The Afternoon Rush

At exactly the same time yesterday, while watching a lone man trying to survive in a desolate city, I received a text message from Roney telling me to go down at our 23rd floor office... FAST! Hehe. Demanding. Thought that maybe food was overflowing and that they needed more hungry mouths to clean up the plates. Hehe.

When JP and I got there, we saw a couple of promo persons from Globe, heard emcees talking and everyone seemed to be having fun. We felt a little too shy to gate-crash so we texted Roney to fetch us outside the office. Malandi kami. Ahihi. When we entered, I was utterly astounded and for a moment, at a loss! Chico and Delamar were there! Hahaha. Kinilig ulit ako. Ahihi.

Metal Mouth

I was on leave today to visit my dentist. Her clinic is somewhere in Manila and my appointment was at 9am. We arrived a little late - an hour or two late. Nyaha. Good thing she's friends with my mom or else I would've received a long lecture on how time is of the essence while she poke the insides of my mouth. Wehe.

Her clinic has a playful atmosphere. Toys were on display, colorful pinwheels spinning at the slightest breath of wind. There was also this 5 feet tall Bugs Bunny statue, showing off his buck teeth, standing proud with his ubiquitous carrot. Cool, eh? I think it would somehow keep the patients from thinking of her as an evil creature who wields instruments of oral torture. Well, it worked for me. Hehe.

Nweizh, after almosht two hoursh of dental work, with my back againsht the torture chair and my mouth wide open, I now have thoushandsh of peshosh worth of metal shnaking through my teeth. A metal mouth, I am! Nyaha.

(Contrary to what this post is suggesting, I am NOT having problems with my S's. Wala lang. I just wanted to make that clear. Hehe. ^_^)

Perfect Mistake

I am far from perfect. I could spend an entire day counting the many mistakes that I have done and the many sins that I have committed, both in knowledge and in ignorance. But for every wrong step that I took, I learned. More than I could have any other way.

I dunno why you decided to bring that shit up out of the blue. To think that you weren't in the slightest involved in that issue. You've probably just read it here or heard it through the grapevine, I dunno. But as much as I hate to admit it, that snide remark of yours sent me tumbling down back to my hell hole. It took me several disconcerting months to climb out and I was still shaking off the dust when you chose to attack me with your words. Nice job.

What do you want me to do? I've accepted all the blame that was mine to take. I've done everything I could to make amends. I've tried my best to set things right. Sure, I've had my faults. But how many times do you have to crucify me?

The Magic Is Here

Surveys have been done and redone; Several beach resorts were inquired on; A reservation was made, which was later cancelled at the last minute; Change of venue; Change of plans; Not a suggestion and not even a reaction - I really started losing the enthusiasm I began with. Ha!

But after all the fuss and muss, we finally came up with a final plan for our Milestone. We would no longer be hitting the beaches of Zambales but instead we're off to a place where iMaGiNaTiOn comes alive and where the MaGiC stays. Hehe. ^_^

If I'm not mistaken, we were supposed to meet up at 7am. Franz and I arrived at Tektite a little past 7 while the rest of the team arrived an hour later. While waiting for the others, we stayed at Seattle's Best for a quick breakfast and for these:

Supposedly, we were to ride with Boss Mon but he brought his family along. Good thing Jjaye brought her own wheels coz we sure didn't want to ruin their family bonding moments. And there's no way we would fit in anyway. Wehe.

We arrived at Enchanted Kingdom early. While waiting for Boss James and Boss Fojet to arrive, and while waiting for Boss Mon as he bought tickets for his family, and most of all, while waiting for the gates of this magical realm to open...

As we entered the park, my twenty-something self peeled off her calloused skin, threw all her worries in the air and became half her age. Haha.

Since 'twas almost lunch time, we decided to grab something to eat first. Had a hard time choosing which food to eat. Didn't have the appetite for a full meal so I just settled with a serving of bibingka, which I later regretted. It tasted nothing like the bibingka I know and love. Huhu. T_T

After lunch, we saw Eldar the Wizard and Princess Victoria, whom we jokingly called Enchanted and Kingdom. Nyehe. Wanted to have our pictures taken with them but people were flocking in droves to their sides. Boohoo. :(

We then wandered around the park like kids, not knowing which ride to try first. Since the infamous Space Shuttle is still not operational, we pinned ourselves into this equally gut-wrenching, pulse-pounding, heart-stopping and stomach-turning ride - the Roller Skater. Haha.

