The Ultimate Road Trip Part 2

Everytime I go back to Manila, I always make it a point to drop by my favorite steak house inside the Subic freeport. Ella and I discovered it a couple of years ago when we took our first north luzon food trip with Peter back in 2005. This year is no exception. I woke up early (6am!!) to meet up with Gidiyap at the Shangrila LRT station (marunong pa pala akong sumakay ng jeep. para mama!). After giving him a tour of UP Diliman and having breakfast at the stall fronting rodics (which unfortunately was closed), we waited for Classmate and Ella to arrive at my house. At around 10am we were finally off to Subic.

We took the new SCTEX (with a brief stopover at Petron or caltex ba yon?) and arrived in Subic at 1230pm just in time for lunch. Sleeping beauties kami sa likod ni Jay since mga puyat ang mga balikbayan. Si ella ang naging designated taga aliw ni driver classmate. There were a lot of people in queue for the restaurant but since we travelled close to 200kms just to eat steak, we were willing to wait. We all ordered the NY cut steak, medium well with mashed potatoes and veggies on the side. Classmate had an additional rice (carbo diet daw siya!). Yummy. Sulit pa din ang byahe. Andun din sina Billie Joe Crawford at Nikki Gil na pinagkakaguluhan ng lahat. Care naman namin kasi for us ang star ay ang steak ng meat plus!

After resting briefly and taking pictures at the new Subic Lighthouse, we were once again on the road. Di ba road trip nga to? The road trip was now heading towards QC for a session at the Ace Water Spa. Despite the traffic we were in good spirits when we reached Del Monte Ave at around 6pm. We had merienda first at Le Ching Tea House (i missed this place!!!) and laughed our way to eating dimsum and noodles. ("Waiter, mai tan!") Ella and I introduced Jay to Le Ching's famous Shark's fin dumpling. It's still the best dumpling for me. Classmate was so hungry, he literally inhaled the wanton noodle soup (walang mainit sa vocabulary ni classmate!).

Inside the spa, Ella and Adrian introduced us to the wonders of hydrotherapy. I tried different water jet massages (my favorite was the bubble chair and the bubble bed) that was truly relaxing. Sulit ang instant shopping ni guru. hahaha. We went for a short swim in the lap pool and classmate showed us his famous breast stroke (but dahil walang flippers, balyena stroke daw yun). Lastly we took a dip at the heated herbal pools. alam ko na ang pakiramdam ng manok na tinitinola. hehehe. We loved the 38 degree pool (just right). After dipping in the 40 degree pool, we all jumped into the 0 degree ice cold pool to close our pores down. Gising ka talaga bigla!

After nearly 3 hours in the spa, we were done. But the road trip was not over. We went for a midnight snack/dinner ni classmate at Dencio's in Capitol Golf. We chose the place for its location (near my house where the pit stop was ). Unfortunately they were about to close so most of the stuff we wanted to order was gone. No more crispy pata and sisig (WAAAA), no more calamares (WAAAA), at later on no more Red Horse (Ay nako magsara na kayo!!!!). Still we managed to eat lechon kawali, inihaw na liempo and sizzling mushrooms and 2 buckets of beer-- red horse and san mig strong ice. Before we knew it we were being asked to vacate the place already. It was 230 in the morning!. hahaha. The road trip went on overdrive again. Ella and Classmate dropped us off and Jay drove home after. I finally fell asleep at around 4am after making sure all three of them got home safely.

This morning my uncle asked me if I am not yet tired from all these road trip. And I told him "Tito, bawal mapagod sa Pinas! Sa KL na kami babawi ng tulog." hehehe.

1.5 more weeks in Manila, more roadtrips to do so little time left.

Ultimate Roadtrip by the Balikbayans

After spending the day at Corregidor, one would think we would be tired. But no, Bawal ang mapagod sa Pinas. It was just the start of what would be a 22 hour roadtrip by the balikbayans. Naconvince namin si Chu33y3itch na magdinner sa MOA (yup MOA lang po) kaya after magikot sa intramuros (at kumain ng taho sa manila cathedral), nag drive na kami papuntang MOA. Medyo mahirap ang parking but we managed to find one then we met up with Jom sa National na may sendoff brigade. Kaso ang MOA ay stopover lang pala. We decided to go to Pier 1 in PICC but last minute decided to go to Island Cove bago mag Tapsi sa Kawit. First time kong makita ang island cove so enjoy na enjoy kami bilang mga tourista (may libreng driver at tour guide pa!). Nag picture taking pa kami sa gate ng Island Cove. hehe.

We had a round of beers and the ultimate pinoy pulutan fare of Crispy crablets, calamares and sisig (walang tahong!huhuhu). Syempre isang masarap na inuman pag may San Mig Light. Ahh.. this is defining happiness. sarap! We decided to call Charles and Cecille para imbitahin ang aming mga sarili sa kanilang hacienda. Ang passport ay Red horse, inihaw na liempo at manor mula sa Andoks (sana may ganito sa KL!). Go naman sina C&C so off we go kami. Walang nagawa si Chu33y3itch dahil nakidnap na siya! hahaha.

We stopped over one bakery on the way to taste what Gidiyap described as the best pandesal. He also introduced us to the Bonete (tama ba? basta masarap siya!). Shucks! Winner talaga. My car smelled like bread. Heaven! After another stop over to Jay's own hacienda (detour) tumuloy na kami sa pittstop (a.k.a. Charles' place) where the Abedejos family was already waiting. We set up the inuman table in front of their gate and drank the night away.

Habang lumalalim ang gabi, may isang nagtratransform to a tikitext. We didn' know kasi na may date pala kaming sinira (peace lah!). But it was fun nonetheless. Laglagan lahat. Walang kampi kampi (merry christmas jom!). Si charles ang kulet! (sino daw si diego lisang?) Pati si cecille nakikulet din! Lahat sila lasing except me since I was the designated driver. I drank a glass only of red horse then was placed on strict orders not to drink anymore.

Time flew by and before we knew it, it was already 2am. Imagine I was already awake at 4am. Career na ito! hahaha. After a long goodbye (may humahabol kasi), Jay, Jom and I finally left Charles and Cecille to their "date". Jay drove and we dropped him off at his place. I dropped jom off after.1 hour later I was finally sleeping in my bed. It was already 330am. May mga manok ng tumitilaok!

Iba talaga ang impromptu gimik. Natutuloy. Mahirap ang planned eh. hahaha. Nadala lang ata si Chu33y3itch sa min, kasi MOA lang daw eh. hehehe.. Kasi naging Imus. hahaha. But it was worth it naman. Finally the KL gang got to be on true blue Pinas mode. Kulang na lang yung mamak na pupuntahan after the inuman.

And my tapsi craving was not yet sated. Funny, sa dinami dami ng inisip naming kainin at kinain, di pa din naming natupad ang wish ko for the ultimate tapsilog. So what does that mean? Roadtrip again!!!

Walk through history

Sabi ng department of tourism wag daw maging dayuhan sa sariling bansa. Kaya naayon sa thema ng pasko na "tara byahe tayo", naglakbay kami sa isla ng corregidor nung December 28. Ang aga ng gising ko, 4am ata nung narinig kong tumunog ang " you got message" sa cellphone. Blank text (may secret code?). tumayo ako ng mga 5am (tawad ng onti). Past 6am ata nung dumating ako sa Roxas blvd na ubod pa ng dilim. Matapos ang ilang blooper (Asan kasi ang Jollibee sa Vito cruz? ay asana muna ang vito cruz?hehe), nagkita din kami ni Jay sa may CCP.

Matapos ang breakfast (san pa eh di sa Jollibee!), pumunta na kami sa sun cruises terminal sa loob ng harbour square. 1 hr 15 minutes ang byahe (tulugan time!). Pagdating ng corregidor, pili na kami ng tour bus (gusto namin sa 5 kasi nakakaaliw yung tour guide). Tangan ang mga camera, sinimulan din ang corregidor adventure.

Inikot namin ang buong isla. Sabi ni Mang Carlos, "its an island that is the shape of a tadpole" (aba looks like nga!). Madami akong natutunan gaya ng corregidor pala ang pinaka malaki sa lahat ng isla sa mouth ng manila bay, 5months bago sumuko ang corregidor at bataan sa mga hapon, at marunong palang mag mura si Quezon. Nagstart ang tour sa middle portion ng, umakyat sa top at nag end sa tail. Ilang army batteries ang inikot (di daw yun dry cell kundi mga gigantic canons) namin, plus pa ang mga ruins ng mga barracks. Parang naimagine ko yung panahon ng gera. Ang ganda siguro ng mga buildings na yun bago ito nabomba. May pagka eerie ang dating ng lugar. Madami daw espiritu dun. Pero sa totoo lang, parang pumasok ka sa pahina ng history book natin nung college/hs. Mararamdaman mo ang pagka Filipino mo dun sa lugar na iyon (naks!).

After lunch sa best hotel in corregidor (its the only hotel in corregidor), nag malinta tunnel tour kami. scary at nakakatindig balahibo yung light and sound show. feeling mo talaga asa malinta tunnel ka nung gera at binobomba kayo sa labas. Teka, lam niyo ba bat Malinta tunnel ang name niya? Kasi Madaming Linta! Ayos talaga mag bansag ng pangalan ang mga pinoy.

Pauwi ng Maynila, di ko maalis sa isipan ko ang kasaysayan ng corregidor. Nakakatuwang nakakalungkot. Nakakatuwa kasi nakita mong napaganda niyang lugar. Pero nakakalungkot kasi ang daming buhay ang nabuwis dun.

Pero ang masasabi ko lang.. sulit ang bayad.Di lang maganda ang tanawin, maganda din ang matutunan ang kasaysayan ng bansa natin. Saka sabi nga ng DOT, dont be a stranger to your own country. Kaya tara! byahe na tayo!

Revisiting Lupon

The last time I went to our family's farm in Lupon, Davao Oriental was back in 1990. Today I visited the pride and joy of our clan after 18 long years. Lupon has always been considered our family heirloom. It is not only huge but also it is home to our family's dreams, blood, sweat, and tears. Papa Ernie started the farm from scratch after retiring from his office job. And now it is being managed by my uncle. 

When I was younger we used to go there more often. Back then, the roads were much more rough and we had to ride a Kia truck all the way from Davao City to Lupon. Talk about a bumpy ride! By the time we get to the farm, our hair would be plastered all over our faces. Unfortunately we all started growing up so the thrill of a 3-4 hour bumpy ride lost its zest. At the same time issues about security started to arise. There was a time when the farm was raided by armed men thus our visits became less and less. 

