Battik's Workshop

2011-09-13T00:04:00.001+08:00

visit if you must.http://thirtye.blogspot.com/mynewblog.

On working on a Sunday

2011-09-11T22:55:00.000+08:00

...staring at my 4-day-old blank paper...It's not writer's block. It's a bad case of hedonism sprinkled with procrastination and dashed with the perennial lack of inspiration. Sometimes I wish I can just day dream guilt-free.

Six Degrees of Crazy

2011-08-15T23:34:00.004+08:00

I always thought that the road from then to now is the most interesting of all trips. Every so often, something crazy gets in the way. It's crazy! Then again, maybe this is how we grow up. 1st degree of crazy: If you don't get what you want, throw tantrums. This is what brats are made of. And it starts with the innocent demand for milk during the phase in our lives when can hardly talk.

sg times three

2011-07-30T23:21:00.004+08:00

This time, I wanted to be with the girls so very badly...to hug them and just spend time with them. There is something refreshing about them. Their presence seems to be telling me that the future is worth looking forward to--this is a big thing especially for a self-confessed repressed pessimist like myself.Nowadays, they are my dose of happy...the dose of happy that matter. Because other than my

Klub-glub

2011-06-01T16:16:00.003+08:00

It's June 1.The time of the year when I go dramatically existential is nigh. Once again, I will have to convince myself that I haven't been wasting space for the past, er, 31 years.

Two confessions

2011-05-02T21:08:00.004+08:00

There are two things that I will confess to which will probably put my career in jeopardy--the present one and the what-could-be-my-future career:1. I am no longer the "hawk-eye" I used to be. Worse, I am the thing hawk-eyes look out for. With that, I am saying I am beginning to carelessly, if not mindlessly, miss and mix-up my letters and words. And for a writer, this is never a good thing.2. I

How I survived Leukemia

2011-04-24T00:09:00.005+08:00

Everything about me was normal when I was born. And everything stayed the same as I grew up. I think. For that, I consider myself lucky. But not lucky enough to be spared from a disease I did not dread until it became a reality. Not knowing is a nightmare. It is like trudging a dark and dank surreal world. But the diagnosis is worse. It is the unanticipated pull back to earth spiced up with

Ano ang "P" sa P.E.?

2011-04-07T01:24:00.007+08:00

If I were any worse at P.E. perhaps I wouldn't be able to answer this question. There are sporty people, flexible individuals, and the physically fit. And then there's me.As much as I enjoyed playing dodge ball and kickball in my younger years, the fear of spraining an ankle or breaking a bone always lurked at the back of my mind, preventing me to, well, be at the top of my game. Then volleyball

light bulb moment

2011-03-30T18:34:00.005+08:00

At this point, I have come to accept that NO ONE would ever understand one of few things I firmly believe in : It's better to be 100% ABSENT than to be 50% present.And by that I mean, I'd rather NOT be at a given place and time if my mind or spirit or health is elsewhere.Thus, when I'm there, expect a hundred percent of me there.

Missing you, Nichi!

2011-03-27T12:24:00.002+08:00

I opened my eyes this morning and I remembered the sound of Nichi's laugh. And I recalled how he'd stick Ferrero Rocher stickers on our remote control every time he gets a hold of the chocolate candy. I'd reprimand him for it.But look who's got the sticker now?

Goodbye Auntie Baby

2011-03-25T18:56:00.001+08:00

Hindi rin pala tayo magkikita sa Davao. :-(Ba-bye po. Please say "hi" to Nichi for me.

I dreamed of Nichi

2011-03-14T21:00:00.003+08:00

Last night, Nichi visited me. In my dream. So here's how it went...Nichi was 13 (or 12). He and Kuya Mic are going swimming. But Nichi is in one corner of the pool, teaching younger kids how to swim.Next scene, I was talking to Nichi. He told me, "Ate, lagi na lang ako nanginginig."Once again, I worried for my brother. It was the same feeling I had when I learned how sick he was. The same wave of

May natutunan na naman ako today

2011-02-07T21:20:00.002+08:00

Emo thought. (minsan lang naman; pagbigyan na...) If I stop caring about the little things; how will I be able to handle the big stuff to care about? I refuse to be apathy personified. I cannot NOT care.If some people can do it in a snap of a finger, drop everything then leave without a decent word--it doesn't mean I have to be like them. Because I do care. Most of the time in fact.It may hurt

Music and Hirit

2011-01-28T19:04:00.000+08:00

Nakakatawa yung isa sa mga kahon ng cassette tapes na na-unearth sa naganap na lipatan. Hanep ang koleksyion mula sa Righteous Brothers, Apo, Gary V., Rick Astley (!); hanggang kay Santana, Paul McCartney, Eraserheads at Kenny G. Pero I think yung panalo ay yung minus one! hehe

Gaano kamahal ang resibo?

