Say Cheese

My buddy and Nay made a short detour to our province before going to Camarines Sur for their New Year’s celebration. I was thrilled to bits. I had been waiting for seven days to see the birthday boy. =)

===
My mother was, as usual, non-stop with her stories. I was a bit embarrassed because Ma almost took over their conversation, like a main hostess of a talk show. Random topics, my mother. I think, Pa has a very excellent training ground for good listening because of her. Fortunately, Nay endured their exchange.

But don't get me wrong, my mother is chatty in a welcoming and charming way.

===
I'm gald Nay enjoyed their 2-day stay here. Aside from the cool puff of air in my parents' bedroom where Nay and I slept (my parents have been sleeping in my grandmother's bedroom since she passed away three years ago) and the red crabs we had at lunch, I think my mother's rap session and my father's challenge to a chess match were key ingredients. Wala pang tongits yun ha. If Nay and Pa could've just found one more eager person to play with them, my buddy would’ve been nagging his mother until sundown for a prolonged send-off (he was already nagging her this morning during the chess match).

===
It was a quick visit, which made me a little sullen because we missed each other's company for two special days in a row-- first time in three years.

Supertrump

Happy birthday, buddy ko!

mi luv yah.

Grains

Pa arrived a bit late from the market this morning. We were supposed to eat breakfast together. Hmp. I had finished my bowl of cereals, and started with the second CD of our morning background (which I discovered from the CD pudding case I had brought with me) when he showed up, clutching striped plastic bags of chicken cuts and vegetables. He would be THE king of the kitchen today because my Tia Rose and cousins Rach, James and Jay, would be coming over to spend the night with us. As promised, he would give one sack of rice to them if and only if they would sleep over, which, of course, they did-- not because of the "reward" but because of my parents' prodding. Apart from the choice cuts and greens, he already bought round fruits (suprisingly, including bananas) in preparation for New Year's eve. And, as usual, he polished off our morning with today's broadsheet— sort of a bribe for skipping our sunrise date.

I was enjoying my dose of scoop, particularly on Hatton's challenge to Pacman and on the Chateau Royale feature article, until I browsed the next set of pages. The well-known Honesty Coffee Shop in Batanes was robbed. I was dismayed, awfully sad about it. [Many people are familiar with that store— probably the only establishment in the world that does not have any lock or any person watching over it. All transactions are based on honesty system as the shop's name implies. A customer chooses an item then he or she simply leaves an exact payment.] But then it happened. Someone disrupted the time-honored passivity. Worse, the incident was not the "first" in the renowned zero-crime-rate town. There were other cases that, according to the article, had been reported as "minor incidents" only. Those crimes have been kept (or maybe settled subtly) to preserve the good image of the Ivatans. Come on now.

Good thing there was the Entertainment section to the rescue. Plus the sight of my father, doing his daily dumbbell exercises to the tune of In Love With Bacharach's last track.

*****
Hay. Batanes is our would-be next stop.

Breather

Longest holiday break. Ever.

I've already had my to-do list, which include doing some movie and series marathon, running for 30 minutes daily, enhancing my blog and our Multiply account, vacuuming certain areas of our house, organizing music info on my Ipod, editing pictures, creating Kat's short AVP, and bonding with my family and relatives. Definitely, action-packed.

The only drawback I could think of is that it's also going to be the longest time that I wouldn't see him since the time we've started spending three to four times a week. Oh. A little heartbreaking. I'm going to miss him badly until his birthday, which would require me to count for six more days. =(

=====

Update wih Ashtece. I had not been so confident since our previous encounter. I made a number of boo-boos then. But, lucky me, I had my third chance. We had some email correspondence for almost three weeks, mostly about confirmation for our next redezvous.

That day came, the same day I would be leaving for the province. I was supposed to be super excited because I would be going home. But I had to allot some time for our meeting and endure the Christmas rush on my way to Heritage, plus, of course, deal with my very limited sense of direction. When I got there, however, things turned out pretty OK. I was more at ease and assertive, although I missed two simple but significant details.

I'm not too complacent though. But I hope a good impression has been established. I hope another blessing will happen at the start of the new year.

Just crossing my fingers for whatever.

*****
You can't really get the perfect package. Even the finest options have a room for strain.

Fine China

The Chinatown's Best's eat-all-you-can was S-U-L-I-T. Forget about the small steamed crabs-- you still had a seafood feast anyway. Almost all of the foodstuff there tasted really, really good. Authentic and relatively easy on the pocket. I loved their tempura (even though we needed to remove the thick flour coating), sea bass (which Nay really enjoyed to pieces), sautéed mushroom with garlic (which I still had on my second plate), California maki (which, of course, you didn't try), and the veggie dishes (which complemented every set I prepared). I wanted to try their prawn salad, but I was so full already.

Chinatown's Best is in Banawe, QC. P499 per head.

*****
It was a sweet semi-surprise. I didn't mean to snoop on your calendar. It was totally unpremeditated. Swear. =)

Best Foodie

I saw a card that reads:

I love you, delicious.

Perfect.
Happy 40th month. Yummy. =)

Spoon 168

We woke up early last Monday, and had a spur-of-the-moment drive to try Divisoria. It was the last day of our long weekend anyway. And the past two days were spent almost entirely at home-- cuddling, watching Heroes and Prison Break, sorting audio files for our playlists, and editing my Christmas gift for Gabi.

