tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60317232011-04-22T02:39:32.042+08:00Si me preguntais de donde vengo, tengo que conversar con cosas rotas. - No Hay Olvido / Pablo Nerudareihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comBlogger2721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1141107170249428622006-02-28T14:10:00.000+08:002006-02-28T14:12:50.273+08:00

Syn's up again, at a new place. Feel free to drop in :)

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1139886955242766882006-02-14T11:07:00.000+08:002006-02-14T11:15:55.266+08:00

It's been a long five months, yes?Synesthetique will be back soon.I'd wish people a Happy Valentine's Day, but since I've already made it a policy not to do so ... well, if you see me grinning at you in the halls, you know what I'm trying to say.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1127588413532562472005-09-25T16:55:00.000+08:002005-09-25T17:40:21.886+08:00

Thursday, May 02, 2002a rooftop with stars above it, a sky so big and stars so indifferent that no matter what i do, i can't hurt it. i want something undentable, something that i can break my body against without breaking it as well - something constant versus this inconstancy.i hate this emptiness that rings inside my bones, that scrapes off the edges of my skin. and if i only knew how to fill

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1125748193359664002005-09-03T17:35:00.000+08:002005-09-03T19:49:57.200+08:00

I am in love, and I am loved back - and what a sweet, sweet experience it is. TQM, he wrote on a scrap of paper that he handed me last week. Total Quality Management? I asked, with confusion. We had been discussing the languages of the countries we had lived in - like me, he is a Filipino who has grown up around the world and has finally come back to roost in the motherland - and the sudden

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1124819365172394922005-08-23T23:26:00.000+08:002005-08-24T01:49:25.213+08:00

I feel I must clear up some confusion about the toplessness, because in order to maintain the dignity of the foreign service, people can't go around imagining that we strip off randomly in the middle of team-building activities. What happened was this: during the team-building, we were divided into three groups and asked to participate in various activities. One of those activities was the

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1124026062068635182005-08-21T16:33:00.000+08:002005-08-21T16:32:13.463+08:00

Remind me to elaborate later, but for the moment: during our team-building in Laguna a couple of weeks before, I spent a memorable hour or so building a matchstick tower on top of a beer bottle - while both shirtless and braless. This FSO thing is very freeing, in many ways.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1123606710097430612005-08-09T22:47:00.000+08:002005-08-10T00:58:30.146+08:00

Politics in the Philippines never ceases to amaze - and amuse - me. What made me double over, gasping for laughter, was the fact that the exorcists paid "particular attention" to the picture of Speaker de Venecia. Speaking of exorcists, though, apparently the DFA building is haunted. We went on our walking tour earlier and came across several altars - complete with statues of the Virgin Mary,

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1123405656833448632005-08-07T15:53:00.000+08:002005-08-07T17:08:18.806+08:00

Okay, a break from the introverted reflections and a glimpse into the lighter side of moving out - namely, the part where I finally learn how to budget my own money.One of the things that has always worried me about living on my own is the money aspect of it, because I am horrible at handling my money. My parents have always had a rather weird approach to teaching budgeting - they used to give my

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1123387781285958762005-08-07T11:06:00.000+08:002005-08-07T12:12:26.323+08:00

Guess who's in Greenhills right now, two minutes away from slashing her wrists with the tips of her precision tweezers because everything's on sale and she can't afford to buy anything. Three guesses - the first two don't count. What makes it harder is that Greenhills reminds me of the little shops in Siam Square, where I was a little over two years ago, shopping my shallow little heart out. I

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1123000398846165902005-08-02T23:29:00.000+08:002005-08-03T00:33:18.910+08:00

I am dead sleepy - we've started our cadetship and it sounds rather stupid to say that it's tiring to do nothing but sit in an air-conditioned room and listen to people talk, but it is. After about fifteen minutes of listening and taking down notes, my body starts craving movement and I start wanting to spin my chair, play percussion on my knees, do tai-chi in the middle of the room, get up and

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1122397643631899982005-07-26T22:54:00.000+08:002005-07-27T01:42:59.863+08:00

As of next week, I will be living in Manila, not Quezon City - in a tiny room half the size of my current bedroom, located in a house that is less than two minutes' walk away from my office. I took my mother to see the house this morning, and she stood in the middle of the room - which, incidentally, has a slanted ceiling because it's in the attic - and I watched her facial muscles work overtime

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1121613993280973002005-07-17T22:16:00.000+08:002005-07-19T14:36:18.750+08:00

The mood swing from hell is still not going away. I am thisclose to giving myself a frontal lobotomy and locking myself away next to Jack the Ripper, because it is so very unpretty in my head right now. I am getting sworn in this Friday and I can't be this manic then or S will thwap me across the head with a chair*, so I wonder if there's anything more useful than evening primrose oil for mood

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1121498528413851902005-07-16T22:32:00.000+08:002005-07-17T00:07:48.403+08:00

I hate being neurotic when I'm not PMSing. PMS neurosis - for me, at least - is valid and expected, and when I feel the onset of hormonal madness I dose myself with chocolate and evening primrose oil and avoid all human beings. When I am not in the throes of PMS, however, it sucks when I find myself still neurotic. Which is to say: ENOUGH ALREADY WITH THE MOOD SWINGS, WHOA. Granted I have a valid