2011-01-27T18:50:00.001+08:00

Ang dating P105-P110, P162 na ngayon dahil sa P40 flagdown rate (dating P30) at P3.50 per 250 meters (dating P2.50). At eto ang official receipt to prove it. Kumusta naman ang wallet ni Juan?!

Hay Naku!

2011-01-26T18:48:00.001+08:00

Noong isang raw, iniisip ko, "kung magtataas na kaya ng pamasahe sa mrt at lrt, aandar na kaya ang mga escalator at elevators nito?"Pero ngayon ang iniisip ko na, "kung mag-m-mrt at lrt kaya ako, makakarating ako sa pupuntahan ko nang safe?"Yung pambobomba sa mga inosenteng tao, nakakainit ng ulo! But more than that, nakakatakot siya para sa safety mo at lalo sa mga mahal mo sa

CBC

2011-01-24T18:43:00.003+08:00

Dad: Bakit ka nagpa-CBC?Me: Kasi anemic daw ako sabi ng doktor. Tapos nung Wednesday, bigla akong nag-nosebleed. (praning lang...)Dad: Bakit?(Biglang sumingit si Soy)Soy: Nag-English lang sya!(By "sya", my brother meant me. At dahil nag-Ingles ako ulit...alamnyona!)* Gayunpaman OK lang ako sabi ng Doktor.

My 2010 in photos. Consider this my year-ender :-)

2011-01-13T17:12:00.013+08:00

I am supposed to pick one photo which best displays the highlight of my months for 2010 but it was an impossible task so I have these...JanuaryWriters' wig party. Yes, we are busy people but we did make time for this. And seeing ourselves sporting different hairstyles was fun and funny!School supplies for the kids! :-) Finally, the art supplies for the brave bunch of kids in PCMC are complete! (

Hedgehog

2010-10-08T17:23:00.004+08:00

I look at this. And then I wouldn't have to wonder. There is a God.

Farewell to Tito Larry

2010-10-03T22:14:00.002+08:00

We were used to delivering speeches in college--toasts, keynotes, eulogies... But nothing prepares us for the real thing, for the real occasion. Today I sat with my heart in my throat as I listened to my friend say the best goodbye to a really good dad. The thing is, I don't know how to congratulate her for the speech well done.

Early Christmas for a Bunch of Brave Kids

2010-09-17T22:25:00.004+08:00

Last year's Christmas blessings has become this year's early Christmas presents to a bunch of brave kids.I finally found the time to wrap and distribute the gifts which came from friends with kind, generous hearts.And I wish to share the special smiles and thank-you's the kids gave us in return.It's always a refreshing feeling seeing their smiles. It reminds me that despite what we all have to

Capital ng anong bansa ang Vienna? at Paano magluto in one minute?

2010-09-11T23:35:00.004+08:00

Yan ang dalawang tanong na sinagot ng body na ito ng EB.Watch this...hehe.(sa wakas, one down na sa umami! haha!)

On the Rolando Mendoza Hostage-taking

2010-08-24T01:07:00.003+08:00

The most important question is "what could have driven a person to hijack a bus-filled with tourists and actually kill people?"Rolando Mendoza could have been you or me on a bad day. Our only advantage is our psychology is more resilient to stress and inner or external conflicts than his. We should consider ourselves lucky.At this point, it is not about what the globe would think of us. It is

This I learned the other day...

2010-08-14T23:22:00.002+08:00

You cannot teach another person how to act professionally. Professionalism is something which a person teaches herself. Unfortunately, not everyone has what it takes to learn the essence of the P-WORD.

Cellophane, Mr. Cellophane

2010-08-10T20:58:00.003+08:00

The world can continue revolving without me. And even if it does revolve with me in it, no one needs to notice that I am taking up space. And that I am doing everything I can to make myself matter--to make my existence mean something.I am not requiring the universe to see me. I am resolved to accomplish things from my little corner. I need no praise from anyone. I just need me to smile. I just

Nicholas

2010-07-24T23:10:00.002+08:00

How can anyone NOT miss this kid? 3 years in heaven. Still loved. Still missed. No more fever, Nichi. No more pain. Ate is happy. Continue smiling down on us :-)

No More Fever for You

2010-07-22T20:37:00.008+08:00

He felt it coming,the dip from worse to worst,the ebbing of life,the end of the adventure.And he did get tired.Not much word about itbut he did get tired.No one knew how to stop it,No one knew how to make it better.Then one day he was freed.From the fever, from the pain.One day it all went away.It all took HIM away.And we...we should be happy

This you gotta watch

2010-07-17T22:37:00.003+08:00

This week, I saw this video from one segment of the June 13 Episode of Party Pilipinas. It gave me goosebumps. Very Nat King Cole and Natalie moment!I still feel that the Magalonas and my family share a common "enemy" which took someone very special to us. For that, I always have to restrain myself from hugging any of them whenever we cross paths. And I although I never met the Francis Magalona

Psycho Series

2010-06-22T22:41:00.002+08:00

i can't let psycho win even if the thought of psycho pushes me off-track. ruins my day. ruins my day.once again, i look the way i feel...crappy! of course i blame psycho for this. but this has got to stop! because it's not good for me. i can't let psycho win.there are somethings one just can't run away from--that includes "psycho." i'll just think of this as a test of character. psycho is the

whatta shame!