The trip was a bit off course; it gave us déjà vu of our Binondo spree, when we tried to find Crepe de Chine (and ended up eating in another Chinese resto that can also be found in malls). First, we missed our stop in Lawton. So we needed to walk back from Carriedo, where the mini bus made its final stop. Second, we somehow got lost in Divisoria. Funny, he was insisting that Divisoria Mall is Tutuban 168. I thought he knew the place. Silly, I very nearly doubted myself and believed him, knowing my awfully limited talent in directions. But I was so sure that these are two different establishments-- based on the pictures on the blogs that I frequently visit.

We still checked out Divisoria Mall. Mahn, there was a massive crowd of shoppers, colliding with one another, flocking to every stall. But I was rather amazed on how bargain hunters (probably, most of them are regulars) find so much willpower to invade the place. After a few minutes, we made our exit to look for 168. By the time we found it, we were already starving. So instead of rummaging for a piece of whatever, we started to search for Chopsticks and Spoons, which his Uncle Jeff had been telling him. He spotted it immediately. Finding a table was one challenge; getting our order was another. Weird, he did not even order the bestsellers. Maybe it was the hunger. It was a pretty good lunch for a famished stomach, though.

By the time we were ready to "shop", we were both a little used-up. But we were still determined to buy something so that our Divi tour would not be wasted. I found four cool statement shirts with almost the same soft fine fabric as that of People are People. He purchased a couple of plaid shorts after quite a lot of fitting, and a pair of cute Chuck Taylor copycat for Gabi. I can say, we had a good buy. =)

We went home by 4PM, strolling back to Carriedo from Tutuban. We could have done that on our way there that morning. Too bad and too late. we realized we made a huge u-turn earlier. [Oh, what happened to the the-shortest-distance-between-two-points-is-a-straight-line method? Fine, now, at least, we know. ]

*****
Albeit global recession, businesses in Divisoria are far from being on the rocks [and so many people are still willing to splurge]. Or, maybe it was just the holiday fever.

Gray

I could not pick out the accurate way to describe it.

Another hard-hitting blow from her has changed the course of almost everything and everyone around her. I do not know how she is able to do it, how she can take it, and how she can fake it right from the outset. She has no idea what the most important people in her life right now are going through. Devastated does not and will not cover every dull pain she has caused. It is much heavier.

Have you seen your mother sobbing so damn hard every night until she falls asleep? Have you seen your brother talking less to your mother because he could not take the things your mother would tell him knowing that he could not do anything about it? Have you seen your kid lately?

Do you even recognize the outrageous mess that you have invented?

*****
We'll get by, Gab. Tito and T'nin promised. *kugos*

Forks

"I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful."

That was a fine vampire movie date last night. Honestly, I dig it, except for some seatmates-- a group of overexcited ladies-- who just could not contain whatever their thing was.

I got hooked on Twilight and the rest of the series, but I was not really expecting too much from the movie. I was just curious on how Catherine Hardwicke would pull off a high school emo love story without turning it into a typical teenybopper or chick flick.

Well, it is sort of a chick flick-- having the beautiful, overprotective, but dangerous vamp Edward Cullen and the smart, tough, but clumsy high school mortal girl Isabella Swan as protagonists, plus bumping into a few girls wearing Team Edward shirts on our way to Cinema 1, and some members of the audience clapping as the movie starts, and screaming to some extent as the couple's scene intensified. [I only experience that kind of frenzy at the UP Film Center when the end credits of an indie film starts to roll.] My buddy would just slump in his seat and cover half of his face whenever the crowd cheered. But he admitted that, in fairness, he liked the "chick flick", too. =)

Anyway, here are some personal tidbits about last night's Twilight:

• No need to fall in line for a 455 PM screening because everybody is still at work.
• Prime seats are a must. If you plan to watch at Greenbelt 3, choose row F, middle (10 and 11 to be exact).
• Extra hot coffee and warmed oatmeal cookies are good substitutes for cheese popcorn and cold soda.
• Kristen Stewart is too pretty and hot to be Bella.
• Robert Pattinson is not too beautiful to be Edward but yeah he could qualify as a beautiful but dangerous bloodsucker. At least now, he's not just the Cedric Diggory of Harry Potter. And he looks like James Dean, particularly on the scene where he is sporting his Ray-Ban sunglasses as he and Bella walk through the parking lot.
• Jason Castro of the American Idol 7 would pass as Jacob Black. IMO. Hehe.
• I adore Alice Cullen, both in the novel and in the movie.
• We were both touched by the car scene of Jasper and Alice-- the simple, assuring gesture of holding hands.
• Watch out for the speed. I forgot the camera that they used. But the details are incredible.
• New Moon is coming, I'm sure. =)
• I saw Nats with his date. Text ko sana, ayaw namang mag-send. Hehe.

*****
7.5 for him, 8.0 for me. =)

You needed that break, kulet. Sana kasama natin si Nay.

In Progress

Help files have started to pile up lately. The project tasks reminder has been updated to accommodate the new release schedule for wInsight and the approaching release of the EPM Security Administrator next month. Each reply to the existing thread has uncovered another bulleted list of changes or information about a related application. At last, I have had the nerve (without being embarrassed) to click Busy on my Communicator status and the excuse not to log in to Meebo every single day. [Besides, it's a bit of a hassle because the latter often gets me disconnected. Argh.]