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1121442016426862322005-07-16T14:22:00.000+08:002005-07-16T14:31:42.536+08:00

Well, isn't that like the government for you. For three months I've been in limbo, on a vacation that was supposed to last only one month before I resumed working like a normal person. In frustration, S and I finally decided that we would take advantage of the time to fly off and have some fun in KL and Singapore. Two days after we'd made the decision to contact our travel agents, we got word

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1121155779690754492005-07-13T01:09:00.000+08:002005-07-15T23:47:05.650+08:00

Driving home from Roxas Boulevard today, my dad took an alternate route back to Quezon City. This is the route we used to take when we were going back home to Kanlaon, my mom told us, referring to the teeny little street I was born in.Freakchild nodded and closed her eyes, uninterested and sleepy. When we left Manila, lifetimes ago, she was a baby; unlike me, she has no half-formed memories here

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1120879173179573432005-07-10T21:31:00.000+08:002005-07-10T21:54:08.280+08:00

The strength of a state lies in the strength of its institutions. In a strong state, wrongdoing - or alleged wrongdoing - of a government official, regardless of rank, would be immediately tried and judged through the appropriate legal and constitutional processes. This would be an acceptable course of action for everyone, since they would trust these institutions to implement and uphold justice

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1120754565517405322005-07-08T11:00:00.000+08:002005-07-08T12:36:27.646+08:00

For Vonjobi and Banzai Cat, who asked nicely - a clearer picture:What do you mean it's still not clear? Obviously you are blind. :DOkay, kidding aside, I have no clear pictures of myself in a swimsuit from that trip. I suppose it's because the friends I was with were being pestered by half of the ghosts in Galera. The ghosts left me alone, for the most part, but harassed my friends and invaded

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1120757157222276652005-07-08T00:42:00.000+08:002005-07-08T02:08:22.346+08:00

London's been bombed. It's a big place, I don't think any of my friends were in that particular area, but still.Also, they killed the Egyptian ambassador to Iraq. So much for diplomatic immunity.There's a lot to be said for being up-to-date on current events, and I've been conscientiously trying to keep up with the news because it's part of my future job. On the other hand, whoever said ignorance

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1120285525811675812005-07-02T21:12:00.000+08:002005-07-02T20:49:55.433+08:00

Just so people know, gas prices are down again - although my mom and I were discussing this earlier and figured the fuel companies made a killing off the one day they were able to raise their prices.All this turmoil reminds me of the night there was a fire in our condominium, when I was six. My mother woke my sister and me up in the middle of the night, saying we had to get out of the building.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1120214898853881212005-07-01T18:23:00.000+08:002005-07-01T19:12:27.256+08:00

Wow, I really want this bikini: Okay, obviously this is not my body. Unfortunately my budget is tight because I may be flying out of Manila twice this month - to Negros and Bohol in a couple of weeks, then to Boracay at the end of the month, if my friends' plans push through. No, I don't have a specific time frame for either of those visits. No, I don't know where we're staying when we get there.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1119885870200407772005-06-28T00:41:00.000+08:002005-06-29T19:42:56.376+08:00

I've gone vegan for a week. I'd love to keep this up indefinitely, but there are a lot of things that prevent me from doing so, namely: I have possessions made out of leather that I will discard only OVER MY DEAD AND ROTTING BODY; I like seafood and chicken too much; and being vegan in Manila is not only expensive, it's difficult. A pity, because apparently eating meat in the Philippines doesn't

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1119682213045316812005-06-25T14:21:00.000+08:002005-06-26T22:45:04.020+08:00

Dear Madam President: With all due respect, statements like these are not exactly endearing you to the populace, whether they support you or not. For one thing, you are not Ninoy Aquino. Has anyone ever arrested you without a warrant? Have you ever been locked into solitary confinement? Has the Philippine administration ever exiled you and your family for trumped-up political offenses? Were you

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1119266084716241302005-06-20T18:40:00.000+08:002005-06-20T20:17:00.730+08:00

A brief intermission, since I have come to the belated realization that my profile may be unintentionally misleading people. I made it during one of those afternoons when I had nothing better to do, and amused myself by putting all sorts of improbable, fictitious pieces of information on the profile. In the interest of the truth, however, here's the real low-down:Am I really in my twenties? Yes -

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1119167005096860182005-06-19T14:57:00.000+08:002005-06-22T01:11:36.880+08:00

W e-mailed me a week or so ago from Baltimore, asking me why I wasn't saying anything about Gloriagate and the infamous wiretapping tapes. I laughed at that and didn't reply; I figured that after PCIJ and other, more qualified people had had their crack at the issue, no one really needed to hear my two cents. Sure enough, in the week after that the Philippine public was bombarded with information

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1119074182374974472005-06-18T13:36:00.000+08:002005-06-19T01:55:17.953+08:00

Tonight I will be at the Fete de la Musique, having fun. I messaged S about this earlier this week - I will be going with our friend JP, who wants to watch Bamboo and Sugarfree - and she almost died of envy because she will only be returning to Manila in the middle of July. I checked out the final list of bands, courtesy of Gabs, and received both good and bad news: Sugarfree will be playing, but

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1118730992825315082005-06-14T14:13:00.000+08:002005-06-14T14:42:46.036+08:00

