Of Family Reunions,Obscure Towns and Fab Tans,

And so after 4 blissful days, I am back home to 7.5ish climate and fog.

I have been on a 4 day well-deserved vacation, something that I have been dreaming about after working non-stop for one hectic week.

I know I have left a few things undone when I went on vacation a couple of days, but with the new found strength and inspiration, I think I could go through everything when I get back to work tonight. To be perfectly honest, I am excited to go back to work. Weird.

So my wonderful vacation started a on Friday, when we travelled to Mabini, Pangasinan, an obscure little town that did not have internet access and where everyone thinks having fun involved a case of Red Horse and a videoke Machine.

Drinking Red Horse with Good Friends while listening to someone singing at the Villa BRaganza Square

My weekend even involved gate crashing a family reunion. Well, it's not really gate crashing, since I was with Piper's family, and no one really knew who I was and why I was with them on their Family Reunion. But there was brandy and Roasted pig. That I will never resist.

And so we pretended I was a long lost cousin. I even won a lousy but crisp brand new one dollar bill for playing Hep Hep Hooray with some "cousins".

After that afternoon, it was back to drinking Red Horse at the local Videoke Bar/Tourist Spot, Villa Braganza Square, which was literally a small garage with a small stage and a dozen tables for those who want to spend the entire night getting drunk and rowdy.

We got home at around 5 am, but didn't get enough sleep because we had to travel by jeepney to the beach. I was excited, I wanted to get a fab tan.

And a fab tan, I got. The beach was so beautiful. Just last year we went to this pristine beach hours away from civilization, and last Sunday I saw another beautiful beach. I think I'll put "beach hopping" to the list of my favorite things to do. No, make that "visit far beaches and pretend I was in the Bahamas." Teehee.

So see, my weekend was full of unexpected surprises. I was even surprised to find out that there was a small river near the house we were staying at. I went for a short swim there as well.

Swimming at the nearby River.

Can't wait to go back there. It was a wonderful weekend.

Over and Over Again.

An old saying goes "Patience is Virtue."

I haven't been patient, and when I touched your lips I began to wonder if what I was doing was right.

"Is this right?" I asked, full of expectations.

"Yes," you said.

I faltered, knowing that what you said was right.

You said it was ok, that it wasn't right but what we felt was not wrong. So I continued kissing you until I realized I was passionately in love with you.

The air was cold, and your were shivering. I hugged you tightly in my arms and felt your warmth. I kissed your back.

"If we do this," I asked, "Will I ever see you again?"

"Yes," you answered.

With that promise we started exploring our depthless emotions. With moans of pleasure and passion we entered paradise.

A couple of years back I promised myself never to fall in love with someone that easily. But I faltered. I failed drastically. I succumbed to my loneliness and fell, like a child from a tall tree.

And now I am falling... falling.

I know sooner or later I would feel the ground. I would feel the hurt and the pain. I will die - as I have died before.

Over and over again.

Over and over again.

Over... and over again.

When You Wish Upon a Star

"Starlight, Starbright,

first star I see tonight,

Wish I may, Wish I might,

Have the wish, I wish tonight."

I have this thing about seeing the first star on a dark, cloudless, and sometimes moonless nights. Neither the fact that it may be planet, or that there are other indetectable stars out there hinder me from whispering the words I have written above.

Last night, when I had the chance to actually look at the night sky, I saw a twinkling light, a star, and involuntarily, I uttered that words that I have been uttering since I was in grade school.

Then I made my wish.

It was more of a question actually.

"Will I...?"

The year didn't really start out as I hoped it would, but hey, I have great hope that this year would be a good year for me.

I know wishing something won't do anything. "Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa." (God helps those who help themselves.) I know wishing on a star won't do anything not unless I do something about it.

Here's to 2009, and to the people who believe that sometimes, wishing on a star isn't really a bad thing. It just shows us that despite everything, a small, twinkling light can bring hope to everyone- kids from 1, to 92.

Happy New Year to all.

The Pseudo-New Year's Resolutions List

A couple of days ago, my friends and I talked about New Year's Resolutions.
Last year, I only had one New Year's Resolution, and that was to not bother about having one.
I never really believed in New Year's Resolutions, I mean, you can always change your mind right? So what's the big deal about it?



Anyway, I have decided to create a list list - things that I have to do before the end of the year 2009. Things to do for 12 months, at least one thing done every two months. Fairly reasonable, since some of the things listed can be done simultaneously, like hitting 2 birds with one stone.
After careful thought, here is the first half of the list of things I have to do before the end of 2009:





1. Buy a Digital Camera

Being the photo freak that I am, some friends have suggested that I take up a few short courses for Photography. A second hand camera would do, I am planning to save up for a good camera though, the one professionally used for photo shoots. Anyone with hand-me-downs? :)



2. Ride a Boat

In my 26 years of existence, the only boats I managed to ride were the rent-by-the-hour boats at the Burnham Lake - a 4 feet deep manmade lake filled the sewage water right smack in the middle of Baguio City. This goal brings me to the 3rd goal I have for the coming year.