The best part so far is discovering more tricks on Robohelp-- something I had not been able to utilize significantly three years ago.

=====

I'm done with the four vampire novels of Stephenie Meyer. And I know he finds Twilight rather a chick flick (based on his little research) but I'm glad he is so willing to go and watch with me this Wednesday. Thank God for sureseats.

=====
Ashtece buzzed 13 minutes late. I didn't get the self-assurance that I had been expecting. I was given some time to prepare for that conversation but I don't know. I've been absorbed with my projects. [When my mobile rang, I was still in front of the monitor, figuring out how to reorganize some topics.] I could've done a whole lot better. I could've made that exchange very interesting, blew their minds, and left a sound impression. You know, the works. But honestly I don't know why I faltered. And I'm a little sad. I want that break. My buddy and I need that break.

I told him and Kat about the call. They both said I felt the same way two months ago. But this is different. Transactions like this one rely too much on how well you say things. And I think I've just lost one chance by 80%.

Natch

*****
Yeah, yeah, make some noise!
Ayan Nats ha, full support. =)

Dirty Rice

Sunday was unfussy. Everybody was in a relatively good mood, with some diminutive exceptions at the latter part of the night. But all in all, it was fine. Quite normal in this family. The weather had also been behaving well, probably matching the vibe of everyone.

Before meeting my buddy at Market! Market!, I invited Nay, Giselle, and Gab to our unit in BCDA. Gab was totally worn-out when we arrived. Giselle and Nay took advantage of the nap time slash temporary peace, reading Kat's food and fashion magazines, and playing Solitaire on my laptop. You bet who was playing. =)

Gab was a bit disoriented when she woke up. I can tell because she was hesitant to throw tantrums, and she was just sobbing. We then headed back to the Global City to meet him. It was their first visit. So my buddy and I played the hosts and tour guides.

After an hour or so of roaming around the mall, Serendra, and Bonifacio High Street, we settled on having a dinner. There was a teeny weeny dispute between the two of us as to where we eat. We finally agreed on Conti's. But the place was jampacked as usual. We then tried my pick (his pick earlier), Claw Daddy. So it was a seafood fest night for us. Plus the creamy carbonara that Giselle ordered and Gab shared with her, as if it was the most scrumptious food on the planet.

By 10PM, we wrapped it up. But instead of waiting for a taxi at the last block of Boni High, we crossed the Net Quad. The walk served as bonding time, with Gab, of course, as the center of the gag.

*****

Happy Birthday, Giselle! Be good. Be a good mom, daughter, and sister. Please be that good. For Gabi.

Claw Daddy is a bit pricey. But you have to expect that from a seafood resto [particularly, a seafood resto in Boni High], right? In this case, it is a little dear given the serving size + taste + price. Medyo lang naman, based on those three factors. Try to budget around P1500 for a platter, drinks, and rice for three to four heads. And try to order their dirty rice, fried rice cooked with chicken liver and spices. But what I like most about dining there is the notable customer service-- very attentive and friendly without being annoyingly invasive. =)

Take Two

It was our second Koine One Acts tryst last night. We watched Subtext, a play about common misscommunication issues that text messaging brings us, at Ten 02 Bar in Timog. It boasted another intimate, witty performance trilogy. Though the material was not as hilarious as I Laugh You, which we watched two years ago, I could say my buddy and I had a pleasant, smooth, interesting date. [One exception was dining at Ponciana's, where we incurred hidden charges. Hey, it was OK to pay for a relatively pricey damage if we had known it beforehand. We felt cheated, you know.]

Anyway, we let the bad decision slipped away. By 730PM, we returned to Ten 02 (we bought the tickets there before dinner). There were already a few pairs occupying different tables. We managed to get a table at the center. Prime seats. The stage director then introduced the first set. It was our cue for a cup of coffee and a cup of tea. As the second set concluded, we ordered two bottles of San Mig light and the quattro formaggi, which the actors had been promoting to the audience whenever the 15-minute break was about to start. We were not even done with the last three slices when the third and last set wrapped up. It was a curtain call by 930PM.

Hmm..among the three sets, we both liked the second. But we're still rooting for I Laugh You.

*****
So sorry you missed your 4:09AM wake-up call and a half day of your shift. Mi luv yah. *kugos*

Spare Time

For the past few weeks, Nay had been really exhausted taking care of Gabi, doing some household chores, and talking to Giselle about the same things over and over again. I know these things have been testing her patience the rough way. I just wish I could make the situation a little better and much lighter for her. The least my buddy and I could do was to take her to Wensha Spa for our second visit. We fetched her from Manila City Hall after work. Then, we went straight ahead to the place. Her eyes flickered the moment we entered the lobby. It took us almost five hours. I'm so glad she loved the experience.

*****
I know the effect was fleeting. But I hope ny buddy and I can give her a time off like this every so often. It just feels right to see her eyes react like that again. Maybe next time we could grab some seats at a Richard Poon gig.

