Candied Lift

Last weekend was a nice resumption of our video coverage thing--- me as the videographer, and him as the ever attentive and patient gaffer slash cinematographer slash assistant director. This time, it’s for the prenuptial AVP of Ela and James. Yuuup, they are getting married this coming November. After all the very shaky previous months, my friend will finally get what she's been dreaming of. Sigh, sigh, sigh.

Going back, the trip was comprised of several stops, talks, and camera poses. The guys had been singing (and sometimes blending and jiggling on) almost any song that the car radio played. By the way, our playlist had been limited to the Rod Stewart CDs, which Ela’s dad have left in the car, and the songs being played by any FM station we could hear clearly. Hmmm..imagine two buffy guys clowning around. Ang cuuute...=)

The initial plan was to climb Baguio in the morning to interview James’ foster parents, then go to Dagupan after lunch to interview his family and friends. But instead, we stayed overnight in Baguio. Ela had been nudging us to go to Kaffe Klatsch after the shoot and once we find a place to stay. After the shoot, however, we were obliged to stay a little longer because James’ foster family prepared us a plush seafood dinner. Galing nila lahat magluto. Family bonding happens in the kitchen.

We forgot it was a long weekend. So it took us quite sometime to find a place. Thanks to the manong whom we met at the Victory Liner bus terminal (after conceding to the fact that we couldn’t really find one by ourselves). It was a country house somewhere down the Naguillan Road stretch. Homey and clean enough, but not recommended if you don’t have a car and are planning to go out at night. Since it was almost 10 o’clock, we gave it a go. It cost us 2K for the two rooms. OK bed, neat toilet and bathroom, free use of anything in the house. The couple who owns the house was accommodating, serving us with hot coffee in the evening and in the morning.

Instead of Kaffe Klatsch for dinner, we had Café by the Ruins for breakfast. More yummy food and wacky poses. Then, we spent a little time buying coffee beans and visiting ukay-ukay stalls.

We made a short stop at Klonduke Hot Spring along Kennon Road. Walked across a hanging bridge. Picture picture ulit. Then, headed to Pangasinan for more takes. James has had this really good PR. I can't say if military school and field assignments had something to do with that. After several interviews with James' family and friends, we drove back to Manila, a little enervated. It took us only three hours to get back, with James in the driver's seat.

Fast and fun road trip, all told.

Rain or shine

Happy second year, buddy ko... *kugos*

*****
And when I kissed him, I knew right there and then
that I wouldn’t ever want to kiss anyone else.

Pretty Low-key

everything in moderation.

just the way i've always wanted. masaya pero tamang saya lang. naba-bad trip minsan pero not to the point of breaking down. naiinip pero nakakahanap ng alternative na gagawin or, better yet, nakakapaghintay pa rin. nakakapag-save ng onte without depriving myself of starbucks once in a while or a taxi ride whenever the heat is over 34º Celcius (everytime we say "ang init", erika tells us how "init" it is by saying the exact temperature. ang geek, hehe.). nabo-bore but only in a matter of minutes or couple of hours kase may mga taong madaling kulitin at nagpapakulit.

when it comes to work, i couldn't ask for more. well, i'm not saying i've got the perfect job and the perfect team and the perfect company. but i think, i've been in the right place at the right time. i won't deny na marami kaming petiks sa pantry lately (and by "kami", i mean job, kat, erika, and i). nagkataon lang siguro na matagal pa yung due ng deliverables ko at end ng training nila. but i can say that we've also been busy learning so much.

when it comes to my family and crowd, i can't complain. i've had the most accepting parents (including his mother), relatives, and friends in the world. anjan lang sila. people who always trust my judgment.

when it comes to my lovelife, now that is something in between "in moderation" and "in excess". something i can't and will never trade for anything else. something i'm keeping for good. and something that makes me feel good. we're not the perfect couple, you know. but in the past one year and 11 months, we've done things that perfect couples can do in a lifetime. we always manage to pull through.

so there. slow and easy. my life works like a 3-in-1 instant coffee mix, ready-to-drink, hot or cold.

*****
si tin ang nag-trigger nito eh. someone who likes to check out my comfort zone.
and speaking of comfort zone, kat and i will be moving out and living in together very soon.
tomorrow actually. we're both excited and apprehensive at the same time. goodluck na lang sa min..=)

Catcall

today is one of those days. domino effect again.

let's see. first, the traffic was hell. kahapon pa. parang may conspiracy. it was as if all commuters thought of doing the same thing. since naisip nila na baka yun din iniisip ng iba, di na rin nila ginawa. but they ended up in the same situation kse nga pare-pareho naisip nila. labooo.

just when you thought you were early, other mrt commuters had been already struggling at EDSA (take note: sm north station) for some space. parang may welga. i don't really understand why they had to occupy half of the road and why mmda people let that mess happened, rerouting vehicles to the remaining space. bat di na lang nila palipasin yung rush hours? they could have arrived at their offices the same time (late) and the same way (harrassed).

pero sige pagbigyan. maybe it was because of the SONA thing (kahit out of way). but, again, today?! my other route-- from zapote to ayala? oh. come. on. where is the punchline?

second, my gums bled last night. it bled a little this morning. and anything that has something to do with my teeth (that requires me to see a dentist) makes me paranoid. what pissed me off? the first accredited dentist (from west rembo) I reached was not really up to it. i even overheard her told the person who had answered the phone "sabihin mo may ginagawa ako eh". unapologetically, that person said the same thing, with "daw". customer service at its best.

third, i have a pimple. and it's really awkward. boo.

