naglalakad sa lune-e-taaaaa.....nang walang peraaaaaaaaaa.......

Iba rin ang trip ng mga tao ngayong summer no?

Just got back from hanging out at Luneta (underneath Lapu-Lapu's big-ass--and I mean BIG-ASS--statue, nonetheless) with Leni, Dax, Jika and Cheska. Lakad lang sa init, kain ng cake (yum) sa Orchidarium, cam-whoring, mangarap ng beach trip, mag-plano para kay Dax aka Lolita-Shakira-come-July. Yun.

Kailangan na talagang mag-beach!!!! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

spiderman.crazy parents.pasta party.lolita.books.

Yesterday, on board a cab to UP, the taxi driver suddenly turned to me and said, "Ma'am, nakita niyo na ba si Spiderman?" I was like, umm...no... lemme out!!!! :p

Turns out the Spiderman he was referring to was some guy who climbed atop a billboard near SM North and was threathening to jump. He was there for hours, standing up, seemingly about to jump, then sitting back down.Traffic went ballistic, and so did the people who went to usi and bear witness to this public display of desperation (PDD?) that seems to me, a lot of people have resorted to ever since we let GMA twist our sorry little as*es around her [super-]pinky finger.

Kawawa naman ang Pinoy :(

*****

While waiting for the sheets we were plotting yesterday (4 sheets in 1 1/2 hours, ano ba yon?), Dax and I got to talking about how, as eldest children, we always bear the brunt of our younger siblings' faults.

It's funny, really. Like when Anna goes home late without even calling or texting, my Lolo goes ballistic on ME."SA'N NA BA YUNG KAPATID MO? BAKIT GABING-GABI NA UMUWI? SINO BA ANG KASAMA NIYAN? ANO BANG KLASENG GAWAIN YAN?", etc. etc. And then poor little me, without a clue about what to answer back, just takes all the sermon in silently, without a word, when my insides just really want to shout back, "Ummm, hello? WAG NYO KAYA AKO PAGALITAN NO!!!!" >:s

And then, when our little brothers and sisters finally do come home, the folks go all-Jello and ask in the gentlest possible tone ever, "O...san ka nanggaling? Kumain ka na ba? Nagtira ako ng pagkain para sa'yo. O Inday, ipaghanda mo na ang ate mo...."

And then you, overcome with how your parents turn from monsters to kittens in the blink of an eye, just sit there blinking like a stupid person. "Whaaa...?"

Life is unfair :p

*****

Nothing like stuffing your face with food and making-tunganga with friends to beat the heat and boredom. I had isaw yesterday after the longest time. And then Saba con Hielo at Lutong Kapitbahay (where the fruit shakes, no matter the flavor, come with chocolate Champola and the halo-halo, with Mocha ice cream. Wahaha). Ang saraaaaaaap....... *licks lips*

Then we decided to go back to my house, have a pasta party and a few drinks--without a clue about how the night's going to turn out. *evil grin*

So I, Leni, Dax, JP, Jas and Justin had a pasta party and a few beers, and tons and tons of sidesplitting laughter. We came up with this MLV cocktail (also available on the rocks, wah) of beer and gin mixture (beer-gin, get it? :p), named after one of our infamous Arki professors. Wahahaha. Laugh trip. I honestly thought I'd pass out from laughing so hard. And the fun hasn't even begun yet (no, Dax? ;p)

And since it was so hot and we were kinda tipsy (except for Leni, who's been "sober" for a few months now :p), we decided to head upstairs where there was AC and lots of stuff to play with. Like makeup, for example. Which ended up on Dax's face. Whom we nicknamed Lolita afterwards. And then decided he'd be representing AF in this year's Hiyas ng Arki. Wahahahaha.

Before: Dax; After: Lolita

Niiiiiiice...... :p

*****

Since today's International Book Day, I'm heading off later to Instituto Cervantes with my girlfriends to hit the book fair and film fest.

Which reminds me--I've had this utter fascination for modern children's books lately. Just last week I bought two at National Bookstore for 65 pesos each (a steal, if you ask me). I'm amazed at how even children's literature has somehow managed to reinvent itself to fit today's issues and environment.