Rain on a tile patio - or a corrugated metal roof - is one of the most wonderful sounds in the world.I've been spending the past few days, waiting for the rain. PAG-ASA - the local weather people - say that it is officially the rainy season, that this current hot dry spell is temporary. I hope so. There's nothing I like more than waking up in the early cat's light to the sound of rain pattering

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1118468998892615042005-06-11T12:23:00.000+08:002005-06-11T13:49:58.953+08:00

Apparently there are a whole bunch of us out there. I've been reading for the past hour, on the verge of tears - happy ones, the kind you cry when you come home after being away from it for years. If only I had known this when I was eleven.When I was fourteen, a couple approached my mother while she was waiting for me to get out from school. Someone told us your daughter was on an advisory board

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1118375232303193672005-06-10T08:29:00.000+08:002005-06-10T11:47:12.370+08:00

It's going to be Independence Day in two days, and I'm still looking for a Philippine flag. We've always had one hanging on our gate or in front of our door for Independence Day, which means that technically we should have about three or four flags carefully folded away, ready for the occasion. Unfortunately, I can't find any of them and I don't know where to get a flag. National Bookstore,

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1118165329797997592005-06-08T00:17:00.000+08:002005-06-08T01:30:45.826+08:00

Earlier, Gabby e-mailed me the trailer of RENT - yes, it's a musical, but apparently they're making a movie version. She also told me that they will be using the original cast for all the characters - all save Mimi, who will be played by Rosario Dawson. In other cases that would have disappointed me, but not this time - I didn't like the original Mimi. You're going to cry when you see it, just

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1118050183318041612005-06-06T15:17:00.000+08:002005-06-06T17:29:44.936+08:00

S leaves today; we were supposed to meet up Saturday night and hang out at Greenbelt, as usual, but ended up just staying home and watching the Kampanerang Kuba special. (Incidentally, KK promises to be a winner: it's not just a telenovela and a fantasy, it's a ... MUSICAL! S and I are dying to see the scene where an entire kingdom of hunchbacks gathers to dance and sing at a waterfall. Also, the

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1117870041891024812005-06-04T15:28:00.000+08:002005-06-04T15:27:21.910+08:00

Despite the fact that I was being (a) depressed and (b) cranky a couple of days ago, Banzai Cat managed to come up with a winning comment:Hehe that's what you get for watching noontime daily shows.Whatever on earth convinced you that there would be even SOME benefit in doing so? You could have gone blind!?!Ayan, na-depress ka tuloy. :D If I had been drinking water at the time, I would have

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1117525307251742092005-05-31T14:34:00.000+08:002005-05-31T15:41:47.316+08:00

S just texted me - apparently there's a woman on one of the daytime game shows who has a sob story. She's crying because she's so poor, S said. Apparently not only is she broke, she has twelve children. Twelve. Ten minutes later, S texted me again - Okay, I've totally lost all respect for this woman. She's poor, but guess what she did - she borrowed money from a friend of hers so that she could

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1117260018557829852005-05-28T13:49:00.000+08:002005-05-28T14:00:18.563+08:00

I got this from Ajay.There are inventions, and then there are inventions.I have no words. All I can think now is Okay, at least I know what it looks like now so if anyone tries to give me that as a present, I can DETONATE IT IN THE BIKINI ATOLL.The creepiest part about it is the guy who testifies about buying them for his daughter. It's chilling enough to be stalked without (a) having the

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1117216144169156552005-05-28T01:19:00.000+08:002005-05-28T02:35:23.946+08:00

I am so behind on my internet life that it's not even funny. On the other hand, I'm catching up on real life. Spent Thursday night with S, getting tipsy on mango daiquiris and beer and discussing Middle Eastern politics while tipsy. There's a story behind our friendship, but it will have to wait for another time.This evening I went out for dinner with V and Solemate. V broke her big news over

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1117038838444640862005-05-25T23:07:00.000+08:002005-05-26T00:33:58.490+08:00

Okay, so I had to have the eye surgery after all. The most painful and freaky part of it, as I'd anticipated, was the anesthesia - because they inject the painkillers directly into your eyelid. I don't care how brave you are, you've got to admit that the idea of a needle coming anywhere near your eye is freaky. The doctor did try to alleviate the pain somewhat by administering painkilling

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1116859991660871382005-05-23T22:50:00.000+08:002005-05-23T22:53:44.523+08:00

Incidentally, for those who read my last post and thought Wow, what a bitch - sadly, that is true. I am. Not all the time and only in appropriate situations, hopefully, but a girl can't be a saint her entire life.Besides, you boys - you're lovely, but you're cruel. If anyone wants to know whether I've ever gotten my comeuppance: sure I have. Twice.Wow, I'm so emo when I'm sick.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1116609749907543422005-05-21T00:41:00.000+08:002005-05-31T17:38:14.716+08:00

There are two very urgent things I need to be doing right now: first, drafting an introduction for a consultancy paper that provides a context for the economic situation of the Philippines vis-a-vis poverty alleviation efforts; second, doing background research on an organization that I will be visiting later to interview for said consultancy paper. I have approximately five hours to do all of

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1116427205231455712005-05-18T22:14:00.000+08:002005-05-18T22:44:56.716+08:00