So last night when tito joey asked me if I wanted to come with him to the farm, I immediately said yes. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Imagine, to be able to go back to one of my childhood playground? That is a dream come true. 

The ride was still long but more comfortable. The roads were much better now and our car was definitely more high tech (Tito Jo's new Sportage was taken for a test drive). But the place remained as beautiful as ever. When we entered the rough road leading to the farm itself, I saw farmers planting rice amidst the background of mountains. It was just such a beautiful sight. 

After arriving at our farm, I tried to refamiliarize myself with the old surroundings. I saw the old copra trees covering most of the land along with other fruit trees such as mango, suha, and mangosteen. I didn't get to see the lanzones and the fish pond because we didn't have time to go around.I It was still the same old place I remembered from 18 years ago. The trees may look slightly bigger but it was still the same old Lupon that my cousins and I used to roam around in while riding a makeshift carriage dragged by a carabao. 

2 hours later we were on our way back to Davao City. I slept most of the way as I was dead tired by then. I silently said goodbye to the farm and left a promise-- that I won't wait another 18 years to come back. 

Holiday Bum

I've been home for a couple of days now. I flew to Davao the day after I arrived in Manila. So I've been feeling a bit of jet lagged for the past couple of days. On the day of my arrival I immediately went on gimik mode and met up with ella, adrian and anthony at our favorite coffee place in corinthian hills. Nakakamiss din ang coffee dates namin. We stayed till about 12mn before heading home just in time for me to repack my suitcase for Davao.

Here in Davao my gimik mode got curtailed a bit. The lack of people to go out with and the early bed time of the folks around me makes me feel more of a bum than a bakasyonista. Buti na lang I managed to go to the beach twice to see the sea. One thing nice about Davao is that the beach is so near. Just a short 10 minute drive and you're already there. Yesterday we took the ferry to Samal island and had lunch and dinner at two new resorts-- Blue waters and Blue jazz. Both were nice but I still favor paradise island. The best pa din ang orig.

I managed to do some "musts" like shopping (a bit pero kulang pa) and parlor (kulang pa din) in between driving for my uncles and my mom and grandparents. I'm so in love with the new Kia Sportage and its automatic transmission that makes driving so easy even on rough roads. My uncle let me drive his new SUV kaya naman game na game akong maging driver. I still have a long list to go through for my must do's (call bank, buy pasalubong, more parlor, etc..) not to mention a pile of checking to finish.

Talking to ella earlier over th phone, I told her how I miss our hanging out together. Hopefully we get to do that when i get back to Manila on friday.

3 more days and its Christmas!!!

Saturday Night Dinners

One of our long running traditions in the Llaneza clan is the Saturday night dinner at Mama and Papa's house in Mallard. Everytime we are in Davao, we always have that Saturday night reunion when everyone would be there for dinner. Tonight was no exception. We had lechon, lapu lapu, nilagang baka, and inihaw na blue marlin. Yummy. Simple dinner lang daw. Wala kasi yung cook. Nagbakasyon. 

Through the years, the dinner's composition changed. Old faces left, new faces came in. When we were younger, there was a kids table for the young ones ( I got elevated to the adult table when I entered HS). We had our special mini table near the toilet. When we got older, the girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands and wives started joining the dinners. This year I introduced everyone to something new too-- the malaysian sambal (hehehe.kala nyo sino noh? Something po not someone!)

Nevertheless it is still the same old dinner with the same faces. We share the same stories (sayang wala si ves to tell her famous mitra/cory jokes) and laugh at our past misadventures. It's fun to have these kinds of traditions. Makes you realize that at the end of the day, the memories and bonding we share with our loved ones are the ones that matter the most. 

209K

Almost 6 months after I landed in the ER for itp relapse,I was declared on remission last wednesday.My platelet stood at 209,000 after being taken off prednisone 1 month ago.Dr Rudy said,he hopes not to see me again till 6 months from now.Barring any hitches, I am hopeful too. I am now back to normal.Well, almost.I still have the pred weight to lose.But that's just a minor issue.
It was a wonderful early christmas present.Moreso a pleasant surprise because despite the stressors recently, project platelets still worked miracles.

believe.hope.dream.
wishes do come true.

Double Eww with icing on the side: Lisensya adventures in KL

Yesterday neighbor and I went to the Malaysian version of the LTO to get our driver's license. Wala lang gusto lang namin maging tunay at wagas na legal driver sa Malaysia. Saka na isipin kung san kukunin ang kotse. Who would have thought na hanggang dun pala eh aabot ang makamandag kong charm? hahaha.

The line was quick. 140 people in 15-20 minutes. Wow. Talk about quick service. When my turn came up I was feeling good. Mabilis lang to. Tamang tama na-ccr na ako. But of course kelangan maging complicated. Kaya nga adventure ang title ng blog na to diba? It started with the picture. The girl said my pic was too big and that I had to have another picture taken. She directed me to this photo me booth (meron pa pala nun?!). 7RM for 2 copies. Major harang but sige na lang. saka in fairness maganda ako sa picture. hahaha. When I came back with my newly developed picture, she told me to go to this other booth where two supervisors were. One was a girl (i saw her making chikka before) and the other was a guy (na thundercats na..). They started questionning my certification from the embassy, even insinuating na it was a doctored one. Syempre I argued back. I did not issue that certification. Sa loob loob ko, ang mahal nga ng cert na yan eh. kung pwede lang eh ako na lang magtratranslate. I finally introduced the "Dr" card so medyo nashut up siya. Parang spinach ni popeye yan eh. aatras si brutus once lumabas ang "I am a Dr." card. I was getting pissed since neighbor got hers in less than half the time and they never questioned her picture (na kasing laki ng aking orig) nor her certification (na identical to mine).

To make the long story short, kaya lang tumagal ang proseso ko dun eh kasi si manong thundercats ay gusto makipag friends. ANAK NG.. EWWW EWWW EWWW (reminiscent of Joana's voice). He used the two chuwariwariwaps under him to talk to me. Sabi ni girl super, "can my boss be your friend ah?" That is probably the worse pick up line ever! May kasama pang " does he look young? " at dinagdagan ni manong thundercats ng "can i call you sometime?" EWWWWWW. But syempre dahil goal oriented tayo, kelangan sumakay ng onti. Sabi ko, "you want to be my friend? sure. i have a lot of friends!" hahaha. baliw. Pero mas favorite ko yung sagot ko sa can i call you line-- "if im there i will answer the phone. but today im not in so i cant answer the phone" (makikulit daw ba?) Aba! torture ata syang tingnan so dapat lang makuha ko ang lisensya ko.

All the way to KLCC, reg and I were laughing like crazy. Talk about charm. Lumevel up ang charm ko kahapon. hahaha. Neighbor said that pang ms universe ata ko sa mundo nila. Angeli says its the hair (my highlights really makes me look more local now). For some reason I guess I am a hit to the weirdo community of KL. Haay. I know it should be flattering, but NO! isang EWWW talaga. Matatake ko pa yung mga janno gibs na pahello hello sa tabi tabi tulad ng aking mga guard fans (btw, nadagdagan na naman sila kagabi) Kala ko worse na yung si manong kindat nung sat sa pertama kompleks at si manong jani na pa hi hi sa LRT. di pa pala! hahaha. Eh si manong thundercats pa naman eh pwede ng maging bangkay sa shake rattle and roll part XX ang itsura.

Ewww Ewww Ewww Ewww.. Ang mga balahibo ko sa braso nagtayuang muli. Even when the orig girl was already printing my license, manong was still leering in the background.Sabi ni Jay and Angeli balik kami to get their license. Sana wala na si Manong dun. WISH KO LANG. Or better yet maghanap na lang kami ng iba pang branch ng JPJ. hahaha.

As I was leaving the dreadful booth with my newly laminated 2 year license (cheapitita. di man lang card type.), Manong thundercats said goodbye with a wave and smile. Eww. anong goodbye? good riddance kamo! hahaha.

If the Shoe Fits: Fashion Disasters

Last month I made a resolution that I will not buy any new shoes till 2009. It was my attempt to curve my semi addiction for foot fashion. sabi ni neighbor, pwede na akong maging stockholder ng vincci sa dami ng sapatos ko. So I told myself, no more new shoes. I will make do with my current stock.

Unfortunately, I was forced by fate to break my resolution. Last monday while out with the guys on an extended lunch break (hmm.. gym?haha), I broke the strap to my ever reliable grendha slippers and was forced to make that stopover at my favorite shoe store and buy myself a new pair. Funny, I actually felt so guilty about buying and breaking my resolution that I could only choose one pair (unlike before na I can buy 3 or 4 pairs at a time). Pero sabi nga ni Angeli, its a sign.. I really have to buy shoes. That fashion disaster was actually fashion disaster number 3 in just 2 days.

The first one came on Sunday as I was walking to Bukit Jalil LRT. I tripped and the strap gave out so I had to walk all the way back home and change. Nalate tuloy ako sa aking breakfast dahil ang tagal ng LRT. A few hours later the replacement shoe (my favorite charles and keith flats) started smiling after tripping (again). Anak ng.. define clumsy! ah.. its the sour thing that you put in the pancit canton? hehe. The replacement shoe made it home thank goodness. Thus last monday's fashion disaster 3 was the icing on the cake already.Or so I thought.

Last night on my way home, I realized fashion disaster 4 was about to happen. May isang sapatos na nakangiti na naman. Buti na lang pauwi na ako. At the rate I am going, I'll be shoe-less by next week!

Its time.

It's time to go shoe shopping.

Breaking Walking Records

Lizda once told me that if I could walk the entire KL, I'd probably would. They're all amazed in the office at the amount of walking I could do in a day. One time I walked from Hang Tuah to Chulan Tower which is unheard off for a lot of my local friends. Another time I walked all the way from Imbi plaza in Bukit Bintant to KLCC in a little over 10minutes time. I was meeting up with some friends for dinner and I didn't want to be late. It just never occured to me that it was that far. Heck I walked half of London in a little over a day's time in my quest to see London in its entirety over one weekend.

Yesterday I broke another walking record-- I walked from Pudu Plaza in Jalan Pudu all the way to Wendy's in Raja Chulan. If you take the LRT/Monorail that's a total of 5 stations in all. And it wasn't a straight forward walk. It included a stroll in 3 malls (Pudu plaza, times square, sungai wang) and several stop overs along the smaller side streets of jalan pudu. Before that I already walked from my apartment to the LRT station (10 minutes), and from Masjid Jamek to St. Johns to Kotaraya.