Breadcrumbs

• Three days after packing and taking home the last batch of my personal stuff, I'm occupying a new cube again. Back in the game. But this time, it has a blue-gray theme and is probably 1 foot wider than that of my previous. Almost everything has been set up-- the PC that I'm going to use for the rest of my stay here, the installation of tools that I would be needing in the coming weeks, and some office supplies (which I won't yet use) placed on a mounted tray. All I needed to do was enter a default password. The team welcomed me with a lunch at Commons, just infront of Citibank Tower. The first week has been allotted for Webex sessions, mainly trainings and certifications on certain industry standard policies and processes, including the company's software development lifecycle and, of course, the company's style guide and templates. From time to time, my good-humored boss would initiate an easy chat, making sure that I'm doing all right. I have been switching from one Webex to another, plus prodding Reina (who's also a former officemate) in between. After lunch and before going back to the readings, I would usually grab a cup at Figaro (since it's just located at the first floor lobby while Starbucks is on the other side of the street, and my heels are killing me). Thanks for the flexi schedule, the ride to and from the office has been manageable.


• We're into series and movie marathon phase. We had Prison Break, Monk, Heroes, Grey's Anatomy (but I think he was able to watch more episodes that I did), and the recently added entry to our list, Dexter. One sleepover made us doze at four in the morning, after finishing the last four episodes. So he had to cancel his tree planting activity somewhere in Quezon that same morning. As for the movies, I believe, we have the bragging right to say that we've seen a lot. Just before he turns off the light and clicks Play, he would open a pack of Mr.Chips, which, I think, has become our official "chicha" (Ewan ko ba, andun sya sa phase na yun. Hmm..well, I had my Clover Chips phase a couple of months back).


• I got my pre-employment medical exam result. And, to my disbelief, my status is under further evaluation. First time ever in my employment history. It's not even "Fit with advice". The 8-page certification has recommended me to take in more fiber, a Feosol tablet--which should be taken with one glass of orange juice-- and a Zymox capsule, then repeat two separate analyses. Oh--I feel a bit insulted, especially on the fiber part. I thought Kat and I had been taking this healthy eating habit solemnly, always considering products high in fiber and low in calories for our grocery cart. But nooo-- I've still been marked as Pending. What else can I do, right?


• I'm done reading Twilight. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it. Though there are some typo and, I think, too many needless over-sentimental encounters of the two main characters, I still found myself craving for the next chapter. I was hoping I would be able to start the next novel, New Moon, tonight. But, sadly, the Powerbooks and National Bookstore branches where I went to in the past two days have only had Twilight and Breaking Down on their shelves. I wish I splashed out on the copy that we saw at the Mall of Asia last week.


• I sometimes watch him as he sleeps. My index finger would trace the contour of his face, from his forehead to his nose bridge down the curve of his lips. Sometimes, my pretend sketch would take a little detour to the outline of his cheek down his chin. And, sometimes, I would kiss him lightly right there on his neck, just when he's absolutely defenseless. It's a challenge when he's awake because he often guards that area, holding on to it for dear life. I'm sorry but I'm not sorry, buddy ko. You know what I mean. =)


• I had my first howler at my new company. I misspelled a word from my signature, TECHINICAL. And it was my manager who pointed it out. Oh men.

Lawson

Aside from the one year and five months, I appreciate the lunch feast and testimonial video. I will miss everyone. See you around--- maybe in some coffee shop. =)

Half and Half

37 months na kami. Yiiiiii! Ambilis. Parang kelan lang daw sabi nila. Pero sa span na yun, pareho pa rin yung effect nya sa 'kin. Lagi pa ring may nilu-look forward na event-- the usual man o extraordinary. Nakaka-excite pa rin yung mga coffee date, basketball game, at movie marathon plan. Ina-anticipate ko pa rin ang weekend at sleepover. Nakaka-tense na nakaka-stimulate pa rin mag-isip ng gift o surprise. Nakakakilig pa rin yung impromptu visits o pa-sweet na line. Aside from those things, syempre may struggle din paminsan minsan. Nawawala sa isip mag-text (parang kagabi-- sorry talaga), nagkakasabay ang stubborness o kaya init ng ulo, nagiging selfish ng onte, di nagtutugma ang ilang perspectives, di nari-reconcile agad yung ibang personal differences, at iba pa. But at the end of the day, kami pa rin. Nari-resolve kung ano man yung issue, which we usually finish off with a hug. Yung mga non-negotiable, non-negotiable pa rin. Kami-- eh di kami pa rin.

*****

May mga nagtatanong kung kelan na. We'll get there. OK? Sabi nga ni broe, we're "mutually marred". Ah, very well said. =)

Happy 37th nung 9, buddy ko. Mi luv yah. *kugos*

Flunch

I love my stay here. I value my projects with the Deployment and Tools group. I feel at home in a cube decorated with photos from previous trips and cluttered print-outs. I anticipate coffee and lunch breaks. I appreciate the tools. I enjoy being with the InfoDev team. But. Yun. Merong but. I guess some things are not enough, no? Hay. Mami-miss ko ang Lawson for sure.

Until next flunch.

*****
Flunch means Friday Lunch. The team would usually go out for lunch, and then have a weekly meeting. The term, however, has become synonymous with just a regular meeting-- which could happen on a Monday or any day of the week, and team members would grab lunch separately.

Alapaap

The first performance, after six years, was spectacular.

For an Eraserheads fan, the opening number, pumped up by a grand setup—a huge screen on the main stage, lighting that can only be seen on international concerts, cameras from different angles for each band member, and a fireworks display at the last verse—was already an epic. As one DJ put it, “opening pa lang, sulit na”.