2010-06-20T23:00:00.001+08:00

twas nasty what she did. and i feel nothing but shame for her. as much as I would like to hate her, i won't. otherwise i'd be no different.and the last thing i want is to be her. i may have her genes but i won't be her.i won't be anything like her.

math problem

2010-06-17T21:44:00.003+08:00

we used to play charades--2 teams, 1 host. but 1 left leaving 4 behind. then another flew, farther than any plane can reach, landing on the heavens, leaving 3. now, another exits so now we're down to 2......down to 2.

real bit

2010-06-06T15:10:00.003+08:00

Haunted by her inability to write, she opened a book given by a friend who stood by her back in the University where she first attempted to explore the power of her pen, back in the time when she faced the same state of constipation.Inside the book was note which says, " For Tyrene: Constipated people don't give a shit...."And so, she smiled.

Spectacular, Spectacular! A Spectacles Story

2010-05-30T22:40:00.005+08:00

1. Clip-on shades - what-is-left-of-my-first pair of eyeglasses. The eyeglasses that made scribbles on university blackboards look clearer. The eyeglasses which I lost during the day of my graduation.2. Brown metal with shaded lens - The spectacles that accompanied me during my job-hunting days. Even saw me through my first few months on my first job.3. Black plastic - First time I invested a

So I guess, it's not my day. It hasn't been for many days now. Therefore, nasa akin ang bagua.

2010-05-11T22:22:00.002+08:00

Hindi ako nakapasok; wala akong nagagawa masyado dahil mostly natutulog lang ako, as if may naitutulong ang pagtulog sa sana'y paggaling ko other than hindi ko maramdaman na may masakit; humihilab ang tyan ko--nakakapraning; pinapagalitan ako ng kapatid ko sa di umano'y pagpapabaya ko sa katawan at sa hindi ko pagpapadoktor; nung nagpa-doktor naman ako nasermonan ako ng slight ng doctor dahil

"Tweet" ni battik

2010-04-20T01:17:00.003+08:00

naakusahan na ako ng kawalan ng oras sa pamilya.pero matapos ang nangyari kanina, naisip ko na mas OK nang mamatay sa puyat sa pagbabantay ng editing kesa sa pagtakbo at pagbabantay sa ospital ng mahal mo sa buhay. sana wala na lang nagkakasakit. nakakanginig ng nerves.picture ng dad ko mga 2 ng madaling araw:

it's 1:30 am and I'm eating ice cream

2010-04-12T01:32:00.004+08:00

the problem with sleeping (almost) the whole day on a Sunday is that you find yourself up all night hence you can't get the sleep you'll need to face another action-packed week... a week that promises that killer thing called "sleep-deprivation"...sleep deprivation that runs for days which ultimately makes you WANT to sleep (not to mention "makes you NEED to sleep") on the only day you are free

Holy Smokes!

2010-04-07T21:30:00.002+08:00

Sa tuwing nakakakita ako ng ganito, naaalala ko si...ROMANY SEDONA. Yak!

Let's All Be Extra Happy

2010-04-04T23:31:00.003+08:00

No more running. And I'm not talking politics. ...ang gusto ko lang sabihin e, game na! Let's all be EXTRA happy! Go!

"Who will save your soul if you won't save your own?"

2010-03-23T17:01:00.000+08:00

Hero ka ba? Ano ba? ‘Wag kang tanga!

How does one deal with little minds?

2010-02-22T23:17:00.009+08:00

The answer is simple. You don't. Little minds don't understand anything beyond what their cerebral hemispheres can accommodate. There is no point in arguing with them because in their world, in their hand-crafted universe they can never be wrong. For that, growth is impossible. Thus the "little mind."Little minds toy on the fringes of things that matter but always miss the meat. They dwell on the

ON ROMANY SEDONA, the blogger who won an award by using ME as her subject

2010-01-31T21:44:00.004+08:00

I wish there were no truth to what I wrote a year ago about how smokers are destructive not only to themselves but to others and the environment. I wish I were some "self-righteous little tyrant" gone mad because I am blind to the beauty and sensuality of smoking. I can only wish…So that I can stop feeling sorry for the clouded mini-mind of ROMANY SEDONA who so boldly referred to me as a “bitch”

