Yes, I blog again. XD Blame lethargy and my strong avoidance of responsibilities for still not being able to muster the courage to visit an ISP's office. I would also like to blame it on writer's block. Oooh, you could help me think of other things to blame.

Whenever I try to do this, justifying my recent incapacity to touch a keyboard for the sole purpose of writing, I go back again and again to one reason: I've been afraid to write. I've always been honest but, lately, I've been having a strong feeling or urge to write with so much frankness that I fear I would sabotage my own existence if I succeeded on completing a work. Haha. Really silly. I know. XD

Private or public. I still can't get myself to write. I cringe at the thought of pouring my sentiments when before it was the only thing that allowed me to keep my sanity. Sigh, I'm hoping I could get over it soon.

Anyway, just a little update on what has been happening to me -- after all, I keep this blog to document my life. ~_~ Too many fascinating things have been going on but I refuse to write about them unembroidered...so let me see...

I'm in Bicol. In a couple of days, I'm going back to Manila for my final practicum. It starts on the 4th of May, three days after my birthday. On my birthday, I would be obliged to add a year more to my age and would be unable to keep myself from crying out profane phrases because -dammit- I would be 21 and still no clear image of my future. I wish I was forgetful enough to forget my own birthday, the way I fail to recall birthdays of significant people in my life.

The last time I came home was during the Holy Week. We went to see the soil erosion in Brgy. Tigkiw. I was planning on birding during the hike. Unfortunately, you can't really have a decent birding activity if your company is more concerned of something else rather than listening to and locating the birds. I don't really remember how long we walked but I do remember hearing the incessant singing of Sunbirds. At one time, I saw a flock of about ten Sunbirds cross above me from one palm tree to another. Since I was looking up against the light, I was unable to identify their colors. But the chorus was unmistakably that of Sunbirds.

A few minutes after reaching our destination, my brother pointed to a blue bird, the sheen of its plumage made it easy to identify as a Kingfisher, and when I looked through my binoculars, I realized it was a White-throated Kingfisher. I was also able to spot a flying Black-naped Oriole.

The first thing you would see is the massive hole, across would be a row of trees and to the west is a gap which breaks the ring.

A few houses had been gobbled up by the earth --those located in the middle -- since the erosion was gradual, the occupants had the chance to evacuate. However, there are still residents who refuse to leave, probably because they have no other place to go. They've asked for aid. Unfortunately, the local government has done no apparent assistance.

We went down beyond the gap, and my brother tried to go near the heart of the erosion but the ground was too soft and his left leg ended up two feet under. XD

While my brother was trying to wash off the mud on his leg, I heard another Sunbird, we found it sitting on a palm tree beside us. It was a Crimson Sunbird. :D

That was my second Sunbird in three days. On the afternoon of April 8, a few hours before I left for Bicol, I was on one of the benches in front of the Main Library with a Matthew Alper book on my palms. But I just couldn't ignore all the birds calling around me. Three small birds were particularly noisy, and wouldn't quit flying from one tree to another. When one of them finally perched still on an almost leafless tree, I slowly walked near it to get a better view. It was a Red-keeled Flowerpecker. They seemed to have been performing a mating dance. I could still hear unfamiliar birdcalls so I decided to go home to get the binoculars. When I went back, about an hour after, the Red-keeled Flowerpeckers were gone. I couldn't find anymore birds except for a White-collared Kingfisher, some Golden-bellied Flyeaters and Pied Fantails, the common Yellow Vented Bulbuls, Eurasian Tree Sparrows, and Long-tailed and Brown Shrikes.

I spent a few more minutes along Betaway. There, I spotted a singly bird on a tall, leafless tree (I really need to learn the names of the trees. Haha. XD) I could only see its silhouette but when I made out its curved beak, I walked a few meters towards it. It was an Olive-backed Sunbird! I was so happy, I wanted to jump from all the excitement. I hurriedly sent messages to a few of my friends just to tell them that I finally saw a Sunbird. Hahaha. XD

Anyway, back to Tigkiw. XD We decided to take a shorter route out of the forest. It's a good thing we did, I was able to add two more lifers on my list: a pair of Red-crested Malkohas and a Lesser Coucal. :)

I wish I could've stayed longer. There's no telling how many species I would've seen if I spent more time and focused on birding. In the future, I plan on going back and visiting other barrios for the purpose of identifying other different bird species. With enough time and the proper resources. XD

Birdwatching is one of the the fastest-growing recreational activities in the world. Philippines could be considered as one of the perfect birding destinations since we have a very diverse set of bird species and we also have one of the highest endemnism in the world.

The DOT has started recognizing the role of birding in ecotourism, so they have been doing projects to promote birding in the country.

If properly implemented in our town, no doubt, it would also boost our tourism, and would give both the local government and people more opportunities for revenue-generation. Take Candaba, Pampanga for example. Known as the Home of Migratory Birds, it is probably the most popular birding site in the country, thanks to its active and successful publicity and conservation projects. Visit their site and on its homepage is a logo of their Ibon-Ebon Festival. Yes they have a festival for it and they only started last year, its success has been amazing.

It would be great to read it on the newspaper, Gubat as a birding destination. XD But there really is no need for that. Even just the documentation of the species would be a meaningful move by the local government. It should seem pointless at first, not much apparent environmental destruction has been going on in the town anyway, but it could greatly contribute to the current records, which would give additional chance for wider scientific insights on the current climate change.

But you really can't expect much from the local system. ~_~ Do'h.

We had to hike for an hour or so to reach Tigkiw-na-Saday. We rode a tricycle to Brgy. Tigkiw and it took us less than 20 minutes. Along the way is a spectacle of the greenest mountains and rice fields. Our house is located in the center of the town. I'm inside the living room right now. I've been hearing various birdcalls for the past hour. I thought the sunbird's song was just playing in my head. I opened the bathroom window to get a view of the neighbor's backyard, avocados and guavas hang from the trees, three palm trees are standing tall, and various other flowering trees. I wasn't delusional. XD There's a sunbird in the highest palm tree, I just can't locate it but I can certainly hear it singing. Three swiftlets were gliding around and a lonely Pied Fantail was perched on the nearest tree to the window. :) Who would've thought that I didn't really need to leave the house just to find a sunbird? I'll locate it soon enough. :)

(PHOTOS by neon2rosell)

Wednesday afternoon of last week, after our class, I went with my PE teacher to the campus' post office to check out a bird that was fast becoming a celebrity in the birding community. (FYI, I have Birdwatching/Birding for PE this semester.) This colorful bird, they say, is about 5 to 6 inches in size and goes by the name of Coppersmith Barbet. xD A passerby was kind enough to point to us the exact location of the nest. It was a perfect circle, probably around 3 inches or so in diameter, on a dead branch of a Narra tree, about five meters from the ground. We stood staring at the nest for about five minutes before Sir Bert said it would be better to watch it early in the morning, when it's normal for birds to be active.