Then, we fell in line for some bumper car action at Dodgem. I remembered how much I hated bumper cars as a kid. The times when I couldn't get the hang of the steering and how I would end up stuck in a corner as my mean brother, as well as a bunch of other mean boys, crashed their cars into mine and how they cackled with villainous delight. I never thought of getting revenge at that time but as I watched other kids in line, the thought of it was too sweet to pass up. Hehe. So when our turn came, I frantically crashed my little yellow car into cars driven by these cute little brats head on! Bwahaha! ;)

Our next ride was Anchors Away. To save myself from possible bouts of nausea, I no longer sat at the far end of the boat. But as gravity tugged at my insides, I still felt my stomach lurch - albeit in a good way. Hehe. ^_^

We then checked out Spongebob Squarepants: The Ride at the Rialto Theater. I was excited to watch the Bikini Bottom hottie but I didn't really enjoy the movie. Riding the bubble bike made me feel more woozy than our previous rides. At the middle of the movie, I wanted out of the crash course in Krabby Patty making! And no, I don't want pickles on my burger. Haha.

Our next stop was one of my favorite rides, the Flying Fiesta. They say that people ride here to dry themselves up after getting wet at Rio Grande. We may not be in need of a spin dryer but I definitely enjoyed feeling the cool breeze in my face and just being up in the air inclined at a comfortably exciting angle, pretending to fly. Ahihi.

After trying one ride after another, everyone felt a bit thirsty and a bit tired. We all bought this 22 oz. EK tumbler that came with a raffle card for a chance to win a Sony PSP. 22 ounces downed in one sitting. We weren't that thirsty, were we? Hehe.

The moment we regained our balance and our energy, we watched Pirates 4D at the Discovery Theater. 'Twas waaay better than the Spongebob flick. I had some good laughs, a few surprises and most importantly, it didn't make me feel sick.

Bought the Exodus: ATV Ride + Kart Trak package for an additional Php400. We waited long for the previous group to get back before we could get our ATVs rolling. When we reached the course, I was a little disappointed. I expected a more rugged terrain with steeper climbs, bigger rocks and mud puddles. Drove around the course twice. I think we could've enjoyed it more if there was no tour guide because he did nothing but impede our need for speed. Boohoo.

Then, we headed for the kart race. Had a blast driving at speed. I wish I was a little taller though coz I found it difficult to press the accelerator. Haha. Nweiz, Jjaye won the race. I think she was a couple of laps ahead of us. Wow! One heck of a racer, eh? Hehe.

Had our dinner of assorted seafood, roasted pork, corn and carrots, and tasty mushrooms. There was this Smart Hot Summer Samahan event so we also saw a couple of celebrities in the resto. After getting some rest, we went to our next destination: the Arcade House. Spent a couple of hundreds shooting hoops until my arms hurt. Adik lang. Hehe. JP had hot hands playing UFO Catcher. He was able to catch two Care Bears! Woot-woo! ^_^

Our last stop was the Rio Grande Rapids. At first, I was seated beside Jjaye but Ate asked me to transfer beside Roney to balance the raft. Thank goodness! Coz had I stayed there, I'd be soaking wet by the time we got off! Hehe.

We then changed into dry clothes. Bought some food and drinks as we talked about heading off to Tagaytay. But I don't think everyone was ok with the idea so it simply went straight out the window. Killed time eating, talking, laughing and exercising until the sky spewed a dazzling array of colorful lights, which perfectly ended this magical day.

BeCool This Summer

03.19.08
Thought I won't be able to make it on time for the meetup. There was a religious procession cutting through the main streets of Marikina. Roads were closed to make way for the brightly lit floats and devout worshippers, which naturally caused a lot of traffic. I was supposed to meet Franz at Metroeast for dinner but the mall was already closed when I arrived. Just had a quick dinner at Tropical instead before heading to Vista Verde to wait for Chris. When Chris, Pril and Joji arrived, we loaded our things into his CRV. Then off we went to El Pueblo where Borj and Jozzel were waiting for us.

