns out that I could land a photoshoot like one of those guys on Men's Health if I work myself up everyday. Within three to five or six months daw, hunk na me ahahhaha. Ganun? ahahahhaha

"Sige ipagpatuloy mo lang yan," he urged. "'di ka pa pinapawisan eh."

"Nasanay na rin kasi ako magbuhat." Tsaka hindi ako kanina nakainom ng tubig.

"Mabuti, mabilis ka niyan lumaki, malaman ka kasi," he noted.

"So that means may potential ako..?"

"Siyempre naman!"

"BUT," the big but. Wag daw ako mag-steroids. "Or else you'll look fake. Sure lalaki ang katawan mo but lilitaw yung mga ugat. And it's not natural." Gee.

"Okay," I lowered the weights, "pwede na tayong kumain?"

We went out for lunch, and I ordered four big meatballs. Meat is tastes good. And it's good for muscles.

The R-List '10

2010-01-02T23:44:00.026+08:00

★ Be confident.
★ make new friends
★ Have an eye check-up. Buy new frame? :)
★ (note) appointment with the dentist this May
★ get to know my distant cousins
★ read more books! listen to more music!
★ exercise my creativity
★ learn how to draw. professionally
★ learn how to drive a motorcycle. professionally
★ get a license
★ grow my hair long!!
★ learn the floating trick in the water
★ exercise. make sports a hobby.
★ buy rubber shoes? (optional)
★ uh, weightlifting? (optional)
★ get a credit card
★ invest on corporate clothes
★ don't turn off when the phone's ringing. nothing bad is gonna happen.
★ go out. reach out.
★ Sleep less. except during weekends.
★ Concentrate. Harder.
★ More self-control.
★ Be vigilant. Observe.
★ Be considerate of other people's feelings.
★ Stay sweet.
★ wag masyadong maarte (sabi ni Kris)
★ don't let envy eat you
★ choose wisely, buy wisely.
★ THINK. Mostly happy thoughts :)
★ SPEAK UP.

2009-12-28T16:40:00.001+08:00

Stella - All Time Low
Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
Kelsey - Metro Station
Anna Maria - We The Kings
Josey - Hey Monday
Annabelle - A Rocket To The Moon
Chelsea - The Summer Set

G*ddamit. .why wudn't somebody write a song about ME?!

This Is War, 30 Seconds To Mars

2009-12-27T21:02:00.006+08:00

O. M. G.

Now this album is a masterpiece! Leto's, the actor-turned-singer Jared Leto, voice could both soothe and empower you - from an intimate wisper to in your face screaming and includes oversampling from nature and their fans - about their timeless compilation on war, survival, power.

Like Meg & Dia's Here, Here, Here, this is a cohesive album and should be listened to as a whole to really get the entire experience. I pick out 100 Suns, Alibi, Closer To The Edge (wish they promoted this instead of Kings & Queens), This Is War, Night Of The Hunter (the Flood Remix), Hurricane (feat. Kanye West), Stranger In A Strange Land, and Search and Destroy as my faves. And Escape is perfect for the album's intro. A perfect OST for mature audience; this will rip you apart to leave the valleys of your childhood leaving you scarred, but wiser.

On the 25th of Dec '09. .

2009-12-26T22:40:00.026+08:00

★ got some Christmas calls from my friends and more sms. Krista, always excited on how the day would go, was the 1st to call me, and I was still groggy from sleep, barely hearing her and mumbling something like "uhmmm", "uh-huh","hmmmm" XD

★ i woke up past 11 AM because of a nightmare (tell u later).

★ ate some sandwich for brunch. Maydee dropped me near Pasong Tamo. went home. unpacked. slept.

★ woke up past 6 PM. went to dinner. Internet.

★ with nothing else to do, i did the laundry. i hate doing laundry.

★ when I got back to the room, Kuya Aldrin was with some hot chick and were propped up on the bed. the girl has long hair, long legs. morena. BUT not my type. LOL

★ i was shocked. i tried to speak something nice like, "Hi! 'kaw ba bago naming boarder? hehe"

★ i was still in a state of shock.

★ Kuya Jan, one of my boardmate's, was no longer asleep, but now was using the bathroom. I grabbed a bag of peanuts from my snack box and went out.

★ Kuya Jan got out, freshly shaved and dressed. "Kain tayo," yaya niya. "Nakakain na ako," I said, my mouth full of peas and nuts. But then changed my mind. "Wait, I'll just grab my jacket muna. ." Which was a pretty much a BAD decision because when I got inside the room, those two were already making out torridly, arms on each other, with the boy on top of the girl, kissing those..Anyway, as I said earlier, I would get my jacket. So I mumbled some stupid apology when they saw me.

★ I have never ever saw it done in real time. up close. except when i was little and caught my parents doing something strange under the blanket

★ Then sumama ako hang-out with kuya Jan, and downloaded some songs. He's into alt rock. Dishwalla, Waking Ashland. hinihingan niya ko ng music lagi kahit na powerpop and emo genre ang type ko, as long as mapalitan lang yung mga Willie R. tracks niya sa ipod.

"Dishwalla," I trailed off, "Angels and Airwaves or something?" Or was it Angels and Demons?
"Angels or Devils"
"Ah."

So we downloaded tracks from their album Opaline. I browsed on my flash drive for some related songs for him, found Nickelback, Howie Day. He liked it. I found a couple of albums I haven't listened yet. Like 30 Seconds to Mars' This is War album. Pinakinggan namin and yes, namangha ako. I know that 30 Sec To Mars is a great band but with this post-apocalyptic album, they're the best! And ngayon ko lang pinakinggan when I downloaded it three months ago pa. Aw.

★ Past 11 PM we went home. And slept again.

Love Like This, The Summer Set

2009-12-26T21:42:00.004+08:00

After their successful remake of Usher's LITC, I promised myself to get an earful of The Summer Set's on their next album Love Like This. And I was not disappointed with their tracks - Chelsea (dedicated for Chelsea Straub), Love Like This, Young (a bit like Metro Station's Seventeen Forever), The Boys You Do (Get Back To You), Punch-Drunk Love, This Is How We Live. The bonus part is in their last track - Where Are You Now, a totally sweet ballad which features Dia Frampton of Meg & Dia.

Ho Ho Hope Your Christmas Wasn't Sad

2009-12-26T21:07:00.003+08:00

Eeehh..I didn't go home to Iloilo this Christmas. But yes, I did have a good time. Though not all of these are worth bragging. No families, no friends, no one to hug or kiss, to greet or kid around. Feels like a cold cruel world. Nonetheless. .this.is.reality.

Past nine. Christmas Eve. And I was lost, d*mmit. Eventhough Maydee gave me instructions for the directions to her house I found my ass stranded in the middle of nowhere after I got off on the second jeepney I had taken.

With my backpack in tow, I fumbled hurriedly on my phone to text Maydee. The network was busy this holiday making it impossible to make calls. $#!+

Alongside the highway where the second jeep I took was making its final rounds, I could feel the stares of strangers behind my back as I walk past them. Earlier I had waited behind the shed for another jeep to ask for directions when some stranger showed up behind me. A moment ago he was sitting on the shed. I squinted hard, trying to see his expression masked by the shadows.

Not good.

Then I ran away.

Okay, it was more like fast-walking actually. To show that I was not scared of him.

When I got to the other side of the curb I saw a car approaching. Quickly, I hailed and inquired on where I was exactly and how could I get to my destination. The driver gave me a free lift realizing I was lost, and what a total fool I was to go out alone at night. Yeah. I realized that now. I mean, I could stay at the boarding house and sleep the holiday off. Or hook up with someone like one of my boardmates did on the 25th of December. Or just order a bilao of spaghetti and eat it all by myself, letting the loneliness wash over me till the pasta tasted like earthworms and death. Anyway..Driver Dude, whoever you are..I can't thank you enough :)

A couple of minutes after I got off the car my phone rang. It was Maydee. Thankgod. I asked for proper directions, searched the proper street.

"Second street," she instructed "may motorcycle diyan. Diyan ka sumakay. But don't go for Special."

"Got it!"

So I hunted down the streets of Inviernes, got lost twice, but finally found the place lined up with motorcycle cabs. I approached the nearest ride. The cab drivers were talking gibberish. It's either they were drunk or my vocabulary hasn't improved to understand what they were saying.

"San tayo Bossiiinng..?" smirked the driver.

Eeeeh?

"Uhmm..Sorry," I started to walk away.

He followed me. "Saan ka ba pupunta? Korean dormitory?"

I didn't bother to reply. But he kept on pestering me with questions like ,"do you understand me?", " do u speak English? Tagalog?", " where do you want to go? I'll take you there!"

Finally I turned. "Nakakaintindi po ako ng Tagalog. Pwede po magtanong?" I asked if they know the directions to the basketball court.

Sure enough. They bloody know. They know every nook and cranny of a certain place. The basketball court is located in this street alright, but it's too far for walking distance.

"Halika na."

"Wait. Ako lang?" I inquired. I realized what was coming. I'm riding Special!

"Eh, ikaw lang naman ang pasahero dito eh."

"Ah."

I don't want to ride Special with a drunk driver.

"Wait lang po," I gestured to my phone. I dialled Maydee's number. Again. Again and again. And again. No luck. Network was pretty busy. Finally a woman came and got into the cab. Since I now had a company for a ride, I got inside as well.

Maydee was with her hubby was waiting on the basketball court. I guessed the driver know them since he got sobered up upon knowing na ako ang hinihintay nila.

"Mabuti na lang sa 'kin sumakay ang batang ito kundi naligaw na ata."

I turned towards the driver. The nerve of this guy. The stupid grin was still plastered on his face. Well, I'm not gonna give you a tip, Merry Christmas!

I paid him the ugliest, most deformed coins I could find inside my wallet. Then I stuck out my tongue (behind his back).
~~---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~
Maydee's hubby is a tall, big guy with glasses. They live in a house na magkakatabi lang, resided by three families - the center is theirs.

Well, this is the first time I spent a Christmas on someone else's place. As soon as I arrived, I was greeted by everybody and was introduced to her family.

"Oh by the way," I said before I forget about my little gift, " Merry Christmas!" I handed her something wrapped up by a bunch of old newspapers and magazines.

This was the reason why I was late actually. I had gone to SM to look for cold sweets but the shoppers were still going gaga with all that last-minute holiday blues, so I went to the nearest 7/11 and scourged the freezer. A cute clerk was on duty.

"Anong Flavor of the Month niyo ngayon?" I had asked. He showed me a dozen of plain looking ice-cremes when my eyes found a label stamped on one of the galloons. Limited Edition. Yes!

Double Dutch and Almonds, Vanilla whatever, and Ube and Pastillas.

"Wala na kayong Halo-Halo or Buko flovored?" I remembered my mom and other grown-ups like Halo-Halo or Buko..

Sadly, wala na daw.

I wanted to pick Double Dutch with Almonds but I reconsidered. Double Dutch would be too sweet for their taste. And Vanilla's too plain and bland..

"Ube na lang bibilhin ko," I made a decision. He took the Ube flavored galloon above the stacks of ice-cremes and went to the counter.

"Hey, palitan mo naman yan oh! 'Yong sa pinakailalim lang ng freezer..yong pinakamalamig lang yong bibilhin ko." I requested.

So we unloaded the freezer and took out another Ube and Pastillas flavored, Limited Edition (hah!) ice-creme from the bottom of the freezer. He led the search while I did the choosing, inspecting all galloons like a dessert connossuier-slash-Quality Product-inspector.

Once satisfied, I handed him my galloon like a prize trophy, careful about the ice still stucked at the cover and at the sides.

"Wait." I called again as he started off. "May iba pa ba kayong supply? For this month lang ba yan?" I needed to make sure I was really buying a Limited Edition flavored ice creme. What if natikman na nila 'to? What if all year round pala ito available?

Then there's no point in calling it Limited Edition, isn't it? Exactly.

"Sir, bibilhin niyo ba to o hindi?"

"Syempre naman!" I took out my wallet and grabbed some bills. But heck, wala na pala akong pera. Naglaro pa kasi ako kanina sa computer cafe. .eheheh

And since I don't have enough cash, I went to the nearest ATM. Tapos nang pabalik na ko may nakita akong Ministop. Pumasok ako at tumingin kung may ice-creme na binibenta. Nakabili nga ako, yep. But wala silang newspaper na pambalot. Plastic lang. So I demanded one. Unfortunately wala daw talaga. bwohuhu. Maski yong diyaryo nila sa rack ayaw ipagamit. .which is understandable naman dahil bago pa yun. At ayaw ko rin bilhin ang newspaper. I mean, hello, bibili ako ng newspaper para pambalot sa ice creme? Kung gift wrapper na lang siguro para hindi naman masayang ang pera ko? Eh wala din silang gift wrapper. So nainis na ako, pag mainis ako suplado na ako. I told the clerk na I want my money back $#!. Kaya ayon, ni-refund.

I got out into the cold hot-headed.

$#! ice creme yan. Sana wine na lang binili ko. Or cake. Or Christmas cards.

The guy in 7/11 was waiting for me with the ice-creme already wrapped up in a bunch of old papers. Thankgod! I gave him the payment without a word. Ni hindi ko na siya napasalamatan or binati ng Merry Christmas dahil bad mood na ako. I now feel guilty.

Anyway, let's forget about that. Maydee's house is small (and she warned me about that many times) but at least I'm comfortable being with her, and her uber kulit son Jarren who kinda looked like this..

If you could see the look of his face when he got a 6 foot long cylindrical gift! I wish I had a camera, he was totally in a state of bliss when he got 20 Hot Wheels in various models which I had helped his mom buy two months ago at some penthouse sale on our company. Nakarelate din naman ako when Maydee gave me a seven incher cylinder wrapped in checkered cover.

"Ooh! Thank you!", I was surprised. I shook the box and squeezed it. I hope this is a vibrator, not a big ballpen or some perfume. LOL. "Uhmmm..nakalimutan ko po bumili ng pang-exchange gift..hehe."

"Okay lang 'yan. Halika sa labas."

Sa labas kasi kakain, nandoon yung food. Tsaka may videoke din. And drinks!

We waited for the countdown first. After that greetings and prayer and..kainan na!

Maydee made some chicken and potato casserole which tasted totally delicious! Man, it has been almost two months since I haven'y tasted home-cooked meals. I crammed my plate with tuna pasta, embutido, chiken meat, and ham and bread. The dessert, Ube and Pastillas, was consumed within five minutes. Limited Edition indeed.

I sent a text greeting to Mom and my family. Also to my friends back in Iloilo. I missed a call from Achi. I could tell she was concerned about her big brother. I called her but then she hasn't answered. Maybe it was past one in the morning and she's already asleep or maybe she had been drinking (again) and zonked out at her stupid boyfriend's place or maybe they were still celebrating Christmas. I assured her thru text that I was doing fine.

And I am doing fine. I'm a big boy now, aren't I? :)

*Sigh*

Happy Holidays everyone. I hope you're okay too. And I mean it. :)

~~---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~~
★ Some spins for the holiday:★

Here, Here and Here - Meg & Dia

Where Are You Now? - The Summer Set ft Dia Frampton

Air Traffic - Owl City

On Your Side, A Rocket To The Moon

2009-12-24T22:22:00.001+08:00

No offense meant but this sounds like Secondhand Serenade rock version 2.0. Still, I enjoyed listening to the catchy melodies of Mr. Right, Dakota, Life of The Party and Where Did You Go. Sometimes puts on a twist of RnB. Tracks get a little bit mushy in On A Lonely Night, Baby Blue Eyes, and Like We Used To. Awww. .good thing I got my teddy Pi.