And what was in my mind when I did it? wala lang. naisipan lang namin mag explore the world. I realized yesterday that you discover a lot of hidden stuff when you're walking (i.e. ang lechon pala sa malaysia eh may ribbon sa buntot at tenga--ay ginawang girl si babi). You discover a lot of new places (may isa pang camera shop sa pudu plaza kaso closed pag sunday ng umaga at may short cut sa eskinita ng jalan pudu papuntang times square) and learn new things (dapat marunong tumiming pag tumatawid kundi matitigok ka ng maaga!) It was super tiring but it was so much fun. Wendy's frosty never tasted so good after a long day's walk.

When I finally got to PWTC for the education fair, my legs wanted to fall off. At least nabawi ko yung di ko paggym during the weekend. Major cardio workout. Angeli and Reg were laughing about my fashion disasters (that's another story) amidst my walkathon. I was so hungry at 530pm that Angeli and I finished a pizza and an order of wings in no time at all. I'm entitled to it she said. After all that walking I truly deserved to eat. hahaha.

Two Years and counting

Two years ago I left Manila to embark on a journey that changed my life. Two years ago I decided to jump on my biggest adventure-- moving to a totally strange country away from all the comforts of home. It's been two years already today when I moved to Kuala Lumpur. Imagine that. I survived 730 days already. 730 days since I last called Manila my home. Two years to the day I said goodbye to family and friends.

Ang bilis ng mga araw. Parang kelan lang lahat ng iyon. Ang daming nangyari, ang daming naganap. Ibang iba na ang buhay. It has been one hell of a ride I should say. I stumbled a lot along the way, but looking back, it was a good two years. There may have been tough times but there sure were good times too. And somehow looking back, all those struggles finally made sense. They all led me to where I am today.

This morning a friend asked me what was my career plan. I told him that I'm in a job that I love. And though its tough at times, it allows me to do something I am passionate about. So I guess that answers my question on what is my career plan for now.

For now I choose to be here. For now this is where I belong.

99

I was bumming around the other day when my friend Jom dragged me with her to a birthday party of their new colleague. After a short stay in the party, we decided to have our own mini party (thanks to the 2 bottles of club 99 we were supposed to give the birthday celebrant) at her house in endah regal. There was a bit of drama on the way home to make things exciting ("Nawawala ang wallet ko!"-C.A.) plus the return of world peace ("let there be peace on earth!"). We even got to stop by to see the latest gimik place in Endah Regal Block C (Hapi Cook Cabaret branch. hehehe).Finally we started the session at around 1am.

I haven't been drunk in a long time. But last Saturday we were all out of it. No one was throwing up or doing anything scandalous or gross. It was pure wholesome, fun drunkenness. There was dancing and laughing and major soundtrip (Anong kanta nga yon?). Mommy J (a.k.a. Classmate J) was the star. Newbie J (dalawa kasi silang J) was the photographer while Mr. Peace Charlington and I were the resident bartenders (bago ko sila tinulugan that is). Ces finally gave in to the party after a bit of canjolling from the BI's (Beautiful Influence! hehe). Ang nawawala lang ay si Ann na ininjan kami. (hahaha..sige na nga we understand..tinirahan ka naman namin).

Yun pala ang epekto ng club 99. Kahit na sabog sabog ang senses it was still so much fun-- tawanan, kantahan, sayawan (nadiskubre ang mga hidden talents!) at may mga "revelation" moment pa (i remember...haha) . At one point I remember I wanted to cook whatever food I could find in Jom's freezer because I was so hungry (Ang kulet!!). Ended up eating chicken nuggets with rice before I fell asleep. zzzzzzzzzz...

I woke up at around 7am with a splitting headache. Classic Hangover. I was barely comprehensive on the phone. Backed out of my photodate that morning and went home to sleep. Bangengers. Sabi ni Charles natapos ang session ng 5am kasi nagalarm ang cellphone ko. Di ko na naalala yun. I was in dreamland na by then.

Hanggang dito na lang daw ang kwento. What happened in C-12-1 stays in C-12-1.

Till the next session...

I call them Battle Scars

I was 16 years old when they first appeared. I gained over 30lbs in one month due to prednisone and lost almost all of it in a span of another 2 months. My body was like a baloon that got inflated and deflated. I have them all over my thighs, butt and shoulder. And because I was young and a bit low on the EQ then, I scratched whenever they itched and that made it worse.

They're stretchmarks. Battle scars from my relapses with ITP.I tried all possible creams you could think of. But they just don't work. They fade away through the years but they get bad again whenever I relapse. Recently they became very evident again. My recent relapse brought back those unsightly scars. My resident derma told me that if I wanted to I could get them lasered out. But of course that would be costly.

I used to be so conscious about it. I refused to wear shorts and swimsuits. There was a time that I even used concealer to cover them up. Then I realized, those stretchmarks, no matter how ugly they look, is the small price I had to pay so that I could live. If I didn't have them, I wouldn't be here today. So I told myself, what the heck, I'd wear whatever I want to and just live. Now whenever I look at my ugly marks, I am reminded of how I made it through life's toughest battle scarred but not broken.

And those stretchmarks, are my medals.

110 Reasons to Say Thank You (for the 110 days of Prednisone)

On July 27, 2008, I sent out 3 text messages for 4 people whom I wanted to say thank you to. I thought to myself that if something happened I wanted to be ready. I think I scared them as I was scolded by one for being too morbid while the two others cheered me on to not give up.

I was on prednisone for a total of 110 days, a drug, though lifesaving had a multitude of side effects that created chaos in my sense of being.

They say the measure of a good life is not by the amount of riches you gain but by the number of people who love and care for you. This is a long thank you note to the 110 people who made the past 110 days possible. It was a long process listing all these folks down and I know I may have missed a few. But to everyone whether your listed or not, THANK YOU..

So here goes...I am grateful..

1.For God – for the gift of life and well, for everything else.

2.For my Mom, Maria, for letting me go on my adventures even if I know she’s worried about me.

3.For my sister Vesper who taught me the value of ambition and soaring for my dreams

4.For my bestfriend Ella who has always been there for me, through thick and thin even if at times I am not there for her. Thank you for being part of my life

5.For Jay, who kept my spirits up during the times when the side effects of pred were taking its toll on my sanity; for rescuing my PAP convention paper and for treating me as if I was just the same old me.

6.For Oliver my beloved pusang kalye, my baby and my friend who never forgets who his “mommy” is despite our distance.

7. For Anthony, for making me laugh and keeping me company in Davao. Thanks for calling every so often to check up on me.

8. For my neighbors, Ria and Jesse who kept me company in the hospital and looked out for me during that hell week

10. For classmate Adrian’s endearing sense of humor and his courage to remove the bandaid.

11. My aunts and uncles—Tito Mannie & Tita Malou, Tito Joey & Tita Lucille, Tito Ted & Tita Thel for their never ending love and support. Thanks Tito Mannie for all the text messages you’ve been sending everyday.

17. My Ninang Rose and her family—papa june, che and pey—for their concern and care.

21. To Nongni, Tita Dada, Vince, Bobsi for picking me up in the airport whenever I go home.

25. Tita tats—my doctor away from home.

26. For my pamilya badminton—Tita Nel, Tito Noel, Kei, & RB. Thank you for always remembering me in your thoughts and prayers. I miss you guys!

30. My mentor and namesake—Fr. Jaime Bulatao. You’ve been there for me since even before I was born. I am honored to share your name.

31. For Fr. Ben, whose been there for me and my family for as long as I can remember.

32. To Michael, Jay’s friend whom I don’t know and haven’t met but took time out to help sort out my tarpaulin crisis in August. You saved my presentation. Maraming Salamat.

33. The Jollibee Plus Travel Group—Ma’am Lisa, Jovil, Marivic, Nicole, Ma'am Veron, Maam Anna & Hubby, and Earl—for welcoming me with open arms.

41. The Perfect 10 Girls—Divina, Tetet, Jai, Mariel, Kim, Flo, Beth & Aries —my personal cheering squad and bodyguards all rolled into one. These girls will go to war for me and I love them to death.

49. For Angeli, who is not only a great boss but also a great friend. She makes Nottingham feel like home.

50. To Angeli’s brothers and their families—Randy, Rose, Zoe, Rob, Selena & Zach—for the wonderful time we had in the cruise and for making me feel like I was a part of their family. Thanks!

56. For Charles, my safeguard Malaysia (a.ka. my konsensya).. He keeps me grounded to reality. Pano pag nag adik ka, he will smash you with the shuttlecock.

57. For Jom, my perennial sounding board. Rarely do you find someone worth keeping so she is a treasure to cherish.

58. For Bala & Natasha- for their understanding and care.

60. To Marissa, my first real friend in Kuala Lumpur.

61. To My doctor, Dr. Rudy Yeoh for his faith in my body’s capacity to heal itself. Rare do you find a doctor who listens not just with the mind but also with the heart.

62. To Dr. Rudy’s assistant—I don’t know your name but you make blood test as painfree as possible for me and for that I am so grateful.

63. To my manila doctor—Dr. Lisa Naranjo—for keeping tabs on me even if Im far away.

64. For Len & Witart George for their friendship. I look forward to my visits with you guys everytime I go home.

66. For Karen & Marlu who taught me about friendship and staying true to who you really are.

68. To Mimopie, my original “boyfriend” whose faith in me is amazing. Thank you for your love and trust even from afar.I promise if and when I get married, you will be the officiating priest (hahaha.. if it ever happens..)

69. For Friendship Maan’s support of my “crazy antics” and “adventures.”

70. To Oliver, the human (hahaha).. Teroy’s visit was one of the most fun times I had in KL. I’m glad you’re happier now.

71. To my Nottingham family—Liz, Azlan, Regina,Dian, and even Melissa (you’re still part of it) for taking me in and not making me feel alone in a strange land.

76. For my soulsister—Charrie whose impending motherhood is something I’m so excited about. I know you will be a great mom partner.

77. To Mardet & Jeff, my big brother and sister in the counseling program of ateneo. You always remember.

78. To my GBC family—Tita Cons, Tito Mau, Marlu, & Harry and everyone else who queue every Monday and Thursday nights.. Thanks for always welcoming me back to my beloved GBC.

82. For Denden & Kirby—for their cheerful hi’s and hello’s and for always keeping in touch. Thanks for breaking the curse kirbs!!

