hairspray

while whole last was a blah, the weekend was a blast! thanks to the wonderful hairspray. liezl, cath, zel plus tizia and i trooped to the star theater in ccp complex to see the staging of this 1988 film, which was turned into a stage musical and then turned into a movie again in 2007, starring john travolta, michelle pfeiffer, zac efron and nikki blonsky.

true to most reviews i've read, hairspray manila was really good. it was fun, high-energy, beautifully-acted and well sung - just another testament to pinoy's megawatt talent! apart from the high strung set design and stage lighting, what really carried the musical is the ensemble. it'll take a lot talent and discipline to be able to carry out all those singing while also doing all those calisthenics. madel ching, who played the lead character tracy turnblad was a literally a ball of sugar (taas ng energy!!!), very competent singer and has the right comic timing as well. link larkin (tim espinosa) wasn't the best singer, but he made up for this with superb dancing. nyoy volante was ok, but his voice somewhat loses its touch when the chorus joins in, maybe because of his pop-ish style. menchu lauchengco was also very good, although her velma von tussle did not shine as what i would've expected, similar to the film version. michael de mesa, as edna turnblad was superb! he nailed that drag role as if the role was written for him. but i think the showstopper was really dulce. since she's one of the country's top belters, she didn't have any problems soaring to high notes and wallowing the whole theater with her soulful rendition of "i know where i've been". even more outstanding, her low notes are fantastic! overall, it was really a good one, enjoyable to the last song number, makes you celebrate your own imperfections.

but of course, we haven't paid cath yet... thanks cath! next show please...

lob

most tennis pundits regard this match between rafa and nole in this year's hamburg masters as the year's best ATP 3-set match. of course, i haven't seen any of this coz of our cable shift back in may! this match had everything a claycourt drama can offer: both players exchanging aggressive baseline attacks, mixing shots between rally, winning points on perfectly struck lobs, drive volleys and baseline winners. although i didn't see any winners coming from a drop shot coz both rafa and nole are very quick movers, the whole match produced spectacular shots with both players playing well. the final score - 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, in rafa's favor. he also went on to win his first hamburg shield, completing his collection of the 3 masters tournaments played on clay.

although most players like this hamburg masters tourney, it'll lose its masters status next year, following the major overhaul that will take effect starting january 2009.

mumbai

sad to see hundreds of innocent lives taken and scores injured by terrorists again. this time in marked spots in mumbai, india (shown in map below). while i think that it's ok to make statements sometimes, i think senseless killings in the name of militant extremism is totally unnecessary. by creating chaos, they only alienate themselves even more from the rest of the world and puts others in greater risk of being deprived of other opportunities. besides, those that do not engage in these ruthless acts are forced to stand back and suffer the consequences of irresponsible offenses against the entire population. haaay...



sumalangit nawa ang mga nasawi.

100

while today marks another day of becoming a willing victim to mark's hurried style of convincing people, this post marks my 100th blog entry! wahahahahaha! not too long ago, i made my first public post via this blog. then, after almost 11 months of (trying hard) blogging about almost anything (but mostly about my humble travels and tennis), i hit the milestone called 100. you see, 100 is the benchmark for a president of a country's performance at the beginning of his/her term. century is 100 years, just like in UP's centennial this year. abraham was 100 years old when he had isaac. 100 was also the total number of points wilt chamberlain scored in march 2, 1962. time magazine lists 100 most influential people in the world, similar to other media orgs that publishes their own brand of 100. so this is historic! hehehehehe!

here's to the next 100! (",)

peanut

back in early 2000's, charmie, a friend/college classmate and former housemate & officemate, said that finding a mate is like looking for a pair of rubber shoes. you have to find the right size, the style that you want, color, a good price, the functionality whether you want something for smart casual ensemble or those that are ultra sporty or for walking only. of course, the quality has to be there, especially if you want this pair to last for nearly a lifetime.