I'm trying to remember a quote from one of my favorite novels* - as far as I can remember, it went something like this: Man ponders but God decides. It's a useful quote to remember when certain situations degenerate because of factors that are beyond your control ... but the immediate application for me is that I have an eye infection. A particularly bothersome sty, to be specific, which makes me

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1116228252903199902005-05-16T15:27:00.000+08:002005-05-16T15:50:29.946+08:00

There are people in the world, I suppose, who are born with absolute certainty, much like Ayn Rand's Howard Roark. They know what they are capable of and what they are meant to do with what they have, and as a result they proceed serenely through life, relentlessly pursuing that invariable goal they were born with, never losing hope or giving up simply because they know they will get there. The

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1116219526066863862005-05-16T12:28:00.000+08:002005-05-16T15:38:06.806+08:00

There are two places in the Philippines that I must visit before I leave: the town of Sexmoan in Pampanga (scroll down until you reach "Pampanga"), and Locoloco* Point, off the southeastern end of Batangas. (Apparently you pronounce the former Sasmuan, but that's no fun; I prefer to pronounce it the English way.)Unfortunately, there is little time now for me to go gallivanting off to strange

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1115902844511301692005-05-12T20:53:00.000+08:002005-05-12T21:01:00.913+08:00

I have the strangest, strangest relationships with my exes.What does it say about a girl when she gets along better with a guy after they break up?

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1115644918173227112005-05-09T18:56:00.000+08:002005-05-09T21:25:03.213+08:00

I have a clear memory of myself as a three-year-old, caught in an argument with my mother. I have no idea what preceded this particular memory - what the argument was about, how it started, why she was letting me argue instead of just spanking me and making me go and do whatever she wanted me to do. What I do remember is that I was clearly backed into a corner. At a loss for words, and still

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1115474827369525982005-05-07T20:58:00.000+08:002005-05-07T22:07:07.530+08:00

There is nothing geekier to the average bear than someone admitting she willingly attended a Blogging Summit, but that is what I did earlier, and it was exceedingly fun. (Miguel, you win: I am, for the nonce, indeed Geekier-Than-Thou - this will, however, last only until the Star Wars movie comes out, at which point there shall be a Reevaluation. Anya shall judge, because at this point I am

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1115374626743126602005-05-07T12:45:00.000+08:002005-05-07T12:42:04.186+08:00

For once, a hiatus that didn't involve stress, harassment, or sleepless nights. My mother and I woke up early yesterday morning, full of ambitious plans, but found ourselves foiled by the overwhelming heat. We'll go in five minutes, I promised her, sprawled out beside her on their bed. Two minutes, she confirmed, and within the next two minutes we were both peacefully napping. We woke up an hour

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1114764927684859172005-04-29T16:53:00.000+08:002005-04-29T16:55:27.683+08:00

It's official. Now, off to do the laundry.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1114678856109505492005-04-28T16:58:00.000+08:002005-04-28T17:00:56.110+08:00

I know countless people have already probably thought about this, but just in case:Apparently, in Germany one of the Pope's nicknames is Papa Ratzi.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1114333292336248382005-04-24T16:50:00.001+08:002005-04-25T11:29:39.790+08:00

I've got the slipperiest little fingers - can't seem to hold on to anything, lately. From a letter I wrote W a few years back:Thursday, February 28 2002Sometimes it's this simple, and sometimes it's so hard, and sometimes you are raw with the wanting and the trying, and you don't understand how it is possible that the things that you want are not WILLED into being, simply by the sheer strength

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1113817613462200772005-04-18T17:06:00.000+08:002005-04-18T18:10:11.983+08:00

You know, E observed in the wee hours of Friday morning, on our way to pick out a birthday bouquet for Freakchild*, You worry about things too much.Too tired to look over at him, I leaned my head against the window and watched the streets fly by. They were pseudo-familiar streets, ones I had probably travelled countless times as a little girl; however, years and endless renovations down the line,

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1113547084257172662005-04-15T13:39:00.000+08:002005-04-15T15:07:32.896+08:00

I may have to rethink all the things I've been taking on, these past few months.I've had six hours of sleep in the past three days - four hours of sleep on Wednesday night before I had to wake up and dash off to work, two hours of sleep this morning, and now I can't get to sleep at all. It hasn't been wasted time, which is perhaps the only saving grace of the whole situation. Wednesday, I had a

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1113233335782465712005-04-11T22:37:00.000+08:002005-04-11T23:28:55.783+08:00

A note: whoever said a little prayer for my work situation, it worked. I will be at a seminar this entire week, which leaves only eight days with the Nightmare Boss. To be fair to her, she is a very nice human being ... if you are not working with - or, heaven forbid - under her. I will say no more, because as I told Jape once, I have never felt such antipathy toward another human being before,

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1112784242443782832005-04-06T18:40:00.000+08:002005-04-06T18:44:02.443+08:00

MemorandumTo: The Nightmare BossFrom: reiDate: 6 April 2005GOOD GRIEF, WOMAN. WHAT MUST I DO TO MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I WOULD RATHER BE PEELED ALIVE WITH A RUSTY BUTTER KNIFE THEN DIPPED SLOWLY INTO LEMON JUICE THAN WORK WITH YOU, EVER AGAIN?MUST I WEAR GLOVES AND PEEL ONE OFF AND SLAP YOU ACROSS THE FACE WITH IT? IS THAT WHAT IT TAKES?I DO NOT CARE IF YOU "PREFER" TO WORK WITH ME BECAUSE I DO