Blessings Instead of Sheep

2009-12-26T21:29:00.005+08:00

Instead of writing something about the movie "Love Actually" which I actually love--the "love is all around" idea is key--I shall instead write something more worthwhile.Like being happy.You see, optimism is not intrinsic to me. I am better at sarcasm and it is easier for me to indulge in cynical thoughts. But these days, I choose to see the brighter side of life. Everyday, there is a conscious

Mag-Ingat sa Taxi: Nakamamatay

2009-12-22T23:48:00.009+08:00

Hamaharurot ang taxing nasakyan namin. Para bang may taxing naghihintay sa taxing ito. In a hurry si kuya driver, I don't know why.At sa background, maririnig ang pagpreach ng mga tao sa radyo tungkol sa bible or something--hindi ako nagpe-pay attention. Automatic na nagsha-shut-off ang utak ko sa mga ganoong bagay.Maya-maya pa, muntik kaming mag-slam sa isang truck ng Coca-cola. Tamang-tama. Ang

Achieve!

2009-12-14T22:21:00.004+08:00

Bakit naging LSS of the week ang "Gusto kong Umawit"? Bakit buong linggo yata akong puyat last week? Bakit sinasabi kong hindi na talaga ako magkakajowa sa mga pinaggaga-gawa ko sa buhay ko? Bakit may utang akong Grande Mocha Frap sa isang graphics artist na kapitbahay ko pala? Eto Panoorin nyo...

4 Photos to document my day

2009-12-12T23:50:00.009+08:00

Got the front row seat to witness one special day for the longest running noontime show in the country.Yes, they are late President Cory Aquino's Four Honor Guards: Army Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, Airman Second Class Gener Laguindam of the Air Force, Navy Petty Officer 2 Edgardo Rodriguez, and Police Officer 2 Danilo Malab, Jr.Happy paints for happy kids.My working hands--doubled as scratch paper and

For the third time around, let’s make a brave bunch of kids extra happy this Christmas!

2009-11-25T00:30:00.004+08:00

For two years, we’ve given the Hematology and Oncology patients of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) extra smiles by presenting them with gifts containing art materials and books, and by distributing balloons for Christmas. We were also able to put up a face-painting booth especially for these brave bunch of kids during the Christmas Party hosted by Project: Brave Kids. All of these

Twas a Sunday when I felt Normal again

2009-11-17T01:04:00.004+08:00

For a few months now, I've been spending my Sundays unconscious--trying desperately to catch up on the chronic sleep deprivation brought about by the lifestyle I chose to embrace. I say "trying desperately" because I am aware that one cannot really make up for lost...well..err sleep. Sunday has become a day of rest to indulge in my hedonistic ways, if not laziness.But this Sunday was different. I

Paano ako natuto mag-Ingles?

2009-11-11T20:42:00.003+08:00

2 words: Sesame StreetMula spelling hanggang pronunciation, sa Sesame Street ko nakuha ang basics.At ngayon 40 years na sila. Ilan pa kayang mga tulad ko ang natuturuan nila? Yes, may pagka-ginulo ng Sesame Street ang kultura ko bilang Pinoy but just the same, ang intervention nito sa edukasyon kong sinagot ng telebisyon worked to my advantage. Bilingual ako ngayon.Sina Big Bird at Snuffy, Cookie

And so here's how it goes...

2009-11-06T02:01:00.004+08:00

If my life were a tiny room, the part of me which I devote to my family and myself is the sole furniture inside that tiny room--a locker perhaps. The rest of the room is that part of my life spent at work.I'd like to believe this happened by choice.Not some kind of a curse.* * *A few days ago, I was thinking of a quote which may just as well be used as my epitaph,"If anything happens to me, let

Days of the dead for the living

2009-11-02T16:28:00.004+08:00

Undas has become my least favorite holiday. It all started 3 years ago when death became more real to me than it originally was.The first time I had to face my brother's "pad" on the first of November--until now, I can't find a euphemism for "tomb", thus the word "pad"--I felt a sharp knife stab my heart. I could not stop the stream of tears from flowing.Nichi passed away on a July, roughly four

Fame! Yes! 2 sq mm of it...

2009-10-31T22:26:00.006+08:00

Flip magazine.Read a feature.Say my silent ohh's and ahh's as I relate to some lines, being that I am sort of an insider to the topic.A couple of flips more and there I see. My 2 square millimeter of fame!***Malupet na hirit ni Mina: May mas maliit pa sa 2 sq. mm of fame ko. palagay ko 1sq mm na ito, but somehow she spotted me. ...sa maniwala man kayo o sa hindi, ako yung tinuturo ng yellow

weE-Bit Heroes

2009-10-18T17:53:00.011+08:00

Ang natutunan ko siguro ngayong linggo na, hopefully, ay matututunan ko nang i-combat sa mga darating na araw ay ang fact na hindi kasing dali bumuo ng bagay-bagay na napapanood sa TV kagaya ng inaakala natin, kahit na 10-15 mins lang ito tatakbo.Andaming elements na kelangang pagsama-samahin. Nakakaloka! Mabuti me mga taong handang tumulong sa abot ng kanilang makakaya. (By the way, sila ang

Magandang Umaga, Pilipinas

2009-10-15T10:26:00.000+08:00

What better way to start the day than to be greeted by a train-long apocalyptic sight like this.Ano ba? No one needs this kind of sh*t. Not after Ondoy, or Pepeng. Konting pagkapa naman...