Like the books I purchased: May Mga Lihim Kami ni Ingkong (Secrets with Lolo) and Sandosenang Sapatos (A Dozen Pairs of Shoes), both by Luis Gatmaitan MD and Beth Doctolero.

The first one I bought because it was about a kid's relationship with his lolo, something that's very close to my heart. And then a surprising twist at the end--turns out the book's aim was to educate kids about dealing with parents or grandparents with Alzheimer's or other mental illnesses. And then Sandosenang... teaches kids how to cope with having siblings with disabilities (in this case, physical deformities).

And these books are also bi-lingual (written in Filipino with English translation), which made me think how wonderful it was to be able to explain such good stories to my non-Filipino speaking sister. Amazing.

It's a good thing books like this are around. I think that it's not just the kids who'll benefit from stories like this, but us adults as well--yes, we who have become too caught up in our mature, responsible (jaded? :p) adult lives. Sometimes we just need a different perspective (even that of a child's) to stop and look at the things, the issues around us :)

[forty-] love.

Sun-burn! :p My face and arms are all red from playing tennis lunchtime in the scorching summer sun. I don't usually mind being tan (in fact, I love it), but I was hoping to get it from laying out in the sands of Boracay (or Galera or Pagudpud or Cebu. Even laying on a ratty towel atopa monobloc pool chair would do at this point.) and not from hitting [fly] balls in the UP tennis courts. Phooey.

But Saku (you da man!) and I beat Dax (Andy Roddick, according to X) and X (Marat Safin? :p)--Peace, y'all--six sets to four, so it's still all good, hehe! :p

*****

It feels weird to be expected to dish out sound advice about something you know you kinda suck at. Like love, for example (and I'm not talking tennis anymore). But when you know someone's looking up to you to do so, what can you do? Hayyy.

I just hope I don't make things worse with my "expert" advice. *rolls eyes*

dinner.pat.tennis.beach.

I hosted a small dinner party for a few friends the other night--my last ditch effort to hit two birds with one stone (namely, 1. to get my sister to introduce the guy she's going out with to the family, and 2. to matchmake a couple of friends together). It was, surprisingly, quite a success. I got to know "The New Guy", and I'm glad that he was able to prove that he wasn't a complete jerk (trust my overprotective big sister instincts to kick in with a vengeance and think the worst). Jan and Pat hit it off really well too, and I must say they make a cute twosome (although I don't plan on playing Cupid anytime soon--it's just so freaking stressful! :p)

me.anna.jc.pat. (pat, ayos ka lang? :p)

pat.jan.me. (aka third wheel)

me.anna.jc.pat. (jc, ayos ka lang?:p)

me.jc. (fcc ka ha! :p)

*****
Pat and I were talking about him leaving that night, and it just dawned on me how much I'm going to miss him. I'm super proud of what he's achieved, and I'm happy he made the decision to grab that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with work--but I'm still gonna miss goofing around with him. He's honestly a lot like a kid brother to me. Na-sad lang ako bigla :(

But like I said before, with friends, goodbyes are never final. I know someday, when we've both made "somethings" (kung ano man yun :p) out of ourselves, we'll see each other again and have a blast remembering old memories and making new ones (hopefully, engot memories pa rin :p).Till nex time, Pat... :)

*****

Yesterday I decided to go back to the courts and flex my dormant tennis muscles a bit. My god, can you spell R-U-S-T-Y? Good thing I got the hang of it again after a few minutes of making my trainer chase after flyballs. Nakakahiya :p

After one grueling hour, I made a vow never to slack off sports ever again. Promise :p

*****

Beach. I want to go to the beach. Our April 21-22 deadline's a few days away, and we still haven't figured out a solid plan on our freaking beach trip. Wah. Feels like sand slipping off my fingers, pun intended :p

thank god for these songs...

...or my brain would have turned to mush courtesy of today's really, really annoying campaign jingles--the ones that wake you up at 6 freaking AM, telling you to vote for this guy named Bebong (in the tune of BEP's Bebot.argh.) and another guy, someone Abel (you should ring A-beeeeeeel...ring my bell. double argh.).I'm proud to say not a single note has been able to glue its sucky self to my head as a freaking LSS to last a lifetime. Belat.