=====
i still have ten hours to save my day. haaay, makapag-kape na nga lang..

Bonne Foi

four interesting stops for today.

we had that window shopping for chevrolet cars at the gateway mall. as if naman. hehe. but who knows? then, we made that unplanned halo-halo feast at razon's. fiiiinally. we had been hearing about it since forever. i'm not a halo-halo fan, i tell you. but the fusion of fine crushed ice, banana, macapuno, milk, and two chunks of leche flan on top has made this one an exception. first-rate discovery for P65. really. "heaven" daw. for him, it's in the ice. for me, it's in their sugar+milk combo.

after that indulgence, we headed to the up parish for some prayers. nineth has always been that way. incomplete otherwise. then, we went to trinoma. we were supposed to "survey" the place so that by thursday, we already know where we would bring my parents and younger bro. but, instead, we ended up buying eucalyptus scented candle with a green square holder for his room. hmm..a nice touch. to wrap up the day, we checked out cafe breton, ordering a cup of herbal tea + excalibur crepe for him, and a cup of cafe mocha + crepe with ham and cheese in bechamel sauce pour moi.

four stops. full stomach. 23 months.
still dating. going stronger.

Light Blue

his tribe. soon.

Shortcut Keys

Just got home. Dead tired for two weeks now. But still widely awake because of a small cup of cafe mocha that Ela, Joy, and I had earlier at Cafe Breton . Still have a video project to submit. Today.

Today is bowling day. But I couldn't join the team. Have a deadline to beat. Pretty much giving some room for another revision.

Revision for the 2nd AVP came in handy. Quite stressing but, as I said, handy. My buddy has been there right from the start of my editing. Running errands and doing requests. Offering some company when Ela's new Alienware laptop experienced downtime. I blamed it on Vista. Longing for an XP-switch or a Mac-upgrade.

Upgrade, I badly need one. For my cup of coffee to sustain this momentum. For our own editing machine (very soon) to add more convenience. For good films that I missed to watch. For a bottle of Light Blue or Kenzo to replace the 2-month old vanilla scent. For a nice pair of shoes or a jacket to brave the rainy season.

*****
Before daybreak, it feels really good to have someone to hug you back.
Glad to be home. Love that pillow. =)

Swing

*****

Erriiiika, stop rearranging my pebbles!

But thanks a lot for the present. Sweet...

Hmm..the "perfect" photos are still on the loose. =)

Orange Feel

positively happy.

*****
today was a nice package of almost everything that i needed.
and it was sealed with a sweet treat of foot massage...thanks, buddy ko. *kugos*

kat, thanks for the little note you clipped in my cube. =)

Go-to Guys

Another long, pleasing weekend for us. My two attempts to edit my remaining AVP project for Trend have been postponed, twice. Technical difficulties could be a legit excuse. But anyway, that’s not my point. The point is that the weekend was a blast despite my not being able to follow my timetable to finish the project and to get tickets for the French Film Festival.

===

I had been a little hyper this afternoon until we were inside the FX going to UP. We were betting against each other on a massage of our choice (I preferred foot, he wanted a full-body) if one of us could give the other the better hand massage (sort of a ritual, by the way). Between the two of us this afternoon, I can say he did a better job. I teasingly asked for my share of prize-- a foot massage-- which he politely cried off. My mood changed.

I wasn't sure. I was thinking, could it be because he turned me down? Later, I realized that it wasn’t. The mood swing was because I suddenly missed my father, who’s been in the province and happily managing his small convenience store-- an investment of his retirement benefit. Parang na-homesick ako bigla.

===

Before my father suffered a stroke four years ago, he used to give me and my mother a foot or back massage. He did that whenever Ma was really worn-out from her 8-hour duty or every time I made "lambing", asking for it. The best massage ever. He would let us find our most comfortable nook and loosen up and watch TV so that he could begin his craft (aside from making the best coleslaw and cucumber salad, swimming really well, playing some good tennis matches, and dancing with me while I was stepping on his feet). Charming.

===

"Lahat ng lalaki nagiging ganon eventually..." Leyn asserted when we were at the Pizza Hut Bistro in Eastwood last Monday, talking about a common friend. I said nooo. I have had proofs. Maybe a very few ones, but I believe they would pass as well-founded. My father is not like that, I told her. Even after 30 years, he still says I love you to my mother and embraces her in front of other people until Ma almost melts in embarrassment. That scene, for me, is awkwardly sweet. He still waits for Ma every meal to listen to her stories as they eat. And he still asks her for a date. At his age, he could still be that sappy.