84. To Josh, my sis in SG, for being one of the few people here that I could talk to with all honesty. I’m so glad we became friends.

85. For Giselle & Shella and their generosity. Thanks for keeping our mom company in Manila.

87. To the PPPeyups gang—Vivi, Gilbert, Merly & Tin, good friends through all these years. Ano kaya ang announcement ni Tin? Thanks guys for believing in me.

91. For my cousin Tryke and his beloved Michelle who were my personal tour guides/drivers while I was in Davao back in August and whenever I am there.

93. For my comps’ gang—Chin, Bambi, & Obeng, for sharing my ups and downs even years after our famous exam.

96. For my ARP students—Sham, William & Hui Ying for being patient with me whenever I’m too sick to advise them.

97. For Ralyn & Ben whose lovestory gives me the hope that people do find their soul mates.

99. To Prednisone, the drug that saved my life.

100. To Niel,AJ, & Weevens, my ateneo friends and colleagues whom I bug every now and then for favors.

103. To Peter and the rest of experimental psychology & psych testing students in Ateneo for reminding me always of why I love my job.

104. To my UP Math Barkada-- Aldwin, Lyzet, Sheryll, Kim, Aldwin E., & Peter.. Good friends that I surely miss.

110. And to YOU, you know who you are-- for driving the symptoms away by simply being there.

I am forever grateful.

Goodbye

After 110 days I finally said goodbye to prednisone, the medication that boosted my platelets up and saved my life. My platelets are finally deemed normal enough to warrant a chance to do things on its own. For those unfamiliar with Thrombocytopenia, what happens with my platelets is that for some unknown reason, my body has developed antibodies against its own platelets. So when the blood is sent to the spleen for filtering, instead of just filtering out the bad stuff, the good platelets also gets the ax. Thus causing abnormally low platelet counts.

Yesterday I went to see Dr. Rudy again and we had our usual blood tests. For the 2nd time around, no blood came out of the syringe! ouch! The med tech had to fan the needle a bit (double ouch!) to catch the right vein. 2 hours of waiting later (dr. rudy had a bone marrow event), i came out smiling from ear to ear. Count was at 190,000.

So its goodbye prednisone. I hope this would be the final goodbye.. but if not, i hope we don't meet for a very very long time.

Back from Cambodia

It took almost 6 months of planning and now it's finally over. We're back from our 4 day adventure in Cambodia. If I could use one phrase to capture the trip it would be this-- "hope and blessings amidst magic" (nagpapaka deep lang po ako ng onti! hahaha). But seriously, the trip was indeed magical. Worth every sweat and stress we experienced along the way.

True to form ang mga bloopers ko. Andyan yung muntik akong di makasama kasi naiwan ko ang passport ko sa bahay. Ano nga daw ang tawag dun? Strike one. Strike two-- wrong gate ang pinilahan (but it turned out to be right naman!) kaya naranasan naming mapage sa LCCT ng di oras (calling passengers xxx,xxx,xxx,xxx...iiwan na kayo ng eroplano!). Strike three, four, five and so on---ilang beses akong muntik mabalian during the entire trip dahil naiisipan ko laging mag acrobatics (a.k.a mapatid, madulas, atbp). But of course these bloopers only made the trip more fun.

Upon arrival, adventure na ang paghahanap sa aming munting hotel. Nakatago kasi siya sa likod ng isang malaking karatulang-- People's Party of Cambodia. Di mo tuloy alam kung kami ay pupunta sa isang meeting de avance or mababakasyon sa bahay ng isang malayong kamag anak. Matapos mag settle kay "Auntie's House" sinimulan na agad ang grand tour. Nireview ni K (ang aming driver na sabi ni Jay ay kmukha ni chuckie dreyfus at romnick sarmenta kaso di namin talaga makita ang resemblance) ang itinerary kong ginawa at nirevise ito ayon sa format na naayon. Bumili kami ng temple pass (sorry po... di na pala kelangan ng passport pic--blooper number 9?), at pumasok na sa kakaibang mundo na ang tawag ay Angkor. It looked liked we were transported out into a totally different timezone! I was in total awe.

The photography outing started with the Angkor Thom temple (a,k.a. Angkor Thom's Cabin). Kasagsagan ng init ng araw pero game pa din kaming kumuha at magpose para macapture ang truly priceless moment na iyon. Ang daming mga turista, pati mga tour guide. May gwapo, maganda, pangit at mukhang paa. You name it. May kamukha pa si Oliver (kung siya ay may alopecia at ginawang isang GI). Ayos day 1 pa lang, ang dami na naming nalait.

Matapos ang isang oras na siesta (at shower! sa sobrang init, 3x a day kami maligo..), we found ourselves saying ooh and ahh at the Angkor Wat. Reg and Tina ventured inside the temples first while Jay and I took time to take the pictures outside. Sa sobrang tagal namin eh nasarahan tuloy kami ng temple. Di na kami umabot sa center part (the famous three towers of Angkor Wat) kasi sarado na for the day. We did witness a beautiful sunset though and finally I understood why the Angkor Wat was the most popular of all the temples. There was the "oomph" factor that you would feel when you enter its domain. We also had a side trip to the jewelry store. Sabi nga ni neighbor, "may papamana na ako sa aking mga anak.."

Day 1 ended with a good dinner at the Soup Dragon kung san may special menu of "Pork Escalopes (a.k.a. pork with HARM and cheese.. ano daw? sinaktan na baboy with queso?). Neighbor Ria found true love in the beef leklok (kaya everyday niya itong inorder) while Tina feasted on the veggies. Jay and I were introduced to Angkor Beer by K. Panalo siya! walang bitter aftertaste. The drinking session continued in our room along with Jay's magic show and the traditional tong its. Taob kami ni Jcool kay neighbor, kami ay mere mortals lamang..

Day 2 was spent visiting more temples starting with the Roulous Group. It was in the outskirts of the town but definitely worth the travel. May miniature version ng Angkor Wat pa. Then we visited Ta Prohm, the site of the movie Tomb raider. Among the ruins, this was the one that was most left untouched. So feeling mo talaga eh nasa jungle ka. I found myself doing an amazing race Ta Prohm version since tina and i couldnt find reg and jay. Buti na lang pumayag si tina sa idea kong bumalik sa pit stop kasi true enough andun na sila. Sa sobrang pagod ko, nakatulala na lang ako nung lunch. Pero syempre go pa din tayo. After a brief siesta (plus shower again!), we went to the market to go shopping and then off to Tonle Sap Lake. Medyo minalas kasi umulan kaya matapos ang ilang sandali we decided to head back to shore. Neighbor wasn't feeling well din plus nakakadepress din ang site ng mga boat people na nakatira along the river. It was so muddy on the walk back that I think I grew a couple of inches taller. Buti na lang andyan si Efren (It's a bird, it's a plane!, no its Efren!) para ireenact ang washing of the feet sa huling hapunan.Di nga lang niya hinalikan ang aming mga paa. hehe.

The rains didn't stop but fortunately we had beef noodle soup for dinner at this run down house. Tina and K had the pig's brain version while Jay, Reg and I had the normal version (di po ako ganung ka adventurous). Our Bill? 80,000! In khmer money lah! hahaha. Kala mo ang mahal eh no? Pero panalo talaga yung dinner na to- khmer version of the shabu shabu. One thing I love about Cambodia, there's no such thing as bad food. Lahat masarap! yummy! After dinner we headed to Auntie's house (a.k.a. our hotel) and then had another drinking/pusoy dos session. Nakakainis yung taga sira ng plan ko for world domination, talagang ayaw akong papanalunin. Buti na lang napagbalasa din namin siya sa dulo.

On Sunday morning we decided to revisit Angkor Wat. Jay and I wanted to see the other parts we missed while Reg wanted to re-experience the temple minus the mud. Finally I got to take my beautiful pictures of the famous Angkor Wat. Career nga lang ang pag akyat sa matarik na hagdan! We visited another temple afterwards (nakalimutan ko ang name basta siya ay dirediretsong pinto), before finally calling our temple tour a success. We even got to ride a tuktuk kasi may tinataguan na fans si Gidiyap (5 for 1 dollah! buy 10 for 1 dollah!) na paboritong dumugin ng mga vendors. haha.

For our last lunch in Cambodia, K took us to this carinderia by the river. At 1.50 USD per order, it was a total bargain. We ate over 10 dishes plus drinks and paid only 20USD. Ayos! My favorite was the pork ribs ( in khmer, they call it... pork rip.. a.k.a. pinilas na baboy!).Of course di nawala ang ever favorite beef leklok ni neighbor.

The rest of the day was spent shopping for souvenirs and bags. We all got matching North Face Backpacks for a real bargain. Idol sa baratan si Neighbor. Wala kong masabi. Talagang level up! Talented talaga si neigbor..pati pick up skills ay level up. Imagine, 1 boylet a day ang kanyang record. Hmm.. eh ako? nah.. change topic please.

After a two hour shopping spree (bought some dri fit shirts from nike and addidas), we went back to the hostel and rested a bit. K picked us up at 930pm to take us to the Pub street for dinner and drinks. We decided to eat at the Soup Dragon again and drink all the Angkor Beer we could drink. Kampay!!! Kulitan at its finest.

Pagbalik sa hostel, it was time to pack up. Master packers in motion. May nangulit at nangurot pa on the side. kasalanan po niya yung pasa ko sa braso. ;) Nadiscover kong may talent pa pala ako sa wrestling.

Gumising kami ng maaga kanina para mag breakfast in bed este picnic in bed pala under my romantic dimmer light (hep! wholesome picnic po ito). Ang aga kumatok ni Jay para daw may oras pa makipag chickahan with Doro the explorer..At 6:20 am, K picked us up for the last time to take us to the airport. Back to reality na.

The master packer status still holds- Jay was the ulitmate master packer at 14.2 kg, followed by neighbor at 13.6 and me at 13.1. Si tina,kulang pa sa practice. 9.6kg lang. newbie.

Ganung kabilis ang apat na araw. May separation anxiety nga daw kami sabi ni neighbor. Ang tagal kasi plinano ng trip na to. At one point sa sobrang tagal, nakalimutan na namin siya. Nawala na ang excitement. Pero nung dumating, parang kay bilis natapos. Bukas back to work na muli. buti pa sina jay eh naka 1 day leave pa. A part of me wished it didn't end yet. Siguro nga kasi sa loob ng apat na araw na yon, I saw a world totally different from mine and I got to experience it with some very special folks.