when you finally get the best pair, meaning you like the style, suits you well and budget-swack, here comes a new set of rubber shoes. some of these new styles are way better and priced good as well. it's up to you to decide if you want to stuck to your old reliable pair or have a look and try out new ones that can ultimately kill your love for the old one. of course, if the old pair isn't working for you, then you have no choice but to get a new pair. but the killer question is, what if you still like your old pair and works out just fine, but then a new pair comes along that promises to give you more breathing space and more comfort than what you've been used to... will you take that risk and swipe your way to get the new pair or be contented with your old pair. hmmmm...

similar to charmie's analogy, i found this article that says work resembles peanut butter and our initial fascination on it, that turns into boredom and subsequent loathing and second wind of enchantment. in times of crisis, with a lot of lay-offs happening, this piece of article might offer an alternative view on career and our present job.

How Work is Like Peanut Butter
By J.T. O'Donnell

Feel like you always fall out of love with your jobs? Does this sound familiar?

"In the beginning, I couldn't wait to get to the office. I loved the company, my boss, my peers and my job. Then, the excitement started to go away and I realized that it was all in my mind. The job I fell in love with is just like every other job I've had: It's repetitive, tedious and long. I end up feeling like a failure because I can't find a job that makes me happy."

If you can relate to this scenario, let me share a secret: Work is like peanut butter.

Phase one: The introduction

Think back to when you were first introduced to peanut butter. You were most likely a kid, who had tasted only healthy foods that were dull but good for you, like fruits, veggies, toast and crackers.

One day, someone put a sandwich in front of you and said, "Try this." You took a bite and your taste buds went nuts for the sweet candylike treat that was easy to chew and full of yummy flavor. Your little brain probably said, "Is this a mistake? Do they know what I'm eating?" At which point, you immediately thought, "I better show them I like this," and you wolfed it down.

The same thing happens when you go on an interview and like what you see and hear. Your brain gets really excited with the possibility of something new and delicious entering your life on a regular basis. You do whatever it takes to land the job, and then you celebrate like a 4-year-old when you get the offer letter. But let's return to our story.

The grown-up who gave you the sandwich is so impressed with the way you devoured it, you're told you can have it again. You opt to have it every day. If you could, you'd eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner.

Phase two: Boredom sets in

One day, you realize that peanut butter is a bit boring. It doesn't have the same appeal it did when you first tasted it, but now, it's been added to the "healthy foods" list and you're told you HAVE to eat it. The very thing that you were craving just a few weeks earlier is now something you loathe. You're given some new variations -- jelly, Fluff, no-crust, on celery with raisins. The presentation is altered, but it doesn't change the fact that you are really tired of peanut butter.

The same thing happens when you realize that your job is actually work; it's something you must do. You've agreed to do the job, so you need to show up and complete the work, whether you feel like it or not.

You try to liven up the job by taking on different assignments or learning a new skill, but it still doesn't change the fact that you must do this job. Perhaps you call in sick for a mental health day or plan a vacation. Yet, you still have to return to the job at some point. So how do you fix your aversion to work? Let's see how the peanut butter story turns out.

Phase three: Hatred is evident

You became so sick of peanut butter that you announce, "I hate peanut butter." You are given some other foods to try. First, you get liverwurst. You gag and ask for carrots. The next day, you get tuna; you won't even try it. On the third day, you are offered egg salad. You immediately ask to go to your room and skip eating altogether.

Phase four: Pleased to see you again

On the fourth day, peanut butter is set down in front of you, and you are actually pleased. There is your trusted friend, the food you can count on to appease your hunger without making you nauseous. You eat it and think, "Ahh, peanut butter, you are not so bad." You go on to develop a strong bond with a food that you know is not ideal, but reliable. You accept it for what it is and what it can do for you. You are satisfied.

Work is no different. You could go to your boss and let her know you are looking to feel more challenged but, if you can't be specific as to what you need and what you want to do, you'll most likely be given more work that you don't love.

Meanwhile, your boss may get upset that you aren't grateful for the efforts to help you and could resent your attitude -- especially if you say you don't want the extra work anymore and will just stick with the job you said wasn't working for you in the first place. I guarantee she'll assume you are looking to leave and will no longer want to invest time and energy into your professional development.