Friday afternoon, before another PE class, I decided to eat a serving of fishballs at the food kiosk by the college building. The kiosk stands near a Narra tree, in front of a security office. The tree is almost leafless and dead branches sprout from all directions. When Ate Bebels handed me the paper plate of toasted fishballs, I started hearing a slow hammering sound. I became even more curious when I realized it couldn't be anything else but a bird call. It was loud and unconventional; it sounded very different from the normal chirps the Eurasian Tree Sparrows (ETS, more commonly known as Maya) and Yellow-vented Bulbuls made, and it succeeded in tempting me to look for its nest.

At first, I thought it was coming from a tree behind the security office. Then, I realized it was somewhere nearer. I asked Ate Bebels if she heard the same noise, "pok-pok-pok," she mimicked. While I wasn't looking, laughing at how she imitated the sound (pok-pok is a slang term for prostitute in Tagalog), her husband saw the bird come out from a hole. He described it to be small and green in color. Then, scanning the Narra tree, I found two perfect circles on a dead branch in the middle of the tree. The slow hammering sound continued. Since I didn't see the bird, I walked away frustrated to go to my PE class.

Sir Bert told us to meet him at the parking lot behind the Faculty Center building. Trees of all sorts grow in the middle of the parking lot. A Spotted Wood Kingfisher(SWKF) has been sighted in the area a few days ago by Sir Mando, a popular UP birdwatcher. The SWKF has been gaining popularity since then, a number of birders has been visiting UP just to see it. I first met Sir Mando last January, when my groupmates and I were patrolling the science pavilions behind the AS building for a birdwatching session. I already saw the Kingfisher about three days earlier, when I went birdwatching with online friends Dong and Jenn. When we were unable to locate its current whereabouts, Sir Bert took out his SLR and showed us a video he took of the Coppersmith Barbet earlier that day. And, mygawd, it is probably one of the most beautiful birds I've seen in my life so far (forgive me if I say so, I'm an amateur birder xD). It's brightly colored with a black-bordered yellow face. Its throat and forecrown are red, its wings green and the underwings of a lighter shade. And it has a tuft of hair that looks like a set of whiskers before its dark bill protrudes. "Pok-pok-pok." Sir Bert was mimicking its call!~

After class, I told him about the nest I found and we went straight to the area. Almost to the Narra tree, Sir Bert cried out, "that's it!" pointing to another tree opposite the kiosk, there was a bird perched on one of its branches. Three birds that resembled the one on his video flew to the Narra tree and started to dance around. True enough, it was a Coppersmith Barbet's nest! That's when I realized that I just found my first bird's nest. :D

Maybe this picture will give more justice to the barbet's beauty:



I didn't take birdwatching seriously during the early weeks of the semester. Knowing that we can somehow coexist with birds was enough for me, I didn't have the time to watch them. I was forced to take the PE since the University Information System would not list me under Pilates (which I've tried to enlist in for 8 semesters already). I think it was the Red-Keeled Flowerpecker and Guaiaberos that ignited the fervor in me. When my groupmate and I went birdwatching during a Thursday morning around the AS building, I spotted a single bird perched on the highest branch of a tree beside the Kamia Residence Hall. When I raised the binoculars to my eyes, I saw the red vertical line on its breast. Unfortunately, it flew away before my groupmate could locate it. When we were about to leave the area, we started hearing a very loud noise coming from one of the trees near the building's parking lot. Then, swoosh!~ Five big green birds flew above us, heading to the group of trees behind the next building. I couldn't move, I just stood there staring at the empty sky overwhelmed with my eyes all wide.O_O

An hour after, when I went to Hardin ng Rosas (HNR), I found Sir Mando doing his usual HNR birding, I reported the birds to him and he told me that it was a Red-keeled Flowerpecker and probably a flock of Guaiaberos. He said he hasn't tried photographing Guaiaberos and was unsure if they were indeed Guaiaberos. Maybe because he hasn't seen one in the University yet. I found out later that they were Guaiaberos, confirmed by pictures taken by another birder.


Red-Keeled Flowerpecker

Red-keeled Flowerpeckers make me laugh. It's always by itself when I see it, never in a group. I guess it's not an unusual behavior. I like to call them emo birds: lonely, dark and bleeding. xD

( More avian photos under this cut... )

Our class also went on a field trip to Ternate, Cavite during the first week of the month. There, for the first time in my life, I saw raptors outside a cage, gliding endlessly in the sky. We were able to take a closer look at the Serpent Eagle when it perched on a tree. However, the Brahminy Kites won't quit flying. xD A pair of Tarictic Hornbills also showed themselves to us while we walked down the National Park's road. The other new bird species that we identified were the Swiftlets, Philippine Falconets, Rufous Night-herons, Black-crowned Night-herons, and Blue-tailed(?) Bee-eaters and a Whiskered Tree-swift.

A few days after the field trip, I found myself walking from Krus na Ligas (where I live and which is only a few blocks away) to HNR carrying a pair of binoculars. That's when it officially started. Stories from expert birders like Sir Mando were also very enticing, the way he would talk about Sunbirds made me write "Find a Sunbird" on my Life List. Haha. xD

For a few days after I found the nest, I couldn't sleep very well. No, it wasn't from all the excitement, though maybe it contributed - haha. xD I felt rather disturbed. I've been a student under the HRIM program of the university for nearly three years now, I go to the college building almost everyday and it was only during that day that I realized the barbet's existence. I've been a UP student for a long time, and only during my fifth year did I find out there are birds in the campus other than the ETS. Just two days ago, while on my way to the College Library, I heard a familiar shrilling sound coming from the tree beside the SHARP (a student organization) tambayan. I looked up, located the sound and saw three Golden-bellied Flyeaters. :)


Golden-bellied Flyeater

These birds aren't new to the campus. They're only completely new to me. I've been very preoccupied with so many things in life that I've forgotten to stop and smell the roses. I can't imagine I missed seeing how beautiful these birds were for years. And I wonder what other things I failed to see while I was too busy with books, computers and people.

Right now, I only have a pair of Olympus 10x50 DPS I binoculars, which I borrowed from a classmate a few months ago. As soon as I get out of my current poverty (xD), I will save up for some optical gadgets. Maybe in a few years, I would be able to afford a camera, so I could document better.

There is something ethereal about birds, about birding in general. It's what keeps me hooked. When you enter the world of birding, a bird doesn't just perch, feed and fly, it starts to dance, sing and play. It starts to live. Something insignificant becomes beautiful, and the rest of your life goes with it. At least for my case. :D

It's three o'clock in the morning and I'm still up. My back hurts. I'm bored.
I can't sleep. I will tell you why in the next post. Right now, I'm just trying very hard not to think about it. The effort has, obviously, been useless because I'm still awake eating chips and thinking about all the chances of a situation going wrong. I wish life was easier to deal with -haha- I never get tired of hoping for the better.