2009-10-13T11:17:00.000+08:00

"Yes, I do sleep around...our house...on Sundays."

2009-10-06T21:25:00.000+08:00

...ay naku, may mga bagay kasi na unnecessary. alam mo yon? including yung mga stressors na pwede naman iwasan. ika nga, "life is short." sayang ang oras natin sa mga UNNECESSARY drama. yun lang. i rest my case.

The Adventure of Sister Tyrene

2009-09-18T19:36:00.009+08:00

"She is 'Sister Tyrene'. She is boring." This is how Direk Poochie introduced me to Bossing.Finally the man whom I have watched on TV, and even on the silver screen, has found the time to acknowledge my presence. But I was too preoccupied with Direk Poochie's introduction to absorb the fact that, finally, Philippine TV's Bossing knows of my existence, amidst me crossing paths with him inside the

A New-Age Beatitude

2009-09-17T16:38:00.003+08:00

"Blessed are they who have the luxury of sleep, for when all the sleep-deprived drop dead, THEY shall inherit the earth."

ano ba!?

2009-09-15T21:10:00.001+08:00

"Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,"--'Dirty Dancing' star Patrick Swayze dies at 57http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/39dirty-dancing39-star-patrick-swayze-at-57-apBakit nalulungkot pa rin ako ng extra sa mga ganitong balita at phrasing?

The Sixth-Month Soliloquy

2009-09-04T12:00:00.000+08:00

Anim na buwan…ang haba noon! Di ko akalain na mabilis lang sya dadaan.Pero ayan na nga. Kumusta na? Eto, buhay pa. Ang bonus e masaya pa rin naman. Pagbabago? Marami. For one nababawasan na ang OC-ness. Keri ko nang mabuhay nang walang tissue o alcohol sa bag. Keber na rin minsan ang “wash your hands before you eat anything” mantra—which technically is not good but considering how it implies the

Of Debts and Depths

2009-08-30T08:39:00.003+08:00

The one thing I learned from those who came before meIs to avoid debts as debts can beA force powerful enough to suck you to its complicationssuch that the depths of the debt can hurt the most innocent bone, neuron and even flesh.I wish to stay awayfor if lessons are not learned,at least by someone like me,what good will the troubles beof those who came before me?But now I see myselfin the depths

Half-Naked Man Lay Half-Dead in Xavierville. So what.

2009-08-13T14:21:00.004+08:00

The man was naked from the waist up. Thank god for the clothing from the waist down! He rested along the gutter, his legs clutched his bicycle. Well, I suppose it was his bike. He barely moved--or should I say he did not move. For a minute I thought he was dead.I wonder if anyone else saw him other than me. Because nobody made a fuss out of the sight of a man lying almost lifeless along

Two Moms, One Morning

2009-08-09T14:39:00.005+08:00

Last week, the Philippines mourned the loss of one of its most loved mothers. An icon, a revered proponent of democracy. Former President Cory Aquino.The morning after her death, the view outside, from room 1116, where I spent midnight onwards showed me this...But inside the said room and in the midst of the fuss about Tita Cory's passing, I was having my share of what I would call "mom scare."

Ano ang Masasabi ko sa "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?

2009-07-19T22:24:00.003+08:00

It showed me a lot and yet it told me nothing.battik baffled!

Paano Kung Ikaw si Pacman

2009-07-19T11:13:00.003+08:00

Sabi nga ng ka-opisina ko sa pinost niyang picture with Manny Pacquiao sa kanyang Facebook account, "Manny makes the world go round."Partly true nga siya kasi kung iisipin, yung entourage ni Manny ay maituturing na mini-world na especially umiikot sa kanya. Ikaw na ang maging multi-millionaire in dollar proportions! Tapos maski foreign personalities ay nagkakandarapa magpapicture with you at

There's Something About 30

2009-07-12T21:38:00.003+08:00

The first company that hired me, spent its 30th anniversary a few months after I became part of its "family". Incidentally, the company that hired me recently is also celebrating its 30th year. I'm starting to think, there's something about thirty...and me.I seem to enter these companies in the middle of their anniversary cacophony. But I don't mind. What better way to enter their worlds, right?