The Weekend: Friday, Forever the Sickest Kids

2009-12-24T20:23:00.000+08:00

Not a big fan of FTSK, didn't much liked their debut album. But this EP proved me wrong. All tracks are bouncy, though Hip Hop Chick is well..too hippie for my taste. Show that inter-galactic groove as Hawkbot hits the club where guys doing head spins and girls doing robots (or was it spies for the redskins and squirrels sporting mohawks?). Let's dance to the robots rrrraaaawwrr!
Kewl EP. FTSK did a great release, grabbing the opportunity while they're still in the limelight.

Smile Kid, We The Kings

2009-12-24T19:42:00.007+08:00

Now as We The Kings has hit mainstream, they have gone steady with their music. No surprises on this one. Tracks worth checking out are Spin, Anna Maria, What You Do To Me. Rain Falls Down is my personal favorite. And Summer Love is teeming with cricketey-rhythms that has the "Summer Camp" theme.
With their promo tracks Heaven Can Wait, She Takes Me High, and a duet with Demi Lovato on We'll Be A Dream, the album is worth listening if you're cramped up with the holiday blues this season. So listen up, and Smile Kid! :)

Happy Pi Day

2009-12-18T16:15:00.000+08:00

Do you still remember the day when you were propped up on the bench and was stared by everyone, but still ignored?

Do you still remember the pain of losing confidence, to be marked-down?

Remember how it is to be unwanted, you'd wish you'd just cry your heart out or let out a roar of frustration? But you couldn't.

Remember what you felt about your feeling so alone in this wide wild world that nobody gives a sh*t about you anymore?

You still remember the boy who compared you to another dark rugged stranger? The boy was debating which of the two of you could spend the night on his bed.

Well, forget it.

You have me now. Let me do the reminiscing.

Happy Monthsary!

PS Thank you for keeping your mouth shut about my late night whereabouts when everyone's asleep. And YES, it's mostly me who makes those funny weird noises at night.

Bright Lights, Wild Rides

2009-12-14T18:58:00.109+08:00

Star City. It was a typical Saturday afternoon, but to a bunch of kids who ~~decided~~ planned to meet and head up to the amusement park instead of mopping around about how being the "winner" could end up with little participants, the spirit of adventure would soon swift them off their feet.

So now, when we got there, the place was packed with little kids, whinny kids, snotty kids, noisy kids, cute kids, sloppy kids, gooey-eyed kids,. .you get the picture. All kinds of kids in their elementary days sporting their PE uniforms with their parents and nannies and grandparents (I hope the grandparents didn't come here for the "wild" rides).

"Crowdie," I couldn't help but comment.

"Ano bang okasyon?" one of my friends asked.

"Ewan." I figured this must be their PE Day or something.

Anyway, I prefer to be with these cute little brats, you wouldn't have to worry about your phone or that designer's purse of yours getting snatched. So this was better than at ALIW Theater with hordes of people swarming like bees on a lazy afternoon. There was some kind of concert going on inside. I hope to God it's not Paramore.

Inside, there are lots of rides for kids and adults. The Carousel, Octopus, The Land of the Giants. .I couldn't help but feel giddy. I mean, when was the last time I went to a carnival? Only during fiesta or events. My last ride was an Octopus ride. And that was during the Dinagyang. So this was different. I could come here everyday as I want to. Heck, I could spend my birthday here this summer!

We went to Snow World first.

"Do not touch anything - icicle displays and sculptures," reminded an announcer, "and do not feed the penguins!"

"Penguins!" I perked up.

Krista elbowed me. "He's just joking."

"How can you tell? You mean, there are no penguins inside?!"

She just rolled her eyes.

Sure enough, she was right. There were no penguins inside. Just cold sculptures and ice marbles. Lame. And there was no snow either (so much for the name Snow World). And we hadn't had a chance to take pictures cause we put our gadgets inside a plastic bag to avoid freezing. What was kewl though, was that we went sliding on ice! Yep, just like penguins that line up and take a plunge from uphill. And I could see the air I exhaled! Exhilarating, I tell you! I had fun in inhaling and exhaling, like a mighty dragon who breathes out. .no, no..dragons spews fire. Maybe like an ice dragon then. Or maybe like a wolf in The Three Little Pigs.

Ramon and I agreed that this was cool.

We explored a bit past the bumper cars, viking rides and water bumpers. There was also some kind of LARGE ball where you could go inside like the pet hamster in Bolt but unfortunately it was only for toddlers. We settled on the Flying Carpet as an appetizer for the upcoming rough rides.

"Nobody screams," R told me before the ride started which I agreed.

I didn't let out a scream. Just a long whooaaaahh! Is that considered a scream? ;P
_______________________________________________________________________________
After we got outside the Time Tunnel we wandered a bit. What next?

There. They pointed outside where the wildest ride is located at the center, intricated with loopy curls and swirls.

"I'm not riding on that," I told them. "I mean, look at that. Aren't you guys scared? I'm getting shivers just by looking at it"

"Well, everybody wants to give it a try," they pointed to a long line of people.

"I don't know. .it looks dangerous." And have you watched the Final Destination? Believe me, a lot of things can go wrong. .

"If you like sa Teacup ka na lang muna habang dito kami sa Star Flyer," suggested R. The Teacup by the way is for toddlers, where you get to sit inside a giant teacup that turns 'round and 'round. It's safe. Really, really safe. On the other hand, It'll be no fun without my friends.

So after pondering for a bit about the fact that nobody has gotten killed on the ride, and after a few slices of pizza, a cup of noodles and drinks, a few let's do it! (more exactly i can do this!) mantras, we joined the queue of teens waiting for the Star Flyer ride.

And we boarded the Star Flyer. Twice. Hah! On our second ride, I'm not so scared anymore!

We also went inside Gabi ng Lagim, and we had one hell of a fright, especially Krizzy, she was grasping me so close, pulling the sleeves of my shirt.

I swear if she's not gonna loosen her hold of my shirt eh long sleeves na yon paglabas namin.

I also had to check if my arm was still with me.

Really, we were both hysterical especially since the lights inside were infrared so it gave everything a ghoulish glow so my shoes looked pretty toxic. We also mistakenly thought the two women (also customers) ahead of us to be ghosts, screamed at them and fled.

Jeff said he was not scared. Nagsisigaw lang daw siya dahil sumisigaw din kami. Gaya-gaya puto maya kumbaga.

And Candy, poor Candy, always up on the front. Siya yong pangharang namin sa mga pop-up mannequins.

I forgot about Ramon's reaction, sorry.

Here's our pic after we've got out. May mga post-jitters pa. .

I had a great time at Peter Pan. Daming kids, and when we got inside, it was dark first, where we had to cross a bridge.

"Ano to?" one of the guys asked. Jeff I think, or Ramon.

"Can't you see? We're near the sky! Look!" I pointed right above our heads where ~~thousands~~ hundreds of twinkling bulbs were shining. "This gives the illusion of flying. Like in the movies, lumipad sina Peter Pan and Wendy and many others up, up and up papuntang Neverland. And that's London down there!" I pointed down where miniature buildings cluttered like Lego blocks.

"Have you been in London?"

"NO! But I watched Peter Pan," I huffed. "And Tinker Bell. Don't you remember? It's the first setting in the movies!"

Sadly, they didn't remember. Anyway, here's some of our pics inside. .

And we made poses with a pirate! Hmmm..I think panalo yong pose ni Ramon. whaahaha

We boarded the Surf Dance, got wet at Wild River, and had another fright at the Dungeon.

Past 12 or 1 AM we got out and had dinner before calling it a ~~day~~ ~~night~~ day.

The Christmas Proposal

2009-12-10T16:44:00.074+08:00

I do not know what the hell happened. First I was eating some snacks at the cafeteria with Anna, Edmund and Maydee. Then came Boss Tim (looking young and boyish) in a grey cardigan. And the next thing I know, our IT division head was discussing some work-related matters with me - the company's application development processes and its documentation. Tsk, tsk. .Ayoko pa naman ng seryosong usapan during breaks. Break nga eh.

So now my senses were torn between hearing him out or devouring the dish of spaghetti in front of me. Every now and then I would nod my head, look into his eyes, smile in acknowledgement of what he was saying, or say something like "uh-huh" to not appear impolite while paying my attention to my dish of delight (spaghetti and lumpia, anyone? I'm famished!). This resulted to an extended time to finish eating my snack which brought to a longer time spent with him and the cycle went on and on.

"Hanggang kelan ka nga uli dito, Ken?" he asked.

"Uh. . Till Feb pa po"

"That's good. Kasi kung one month ka lang eh wala kang matutunan, hindi mo ma-oobserbahang mabuti ang cycle dito sa kompanya. Parang naghihintay ka na lang kung kelan matapos ang oras mo."

No worries, I'm busy with blogging anyway. LOL

I couldn't help but agree.

"So saan ka magpapasko?"

"Dito po," I managed to say, "I was expecting kasi na yong last 2 weeks eh, Christmas break, hindi pala." I feigned a sigh.

"Sinong kasama mo mag pasko?"

"Wala." And to add a bit of drama and loneliness I couldn't help but say, "'Yong mga kaklase ko kasi uuwi sila dahil meron silang break. ."

I know, I know. I was quite pushy. But I really really WANT a two weeks Christmas break with my family back in Iloilo. Hindi naman sa madami ang pagkain at regalo dun (which are all so true) samantalang kung dito ako magpapasko eh, magugutom lang ako at mag-isang pang kakain.

And speaking of food, I haven't figured out what my Christmas menu would be.

Maybe. .SPAGHETTI?! whehehhe.

Yep. I know a bit how to cook pasta. It's just more complicated than cooking noodles. By this, I'm not implying that I cook bad. Or that I have little knowledge on cooking. You see, my cooking skills vary. Depende na rin yon sa utensils di ba? tsaka ingredients. Like, if Spag A is composed of hotdogs, meat, cheese (and I could set aside some to make cheese sticks!), then definitely it'll be much more worth devouring than Spag B which is composed of sausages, corned beef, carrots and spring onions. But if yong pasta sa Spag A eh, soggy. .tiis na lang me sa Spag B. But (again) since this is just a hypothetical menu, if Spag A gets soggy, wasted na. Either cheese sticks or carrot stick na lang ang matitirang kainin ko.

Uhmm..mas mabuti pa siguro mag-take out na lang me.

Back to Sir T. .

I could tell that Sir T was concerned on how I would spend my mini-Christmas break. He thought for a moment just like we're having a serious conversation over a business matter. After a slight pause, he said, "Punta ka sa Star City."

"Actually, I'm going this Saturday," I told him.

He suggested another one: Ocean World.

"San 'yon?"

"Wag na lang, 'di pala maganda dun," bawi niya.

"Oh."

"How about at my house?" He casually offered. "Christmas lunch?"

Everyone was silent - Anna, Maydee, Edmund, and especially yours truly.

I did not know how to react. My boss was inviting me for a Chrismas lunch and I was just looking at him mouth agape. It's like being invited by Alfred Ty. Or Henry Ty (?) or Henry Sy. Whatever. Quick! I need something to say! I figured, thinking fast.

"UH."

I was really that speechless. Just "uh".

I looked around the table to see my colleagues' reaction. A and M were teasing Sir T asking if he was really serious. Meanwhile, E was just silent but I could tell he was also amused by our boss' behaviour.

I mean, Sir Tim is not that bad. He's 5'9" ft tall and he's in his late thirties. Workaholic, responsible, serious, loner. He's intelligent and business-minded and he's focused. He'll bore me. Seriously. And I, being also a freakin' boring person who is 5'7" ft tall, in my early twenties, slightly workaholic, also responsible, serious, and loner, ~~intelligent~~ smart and business-minded but easily distracted, have nothing much to talk about except trivial stuffs over a cup of hot ~~coffee~~ choco..We'll bore each other's company.

"Now this is not a joke," he kept on saying. "You can go with me para hindi ka naman mag-isa."

"San po kayo nakatira?" I asked him.

He thought for a couple of moments.

"Nililigaw niyo ata ang bata, sir," snickered Maydee which illicited some laughs from all of us.

"Hindi naman. Iniisip ko lang kung saang landmark siya pupunta para mas madali sa kanya"

Maybe I should go. And have lunch with him?! More like a luncheon meeting siguro ang ending nun. He said maybe his in-laws would drop by at his house. That means he's married. I don't know kung may anak siya. I hope so. I would prefer talking to someone my age. But then again, Sir T looks very young to have a 20-something kid.

Ohgod, stop it! I told him I have to think about this and changed the topic.

"You know I really liked the food last night, especially 'yong pansit," I hinted for another course of conversation.

"Yeah, Kung Fu Pansit ang ibang tawag diyan." he informed us.

He talked about food, and I could tell he likes eating as much as he likes racing and boxing and wine. He has been to many places. And last year he spent his Christmas holiday abroad, alone at his aunt's place. Experiencing this maybe could be the reason for his offer. He wouldn't want another poor soul to be freezing from cold and loneliness this Christmas.

"Think about it," Sir Tim said before we stood up and left the cafeteria.

And to show his utmost sincerity, he said he would e-mail me the directions to his house.

Don't Eat Pansit (For Longer Life)

2009-12-10T10:12:00.025+08:00

xta: godmorning sleepyhead hows xmas party?
ken: im tired..tumulong ako sa preparxns kahapon dahil kmi ng team ko ang incharge..prang nag SC lng ako ulit but adults ang kasama..dmi food,and wine and vodka but very grown-up yong atmosphere,mostly mga oldies tsaka mga mature yong mga nagsidalo..syanga pala, may dala akong pasalubong kgbi..punta ko sana cnyu at ishare pero past 11 na bka asleep n kau,binigay ko nlng kina faj and imman.
xta: ay...di ka naman nagtxt eh...[use of profanity]! awake p sana kmi...sayang!
ken: aw. .
xta: sayang! sayang! sayang! sayang!

nagalit ata, tantrum mode ang drama

ken: sbi ko kc..gbi na,bka sleepy n kau..tpus pupunta pko sa inyo. .bka dangerous na or sumthing..
xta: kunsabagay....ge ge oks lng. dami ba?
ken: pansit lng. .isang supot. .pwo xempre sarap nun! hehe. prang spag yong pasta na pansit flavored tsaka may halong veggies
xta: wla kaung xchange ?
ken: meron. .pwo di ako sumali .hello..wla na nga akong pera, tpus sasali pko
xta: buti alam moh!

aw.switch to motherly mode naman.pagkatpos balik uli sa pansit ang topic

xta: aw! mabuti nrin yon..pang bangungot kc yung pansit...
ken: talaga?
xta: uu...pangbangungut yan!
ken: ah.kaya pla tkot cla kumain ng pansit kgabi
xta: ah..but naubos din nila?
ken: xempre.nagdebate pa nga cla kung sa umaga nlng kainin pwo xempre mapanis yun. .c faj concern tlga xa health nya. .inaantok nxa kc . .pwo gu2m tlga kc on diet,hindi kumain ng dinner. .sabi ko sa kanya ng super sleepy nxa. .'cge lng faj,,2log klng dyan. .gisingin kita mamya,dnt wori..kung di ka makagising that means nabangungut kana'. . ;)
xta: hahaha! diet?tapos naubos p nla?!
ken: yep..diet ata cla..ewan ko nga. .u notice naman di na sumasama c faj tuwing lalabas tau.itsy bitsies nlng kinakain nya 4 dinner
xta: ay uu..haha! pero delikado yon,really...
ken: bkt delikado? pambangungot pla ang pansit..di ko alam yun ah. .
xta: bka madedo cla sa gnawa nila...
ken: pnu?di nman sya tulad ng shell na kniain ni pseudo-poldo AKA rico. .
xta: snabi nang pambangungut nga yang pansit...ikw talaga
ken: bkt nga? anung meron sa pansit? and what abt spag? i lyk spag pa naman, or bam-i?
xta: uu..gnun rin. kc wen u eat pasta o noddles, nagbo-bloat yun sa tyan
ken: and..? hirap i digest? or na su-suffocate ang stomach?
xta: i think like dat cguru...nhirapan mg dijest
ken: bkt pag natutulog ka lng nangyayari?
xta: dhil pag tulog ka mabgal na mag jijest ang tyan...dats y
ken: xo what kung mbagal?
xta: indi ko makonek kng bkit namamatay ang tao...
ken: hmmm...nag su-stuck up?
xta: i dunno..mayb.bsta 98% ng nababangungot pag in-autopsy, may pansit sa kanilang tyan
ken: oh wow..san mu nbasa?
xta: sbi ng cozin ko...
ken: uh. .do u think mostly na nababangungut are chinese?
xta: haha. search mo. .
ken:aw.and i thot pa naman pansit is for longer life :(

totieatie.com

2009-12-09T18:06:00.057+08:00

Rush day.