I've been out having fun with high school classmates for two straight nights already. Tomorrow, my siblings and I are joining a grand eyeball at the town's beach. So, yes, I'm making the most of the holidays before I go back to Manila. Once I return to the city, it'll be another 10 months before I see the beach again.



Say hello to a bored Najo in her pajamas. Yes, I know I look awful. It's 3AM. Shoo.

(GMT+8, Philippine Time)

I will now rant about how incredibly monotonous this year's Christmas is. Aside from the fact that there has been great tension in the family, one of my sisters is also scheduled to leave for Utah tomorrow, that means she's not here right now. So we're two family members short, the other one being my deceased father.

It's exactly an hour before Christmas. Mother is asleep. Brother is at his girlfriend's house, probably having the time of his life with the karaoke machine. Eldest Sister in the other room with her Multiply account open. And Youngest Sister just arrived from somewhere, is now turning on the TV and settling on the reclining chair in front of me. Everybody is so relaxed that it's starting to annoy me.

A few years ago, Christmas meant family time over good food and visit to the relatives and carols. WTF happened to that Christmas? It's an hour before Christmas and I'm on the couch blogging about the hour before Christmas. WTF happened?

This is the perfect exemplification of change. People grow up. People leave. People die. We try to bring back the past but it, ultimately, becomes useless to relive things. Because people don't grow young. Because it takes time for people to come back. Because people don't come back from the dead. Things just simply change.

No, Christmas is certainly not in the air. The neighbor must have sucked all the excitement from my Christmas air earlier.

It's 30 minutes before Christmas. I hear the rumble of fireworks outside. I'm sitting beside a Christmas tree that would've looked nice if I was feeling nice. Haha. But it just looks like a giant branch right now. We're not even having a real noche buena (literally means 'good night' but translates to 'Christmas dinner' in Filipino), I'll probably gobble on a plate of spaghetti later. By myself.

There are Christmas presents. But they're not under the tree. I miss Christmas from 15 years ago, when I still believed in Santa Claus and we still had the innocence to hang socks by the window.

It's 15 minutes before Christmas. Brother probably won't be home by midnight. Eldest Sister is asking if we should have dinner now. Youngest Sister said she's still too stuffed.

It's midnight. The start of Christmas day. The father is dead. The mother is asleep. One sister is hundreds of kilometers away. The brother is drunk in somebody else's house. And the rest of us are bored. Christmas spirit has been dead for a long time.

So bite me if I'm ranting about Christmas. But I sincerely hope you're having a great one. Happy holidays to everyone. :)

BTW, it's never too late to buy me a Christmas present. And it would definitely cheer me up. Click here.

There is much potential in the Filipino cuisine to become one of the most coveted in the gastronomy market. Alongside what other cuisines, like Chinese and Italian, have to offer. It felt great to find out that our very own cooking is beginning to delight the foreign palates.

I have been told a thousand times that Filipino cuisine would never shake the international market, simply because our food would either be too less or too much for the outsiders – that the smell of our food is uninviting, our flavors are too extreme, and our food presentation is less than mediocre. But I learned from Ms. Amy Besa herself that there are, in fact, many ways to overcome these obstructions; Ms. Amy and her husband were able to revolutionize our cuisine to cater to the wants of the outsiders but still retain its being distinctly Filipino. This exemplifies the reality that we must not be afraid to innovate; we must not be afraid to risk. Risking does not only unlock a door to a certain level of greatness, it also opens other windows of opportunities that tell us the world offers a vast amount of chances to attain our dreams.

Filipinos are capable. We are capable of doing almost anything when we set our minds to it. We know how to dream and how to dream big. This must have been the result of all the adversities our people have been experiencing. We have the bests, from the singers with the most enchanting voices to the fiercest boxers, but we remain a small economy of little aptitude relative to our neighboring countries. The individual success of Filipinos is independent of its government, but if you look at it at another angle, every Filipino mirrors our country, whatever we do reflects our society and culture. And the government being the biggest and most influential entity must do its part. For our cuisine to become a true international market player, the government must show its support. Organized studies and trade assistance must be given to the food service industry.

Our community is one of the most diverse in the world for we have been subject to all sorts of occupation. This diversity is often looked at as a hindrance to development because cultures would clash and result to all kinds of conflict. But diversity can also be a tool of development. The Filipino cuisine is a very diverse cuisine as Ms. Amy mentioned. Our cuisine exudes all the richness of flavor, which can cater to a diverse set of palates.

Ms. Amy and her husband are only two of the millions of Filipinos that have left the Philippines. There are various reasons why Filipinos leave the country. Who knows, I might leave the country in the future as well. But another thing that has been restated to me during the lecture was the importance of looking back at our country and our people, and appreciating our diversity. That is probably the most important thing that has been imparted by Ms. Amy. True, there are greener pastures beyond the cluster of islands collectively called the Philippines; I could be more successful if I leave but even if I do seek for achievement in a foreign land – I would always think of coming back, I would always come back. Because the Philippines is where I belong, Filipinos are whom I could identify myself with. And my people are the people whom I would certainly like to share my accomplishments with. This is, after all, home sweet home.

Ms. Amy Besa was the most recent speaker of the College of Home Economics' Learning from the Masters lecture series and the owner of Cendrillon. Cendrillon is a high-end, pan-Asian restaurant located in New York City. (Kudos to Ms. Besa and her husband, Chef Romy!)

I wanna visit New York! xD

Just so you know, I'm still alive.

I'm a college student again. Almost too busy to take care of my journal. But I'm not.
Well, the initial reason why I couldn't update was the negative mental state that almost needed clinical intervention. If you've read the previous posts, you'll realize that I've gone through another depression. That's almost over. I am now trying to crawl my way from denial to acceptance. So far so good. I'm away, so I can be free to become apathetic if I want to. Thing is the issue won't leave me alone. So I'm trying to be as busy as I can.

I moved into a boarding house, which is way closer to the campus than the Mandaluyong apartment. My new area is technically still part of UP. The college building is just a jeepney ride away, so what could be more convenient? I lived here a couple of semesters ago and didn't really think that I would come back. I'm not a fan of the environment. But I don't really have a choice.