Confessions of a Financial Loser

2009-07-06T23:15:00.003+08:00

There is nothing to confess really. Except that, I am a financial loser.Both my siblings who are working earn extremely more than I do. All of my friends undoubtedly take home more cash than I do. And I have a feeling that all people who are my age and who have similar educational background as mine earn at least twice than I do.As I've said I am a financial loser.My savings is zilch. Other than

Ang Alamat ng Hot Brazilian Guy

2009-07-04T10:18:00.005+08:00

Is he really Brazilian? I would not know for sure. I just see him, almost every morning, sporting his curly hair and the laid-back shirt and pants that drape his lean body, as if he were always on vacation in this country called the Philippines. I consider him as the closest walking person I'd ever see who'll resemble Jude Law. Thus the word "hot."For quite a while he seems no where to be found.

The titanic experience, hulog sa hagdan atbp.

2009-06-29T21:56:00.004+08:00

Naisip ko nung isang araw na naglalakad ako sa ilalim ng maalinsangang weather (bale umaambot pero super init) na pinapatay tayo ng nalolokang panahon. Kasi di ba, ang init tapos uulan na parang delubyo level. O kaya naman umuulan pero at the same time ang init ng panahon. Ganon. Kaya yata lagi na lang akong me ubo, sipon, lagnat and what-have-you!Tapos naalala ko bigla na tao rin ang may

Mucus Troopers Beware

2009-06-24T16:10:00.003+08:00

As I write this piece, I am sort of detained in the lobby of a big food company’s building, thanks to the “glory” that is the A(H1N1) scare. For a community and nation and planet paranoid with this mutated kind of flu, I am a threat. A walking, sneezing and coughing threat.Thus, I have to contend with a hostile lobby and forego the meeting which I was initially scheduled to attend. I was banished

Pers Taym

2009-06-20T21:38:00.003+08:00

So they say, there's always a first time for everything. Today I had my latest "first". An exhilarating first. Never saw such "first" coming but life surprises us in unique ways that don't take no for an answer. Next thing I knew, I had to do it.To ride a motorbike.How and why this happened?I was in a hurry. In a real hurry. In a matter-of-life-and-death hurry.The thing is, not only my life was

eto na nga!

2009-06-13T20:14:00.002+08:00

if there are a few perks in my job, this must be one of them...hurrah! nahuli din! next time magpapakilala na ako sa kanya. :-)

From Africa with Love. Acheche!

2009-06-09T00:30:00.004+08:00

I've never had anything from Africa before. I loved the African goodies which hopefully are A(H1N1)-free. Hahaha! Thanks so much Jamie! :-)Elephant key chain from Nigeria which looks seriously like a token in the Jumanji game board. Cute!"Babae na deadly weapon" also from Nigeria. Astig!May bonus pang sinelas from Dubai! Hehe.

What to Eat? What to Eat?

2009-06-09T00:14:00.003+08:00

This is one of 'em, what-to-eat moments c/o my brother (who took the picture)...I'm posting it for two reasons:1. It captures that what-to-eat moment I'm talking about, and2. I'm wearing a skirt. Hah!

Dennis Trillo the Third Time Around

2009-06-07T10:41:00.004+08:00

Sa ikatlong pagkakataon, nag-krus na naman ang landas namin ni Dennis Trillo. At sa ikatlong pagkakataon, na-punctuate na hindi niya alam that an entity such as myself exists. Actually, this time, may some sort of eye contact kami (or then again baka feeling ko lang yon). Yun e habang busy akong padaan-daan sa backstage--working--habang siya ay nakikipag-chikahan sa kanyang bagong ka-love team na

Styro Alert!

2009-06-07T08:41:00.001+08:00

It's styrofoam everywhere at the Gateway Mall food court!I was alarmed. I thought malls are taking steps into becoming more Earth-friendly? With the use of recyclable bags being encouraged by many retail stores, I thought Pinoys have realized the NEED to care for mother nature.I must be wrong then. Or then again it must be the Gateway administration that must rethink their abuse of

angels in demons

2009-06-04T23:18:00.006+08:00

*it's not everyday that i get to go home at nine. so today's a gift. *last weekend, i had the pleasure of catching "angels and demons" on the big screen. i will admit that i haven't read the book. i tried. a good three years ago. but somewhere, somehow i shelved the book for other readings. for less serious readings. i was thinking the "da vinci code" will do as far as dan brown is concerned.but

too early for a burn out?

2009-05-26T19:41:00.005+08:00

let's just say i'm off the top of the wheel. and i'm sort of down in the dumps.it is hard to miss someof the things i used to take for granted. like freedom. time. relaxation. extra cash. a quick ride home. early off from work. a chance to hang out with my friends. the opportunity to be with my family. to watch movies. to laugh. to discuss whatnots. the ability to stay awake at home. and not lay

i was so tired, all i could do was cry...