I woke up late and dizzy with my head still heavy with dreams. One month na ko dito, a thought popped out. Yea. It has been a grueling month of independence filled with adventure, eating out, wandering, walking, shopping, cleaning, ironing, and doing $#!+ laundry. But hey, I'm not whining. So far I'm good. So far I'm coping. In fact, today, 9th of December (Ooh, 9. I hart number 9! This is my lucky day!), is our department's Christmas party. I should be so excited. I should be all over the situation keeping tabs of the preparation like a pro.

In fact, should be on my way to the office by now, an alarm ticked off.

I'm late! (guess I had mentioned that earlier).

So at 8:18 AM I was arranging my bed leaving my teddy, Pi, tucked safely by the covers. At 8:19 I was struggling to get out of the upper deck, then grabbed a towel before headed to the bathroom.

"What the?!" I blurted out as the door protested against my strength, hitting someone in the process. Inside I found Dan naked.

What is he doing here?!

But then that's not a really big issue considering we're inside the bathroom and he's butt naked, I realized later. He's taking a BATH. A long bath actually (with an average time of 20 to 30 mins., believe me). And that's a bit overboard. You see, either I or Kuya Emman occupies the bathroom first because of our 8:30 sched. So I was surprised to see him there bare (okay, just a bit surprised, I've already seen him wearing only his boxer shorts) and wet. Ohgod. I tried not to look down there, and instead focused on his eyes which were also wide with shock.

Uhmmm..deep slow breaths, I told myself. I'm starting to sweat all over because of the awkwardness of the moment. I mean, what should I do? I'm half an hour late (!) and there's someone on the bathroom and I don't want to take a bath with him inside.

Okay, about the agreement thing I had mentioned earlier - it's not official. Just between Kuya Emman and me. So I couldn't kick Dan out. He was there first. I couldn't blame him if he wanted to take a bath early, it's his freshness that will wear off anyway. And he's my board mate. Not to mention my 'lower deck' mate. And he's a nice kid.

I had to give way.

"S-sorry," I mumbled at last, red faced and embarrassed, and left. "But hurry up, I gotta pee!"

And I'm late.
_______________________________________________________________________________
When I got to the office Maydee and Anna were distributing the balloons to the boys to puff up. I took part, pumped three medium-sized balloons (all green and whites which I thought A had given me these because I'm a fresh man/newbie but was dead wrong anyway, because it stands up for her school and she said that I could be one of - i forgot the term - them too. Sometimes A is a bit weird) using a 'blower' and blew up one. Anna beat me for producing five big ones straight from her lungs.

By afternoon we transferred these round babies to the Deck which is on 24th floor. We put some candles on the big round table. A glued some lanterns on the walls while I taped long sashes of frivolous decor by the elevator doors. I also helped A set up the disco lights, a globe of prism which rotates 'round and 'round causing the displayed lights to change shapes - rabbits, flowers, swirls and other geometric stuffs. We got it from Anna's bedroom, by the way.

"Ang galing," M commented as the colorful patterns bounced back along the walls and the ceilings.

I also climbed up the ladder to hang the string of balloons on the roof since I'm the only one a) who's wearing slacks, b) a boy, c) fit, c) young and d) less heavy.

After that Sir Rain, Edmund and Maydee went off to pick up some prizes and give-aways. Anna and I took turns puffing up balloons. And a little later A excused herself to check some mails. I was left alone with the staffs and maintenance crew. With nothing to do I turned to my phone, and listened to music.

I fell asleep.

When I woke up, the balloons outside were a disaster. They were either blown away by the wind or popped out due to too much heat. My colleagues hadn't returned yet. Good thing I wasn't caught sleeping! So I got back to pump more balloons. Three more, and another two, and five. .After that I lost count.

The caterers arrived around at five and began setting up. An electrician was putting up Christmas lights on the gardens outside. And a DJ was experimenting with some remixes. Lots of crew came and went. Supplies were being requested. More additional invitations to be sent out.

During the last two years as a student officer, we also threw up parties but I was always too preoccupied to appreciate while we were doing it. Most times, the appreciation comes after the party, during the evaluation, if it was a success or not, what went wrong and what can we do to improve ourselves. I am not bitter, though, not to be on a spectator seat where most could only sit back and relax. When I'm inside the hurricane of events, I tend to get carried away, being too busy for this and that. This time though, as I was facing another reality, I felt the control again, how it was to be a part that makes decisions for the whole, and the impact of these decisions, how insignificant and small, could affect a person's night. I took a step back and watched the scenes unfold.

Maydee was fuzzing over the registration procedures. And poor Edmund, he's still probably on the third floor piled with work. Anna was occupied with puffing a balloon inside another balloon, a little trick which I find super. But maybe the balloons would deflate before all the guests arrived considering it contains mostly of oxygen. Or maybe it would hold up till midnight. Maybe someone would pick up those puffy orbs and give it to his love. Maybe he'll get a kiss. Or a sweet yes. I looked to my left. Sir Rain was busy taking pictures. The sun was waving its last touch of warmth. Outside, the dots of lights were slowly bordering the edges of the skyscrapers one by one. I could see the the shadows and lights dancing. I could hear the bubble of excitement from the voices coming from the main doors. I could feel the cold air seeping into my long-sleeves. Night was slowly sinking in. I could feel the stress, mixed with the excitement for the upcoming events tonight.

So this is how it feels to be in the big world. .

I took big gulps of cold air and set up a huge smile before going to the queue of guests waiting at the registration.

I'm ready. Show me what you got.

The Spoon Or The Balloon?

2009-12-09T15:07:00.012+08:00

So what's it gonna be, guys?

We could take a seat on gluttony's table, feasting with loads of dish and bottomless drinks.

Or we could take the ride of roller-coaster laughters, screaming till our lungs hurt and our voices sore.

We could fill our stomachs with food, or fill it with laughter.

The Spoon or the Balloon?
_______________________________________________________________________________
STATUS SHOUTOUT
12/07/09 4:34 PM

Someone took sides. .

Nix: Berdeng Kurbata

~~others~~ someone took both sides. .

Ken: The Greenbelter from the StarCity Galaxy

while others. .

Mara: xiet fiesta sa roxas (<-- gutom, read between the lines, Greenbelt siguro ang boto)

Daguy: pista sa oton (<-- malamang greenbelt din)

Faj: City of Stars (<-- kala ko Greenbelt ka rin?! Oh well..whahha)

Mais: wats the plan,mulan? (<-- uuyy, playing safe.)

And the decision has been made.

Xta: Majority wins, ha!

Imman: i boycot ang starcity!

Faj: let's play FAIR guys, respect decisions nlng :)
_______________________________________________________________________________
xta: ei! ken no matter wat, sali ka sa xmas party? kahit 8 lng tau?
ken: hello?! syempre.i have to treasure every moment w/ u guys :)

What was she thinking?! Alangan naman hindi. It's bad enough that I can't spend my Christmas break with my family back in Iloilo because I'm stuck here with work, but to spend my holiday without my friends while they haven't flew back home, it's even worse.

Celebrating Christmas alone without the company of friends or someone or something familiar sure would suck.

xta: owkie. fil ko ksi daming magbak out...
ken: aw
_______________________________________________________________________________
Earlier this morning Krista sent out the list of prices for the rides and moved the scheduled date to Saturday (again).

Star City here we come on ~~Saturday~~ ~~Sunday~~ Saturday.

The Greenbelter from the StarCity Galaxy

2009-12-08T10:04:00.022+08:00

Still undecided for our Christmas Party rendezvous. We were told to vote on where to spent our Christmas get-together.

a) la mesa eco park
b) starcity
c) greenbelt
c) baywalk
c) luneta park

Got some e-mail update from Krista who did the survying and sorting out (she's our event organizer, as always) and chatted with her this morning. In the end it's a tight competition between stuffing ourselves full at Greenbelt or screaming our lungs out on the rides at Star City. Or both. :)
_______________________________________________________________________________
From: Krista <#####@####.edu.ph>
Date: Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 3:13 PM
Subject: calling calling!

Starcity people:
★ krista
★ jeff
★ poldo
★ ninya
★ kendi
★ ramon
★ mara
★ mitzell
★ jiji
Greenbelt people:
★ Faj
★ Lowi
★ Imman
★ nico
★ daguy
★ mais
★ taki

Eat(Greenbelt)/
Fun(Starcity) people:

★ ~~mitzell~~
★ Ken

_______________________________________________________________________________
xta: hey! sabi mo kgbi strcity ka? nu ba talaga?
ken: im good on both two
xta: as in both?huh?
ken: sa gbi naman yong starCT db? xo hnd xa mka interfere kung maglulunch tau x greenbelt
xta: kw nlng ntira sa greenbelt and strcity pipol...c mitzel either nlng...
ken: oh.so,either din ako eh.almost prehos lng nman yan. .db? if im good at both. .im good at either.whahah
xta: cge bahala ka..
ken: y? anung prob?
xta: wla lng namn..leading prin starcity
ken: im game kung anong desisyon nyo. .kung starCT or greenbelt. Ooohh..yea..i love my status
xta: haha
ken: hey! bkit Capital Letter yung name ni Imman? prang may 'sumthing sumthin' ata ah. .
xta: sumthing sumthin what?! sbhin mo nlng ng diretso
ken: sa list ng semi-final.check again
xta: sa greenbelt people?
ken: sa greenbelters. .c imman yung spelling nya Imman but yung iba small letters na nagstart. .lyk jeff,ramon,taki ;P
xta: wla no...humahanap ka lang ng maiaasar skin.kaw nga capital letter din yong una. .kaw c greencity, kmi starciters o starcitians.o pwd rin ikaw greenstarer kc db manyak ka naman? greenstarer

_______________________________________________________________________________
ang halay naman ng babaeng ito.kinukulit ko lng sa kanyang crush,tapos manyak na ang tawag sa kin.

_______________________________________________________________________________
ken: uy. .joke lng kris. .kaw tlaga

Ohgod! I miss her. And the last time I saw her was just last night. :)

I can't wait till ~~Saturday~~ Sunday.

One Lonely Night 2

2009-12-07T09:13:00.032+08:00

K: I am upset. :'c
C: what can i do?
K: Need sum1 to talk to. .i feel lonely
C: ano ba prob?
K: No.nO. .n0thng happnd. .im just lonly. .mayb its xmas na,and its c0ld. .mayb im h0msick,mayb dahil nrin sa music na pinakikinggan ko. .do u sumtyms feel l0nly?and al0ne?and lyk. .y am i here al0ne?y i dnt hav sum1 to talk to?. .lyk theres sumthn wr0ng w/ me
C: s0mtyms. .but im busy with work
K: Oh.yea.u hav w0rk.eh ako wla pa. .kaya cguro npapaicip lagi. .Ű

i mustered enough courage on what to ask next. .

K: Can i ask sumthn pers0nal?
C: wat?
K: Ask lng q what u feel b0ut me. Wen u c me. .Or wen u thnk b0ut me.anung iniicp mo?or nraramdaman.?Do u still have feelings f0r me?
C: Y?Do u lyk me?

What the heck. Ako nga ang nagtatanong eh. Kakainis naman ang isang ito.

K: hindi naman
C: So y r u askng me as 2 my filings tward u?
K: I askd u 1st
C: Answr mine.Wt do u fil abt me
K: I want to hang out with u just lyk dati bt as a frend. .i lyk being with u.bt since nang snbi m0 na gusto m0 ng relaxnshp,i cudnt go further

Somewhere in my memory, I remembered our first meeting, what we talked about, the hot choco C ordered for me because I was still a kid, and I, being stubborn to be treated like one, refused the chocolate drink and instead ordered some hot tea which tasted really bad. And after that, more meetings, more orders of coffee for C and iced tea for me. And somewhere after that I was crying on the sidewalk with C begging, rejected.

C: den why r u asking me ds?
K: F u hav feelings 4 me, C. .then it wud b hard on ur part dhil alam ko na sobra ka talagang magmahal..
C: F i hav filings 4 u. .I wud nt stop tellng u.

That hurt a bit.

K: Xo im way past over ur head? but what if i t0ld u na i l0ve u?
C: Hmm.Wla.No reactn.Cs I knw ur lyng. .2log na
K: sleepy na?
C: Hindi pa naman..I just thnk ur tryd,cs ur being funy
K: Di m0 ata ako sneryoso eh. .
C: Ű cos ur lying.Tpos nagtatagalog ka pa

I realized that I haven't told C that I am away for my OJT.

K: Im n0t.im serious.im upset and l0nly nga eh.
C: Naging upset and lnely kalng.tapos lov mo na ko.instant naman yan.Hehe

And the thoughts came pouring out.

K: Im sorry. .its just that. .I saw my X 2weeks ago. .i dnt knw kung nkita nya ako. .i was crossing the street. .papunta sa kanya. .i hav n0 ch0ice bt to go ahead. .L was talkin to sum1 on the ph0ne so i just walkd pas dscreetly. .we wer n0t in gud terms dhil un0ficial ang breakup,and i was very hurt and bittr considrng it was my 1st relaxnshp. .and on my way h0me i listnd to my playlist and a s0ng stuckd in my head thnkin abt what cud hav beens. .what if,what if. I remembrd us,u saying to give us a chance. .what if,what if

I don't know how's C taking all this. I know it was unfair for me to drag C into this. I just needed someone to confide.

K: Can i ask u again sumthin pers0nal? Aftr we stopd seein each othr nung skuldays na. .wer u in a rel with sum1?

I couldn't help checking if there's someone else in C's life considering the brief and mysterious responses I got. But I was not prepared for the response.

C: Just prov ur lov.N wel c frm there.
K: I was asking u a hypothethical question
C: Huh?Do u lov me or do u want a frnd?
K: A frend.
C: ...I dnt lyk u.Sori
K: What does that mean?!
C: I dnt wnt u 2 b a frd.Ű

I switched off my phone and tried to sleep. I don't want to make things more complicated.

One Lonely Night 1

2009-12-07T08:39:00.001+08:00

Hindi lungkot o takot ang mahirap sa pag-iisa kundi ang pagtanggap na sa bilyon-bilyong tao sa mundo, wala man lang nakipaglaban upang makasama ka.
- Bob Ong

Mute Mann in Red

2009-12-03T08:05:00.010+08:00

I assumed this must be after WW3.