3. Visit the Visayas

Full of pristine beaches and gorgeous Chinoys, the Visayas region has been a hotspot for PLMs (People Like Me). Boracay, with it's white sands and overly expensive resorts, have lost it's luster, but I'd love to visit just to say that I have actually been there. I would want to visit Cebu, also.



4. Get another tattoo


The pheonix tattoo I got last year wants to get a sister. I have been planning to get something tattooed right on my spine, it means "happy and gay" in Thai. I'm trying to get a picture of that, maybe I'll post it next time.


5. Get membership to a gym and start losing weight

Alright, alright, seems to be something I may not really be committed to. Hey, maybe this the the part where it actually is a New Year's Resolution. Still, I really do need to get healthy. I am starting to feel nauseaous constantly these past weeks.


6. Get at least one novel published

Another dream I have had for the longest time. I have already finished writing 2 novels, and I have 2 unfinished novels just waiting for me to get right to them. I have been researching on ways to have these books published, can someone help?

Christmas with Sharon Cuneta

Christmas has come and gone, and with a few days left in the year, I was actually hoping I'd get a lot of things as Christmas gifts. Just a couple of gifts came, though, but it doesn't matter, the gifts were thoughtful.

So I got myself some gifts for Christmas, not a lot, but at least I bought some stuff for me.

1. Sharon Cuneta's classic movie collection
2. Old movies in VCDs and DVDs
3. Bob Ong's books
4. 2 pairs of Buffalo pants (for sale of course)

The company I have been working for for the past 2 years decided that we needed time off for the Christmas season. It was 4 days of blissful relazation, I thought, so the time was right - I've had a stressful week at work.

I had a list of things that I haven't had the chance to do, and I thought it was the time to actually get to it.

1. Do my laundry
2. Clean my room
3. Movie Marathon
4. Write something for this blog
5. Finish the novel I have started writing

I did the laundry, I cleaned my room, then I started my Movie Marathon with Sharon Cuneta's "Bubukas, Luluhod ang mga tala" ("Tomorrow, The Stars will Kneel"). Then I realized I was bored. ARGH! The only thing I hate (other than Marian Rivera's dancing) is being bored.

Got this copy of "Mrs. Doubtfire", one of my favorite movies, and I watched that while online. I started chatting but that lost it's luster after a couple of minutes.

Whew, I didn't really know what to do anymore. I lied in my bed, just wishing the holidays were over. For the first time this year, I actually wanted to go back to work! I can't believe it.

3 more days to go.

I thought I started liking Christmas. Now I just realized, I still hate it. Aside from Marian Rivera's dancing, of course.

Old Baguio, New Baguio

Here is a picture of Session Road, before and now. I came across this while browsing Google.

Funny how the tall buildings show how highly urbanized we are, but somehow we wish we could go back to the old times, when the air was still fresh and the cars can still park diagonally on the streets.

Hay.

Memories

Here's a blog entry I found, browsing through my old blog 2 years ago. This blog entry amde me realize that I haven't really changed much, I just started learning a lot more.
_______

It’s cold and I brought an old jacket that smells of mothballs. The keyboard on this computer isn’t functioning very well, I have to hit the backspace key so many times to erase mistakes. I have a lot to complain about, but I didn’t walk 5 blocks just to write about the "not-so-nice" things that happened to me today.

So let me rephrase my opening paragraph.

It’s cold, and I have always enjoyed the cool breeze and low temperatures. It reminds me of my dream to go the Manhattan one day and enjoy the cold that Sarah Jessica Parker is always complaining about. Let’s exchange places Sarah. I’ll bet you’ll miss New York.

It has been several days since the last time I wrote on my diary at home. YES, aside from religiously posting on this online blog, I also keep a private recording of what happens in my life, stuff that is not meant for the public eye. In the pages of that diary, I keep track of what I might easily forget when I grow old. I am afraid to lose memories, wonderful or regrettable events that made me who I am now.

I have kept a diary all my life. Some of them I have lost, I have kept a couple of them, and I read them when I have time. Its funny how I behaved and thought before. I realized that ever since, I have always struggled with my love life. And when I compare myself now to what I was before, I breathe a sigh of relief and thank God that I have learned a LOT.

Going back to the things of the past isnt that hard as other might think. Sometimes, they might even serve as a reminder of what and what not to change, a reminder of happy times to shed light to a gray day, and a reflection of the bad days that will make us strive to make our lives better.

Having said that, I have great confidence that I can face my life now with the reassurance that anything I do, and any consequences it may bring to my life, I will always rise like a phoenix, ready to tackle anything that blocks my way.