We were not supposed to be there, spending almost P2,700 for Patron tickets, standing side by side-- along with many other fans-- and going home after the first set. The original plan was to find a coffee shop near the area, and listen to their songs—just the way we did last July in Daughtry concert. That was the plan because we were not able to get the VIP invites, which had been given away to those who logged on to Marlboro’s site several weeks ago. But after checking out some shelves at Powerbooks and strolling around Greenbelt, we ended up inquiring at the Ticketnet booth, and later on, buying two tickets. Eheads yun eh. Mapapalampas ba naman.

We grabbed an early dinner at Contis; I enjoyed my Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta (which I will tempt Kat to cook for us, hehe), while he indulged in his Mango Royale Salad and Tuna Salad Sandwich. By 7PM, we lined up, first outside the Patron entrance near Boni High Street, then outside the other Patron entrance at the opposite side. The security personnel were stringent in terms of what not to bring inside—including perfumes. And I brought mine that night. So they were expecting me to leave my perfume behind? Like just throw it away?! It pissed me off a bit. Hmmm... figuring out how to settle such issues was their problem, not mine. They should have disseminated information at all ticket booths regarding DONTs, and never bothered those people who paid a relatively dear damage. But forget about security, I was able to get in anyway.

By 8PM, a huge countdown, starting at 10:00 minutes, was displayed on all screens. The crowd cheered at the end of every minute. It was overwhelming.

And then, the first song. Wow.

I could barely see the whole band. Well, I was 6-footer in my past life, you know. My buddy was trying to carry me from time to time just to get a glimpse of them. But, honestly, the distance from the stage did not matter. I was intensely listening as Ely sang, Buddy played the bass, Marcus the guitar, and Raimund the drums. I was simply carried away, just like everybody else.

The first song was followed by another hit. Then, another hit. And so on, and so forth. I forgot to count. There were no adlibs. No spiels. No “hello fans!” Same old, same old. They have been like that since their UP gig days. Di talaga sila ma-hirit. They showed up on stage to play. That particular night, however, there was something lacking. They seemed to be detached from the performance. No cues from the frontman. But no matter how silent the band was in between songs, the crowd consistently applauded with enthusiasm and chanted “Group hug! Group hug!” at the end of each Eheads hit. I’m not sure whether the band members were aware of their effect, but those people who had filled up the whole concert area screamed their hearts out, rooting for the reunion.

I knew there was something wrong in the last song on the first set. I thought Ely struggled with some stanzas. My buddy noticed that Ely requested a production crew who strapped him the guitar to unfasten it. After the last song, the rest of the band left the stage, Ely sat on the platform, resting his hands on his knees. Lights out. Another countdown, 20:00 minutes, was displayed on all screens.

There were no intermissions. No videos. No front-act bands. There were only announcement about food and beverages available at the concessionaires, and the voices of Eheads fan, talking to one another, noticing dead air.

It took the band more than 20 minutes t get back on stage. And their resumption was uncomfortable. Buddy introduced the members of the band, except for Ely. But he introduced another person, Ely's sister, who, in turn, told the crowd that he was being rushed to the hospital due to his poor health condition. Everyone was startled.

The concert was cut short. The opening song for the next set was turned into a 1-minute prayer in silence for Ely. I was not able to hear Poor Man’s Grave, which I had been anticipating to hear that night. My buddy was waiting for Minsan. Others for Pare Ko and Magasin. The rest for Huling El Bimbo. But we could not complain nor booed the production. The life of the frontman was at stake. Half of the reunion thing was accomplished. And to those who grew up in the Eraserheads era have gotten some satisfaction, seeing the band together on stage, singing many hit songs (one album if compiled) with the band, and experiencing that sort of Woodstock feel.

It was definitely not a perfect concert. It actually finished off a mess. But being able to get there in the middle of the field was moving. It gave us an unusual high.

Easygoing

Things had been really, really crazy for the past few weeks. We were both weighed down-- he had been handling issues regarding several base stations, plus dealing with an unsympathetic officemate; I had had deliverables for three products with overlapping review dates and code locks, plus other "issues". And because of these, we planned to splurge and mark our third year with some sort of hassle-free indulgence here in Manila. [For two years in a row, we went to Caleruega and Sonya’s Garden for the same event.]

=====

We chilled out over the weekend, spent the whole morning that Saturday at Wensha Spa and the whole afternoon until the next day at Linden.

It started off with a massage at the spa’s new branch near CCP at around 930AM. We chose the New Wensha Body Massage for P630, which includes one hour massage and a shabu-shabu meal (every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday; a buffet meal on the other days), plus unlimited iced tea. We had the option to access and use the wet floor, which includes a jacuzzi, a sauna, and a steam bath, before the massage, but decided not to [since we had to be totally bare]. We were too shy and anxious to show off our bodies.

When we arrived, we were given a pair of soft rubber slippers and a bracelet, which served as our locker "key". We were then guided to different locker rooms (males and females are separated) to unload our things. After changing our clothes to the spa’s silky robes, we went to our designated wing for the massage.

The Shiatsu-Swedish massage combo was sweeeet! Except for not focusing too much on small areas like in between fingers and toes, the service was really good. I even took a quick doze after the massage.

[When I returned to the locker room, I got more than 10 missed calls from him. Apparently, I made him wait for more than 30 minutes because I thought we would have the massage first before the shabu-shabu. Realizing I was already in, he began his session.]

After more than an hour, I waited for him in the non-smoking area of the spa's huge dining hall for our shabu-shabu. It was weird but at the same time comfortable seeing people-- a group of friends, a family, or a couple-- in their robes, loafing on sofas covered with white towels, and relishing their meal.