After I left the Super Teacher job, I immediately applied for another one. The new job is better. Schedule is good, doesn't conflict with school, and I have almost full control of it. Yeah, it's another teaching job but it's not driving me insane, it's online and home-based. Though, right now, I have no Intarnutz. No intarnutz means no job. No job means money shortage. Money shortage means pan de sal (salt bread) for dinner. Haha. xD

I get to work on the legendary thesis this semester. I'm uber excited. Seriously. I have another major subject, which I should've taken semesters ago but I didn't. So I suffer. My classmates are loud and young. They look fun. But I feel alone and old. I'm having a hard time making friends because I'm at least two years older than them and they know each other. And I'm ooold! And I'm ooold! And I'm ooold! T_T

Now, I go back to the room that I rent for ~US$45.00/month. I apologize for being unable to read your entries. I hope I'm still on your list. I will try to catch up once I get my own Internet connection. :)

We write our own stories.
We control our own lives.
Nobody else is there to play the protagonist.
But a protagonist is not a protagonist without the plot.

I control my own life.
I can make things right again.

I can help them make things better.
I will help them.

I will never again assume that every thing is and will be alright. Not ever.
Life is always out to get you.

Conspiracies are for real.
They don't just happen in movies.

I am angry.
I have been betrayed.
I am disappointed.
I don't have the courage to be the villain in yours even if I want to.
I am sad.
I have lived almost my whole life believing I made the right decisions, I thought I did the right things.
I am hurt.
My trust has been violated.

But I won't give up believing in happy endings.

I control my own life

My story is going to end happy.

I will be happy. Someday.

And I will never be the same again.
None of us will ever be.

I want to hate. But I can't.
Don't let me hate. Please. I am begging.

I became a better person once.
I will become better again.
For everybody.
For myself.
For you.

This time I'm not going to lie and say I'm fine because I really am not. And I think I have had enough. I have had enough of lies.

Before I left for Gubat, we visited a friend's father in Philippine General Hospital (PGH). He had two cardiac arrests and was already relying on a machine to breathe properly. He had this long, white elastic hose bandaged around his mouth, and a couple of transparent, narrow tubes that wound around his arms. The nurse was feeding him through his nose with food that must have been put in a blender earlier. His bed jumped with his chest every time he gasped for air. His eyes were closed, he could only flap his right arm and bend his right knee.

I stared at him. I stared at him for what seemed like hours. I listened to the creaking of his bed when he fought for air. I smelled the tonic-like waft that came from the used up bottles of medicine beside his bed. I sensed the tightening of his muscles when he tried to move his arms and legs. Yet I felt so distant.

I saw my father on the bed in an orange hospital gown. Fighting for his life. With bags of blood being transfused into his dying body. Needles piercing his yellow skin.

Around eight hours after we arrived here in Gubat, I received a text message from my friend. Her father finally gave up.

Maybe it is for the better. Maybe it is.

It was one of my friends paycheck day yesterday. Her first real paycheck from the corporate world. So we celebrated her special day by spending her money. xD

We initially planned to visit an amusement park, but some friends canceled so we settled on eating out instead. We wanted to eat somewhere nice but we couldn't decide where, so we just had pizza and pasta at Pizza Hut. Hah. So much for eating somewhere nice. Haha. xD But it was all good, it didn't matter where anyway. :)



( More pictures under this cut... )

The lasagna and mango panna cotta were good. The sausage pops pizza was a little too much though. The sausages were too moist, tasted like they were soaked for too long.

We were goofing around and told the server we were celebrating our birthdays. All four of us. Haha. Of course we were lying, it was stupid. He brought a cupcake with a 'Happy Birthday' drizzle. Haha. xD

I'm too lazy to upload the dessert pictures from my phone. T_T

Lately, I've been having problems with sleep. I've gone back to being an insomniac. I don't like it one bit. But it'll fix itself. ~_~

It's four in the morning. And I'm still playing God of War. I really need to sleep. My training (new job) starts tomorrow; I need a body clock repair. And I've been having an awful case of sore throat since Thursday.





I'll try to doze off now.

Thursday of last week, we went to see the Bicol Trade Fair (OK Bikol, Gayon Bikol) in SM Megamall. The hall was full of booths displaying all kinds of products, from knives to candies, which were claimed to have been made by the bests in the region.

Bicol is one of the 17 regions in the country. My town is located in the southern tip part, and it's called Gubat. In the Tagalog language, the word gubat literally means forest. So just imagine the innocuous mockery thrown at me whenever I tell a group of people that I grew up in Gubat. I still find it funny sometimes, but I've developed an immunity to the jokes. So I just tell them that industrialization has reached our town, we have phone lines and my family owns a microwave oven. As for the actual etymology, I'll blog about it in the near future. I'm feeling lazy today.


Ate Mags, Ate Bing, Me

( More pictures under this cut... )

Ate Bing killed a rock. So we left earlier than expected. Yesss, it is possible to kill rocks! Ate Bing just murdered one. xP Haha! She stepped on a prop while posing for a photo. It let out a crrrraaaaaack!~ that echoed through the hall. Manong Security Guard was left speechless. And we couldn't do anything else but restrain ourselves from rolling on the floor, we exited before Manong Guard remembered what he needed to do. I couldn't stop laughing. It was the first time in such a loooong time that I laughed that hard! Haha! I still laugh out loud whenever I remember it. Haha! xD It was so hilarious! xD


Waiting for the kidnappers' vehicle


Ate Mags, Ate Bing

Anyway, we got kidnapped. We were brought to Tonio's Grill, Pioneer Center (Mandaluyong). I had fun. For the first time in my life, I finished a whole bottle of beer! Woohoo! A San Miguel Light. Haha! xD I need applause, people. San Mig Light is still a beer. Beer!!!

Saturday, I went to the exhibit again. Gubat was going to be in the limelight. The local government was given an opportunity to have a culinary presentation. And they decided to conduct a cooking demo of a delicacy called timitim. As far as I know, timitim can be found nowhere else in the country but in my hometown. Not even in the neighboring towns. And Gubatnons are proud of it. It's also one of my favorite foods, next to cream cheese and ice cream. :D

The culinary presentation was a big opportunity for the local government to showcase what Gubat has to offer. And it was great that they decided to let the outsiders know that we have something unique like the timitim. So I was very disappointed when the whole thing failed, the demonstration was awful. No offense to the local government, just a person in the crowd giving a critique. We're all entitled to it, right? There were just...so many wrong things. They could've done better, so much better.

The narrator wasn't very knowledgeable of the cooking; they should've prepared a script. Her voice was too low and too hush-y -- it looked like she had a throat problem; they should've assigned a different person to do the talking. The demonstration couldn't be seen, for chrissake, you were supposed to be showing your audience; they could've placed a mirror (you know those mirrors above prep tables in culinary classes?) or could've set-up a camera and projection. The PowerPoint slideshow was useless; they should've just given the audience hard copies of the recipes beforehand. And the narrator should've been more jolly and talkative, so the experience could've been more entertaining, because it was boring.