If you can work through the phase where you loathe the repetitive, unexciting nature of your job and recognize that the skills and experience you are acquiring are enabling you to do a good job without a lot of pressure or stress, perhaps you'll finally give your job a break and stop expecting so much from it. Your work is not always going to make you feel amazing and wonderful.

In times when you aren't "feeling the love," try to appreciate your job for what it does give you: a steady paycheck, benefits, a place to learn and build your skill sets so you'll always be employable, or the opportunity to build professional friendships that could help in the future. You could end up feeling a lot better about work in general.

Now that you understand how work is like peanut butter, why not take a peanut butter sandwich to your job tomorrow and be grateful for what they both provide -- sustenance.

J.T. O'Donnell is a nationally syndicated workplace columnist and author of the book "Careerealism: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career."

big

i finally nailed sex and the city movie last night, thanks to mai-mai's blu ray copy! hehehehehe!

while this movie version paled in comparison to the series, this was still a thrill for the fans - for the only reason of missing the series. the movie failed to carry the series' witty dialog and clever play of the english language and resorted to more cliche lines, but got off to a good start when the movie continued from the end of the series. they tried to infuse a lot of sub-topics on the other girls, but as a viewer, i felt that they left you wanting to see more of samantha, miranda and charlotte, coz ultimate focus of course was still given to carrie's all too old "big" issue. they added a new character, louise, who should've given the movie a fresh view but the movie's take on love was on the its cheesier side. the outfits were totally outrageous and their capitalist placement of the ads and its whole approach on this put the girls at mercy of these commodities rather than what they've shown in the series that ladies have the power to decide whatever they wanted for themselves. overall, it was a big letdown... just good to while away mindless nights.

julia

nakatutuwang sorpresa 'to nang magkita-kita kami ng buong pamilya nu'ng undas. natanggap ko na ang ginawang pangkaarawang kard ni julia para sa akin! ang unica hija ni ate joy, si julia ay tahimik, inglisera, matalino, mahilig sa alcogel, singkit, maputi, paborito ang pink, maraming kakatwang kuwento at higit sa lahat, ang ate kina rafael at juan.

buong ingat at tiyaga niyang tinapos ang lahat ng disenyo sa kard na 'to! walang anumang tulong mula sa kanyang mga magulang, maging ang paggupit ng kard at pagdidikit ng mga istiker sa sobre nito ay kanyang ginawa. pinagtuunan niya ito ng pansin at oras at ibinuhos ang angking makasining na gawi sa pagbuo nito. nakagagaan ng loob 'pag nakakakuha ka ng mga gan'tong regalo mula sa mga bata. tunay na walang katumbas na anumang halaga dahil mula ito sa isang busilak na puso.

salamat, ate ia! (",)

starbs

tis the season for starbucks... organizer that is. i had one back in 2007 and last year as well, mainly courtesy of zel and omar. i didn't want to spend a whole lot of money, so i had some stickers from them. this time, i think starbucks have lowered the number of stickers needed to redeem the organizer, which is good coz this year's version is not as nice as the 2 previous organizers.

anyway, i just thought of this organizer coz men's health has listed 2 of starbucks' drinks in its top 20 unhealthiest drinks! according to the authors david zinczenko and matt goulding, these 20 drinks are the "most bloating beverages in gas stations, bars, smoothie counters, and coffee shops across america".

at number 7 is the Worst Coffee Alternative - Starbucks Venti White Hot Chocolate [640 calories 23 g fat (15 g saturated) 76 g sugar]. caffeine abstainers will find little nutritional refuge in starbucks' hot chocolate concoctions. this one packs an entire day's worth of saturated fat, with more than enough sugar to set you up for a dramatic mid-afternoon energy crash. stick with the steamed apple juice instead. ranked number 6 is the Worst Hot Coffee - Starbucks Venti 2% Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha [660 calories 22 g fat (14 g saturated) 95 g sugar]. important rule of thumb: avoid holiday-themed items from coffee shops at all costs. from peppermint to egg nog to pumpkin, these are often the most sugar- and fat-packed drinks you'll find at places like starbucks. make your own flavored drinks instead, using skim milk, sugar-free syrups, and, of course, skipping the whip.