Prepared ourselves for the very long road trip ahead of us. Actually, 'tis the longest road trip I've been on to date. And I dunno if I was really able to catch some sleep or I was just making myself believe that I did. Haha.

03.20.08
When we arrived at Bicol, we first met up with Boss Marvs. They prepared a hearty breakfast of tuyo, omelette, and fried rice for us to gorge on. Yum! Yum! We were so hungry, we barely talked to one another. Haha.

After breakfast, we rested for a while. The boys bought some gallons of distilled water. When they got back, we sorted out the things that we'll be bringing at the island. Also, we started applying sunblock on our arms, legs and faces. Except for Borj who opted not to put some coz he hates the sticky feeling. Nyaha. Well, the same is true for me. But I'd rather feel sticky than have a hellacious sunburn - or worse, skin cancer. Yikes.

Boss Marvs called for a couple of tricycles that would take us to the dock. According to the owner of the boat, hers could carry up to 30 persons. Thought that it would be really spacious for the 7 of us. But when the boat arrived, we all couldn't imagine how it could sit 30 persons. Nyaha.

Joji: "Kasya naman. Mga trentang bata."

Korek! Hehe. I was wrong for expecting something similar to the boats that ply the Batangas-Mindoro route. Coz unlike Puerto Galera, we were not going to a popular tourist destination. We rode a typical fisherman's boat - narrow-bodied and roofless with a few planks of wood that served as seats. Jozzel and I sat on the cooler and I just huddled under his blanket to shield myself from the scorching sun.

After a two-hour boat ride, we finally reached Bicol's hidden paradise. The water is crystal clear with beautiful shades of aquamarine. The long stretch of white sand is powder soft. The beach is very pristine. And the best part is, we had it on our own! Hehe. I couldn't say that it could give Boracay a run for its money coz I haven't been there yet. But April could! So I quote...

April: "Daig pa ang Boracay!!!"

Take it from her! Hehe. I really don't think that my words could do justice to this beautiful, beautiful island so I'd just post some pictures and let you be the judge.

The sun was furiously beating down on us. There were no trees to shadow us from its powerful rays. Good thing we could rely on Joji and April to put up a tempo shelter. While they were busy doing their thing, Borj, Jozzel and I, jumped into the waters and talked about our "forecasts" that ought to stay between the three of us. Hmm... Let's just wait and see. Only time will prove who's right and who's wrong. Hehehe. ;)

Since we're not in a commercialized beach resort, there were no activities and no facilities that could keep us entertained. So we just kept ourselves busy playing an awful lot of frisbee! Wee!

At first I thought that playing it would be no kick. Didn't know that it could also be quite a challenge - controlling the speed and angle of the throw, running after the disc, making the catch, and all that. If we weren't playing, eating, sleeping, or swimming, we're busy taking pictures of ourselves while worshipping the sun, the sea, and the sand. Yep, we're one idolatrous bunch! Hehehe.


When night fell, we all sat under the glittering serenity of the moonlight with a glass of Artic Melon in hand. I really didn't enjoy the drink coz we drank it with no ice. It was a bit too strong for my taste. So just after a couple of shots, I drifted off to the hills of Tralala. ZzzZzZ...

03.21.08
The next morning, Ms. Bangker arrived to fetch us. According to her, the waves were too big for us to proceed safely. We had to walk to the other side of the island where the waves were much calmer.

While walking, she kept on bugging Joji to just dump our trash anywhere in the island. She even found it hilarious that we'll be bringing the trash bag with us instead of just leaving it behind. Wadapak?! It was very saddening and downright annoying to witness that kind of attitude especially from a local, from someone who primarily should be taking good care of the island, from someone who should be protecting it from rowdy tourists who just don't give a hoot! LNT principle, people! Haaay. Tsktsk.

The waves came crashing against our tiny boat. At first, we were laughing and shouting coz it just felt like a wild ride at Rio Grande. But when the potential danger of the situation sank in, I found myself holding on to the sides of the boat for dear life! We were up against Mother Nature herself and we all knew that it wasn't a fair fight. The rain poured down and soaked us through, as if to prove how helpless we were against her forces. Or perhaps she just knew that we haven't taken a shower yet and we were badly in need of one. Haha.