I bought a box of timitim after the show. As a Gubatnon, who knows the difference between a good timitim and a bad timitim, the ones they sold were bad. No, no, it didn't taste bad, it just wasn't very delicious.

Oh, I feel awful already. I didn't want to say those things. But that's how it is.

After Saturday, I couldn't help thinking that the local government still fails at promoting Gubat as a tourist destination. The town has great potential and, no doubt, tourism can be a very powerful revenue source. Maybe, the fund isn't enough for such programs. Haven't they conceived a feasible campaign? Doesn't the local government think that tourism can generate enough money so we can get all those roads fixed up? So those local public institutions can give better service? So Gubat can be more self-sufficient? Maybe, they do. But after Saturday? It was sort of a one-time opportunity, the trade fair is an annual event, surely Gubat is not going to be given a chance to showcase again next year.

Or am I exaggerating? I'm just disappointed.

A video by Jiku Ereño:


Say yay for Gubat!

Last week, while on my quest to find Sir G, I encountered a board covered with sheets of dilapidated Manila paper. A bulletin board. Two seemingly official papers were pinned on the upper-left of it. While the opposite space was taken up by torn pages from the Philippine Collegian (the University's official school paper). Opinions by various students were scribbled on the lower half. And I was put on halt when I read the words fastfood chains. I saw HRIM {Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management} as I skimmed through it. And I just had to read the whole article.

It was about the HRIM Department's new affiliation program. And, oh, I have to give it to the writer. She was brilliant. She authored an article bloated with lopsidedness. But I will get to the issue of irresponsible journalism in a few paragraphs.

Two semesters ago, I had to undergo a 30-hour training in a UFS {University Foodservice}. It was a course requirement. And I had to juggle that with a couple of major units that also required me to ignore my body's need for rest. We were conducting functions every month. We were required to do written and oral reports every other day. We had quizzes everyday. School was practically killing us but we got through it. Then, the semester after, we needed to work 60 hours in the UFS. Plus, the usual drill: quizess and reports. And Catering that almost robbed me of my sanity. I was always so tired but I loved what I was doing. All the work got me really fired up subconsciously. I was being taught how to become confident, and how to use that esteem to recognize my own potentials.

While, I was away, the department implemented a new program that not only requires the students to work for the UFS but also for three outside foodservices. Namely, Jollibee, Shakey's and Figaro. The set-up: each student will work 80 hours for each establishment. If I understood it correctly, this would happen on the four final semesters, a different establishment every semester. And during their senior year, the students would be given a chance to hold managerial positions, where the company would also provide a stipend. Sounds good, right?

Yes, in fact, it very much does. Heck, I would even work for free. But I would have to think about neglecting my other academic responsibilities. The activity is very sadistic and I am not exaggerating. Even only a required 60-hour training alongside my major subjects was toxic enough and, now, 80 hours? Plus, these establishments are not located inside the University. My monetary needs would increase for I would have to make additional commutation.

It was a mistake when the faculty did not ask for the students' opinion on this project. Where did democracy go? I read that an orientation was conducted but what happened to the consultation part?

There was this one thought written on the freedom board that talked about the training not being appropriate for HRIM students. Since tasks such as washing the dishes and mopping the floor would be assigned. And, obviously, whoever wrote it had no idea what he/she was talking about. She argued that HRIM is a management course, sure, that's what the M stands for after all. But everybody knows how essential the knowledge of a manager is in leading an establishment. Every good leader should know the basic operations of what he/she has been assigned to lead. And that's why we're being taught the basics in the industry. Oh, cleaning tables and waiting on others don't look spiffy and fun at all, but a good career must be built on a strong, detailed foundation. You can't just get hired as an executive without knowing the basics. And even if you do, you'll have to go through one hell of a learning process to become good in your field. We all have to start from the bottom.

In the hospitality industry, you don't just deal with food and travel. You don't just dress up and play Ms. Pretty Face, you work with people. People to lead and people to please. You can't pretend to be the boss, you have to be the boss. You should know everything there is to know. Leaders are supposed to be the experts in their fields. Competence comes with experience

It has also been argued that Jollibee, Shakey's and Figaro are taking advantage of the students. Utilizing them as cheap labor. And, well, I admit that also crossed my mind. In the article, an activist pointed out that UP students are given the education they've been privileged to receive because they are suppose to use it to serve the people and not the magnates. But hey, look, if we're just going to limit our learning inside the university, if we are just going to train in the UFS, how do you suppose we enrich our knowledge? Let me see, outdated equipment and facilities, and the inadequate market? It's not a rich school. A laboratory without even a decent oven? Decades old equipment. The students need to get out there and learn. You can't just depend on theories and just imagine the real world. That's not fun. xP It's better to be out there. It's better and will be easier to serve the people if we are equipped with the right tools.

The training should also become very handy after graduation. It will be easier to get hired if your curriculum vitae brags of several working experiences. It's mostly about competition and we should be able to compete.

This was made a controversy because an HRIM student complained to the Philippine Collegian. I understand her concern. But if I were in her position, I would grab the opportunity. No other school gives this much to their students. They should consider themselves lucky. You'll get through it. It's school, we all get through it if we try. And it's Jollibee! The biggest and most competitive QSR chain in the country. It's Figaro, the biggest Filipino-owned coffee company. Shakey's? I don't know much about it. It's pizza! Haha. xD

To hell with being taken advantage of. I trust our faculty. They have nothing in mind other than giving their students the best education they can give. Seriously, this is for your own good. I'm pretty sure you'll thank them one day. Theories are good, but theories supported by extensive experience? Much, much better.

Okay, now, irresponsible journalism. The HRIM representative was interviewed regarding the issue. To sum up his statement: the new program is actually a very good idea if we set aside the fact that the students would have a hard time managing their already damned schedule. And the author failed to include his views. The article made it sound like the whole student body is rallying against the department, which is very untrue because there is also a group which approves of the implementation. The department is not completely wrong.

So, I say, recess the program. Conduct a better study to improve it. And involve the students.

Now, back to my practicum case analyses. Ta-ta

Oooh. Haven't had the energy, creative energy at that, to update.

So, for the past six days? I haven't actually done anything that can be considered productive. (What's new?)

'Twas Thursday went I went Citibank hunting. I found one at Greenhills but they refused to encash my cheque. Simply because they said they have no way to access Citibank USA. So, I was like WTF? They suggested that I try to deposit it in a savings account under another bank. I hope my Metrobank account will give me hope. It's still a couple of thousands in Philippine peso. I need that money badly. Gah. Now, I'm regretting why I didn't open a dollar account while I was in Texas.

I looked around Greenhills Shopping Centre(?) while I was there. And, gawd, I want to kill whoever conceptualized the interior of that place. I entered one of the back entrances of the mall and thought I could just walk through to the front exit. Damn it. I ended up running in circles; I got lost for chrissake! It happened a couple of times before I decided to just walk around the building instead. But I'm not sure if it's just my poor navigation skills.