What else could you ask for right?

Usapang Pag Ibig ni Bob Ong

I'm reposting this from Neighbor Ria who reposted it also from her friend Maita who crossposted from her friend, Tricia's blog (pahaba ng pahaba ang references... oops not in APA format)

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1. "Kung hindi mo mahal ang isang tao, wag ka nang magpakita ng motibo para mahalin ka nya.."

- ay parang John lloyd line ito!

2. "Huwag mong bitawan ang bagay na hindi mo kayang makitang hawak ng iba."
- kailan ko magagamit itong linyang ito. MY TURN! MY TURN! (I agree Neighbor!)

3. "Huwag mong hawakan kung alam mong bibitawan mo lang."
- baka mapikot ka at di ka na makabitaw

4. "Huwag na huwag ka hahawak kapag alam mong may hawak ka na."
-may mga taong sadyang ganito. mahilig humawak ng kung ano ano

5. "Parang elevator lang yan eh, bakit mo pagsisiksikan ung sarili mo kung walang pwesto para sayo. Eh meron naman hagdan, ayaw mo lang pansinin."

- kasi may ibang tao ayaw maglakad sa hagdan...

6. "Kung maghihintay ka nang lalandi sayo, walang mangyayari sa buhay mo. Dapat lumandi ka din."

- Amen =) . All is fair in love and war ika nga...

7. "Pag may mahal ka at ayaw sayo, hayaan mo. Malay mo sa mga susunod na
araw ayaw mo na din sa kanya, naunahan ka lang."
- Whatever!

8. "Hiwalayan na kung di ka na masaya. Walang gamot sa tanga kundi pagkukusa."
- "Remove the bandaid agad.. wag maging masochista... " But yeah likas sa tao ang maging tanga

9. "Pag hindi ka mahal ng mahal mo wag ka magreklamo. Kasi may mga tao rin na di mo mahal pero mahal ka.

Kaya quits lang."
- Kaya nga tinatawag na "It's Complicated"

10. "Kung dalawa ang mahal mo, piliin mo yung pangalawa. Kasi hindi ka naman magmamahal ng iba kung mahal mo talaga yung una."
- hmmm... in feyrness may sense

11. "Hindi porke't madalas mong ka-chat, kausap sa telepono, kasama sa mga lakad o ka-text ng wantusawa eh may gusto sayo at magkakatuluyan kayo. Meron lang talagang mga taong sadyang friendly, sweet, flirt, malandi, pa-fall o paasa."
- Hep! Sounds Familiar..."Wala naman sa usapan natin na you will fall in love with me."

12. "Huwag magmadali sa lalaki o babae. Tatlo, lima, sampung taon, mag-iiba ang pamantayan mo at maiisip mong hindi pala tamang pumili ng kapareha dahil lang maganda o nakakalibog ito. Totoong mas mahalaga ang kalooban ng tao higit sa anuman. Sa paglipas ng panahon, maging ang mga crush ng bayan nagmumukha ding pandesal, maniwala ka.

- Papanget din siya.

13. "Minsan kahit ikaw ang nakaschedule, kailangan mo pa rin maghintay, kasi hindi ikaw ang priority."
- Youre nothing but a second rate trying hard... second choice. Ouch!

14. "Mahirap pumapel sa buhay ng tao. Lalo na kung hindi ikaw yung bida sa script na pinili nya."
- hep!hep! Kaya maging kapuso ka na lang.. Ikaw pa ang Bida.

15. "Alam mo ba kung gaano kalayo ang pagitan ng dalawang tao pag nagtalikuran na sila? Kailangan mong libutin ang buong mundo para lang makaharap ulit ang taong tinalikuran mo."

- Regrets come too late kung asa kabilang dulo na ng mundo ang tinalikuran mo. Mahal ang ticket ngayon sa eroplano.

16. “Mas mabuting mabigo sa paggawa ng isang bagay kesa magtagumpay sa paggawa ng wala.”
- does this qualify as "it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all"? letseng mga hirit yan.. hehe..affected... ( I agree neighbor!)

17. “Hindi lahat ng kaya mong intindihin ay katotohan, at hindi lahat ng hindi mo kayang intindihin ay kasinungalingan”
- Denial and projection and tawag diyan.

18. "Kung nagmahal ka ng taong di dapat at nasaktan ka, wag mong sisihin ang puso mo. Tumitibok lang yan para mag-supply ng dugo sa katawan mo. Ngayon, kung magaling ka sa anatomy at ang sisisihin mo naman ay ang hypothalamus mo na kumokontrol ng emotions mo, mali ka pa rin! Bakit? Utang na loob! Wag mong isisi sa body organs mo ang mga sma ng loob mo sa buhay! Tandaan mo: magiging masaya ka lang kung matututo kang tanggapin na hindi ang puso, utak, atay o bituka mo ang may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyari sayo, kundi IKAW mismo!"

- At the end of the day, tayo ang namimili na maging TANGA.

19. "Pakawalan mo yung mga bagay na nakakasakit sa iyo kahit na pinasasaya ka nito. Wag mong hintayin ang araw na sakit na lang ang nararamdaman mo at iniwan ka na ng kasiyahan mo."

- But then again.. we need to take risks. minsan wagi, minsan plakda.. weather weather lang yan..

20. "Gamitin ang puso para alagaan ang mga taong malalapit sa iyo. Gamitin ang utak para alagaan ang sarili mo."

21. "Ang pag-ibig parang imburnal...nakakatakot mahulog...at kapag nahulog ka, it's either by accident or talagang tanga ka."

-or dahil mahal mo lang talaga siya.. hep!

Wag Ka Iiyak: I hate Goodbyes

Momsy left for Manila tonight after a brief visit to KL. We spent our last full day together going around the Orchid and HIbiscus Parks in Taman Tasik Perdana and shopping for souvenirs and clothes in Central Market and KLCC.

My mom loved the Orchid Garden. She kept asking me to take pictures of every possible orchid she could set her eyes on. Sabi niya, babalikan na lang niya ang memory in the pictures that I took. She also enjoyed shopping at Central Market. Akala niya nung una, palengke talaga ang pupuntahan namin. Nagulat siya nung pagpasok namin eh airconditioned ang palengke. Daig pa daw ang GH. Hehehe. We had lunch after in Nandos in KLCC and then we hit Isetann Mall's sale. At 80% off my mom couldn't resist not buying new beddings for her bed at home. It's so cheap, it's a sin not to buy it. We went clothes shopping and I got to buy a new suit. Back in Manila, I used to be mommy's personal driver during sunday trips to SM City/MOA/Galeria/Megamall and whenver she'd go shopping, I always get the little treats. I know I'm too old to be shopped for by my mom but I know my mom also loves knowing that I'm still her little girl. Kanina sinuggestan pa niya ako ng isang frou frou blouse (with heart design). Only my mom would suggest that I wear that. hehehe. The color was great but the design was just too Ms. V for my taste.hahaha.

After buying out most of the sale and getting her supply of shisheido products (i swear dapat lang gaganda ka sa mahal ng produkto nila), we went to Galeri Petronas to view their latest collection. Mom was so happy. Buti pa daw sa malaysia libre ang museum. She soaked in the art as if they were meditative tools. By the time we got to Kinokuniya, my mom was in Seventh Heaven. Books, books, and books.

We ended our shopping trip with a good coffee break at the Dome courtesy of Skylark's ninong. Mom finally got her new toy back. Yehey ayos na siya! I got so hyper after drinking the coffee. It was a good thing coz I needed all the energy I had to pack Mom's suitcase and give her a crash course on how to operate her new toy while helping two friends with their respective bloopers. Multitasking at its finest.

At 1030, I brought momsy to the airport together with neighbor and my suking taxi driver Mr. Jason. By 1145, momsy and I finally said goodbye. Tapos na ang bakasyon. I didn't cry or I did my best not to cry. Bawal daw kasi mag emote sabi ng isang tao. "Wag ka iiyak" But I guess I just couldnt help but miss momsy a bit more tonight. After all I waited 2 years for this event. And parang kay bilis lang. Tapos na agad ang matagal na pinagplanuhan. Fortunately neighbor was there to make me feel less lonely and may clown na malakas mang asar. They both kept me less sad. And for that I am grateful. Sabi ko nga eh pagbigyan na ako just for tonight. Minsan lang ako magpakita na ako'y mere mortal lamang. hehehe.

I just hate goodbyes. Till our next gimik momsy..

Ang Pagbisita ni Maria sa KL

My mom is here is for a visit. It's just a short one. In fact mamayang gabi uuwi na siya. Ayos kasi gumawa ng flight booking eh.

Start pa lang blooper na dahil ang sinabi niya eh dadating daw siya via Tiger Air. Pagdating ko ng LCCT, ayos, walang tiger air dun. Panic ng onti but thanks to my online technical support, nadiscover ko na she gave me the wrong airline (note: Tiger air doesnt fly to KL from Bangkok). 2 hours later, my mom finally appeared. She took Airasia..haha. We finally got to my condo around 1:30am.

We haven't been to a lot of places because of the time limitation. I've taken her to my university and she met my closest friends in KL. On Thursday, I took her to see Nottingham. She met my officemates there and discovered our newly revived restaurant (hahaha.. spicy food alert!). Then we went shopping for her new toys (laptop + cellphone) in low yat with Angeli and Jay. Ang gagaling ng bargaining powers nila! Mom discovered the wonders of restoran super noodle on thursday night. Then we took her to a night tour of KL via the monorail on our way back home.

Di pa din mawawala ang bloopers syempre. The laptop had a bad sector and it kept on going bluescreen. So we had to take it back (and have it replaced) yesterday. Nag amazing race malaysia ako sa taxi as my technical adviser had only an hour's lunchbreak. hehe. Buti na lang naayos din. And my mom will finally get her much anticipated toy today.

Of course di mawawala ang trip to the bookstore. Yesterday, Reg and I took her to Borders in Berjaya Times Square to shop for books. Nalula si mudra sa dami ng selection. Ang sarap daw mamili. hehehe.. That's my mom, she'll trade jewelry shopping or any shopping for that matter for her books. After the shopping trip at borders (and with the promise na meron pang susunod bukas) we made our way to Ampang Point to eat at the Korean bbq place that my friends and I discovered a couple of months ago. (sabi ni mother, halatang kung saan saan ako dinadala ng aking food trip). Late man dumating yung dalawang taga bundok ng Petronas (sige na nga matraffic naman kasi), enjoy naman kaming lahat. Pigged out in yummy pork bbq'd the Korean way and got a bit tipsy on the Soju. My mom enjoyed telling her Emily Rose story (nakatulog ka ba charles? hehe) during the moomoo discussion.