When we arrived at Boss Marvs' place, we ate our cups of Yakisoba for breakfast. After resting for a while, we hit the road going to Naga. On the way, we saw a lot of people whose faces were covered with vines and weeds doing self-flagellation. When it comes to the Catholic faith, this is one of the many things that I don't understand. I mean, why would someone whip himself or nail himself to a cross and call it devotion to God? Does He want our suffering for atonement? I think not.

Nweiz, we had a shrimp feast for lunch at Chris' place. Yummy! Funny how Roxie examined our plates to see who ate the most number of shrimps. And guess who did? She did! Wehehe.

After eating, we were finally able to take a bath. Finally! Hehe. Since it was our rest day, we just relaxed and watched a couple of movies. 27 Dresses was predictable but pretty good. Most romantic films are, anyway. Hehe. It reminded me of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, only with the roles changed. Step Up 2 was pretty good also, especially if you're into street dancing and dance showdowns. Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the furrrrr! Hehe.

Before hitting the sack, Roxie and I made a ref cake. Sadly though, we did it all wrong. The mixture of all-purpose cream and condensed milk was too watery that it just settled at the bottom of the container and made the graham crackers float. But we did a nice presentation, see? We even topped it with mallows and Knick Knacks! Haha. *toink*

03.22.08
Our itinerary for this day was to try wakeboarding at Camsur Watersports Complex. But when we got there, a lot of people were already lined up. They just asked us to sign the waiver and go back after lunch for our slot.

Waited for Boss AP to arrive. But since he had to go somewhere else and won't be able to join us, we just asked him to buy us some ice cream! Hehe. Thanks, Boss AP! ^_^

We first went to the Cagsawa Ruins in Albay. The belfry is the only part of the church that is left standing. A mute testimony of Mayon volcano's destructive fury. Climbed the belfry just for the heck of it. Hehe. It just irked us to discover a lot of vandalism inside the ruins. Some people really have nothing better to do! Argh.

Mayon volcano hid behind her veil of clouds that day. We weren't able to catch a full view of its majestic beauty. But a glimpse of her perfect cone was enough to leave me struck with awe. Ang galing talaga ni God! ^_^

Native bags were being sold outside the ruins. My mom requested me to buy one for her. I saw this bag for 400 pesos. It was a bit expensive compared to the other bags but it was the only one left of its kind so I bought it anyway. Yay! Another bag I could borrow from my mom! Hehe.

We then went to Ateneo de Naga University - Chris' alma mater. We went around the campus pretending to be Ateneans, coming up with nostalgic stories that never really took place. Hehe. But really, I suddenly missed St. Scho. As in. I'm sure it would be really nice to walk around the canteen, the chapel, the quadrangle, the new gym, the old gym, gate 3, gate 7... Haha.

We also visited one of the churches in Bicol, the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. I forgot to make a wish and enter the church left foot first. Huhu.

We then decided to head back to CWC. It took us quite a while to begin. We waited for other people to return the life vests and helmets into the rack. When we all got our gears, the control person announced that they would have their dinner break and resume operation at 7:30.

First, we were taught how to kneeboard. Kuya told us to keep our bodies bent forward and keep the handle near our bodies. We asked him when we could level-up to the wakeboard. According to him, we have to complete 3-4 laps of kneeboard in order to do so. Ok, let's get it on! Hehe.

I was a bit nervous and excited while I stood in line. I was having mental images of myself unable to complete the lap, trying to swim to the side, struggling to stay afloat, when another kneeboarder hits me right smack in the face! Thank God none of that happened. Nyahaha. I was able to finish the course on my first try, which was quite a feat for a beginner like me. Ahihihi.

Though it made my shoulders ache, it was really a fun experience! In an hour, we were only able to do 3 laps. Sadly, we weren't able to try the wakeboard and the water ski. We're definitely going back! Right, Roxie? Hehe.

We went back to Chris' place to freshen up. Then we drove around Bicol for the last time. The boys wanted to experience some night life so they went to a bar while Roxie, Pril, Joji, and I stayed at Kopi Roti. The coffee bun was the best! Hehe. After a couple of hours, we went back to his house, rested our tired bodies, and slept heavenly.