Friday, I went to visit my maternal relatives. Ate Betty (cousin) gave birth to an adorable baby girl a couple of days before I left for America last March. I was so busy then that I wasn't able to visit them. Say hello to Monica everybody!



Crappy image quality. Blame the camera phone. Monica is sooo big already. And Owen is huge. O_O I felt like I missed so much of his life. Forty kilos at 7 years old? Huge, really. But it's like huge-healthy not huge-obese. Is that possible? xD Guilt visits me every time I refuse to play with Owen. But I always feel tired whenever he yanks my arm to signal that it's time to goof around. Gah. I'm a bad aunt. I'm glad he still remembers me. He's so sweet and clingy, the thought makes me want to cry. Though I have to admit I miss the younger Owen who used to cry when I give him a goodbye hug. Bah. T_T



Lately, I've been hooked on a social networking site. Nah, it's not another MySpace.com which houses the perverts of the online world. GUBATNONS Everywhere! is a community created by Ate Mags for the people of our hometown. It's the most phenomenal thing that has happened to the Internet after the release of Firefox 3. Ahaha. At least for me.

The site makes me nostalgic, which is more reason to obsess on it. Ah, homesickness is love but bad love. The feeling of wistfulness overwhelms me so much that it ruins my schedule and body clock. There's a live chat feature, so I've been online almost every night, from sundown to sunrise, chitchatting with fellow Gubatnons. Whom I hardly know. Pictures of the hometown are uploaded, pictures of friends and schoolmates and relatives. The forum consists of posts about tourism and our long ago high school lives, from the significant to the most trivial.

The site title is GUBATNONS Everywhere! Pampara sin pung-aw. The tag line actually means: to get rid of/erase homesickness. The purpose is defeated sometimes. xD

I also got to know people who used to be strangers, or just friends of my sister and parents. In fact, I went to Sarah's (an [in]famous drinking place located inside [technically] UP Diliman) tonight and hung out with a group of people that I met on the site. Ate Mags, Ate Binggot, Ate Pwee, Ate Ning and Kuya Ronel. (Jay, I already met a few years back.) And, surprisingly, they all graduated from UP.

I was rather quiet though. But I'm that. Maybe next time, I'll be a little louder. It was the introverted me kicking. But, hah, I surprised myself when I agreed to meet up with them. I'm not the kind of person who goes out with someone only after a couple of online conversations. But Ate Mags and company xD are different. I sense familiarity. We speak the same language. And we laugh at jokes other people are unable to comprehend. That's because we all come from the same place where a thing called timitim is a delicacy and the word tricycle is pronounced traysikol. That place is called Gubat. :)



I'm thinking of deleting my Multiply blog.

Friday, I went to UP so I could settle the requirements for my practicum application but Sir G was nowhere to be found. Also met with Iris. Then, we went to Trinoma to catch Chef Mariano. To no avail, we tried to straighten out our HRIM 111 Lab standing with the Chef.

Gawd, Iris gained weight! No pictures though. But she is way healthier now. Haha. She was so skinny before like she barely ate anything. Now, only after 2 months of bumming around she finally fulfilled her dream of having more meat in between her skin and bones. Haha. xD Kudos to you, Iris! And more dreams to come true! LMAO! xD

Dayan, Janrey, Jocel and I initially planned to go to Divisoria yesterday. Dayan wanted to purchase some office clothes for her new job. But we settled for the ukay stores along the LRT1 - Libertad station. Ukay stores are thrift shops, where you can find all kinds of imported garments and accessories. Items are about 75% cheaper because they're second-hand. So, of course, you would have to make sure to soak the bought clothes in hot, hot water when laundering. Otherwise, suffer the itch and, probably, the body odor you would acquire. Mygawd, disgusting. I used to have an affinity for ukay during my late high school years but I eventually went back to being a fan of the un-worn.

And today was pretty much a normal day. Boring. But exhausting.



I have milk! I had been unable to remember my need for milk whenever I go to the grocery store. But, yesterday, my back had been extra persistent on reminding me that I have an awful case of scoliosis. So I bought a carton of the said substance. But Housemate Janrey has been drinking along with me, so pretty soon I will have to remind myself to restock.

( Read the rest of the entry... )

Since I climbed down a volcano's crater [refer to this entry] in a jacket, with only my face prey to the heat of the burning sun, my nose has been burnt. It is currently colored in different shades of brown and with the tip of my nose the darkest. I didn't know that I was burnt so badly until my nose started peeling. My color doesn't go back to normal that fast, thanks to my late father's genes. So it'll probably take a couple of more weeks before my face tones again. I look older and more stressed when my skin color is dark. xD

Anyway, in other news, I had dinner with my two elder sisters last night. It was nice to be able to spend time with them again. We had Sinigang na Sugpo (Prawns in Tamarind Soup) and Liempo (Pork Belly) at Krocodile Grille. I haven't tasted that good a sinigang in months, with just the right extent of sourness. The grilled pork wasn't exceptional but neither was it short from delicious.

Reading trisianna's latest entry made me feel really old and erm technical and less depressed. She had poetry and it took me back to when I still knew how write and express myself in a lyrical way.

The last real poem I submitted to deviantArt:

The Bleak, Weak With

There are castles, high and grand.
There are towers which stand on clouds,
Fog and air, cold and wet, sweet breeze, sour rays.
The hearths of knights and maidens fair.
They bring the stars down on earth;
They strum the night with voices high;
They fill the skies with uttered hope.
But in the hills, there breathe the witches.
On some days, old. On some days, young.
They hoot like owls and ride their sticks,
Like dappled rainbows, pass the moon.
While maidens sing, the witches snort.
While knights hunt, the witches slay.
They live on fear and not on glee.
They bathe on tears and feed on gloom.
Vile, they say, vile and banished.
But forgotten, I always bawl.

One fainted night, while red flames flare,
Not failing the heavens like swirling bones,
While roaches march on grey, tan dirt,
The witches dance, their broomsticks tap.
In one crooked wood, there sat one witch,
Pale and brittle, her eyes were black, her lips so red.
She freed one sigh and looked beyond.
Down! Away! Where the princess chants.
Oh, how she wanted to flee from dark!
Oh, how she wished to see moist grass!
This witch was called the bleak, weak witch.
She wishes on stars and drinks not mire.
Her black eyes wish to see blue skies,
No more grey, she always says.
The witch’s name, they did not know, they dared not ask,
For those black eyes rein the grass,
The swamps, the ants and the blue, white fire.
She was a princess, herself, she was.
She ruled the hills and the under lives.
Yet they did not know,
She need not rule,
She need not want to fly and slay.