Through a ~~bird's~~ worm's eye view I saw someone, all noble and strong poised on a stone cliff. In that familiar uniform. I had been heading towards his direction but stopped as I saw the color of his uniform. .in a different hue.

Red. Fiery red against the grey ruins of silver around us. We were on the desecrated mountains of metal. Lots of it distorted.

The man. .well. He's a police. I know it. He's wearing the traditional glasses of subtlety most of my male professors use on catching cheaters during exams; so I couldn't see his eyes, they were hidden beneath the dark orbs of those shiny shellpiece.

You see, until I stepped into Manila, I had thought that the police all wear the same bloody uniforms. The parallax effect goes with my college days, which I was forced to wear the same starched-stiff white uniform so moi still looked like a young kid. Back in Iloilo, policemen are sported in blue. But here in Makati I was surprised to find out that the police are wearing bright YELLOW. (Mystery solved on why I couldn't find a single policeman here to ask for directions, I have mistaken them for construction workers. And moi, the wander boy, was left no choice but ask some addle-brained security guard who doesn't know anything but the map of the buildng he's currently employed)

"Uhmmm. .Mr Policeman, what district are you assigned?" I can't help asking. (I'm just being friendly,haha)

But he didn't answer. He didn't moved.

"Mister," I carried on,"you should fold your cuffs. It's hot in here." I (being friendly again) showed him how to fold the cuffs of his long sleeves, demonstrating it into thin air. That's when I noticed that I was wearing a skimpy sando (shock!) and bruised all over. (shock!)

I raised my eyes to meet his gaze, waiting for some reaction. (eeeh?) Waiting for something. (what the. .?!)

Nada.

Okay that's it dude. Then I woke up.

Because that was a very rude dream. Who says mannequins need fashion tips anyway?

I think I need to see a shrink. .

Things To Do:
★ buy toiletries
★ buy vitamin supplements
★ smuggle sweets to the office
★ laundry (again)
★ clean my shoes
★ be extra nice to kuya Emman
★ forward attendance log to HR

Rica's Body, The Red Hot Chili Peppers ft Kyla

2009-12-02T08:42:00.037+08:00

I was wiping away the blood. It was everywhere. Mitzie was there with me cleaning (How the hell did she got in here?!). So much for making out with a hot gal.

Earlier I was with some guys but now they were nowhere in sight. I was naked ohboy And so were they. We were waiting for someone. Come on, come out and come here. . I taunted as I waited outside an ancient vanilla house covered with rows of pillars and screened windows.

She appeared. Clad in a two-piece and butterfly wings. She approached me. Studied me. Held me. Our lips were about to meet when she let out a low hiss on something or someone to her left. Then she was gone.

The image shifted. I was looking for her. When I got inside the house, it was bloody. It reeked of death and decay. Everything was covered with green and brown and red. Vines, mud and blood. I found a white cloth and began scrubbing.

It was useless. The slime was very stubborn to be washed out. It clung on the floors and to my feet. Blood needs flesh and flesh needs blood. Somewhere in the house I heard the screaming. It got louder and louder.

The image shifted again. The flesh were moving. Hands. Clapping. Shouting. Someone introduced the Red Hot Chili Peppers over the blaring stereos. The stint began, and the musicians started playing. But another announcement came up. Another special guest - Kyla.

The singer, who I do not worship much despite of her hits singles and popular appearance on the telly, appeared in a silk dress. More shouts. From my point of view the image focused. Closer and closer in slow motion. The image was also getting slower and slower in every fraction of a second, it seems that something was delaying this.

And it only made sense. Because the $#! singer changed the rocking atmosphere to RnB.

I woke up with a start earlier today. Nightmare, I thought. A nightmare of celebrities.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Last night Imman, Faj and moi got a fast forward glimpse about the Bench Fashion cover. The cd was from Imman's cousin by the way. We decided to give it a try after watching the Yu-Gi-Oh GX series.

This is what you get for watching Jennifer's Body. And the Bench Underwear collection.

Tesshub

2009-11-30T15:06:00.052+08:00

Glass is fragile. Handle with care or you'll be confronted by the store owner behind the counter when you break one.

In my case, I did the confronting.

I broke a test tube this Saturday. And it was an accident. Like the incident with the exploded iron socket and the splintered door hole in the bathroom on my first night at the boarding house.

You see, I was about to take a bath when I began to rummage my travelling bag for some clothes and I saw this glass tube sticking out from another bag under mine. I took it out. I did. And I'm sorry, I'm a curious little kid interested in science. I figured one of my boardmates must be into some kind of hush-hush experimental breakthrough.

But this was not science. The tube didn't contain any deadly viral stuffs or hybernated babies ready for evolution. Cones, like the tip of a newly sharpened pencil, in a shade of cream were paired side by side while suspended in perfect alignment. A peck of dust was gathering at the bottom of the glass. Shiny. Pretty.

"What is this?" I whispered.

I pondered for a moment. The bag belongs to my boardmate Kuya Aldrin. He's an HRM grad, I recalled. What would he do with this? Is this one of his secret recipes for cooking? (though I doubt that he can cook, only a few men knows how to cook, like my Dad and my Grandpa)

No, no. This isn't for cooking; it looked inedible. I took a sniff. Chemicals.

An image of a pencil caressing an eyebrow stroked my mind, recalling some of my memories. I was a little kid again, with a pair of razors while Mom was telling me to be careful with the blade while I sharpen her beauty pencil. One of Mom's beauty stuffs.

That's it! Make-up.

The realization hit me and the reaction was physical. I dropped the tube.

Sh*t.

I scrambled to the floor and picked up the broken pieces. D*mn. The glass was sharp. I dropped them and fetched a broom. I had hidden the trash under the rug when the risk of someone to put his foot on it when he went to the bathroom. .tsk,tsk. .wrong move. I swept the trash behind the door instead. No one will ever think of finding it there.

I was panting after that. And literally sweating. The stress and the psychological horror kept on building. It was like on the telly. An innocent guy gets involved in a crime for accidentally murdering a person. Or like some lone traveler who went for a road trip and accidentally kills an endangered buffalo crossing the road. And I was cleaning up any trace of what had just occured. Like I was planning to get away with a crime.

But I'm going to tell the truth. Later. Tonight. Or after when I'm ready. I just needed time to prepare myself.

I told Faj about this accident before we went out for dinner. And Krista and Candy too. I was scared shitless to the point that I didn't order another cup of rice to my dinner serving.

*sob!*

The girls were sympathetic. But it was mostly Faj who was the shock-absorber.

"Bili ka na lang ng bago at palitan mo na habang maaga pa," Faj finally advised.

"I can't! Walang brand na nakalagay. Hindi ko ma-trace kung saang store yon nanggaling!"

"Eh, di bayaran mo na lang."

"Baka mahal. ."

"Di test tube lang ang bayaran mo, yan lang naman ang nabasag."

"Okay," I said at last. That's reasonable enough. "If he won't forgive me, then I'll pay him na lang for the damages."

Sh*t. Sh*t. Sh*t.

I didn't sleep in my room that night.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The next night, the confrontation scene began.

Ken & Aldrin
Scene 1

K: Kuya. .
A: O?

A moment of (10 seconds) silence.

K: Uh. .May sasabihin po sana ako sa 'yo. .
A: Ano 'yon?

I couldn't say it. For a moment I was frozen in fear. Faj said I was lucky. He reasoned that I should be grateful for the tube suffered for my carelessness. Just like Akon.

A: Bakit? Ano ba 'yon?

A was now curious. Eto na. Moment of truth.

K: Nasira ko po ang test tube niyo
A: Ha? (confused.not angry)
K: Nasira ko po ang test tube niyo. .Sorry po talaga Kuya
A: Anung test tube?

I pointed to the green bag resting on his upperdeck.

He smiled. And I could feel the burden of shame, guilt and fear slowly fading. But it was a smile of mischief that slowly turned into a low chuckle.

"That's not mine, kay Emman yan."
_______________________________________________________________________________
I coudn't tell Kuya Emman about it the next night. How could I, he was in a good mood and very inquisitive about my late night whereabouts - where did I spent my Saturday and Sunday nights.

E: Uy, Ken. .di ka na ata natutulog dito ah.
K: Uh. .Oo nga po eh. hehe
E: Sa kaibigan mo ba ikaw natulog kagabi?
K: Opo.
E: Kayo lang dalawa magkasama?
K: Opo, pero minsan lang naman 'to kasi wala siyang kasama sa kwarto
E: Ah. Nakilala ko na ba siya?
K: Uh. .lalaki po siya eh.

After that I hastily excused myself for dinner.

Kuya A told me to forget about what had happened. That I should just keep my mouth shut. To let it pass and treat it just like any other bad dream. And I'd love to, god I really, really do. But I don't want to ruin my reputation. I'm human, aren't I? I have flaws and can commit mistakes. But I should also be able to correct these mistakes as much as I make them.

So I was still going ahead with the confrontation. Part 2.

And aside from that, the nature of the specimen still intrigued me. I had asked Kuya Aldrin but he was also clueless.

It was the morning after that next night, the second confrontation scene began.

Ken & ~~Aldrin~~ Emman
Scene 2

Kuya Emman was just fresh from the shower and I figured this was probably the best time to tell him considering na malamig pa ang ulo dahil bagong paligo.

K: Kuya Emman..
E: O?
K: Uhmm. .Sorry po, pero. Nasira ko po yong test tube niyo. .
E: Anung test tube?

I showed him the 'evidence' behind the door. And then came the explainations, followed by "i'm so sorry kuya. ."

I lowered my guilty head for the sharp assault. I was expecting a sermon or some parental advice like, "sa susunod 'wag mo nang ulitin". But he didn't get angry (I really hope not). Or made me pay. He just brushed it aside like it didn't really mattered.

I thanked him profusely before leaving for work.

On my way outside, I feel light and ~~jumpy~~ ~~bumpy~~ bouncy. I did it! I did it! I told the truth! And like the old clich says. .I'm free!

God. That's one big obstacle. I deserve a cup of sundae this lunch. Or a gelato on ~~tube~~ ~~cone~~ cup.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Kuya Emman had arrived earlier that night. When I got home after work I found him sitting on the lowerdeck, below my bed. I greeted him and he just nodded, and proceeded on with his texting. I don't know if he's feeling and testing me. Or I'm just being paranoid.

And by the way, the content of the tube wasn't make-up but incense.

My Current Desktop Screenshot: The Butterfly Effect

2009-11-26T14:04:00.006+08:00

You Know You’re Obsessed With The Twilight Saga When…

2009-11-23T15:07:00.003+08:00

★ You can’t find a guy you like because you compare them to Edward and NO ONE can be like Edward.
★ You tell people that only a vampire can love you forever.
★ You cried when Edward left in New Moon and it still upsets you to even think about it.
★ You screamed when Bella said no to Edward’s proposal. Because let’s face it who wouldn’t want to marry Edward. (And that’s the truth!)
★ You pour glitter on your boyfriend so that he will sparkle like a vampire.
★ You demand that your boyfriend to write you a lullaby.
★ You tell your boyfriend to read the series hoping that he will be
more like Edward.
★ You want to get married on August 13
★ When you have kids you want to name them Edward, Bella, or any other Twilight related name.
★ You want to read the Host.
★ Your punishment that you’re parents give you is to take away your books and you go crazy.
★ You know what really happened to Bambi’s mom. (And it wasn’t a human)
★ When it’s thundering outside you know what’s really causing the noise.
★ You can’t listen to music anymore without thinking of ways it reminds you of Twilight.
★ You can’t read anything without thinking of ways it reminds you of Twilight.
★ You know how Stephenie Meyer came up with Twilight.
★ You flip through history text books looking for a “Major Jasper Whitlock”.
★ You start watching morning talk-shows to see if any of the actors for the movie are
going to be on it.
★ You have a Twilight related picture as your background on your computer.
★ You make fanpics, songs, and poems about Twilight.
★ You download Bella’s Lullaby to your Ipod.
★ You create the Cullen family on Sims.
★ You have a stuffed teddy bear named Emmett.
★ You have a stuffed lion named Edward.
★ You have a stuffed lamb named Bella.
★ You start tripping over things on purpose so you can be a klutz like Bella.
★ You control your thoughts because you think that someone is listening.
★ Cliff diving becomes your new hobby.
★ Baseball becomes your new hobby.
★ You want to learn how to play the piano.
★ You suddenly want to read Wuthering Heights.
★ You develop a fear of ballet studios.
★ You stand in the rain and imagine yourself in Forks.
★ Every morning you check to see what the weather is like in Forks.
★ Every morning you check to see what the weather is like in Phoenix.
★ You have three copies of each book: one to read constantly, one to let people borrow,and one that is signed by Stephenie Meyer that NO ONE is allowed to touch.
★ You think about what power you would have as a vampire.
★ One of your main concerns was figuring out what the cover of Breaking Dawn means.
★ You’re parents have to remind you constantly that the books are just fiction.
(But that’s what they think)
★ You are using this as a check list.

Happy Rain Day

2009-11-19T14:24:00.026+08:00

We had our lunch at North Park.

The reason for this libre is that our project applications manager, Sir Ranier, just turned 38 today. Aw. Pee Bertdi Sir.

This was my first time to eat at North Park.

"Really, first time mo dito Ken?" asked Laine.

"Opo"

"Talaga?! Wala bang ganito sa Iloilo?" Sir Rain inquired.

"Nope."

After that the bullets of inquiries kept on firing, "May Mcdo ba dun?", "May Jolibee din ba?", "o Max?", "Chowking?"

Eeehh?

We played the Meron-O-Wala for a couple of minutes.

"Wag mong pansinin yan, bully talaga si sir," quipped Anna,"haha. ngayon ikaw naman ang kukulitin niya. Dati kasi ako laging inaasar nyan dahil ako ang pinakabata."

I turned to face her,"how old are you again, Anna?"

"21. Ikaw?"

"20."

I fell silent for a moment. Then blurted out,"uh-oh."

They laughed.

We ate. Siomai, congee, tofu veggie, toasted noodles, honey lemon chicken. There were also some free soup, which tasted more like hogwash than soup, and the complimentary (hot) tea tasted really funky (L's opinion, I didn't took a sip). We talked. About R's food escapades during his younger years - what he ordered at the first Chowking, or that Combo Meals at Mcdo and Jolibee had never existed during earlier times (and I was very grateful not to experience that kind of difficulty. Or I would probably spend a longer time deciding what to pair with a piece of chicken drumstick).

North Park is okay. They serve chinese food which felt just like eating at home (And I miss homecooked food *sob!*).

What If I Didn't Forget Passion Like You Did..

2009-11-18T22:28:00.008+08:00

Well if I see you again,
you won't know my face
but you'll recall my heart
inside of me a side for
you is crazed.

And when I see you again,
I won't be bitter.
You are so far to blame,
you've brought up this change.
I was so much of you.
I would never be the same. .

~What If, Meg & Dia

While hundreds of thousands converged on the city's capital, following different directions seeking for answers; I was led to you.

So What Am I Supposed To Do?