2009-05-10T13:52:00.004+08:00

my fats don't make me super woman, you know?that's how the extra weight can be deceiving. it masks the frailty of someone like me. even if i weigh extra heavier than i should be, that doesn't mean i have the endurance of huge animals like elephants or pigs or dinausaurs.last saturday, i must have pushed myself to the limit, working from 9:30 AM, friday to around 2:30 PM saturday. i had roughly 30

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009-05-03T17:16:00.000+08:00

Now I realize that billboards do work their magic on potential moviegoers, thus explaining the sudden impulse to watch X-Men Origins: Wolverine with my brothers without thinking if it were a good idea or not.It was NOT a bad idea. After all, what better way to spend time with my brothers than to see the movie that would show us where Wolverine, a house favorite (hero), came from. We literally

Allow me to retract my "Bow"

2009-05-02T00:06:00.004+08:00

Namimiss kong mag-blog...as in.yung sinusulat ko lang ang naiisip ko at magugulat at mapaparaning na lang ako kasi nababasa na yun ng mga tao-kakilala man o hindi. yung ganoon.gaya kanina, salamat sa labor day nakauwi ako ng may araw pa. at dahil bukas pa ang mall, nakisilip ako sa mega-sale. i was out hunting for that cute and comfy pair of shoes na susunod kong aabusuhin. parte sana ng

Take a Bow

2008-12-31T17:43:00.004+08:00

So this is it. The last day of the year 2008. The day I've set to take my pre-announced bow. My pseudo retirement at blogging.Which may well be just a dramatic vacation.While I pursue a more tangible medium of writing.Yes, contrary to how desperate or depressed I may have sounded when I posted that thing about me quitting this blog, I was thinking of something bigger. Because I really am not the

Distributing YOUR gifts to some of the brave kids of PCMC was an honor!

2008-12-26T02:21:00.010+08:00

I know that a couple of pictures below will make it look like I were running for public office, if not for saint-hood, so I strongly suggest that you don't mind the blue blob with a ponytail and a black sling bag otherwise known as me. Because, really, I am just many GOOD PEOPLE's representative.Now here's the deal, it may seem like I and the rest of my family who are not in the pictures were the

The Books are Here!

2008-12-21T01:23:00.001+08:00

They arrived this afternoon, 150 books from the Tito Dok collection plus one complete set (14 books) that's supposed to start a mini Library for the kids at the PCMC Hematology and Oncology OPD. Yey!The Package:The Christmas Stack:The Books:I got busy preparing the gift bags. (I'm done with 100 bags! Ang bilis ko na compared last year. Haha. Expert?!) I failed to take pictures of the 150

Project: Brave Kids Christmas Party

2008-12-20T00:36:00.007+08:00

Where: at the Riverbanks Center at MarikinaWhen: 19 December 2008, 1PM-ishIt was rather more simple than last year's party but was more intimate (if that may be the right term.) The stars for the day were the brave kids and their family.I wish to share some moments:During the MassQueueThree faces in progressLittle GirlSpiderman FanHis Three Stars and a SunAudienceToolsThe Group PicAll photos

The Day the Music Died

2008-12-06T11:01:00.004+08:00

I lost my chi. Either I dropped it somewhere or someone stole it from me.Whatever it is that's keeping me up is gone, down the drain, into the shit basin below the ground we stand on.I guess there comes a time when even the best warrior gets tired of fighting.Today I realized, I am tired, not of fighting but of finding a way to fight. I've been trying to come up with the best combat move but

Another set of Quotes from Caramelo

2008-12-04T12:57:00.004+08:00

Before I sleep, allow me to share a couple more poignant lines from Sandra Cisneros' Caramelo. (Notice that it's only now that I made remarkable progress, in my read that is.)From Page 272:--Why is it sadness comes and gets you when you lie down?--Maybe it's because we talk too much in the day, we can't hear what our heart is saying. And if you don't pay attention, then it talks to you through a

Let me Tell you about my Latest Hypochondria Attack

2008-12-03T11:03:00.000+08:00

It is difficult to know for certain if there is something wrong with my system or if it’s all psychosomatic—the symptoms that seem to manifest whenever I am faced with one major fear: getting sick.Lately, I feel my limbs are especially weak; my joints, “mahapdi,” and my heart, like someone is squeezing it from the inside. I get occasional headaches and either of my eyes sometime involuntarily

Christmas Drops by So Quick

2008-12-02T15:44:00.004+08:00

There’s been positive response for the Happy Kids 2 project (or movement—I really don’t know how to call it). Despite the short-notice, a few people I emailed have already expressed their intentions to help. Yey!A friend has collected P220 from her friends from work and says there’s still some more to come. We already have 150 small Hunchback of Notre Dame activity books to pack with the main