03.23.08
Prepared ourselves and our things for our trip back to Manila. We had a lovely breakfast of spaghetti and dried pusit. Yum! Lots of thanks to Boss Chris and his family for feeding us to the brim! Hehe.

We first went to church to catch the morning mass. Then we dropped by some stalls to buy pasalubongs. I bought cashew tarts, pili tarts, bars of mazapan pili, pili bars, and pili cakes! Waah! Pili nuts overload! Hehe.

To everyone who made this road trip possible and enjoyable... (Naks! May ganun?!) ... DIOS MABALOS!!! ^_^

Yatta! Omedetou!

I really didn't expect that I would pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 4 that I took last December. Coz I'm pretty sure that I flunked the Listening and the Reading Comprehension parts of the exam. So when my name was called during the awarding of JLPT passers, I was pleasantly surprised and mighty happy! Hehe. Is this certificate mine? Am I really Php1,500 richer? I mean, really? Nyaha.

I asked for a copy of my grades at the HR office. Just as I thought, I failed the Listening part of the exam. Miserably! My score was an embarrassing 29/100. Hahaha.

Congratulations to all the JLPT passers! Yatta! ^_^

The Morning Rush

I am not a morning person. It takes six snoozes, my brother throwing a pillow over my face and my mom telling me how late it is before I get out of bed to go to work. During the weekends, I usually wake up after lunch. That's how attached I am with my bed. Hehehe.

But if there's one thing that I look forward to in the morning, it's The Morning Rush's Top 10 with Chico and Delamar. I tune in at around 7:20am for the bottom half of the second batch of entries for the day's topic. I listen to the top half of the second batch at around 7:50am and the bottom half of the last batch at around 8:20am on my way to work. The top half of the last batch of entries, I catch at the office at around 8:50am. Hahaha! Adik ako.

This morning's topic was "The Top Ten Signs that Your Boss Loves You or Hates You". I remembered Ate Rochelle mentioning something about what Mr. Masubuchi told her when she tendered her resignation. I think it was awww-worthy so I texted it in and to my utter delight, my entry landed at the top spot! Kinilig naman ako. Ahihihi. ^_^

Here goes a transcript of their two cents worth on my two pesos and fifty centavos worth:

Delamar: "And the top sign that your boss loves your or hates you comes from another no-namer."
Chico: "No-name says..."
Delamar: "Your boss really loves you when you file your resignation letter and then he tells you, 'Please don't leave...'"
Chico: "Awwww..."
Delamar: "Ohhh... So simple. So direct."
Chico: "Yeah, that's nice."
Delamar: "It's very nice."
Chico: "And that's heartwarming."
Delamar: "It is heartwarming. Because you understand that your presence counts a lot to someone. I mean, professionally."
Chico: "And the boss always has the upperhand. It's not an equal, it's not an equal relationship."
Delamar: "No, yeah that's true."
Chico: "It's not like husband and wife. The boss is always higher than the subordinate. So..."
Delamar: "Hahaha! Not husband and wife, who's always higher? The wife."
Chico: "None, none. It's equal, it's equal. So it's like when they say, 'Please don't leave' they go down from their high horse and then they go, 'You know what? Please don't leave...'"
Delamar: "Yeah, it's like 'I'm the boss but I need you.'"
Chico: "That's so nice."

And I couldn't agree more. Hehe. Give it a listen here.

Haiku Melendez II

Sasali ako dito.
Lilikha ako.
Kahit premyo'y di tanto.

...

Hahahahahahaha!
Hahahahaha!
Hahahahahahaha!

...

Bakit ka natatawa?
Seryoso ako!
Gago ka! Umayos ka!

Kennon IXUS 860

Had second thoughts about joining this sidetrip to Baguio. I was already tired and my skin was burning and stinging and I got lazy when Roxie told me that Boss Chris' CRV was under repair and that we had to commute and I knew that it would be such a hassle because of the Panagbenga festival, (insert more reasons here). Hehehe. But with his CRV back in action, I realized that it would be a short trip so I might as well hop in. Haha.

But the short trip dragged on to hours and hours of getting lost and asking for directions. But as they say, getting lost could also be fun. As long as you could get yourself unlost, that is. And true enough, it added some fun and a few laughs into our road trip.