2009-11-13T13:39:00.015+08:00

Play, Play and Play:
★ FB (banned)
★ FS (banned)
★ ~~chat~~ (banned)
★ YM (banned)
★ ~~porn~~ (banned)
★ sulit.com
★ Google?
★ explore Google Map
★ e-mail
★ blog

Work, Work and More Work:
★ ~~Camera Club Maintenance Form Documentation~~ (done)
★ ~~lunch mode~~ (done, but bitin pa rin)
★ ~~Credit Group Maintenance Form Documentation~~ (done)
★ Buy return tickets after my off
★ laundry
★ grocery
★ clean my shoes
★ dinner?
★ explore Makati

*yawn* I'm bored.

1st Day At The Money Museum

2009-11-09T10:42:00.003+08:00

Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes
-Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854

BJ Ken's Travelling Spins

2009-11-03T18:40:00.013+08:00

★ Spins on my playlist:★

Going Away - Meg & Dia

Go - Boys Like Girls

Early Birdie - Owl City

The Shindig - FM Static

I Am Looking for a Place. .

2009-11-03T17:29:00.001+08:00

My flight is on Friday. I haven't sorted my clothes and packed, bought any toiletries (as Alvin suggested), or cosmetics (as the Queen suggested, bah! should I buy one?! ) and I bloody $#!^ haven't found some place to stay for my OJT days in Makati. Aaaaiiee!

But I could do this. I could start sorting and packing and ironing tonight, buy the kits tomorrow, repair my shoes tomorrow and shine them and wear them, see if I need another pair, finish printing some documents tomorrow.

Oh wow. Lots of work.

Okay, haha. Now I'm posting this announcement: I am looking for some place to stay, probably a boarding house because I think my alloted P2000.00 is not an equivalent to some posh apartment with a velvet cushion for my ass at Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati.

Major Concerns for the "Place":
★ safe and secure
★ clean
★ near or just one ride to Gil Puyat Ave.

Minor Concerns:
★ full length mirror (for hair and total check)
★ no roaches
★ no termites
★ no mosquitos (optional)
★ thick walls
★ room with a window (optional)
★ friendly environment
★ good landlord/landlady

If you could be of any assistance, see my links for contact info.

Wardrobe Worries

2009-10-24T19:33:00.008+08:00

15 kilos.

15 f*ckn kilos is all I have for my luggage. That is what the rules on the note, together with the airplane ticket I had bought, says.

What the hell I'm supposed to bring along?! Homework papers?

Jessa has suspected that I would be over the allotted clothes limit. She’s wrong. I have thought this it out all night to minimize and "decompress" my luggage.

Like for example: I would bring my traveling bag, backpack and a sling bag for additional room.

I will bring my honey-colored blanket with Pooh prints. It’s soft and cozy.

I just realized this: to save more ample space, I’ll substitute sando as my house shirt.

I have considered wearing briefs or topping a sando or maybe sleeping naked during bedtime but the idea of moi exposed to prying eyes, mosquitoes and other night creatures is another problem. So instead of bringing mosquito net and katol (another consumed space), I’ll wear pajamas and jogging pants.

Instead of sneakers and sandals, I’ll bring my white slip-ons. It’s light and easy to clean (I must bring an extra brush, no, a toothbrush). Fortunately my pseudo-brother Coke haven’t doodled it with paint. Yet.

I am currently debating if I need to wear slippers at the boarding house..walking barefoot is sexy. What do ya think?

My flight is two weeks away. And I think I’m ready.

Cinderfella and the Goblet of Apple Vodka

2009-10-22T11:28:00.005+08:00

Aaaeeiii! It’s almost midnight, and I haven’t dressed yet for Halloween Ball! Hastily I put on my cobalt gown of puffy foams.

Despite my pleads and reasoning, my wicked stepmummy She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was against the idea of socializing at midnight. To make sure I couldn’t go, she ordered me do the household chores, washing dishes and cleaning loos. Servant stuffs.

I sneak downstairs and saw the Wicked Witch of the World waiting at the bottom. Waiting for me.

Drat.

She knows that I would defy her. And with what I’m wearing, I can’t reason out that I’m just returning the broom to the closet.

“Dear, you’re going dressed as that?!” she looks incredulous, “You aren’t a princess Cinderfella, you’re a witch – dress like one!”

I hate it when she calls my full name, I prefer Fella. “Well, I can’t wear my black raggedy clothes. And besides, this is a costume party, mum.”

“Never mind. Here, have a cup of vodka before you go.”

I can’t believe it! She does not ground me or something. I grip the glass of red bubbly liquid and take a swig. It tasted like rotten apples – sweet, and bitter with tang of..poison.

For a moment I’m paralyze. My body feels heavy, lifeless.

“Be still, sweetie,” she whispers, “you’re lucky I didn’t turn you into a four-legged amphibian like Prince Charming, the magic mirror had even suggested ripping your heart out. Now say goodnight to mummy, because you’ll be sleeping for a looong, loooong time”

No.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Hmmm..I think this isn't spooky. Lol :-P

Anyway I was never good in making scary stories, that I honestly admit.

This is my first entry in deviant for the Halloween Contest! Don't complain about it being too short and bitin, the rules only allow a minimum of 250 words. I'd love to add how Fella managed to stay awake despite the sleeping spell of the wicked witch and that Prince Charming is gonna be included for the witch's special Halloween recipe - choclait frogs! whahhaha

2009-10-20T19:48:00.010+08:00

I’m still a newbie when it comes to the blogging industry, it may or may not seem so obvious to you, dear reader. So before you assault me with a backlash that there’s an error in my composition, I do now apologize in advance. I’m not an English major, but I love to write and talk to some foreigners one day, may it be a proposal for publishing my works or a business partnership.

Hmmm..That makes me think that I must find an editor.

Yah.

Virtually everything anyone writes for publication needs an editor. For moi whose first language is not English, I need an editor to work with the essential story and bring the language and thought crafting up to a higher level. Yah.

When I speak of higher level, that also includes finding a book publisher (if I were not discovered by a book publisher), getting an agent, seeing my works resting on the shelves of local bookstores, and garnering an award.

But first, I need an editor. So I’m posting this announcement. .*drums thundering*

WANTED EDITOR
preferably:
★ he/she could either be a student of any a college level
★ has experience in editing
★ a good communicator
★ friendly
★ patient
★ has a sense of humor
★ who edits for FREE!

Note on the last part about editing for free. Yep, coz I don't have money yet. But we could split 70-30 if I got published and be a millionaire. One day. And I'll always mention your name in my blog. :-P

See my links for contact info

Maybe we could discuss about shoes, food, ~~politics~~, music, movies, ~~sex~~. .etc

The Morning Star Mystery

2009-10-15T12:34:00.002+08:00

I am a light sleeper. I could sleep late and wake up early. I could hear things while sleeping; I could mutter indiscernible expressions, curse and recite some ancient, long lost dialogues. Mom told me I’m a gifted contortionist too.

Ever had those nagging feeling that you are not alone? A realization hit me during one of my peaceful slumbers that someone’s here. I could not know if it was human or not. Maybe it was an angel or some stray spirit wandering around? Maybe it was a succubus, who’ll make love to me and show me the great pleasures a man can experience! Yess!

I opened my eyes and was a lil bit shocked and disappointed to see Ej’s face scrutinizing me.

“G-good morning!” I managed to sound bright and cheerful, realizing it was only my big buddy.

Last night I went to his house for a group study. Ej and I and Ivy. Threesome! Unfortunately Ivy had another engagement. So that left moi and Hush with nothing to do but play Rohan when our thoughts went sluggish brooding over our Distributive Systems project. At 4 AM I plopped down to sleep.

Ej was quiet, regarding me with wonder (I think). I am very conscious about my looks especially after being idle in bed for hours without a hair check. So I announced that I would like to have a private moment for myself and could he please leave the room?

He left. And I dashed to the nearest mirror checking my reflection. Small, tired eyes. Ruffled hair. Pale. Hungry. I took a closer look on the mirror, checking my eyes. They looked kinda funny being small, seems like I was still sleeping though I was now fully awake.

And I gasped.

May muta ko. Sh*t.

What happened?!

Maybe I cried? Possibly. Only tears could make this happen.

Another question: why?

Maybe because I was possessed by that poor soul I was talking about? Maybe it wanted revenge or it was just upset for the injustice of not having another chance to live? Maybe I was possessed by a drama queen from TV?! Nah, I am pretty strong to be a host for spirits.

Maybe because the succubus raped me and I did not like it? I checked my underwear looking for dry smudges of..you know. No traces.

Uhmmm..maybe it rained last night and this was just a mild dew.

Aaarrggg!

I gave up. I could only conclude that I cried. Which is not a big deal since we got all these projects and exams and OJT stuffs. Must have been too heavy for my subconscious to bear. Aw.

Hmmm..I couldn’t let go of that thought. It is really humiliating, but if I cried what more embarrassing acts did I do while I was sleeping? Pick my nose, sleepwalk or – I can’t bear this – snore?

Frankly, I do not have any answers. I think I’ll go and ask Ej.

I'm Not The Brightest Bulb In Class, But I'm Getting Polished

2009-10-12T11:47:00.012+08:00

Good news, and bad news!

I now have a company for my internship! After insisting to the HR manager that yea, I am willing to spend my OJT days there in Makati, I was accepted without much preamble. I would be on a different department though. When I had refused to be assigned to the IT Department doing Programming stuff, Ms C, the HR manager, was supportive enough, saying that I have had enough of that already. She gladly provided me with another option: do all techie stuffs – networking, troubleshooting and all! – on a rotational basis. Kewl. I thanked her and that closed up the deal (except for a few contracts that I must sign).

Now for the minor stuffs: I have forgotten to ask her about the dress code. I suppose it would be office clothes. Of course it is! But somehow I wish it’s not. Imagine everyday going to work wearing long sleeves and slacks. With a tie. Aaaiieeee!

Aside from my shortage of wardrobe, I think sporting a business attire on the streets of Manila is dangerous. Even if I do not have a car, still dangerous. Tsk, tsk. . Manila is teeming with bad people, creeps and bozos. Do you know what would happen if some stray punk sees me?

I would be mugged.

I would be kidnapped.

I would be. .uhmm..let’s leave out the worse scenario.

So that’s one of the bad news. Moi going up there all alone. Living all alone. Eating all alone. And speaking of being alone, I think there might be another complication: I f*kn do not know enough household chores! Yah. Honestly. I can’t let Mr Labada take care of my laundry or eat at some fast food joint everyday. Very magastos. The allowance for my internship wouldn’t last for three months. Unless I would turn out to be one of those creeps and mug some poor newbie.

But that’s not a great idea. I don’t want to spend my internship in jail – holidays included.

I have grand plans though. a) To tag along my sneaky sister as my PA, but that would rub me off my pleasure for freedom or b) board with my female classmates, but none of them has been accepted by a company yet. Maybe c) I would board on a girls dormitory so that the girls there could teach me? Or d) I would personally ask my mom about these stuffs and start learning now?

Hmm..I think Option D would be less embarassing. Hey, I love my mom, and she loves me too. She’d be more than willing to teach her son cooking lessons, doing laundry or sewing.

Things To Learn:
★ ~~How to fry~~
★ How to broil
★ How to bake (optional)
★ ~~How to scrub floors~~
★ ~~How to sweep floors~~
★ How to speak Tagalog fluently
★ Paano gumising ng napakaaga
★ Paano mamalengke
★ Paano makuha ang sebo sa mga pinggan, palayok at kaserola
★ Paano manglaba ng pantalon at anong sekreto sa pagbabad ng damit
★ Paano manahi ng mga butas sa pantalon at medyas
★ Paano gumupit ng sariling buhok.
★ Paano magtali ng kurbata
★ Paano manamit ang isang Makati boy

Things To Do:
★ Make my Final Liquidation
★ SRM Proj
★ Written debate on HEC
★ Analysis on Economic problem
★ Buy ties
★ Buy long sleeves
★ Travel by plane or by boat?

For A Hellish Week, I Had A Lovely Time With You Guys

2009-10-05T19:28:00.000+08:00

I woke up, my mind still dazed but my body already in automation, leaping to my feet, and at the same time wishing that everyone’s still asleep (I am always the last to wake up, it is really embarrassing) so that I could prove to be the early bird, getting ready for things to do for the day.

And then I stopped as a thought sink in. For a moment I couldn’t move. Then, hesitantly, I sunk back into bed, overcame by the most extraordinary feeling.

Alas! We are all past from Thesis Week!

Yep, with an overall rating of “excellent”!

We made it! Yipeee!

I can’t say I have moved on and forgotten about those nights. In fact I miss it. A lot.

I miss my thesis mates. Miss the six of them and our late night meetings. I miss rushing to Nix’ apartment, hoping that the guard would please puhleezz puhleez let me pass through even though it’s beyond curfew hours for visitors to drop by. I miss how we teased Jessa especially if she’s asleep, and how Reg teased me without bothering to know if I’m asleep, how I expected Karl (bringing a popcorn) to be here when he’s not around, how Louie giggles. I miss eating with them. Laughing with them. Sleeping with them, though I was always left with little bed space to sleep, with Imman snoring LOUD!

I miss it all. ;-(

Sandman Vol 1 – Preludes and Nocturnes, Neil Gaiman

2009-10-05T19:07:00.005+08:00

To those who have not been captured by Gaiman’s spell yet, take a plunge years back and read the Sandman series, his first ever comic debut.

Sandman starts with a group of ancient warlocks coveting to capture Death for the purpose of eliminating the curse of mortality, but instead captured Death’s younger brother, Dream or Morpheus or/and his many other so called aliases. A mysterious disease has suddenly swept the world when people begin to have sleeping disorders: some never woke up lost in their dreams, while some went anorexic plagued by nightmares. How Dream managed to escape and retrieve his possessions (a shabby looking pouch which contains sleeping dusts, a mosquito-like helmet – really, really ugly – which for no reason I do not know its purpose aside from concealing his worn down pasty face, and his ancient ruby which mostly contains his power) is a long journey he must take to save mankind (he is brave, and also arrogant and vengeful and sometimes merciless but I kind of like him as the story unfolds) from being trapped in the nightmare of his dreamworld.

You will get to know a lot of characters – and the story usually starts from their own point of view; how Gaiman invents and names them I do not now. He is a very talented storyteller. My fave chapters are A Hope In Hell and The Sound Of Her Wings.

A Hope In Hell is an entertaining episode about our hero, the king of dreams, venturing hell for his lost helmet. Here he comes across the gates of Hell, accompanied by one of its guardians, past the valley of suicides, encountering many a demons and monsters – most of them new, and finds out that Hell is now ruled by a triumvirate: the forsaken Lucifer Morningstar together with the king of flies and Darkness. To reclaim his helmet, Dream must engage in a primitive match of verbal-slash-mental brawl among one of the demons. Hope alone is what Dream possesses aside from a pouch of sleeping dust to recover his lost helmet and to get out of hell safely, and what Lucifer holds to destroy him.

The Sound Of Her Wings, the last chapter of Part 1, opens with a scene about Dream sulking on a park. He ponders about the lack of contentment after his journey. Death, his spunky, kick-ass Goth sister eventually found him. Then she takes him on her round of duties, as she collects the souls of the newly dead. Mortals fear Death. They fear the sunless lands to which she guides them. They feebly attempt to placate her. They do not love her. As Dream comes to appreciate what his sister does, he is comforted. He fills his heart with the sound of her wings.

I really like the cover, surreal and morbid; the artwork is like a typical comic book, though added with a little bit of grunge. Anyway, this tale is a killer with vengeance at its core personified by Dream. Read this before the king of dreams haunts you in your sleep. Because you’ll never know if you’re gonna wake up again.