peppermint white choco mocha was my favorite from the previous years' christmas blends. i already had a sampling of dark cherry mocha, but since i don't intend to spend much this time and because of the high sugar content of these drinks, i'd have to find ways to get the stickers. getting visiting a/p colleagues to buy coffee from starbucks would be one. but i need to make sure that i strike a good deal with zel, who obviously would have the upper hand coz she's the admin person. anyway, i'll still try! if not, i can always say that this year's version is not nice! wahahahahahaha!

tracts

i got this email from celine, who got married in january of this year and is on her 8 month pregnancy (first) and is expecting a boy! congrats celine! although we've been friends since grade 3 (tagal na!), i rarely get emails from her, so i was surprised when i got this one. but at first, i thought of actually ignoring this one coz it's just one of those forwarded emails. good thing i decided to read thru coz the message is inspiring and it's a breezy read.

The Pastor and his Son

A good reminder of God's Love.

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts.

This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, "OK, dad, I'm ready."

His Pastor dad asked, "Ready for what?"

"Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out." Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain."

The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, "But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?"

Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather." Despondently, the boy asks, "Dad, can I go? Please?"

His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son."

"Thanks Dad!"

And with that, he was off and out into the rain. his eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract.

After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted.

Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.

Finally, this eleven year old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch! He rang again and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, "What can I do for you, son?" With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that *JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU* and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE."

With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave. She called to him as he departed. "Thank you, son! And God Bless You!"

Well, the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit. As the service began, he asked, "Does anybody have any testimony or want to say anything?"

Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, "No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.

So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, "I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away." I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, "Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me." I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder.

When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, "Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU." Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand.

As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more.

You see---I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell."

There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honor to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated.

He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably. Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor for his son... Except for One.

Our Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of heaven shouted praises and honor to The King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.

kiko

i'm so liking survivor philippines.

i'm more of a kapamilya than kapuso coz i find that most gma primetime shows are too campy (asero, kamandag) or just plain copies of international hits like lord of the rings (although i enjoyed encantadia, their best fantaserye to date), harry potter (majika), smallville (captain barbell) among others. their dramas fare poorly against abs-cbn's, not because they don't have competent actors, but i think they lack the same pool of writers who can concoct viral lines that could give old teleserye themes new twists and exciting.

it's a totally different story with some of gma's reality shows. i liked extra challenge coz of the celebrity factor in it, as well as the creative challenges that they've done. but i think gma found gold with survivor philippines! although it should have not been billed as "survivor philippines" coz it was done in thailand (more apt could be pinoy survivor: thailand), gma's version doesn’t have those sappy storylines ala-abs-cbn's reality shows. instead, survivor ph focuses on what's important – building up the excitement through series of challenges and the usual survivor gapangan and scheming tactics of the castaways. there might be some cliffhangers here and there but the show stays true to the nature of the game and does not dwell on make believe stories. i think what's working for me in this show is that they did not force the contestants to play a certain pre-arranged or pre-themed role so as to supposedly make the series more exciting. there are no lingering sub-stories that are shown over a long period of time. in short, gma didn't do an overkill on this one! that's very good. coz it will get tiring especially if you see it everyday, unlike u.s. survivor shows which are shown once a week only.

i'm so glad that kiko got the boot this early. with his departure, it would be nice to see how "followers" would chart their own strategies, especially as sir kiko seems to have called all the shots and decided for the whole tribe, all in what he had branded as tribe spirit! i think marlon will also be voted off very soon, so next episodes will be exciting as well. teka, i've seen some blog entries that jc is the sole survivor, supposedly leaked by a survivor ph crew to a friend. i hope that this isn't true coz it would kill all the excitement! we'll see.

walled

my first real walking tour of this historic city (within a city) was during a field trip for my kasaysayan 110 (colonial philippines). that was by far the most complete tour i had coz we ventured in almost all significant sites such as fort santiago, manila cathedral, ayuntamiento, san agustin church (and its amazing museum and bamboo organ), all the baluartes, puerta del parian and casa manila, for its classic bahay na bato architecture and colonial feel.