A Sweet End to November

2008-12-01T14:49:00.005+08:00

My brother treated us for a meal at Burgoo. He was supposed to introduce us to a special salad elsewhere but we were trapped at Podium due to the late night drizzle, so Burgoo had to do.It wasn’t at all bad. Burgoo, that is. Their servings are humongous and they give you free food when you use your HSBC card. A bit pricey for someone on a tight budget but if you’re after quantity and quality,

Into the Twilight (Zone)

2008-11-30T14:58:00.007+08:00

Think teen romance with an Anne Rice twist. That’s Twilight, the latest book-turned movie sensation to hit the world. Or so they say.Amazingly, the juvenile flavor of Twilight doesn’t work against it. If it were not for the story’s high school back drop, one can fairly say that the teenybopper mist is barely there. We are, therefore, spared from the typical cheesy love story and the usual youth

Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-11-27T23:58:00.004+08:00

I had the night off thanks to the good old American holiday called “Thanksgiving.” (Despite living miles away from Uncle Sam’s people, they have power over me now, and as a requisite, I abide by their holidays.)I don’t know much about Thanksgiving other than it is spent during the last Thursday of November and that a lot of Turkey turns into every dinner table’s superstar during its celebration.

Let’s Make a Brave Bunch of Kids Extra Happy this Christmas—Again!

2008-11-26T11:05:00.009+08:00

Last year, we were able to make a little over 150 children extra happy by handing them Christmas gifts (containing a drawing book, coloring book, pencils, eraser, sharpener, box of crayons, and sticker sheets), painting their faces with fancy characters and figures, and giving out sculptured balloons—all of which were made possible by a number of generous hearts who supported our cause.The 150+

A bit of Caramelo

2008-11-23T23:59:00.004+08:00

I am proud to say that I have made progress with the thick book I’m reading and by “thick” I mean 439 intimidating pages.I am done with more than half of it. So I’m thinking that I will be able to finish the book before the year ends, if not before the stroke of midnight at the last day of this year (granting I will not be working on New Year’s eve). Not bad for a slow reader such as myself.At

Comfort food of the day

2008-11-22T21:08:00.000+08:00

Chocolate milkshake from McDonalds, and pizza, nachos and baked mac from Greenwich, that's what.I guess I needed a whole lot of comforting, huh?

What a Day for a Daydream

2008-11-21T14:18:00.002+08:00

If you’ve been awake since 12am and your waking hours in the morning are sure to be longer than at night, then wouldn’t you agree that it is a great day for daydreaming? For starters, you are conscious for most part of the day; thus allowing daydreams that run longer than Doctor Chivago, intermission included.I am not too psyched with my present working schedule because I have a thing with

Michael Johns Will Have To Do For Now

2008-11-19T22:13:00.009+08:00

Michael Johns wasn't bad at all. To tell the truth, he was not my favorite during the 7th Season of American Idol. (Did I get the season right?) However I found the way he was voted out a bit premature. He could have shown more if he stayed longer, I guess.I was vying for David Cook who did win. At the same time, I was cheering for Jason Castro who was soo cute. (Imagine me say this in a high

Meme Ang Himig ng Adarna

2008-11-19T13:25:00.001+08:00

Someone get me a knife. Quick!Konti na lang talaga, maghihiwa na ako ng balat para lang hindi makatulog habang “inaawitan” ako ng tinatawag ko ngayong “Adarna.” Shet. Kaso I swore hindi na ako magpapaka-masochista pa mang muli. Kaya, ewan, bahala na. Baka mabalitaan ninyo na lang next time na naging bato na ako dahil naiputan ako ng Adarna.Either that or ginilitan ko na lang ng leeg ang Adarna.

Getting more from a Bazaar

2008-11-14T23:39:00.005+08:00

So I was sort of forced to help my mom out in her grand idea of a bazaar in the place that used to be my playground (cue Madonna’s I’ll Remember). I haven’t been doing anything productive lately so I did not dare to protest and acceded instead. I’m not new to bazaars or to selling. We used to do it a lot, especially at the time of the year when things go commercial and people are in the mood to

The Return of the Comeback

2008-11-13T22:33:00.003+08:00

As the story now goes, my return to my former office has been encouraged by a Christmas sale I could not refuse, mostly for entrepreneurial reasons. It was an opportunity practically screaming just to present itself. Who was I to refuse?In the hopes of being the early bird that’ll catch the worm, I headed as early as I possibly could to my former office where I last set foot on five months ago. I

Last Sunday I Broke My Lucky Charm

2008-11-12T00:17:00.001+08:00

The last time I was with my friends (which was a month ago), we set out to buy each other charm bracelets to hopefully turn our fortunes around—to shoo away bad luck for one of us, to bring good health to another, and attract a career for me.But since we were not that lucky, we were not able to find a store that’ll sell us our target merchandise. See? We really need those lucky charms.Last