Love Drunk, Boys Like Girls

2009-10-05T18:55:00.009+08:00

Love is at its worst when it leaves us in deep schit (new slang, learned that from winky). And Love Drunk is a continuation for being obnoxiously dosed with emotions.

Boys like Girls brings another promising hits in their second album, moving on to mainstream pop. Tracks like Heart Heart Break, Chemicals Collide, Contagious, She’s Got a Boyfriend Now, and The Real Thing comes with catchy guitar riffs while Shout Heard ‘Round The World got that '90's rock stye in building up vintage suspense for some exciting brawl. Aside from the fun and playfulness of the album, the band also got into alternative with The First One, Someone Like You and Two Is Better Than One which features a duet with Taylor Swift.

Love Drunk is the ideal beats for the hearts of today’s love struck teenagers - erratic and fast-paced. And if you're still stuck with the hangover, get clear-headed with Go.

And The Honor Goes To. .

2009-10-03T18:40:00.002+08:00

2100 AD wouldn’t be a success without, primarily, its creators. Aside from the lengthy list of people’s names to be found on their thesis, this group of young, promising individuals (moi included) believe they also owe it to the tools and things that they have exploited to its maximum usage.

Let us entice your attention into reading the secret weapons used for the study. The creators are greatly in debt from their performance; they could not survive their thesis week without them.

Beginning XNA 2.0 Game Programming From Novice to Professional – A Coverfull of Conundrums
The ultimate weapon! Note: Failure to follow the instructions could cause brain perplexion, sleepless nights, and death!

Vodka – The Drowsing Potion
This powerful mixture is potent enough to numb your senses and protect you from the above mentioned side-effects.

Coffee – The Awakening Potion
Ugghh! The bitter aftertaste leaves a motivation for you to finish up what you’ve started. If you want to stay awake, drink this – not vodka. Nor Milo.

FHM – The Pamphlet of Pleasures
A feast for your lethargic senses! Nevermind if its last year’s ish. It’ll still boggle and your mind and keep you awake (with or without a coffee). Between this and the game that we have developed, we personally prefer the former to be visually entertaining and stimulating!

YM – The Modern Messenger
The online status of your classmates is enough to believe that your team is not alone in spending another loooong night working. We’re all in this together!

Underwear – That Black/White/Colored/Striped/Polka Dot Thing You Wear for Support
Yes, undies. You can’t function well if you reek of yesterday’s stress! Believe it; Jessa went back to her boarding house to fetch another pair.

And to all those who have supported the group, we express our heartfelt gratitude: you’ll be on the Acknowledgement!

The Gathering of Wits

2009-09-28T20:15:00.016+08:00

We met on Friday. Or Thursday. I really don’t remember now given the long time we had spent on Nix' apartment. For dark hours we backtracked (or at least I did) for previous progress we have accomplished. By and by I would hear the constant beating of the rain outside matched the sound of our keyboards tapping. We bowed our heads low for the pouring of difficulties. It was Thesis Week. It was Hell Week. It was a week everyone hurdled in clusters inside their homes studying, planning, and working. The possibilities for the results of our studies are endless. It was a week where we could create a $ 10B worth of game or invent a commercialized talking phone or a GPS locator. Given the amount of pressure and the frustrations, it was also a week to construct the Tower of Suicidal from desecrated bodies, invent a Terminator on a special mission or fomulate a special bomb to exterminate all teachers.

My thesis mates, Nix, Reg, Imman, Louie, Karl and Jessa are very talented individuals. I was very lucky to be in the group. Our study 2100 AD is a game where aliens and zombies attacked Earth and so a cyborg was created to defeat the enemies. We had decided to create something less violent, opting for 2D graphics instead of 3D. Be very very grateful citizens of the world for we had settled to develop a game which has no potential for mass destruction in reality; nothing to sell for the black market. N and R were mostly in charge on the game logic, while moi, J and K were on the graphics, L was on networking and Imman was our “audio master”.

So far so good. I haven’t fallen asleep during one of those long working hours. I didn’t complain about the temperature being hot, or how I miss my bed at home, or how the atmosphere was charged with deliberate strain. The guys were very serious about work. I think I was the only one who was thinking of. .NOTHING. I supposed I’m a natural when it comes to this, having spent most of my time daydreaming and sleeping. I feel guilty though, especially everytime when I ask Nix something cryptic I never heard of. He’s a sweet guy. He always answers my stupid questions without making me feel stupid. One I always talked to were Jessa, Karl and Imman. Karl and Imman are funny; J is sort of panicky which is sort of funny. Louie would appear he was resting, then after a couple of minutes he’s already sleeping. It takes all the fun to see your mate zonked off into dreamland first. Though not as fun as eating popcorns and pancit canton, and reading FHM and talking XXX stuffs (<-- we mostly do the latter when J’s asleep or not within hearing range).

On Sunday, it was - surprise, surprise! - Jessa’s 20th birthday. About fifteen minutes to midnight, I spoiled the surprise by greeting her first. It wasn’t my fault though, how was I to know Nix’ wall clock is advanced for fifteen f*ckn minutes?!

I remembered how we had celebrated my birthday on summer-they had surprised me with a candle blazing on a rice cake. It was cool, and I was touched. But it was also tacky. There were no drunk sessions or party popping noises, and the singing only lasted for a minute. I was determined to celebrate J’s birthday in a different approach. By afternoon, J and I went to go a little bit of shopping. Before heading to SM Delgado to help her pick some outfits she’ll need for Defense, we had gone first to my house to fetch my sister’s Shakey’s freebie card (buy 1 take 1 pizza!). Jessa forced me to wear the same shorts I had used last night because with all the activities up ahead, we were running out of time. She couldn’t dash into her boarding house to fetch another batch of clothes. And I, being a gentlemen and all that crap, assured her that she would not be the only one tonight who would stink.

After that, I hastily made some stupid excuse that I couldn’t go with her. When I got to Nix' apartment, I found those poor sods playing computer game. I couldn’t blame them; we were all stressed out. There wasn’t a single alcohol or some strayed stripper in the apartment to lift our beaten spirits. There was however a gun. On the computer. They were playing Call of Duty, bombing cities and killing enemies. The current mission was to kill one elusive sniper. Somehow it drew out the stress. Later I would be playing that game to kill hours of sleeplessness.

But now we were running out of time damm*t! I told them to puhleez prepare for the surprise party. I grabbed the two bottles of vodka we had bought and put them in the freezer. Nix told me they were going to buy more food. Thankgod, he must have realized that pizza and vodka couldn’t sustain us for dinner. He also added that I would be the one to cook the rice. What?!

Yep. Moi would be handling the cuisine tonight. And I would be cooking the famous Filipino dish: rice! I would be using uhmm..a rice cooker of course. BUT since there were many of us here I would also be using another pot.

Cook rice on a pot. Nix had mentioned the task casually but I was not a fool. This was payback time (so I thought) for leaving them. The only things I learned to cook on a pot are pancit canton, noodles, boiled egg, and popcorn. Anyway, it couldn’t be hard, could it? We have Gasul. I wouldn’t need to rub some sticks together to start a fire, would I? I would’t have to go outside and find a stick in the first place.

“Could you give me the directions please for the…pot,” I told Reg trying not to appear like an amateur chef. I’ve seen him cooked rice during one of our meetings. He gave me the directions and without preamble I begin to work as soon as they had left.

I kept on checking the pot to make sure it would turn out rice not lugaw. Karl wasn’t a big help. And also was Nadine, Nix sister.

Hello, can’t they see that I’m literally banging pots and pans here and making these rushing noises to imply that this is a matter of edible and inedible and so maybe you could puhleez check this? We could suffer some stomach illness if you didn’t know what I’m cooking!

Nadine walked outside past the kitchen. Karl was still busy playing the $#! sniping game.

Isn’t this interesting to see a guy cook? Aren’t they concerned about our dinner?!

Somehow, I managed to keep my sanity and cooking skills alert. Nagmato-mato na lang ko kag nagbanta-banta. By 7:30 PM, we settled for dinner with lechon manok, lumpia and my homemade rice (which fortunately did not turn into lugaw). The pizzas were just sitting on a corner, waiting to be devoured. An open invitation. The vodka on the other hand, is a different matter; I hid it in the freezer. Since I would have to go to Robinson and help some persons for Iloilo IFIT, I don’t want the guys to take a slug of pleasure without me. Call me selfish but this is what we thesis mates mostly do: we work together, we eat together, we sleep together (excluding J of course), but no, we do not take a bath together (coz I’m not comfortable about being naked in front of people). We would have to wait till midnight. Later on, I would be regretting this since I must not drink too much because I need to concentrate for work.

Two Years of Public Service And I’m Not Sure I’ll Be Running for Another Term

2009-09-20T08:08:00.006+08:00

The Pros and Cons of Moi
as an SC Officer:
★ You are always busy.
★ You are sometimes late in class.
★ You sometimes sleep in class.
★ You sometimes skip classes.
★ You are always running to some appointment.
★ If some appointment is at some faraway but familiar place, you mostly ride a jeepney.
★ If some appointment is at some faraway somewhere alien lanscape, you mostly ride a cab.

as a treasurer:
★ You get to feel being pseudo-rich carrying loads of your college funds.
★ If you’re feeling pseudo-rich with carrying loads of your college funds, you mostly take a taxi. (Chairperson’s point of view, though I pointed it out that I can both manage to take care of myself and the money)
★ If you’re feeling pseudo-rich with carrying loads of your college funds, you mostly have bodyguards.
★ You’ll most likely be the one to order and pay any transaction.
★ You’ll most likely be the one to decide what the officers will eat, and in which restaurant that suits your budget.
★ You’ll most likely be with the chairperson’s company. Together with the secretary. And sometimes with the first lady.
★ You are paranoid of strangers, muggers, and numbers.

as an event organizer:
★ You get various connections from important businessmen. You meet a lot of them and have to act like them.
★ You get to call annoying a lot of people, inquiring about hotel rates, food expenses, its location etc..
★ You get to have food samples from various hotels!
★ You get freebies that you’ll either spend for yourselves or put it as door prizes for the students
★ You get to eat last during the event.
★ Sometimes you have not eaten anything at all.
★ Incredibly, you do not lose an ounce of $#! fat. Aaaiiieee!
★ You do not get your face taken in every picture unless you are an emcee, one of the participants or the committee chair. Worse, sometimes you are not included during class pictures.
★ You get your face taken before the event, when you are still not wearing your best outfit, or after the event, when your best outfit looks rumpled and worn-out.
★ You are not allowed to celebrate (drinking and clubbing included) unless the party has been a success.
★ You get irritated about the lousy hotel services; the students hold you responsible for the outcome of this event.
★ You get irritated about some students not paying on time; sometimes they are one of the reasons for the lousy hotel services.
★ You get pretty emotional about some minor stuffs.

as an leader:
★ You have to sacrifice your social interests.
★ You have to sacrifice your love interests.
★ You have to make your own decisions.
★ You have to make your own solutions.

One Day These Soles Could Trample An Ocean Tides Of Arguments About History. .

2009-09-15T15:00:00.008+08:00

I was not prepared to be the the Prime Minister in our debate.
Who am I kidding?

Prime Minister. The Speaker. The Leader. One who always talks first. I don't like the thought of that as the members of our group had pushed me into the first seat.

I couldn't deliver a speech. Especially a first sentence that could convince my classmates that Yes, yes. .Ken is correct. .and Oohh what a lovely gentle voice he has unsuitable for debate.

Alright. The unofficial, completely hush-hush explanation, also known as the truth: I was not prepared. Well. .I was prepared to be a second speaker. Or a researcher. This I could honestly admit. But not the Prime Minister. Aaarrggghh!

So what did I do after stuttering words and phrases adlib? Got that right, I made a total fool of myself.

*sigh*

One day these soles could trample an ocean tides of arguments about history.
I'm not aspiring to be a high-class shoe-off. But then again, I could also be like Gokongwei and change history without being a smooth talker.

The Logistics of Hot Or Cold Transfer

2009-09-14T16:09:00.007+08:00

I was waiting in the faculty room. And listening. Sort of snooping but not at all intruding. I was sitting beside the wall my back on one of the new faculty, Sir Anrem, carefully taking all what Sara, an IBM volunteer, was discussing.

They were conferring about logistics and that sort of process. I thought logistics is about logic, it’s the root word, I guess and business. Maybe that’s what IBM stands for: International Business Modules. Or Machines. Or Measures.

I honestly don’t know what IBM means. .whehehe. .except that it’s a computer company or manufacturer or something.

“Do you have a free time?” Miss Sara was saying which promptly provided Sir A a silent hesitation. Gee. .I didn’t want to offend Ms S but a teacher doesn’t have a free time. I’m telling the truth, based on how much most of my teachers ended up all lonely and forlorn implanting life’s virus-free ideas, debugging dangerous threats and fixing those neuro-circuits from little kids heads such as mine. It takes just a couple of hours to fix machines, but a lifetime to fix deranged humans. That’s a personal risk every teacher has to take. But anyway, how does Ms S know? She’s an IBM volunteer; she always has a free time.

Anyway, I haven’t done listening to her after picking up those cryptic words such as logistics. I couldn’t discern what this was all about. It was all too. .techie. .no, no. .too grown-up. Too inexplicable, too BIG for another brain space consumed for pondering its significance inside my short circuited head. Like I said, grown-up stuffs.

If you’re wondering why I was there in the first place is that because I was waiting for the PTA Treasurer to transfer some “transactions”. Grown-up stuffs. Aaarggghh!

“So how do you transfer the Ps into another account?” inquired Mrs Treasurer.

“The usual, I guess,” I replied thinking she must have known how to handle transactions since she’s already a working girl-slash-mother. Hello, Mrs T, grown-up stuffs!

“I need to know how you transfer it. . .”

“Uhmmm..cold transfer?” I said before I could think of anything else. Cold transfer and hot transfer, I read that somewhere. .Maybe some kind of instructions from the shower.

“What conditions must be abided for the transaction, what methods are necessary?”

I didn’t quite get that. Did she mean logistics?

Sometimes I’m an idiot when it comes to this grown-up stuff. So I had to seek Maam Beth, a 20-something gal who manages lots of stuffs between grown-up and not and also obtained a degree – not bad –, the link between students and parents, Consultant for PTA affairs.

Ms B and I tried to explain about the normal way we use in transferring Ps thru a simple formula.

Student Treasurer Withdraws (Yours truly) = Parent Treasurer Deposits (Mrs T)
Later I learned from Ms B that Mrs T was working on a coop. Not our school coop, but a still a coop.

I wonder what logistics they have in there. a) Something hot. b) Or cold. c) Or something old?

Twenty-First Century Zombies and Dummies

2009-09-09T10:19:00.011+08:00

One of our major instructors was amused by yesterday’s demonstration. The silent vigil, the blue ribbons hanging about everywhere (on the head, around the wrist, the neck and among the trees), the rally – scratch that, there was no rally – was very amusing to him.

Students, shall we take up our stand and bring forth our stashed armaments and deadly paraphernalia so that the grown-ups will take us seriously?! Girls and nerds, shall we smear graffiti along the walls with our lipsticks (lipstick?! Yes, not matte but blood-red gloss with long-lasting shine) and (glow in the dark) highlighters? Shall we raise our mighty pens (not for writing, but for stabbing) and proclaim that our exploitation must be put on end? Shall we hostage the President of this university?!

Uh. No way.

But thank you for the suggestion (I’m thanking and rejecting myself). We students think of our decisions and its consequences. We are concerned on our rights as much as we are concerned in this university. We do not subject ourselves to violent reactions. We discuss things. We ponder like any twenty-first century man ought to do. We think.