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1112585987048883002005-04-06T00:04:00.000+08:002005-04-05T23:55:44.273+08:00

First we had Bedazzled. Now, apparently, we have Bewitched. Coming out in 2007, Bewildered - and then soon after that, the spoof of all the aforementioned films, Belabored. Starring the two ever-popular characters Sarcasm and Mockery, that last film will come out in 2009. Stay tuned.Okay, technically one of them should be Bothered, but I just thought Belabored sounded better. I really do

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1112323206862556332005-04-01T09:31:00.000+08:002005-04-01T10:40:06.866+08:00

Nikki would probably have found a better way to put this, but April Fool's Day came about when Pope Gregory XIII revised the calendar. Just in case you don't want to get pranked today, that's your excuse - throw a little history at people and get them off your back. It worked for me when I was six and it works for me now, so you might want to try exercising your inner nerd and wowing people with

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1112146997843223262005-03-30T09:02:00.000+08:002005-03-30T09:50:25.006+08:00

So, my friend Laya took advantage of my fruit-themed mental wanderings to share a few home truths with me - one of them being that if I were a fruit, apparently I'd be a pineapple. A pineapple doesn't know whether it's going to be a fruit or a catastrophe, she explained, ticking off the reasons why I was a pineapple. It likes being the head-dress of the tropical flamenco drag queens dancing

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1112014828236513212005-03-28T20:55:00.001+08:002005-03-28T22:19:40.816+08:00

There are times when a picture is worth more than a thousand words, and today is one of those times. However, since we have established that I am a wordy sonofagun, everybody will have to put up with the pictures and their captions. Deal?There are good days, there are bad days, and then there's today.Like, at some point I really really just needed to have somebody's arms around me, affirming that

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1111848880313018522005-03-26T22:49:00.000+08:002005-03-26T22:56:23.153+08:00

Gabs, dear, just so you know, this survey totally kicked my butt. However, I still love you, even though you would not allow me to bribe you away from tagging me with this sucker.You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451. What book do you want to be?Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn, because there's a quiet magic to being human.Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?Well, I was totally gonna

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1111664860576605062005-03-24T19:30:00.000+08:002005-03-29T09:24:45.096+08:00

... Mental wandering, that is.It's still hot. Summer's here, rather sneakily - one day, it seems, I was shivering in the mornings and pulling my sweater closer around me, and the next morning I was sweltering and no longer needed that sweater. A while ago Freakchild and I drove out, looking for a respite from the heat; she bought iced tea, I bought chocolate popsicles and dripped all over my

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1111569928266190652005-03-23T16:17:00.000+08:002005-03-23T17:25:28.266+08:00

It's so hot I can feel my brain frying inside my head. There are times I think I'm a night owl out of self-defense - like an animal, I choose to sleep during the hottest times of the day and then crawl out when it's cool and comfortable. Then again, I am so fond of my sleep that it has become practically legendary in our family. You're so weird, Freakchild said to me, disgustedly, when I flaked

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1111466292540478452005-03-22T11:28:00.000+08:002005-03-22T12:38:12.546+08:00

My schedule is backward. Technically I should be turning in early on weekdays, since there's a lot to do at work and it's hard to get things done when I'm blurry and sleepy - and then saving my weekends to party with my friends. Instead, I find myself turning in demurely early on Friday and Saturday nights - with a book more often than not, like the stereotypical old maid - and then swinging out

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1111363996823101622005-03-21T08:02:00.000+08:002005-03-21T08:15:53.123+08:00

Okay, now I feel like a fuddy-duddy. Not only did I not get it on inside campus, I don't think I know anyone who did - unless the bouncing car my friends and I saw in the parking lot of the gym in our sophomore year counts. We were highly amused, and attempted to reenact the scene in my car, as we were curious about the physical set-up of the scene. Where, for example, would arms and legs go? It

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1111307606417064522005-03-20T16:32:00.000+08:002005-03-20T16:33:26.426+08:00

Holy cow, I have ten drafts sitting unused in the archives of my blog. Ten. rei, you slacker, get off your lazy butt and write - if you can't even keep up with your regular life, how will you ever get around to writing fiction? Well, I've got one lazy Sunday afternoon at my disposal, so I suppose now is the best time to start - and this is the perfect entry to start off with. When you're working,

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1111248445909687562005-03-19T22:40:00.000+08:002005-03-20T01:02:43.780+08:00

Back home. Last night I fell into bed at midnight and woke up fifteen hours later, horrified because I'd missed an event I was supposed to attend today. I got over the horror five minutes later when I remembered that the event was in yet another hotel, and I'm done with hotels for the meantime.I used to love hotels when I was younger. Hotels were vacation places, where you could have breakfast (

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1110817307704900252005-03-15T00:18:00.000+08:002005-03-15T00:28:25.300+08:00