This is not my finest moment as a tour guide pero given the weather and the time constraint, madami na din kaming naaccomplish. Sana nga di pa tapos ang bakasyon ni mudra. But of course, good things must come to an end. Back to reality ika nga. Haay.. eto ang ayaw ko sa mga pagdating ng bisita-- ang panahon ng pag uwian.

Pero may oras pa naman.. mamaya pa ang flight. Mamasyal pa kami.. Enjoy the last day ika nga..

Defining a Good Day

Define a Good Day.

Its when you wake up without expecting anything out of the ordinary to come your way but ending up getting surprised.

It's when you are dead tired from a long and tiring activity and someone makes you feel that you can still find the energy to laugh and just be happy.

It's listening to the silliest songs while learning about magic.

It's hanging around, doing nothing, without care for the world.

It's finding a good buy (new tripod!) in the middle of a somehow boring photography fair.

It's eating nachos and drinking beer, making walking in the rain oh so worth it.

It's when you get good news one after the other despite the fact that you are sick.

It's when you receive a teddy bear from a sister who is sorely missed or an email from a friend who brings the good news of a thesis finally finished.

It's when you get to share the day with the people who matters to you.

A good day is like a magic card trick. You never know when it's coming but when it does come, everything just seem to fall rightfully in their place.

For the Love of Photography: Malaysia Moto GP 2008

5:15am, Linggo ng Umaga-- Kasalukuyang nasa gitna ako ng isang masyang panaginip (actually di ko na maalala pero lam ko nanaginip ako), biglang sa panaginip ko may nag ring. May tumatawag. Gumising ako bigla at nag hello.. "gising na.. magbreakfast ka na" yan ang bati sa kin ng aking human alarm clock. Napaisip ako, anong oras na ba? May 15 minutes pa ko dapat. Pwede bang tumawad? Ay hindi.. Tumayo na ko at nagbihis. Matapos ang 45 minutes (new record sa banyo), dali daling umalis ng Endah Villa upang makipagkita sa aking mga kapicturan na sina Jay, Rey & Stanley.

Ganyang kaaga kami gumising upang mapanood ang Malaysian Moto GP Race sa Sepang Race Circuit. Fan ba ko? Nope. Never watched the Moto GP race before. In fact, wala pa kong race na napapanood ever. Familiar ako sa F1 pero sa totoo lang ang alam ko lang na race eh yung sa Sta Ana (nadadaanan ko kasi dati pag hinahatid ko sa ves sa manila. hehe).

9:30 am asa Sepang na kami. Nag ikot ikot, nag picture ng mga cutie beybs (may nagpakodak pa) at nagbalak mag shopping ng motorsiklo (isa pa to! di pa din ako nakakasakay ng motor!). Imagine may mga bikes dun na mas mahal pa sa bahay ko sa Pilipinas. What the hell? Bisekleta lang?! Masaya na po ako sa aking mountain bike na kinalawang na (last time kong ginamit, naghahanap ako ng clutch. hehehe).

5 hours later nagsimula na din ang Moto GP. Naka ilang practice run muna, at mga preliminary races (ma at pa.. yung picture lang ang pakialam ko) bago nagsimula ang main event. By then 2pm na. Halatang nagugutom na si Gidiyap dahil nakailang tanong na siya ng "saan tayo kakain?" (one million ringgit question na ata ito!). Kahit ako gutom na din. Pero dahil love natin ang photography, carebears kung magka ulcer tayo.

Matapos ang lahat, di ko pa din kilala sino ang mga kasali sa Moto GP. Habang palabas kami tinanong ko si Jay, "so sino nga ba ang nanalo?" Ayos. 5 hours kong inintay di ko man lang alam sino ang nag winner takes it all. Sabi ni Jay si Valentino Rossi daw (hmm.. I still don't know him). Dapat pala ang tinanong ko, "sino ba ang kasali sa moto gp?" Halatang iisa lang talaga ang mission ko sa galang iyon-- ang makakuha ng isang disenteng litrato. Grabe, matapos ang daan daan na kuha (nagkaubusan na kami ng memory cards buti na lang andyan si Digimate para higupin ang mga litratong kuha namin), di ko alam kung ilan dun ang papasa sa quality control. Ang hirap pala ng sports photography.

Pero masaya ako kasi may mga bago na naman akong aral na natutunan--

1) kung may photogala, matulog ng maaga. Maging maagap. Kundi matatalo ang clusivol motto na bawal magkasakit.

2) Magbaon ng sunblock. Grabe ang init sa Sepang. Umuwi kami na may libreng blush on sa pisngi at ilong. May picture ka na may libreng skin cancer pa!

3) Length matters. Sa larangan ng sports photography importante ang may mahabang lens. Gusto ko na ng 70-200mm! hahaha.. Sino kaya ang magreregalo sa kin nito? Wish ko lang!

4)Mag occular inspection. Hanapin agad ang pinaka magandang pwesto (note: yung may pinaka okay na view-both ng pipicturan mo at ng mga sisilipan mo).

5)Masarap ang shaker fries ng mcdo. Well kapag gutom ka na, lahat masarap. And yes, Gidiyap, Size does matter (hahaha..) kasi ang large coke ay mas masarap kesa sa medium coke

6) Patience is a virtue. Sa haba ng pagiintay ko sa moto gp na yan, talagang na stretch si patience. Not to mention kelangan mong makipag hide and seek sa araw kasi ginugulo niya ang settings ng camera ko.

7) Be friendly. Taob kami hands down sa Mr. Friendship ng grupo-- sino pa eh di si bossing. He not only made a new friend eh kinalimutan agad ang name, "ano nga ba pangalan mo? Rey diba?" Ay mali. Melvin pala.

8)Taghirap ang cute sa Sepang. Mamimili ka lang sa mga Janno Gibbs (borrow neighbor's term), o mga mukhang paa (o sige, para politically correct, visually unpleasant).Madaya, kasi madaming eye candies sina Rey, Jay at Stanley. Pero ako, Wala! waah!

9) Maging WAIS. Itago ang mga contraband items sa tamang taguan. Ang aking mga baong candy ay nakatakas sa inspection salamat sa secret compartment ko,

10) Focus and Be Alert. Mabilis ang daan ng mga motor. kaya dapat, alive, alert & enthusiastic lagi.

At the end of the day, tinanong ko ang sarili ko, ba't ko ba ginawa tong self torture na to-- mainit, nakakagutom at nakakapagod. Isa lang ang sagot-- pag may mission ka, kahit gano pa kahirap, kakacareerin. At nung Sunday, iisa lang ang mission namin-- ang makukuha ng isang magandang litrato na maipagmamalaki naming ipost sa flickr.

Time to hit the editing room..

Imagined Conversations (ang mga linya nina John Lloyd at Sarah)

Ang mga powerhouse lines...

Pano kung bigla kang sabihan ng ganito..

“Because there’s so much pain in your heart, kaya hindi mo mararamdamang mahal kita.”

Sagutin mo ng ganito...

“Don’t make me feel I have to love you back.”

At pag sinabi niyang....

“Mapapagod ka lang umasa.Mapapagod ka lang maghintay Mapapagod ka lang umasang mamahalin ka.”

Eto ang ultimate finale line...

“Kahit minsan hindi ko naramdamang nakakapagod kang mahalin…Ngayon lang.”

Sabi sa movie, "maniwala tayo sa goodness". Sige I will do my best. sana pag gising ko naniniwala pa din ako. I love John Lloyd movies jologs na kung jologs.. i lab it!

"Basta ang mahalaga di ka pa ubos. Andyan ka pa rin. Para pag dumating yung taong magmamahal sa yo, may maibabalik ka pa.”

Nalalapit na ang Paghihiwalay (Sana)

Malapit na ang paghihiwalay namin ng aking munting puting kaibigan. Ilang buwan na din kaming magkasama kahit san man ako mapunta. Mapa Manila, Davao, hanggang hongkong, vietnam at china, magkasama kami. Minsan naiwan ko siya, talagang bumalik pa ako ng bahay para sunduin siya.

Siya si prednisone a.k.a. life saviour ko for the past three months. Dahil sa kanya ang aking platelets ay umakyat sa lebel na normal. Kanina matapos ang isa na namang masakit na pagdonate ng dugo sa isang injection, sinabi ni doc rudy (a.k.a my hematologist), isang buwan na lang at magpapaalam na si pred (barring any hitches.. kaya project platelets muli tayo the next 4 weeks). Hanging tough ang aking platelet count kanina sa bilang na 156,000 (sabit lamang kami sa normal! hehe).. Pero enough pa din para muling mabawasan ang pagsasama namin ni prednisone. Mula sa 1 tab a day, ngayon 1 tab every other day na lang.

good job.

sa mga tao at hayop (miss yah polie!) na nagpapataas ng aking mga platelets, salamat.. Bagay tayo. Bagay.. (pinipilit ang linya! hahahaha)..

It's Complicated

Oliver showed me a nice entry from his friend this morning. There was a quote there that struck me. So I'm reposting that quote here.

COMPLICATED

It’s when you don’t know where you stand in a person’s life.
It’s when you are hanging on to dead air and knowing you can be thrown off anytime.
It’s like when you are more than friends but not really.
And it’s like you are lovers when it’s really otherwise.
Sometimes, you would want to wish to have never met that person at all,
But at the back of your mind, you are thankful you have

Who wants complications? I know I don't. But I think the reason why we gravitate towards it is because the excitement of it makes life interesting and if for some reason its the only way to be with someone you want to be with, the complication gives you that spark of hope that one day things might end differently. But then again, its a matter of choice isn't it? Ang tanong diyan eh gano ka tatagal sa complication? hanggang kelan ka magtitiyaga?

Ika nga ni Laida, maniwala na lang sa goodness.

hahaha...

The Great Adobo Challenge

For those who read my previous entry.. this is the adobo story that I promised to write..

Kung may isang ulam na dati rati ay proud na proud akong lutuin, yun ay ang adobo. Grade 3 ata ako nung una ko siyang natutunan lutuin. At sa dinamidami ng versions na alam ko, kahit nakapikit maluluto ko ito (hep! wala munang kokontra!). Until today. Sabi ko nga ke neighbor, ilang milyong beses ko na siguro niluto ang adobo and kanina ko lang nakuha ang tanging reklamo (o siya maliban dun sa time nakalimutan ko siya at nasunog ito) about my ever favorite pinoy dish.