Submitted on the 7th day of September, 2005. It has been that long. It used to come so natural, like it was instinctive. Now, I don't have a way with words anymore. I think I've lost it. Does that really happen when you get closer to the age of menopause? Haha. I'm 20. Another May and I'm 21. Haha.

Or maybe I'm less depressed. I find it easier to work with words when I'm emotionally disturbed. I also haven't published an entry in my Tagalog journal since January.

Or maybe I'm just extra unhappy. More paranoid than usual. My subconscious excessively intruded by phantasms of misery that I've lost the ability to write about them.

Poison Vines

Tears:

Forever,
Slithering
Down
Like
Vines
Of
Dirty
Ivy.

May 2, 2005

Yes, I was pretty disturbed. A dysfunctional family and an unwanted academic path, plus bogeymen from my childhood. I don't know how I survived. Life really does get better, but only if you try your hardest to make things work. And it's like a piece of machinery, it needs maintenance. You only become happy if you keep your factors happy. Neglect could mean a deathly plunge. Like what I'm doing now.


P.S. Just found a new batch of pictures of the hike. From my cousin's camera.


Grace, Me, Liza and my face all red

My last update was made before I took a completion test. After that I was too depressed that any good attempt to write an entry just escaped me. In short, I pretty much failed the whole fcuking thing. No, it wasn't because I didn't study. I did. I read and understood all the review materials I was supposed to read and understand. But I still fcuking failed because the exam didn't include even half of what I forced myself to learn. I was prepared for the exam but I wasn't prepared for a Tumanan exam. (Tumanan would be my professor's last name.) I just got back from quite a long hiatus, from all the chains of academics. Seven months of ignoring text books. Seven months of dealing with life without the interruption of needing to read even a 500-word article about the trends in the food service industry. There was an item that required me to organize a menu and I handled it but to suggest fcuking wine accompaniments including the grape variety and vintage year?! I was told the exam would be difficult but nobody told me it was going to be out of this world! I took Beverage Mgt. two semesters ago! How the fcuk could I have remembered? I don't drink wine for breakfast!

It was difficult because I took that class months ago and only had to take the exam now. The exam was based on the current semester's discussions. And I failed to get a hold of any lecture notes. It shocked and threw me back to the world of UP {University of the Philippines} students. Back to where easy dreams are made difficult to grab. UP rocks at inventing all kinds of methods to induce anguish on poor students.

But THE UP PEP SQUAD ROCKED THE FREAKING ARANETA COLISEUM!!! Okay, okay. I wasn't there. We watched it on TV. But the performance was pure awesomeness! All the suspense and excitement and routines! And I loved the costume. Tribu, dude, tribu. They made a few mistakes but they were still not less from impeccable. Haha. I just feel really proud and good about my school. It was a great victory. Still #1! I just wish the basketball team did a better job themselves. I really don't carry any trace of interest in this UAAP {University Athletic Association of the Philippines} thing except in the cheerdance competition portion. And sure the Maroons are great in all the other sports but it's always almost as if there's only basketball in UAAP, as if it's the only thing that matters. Anyway, I should stop talking about this, the whole cyber Philippines is doing the same thing.

We did plan to watch the competition in Araneta but we didn't. Why? Let me tell you why...I just climbed a freaking volcano yesterday. And went inside its crater. Yes, dammit, yes. My whole body is currently undergoing extreme muscle development. My whole face is sunburnt, it feels tight and ready to peel.

When my sister asked me if I wanted to go mountain climbing, I didn't hesistate. The exam was already filling my head with all these thoughts of anger, I needed diversion. We left Manila at around 7 o'clock in the morning. Initially, there were 7 of us in the car. We met Kuya Al {eldest sister's boyfriend} in Calamba. Manay Cho and Spencer transferred into Kuya Al's car. Then, we headed to Tagaytay.


Left-Right: Louie (Ate Ana's Boyfriend), Ate Ana (cousin),
Spencer (Manay Cho's fiance), Manay Cho (sister),
Grace (cousin), Liza (cousin), Kuya Al (eldest sister's boyfriend)

( Read the rest of the entry... )


I conquered Taal Volcano!

We had dinner at Josephine's at around 8PM. Great ambiance but mediocre food for a very expensive price. But not a sad dining experience. I was so hungry, I didn't care if the food wasn't so great.

I spent the night at Grace's. Got back home at 6PM yesterday. Tried to update, wrote half of this entry then fell asleep.

Tips for your next mountain visit:

1) Eat a good meal a few hours before the climb;
2) Carry enough water;
3) Wear appropriate clothing;
4) Ready yourself physically;
5) As well as emotionally; and
6) Think twice before your do it.

I love nature so much that I went inside a volcanic crater for it. *sarcastic face* I won't be visiting one anytime soon.

More pictures here. (I've also uploaded the engagement pictures.)

And hello to all my new LJ friends! :D

My whole body is aching. I slept very late. 4AM. Practically, the first time in 7 months. I've been trying to review for the 111 exam. And I wasn't very successful. Darn. I have a very positive feeling of failing - irony is love.

And it's also the first time in 7 months that I've read anything related to Restaurant Management. So tell me I'm doomed. All these French terms are making me woozy.

I haven't received a confirmation from Ma'am Tumanan. I sent her an SMS this morning, asking if I could join her class for tomorrow's test. I can't go to UP today, it'll take up 50% of my time and 75% of my precious energy to commute. C'mon, I live like 10 gazillion miles away from that school. Sigh, I miss the smell of dormitory walls, even the moss-covered shower cubicle tiles. I wish I live in an admin-neglected dorm right now.

Let the 3AM camhoorage do the talking.


Busy staring at nothingness


Wide awake


In need of a nap

I look kind of cross-eyed. xD

Why does UP have to be so hard? Why do UP professors throw us readings and papers of academic agony? Do they get some type of self-fulfillment out of it? But I love the education. I just wish I could be less lethargic. Indolence is eating up my system. After two months of doing almost nothing. Because emptiness is, most definitely, not love.

And look what I woke up to this morning:


Headset, mouse, earphones, data cables,
3 chargers and frustrations

P.S. Update on manwhores. Received a Friendster smile from a 38-year old man. He's married. And he's asking for my number. Tried to convince me we had common friends. And he's bald. O_O

And here, to give you a very vivid example of how pervertedly consumed (by morons) most of the web is:

subject: hey you look very sexy...do you speak english?

If you bothered to read my profile, you would have known the answer.

subject: oh sorry lol....so do you live in the states?

You're okay. But again, my profile would say where I live. And that would be 'Philippines.'

subject: sorry lol i didnt read everything...have you ever been with an american guy before?

It should also say in my profile that I've never had my first date.

subject: is there anything your profile doesnt say?....have you done anythuing with guys beofre?

It ends right there.

That's not even close to the worst MySpace private messages I've received.