Aside from Pa, my list includes my cousin Kuya Jun who fixed me a glass of juice every night when I was in college and prepares my breakfast whenever he can before I go to work, my closest guy friend Epa from HS whose respect for a commitment is striking, and my buddy who simply does everything.

"Di lahat ng lalaki ganon. Trust me. Because I’ve already met a few who aren’t." [And I'm adding the funny, imaginative Broe to my very short list. :) ]

*****
Buddy ko, remember when you asked me to give reasons why I love Pa (imitating the host of a talk show we were watching then) and I only said " I love him just because I love him"? I knew my reply didn't make an impression. But the truth is just because is too much to elaborate.

Today is father’s day.
To the best dad in the world-- I love you, Pa.

Gabi at One

===
This day last year, your tito gave up smoking. =)

===
Happy birthday, Gabi! *kugos*

Duo

*****
Deal. =)

Under Wraps

*****
Semi-busy day. Aside from the late orientation regarding benefits we had with Ms.Moi and the training we had with The Mentor, there was our flunch for the week in a cake place several walks away from the office. Yuuup-- we braved the 3 P.M. heat just to get there. Cozy, enticing, and sweet. The meeting about “Penne Award” and incentive plan went well, except, of course, for some minor interruptions whenever a luscious cake was being brought to our table. The small cup of strong espresso machiatto matched the unpretentious marble cheese I had ordered. Hmmm…need to diet. Really. =)

Good Chicken

*****

Easy Sunday, nothing fancy.
Headed somewhere in Sgt. Esguerra St. Scout Triangle, QC after my mango-banana shake and his vegetable soup in Kaas. Had our chicken trip as usual. Tried a tasty combo of chicken barbeque, spare ribs, batchoy soup with egg, and plain rice. Loved the marinade.

This unassuming outdoor grill is owned by actor Joel Torre (that's why JT). Based on stories, he scouted for the best inasal cook in Bacolod to be his "chef". The menu, by the way, has relatively good prices. Other branches are in Gilmore, Ortigas, and Eastwood.

7 out 10 for me, 6 out of 10 for him. =)

Samson

Samson was my week opener and ender. Glad to hear that song twice on my way to the office and back home this week. Somehow, I feel relieved. And thanks to Tin for introducing that song (and the artist) a few months ago.

The white chocolate mocha I ordered last Thursday was bitter. They probably brewed it too long. I had not noticed the taste until I went back to the office and you went home. The aftertaste lasted longer than I thought.

My muddled schedule for the training, a few meetings, and some deliverables was given. I was able to juggle those things well. But your being sick and our ending the week with a clash have made me a little disoriented and disheartened. We were supposed to understand each other and humbly give way. But we did not. I was thinking, ang stubborn kase minsan ng buddy ko. Then I realized, ako rin pala. It was like a tug-of-war of reasons. You thought you were right, I also thought I was right. And we were both fighting for our own stance. That day could have ended better and not extended for one more day if we just met halfway. I feel sorry I did not recognize the flaw earlier.

I didn’t like us the past week. And I hated us yesterday.

Thank God it’s over.

*****
The last coffee we had together was unbearable. Bawi tayo...*kugos*

Back Seat

5:37 P.M. A snap of retreat.
*****
On the way to seaside Macapagal boulevard.
Team’s dinner treat to Âsa, Jerker, and M.Ludwig.

Green

21

Bypassing Ripple Effect

I feel incompetent today.

For the nth time, I wasn’t able to follow simple instructions with regard to direction. I had been provided with the details of where- and how-tos, and all I had to do was to remember every single landmark. I tried, though. But my impulse steered me [again] to skip a few steps, defeating the whole purpose of commuting. I didn't nail it. Bravo.

Tanggap ko naman kase-- direction, particularly commuting from one place to another, from one ride to the next ride, is really outside my comfort zone. I usually get a little paranoid. I remember instructions, but when I am already there, some of them become oblivious for some reason. I miss the right stop. I fail to notice the signs where the jeep or bus is going. Then, I bottle out and seek for my easy workaround-- to call a cab. Although I eventually regain my "coolness", the thought of not getting it right makes me feel really, really inferior. Great.

===

I'm not sure if it's part of our adjustment to my new job or to our relationship. For the past couple of weeks, we've been falling for a few tensions. Not really a fight (I don't know how you define one), but just some sort of tampuhan due to petty disagreements. In most of those instances, I felt very guilty.

Was it my temper? Have I become a little insensitive?

I hope you don't see it that way. Maybe my patience has dropped off two notches. Maybe I have been asking too much. And maybe I have disappointed you several times. I can give you a list. But please understand that each failing was not deliberate. That I was also upset. And that the last person I would ever want to let down and hurt is you.

I'm sorry for the rough times and the attitude I gave you.

Well Then

*****
Dinner at Café Bola before my team’s dinner at D’Marks before the Spidey flick.
Another so-so menu, another so-so day. So what? =)