My classmate Jeff believed I was brainwashed by the USC for taking their side. Yep, why thank you for the psychological diagnosis, J; I didn’t know you had a minor in Psych.

I denied about my being brainwashed. Duh?

This isn’t some magician’s ruse but hell, its already turning into an entertaining circus!

I’m not brainwashed! So sorry Jeff. If I was, I would have spewed some acrid toxic-green breath across the room that you’ll wish you hadn’t spoken to me earlier, and still manage to lure everyone with these mesmerizing red-and-white shades twirling on my sockets while I chomp your head off without second thought! Raaawwwrr!

Surely if I was brainwashed I might not be sitting beside J listening for the other side of the story from our instructor. Rrrraaaiiiyyyyt?

Again, I’m not brainwashed. I’m repeating this. And I’m not on denial. Nope.

Aside from the fact that I can think, I believe I have a free will. To write about something that makes sense or not, or to just plainly amuse myself. To act out my concern in this university. To wear that blue ribbon (where should I put it: on my hair, around my wrist or my neck? Perhaps I’ll tie it around the trees?).

To liberate.

Yes, that’s the word. I think most of the people here are not open-minded enough to listen on both sides of the story. Most of them just take orders from the higher authority: The USC or The Admin. Either way, it has influenced every student’s and staff’s decision. Some joined in because it’s what they told us to do. While others wanted to bring down the opposing management.

They might as well have risen from the dead with those vacant eyes hungry for power, eager for the kill, ambitious and greedy. Raaawwwrr!

Horrible monsters!

They might as well be the zombies and dummies of the twenty-first century. I myself turn into a zombie on stupor every stinking, boring class or a croc during chowtime but I know my limits and responsibilities. I know I’m capable of making my own decisions, what’s good for me, for this university and my country. Yeah.

With no reason to ponder its consequences, would you let yourself be like a dummy, controlled by its master? Or a zombie who takes pleasure exterminating those who are not their kind?

Hear Ye, We’re Having Classes Whilst (Mostly) Everyone Is On Strike!

2009-09-08T13:13:00.011+08:00

Have you ever experienced having class while most of the students in your university were “on strike”?

Have you ever missed an anticipating riot?

I do. Right now.

Arrggghh.

I’m stuck in this room, where we talk for one and a half hours about Rizal, patriotism and propaganda and heroic deeds. How utterly mocking it is to be stuck inside the classroom discussing freedom while everyone else outside is demonstrating it.

The Admin in our school is causing trouble these days. I know I should not meddle into politics but my sense of social responsibility and student awareness must be exercised. Like those students outside on strike!

Because I have a class, I just had a quick stop over in front of the Admin and managed to take a picture. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite much: all I got were heads and backs.

“You should pay attention to our class, debate is an interesting topic” declares our teacher, eyeing everyone in the room. I dare not blink when he passes a stare on me.

Hear ye. .hear ye. .I’m paying attention. .

“Mr C, I think you must transfer to the other seat,” he says much to my failed attempts to concentrate on class. D*mn! I thought I was discreet enough to catch glimpses of what’s happening outside.

I transfer and seat myself to the other side, and try to pay attention about the rules of debate.

A few minutes later I am learning how to address an inquirer by describing his $#!+¥ hat (“That Gentleman with the black top hat”); how to be recognized by raising one arm and the other holding your head because traditionally men of olden times wore a wig (I don’t know why you have to hold it, maybe because it might fall off?); and not to hold anything – may it be a baton or a quill – while you’re delivering your speech. But of course, none of us wears hats, or wigs or brings a baton in school.

Hear ye. .hear ye. .what an interesting stuffs this is!

Even though the world outside is unfolding and changing, even though I am dying to join the students for the demonstration, even though I am wearing this symbolic blue ribbon around my wrist, there’s an unspoken truth why I’m still stuck here with the teacher: I’m a student. I came here to learn in the first place. If I ditch this class to attend the commotion, as much as exciting it is, I will miss not only these lessons (how insignificant or useful it is in the future) but the opportunity itself that the teacher is here eager to share something renders me to stay still.

And listen.

And..uhm..write. :P

I concentrate on the class as much as I can, shutting out an image of myself, bald but discreetly concealed by a slick wig (shock!), carrying a top hat in one hand (shock!), a baton in another (shock!), a figure of urbane sophistication despite of old age, giving speeches and applauded by many (bow!), most renowned Filipino debater on history (bow!).

Am I Really In The Right Profession?!

2009-08-29T18:26:00.009+08:00

Maybe I should venture into graphics designing.

Maybe I'm not destined to be an IT specialist inspecting hardware failures on bunky PCs, poking dead machines, disecting their uhmm..memory. Maybe I have a more colorful career in grahic arts.

Anyway, this just crossed my mind as I was one of the finalist for T-shirt designing this afternoon. It's about the Fiesta T-shirt Design contest themed nationalism/ilonggo pride/estudyante blues which I decided to join just yesterday. Yes, yesterday as in just about 24 hours earlier.

I pondered all night about what I’m going to create. Something friendly, of course. Nothing bloody or vulgar to conjure some illicit responses.

Chukz and I came up with a thought about “aesthetically stimulating, simple but catchy enough” design.

I had imagined a hand, my hand particularly, and how it could have been abused to my scribbling reminders if I hadn’t had a notebook with me or the Notes on my phone. I entitled it “Skin Scribbles” for the theme Estudyante Blues.

The other one isn’t a bit imaginative as it ought to depict: a hand (again) listed full of pinoy values and traits with a Filipino flag in the shape of a triangle on the background. This one goes to the nationalism theme and I named it “Pinoy High Five”.

Both designs were listed as Top 15. Skin Scribbles earned Third Place while Pinoy High Five landed on Twelfth Place.

Comments for my works are welcome!

Twenties Girl, Sophie Kinsella

2009-08-28T20:04:00.002+08:00

So I'm into ghost books lately. Not that mga Kwentong Halimaw which are popular among kids, I'm way past over those.

Kinsella's Twenties Girl stars ghost and girls in light and entertaining read. Remember the saying that a death wish should be obeyed? This time around, it’s a ghost’s wish from Sadie, Lara’s great-aunt demanding her great-niece to search for a missing necklace (glass beaded dragonfly pendant, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, studded with rhinestones, vintage find).

Between love and work, Lara is pressured by the ghost of Sadie who has strong views on sex, fashion and the art of proper dancing, and thus embarks on a journey to discover her great-aunt's necklace, the secrets of Sadie's heart and the skeletons of her family's closet.

A sweet toast to Kinsella and to those old folks out there ( "All that white hair and wrinkled skin is just cladding. .They were all young, with love affairs and friends and parties and an endless life ahead of them" ) who loves the Charleston, cocktails, shaking their booties till dawn, driving too fast, smoking gaspers and barney-mugging (a.k.a. twenties version of sex)!

I <3 Bacolod!

2009-08-16T22:11:00.000+08:00

Interesting Stuffs in Bacolod:
★ shopping stores!
★ restaurants with reasonable prices
★ restaurants with skyrocketing prices
★ Seafood resto (skipped)
★ Veggie resto (skipped)
★ cafes
★ very ~~busy~~ active nightlife
★ party gals don't dressed up like a prostitute
★ cheap fare!
★ big plaza
★ colored mini vans
★ no pedestrian lane
★ no garbage dumps
★ no beggars
★ no crazy psycho roaming around the city
★ bump cars!
★ the plushie egg-machine

(Early) Day 1 To Bacolod

2009-08-16T18:44:00.004+08:00

I was running late.

My phone was showing the blank screen of defunct passivity, I haven't finished breakfast, and I had only an hour of sleep. Yesterday, I mean..just about three hours ago I was with Krista and Mara at Mcdonalds chatting till the ~~late~~ early hours in the morning about the pageant we had watched earlier, and how our college band didn't make it for top prize, or second prize..and third. We talked about children's books (yes, we're still kids), and our future careers (secret meetings and career-oriented goals, remember? Though I doubt they have that in mind).

So about my phone, it's acting strange lately. Navigation's kinda jammed, the phone's restarting and sometimes I keep on restarting it when it's $%^! lag. I had texted Kris and Marz and they're not bloody answering.

What should I do?!

★ Standby OR
★ Return to base and wait clearance OR
★ Abandon troops and proceed to destination

I went to the wharf. They could make it. I mean, if I got to Bacolod first and tip somene over there about my friends stuck in Iloilo, I could do more than help than just wait here. I went to the wharf (much closer this time). Yes, it was still dark, but the people..uhmm..they're gone. GONE! Ohgod! I couldn't think of any possibilities, maybe I'm early? It's still 5 AM. .uhm..or maybe. .Oh no, no. NO. They didn't abandon the troops, did they?

Sh*t.

I need contact.

I need back-up!

Wait, wait. Lemme see. Peer closer. .There's an man bellowing some trip schedule. Not an IICTzen. Some guy asleep while sitting. Not an IICTzen. An old lady selling something. Definitely not an IICTzen.

Old Lady: Are you travelling alone, child?
(she looks like a witch)
Ken: I'm on a group trip.
(be careful. She'll trick you and eat you later)
OL: Have you bought your ticket? Can I see them?
(Sh*t.)
K: Uhmm..no, our instructor has them. .hehe. Wait,
*looks around*saw the old man*
Old Man: ...*blah*blah*blah...Bacolod..6:00 AM..*blah*blah*
K: *approaches* Are you sure mister?
OM: Of course, child. First trip is 6:00 AM. Have you bought your ticket?
(doesn't look like a witch, nor a wizard but could secretly be either)
K: Yes, our instructor has them.

I was running early.

K: *sit*..*stand*..*sit*..*looks around*..

After a long wait..I saw an IICTzen. In grey shirt. After another couple of minutes after that, I saw Mitz. In grey shirt too. And another one in grey shirt. And another one.

Why are they in grey? Is this a joke?!

Worse, a conspiracy.

D*mn, that's it!

There had to be a conspiracy. I know it.

I mean, hello (Roger, roger?), you gave contact; no callback, you came on time; no troops, you wear a black shirt; they wear grey. I had to confirm it, this atrocious act.

Ken: Why are you wearin' that stupid shirt?!
(demoralizing the shirt so she wouldn't wear it *trying to sound casual*)
Mitz: *gives the know-it-all look* We agreed to wear this, remember?
K: *gives the I-know that-look-but-doesn't care coz I'm better off wearing a black shirt instead of grey* Oh.
M: It was agreed. Maam Beth said so. Were you at the meeting? *gives the I-was-there-look*
Sh*t.
K: Of course I was! *also gives the I-was-there-so don't bloody give me that look*

Of course I was at the meeting. And I didn't sleep, I tell you. I remember I had chatted with the President's girlfriend coz I need to borrow some correction fluid. I was doing the Liquidations. TOP PRIORITY, remember?! I was there. And I hadn't heard any concensus or voting. Isn't there suppose to be some kind of nomination and votation when you're dealing with the student body?! I learned that from the President himself.

Anyway, I couldn't go back home. And besides, isn't this great?! I am setting myself apart from these mass of travelers. I am different. Unique. Seeks adventure and independent. I must appear nonchalant and indifferent (like Mitzie's i-know-it-all confidence)to the rules of traveling (no smoking, no eating, no sleeping while traveling)

So there I was dressed in black while all the others were in their grey shirts.

Have a safe trip everyone!

Bacolod, Here I Come!

2009-08-10T18:14:00.001+08:00

President: ..blah..blah...IICT Days..blah..blah
Auditor: *raises an arguement*gives hypothetical situations*..blah..blah
Vice-President: *agrees*
Secretary: *dictating*..blah..blah
Asst. Sec: *scribble*scribble*
Treasurer: *doodle*doodle*

I was so bored with the discussion that the figures I had scribbled earlier were slowly turning into a lazy doodle. To keep me entertained, I had to think some random happy thoughts. Happy thoughts like..uhmm..like..bags, yes. Shopping bags, school bags, black bags, the ~~borrowed~~ free bag I'm using. And traveling bags of course, for the PSITS Convention. Ooh..I have to take note of what to bring, hmmm...some sort of survival kit according to personality.

Lemme see..Let's begin with Ivy, yeah..'coz she's..uhmm...the next closest to me right now. Hmm...phone, of course. Bottled water (she's sporty). And ~~rubber~~ shoes too. And maybe a powder or something girly. No, she doesn't use lipgloss..

"I'm not going," she informed me before slipping out at the meeting.

Ohgod, ~~sometimes~~ she couldn't appreciate the importance of conventions and traveling and those future stuffs we'll do in cool suits, running around and attending top secret meetings in a company one day. Besides, it's only in Bacolod. It'll just take a day.
All you have to do is

wake up @ 4AM (I'm not complaining this time or else I'll be left behind)
txt/update clasm8s
get dressed
upd8 cm8s
have breakfast
upd8 cm8s
hair check
meet-up w/ cm8s
travel
arrival from Iloilo
hair check
check-in
hair check
sign-in at the Convention
focus, listen or
~~sleep~~ engage in a conversation
snacks
hair check
focus, listen or
~~sleep~~ engage in a conversation
lunch
hair check
focus, listen or
~~sleep~~ engage in a conversation
snacks
-----AFTER PROGRAM------
hair check
stroll
stroll
stroll
~~hair check~~
sleep ~~or engage in a conversation~~
OR Departure from Bacolod

Uhmm..maybe I was planning too much.

arrival from Iloilo
sign-in
snacks
lunch
snacks
Sleep OR Departure from Bacolod

There! Easy-peasy, genius me. I have to make her realize that (noted).

Poldo, the Secretary was tired of dictating. He saw my personality bag and decided to mess around. We came up with the Ken & Leopold Essentials.

The Ken Essentials:
★ glasses
★ instant noodles
★ chopsticks
★ Sleeping for Dummies
★ coffee bean(Plants vs Zombies anyone?)
★ cellphone

The Leopold Essentials:
★ glass of water
★ vanity mirror
★ mosquito net
★ katol
★ OFF lotion
★ cellphone

Reminders For This Week:
★ Liquidations (TOP PRIORITY)

★ practice ~~football~~ DotA

★ PSITS on Saturday
★ persuade Poldo (<--- too busy but maybe will come) to come to PSITS
★ ~~persuade~~ cajole Ivy (<--- just plain busy, couldn't make it) to come to PSITS
★ Haircut ~~this~~ next Saturday
★ don't talk to strangers
★ DON'T BE LATE!

Umbrella Academy Series 1-6: Dallas, Gerard Way

2009-08-09T19:23:00.004+08:00

Whoever thought that MCR’s Gerard Way has no other exceptional talents besides rendering vocals to the band? Aside from composing, storytelling is one of Way’s talents, a flair for venting out all his noxious sentiments. Here in Umbrella Academy, he has mastered his new craft effectively like a pro. It’s like Marvel meets the Black Parade!

Unlike any traditional comic characters, the heroes are immersed in loneliness, anger, hate and bitterness. Fictional they would seem with their imperfections, flaws and dark pasts, this is what makes the comic book different among the rest of those perfect comic protagonists. Also, the colorful and exceptional artwork and details balance out the harshness and violence evident among the scenes.

The heroes, seven children adopted and trained under the Umbrella Academy grew up quarreling with each other until they were divided by their emotions under particular circumstances. The plot is set more than 18 years later, giving flashbacks to fill in readers, adding intrigue, meshing drama and action.
This comic book is like an extension of the Black Parade album where sarcasm, dark humor and tragedy are the MCR trademark. Three cheers for another successful debut!