Exchange of messages to the subject above where conducted in order to show you how some people can't get a real life.

I've tried five times to get into my very first online journal but I seem to have forgotten the password completely. I've already deleted the e-mail address I registered the username with. There's practically no other way to access it. Unless you're an amazing hacker with a gold for a heart, you can help me regain my written memories.

Anyway, right now, I'm inside an Internet shop in UP Diliman. I've been feeling very uneasy ever since I left the house this morning. And using this erm public computer intensifies the uneasiness. I miss Aida the Laptop. I'm waiting for 4 o'clock. I came to UP because I need to get a copy of Ma'am Tumanan's 111 class notes. Second exam on Thursday, so I need to hurry up and review for that. Dora will let me photocopy her notes after her class, which ends less than 2 hours from now.

Iris is coming back to the country by the way. Her month-long work plan is going to turn out as a 2-week Singapore trip instead. Oh, I'm just so envious. Haha. xD She got to travel again. I want to visit Europe! Come give me travel money!

Yes, I'm back in Manila. Kicking clumps of city dust again. My brain is still wiggling from yesterday's trip. I left the province early morning. I haven't done it in a long time and realized day trip is better. The only thing I didn't like about it was the annoying guy across my seat. I read Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion, he taps my arm and comments on how philosophical my read is. I play Tekken on PSP, he taps my arm again and tells me how funny I look when I play. And insert the many times he interviewed me about my personal life here. Then, two hours before arriving at the Cubao terminal, he asks for my number. How persistent he was. Creepy. Of course, I didn't give him my number. He said he's reviewing for the BAR exam here in UP this month. Oh, small world. Good thing I'm not enrolled.

I've also been getting too many private messages on MySpace. All of them unwanted. I think if there really is this supernatural ever-bad devil, MySpace is his work. Mygawd. It's worse than Friendster. People sign up there just to get laid. If only my Texan friends don't use MySpace as their primary e-mail accounts. Well, there's this small fraction of individuals worth adding too. I've also deleted my MySpace blog. Cross-posting there is too much work.

It's raining. And it's cold. I forgot to bring my jacket. Oooh, thunder. Damn it. It's only 2:45. I miss home already.

And I miss friendship.

Haha.

Still raining. And still feeling uncomfortable.

I did say I was going to write more of the engagement party but I'm not really in the right mood to document with words. Which is really odd. I realized that whenever I'm here in Bicol, I lose the pursuit to write.

Anyway, as I've said, the engagement party was quite a success. Though the program was a little, erm, everywhere. I was one of the emcees but I didn't know the exact flow of the program. Because I had other things in mind like finishing the slide show on time. But it wasn't a very formal party. Therefore, I had the liberty to goof around.


Emcees in action!

There were a couple of guests that I didn't know personally. Again, my familial horizon was broadened.

It was held on the beach. Good thing it started raining only after the party.


The Family (minus the brother) with Spencer
(brother was somewhere else flirting)

( read the rest of the entry... )

I will post the rest of the pictures tomorrow.

The last three days were very fun. Today, I stay at home and get to rest. Manay Len and Kuya Al already flew back to Manila early this morning. Manay Cho and Spencer went to the city. Manoy JR is back at school. Tin-Tin is attending a barangay fiesta at a classmate's house. Mother is busy at the store. Back to a usual day. And I haven't taken a bath.

Whew.

My sister's engagement party is finally over.

We started at around 7PM, and ended at 10PM. It was a rather short party.

And there weren't too many people. The organizer actually did a very good job. I have to admit I didn't trust him. But I still believe that it was a little too much for this small town.

Family and friends were there to celebrate with my sister. It was a good night.

And I'm tired. I better sleep.

I will post pictures in a couple of days if not tomorrow.

Now, back to reality.

I have to go home to Bicol either tomorrow or two days from now for my sister's engagement party. I've been tasked to do the invitation and tent card design, and the sacred engagement movie. I've also been assigned as the official emcee of the said event. And I have to write a short speech for Mother as well.



Yeah, yeah, I know. I look very much unlike my sister. She's pretty and all that. I know that already so don't rub it. Haha. xD She's tan in that picture but believe me she naturally isn't. I don't know how many weeks she spent under the sun before that photo was taken but she's really pale as a high-quality white bond paper. Haha. No, she got my mom's skin - so being Chinese and all, she has this very fair and smooth skin.

Anyway, the guy's name is Spencer. I've only met him once. That was when he visited me in Texas during a Sunday, when I was quite busy at work. We talked for a few minutes before my pseudo-boss thought I wasn't doing my job and was flirting. O_O That was really creepy. Why the hell would I flirt with my sister's fiance?! Anyway, in fairness to my pseudo-boss, he was clueless about my relations with Spencer. He's a very nice guy, he left me a 60-dollar tip after he ordered just a glass of our famous Chocolate-Peanutbutter Shake. Haha. Yes, he is verrry nice. So, I say to my sister, marry this generous man! But he actually left me that much because he couldn't take me out to dinner due to my awful work schedule. He said I should take myself out to a nice restaurant.

The guy's academic background is impressive:

M.S. Degree, 2006, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University
B.S. Degree, 2003, Geosciences, Weber State University (Summa Cum Laude)
A.S. Degree, 1998, Weber State University

(Yeah, I Googled that. LOL.)

Ask my sister a question about Physics and she'll slap you. Seriously. She was never good at school. She's the typical cheerleader. Maybe, I just really can't see their compatibility. But they're getting along well. I guess I'm just insensitive to it. (The guy is a Mormon. And you can't really call my sister a practicing Christian. And she likes to party - a lot. Every thing about the guy screams of 'cost-cutting' -- ignore the fact that he gave me 60 bucks. My sister's top hobby is shopping.)

But my sister is what every guy would look for. She's pretty. She can cook. She's a human vacuum cleaner. And she has an amazing sense of humor. She can make anybody laugh -- laugh like a hyena. So, I guess good looks plus sense of humor is the formula for a perfect girl.

Oh, my eldest sister needs me to proofread an article. That's what I should be doing right now.

Sisters are love.



P.S. Iris, a friend, already left for Singapore. Kudos to her! And lots of good luck! :D

I found a picture of her:



Haha! Patawarin mo ako, Baks. Di ko mapigilan ang sarili kong i-post 'to. Napakaganda at napakalandi mo kasi sa retratong eto! Bwahahaha! May nalalaman ka pang sparkle around your eyes.

Sana sumama na lang ako sa Singapore. Nababato na ako sa buhay ko. Haha. Nauubusan na ako ng patience. Umuwi ka agad, Baks! Walang-hiya ka talaga!!! Humanap ka na rin ng lalaki d'yan para naman may thrill ang buhay mo! Ihanap mo na rin ako kapag may oras ka! Haha!