I've been vacillating all day, swinging rapidly back and forth from extreme amusement to extreme irritation. I know what's causing the mood swings, of course, but that doesn't make the irritable moments any less annoying. On the other hand, when I finally swing back, I find myself in the perfect position of being able to laugh at whatever was pissing the complete hell out of me not five minutes

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1110611475299919362005-03-12T13:41:00.000+08:002005-03-13T14:13:11.126+08:00

Oh look! D's online! And yes, she is like that in real life - interesting and funny and out there. The first time I met her, she had one green streak in her hair and one pink streak - There was spare hair dye in the house, she said, And you know, why not? The second time I met her, she told us she needed to go home early: Because I'm joining Fear Factor tomorrow. She won, too - the youngest and

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1110269998130282662005-03-08T16:04:00.000+08:002005-03-08T16:19:58.136+08:00

An intermission from The Relationship Dramas of the Roaring Twenties. So, shoes? I am aware that I am slightly obsessed with them, but even the most disinterested observer would have to admit that there are funky shoes and there are fugly shoes. For those who are unaware of the nuances of fugliness, here's a tip: it means "freakishly ugly", and that's the G-rated version.(And then there are the

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109335892069006382005-03-08T08:25:00.000+08:002005-03-08T15:12:02.406+08:00

Skipped work yesterday. My press statement, when friends inquired, was that I was exhausted by the impromptu drive to Laguna with Freakchild on Sunday afternoon. On the other hand, I've been out clubbing 'til 4AM before and still had enough energy to be at work the next day at 7AM - slightly more cranky and less alert than usual, but there. Working in the government, I feel sometimes as if it is

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1110215265500585602005-03-08T00:33:00.000+08:002005-03-08T01:07:45.510+08:00

when I come to termsto terms with thiswhen I come to termswith thiswhen I come to termsto terms with thismy world will changefor meI haven’t moved sincethe call camesince the call cameI haven’t movedI stare at the wallknowing on the other sidethe storm that waits for me- Parasol / Tori AmosFrom something I wrote down on a whim, a little over four years ago: Estranged: what a word. To grow apart.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109920516801524972005-03-04T14:38:00.000+08:002005-03-04T15:21:07.596+08:00

Obviously if I am to solve the problem of honesty - how to say things and get them off my chest without being rude or insubordinate or sneaky - then I must get creative. As I see it, there are three ways: Say it. This will require verbal gymnastics of a different level, obviously - however, it is good practice. During the oral interview at the DFA, I was asked Why has the Malaysian economy

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109819591400071142005-03-03T10:41:00.000+08:002005-03-03T23:08:19.073+08:00

I started the day like Superwoman. Woke up at 5AM because K was calling to make sure that we were still on for breakfast at Ortigas, managed to wake up Laya without having to bang down her door, terrorized a group of K's workmates at Starbucks, and coherently discussed two major ongoing life crises (my friends', not mine) - all before having breakfast with Laya at 9AM. Of course I then got lost

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109692418128158292005-03-01T23:42:00.000+08:002005-03-02T00:04:04.470+08:00

I cannot believe I am still awake. I have a long day tomorrow and a Rotary Inter-Club dinner meeting at 7 and if I'm cranky tomorrow it will be all my own fault. OHMYLORD SOMEBODY GIVE ME VALIUM I NEED TO SLEEP.T says I should get a good night's sleep before the psychological exam and NOW I KNOW WHY. In my current state of mind, I'm probably going to flunk it ... and there go my chances of

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109657365529914042005-03-01T13:30:00.000+08:002005-03-01T15:35:27.530+08:00

This was not exactly my most stellar day. In fact, if today were a hair day it would be an afro: big, bad, and all over the place in kinky, untameable strands.I woke up late this morning, despite the fact that I have two alarms to guard against such an occurrence. My clock alarm, for some strange reason, had not gone off and my cellphone was buried underneath a pillow so I didn't hear it when its

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109615025594921282005-03-01T01:33:00.000+08:002005-03-01T02:23:45.596+08:00

It's funny how just last week I was complaining that my purchase of a planner - one of those prissy executive ones that let you schedule every hour of each day - would probably cut down on the spontaneity of my life. Everything's going to be planned now, I mourned, like an idiot. When I say things like these, people should just kick me, because I am most likely tempting fate. Three days after I

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109431082202191842005-02-26T23:00:00.000+08:002005-02-26T23:18:02.206+08:00

The best thing about the Internet, really, is that you find the craziest things on it. E.T. should have stuck around a little longer, I bet he'd have found a support group for stranded aliens on the Internet. Heck, he'd probably have been able to start up his own cult - the number of loonies who manage to find their way online and try to promulgate their kooky beliefs is astounding. Betcha didn't

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109381508154227922005-02-26T09:02:00.000+08:002005-02-26T09:31:48.160+08:00

Slept EDSA Day away, which was strangely appropriate. The only EDSA uprising I've ever been present for - well, at least in the country for - was EDSA 3, the uprising of the masses. Even then, I am ashamed to say that the only thing I remember about it was the fact that it made it ever-so-inconvenient to get around and meet people, which irritated me because I was here on vacation and had limited

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109142527391810582005-02-23T14:19:00.000+08:002005-02-23T15:08:47.393+08:00