Manong: [hand pointing to right] "Kumaliwa po kayo don sa..."
Boss Chris: "Sigurado ka? Kasi kanan 'to."

Hehe. Couldn't really laugh out loud coz even I tend to get confuse with my left and my right. I guess I'm a little dyslexic. Nyaha. Moments later...

Joji: "Uy! Mei beach na pala sa Baguio!"

Hahaha! Welcome to La Union! *toink*

When we finally reached Baguio, we saw some of the floats from the Panagbenga festival. Sans the chrysanthemums, orchids, roses, sunflowers and everlastings. Huhu. The only decent float I saw was that of People Support.



Checked in at the City Lights Hotel. Watched a little TV. HBO was showing Music and Lyrics and I was just waiting for Hugh Grant to sing "Way Back Into Love". Hehe. But I wasn't able to catch the scene because the boys were already itching to roam around.

We first attended a mass at the Baguio Cathedral. After the mass, we walked around Burnham Park where we did a little food trip and munched on corns, chicharon and fishballs! Yum! Yum!



It started to rain so we walked back to the hotel. Roxie was texting and calling, asking us where we were. Not one of us texted back or answered her calls. When we reached the hotel, we tiptoed our way to the room, careful not to make any noise. Turned out that they weren't in the hotel and they wanted us to meet them at SM Baguio. Nyaha. But we were all infected with the lazy bug so we just appealed to their good nature to buy a KFC bucket meal for our dinner. Hehe. And of course, who would forget the drinks? I was just a little disappointed because I really had no one to share the bottle of Shakers with. Kathy, Roxie and April weren't that into mudslides. Boss Chris and Borj kept on bugging me about requesting for a bottle and not consuming it. Argh! 700mL of vodka mudslide is meant to be shared! I was kinda begging and forcing them to take a shot just to help me down the bottle. Boohoo.



Roxie and Boss Chris did a little skit. Boss Chris said that he invited a girl to join us. Roxie shouted some angry words. When the mystery visitor entered, it was Nerwin! Ayeee!!! Kathy blushed a thousand shades of red and a huge smile was plastered on her face the entire night! Kakilig! As of this writing, I could still feel the tingles! Ahihihi. ^_^



Nweiz, during the drinking session, we were watching an episode of my new favorite cartoon show: Family Guy. Starring my new favorite cartoon character: Stewie Griffin! Hehe. Stewie is a one year old baby boy with a deep voice, a British accent and a sophisticated attitude! San ka pa?! Hehe.



Stewie: "You know what else is disgusting?"
[He farts and his right eye turns red.]
Stewie: "Oh damn, I broke a blood vessel."

The following day, we went to the market to buy some pasalubongs: choco flakes, lengua, crinkles, ube jam, strawberry jam and sundot-kulangot. I also bought a back scratcher for my dad and a thumb ring and spider earrings for moi! Hehe. Then, we dropped by McDonald's for breakfast, went back to our hotel, freshened up, checked out, and leisurely drove around Baguio.

Our first stop was the Botanical Garden. The last time I went there, it was night time and everything was dark. Now I know how it looks like in daylight. Hehe. We checked out the Baguio Arts Guild gallery located at the heart of the garden. Everything in it was impressive and expressive.



We then went to The Mansion for a quick photo shoot. Stood in front of the gates, setup the tripod, first shot, second shot, third shot. Walked through the gates, sat in the pavement, setup the tripod, first shot, second shot, third shot. Done. As in that quick. Hehe.

Then, off we went to 50's Diner for lunch. We were too hungry to think of what dishes to order so we just availed of their group package. Next thing we knew, our table was overflowing with food! Dish after dish of Caesar Salad, Fish Fillet, Chicken and Pork Skewers, etc. Our stomachs were already as hard as our foreheads but they still served us a nice cup of ice cream for desserts! Nyaha.



Headed home after lunch. Nerwin and Kathy opted to ride a bus back to Manila. April and I were amazed at the trees' alignment on top of the mountains. The view left us with nothing to say but "Ang galing talaga ni God." Hehe. We drove down via Kennon Road to catch a glimpse of the Lion's Head. I'm pretty sure that it once had coal black hair but now the lion is sporting a blonde 'do. Hehe. Sosyal!

And here ends my shortest long weekend ever. Hehe.