Instead, here are three songs I'm loving as of the moment. Download and enjoy (well, not in this site). I do :)

1. Last Request - Paolo Nutini
First time I heard this song, I was hooked. Then when I saw the person behind the voice, I was hooked even more. I still can't believe it's a 20-year-old Scottish-Italian model-look-alike who's behind the song (music and lyrics). And the message is just so...(for lack of a better word) relatable :p

Slow down, lie down, remember it's just you and me
Don't sell out, bow out, remember how this used to be
I just want you closer is that alright, baby let's get closer tonight

Grant my last request and just let me hold you
Don't shrug your shoulders, lay down beside me
Sure I can accept that we're going nowhere
But one last time let's go there, lay down beside me

Now I've found, that I'm bound, to wander down that one-way road
And I realise all about your lies, but I'm no wiser than the fool that I was before
I just want you closer is that alright, baby let's get closer tonight

Grant my last request and just let me hold you
Don't shrug your shoulders, lay down beside me
Sure I can accept that we're going nowhere
But one last time let's go there, lay down beside me
Baby, baby, baby, tell me how can, how can this be wrong?

Grant my last request and just let me hold you
Don't shrug your shoulders, lay down beside me
Sure I can accept that we're going nowhere
But one last time let's go there, lay down beside me
One last time let's go there, lay down beside me

Araykupo :p

2. Puccini's Nessun Dorma

I never get tired of listening to opera, and this particular version by Luciano Pavarotti just makes my jaw drop and my eyes tear up a bit over and over. And then I think to myself, "Someday, I'll get to see him perform live." Sana buhay pa si Pavarotti pag dating nung araw na 'yon :p

Nessun dorma!... Tu pure, o Principessa, Nella tua fredda stanza Guardi le stelle Che tremano d'amore e di speranza. Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me, Il nome mio nessun saprà! Solo quando la luce splenderà, Sulla tua bocca lo dirò fremente!... Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio Che ti fa mia!...

Il nome suo nessun saprà... E noi dovremo, ahimè, morir!... Il principe ignoto Dilegua, o notte!... Tramontate, stelle!... All'alba vincerò!...

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! Tu pure, o Principessa, nella tua fredda stanza guardi le stelle che tremano d'amore e di speranza... Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me, il nome mio nessun saprà! No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò, quando la luce splenderà! Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio che ti fa mia.

Il nome suo nessun saprà... E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir, morir!
Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle! Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò! Vincerò! Vincerò!

(These verses are actually from Turandot by Puccini. Nessun Dorma is Latin for "Let no one sleep.")

3. Silver Springs - Fleetwood Mac
Although my parents are absolute hippies back in the day, it was only in high school when I discovered the music of the awesome Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. I love her gravelly, raspy voice, how she seems to put 100% of her emotion into a single note, and her neo-Wicca I'm-a-woman-and-I-rock vibe.

You could be my silver springs
Blue green colors flashin'
I would be your only dream
Your shining autumn, ocean crashing
And did you say she was pretty
And did you say that she loves you
Baby, i don't wanna know
I'll begin not to love you
Turn around, see me runnin'
I'll say i loved you years ago
Tell myself you never loved me, no
And did you say she was pretty
And did you say that she loves you
Baby, i don't wanna know
Oh, no
And can you tell me was it worth it
Really, i don't wanna know
Time casts a spell on you, but you won't forget me
I know i could have loved you, but you would not let me
Time casts a spell on you, but you won't forget me
I know i could have loved you, but you would not let me
I'll follow you down til' the sound of my voice will haunt you (was i such a fool?)
You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you
You could be my silver springs
My blue green colors flashin'

(Medyo stalker yung dating, specially when she sings, "You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you...". But I think it's still a beautiful song :) )

oh...

...and I bought (compulsively, might I add. argh.) a new tennis racket. one-piece. titanium. oversize. Head.

let's hit 'em balls, people!!!

bum-a-palooza

Just good old-fashioned bumming around and food tripping today. Can't do work because the ARC troops took over HTC space and my office is on a lockout :p Was supposed to do the OICA contract signing but they had technical problems so no-go until next week (super excited over the prospect of good projects and $$$, though). Decided to go to Gateway with Dax and Leni for ice cream (where there was somekindova kinky going on one table, ewww), look for and around very quaint Shoe Expo holes-in-the-wall, practically walk around Cubao (well, just Araneta Center, but it sure felt like all of Cubao), ogle the big-ass 1500-gallon inflatable pool for sale at SM Department Store (Php 4,000 lang!!!!) and dupe passersby into looking at the "nothing" that we three were looking at (we only got 4, slow day).