Maalat ang adobo. See I told you, walang kokontra... Promise di ko talaga malasahan ang alat (hmm my tastebuds must be haywire?). Pero sabi ng aking food critic, maalat daw. Plus minasaker ko daw ang pakpak ng manok at namukhang minced chicken siya (they just crumbled you know! haha). A for effort ang grade ko but S for Salty sa taste. May kanta pa yang katumbas (pano nga uli yun? basta asa tune ng london bridge.. kanina LSS ko yun eh).

My self confidence went down the drain (o sige table ng Nando's). Sama mo pa diyan ang blooper ng itlog na pula (Itlog na maalat) na di lang kulay itim dito sa malaysia eh kelangan pa palang lutuin (malay ko bang may option pala sa malaysia na fried salted egg or scrambled salted egg..Sa tin naman iisa lang ang pulang itlog.. at siya ay luto). Parang bigla tuloy akong napaisip--Marunong pa ba akong magluto? (Lasagna will be my redemption!) Sabi ni Food Critic may saving grace naman daw ako-- masarap daw ang garlic fried rice.

But in fairness, the criticism was constructive (with a lot of pang-aasar on the side). Di tayo pikon so we should learn to take criticism with a grain of salt (hep! maalat again!). Although ilang beses ko din siyang muntik masaksak ng tinidor and nabatukan, I must admit, nabusog ako agad sa kakatawa (hmm.. bagong diet tip ito). Saka nainsulto man ng husto ang aking formerly world famous adobo, naubos din naman nila (kasi gutom daw sila.. sige na nga!). So all's well ends well.

So now there is a challenge- My food critic told me that he would cook me an adobo that would cause me to forget my name in the process (talaga lang ha!). Papakita daw niya kung pano ang tunay na pagluto ng adobo. Sige na nga, payag na ako.ng malaman ang katotohanan (mataas ang standards ko!). basta aabangan ko yan.. Teka kelan ba yon? For my part, I will be making my famous lasagna again (so lets rename this as the adobo vs lasagna challenge) and I promise to redeem m myself.

at sisiguraduhin ko ng luto ang itlog na maalat.

Sana may application na ganito sa facebook.. ang saya siguro nun.. :P

Went Up The Waterfalls and came down with a New Toy

I went up the mountains of Selangor today to take photos of the Sungai Chongkak waterfalls. It was a totally different experience for me since it was my first time to take serious photographs in a forest setting. I woke up early (5:30am) to prepare my gear (Lesson 1: always remember your battery, diba?) and dress up. After breakfasting at Mcdonalds (Lesson 2: tradition eto..bawal ibreak), we were on our way to experience the ice cold streams of Sungai Chongkak in the state of Selangor.

My first impression was that the waters were kind of deep (lesson 3: fashionwise, mali ang uniform natin! ang kulet kasi.. mag uniform nga dapat..) But what the heck, a serious photographer will wade through mud if needed to take that one perfect shot right? So ayan, nagpaka dyesebel kuno ang lola niyo at lumusong sa ubod ng lamig na tubig.Ilang beses din akong muntik madulas at madapa (Lesson 4: Dignity and Decorum). Syempre kelangan set ang priorities-- Camera first before safety. Mahulog na ang lahat wag lang ang camera.

But I will tell you this. It was worth it. I learned to use the ND filter set thanks to my mentor (and number 1 taga asar!) and learned a new skill in landscape photography. I never thought I could capture those sceneries in exactly the way I envisioned them to be. I was happy even if my butt was wet and I had to take a pee inside the "gabi ng lagim" like hole they called a toilet (lesson 6: dont look, just pee). hahaha.

On the way back we stopped by the Semenyih Dam and the lookout point where we not only got to take gorgeous landscape photos of the dam but we also witnessed a very interesting "scenery" on a nearby car at the lookout point. hahaha. Panalo talaga ang telescopic eyes ng aking mga kasama.. napansin pati ang pumping scene (ewwww) na nagaganap sa aming tabi(Lesson 7: pag may balak gawin, siguraduhing walang makakakita)

After a long late lunch and Nando's with matching pangaasar from my food critique (Lesson 8: sige na! maalat na ang adobo! huhuhu... abangan na lang ang entry dito..) na may matching kanta pa (eraserheads? di ko kasalanan bat nagkahypertension si ely buendia no), we went to look for a camera strap (strap lang!) but ended up going on a retail therapy mode (Lesson 9: always have an excuse: my excuse-malungkot ako sa adobo;his excuse-kelangan ni hazel ng kadamay) and bought a new lens. It's the lens that I was once told to "be a sin if you don't have it"- 50 mm lens from canon. For just 370RM (with UV and close up filters, I had a new toy. Although it was totally out of my plans for the month, I couldn't resist the great deal (Lesson 10: happy naman tayo diba?) so I withdrew from my grief allowance (Lesson 11: meron pala ako nun) and bought a new toy for my favorite toy (of course ano pa? Hep!eh di yung camera!) Nagamit ko ang aking convincing powers (di daw effective pero Bad influence daw ako...hmm... sino kaya?) and napabili din si guru although mas sosyal yung kanya (Lesson 12: happy ka naman diba?)

So I went up to see the waterfalls and ended up with a new toy-- thanks to my lovely credit card and the convincing powers of one photoaddict like me... Masamang combination daw kami. Sa susunod iwanan ang credit card sa bahay. hahaha.

Kasalanan to ng adobo eh.. at nang api sa adobo..peace :P

My Weekend Date

I had another date yesterday with the dentist . I woke up in so much pain so I decided that I will see her and find a way to get rid of the terrible feeling once and for all. The verdict? I needed a root canal. Just the thought of having one scared the living daylights out of me. I've always been afraid of dentists and ever since the mere mention of the words "bunot, pasta, drill, injection,etc" is enough to make me run for the door. But yesterday I had to face a choice-- live in pain for the the rest of my days here or face my fears. And since I couldn't stand the piercing pain that was giving me migraines, I semi agreed to the procedure (semi lang coz were on a we shall see agreement depending on the state of things..and the state of my wallet! hahaha). The dentist placed me on double dosage of anesthesia and for the next 1.5 hours drilled her way to my roots. I was high on anesthesia but was still so tense that I had to ask for two bathroom breaks to relieve my bladder. I focused on the most mundane things on the cieling to distract myself (symetrical pala ang lahat ng sides ng water sprinklers at slightly blurred pala ang print ng brand na philips sa flourescent lamps nila..). At times I would look spaced out that the dentist would ask me every couple of minutes or so if I was okay. I told her I was focusing my energies on thinking about happy thoughts and she laughed. Every ounce of courage that I had was tested to the limits especially when I started seeing all those tiny needles. I really hate needles. But I had no choice. I had to be brave.

I left the dentist past 2:30 in the afternoon, tired and hungry but proud of myself that I survived . I couldn't feel my face and I felt my smile was a bit weird. I was warned about eating as I might accidentally bite myself. I met my cheering brigade at Sogo where I had my first real meal for the day-- chicken nuggets and fries from mcdo. Syempre puro pangaasar inabot ko (pero patawarin natin since pinatawa naman ako the whole day which i must admit kept me sane..) since I was not only eating so slowly, I couldn't even bring my lips together to sip the iced lemon tea! bwahaha.. panalo. Para kong may bell's palsy (tama ba ang ispelling?) Wala pa din silang Yoda so di pa wagi ang collection namin. After eating, I did some retail therapy and bought a gift for my mentor, Pabu. When I got home, I fell asleep almost immediately. Saka na lang ang quest ko for 1M points in bejewelled. 2 Rest muna. Hayaan na nating manalo si gidiyap for now.

A whole weekend with the dentist. It wasn't exactly the weekend I had hoped for. I had a different gimik in mind. But I guess life has its way of surprising us. And despite everything, I did have a good weekend. I may have cried a lot but I did laugh a lot. Di man natuloy ang original plans ko, nagkaron naman ng mga ibang plans na masasaya din. Andyan ang birthday ni Kobet na puno ng kulitan, ang telethon na nang ubos ng load ko at ang mga tawag nga mga taong chineer up ako the whole day pati ang phone calls ni mamsy at ang mcdonalds chicken nuggets with bbq sauce.

Most of all I realized how many people do actually care for me (Thanks!) And for that I feel blessed.

In Pain

My tooth hurts. I had a filling replaced yesterday because for 2 days it was hurting slightly. Now that hurting has worsened. And I don't know what to do with myself. The dentist told me to take mild pain relievers like panadol. But I know panadol cannot alleviate this nerve pain. Half my face is already in pain.

What makes things worse is that taking pain meds is not exactly an option for me. Ever since I can remember, they have been one of the triggers of my ITP relapses. And my platelets right now is not exactly at an optimum level. I just can't risk it. Even at a stable level of 112,000 (as of 3 weeks ago), it's still not normal. I just hope I can stand the pain a little bit longer. Otherwise I might need to break my " in case of emergency" glass and take that medicine that I know will remove the pain but might cause havoc to my count. And honestly, my psychological powers is being tested already to its limits. I seriously need a distraction...

just breathe..

My Travelogue

Ella and I were talking recently about our travels when she realized that I travelled at least once a month this year. I didn't even notice. Looking back I didn't realize how much I've travelled that past 9 months and how much travels I still have to look forward to the next 3 months.

January-- Davao (for the new year); Back to KL (January 13)
February-- Bangkok with Angeli for my Birthday; Pulau Penang with Jay, Tina and Wilai
March-- Pulau Redang with Jay, Tina, and Wilai
April -- Day trip to Melaka with Anthony and Jesse; Overnight in Port Dickson with Anthony
May-- wala.. (ata..)
June-- Cameron Highlands with Jay, Reg, and Tina
July-- 5 weeks of no weekends due to work so I had to stay put. Plus I landed in the hospital
's ER
August-- Manila and Davao (with momsy, anthony, and the rest of the PAP folks)
September-- wala pa (start pa lang eh..) pero dadating si Oliver next week so gala again
October-- Hongkong Cruise with Angeli and her family (with Stopovers to China and Vietnam)
November-- Cambodia with Jay, Reg and Tina
December-- Philippines again with a "Tara Byahe Tayo theme" (for short, gala time again)

Whew! The list alone makes me feel tired. It is by far from exhaustive. May mga "not to be mentioned" trips here and there pa yan. hahaha.