He finished 20 minutes later, and he looked a bit drowsy when he approached me. But then he started falling in line to get our food. We opted for the smoking lounge because the backdrop was more homey. The waiter just helped us set up the pot and portable range, which every table has, mixed the basic ingredients, and then left the rest to us. As usual, my buddy was in charge of the cooking.

He started mixing all the other raw ingredients that we got. Scallops, prawns, tofu, bamboo shoots, carrots, beef, noodles, onions, some chilli, and other veggies. Not sure if there were salmon and squid. Basta andamiii. The finished hot pot was somehow jolting. He picked up so many stuff our tummies couldn't take. Noticing a small piece of paper posted on the wall, informing customers of a certain fine for any food leftover, we forced ourselves to finish everything on our plates. Kuha kase nang kuha. Well, dumiskarte kami ng onte. But never mind...=)

=====
We set off to Linden Suites after lunch. Nagpaka-couch potato kami until dinner, which was the plan. We made a short trip to Megamall later that afternoon. We passed by Chef Donatello for dinner, ordering spaghetti al pesto and the 5-piece basket chicken good for sharing. We resumed the walk from the mall to St. Francis Square then around El Pueblo to burn some calories, and went back to the hotel afterward. We finished the remaining pieces of chicken with a couple of San Mig light cans as we watched some late night movies.

=====
The next day was the finale of our food trip. We savoured our brunch buffet, which, according to a nice lady there, usually extends until 130PM every Sunday. We returned to our room to continue watching some UFC's Seek and Destroy matches, one of which my bet Roger Huerta had lost the lightweight championship belt. [He bears some resemblance to Josh Hartnett. Haaay.]

By lunch time, we packed up and went home. Still full, but absolutely recharged.

*****
Happy third anniversary, buddy ko. Thank you for being calm when I'm worried, for being patient when I'm late, for the little surprises on what I think of as ordinary days, for backing up my confidence when I’m unconvinced, and for doing everything you can--- for being my cook, my laundromat, my problem-solver, and my friends' problem-solver. You have made my world so undemanding.

I love you more. *kugos*

And thanks Niña for sharing some perks. =)

CTRL + Z

Some fine-tuning
and going back to basics

for real.

*****
Haaay. Ang messy. Pwede namang hindi.

Back at the Ranch

My birthday was pouring. We just stayed home. He bought a family size blueberry cheesecake, which was perfect with brewed coffee. Yuuum! Nay cooked broccoli with mushroom and caldereta for lunch. Para kaming nag-Mann Hann. His Aunt Joan bought Double Dutch ice cream with marshmallows. Carbo diet na naman ito (the day before, Mama Tess cooked spaghetti for me).

We were supposed to go out for a family dinner. But since it had been raining nonstop all day, we just decided to load their fridge with groceries, and have a coffee date afterward. On our way to Seattle's Best, we had been fooling around with the grocery cart-- taking turns, with one foot pushing the cart until it gained enough velocity, then riding on it for several seconds. The Raspberry Mocha Kiss was a smash hit [and we shared the same opinion]. We chatted a little and browsed the pages of a car magazine, as our cart containing a few SM biodegradable bags waited right beside our table.

*****
Thank you for the family treat, buddy ko. *kugos*

That Saturday, June 21, was also the second day of the typhooon Frank. And the day when MV Princess of the Stars capsized off the coast of Romblon. =(

Draft

Our typical Sunday morning starts with buying hot pandesal and a newspaper, and preparing our cup of coffee. Then, we spend an hour or two reading the paper, exchanging sections-- the front page first for me and the Sports section first for him. The coffee serves as a filler as we browse from one page to the next, giving our unsolicited personal commentaries from time to time [although he prefers reading in silence and I prefer sharing any interesting info with him as soon as I finish reading that particular topic]. Looking out for Gabi as she messes around serves as interlude.

Recently, we have earned a tailored Sunday (and even Saturday or any day-off) formula. We discovered a secret, decent park at the back of their apartment, very close to Petron Depot in Pandacan, Manila. Apart from its long concrete path designed for joggers, it also has a long narrow covered alley made of brick, suited for jogging or brisk walking on a very hot day or on a rainy day. On the average, we can jog 10-15 rounds down the covered path [or 4-5 rounds, if the route includes the concrete path]. The park also has some sort of gazebos, where we do a 20-minute stretching, and a basketball court at the end, where we practice shooting some baskets.

Our latest record is 1.5 hours.

*****
Now we always make sure his fridge has enough Gatorade stash for cooling down. And yes-- we still read the paper, have our cup, eat pandesal, and fool around with Gabi.

Maddening Red

bitten twice, itchy lumps all over.
==
i got stung by a baby jellyfish while swimming in white beach. medyo delayed reaction. i thought a drifting seaweed had accidentally stroked my left arm then my middle finger, down to my left thigh then to my right thigh. it was prickly-- that kind of tingling you didn't just want to scratch but to totally strip off your skin.

somehow, i panicked. but since everyone had been having fun, i decided to return to the shore, and rubbed my feet and hands with a handful of sand. it didn't work; the burning itch was still there. so i went back to our unit, asked one of the tenants for a bowl of vinegar, and washed myself with it. yeah, yeah. but i would rather take the smell than prolong the agony. after an hour, the reaction subsided. but it had left some red lumps close to my left elbow, just below the scar that I got from falling off a barbed wire way back in grade school.