So. If the good news I got yesterday during lunch was completely accurate, I will be out of here by June. Actually - if my friend KS's information sources are to believed - I will need to be out of here by April. O frabjous day! You don't see me, but I'm doing a happy dance right now.(A really dorky happy dance, which only Freakchild is allowed to see - because no one else in the world will love

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1109033614074073822005-02-22T07:29:00.000+08:002005-02-22T09:02:29.990+08:00

I was actually quite chipper this morning - something that is, according to E, a rare occurrence (he hasn't figured out yet that he's what makes me cranky - kidding, dude :D). I'd gotten a rare eight hours of sleep, I spent all of yesterday bonding with a friend I hadn't seen in ages, and on the way to the office I bumped into a friend of mine from work and we went in together. Then I logged on

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1108908076156114922005-02-20T20:52:00.000+08:002005-02-21T20:50:23.703+08:00

Sandee has a problem. Actually, it's not a problem: she applied to the two top universities in the country, took the entrance exams, and passed.Despite the fact that she does not know me from Adam - I am not presuming that my friendship with her literary cousin makes us instant buddies - I could not help dipping an oar in. I'm not helping much, I don't think; despite the fact that I've been where

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1108611085867072552005-02-17T10:32:00.000+08:002005-02-17T11:35:40.906+08:00

If there's one thing I hate - can I say that loudly, or clearly enough? - hate about working, it's being treated like a machine. Yas used to talk about it constantly when she was still in AZ, sounding more and more worn each time: how each day your world shrank and compressed into the three walls of your cubicle and your computer screen; how you were wrung dry of creative output, then robbed of

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1108440234718525212005-02-15T14:35:00.000+08:002005-02-21T20:01:59.176+08:00

The last time I was at the UP Fair, I remember, I was in love: the moon looked like it was made out of silver and magic, and the sky was so clear that when you looked up you felt as if you were falling into it, falling toward the stars. I was young, and happy, and in love, and my world was confined to the clear bowl of dark blue above me and the boy whose head was in my lap. Even now, all I have

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1107912788349392642005-02-09T08:25:00.000+08:002005-02-15T09:25:42.916+08:00

Gong Xi Fa Chai, everyone. PH - a Malaysian-Chinese colleague of mine - told me that that phrase does not translate literally into Happy Chinese New Year; rather, it is a generic wish for good health or prosperity or abundance for you in the coming year. Therefore in addition to that - Happy Chinese New Year, everyone.I messaged MB, a friend of mine, this morning to wish him a Happy Chinese New

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1107686082096148202005-02-06T17:54:00.000+08:002005-02-06T18:44:01.780+08:00

A week into February, and it's beginning to feel like I'm never going to catch up to the rest of the year. I finally got through my oral exams, only to be told that we'll be receiving the results in a couple of months - so that's another month or so of worrying. We were told that should we make the cut this second time, we would be asked to take a psychological exam. For some strange reason,

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1106823997132858762005-01-27T19:06:00.000+08:002005-02-03T09:19:14.700+08:00

More pics! Naturally, these are also pictures taken from someone's phone camera - sneakily, while I was preoccupied with other matters. If I look hassled here, it is probably because at this point, I'd just rushed in, straight from another meeting. The life of a harried young government employee, indeed. I used to think it was glamorous and exciting to watch yuppies run around with cellphones

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1106610084793996172005-01-25T06:56:00.000+08:002005-01-25T17:34:39.946+08:00

Once - a long time ago - a friend of mine wondered whether I had a secret journal, a place I wrote my naughty secrets. I laughed at that: All my naughty secrets are either online or in my e-mail, I told him. My secret journal is remarkably tame. There are things I write down, in longhand, that are too coded or broken to post - things that don't make sense, not even to me, but have to be written

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1106276013310094982005-01-21T10:49:00.000+08:002005-01-21T10:56:12.726+08:00

"But it's different when they are asking for the removal (of a person in power). It does not matter if they want the change made through an election. But to go through means outside the Constitution, that is really bad." My, my, Madam President. How quickly you forget.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1105668492057453182005-01-14T09:50:00.000+08:002005-01-14T15:29:34.966+08:00

How fast the days fly, as the lyrics from a traditional Filipino Christmas carol go. When I was younger an hour was a lifetime; now I can barely keep track of the days. But! Another photo-post, courtesy of M's camphone - clear-cut evidence of our nefarious activities this past Christmas. My college friends and I decided to meet up before Christmas - on the 21st - to go out. M took it upon

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1105592429759259282005-01-13T13:00:00.000+08:002005-01-14T09:48:19.020+08:00

I don't have the link, but yesterday's newspaper headlines were hysterical: Estrada wanders out in HK. Joseph Estrada, for those unfamiliar with the name, is a notorious former president and perpetual womanizer, father and husband to legion, a larger-than-life public figure who started his career getting kicked out of one of the Philippines' most prestigious schools. From there he went on to

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1105068158342879942005-01-07T11:25:00.000+08:002005-01-07T11:35:58.200+08:00

I don't know why I haven't mentioned this before, but Michael Tan is, hands-down, my favorite local columnist. Not only did he say exactly what I wanted to say, he said it better and without the histrionics. (Also without the ghetto slang, but then again I doubt the Inquirer would hire a columnist that goes around threatening smackdowns. There goes my dream of being a newspaper columnist, sigh.)