None of these trips were planned when the year started. Most of them were spur of the moment thingies with the exception of Cambodia and my Xmas trip home. The rest were hatched and planned mostly 1 week or so before the actual date. The shortest planned was Penang which was hatched less than 24 hours before we departed. Our trip to Redang got moved because of the rains so in our effort to find a replacement "byahe," and thanks to the wonders of the internet, my friends and I got sidetracked to Pulau Penang where I ate the nicest food ever.

The list made me realize that the reason I'm poorer this year is because I spend most of my money on plane, bus and boat tickets all over. But what the heck, we're supposed to do what makes us happy right?

Reg and I made a pact that before we move back to the Philippines, we'd travel the entire southeast asia region first. I think I am well on my way to achieving that goal.

Tara Byahe Tayo...

One Rainy Day

I was supposed to go out this afternoon. Unfortunately KL's erratic moonsoon weather didn't cooperate with us. So I ended up staying at home and fixing my room (or shall I say attempted to do so). I had brunch with my neighbor atebillie, tita nitz and K earlier before I had my date with the dentist in carrefour (lost a filling two days ago). I even did my version of singing in the rain walking back from c4 to endah villa. Fortunately no one witnessed my near slip in the foyer downstairs. After talking in Skype with a friend I decided to rest and and take a nap.

I think I got about 15-20 minutes rest before my prednisone induced mania kicked in and pushed me out of bed. I cleared the bed and kept my clothes that were laying around. After that I fixed the mess all over my room. With nothing else to do, I browsed the net for some vacation tips and ended up talking to my student about Cambodia travel tips. I googled my way out of boredom and ended up making an itinerary for our adventure in November. Funny, how life finds a way to keep you occupied.

It's quite ironic that there are days when you seem to have no time on your hands to fit everything that needs to be done. Then there are days like this when you have so much time on your hands.

Gutom na ko.. Makakain na nga lang...

Fasting Month Moments

Last monday, I was having dinner with two friends in the mall when we were asked by the waiter if we wanted to wait for buka puasa before our food would be served. Hungry as we were, we had to quickly explain to the waiter that we were not Muslims and were not fasting. That was the second time I got questioned about my eating during Ramadan since I moved to Malaysia two years ago. Funny, coz I've always taken it for granted that I was a non-Muslim in a predominantly Muslim country. At times I would find myself confused as to why people were staring at me when I would eat during the fasting month. I tend to forget that I look like a local. My friends also looked local. So it came as no surprise when we were stopped from eating.

The same thing happeend on Wednesday when the server at Nando's was apparently waiting until buka puasa to take our order. I was so hungry and was constantly signalling the waiter to please come and take our order. When they realized that we were not fasting, ayun pina order din kami.

I can't imagine myself ever fasting. Yung 2x a year requirement nga ng Catholic church never ko pang nagawa. I've always had the excuse since I was hyperacidic. I can abstain from pork during the holy week but to actually stop me from eating anything is impossible. That's why I really admire those who can.

10 Lessons Learned at the Merdeka Parade Through the Eyes of a Would Be Photographer

10. The Early Bird catches the Worm este the train-- Di pa sumisikat ang araw lumayas na ako ng endah villa. 6:15am exacto tumawid ako sa carrefour para habulin ang bus. Umabot. Kaso pag dating sa LRT wala pang train. Kakaalis lang niya. Dapat pala mas maaga pa ako sa 615. 15 loong minutes later may dumating din kaya't nakaalis din ako sa kadiliman ng istasyon ng Sri Petaling. May araw na ng dumating ako sa Mcdo Masjid Jamek, just in time para sa aming 7:00-7:15 meeting time nina gidiyap at stanley (yahoo di ako late!)

9. Patience is a virtue-- Kung balak mong maging isang ganap na photographer, kelangan patient. Never take no for a final answer ("no deal!") at wag magpapadeter sa mga pulis na mukhang masusungit. Ika nga na aking "guru" paglumingon yung bantay sa kabila, diretso na lang ang lakad. After all, only the brave gets the gold.

8. Height is might-- disadvantage talaga ang "cute" pag gusto mo maging photographer. Puro ulo ang makikita mo sa lugar na siksikan tulad ng Dataran Merdeka. Pero sa singitan, panalo ka. Pwede kang sumuot sa mga lugar na di kaya puntahan ng mga giants. Wag ka lang papahuli sa gwardya kundi matutulak ka palabas.

7. Check your gears-- wag na wag sasabak sa labanan na di kumpleto ang arsenal. Sa gitna ng parade, biglang nagdilim ang langit. Narealize ko na wala akong payong. Patay. Kung ano ano tuloy na battle plan ang naisip namin just in case umiyak ang kalangitan. Syempre ang first order of the rains ay protect the camera at all cost unless waterproof ang camera mo.

6. Mag Costume-- Kung balak maging photographer, kelangan eh live the look. Di ka lulusot sa gwardya sibil kung di ka mukhang press people. Diyan ko idol yung manong sa LRT. Kumpleto sya from camera to vest to tripod to even a hat. panalo. Gusto ko nga siyang tanungin kung may antenna pa siya ni ernie baron sa vest niya kasi parang buong bahay niya ang nakasabit dito. Kaso wag na lang baka magalit eh or worse di niya magets.

5. Vanity is not a sin-- Di excuse ang pagbilad sa araw or paglalakad ng matagal para di maging well groomed. Kelangan ang kikay kit ay kasama sa list of must things to bring. Andyan ang towel, alcogel, facial wipes, tissue at syempre ang suklay. Samahan na din ng powder at leepistik kung may sisingitan ka pa. Remember, beauty is also a deadly weapon. Isang ngiti lang sa masusungit na bantay eh makakalampas ka kung maganda ka. :D

4. White & long is the best-- Kung ang lens mong bitbit ay kit lens, mere mortal ka lang sa merdeka parade. Kung naka telepoto ka, wagi ka. Kung naka L lens ka, ganda mo. Pero kung papalarin kang makagamit (or better yet eh magkaron ng kaibigan na papahiramin ka) ng isa sa high end fixed focal L lenses na kasing haba ng baril ang itsura, plus 1 million cutey points ka! Kanina natry ko ang 70-200 F2.8 Canon Lens at ang 100-400 Canon Lens. Wala akong masabi. Hanep. Parang nag dudumbbells ka nga lang sa bigat ang camera mo, pero men sulet the effort. Kahit ata yung langaw sa noo ng tao sa kabilang kalsada eh pwede mong kunan. Sabi nila "once you go black, you'll never go back." Mali. Once you go white, you'll wish you had a sugar mommy or daddy to buy you one. hehehe.

3. An empty tummy is a sad tummy-- Mahirap ang sumabak sa parade ng gutom. Mahaba ang program. Kaya kelangan bago ang lahat, magpakabusog muna. Kanina kumain kaming 3 sa mcdo bago pa man ang lahat. Hayaan na nating wala tayong maupuan sa parada. Ang importante, wag galitin ang mga alaga sa tiyan... oo nga pala, wag din kalimutan magbaon ng tissue, para sa call of nature after. hehe.

2.Mahirap ang Buhay Paparrazzi-- Grabe pala ang pagod na inaabot ng mga taong humahabol kina Britney Spears at Madonna. Kaya naman pala ganun na lang ang singil nila sa mga pictures nila. Ang buhay ng isang paparazzi ay parang buhay ng isang nakatakas na preso. Tago ng tago sa mga humahabol na bantay. Matututo kang gumapang, lumuhod, tumayo, humiga, atbp makuha lang ang tamang anggulo ng litratong gusto mo. Lahat ng ways gagawin mo para lang makuha ang "that one perfect shot."

1. You must love me-- Yan ang sabi sa kin ng camera ko. It takes a form of passion and love to be a photographer. Di pwedeng half hearted commitment ang ibibigay mo sa hobby na ito. Bukod sa mabubutas ang bulsa mo, this passion requires all the heart you can give from composing the shot to taking and editing the pictures. It is a very expensive hobby-- both financially and emotionally (lalo na kung frustrated ka sa tinake mong pic). Pero I guarantee, it is something worth doing.

09/01/2008
1am

Worth Fighting For

Some things are meant to be let go of but there are things that no matter how hard, no matter how painful, you find a way to fight for it.

I told my best friend recently that she shouldn't let the chance of working things out with someone she had a misunderstanding with go especially when I know how much that friendship meant her. I jokingly told them both that they shouldn't let it escalate to the point that it would turn into a "me" and the "him" 2 years ago. And although I've moved on and have lived a generally happy and fulfilled life, that has always been a sad memory for me- the fact that I lost a good friend.For all the things that were said and done, we had 12 years of wonderful memories.

So I told my bestfriend... fight for the friendship and just tell the whole world to shut up. The world may try to dictate what you ought to do, but in the end, what you believe in is what matters. And at the end of the day, we stay with the ones we want to be with.

Sabi nga ni classmate, "Geniune Happiness for us!"

Laughter is the best Medicine

I just came from an impromptu coffee gimik with Idol. We walked from his hotel (sige na nga dorm) to the Damosa Gateway area to have coffee. After a whole day of listening to papers on adolescents and other "depressing" issues, it was a nice change of pace. We had a full day at the conference site. And we didn't exactly enjoy the food (lalo na ang depressing lunch). I was tired as from my presentation (at the same time agonizing over two other presentations I still have to do) and I just wanted to sit back and relax. So we ditched Momsi and went to the nearest coffee shop we could find. 

So we just sat there and laughed. We had some semblance of serious conversations every now and then but most of the time we just gossiped about the latest issues in town.. Mga pawang laitero talaga kami pag magkasama. Kawawa tuloy ang mga biktimang sina "Emerging Adulthood" at si "Forensic" (sama na din sina biboy, bibay, atbp).  I have this knack for making Idol laugh. Siguro likas lang akong funny or mukha akong clown?  

Nakakatuwang isipin na ang dami na naming nalakbay ni idol at madami dami na ding coffee shop ang aming nabisita.  We've been all over MM, Kuala Lumpur, and now Davao. It's nice to just be able to sit back and relax and just laugh your hearts out. As my friend Ronnie said this morning, happiness is the best cure for all ills! I totally agree.

Bukas balik presentation na naman.. Mag dedebut na ang tarp na dinesenyo nina gidiyap at mike. My mom is excited. "Proud Mama" is her persona tomorrow since the paper is a joint research between me and my sister Ves. I hope it would turn out well. 

Sana lang magising ako. hehehe.