==
i got insect bites.

i invited my parents and brother to our unit in bcda, and let them sleep on the airbed and my sofa bed over the weekend. i was booted out to our dark green leathery sofa. when i woke up the next day, my left foot and thigh were tickly. i didn't consider insects as prime suspects. instead, i blamed our laundromat because i had been using the blanket, towel, and pants that they delivered the other day.

i had these red bumps on the same area where i got stung by the jellyfish. i tried to ignore them because I had a more important thing to do that afternoon-- a PBA game date with my buddy. but when we got home, the marks worsened. nawala ako sa mood. for someone who doesn't have a really really really fine skin, the experience was somehow frustrating.

to prove if the reaction had been caused by our laundromat, we used other fabrics that were recently handed over to us. the next morning, nothing happened to him. and no additional marks or irritation on me as well.

==
i went to humana for a checkup. the dermatologist told me it was not an allergy. the bumps, which had small holes in the middle, were insect bites. she prescribed two types of capsules and one ointment, and advised me to spray insecticide at home and return to her after a week.

she's good ha. on the second day of her prescriptions, the irriation as well as the bumps faded. whew.

House Party

some singing and drinking and poker games last night.

it was good fun. and kat's two pasta treats, al dente.
but the bartender slash the dealer is leaving.

anyway-- happy sea change, job. =)

34

Good morning, beautiful.

===
We had a petty clash over a kayak on our last afternoon in White Beach.

The plan was to rent one double, traverse toward the rocky coastline, and take some shots of sundown. But since there was no available double kayak, and the sun had already been setting, he insisted that we just rent two singles. Hmmm. I chickened out. He was confident I could handle it. But I wasn't. And I felt a bit low about that-- not trying and not helping him back his assurance. So I asked him if he wanted to ride alone. There was a short gap. I went back to our room; he seated outside. Pareho kaming nagpalipas ng bad mood. After a few minutes, things mellowed down, and so was the sun. We agreed that he would go solo, and I would just give him the DSLR once he reaches the other end. But you know what? The battery was empty. Tingnan mo nga naman. Nag-away pa talaga kami. But he had this idea-- me riding in the single kayak with him (just what the other two single kayaks that he had seen earlier). Scary, but he was with me-- and that was enough.

Our stubbornness collide sometimes. But the good thing is someone is always willing to give way.
===

Right after we unpacked some of our stuff from Puerto Galera, we headed to Intramuros for a church visit (and as the starting point of our itinerary). Initially, we planned to shoot around the Mall of Asia, since it has a nearby church, a Mann Hann branch, which he had been craving for (again) since the previous weekend, and a potential location. Change of mind, obviously.

From Manila City Hall, down the underpass to Intramuros.



More of Intramuros, going to Rizal Park.

Coincidentally, it was the celebration of our Independence Day in lieu of June 12. So naki-celebrate kami sa ngalan ng bayan. =)

We made an easy stroll to Roxas Boulevard, passing by the Ocean Park, then the US embassy.

Continued our promenade to Baywalk for some photos. He has this fascination with clouds and human faces, which he always tries to capture with precision, faithful to how they appear in real-time.

My trip that day was on framing landscapes, having people as ornaments.

After roughly two hours, we headed to Malate, and grabbed kopi and roti at Kopi Roti. =) Then, we decided to pass by Robinson's Place. Ikot-ikot lang. Almost an hour later, we called it a day.

Our June 9 was a loooong day. Far from perfect, but the best 34th month.

I love you more, buddy ko. *kugos*

Banana Boat

Gabi learned a few new words and phrases over the long weekend.

And she just turned two.

===

As our birthday present, we packed our things for a short trip to Puerto Galera. It would be her first beach experience, our third boat ride to White Beach, and our pahabol summer treat for Nay and Giselle. =)

We made reservation at Basilico, exactly the same place and at the same corner unit were we stayed last year with my family. The rate has been relatively cheap for a beachfront accommodation. But we noticed a slight customer service deterioration.

Gabi' first dip.

On our second night, we dined at Pizzeria Ristorante Italianno, located at the west end of White Beach going to Tamaraw Beach. At laaast! Our third attempt was a success. It has a nice location, almost at the bend. The view, if you happen to find a seat near the veranda, could be stunning at sunset.

Their giant pizza (prize range P300 - 500) tastes really good. We ordered Capriciossa. Loved it. Then, later on, we added two sets of pasta-- prize range 200-390, good for two. Buddy ko and I tried Marcianna, with fresh tomato, ham, and a few mushrooms. We both loved it, too. Giselle and Nay gave Carbonarra a shot.

After dinner, we decided to have a full-body beachside massage, except for Giselle who had changed her mind and accompanied Gabi to our unit, instead. The initial plan was to have the massage by pair. Anyway, the session was satisfactory. The charge has also increased by P50.

We got up early the next day for Gabi's last plunge.

And I got stung by a baby jellyfish. But that was another story.

Quick Budget Reference (Per Head)
Transportation: Taxi 160 (to and from bus terminal) + Bus, 344 (2-way) + Ferry, 380 (2-way) = P552

Food: ~P100 per meal (3x for 3 days) = P900

Accommodation: 1500-2000 per day for 2-5 heads (beachfront, offpeak)

* Kayak: P200-300 per hour

* Banana Boat: P200 per hour

* Snorkling: P600-800 per boat for two (usually starts at P1000 per boat for at least four persons)

* ATV: P650 per hour

* Buggy: P800 per hour

* Body massage: P200 per hour

Note: Those with * are optional and can be negotiated.