then in 2004, i went back again to intramuros to tour maggie and mike, with kr and farrah. when pao-shen was here, we went to fort santiago and had a calesa ride to see the place again. and then this june, it was another intramuros trip... but now with mujin, mylene, cathy, zel, michael and kr. i can say that the last 3 tours were products of us wanting to showcase filipino hospitality by bringing colleagues from other countries to see our heritage sites. although the last one was just an alternative to the initially planned tagaytay trip, intramuros still provided the necessary while-away activity for mujin. its proximity to makati and its historical significance make intramuros a good stop for any of our colleagues who were able to extend their stay up to saturday or for those who got an earlier sunday flight.

intramuros allows visitors to have a romantic roam but historical fête whether you're a local or a foreigner. sadly, i must admit that it's not well-preserved. a bigger part of it was not spared from the urban decay that has gobbled the rest of manila. the walls within its baluartes are littered with garbage, while its insides are fettered by drug pushers (shown on national tv) who operate within shanty towns on intramuros' historical lots. it's only in the philippines that you can see such urban scoundrels doing their transactions within a supposedly law protected site. well because these people bring in the votes for local corrupt officials, so they become "untouchables". recently, even denr is condoning intramuros administration's decision to cut centuries-old trees in manila cathedral's plaza roma.

how i wish we had the same flair as the romans or turkish gift of preserving heritage sites. these countries take extra effort in ensuring that whatever historical monuments or any locale with cultural significance are well-preserved. that's why, they get a lot of revenues from a continuously increasing number of tourists each year, while also achieving a more collective pride of their heritage. i think pinoys have this low regard on the past (and all of its traces), saying that "uunahin pa ba natin ang mga ganyang bagay kung kumakalam ang sikmura natin". when in fact, the reason behind "kalam ng sikmura" is deliberate indolence, apathy, inclination towards quick money and corrupt mindset. with our pristine beaches and rugged but exciting terrains and mountains, the philippines could outdo any rival countries if we also have well-preserved historical tourist spots.

the walls provided a good defense against marauding invaders in the past. but it didn't prevent the locals from eating their way up and causing decay from within.

democrat

it's official. obama is now the new president of the u.s. his charisma, intelligence and celebrity-ridden campaign has carried him to this historic win. i personally think that the "coolness" of having their first african-american president and mccain's old age and being close to bush have also been significant factors. slate says that the issue on economy ultimately killed mccain's chances.

i just hope that as president, he performs as good as he charismatically delivers his speeches. it would be disappointing if he'll turn out as another lameduck after the big hullabaloo about his presidency. but his entry to the white house would definitely be challenging, with all the economic slowdown and recession issues abounding.

now the question is, with his presidency, will the philippines lose some major bpo-related investments coming from the u.s.? he and senior democrats already mentioned that they don't want jobs going out of u.s., so cuts on bpo projects would have to be implemented in some way. but of course, it doesn't mean that the philippines will lose out on all projects coz of the ultra cheap labor that we offer and our inherent strengths when it comes to the services industry. we'll see.

on another note, i wish to see the same quick conclusion to national elections here in the philippines! it's just too tiring to see dreadful weeks of manual counting and tabulation from across the country, only to be rigged on a national level. i doubt if a speedy election would happen in the near future. but i'm still hoping…

undas

magmula nang sumakabilang-buhay si mama nu'ng 1993, nakagawian na namin na kada a-31 na pumunta sa sementeryo, kesa tuwing a-uno. una, bertdey ni mama 'pag 31. pangalawa, solo namin ang libingan kasi ang lahat ng kamag-anakan ay a-uno pa rin ang punta. mas konti ang trapik, konti ang tao kaya't mainam ang pagtungo sa la loma.