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Movie

2009-08-09T17:32:00.000+08:00

Hasbro has made another money pot after bringing Transformers on screen. This time around, technology has evolved into an evil spawn in (note) controlling the world.

Hot stuffs I saw:
★ nanotechnology
★ voice recognition auto-pilot operator
(Ha! This is so not new. Jeff, Maiz and King are currently working on this project, I could ask a copy after they're finished and incorporate this in something electronic, like my phone perhaps..How cool is that?!)
★ the Baroness & Scarlett
★ ninjas!
★ techie stuff I can't seem to tell if its really existing
★ Action
★ Explosion..they have purchase more than 100 cars to destroy!
★ warheads AKA weapon of mass destruction-slash-hypnosis

Hot stuffs my sister saw:
★ Channing on fatigues
★ Channing on accelerator suit
★ Channing barechested

UBEREFFECTS! Check out their site.

Hi ding. .

2009-08-07T12:01:00.021+08:00

I'm not supposed to be here typing how my day went out, who's online (The Queen is, 24/7 except during summer when she's on vacation. Status: welcomes snogging), how my exams went (It was okay. Hah! I didn't cheat), or who's beside me (..nevermind, you wouldn't believe it).

Let's see. .I'm supposed to be:
★ doing liquidations
...this was labeled as Middle Priority. BUT. The Chairman transferred it to TOP Priority. I'm not complaining, he's the boss.
★ on a lunchdate
...I cancelled it.
★ playing football or
...Haha, and get sick?! Who am I kidding?
★ playing volleyball
...only with Mark, he promised me. Well, okay. I made him promised me.
★ studying exams for next week
...
★ with the Chairman
...or the Chairman is supposed to be with ME. But anyway, I ran away. I'm supposed to be busy with the TOP Priority.
★ shopping for a new schoolbag or
...My precious school bag is getting dirty and I don't have the time to wash it, let alone some fair-weathered god bless it dry in less than twelve hours, I'm saving for some adventure-slash-shopping-slash-convention this coming Friday but maybe I could..
★ replace my (my sister's, actually) schoolbag with my (other) sister's

The Current YM Status

2009-08-06T12:30:00.007+08:00

Queen W: asleep and not dreaming, but pondering
Muy: not sleeping but dreaming, and not pondering
Ken: sleepwalking and daydreaming, no pun for pondering

Yellow

2009-08-05T20:03:00.005+08:00

"..I swam across, I jumped across for you. Look how they shine for you. And all the things you do.."

I'm not a fan of Coldplay but this song was dug up from my mind as the former Philippine President Cory Aquino was laid rest today oblivious to her remnants. Almost all wanted to be at her burial. Amost all was, indeed, in yellow.

Hook Me Up, The Veronicas

2009-08-03T20:09:00.013+08:00

In case you need more than a dose of smoochs and shakes in the middle of the dancefloor, the Veronicas Hook Me Up is your first-class guru within a bat of an eyelash that'll make your flirting more subtle with classy finese in the lash stand of seduction . Tracks sound alike; danceable (Take Me On The Floor, This Is How It Feels, I Don't Wanna Wait, Hook Me Up) and upbeat (Change The World, Popular, Goodbye To You, 4ever) though only Untouched is more gregarious and a bit rated but smartly paired with violins. The band has also included light ballads such as In Another Life, This Love, Someone Wake Me Up. Light tracks coupled with pop synthesizers that will surely hook you up!

No Classes Today!

2009-08-03T07:13:00.000+08:00

"Rain caught up on me, sank in2 my skin. .Chills n shivers travel up n down my spine. I need plenty of rest, bt cud u pls..puhleez!..sign an attndnce 4 me? hehhe. Tenkyu!"

Well I wasn't really sick. There was a huge black-out in the city yesterday and I haven't ironed out my clothes.
"But you got to go to school!" said my lil sis.
She didn't get it, did she?! How was I supposed to go to school without ironing my uniforms?! Without lights on the bathroom?! In the room? My glasses is no nightmode eyes. And how was I suppose to find uhmm...a pair of black socks?! I couldn't borrow anymore of my sister's pastel colored socks from the drawer.
Will Candy believe me? I don't think so. We've been classmates since highschool, she knows if I lied or made something up.
I texted her in Ilonggo instead, our native tongue, para mas maintindihan. I'm saving this (English version) one for Krista.
But before I could press the SEND button Krista's SMS popped on screen: "NO CLASS 2day hahah"
So what would I do in the middle of the dark early in the morning? Uhmm..Nothing, I suppose. Nothing but back to the cushion of nothingness..

Stuffs To Do For Midterm:
★ photocopies, copy notes
★ study for midterm (TOP PRIORITY)
★ renew friendship ties with my classmates, in case I need to barter an answer or two
★ stick with Candy or Krista during exams
★ DON'T BE LATE!
★ polish my glasses for enhanced range
★ take coffee-flavored candies before exams-XO!
★ eat,eat,eat! Eat more green leafy veggies
★ review the alphabet of hand language (only A, B, C, D, E)
★ practice calligraphy, make my scrawl intelligible
★ keep cool

Additional Stuffs:
★ buy ~~white~~ ~~grey~~ black socks with ~~white~~ grey pipings
★ Liquidations Statement (MIDDLE PRIORITY)
★ download Ane's fave mp3s (LOW PRIORITY)

Practice Make Me Sick

2009-07-29T12:19:00.008+08:00

I got sick from our class' weekly sport practice last Friday. To top it all I got sore muscles and sore throat. How was that for playing football, jogging and frisbee?! I could barely make it out from bed the next day. The following Monday I was diagnosed acidic from drinking too much orange juice. I don't know what the $&#%*!@ happened. Sports is healthy. So are orange juice and tea. My mom figured I was overdoing the healthy lifestyle.

The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman

2009-07-24T18:39:00.009+08:00

Inspired from Kipling's The Jungle Book, The Graveyard Book is set (uh..obviously) in a graveyard where young Nobody Owens is taken custody by ghosts when his family were silently murdered one misty night.

Strange as his name, Bod (short for Nobody) can walk the path between the living and the dead, seeing and talking to the invisible, learning lessons from dead historians, mastering the art of Fading and Dreamwalking, and exploring crypts and secret ghoul-gates unlike any kid his age dared go. He gets to explore the land beyond the living and meets more than the dead and the undead. Bod encountes many coloful and one-toned characters in a world of somber black and ghasly white: ghouls, The Lady on the Gey, a female werewolf, and more than three hundred ghosts which includes Caius Pompeius and the famous poet Nehemiah Trot. And there's also Liz the Witch who never forgets.
This book is another latest addition on Gaiman's collection of bedtime tales for little ears. But adults might as well enjoy reading this ghost-friendly book!
PS: it's not really THAT scary!

Beautiful Big Machines

2009-07-23T17:23:00.027+08:00

My Favorite Autobots:
Chromia and Arcee Twins - Hot female Autobots as well as their decoy rider. I wonder who she (the rider) is..
Sideswipe - Silvery, Flashy. I like how he was given robo-"roller shoes" instead of robo-"shoes"! And he has detachable blades for melee combat. Definitely Classy.
Skid and Mudflap - The twins took an "upgrade" at the later part of the movie switiching the popsicle-selling candy van for a green and a red car. Despite their comic antics, nobody (and nothing) messes with these twins!
Bumblebee - Everyone's favorite I guess.

My Favorite Decepticons:
Scorponok - Aw, reminds me of DotA's Sand King. Too little exposure..For a second he appeared on screen, and the next three seconds he was dead! Ggrrr..!
Rampage - I like his belt, or whatever it was dangling in his arm. Too bad Bee killed him.
Demolisher - Okay, this guy deserves a credit since he was the one to bring the first scenes into action.
Devistator - So far he's he biggest Decepticon to appear on screen consisting of more than 3 different cars which is unfair, since why are the Decepticons so advance and complex when evil is bred in their nature? Should goodness be kept plain and simple? Hmmm..

Anyway, Michael Bay has done it again on Transformers 2! For sure, fans would expect another installment.
My clenched fist can't help transforming into two-thumbs up for this movie!

The Teacher Perfect This GenerationX

2009-07-20T16:08:00.003+08:00

What’s wrong with teachers anyway?

I am greatly mystified how a teacher affects my studies. It’s not crush, or love or because I need to pee. Generally, it’s the age gap because they know a lot of things: petty things (like how to crimp, how to type properly), useful things (Programming, Java) and dull things (still Programming, Java). It’s all depends on us to sort out which of these are useful or just plain nonsense.

But seriously, a few instances came when I got a helluva urge to scream in frustration when a teacher fails to teach right. Poise and good looks are interesting enough but speech communication and attitude really draws me toward a teacher. I mean, he/she has the spotlight and the floor already; surely he/she could deliver the lines well enough like the President’s speech to amaze and inspire me.

A teacher is mostly the primary reason why a student wants to enroll in his/her class. But in my case (I have blocked schedule), I sometimes wish my teacher to be a lil bit late, or have a sore throat or maybe she’ll catch a virus or something. Just minor casualties.

But hey! A new development is rapidly spreading among teachers these days. With technology as its carrier, expect your teacher to conduct classes virtually and give tests and homework online. However, just as our instructors have substituted to laptops and projectors from chalk and board, we students, whose money is controlled entirely by our dear parents, couldn't switch easily to a more advanced notebooks due to their lack of enthusiasm.

What are the characteristics that transmuted the art of teaching?

Lifespan – teachers get tired, could take LOA. Worst they get sick (No classes!). Let's admit it: they're merely human. So I wouldn't exaggerate if Lao Tzu didn't lived long enough to teach me his principles. Honestly, being shipped off to mainland China to live among monks and ponder new philosophies seems like a disastrous idea. With computers however, it's different. A computer company's newly-released 'baby' can be proven effective and yet a mainframe computer could still be your teacher despite its old age. But they have their drawbacks too: they have no distinct personalities, just specs and design. It's like if you've seen one computer, you've seen them all. Our teachers however, are different in his/her own way. Maam Beth can only be Maam Beth, right? If she's gone or decides to leave us one day, no one and nothing can ever replace her.

Reliability and Accuracy – the existence of ebooks allows us the assurance and confidence for accuracy like any other workbooks used by our teachers. Various sources from the net could be proven useful but not all are reliable. Take note: your teacher's book is mostly accurate and reliable since he/she is using it in your class. Then again, not all ebooks are accurate. Some haven't been thoroughly edited and proofread due to lack of budget - that's why it's published virtually. And another note: blogs are also not that accurate and reliable since a blogger doesn't have an editor nor any standards of netiquette. A blogger can publish what he/she wants for all he/she care. Like moi. :-P

Accessibility and Connectivity – Ever had deadlines at midnight? Or take home quizzes? With technology's tentacle squiggling from the wires inside our computer laboratories extending to our homes, yes we can! Many students have been given ample time to maximize their productivity, channeling their energy into frenzied partying before consuming their creative juices. Students, be grateful for this.

These complexities have altered the tools used in teaching and like a double-edged sword, it has drawn strength to improve and strengthen its influence over us but also weakened our sense of frailty. Being dependent on machines, we have immersed ourselves into the world of the virtual unknown. It's like Buzz being alone in a planet full of three-eyed creatures. You'll feel alienated.

Imagine when our beloved teachers will be obsolete and will be replaced by androids, implanting RFIDs inside our brain to keep watch on our work and track our current activities. It's like Big Brother in school, so we have to be good at all times. And well behaved.

Not to mention to be respectful too.

Or else they'd take back not just the implanted RFID but your brains as well and use it for other purposes. These robots could literally get heartless sometimes.

Well, I prefer to keep my brain (without the RFIDs) inside my head, to scribble notes on my torn notebook. I prefer my human teachers despite them being imperfect, temperamental and subject to emotional reactions and casualties. And I think most of the people will agree about that.

Take It To The Floor, Cash Cash

2009-06-08T20:32:00.000+08:00

Move over Metro Station, Cash Cash first and latest debut is making its way into the dancefloor! With boisterous techno-pop tracks like Can't Stop Looking, Your Love, Radio, Electric Hearts, Dynamite, Sugar Rush and the party-poppin' Party In Your Bedroom, expect this band to make lots of guestings, concerts and as their name literally implies: lots of cash. Guaranteed for a turbo-charged party night!

"Here, Here and Here", Meg and Dia

2009-04-20T20:05:00.004+08:00

Meg and Dia still covers the same territory on their third debut, though now they added a new funky/country vibe, extending beyond the comfy shadows of a child's closetThe vocals drawl much like a child's ramblings; the lyrics, much like from some lost girl's diary.

Laid back notes on the grounds of innocence, bits and pieces of small talks, this album came just in time for your summer isolation. Hook this up on a sunny (and rainy!) road trip (Check out I'm Going Away, The Last Great Star in Hollywood, Hug Me, What If), on a lazy day (Are There Giants Too, In The Dance?, Agree to Disagree), or simply on an idle night (Kiss You Goodnight, Fighting For Nothing, Here, Here and Here, Bored Of Your Love). Need a dose of emo? Don't miss "Inside My Head".
This time, the band has a high probability of hitting mainstream and their songs will surely mark, as Mozart pointed out "here, here and here," 'in your heart and mind and ears'!

How To Call A Bluff, My Favorite Highway

2009-04-11T18:27:00.003+08:00

If you want something to wedge between the Jonases and Chris Martin without trying too hard, My Favorite Highway's official debut How To Call A Bluff is not to be missed for its near-perfect package. Considering it is their first offical release after Anywhere But Here EP, you will be surprise about their tracks fused with rock. Bigger Than Love, Bittersweet Life, In My Heart, Simple Life, Steel City are filled with different facets of love and longing, and so are Entertain The Pain, Getaway Car, What Are You Waiting For, Walking On A Wire, The Chase. Say So, my personal fave, takes on a catchy rhythm of pop topping off the Jonas Brothers (watch out!) on centerstage.

"Hold On Tight", Hey Monday

2009-03-30T20:42:00.000+08:00

Their promo single "Homecoming" hadn't really caught my attention at first. But Queen Winky really ("deliberately.forcibly") had us listened to this band everytime we scheduled a little Study/Soft Eng rendezvous at her palace last school semester. And boy, their songs did stuck on my head! And oooh boy, the vocalist is a GIRL! A mini Hayley!? (cute hairdo!)

The band's genre is pop alternative fused with catchy lines and hyper beats. Like most, I saw the comparison to Paramore without anyone else mentioning it. The style, genre, age and the fact that there is only one girl. The only difference is that Hey Monday's debut started off with something fresh and catchy tunes to listen. Just light popcandy to energized the young ones. Paramore, on the other hand, started off with a dash of haunting and depth in their debut "All We Know Is Falling". It's a mature album beyond a teen's years.
Maybe they just need time to develop.
Or maybe let's just stop comparing one band to another. Anyway, just listen to their tracks and I'm sure you'll get hooked too! Almost half of the songs in the album are my favorites: Arizona, How You Love Me Now, Hurricane Streets, Obvious, Run Don't Walk, Set Off.

And hey, did I mention that I'm kinda liking "Homecoming" these days? Aw.

2007-11-12T19:17:00.000+08:00

Few more folds to be folded,
Few more pages to be scanned,
Few more outbursts to be voiced out,
Slowly getting tired,
Slowly wearing out,
Slowly fading away…
Yet nothing happens,
Yet nothing changes,
Yet nothing comes right…
I’ve got nothing to say,
But I’ve got something to share…
…As of this moment…