*****

Banana boat, big rock, beach (when she's swimming or wants to swim) or sea (when she's just looking at it). Those words have just been added to her quite impressive memory, which includes fahnten (fountain), mahnten (mountain), ribber (river), pancit, baby jaguar, castle, apel juice (apple juice), umbella (umbrella), oop aaag (group hug), embace (embrace), nater please (water please), book, melk (milk), pick floweh (flower), park, "1" to "14".

And my favorite-- when she says "Aaayyy (pointing to herself) love (her fingers forming a heart) yuuu (pointing at you)".

Happy 2nd Birthday, Gabi! We love you very much. Be good. *kugos*

Jubjub Bird in the Tumtum Tree

I learned a new word today-- portmanteau-- from googling information about Cavendish Banana. First time for me to encounter that word, promise. [He wonders why the banana that Kat and I buy is all yellow outside and white inside. Plus the fact that it's relatively big. I always tell him "kase Cavendish Banana yun," adding (and sometimes inventing) more convincing words to describe it.] I found out in Wikipedia that it is the name for banana cultivar, from the words cultivated and variety. And cultivar is a portmanteau word.

A "portmanteau word" is a term used to describe a word that merges two different words. According to Wikipedia, it is a "linguistic blend". You form a term by "blending sounds from two or more distinct words and combining their meanings". Below are some examples:

• brunch = breakfast + lunch
• pixel = picture + element
• mimsy = miserable + flimsy
• flop = flap + drop
• malware = malicious + software
• glitz = glamour + ritz
• WiFi = wireless + fidelity
• frumious = fuming + furious
• motel = motor + hotel
• chillaxing = chilling + relaxing

"Taglish" and "Brangelina" fit into this category, too. And even Wikipedia, from Wiki and Encyclopedia, belongs to this group.

Anyway, after jumping from one hyperlink to another, I came across this poem of nonsense verse entitled Jabberwocky, written by Lewis Carroll for his novel "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There". I had fun reading it.

Yeah, yeah, what a nerd. Well, it's a good tongue exercise full of portmanteu words!

JABBERWOCKY
Lewis Carroll

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

And they say that this is the greatest nonsense poem written in the English language. =)

33

I almost spoiled another surprise. Almost.

I was thinking of spending the whole afternoon until early evening in Bonifacio High Street or Serendra with him. Ayain ko sana sya mag-try ulit ng new resto, new food, new coffee blend. I was eyeing Kape Isla. But he insisted on us meeting at the Mall of Asia, even earlier than the time that I had set. I let him win. No biggie. =)

After a short walk, we made a stopover at The Coffee Experience, where we had our first coffee (though in a different branch).

Then, the tricky part.

I really didn't know what to do next after the coffee break. What I had in mind was to see what was on Imax or to buy him anything that he might have forgotten to bring for his Boracay trip tomorrow. After that, I'd probably ask him to go home and just have movie marathon.

But he kept on walking, leading us outside the mall, fronting Manila Bay. Then, more paces toward a spacious, bare parking lot on the left side of the mall.

Halfway, he asked where the dock for the cruise ferry could possibly be. Still clueless, I said it was in Roxas Boulevard (I was thinking of the Tennessee Walker). As we crossed the street, he said "Anong time kaya nung sa tin?". I was stunned. "Aaay-- dapat surprise yon. Nasabi ko na tuloy," he recoiled. I was smiling. Surprise yun no.

So yun pala yon. The reason why he had been nudging me about this whole MOA thing since yesterday. The reason why he had been so anxious about the weather.



It wasn't a perfect cruise. The weather was a bit teasing and unpredictable. The sea was not very calm. So instead of following the usual cruise around the bay, we took a straight path.



Lam ko na-strain ka ng onte kakaisip na dapat maging romantic date yun.

But it turned out fine. For me, it really was. And the fact that you researched and planned about it was already sentimental. The one hour we spent at the top deck of that ferry was enough to take away stress from day's work. We didn't have an intense talk. And it was all right. We savored the time observing everything around us-- the father and son bonding at the stern, the group of women in their 60's probably relishing their pension benefits, the father treating his kids from Davao (we overheard, and we assumed they're well-off), two buddies who were just sitting at the corner, taking pictures of themselves (and we made a story that they would be meeting some friends in MOA later to watch a movie or maybe they just decided to meet and talk about serious matter, which we didn't know). But that made the cruise perfectly ok. =)

Since DSLR yung dala namin at wala kaming tripod at nahihiya kaming magpakuha sa iba, we just took this shot of us while sitting at the aft, in front of the deck's red woodclad French door. Pwde na yan..=)

After we bought tickets for the cruise and before the ferry embarked, we visited the Shrine of Jesus , The Way, The Truth, and The Life, which is just beside the Metrostar Ferry Terminal.

We were a bit starving after the cruise. We thought of Cafe Mediterranean. Kaya lang na-realize namin na nagtitipid pala kami, so Mann Hann na lang ulit. Suki, hehe. Sulit naman kase. But for today, we ordered asparagus wrapped in beef, taosi clam, and garlic rice. Yummers.

*****
For the little and big suprises and for all the other attempt surprises, salamat, buddy ko. Mi luv yah. *kugos*