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1104990603947218832005-01-06T13:49:00.000+08:002005-01-14T09:49:55.576+08:00

Watching people go Letting things be As I learn what it's like to stand perfectly still. [For the Mayfly Project 2004.] The hardest thing to do, when you've spent your life running, is to stop and stand perfectly still. 2003 was the year I could not stop moving, whether or not I wanted to. I've always liked doing things at a rapid pace, and am eternally grateful that I was given the

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1104735368165741832005-01-03T14:53:00.000+08:002005-01-05T10:51:24.253+08:00

I'm shaking right now. I passed last year's Foreign Service Exams. I don't know how or why or what possessed whoever checked my papers because they were completely unintelligible, but I passed. This is an incredible way to start my year. EDIT: Okay, so the second part of the screening process? Will require a lot of good vibes and prayers. Apparently I will need (a) to avoid freezing and (b)

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1104721377131820292005-01-03T10:34:00.000+08:002005-01-03T12:47:44.676+08:00

Perhaps you have already heard, but the tsunami victims need cash, not goods. This is not to say that they do not need clothes, or food, or clean water - they do. However, the cost of transporting those items from the point of origin to the crisis points is rather restrictive - it uses up funds that could have been used to purchase goods and services from within the affected countries themselves.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1104507317641164462004-12-31T23:24:00.000+08:002004-12-31T23:35:17.640+08:00

Minutes from midnight, listening to people banging in the New Year. Fireworks are exploding a few yards from my front door, and our dogs and Noodle the cat are hiding pitifully where they can, terrified of the noise. What a year it's been, what a year ... a year where I kept my heart from breaking over people and things that I did not have to break my heart over, a year where I found that

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1104262234315649912004-12-29T03:30:00.001+08:002004-12-29T04:10:47.126+08:00

If things are working properly, you should be able to see pictures. These were taken by M's camera phone during my birthday dinner - an entire two months ago. Solemate and me. Scarily, we look slightly alike in this picture although there is little resemblance in real life. Um. Believe it or not, I was dancing in this picture. Despite the fact that I took ballet for seven years, was a member

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1103894338287999602004-12-24T21:08:00.000+08:002004-12-24T21:18:58.286+08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa - whatever you're celebrating, may it be merry and may you and your family have plenty of quality time together. I will be online until Christmas Day, so if anyone wants to drop in and exchange greetings, feel free :) MERRY CHRISTMAS!

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1103782245017571832004-12-23T13:55:00.000+08:002004-12-23T22:53:38.273+08:00

I am so screwed. The day before Christmas Eve and I have not shopped for One. Single. Person. I have an idea for a couple of gifts, but they were evil-gag-gift types for exes and people I don't like, so that's not very useful. I mean, I could go ahead and get the penis size enhancer for him, but ... it's not like I would actually give it to him. (Unless his girlfriend was there watching, of

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1103719623066626362004-12-22T20:39:00.000+08:002004-12-22T20:47:03.066+08:00

There is nothing like getting smacked in the nose by your cat, whom you are valiantly attempting to be affectionate with. Tomorrow is the 23rd and I still haven't bought Christmas gifts for anybody yet. This would be perfectly all right, except for the fact that apparently I have ten gazillion friends who are all giving me presents and making me feel like a heel. Stop being so nice, all of you

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1103648091112870692004-12-21T23:52:00.000+08:002004-12-22T17:15:27.493+08:00

Ironically enough, however, the troubled waters I refer to in this case have been roiling over the issue of oil. Virgin Coconut Oil, to be precise - the newest fad to hit the Philippine shores. I don't know what it is about the Philippines, honestly: every time I come back home to Manila there's a new product that everybody's raving about. Way back when, it was shawarma, then some sort of herbal

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1103252369738426632004-12-17T10:26:00.000+08:002004-12-17T14:16:04.136+08:00

I didn't post anything about Fernando Poe Jr.'s death because I thought it would be rather superfluous. Aside from which - I didn't know him at all aside from his presidential bid, not even in the way most people knew him. Up to this day, I can honestly say that I have never watched an FPJ movie. On the other hand, there are those who remember him fondly - and I must admit, aside from that

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1102825880456429042004-12-12T13:21:00.000+08:002004-12-13T10:45:21.040+08:00

Okay, now I'm really back. I went off hiatus but apparently my brain wasn't listening, and therefore a series of half-assed posts that didn't really say anything. Today my brain is back, together with my sense of humor, which I had misplaced for the longest time. I found it last night at a Christmas carnival - the Paskong Pasiklaban along Commonwealth, of all places - while my friend J and I were

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1102672927050710472004-12-10T17:58:00.000+08:002004-12-10T18:02:07.050+08:00

Freakchild rules. It is a slightly bitter rule, but she rules nonetheless.

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031723.post-1102390014559591842004-12-07T11:16:00.000+08:002004-12-07T11:26:54.560+08:00

You have got to be KIDDING me. I'm sorry, but the math does not compute. A six-day workweek based on the assumption that employees have to work eight hours a day would translate into 48 hours of labor per week. FORTY-EIGHT HOURS. Are we getting that? Good. A five-day workweek, where employees have to work twelve hours a day, translates into SIXTY hours of labor per week. In short, they are

reihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17270036587142351166noreply@blogger.com