nu'ng huwebes, umaasa pa rin ako na gagawing holiday ni gma ang 31. pero hindi. kaya't namroblema pa ako kung paano ako aalis nang maaga, gayong may naka-iskedyul kaming konkol ng bandang alas-5. eh ano ba naman ang hindi nadadaan sa magandang pakiusap, di ba? kaya nag-drama ako sa email, at ayun, napayagan din. pagkatapos kong madaliing sagutin lahat ng mga email, dali-dali kami ni zel na umalis at sumakay ng bus patungong buendia taft. di ko masyadong trip mag-lrt kasi andami kong dala (pizza at soft drinks), kaya pinilit ko si zel na mag-fx na lang hanggang monumento. magaan pa ang trapik sa kahabaan ng roxas blvd., pero pagdating namin sa delpan hanggang sa panulukan ng c3, mabigat na ang daloy ng trapik. ang maganda lang du'n, nakita ko rin sa wakas ang lugar kung saan naroon dati ang smokey mountain. di pa talaga ako nakadaan man lang sa lugar na 'yun maski dati. nagtraysikel ako hanggang marating ko ang dome st., ang lugar kung saan nakatira sila manang niknik. sa kanya kami nakikisuyong pumasok sa sementeryo, kasi mas malapit dito kesa dumaan kami sa mismong gate ng la loma. siningil ako ng 50 pesos, kaya kahit ayaw na ng drayber na ihatid ako hanggang dome st., naipilit ko pa rin ang gusto ko! aba naman, 50 pesos na nga eh. pero sa totoo lang, malayo na 'ata talaga ang pinaghatiran niya sa akin. mula sa bandang dagat-dagatan, tinawid pa namin ang rizal av. (kung nasaan ang 5th avenue lrt station), at binagtas pa ang kahabaan ng c3, hanggang malapit na sa a. bonifacio ave. haba rin talaga!

at naroon na ang buong pamilya pagdating ko, pero wala sila ate joy. nauna na raw ng bandang tanghali. masaya kami! di agad nagsipagdasal, kasi kumain pa at natsismisan. andaming pagkain... chicken pork adobo ni tita jo; dinuguan ni ate cleo at kuya bob; pritong manok ni ate ne; barbecue ni liezl; kalamay ni ate she; at siyempre ang pizza ko! patak-patak ang patakaran ng pamilya tuwing may gan'tong salu-salo.

dami ring usap siyempre! mula sa pulitika, showbiz, mga kapitbahay sa capri, bagong mga tsismis sa barangay, hanggang sa pag-aaral ng mga bata, lalo na ni ate nice na hinihimok kong lumipat sa diliman pagkatapos ng sem na ito. di rin mawawala ang mga asaran ng mga bata! pero siyempre, sa lahat ng ingay na ito, tahimik lang si papa. ganu'n kasi talaga siya, ewan ko ba. 'tapos, nagdasal kami. simple lang, wala na 'yung mga requiem ni lola kasi siya lang naman ang nakakaalam n'un. umuwi na rin kami pasado alas-8, kasi umaambon at tumitindi na ang putik sa sementeryo.

pagdating sa bahay, nagbaraha pa kami ng mga bata. capitalism ang laro, kasali sila utoy, bang, bea, luis at ako! ang galing 'no! tinuturuan ng tito ang kanyang mga pamangkin kung pa'no magsugal! pero walang perang taya, asaran lang karamihan kasi nagkakapikunan sila utoy at luis madalas.

kinabukasan, nag-trinoma kami! laro sa timezone ang mga bata, tapos kumain kami sa kfc kasi gusto raw ni luis ng chicken. 'kala ko nga di na kami tutuloy sa trinoma kasi naman alas-5 na, di pa kami umaalis sa novaliches. ang tagal talaga ng hintayan kahit kelan! hehehehe!

ngayong tanghali naman ako dumalaw kay lola sa south cemetery. ang init! so sabi ko agad kay lola, di ako magtatagal. kasi wala ka naman talagang kahit anupamang masisilungan d'un. dinalhan ko si lola ng siopao, at pagkatapos kong maitirik ang 3 esperma, umalis na rin ako kasi bigla namang bumuhos ang ulan! tama ba naman 'yun?!!

at 'yun ang undas 2008.

pasko naman ang pagkakaabalahan ko! (",)