Same Old, Same Old...

Blah blah blah...

A lot of things being thought about, too little time to actually talk about it.

It's almost Christmas, and though I have already bought gifts, I am having a hard time finding time to wrap them all up. If I could just give the givfts in plastic bags, I would...

It has been a while since the last time that I wrote something. I am quite bored, to say the least, and I honestly do not have anything to write about. Or talk about.

A colleague recently approached me and asked me why I was so sad.

"I ain't sad," I said, irritated that people assume I am sad when I don't talk. "I just don't feel like talking."

Then they start asking if i was feeling well.

I don't really know what's happening with me right now. A couple of months ago, I would enjoy a night out with friends. I'll dance till the wee hours of the morning, or till my feet start aching, wanting to rest from being wrapped in 4 inch stilletos. Now I'd rather stay at home and drink bottles of beer with friends till I pass out. :)

Maybe it's that "getting older" thing my mom used to tell me.

"Tumatanda ka na," ("You're getting older,") she would say. "You should start acting your age."

I remember that TV commercial by Edu Manzano, the one that said it is ok to be 40, as long as that person looks 30 (or something younger). It is so unfair! I mean, I am just 26, but I look ages older that what I really am! Grrr..

Anyway, I can't wait for the weekend. I haven't really though of what to do on Saturday, but I have a distinct feeling I would just be staying at home.

Maybe I should start learning how to crochet or something. :P

The Great Divisoria Escape

It has been such a tiring weekend. I had to go down to Manila (Philippines Capital, around 8 hours away from where I am right now) to buy gifts for Christmas. I dread the holiday season, but if there was one thing I love doing, it's giving gifts (then receiving some :)).

The weekend started at 3:00 am. After work, I boarded a bus to Manila. I got some sleep on the bus, but it wasn't really enough to get me through one whole day. Anyway, when I arrived at Manila, it was not too warm. It was still humid (temperatures can go as warm as 33.05 degrees Celsius (91.49 degrees Fahrenheit), but the weather was actually pleasant.

After leaving my stuff at my friend Piper's house, we rode the train to Divisoria, a haven for people who have little money to spend but a lot of friends to give gifts to. We spent almost 4 hours, in the middle of at least a thousand people crammed into a block of old buildings, haggling for shirts and pants and other stuff. It was hell. But I got a little with my Php2,000 budget (roughly US$50).

That was basically the only itinerary for the day, but my energy gave way. At around 4 pm, I gave up (Take note, I have been awake for more than 24 hours). Another 2 hour train ride back to Piper's place, and we only got a few minutes to shower and ride the train to another location, this time SM Mall of Asia, one of the biggest malls in Asia, the biggest in the Philippines. There were still a lot of people, it was a Saturday, and there are no classes, so basically everyone wanted to get out of there homes and share in the bliss of Christmas shopping. Thank God I shopped earlier than usual (I usually do Christmas shopping on the 24th).

After maxing out my credit card, we went home at around 12 am (Sunday morning), and we rode a bus back to Piper's house (2 hour bus ride).

After a quick shower, and a change of clothes, we went clubbing... at 2 am. We didn't get to dance much, the bar we went to was crammed with gay guys, and we were tired. So we went home at around 4 am. We arrived at Piper's place at 7 am.

I haven't had any real sleep since Friday, so once my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. Only to wake up after 3 hours. We had to go home the next day, so we decided to have as many things done with the little time we have.

Sunday was not too hectic, we had time to actually sit and have a frapuccino, we watched a movie, then we had some last minute shopping. Then it was back home at 1 am.

When we woke up 6 hours later, we boarded a bus going back to Baguio, and slept on the bus on our way up.

It was a real hectic weekend, but I had lot of fun. I am looking forward to the next adventure we are gonna have. :)

Changes and Boredom

I have been sitting for 8 hours, waiting for the end of the class. I was on training for the new account I am moving in and I am bored to death.

It has been almost 2 weeks when they told me I was to move to a new account. I have been with with my account for 2 years - part of the first batch, in fact - and it tore my heart apart to hear that we were to lose the account, it was going back to Manila.

I had a lot of good memories with the account I previously had. It was a sales account, and being in a sales environment actually made me a better person. I learned a lot from the account and it truly is pain to see it dissolve.

Let me just say that I am happy to be in the new account (rather than lose my job). It is a Financial Services Bank, and though I hate math, our trainer told us we will just be using Simple Elementary Math to do our job correctly. Whew.

The company I work for prides itself in being flexible. Too flexible, in fact, that I can be in 3 different accounts within 3 months - transferred from one account to another.

I am a bit optimistic that I would stay in this new account for a long time. If possible, another 2 years.

That is one thing about changes. It takes boredom away from life.