Next week, Luneta and Intramuros. And possibly, Paco Park (which I saw in the paper today and will drag both of them to).

Tomorrow's the big day. Wah. I'm going nuts already just thinking about it.

Well, I'm nuts in general these days. Must be the heat.







"Be good."--Sir O.


P.S.
I always am :p

: )

There should be a law against laughing too much, too hard. Honestly, can you literally die from laughing? Cause today, I think I almost did.

It was a gloomy day, with a little rain on a very warm, sticky afternoon. I definitely was in a bad mood this morning over something petty (it's a girl thing).

Then I hung out at work the whole day with the Lolos, Dax, Cheska, Albert and Bing and did nothing but joke around and laugh our lungs out. After which we decided to go back to my house and finish off the San Mig Lights left over from December's Basagan Party--and laugh some more while we give my sister seemingly sane (which I highly doubt) advice on handling psychotic friendships. Our little version of a sem-ender.

And now while I type this post, I think about how nice my day turned out to be. I think it's really the simple things in life that truly make one smile and think, "This is a good day."--good conversations, the company of great friends, limitless laughter.

The buzz is just a plus, hehe.

i know it's easter but...wah. mean girls unite:p

I've been a bad bad girl
I've been careless
With a delicate man
And it's a sad sad world
When a girl will break a boy
Just because she can
Don't you tell me to deny it
I've done wrong and I want to
Suffer for my sins
I've come to you
'Cause I need
Guidance to be true
And I just don't know
Where I can begin
What I need is
A good defense
'Cause I'm feelin'
Like a criminal
And I need
To be redeemed
To the one
I've sinned against
Because he's all
I ever knew of love

Heaven help me
For the way I am
Save me from
These evil deeds
Before I get them done....

i need a break....

...from you. and you. oh, and you too.

take me away...

please let it be tuesday.

Hindi naman ako old-fashioned. In fact, I'd like to think that my thoughts and ideas are very in-tune no matter how advanced and forward-moving my environment becomes. So how come I'm offended when my little sister scoffs at the idea of a friend wanting to bring her suitors home to meet the parents like it's some over-the-top, absurd circus stunt she's doing? I mean, it's not like that guy's asking for their daughter's hand in marriage by coming to the girl's house and meeting her family (Which is in my opinion, doesn't read over-the-top O.A.but rather, very sincere and respectful).

I couldn't help myself. I answered, "So what's wrong with that? Mabuti nga yun sa bahay nagpapaligaw di tulad ng iba dyan." *ahem*

Then she started making more sarcastic comments about how manang her friend was, and how she was probably doing it to trap the guy ala shotgun wedding. I walked out thinking, "Five days is waaaaaaaaaay too long to be stuck here at home."

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

I know we're all supposed to respect everyone else's opinion. Pero sorry. AYOKO.

oh, to be young and travel...

I would love to be able to travel. To really travel. Go places, see a million different things, meet a million different people, experience a cornucopia of cultures.

I haven't even been to that many places here in the Philippines. I've been to many places in Luzon, having been born and raised here. I've been to a couple of places in Visayas. Never in Mindanao--I'd love to see Davao and Zamboanga.

I've been to Japan once--two hours inside the airport (bleh). I'd love to see Bali and Jakarta, witness winter in Japan or Korea (just thinking about it gives me the shivers--literally). And I'd kill for an all-expenses paid shopping trip in Hong Kong (Pat, pag mayaman ka na, don't forget me!!!).

I've been lucky enough to go on a roadtrip while in the States--8 states, to be exact. But I'd love to see more. I'd love to see Washington DC, and Florida (where I'd look for the famous Miami Ink tattoo parlor and have one done by the amazing Kat Von D).

I'd love to go see Mexico, just to stop wondering what amazing country bred the amazing Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal. I'd love to go to Spain, and possibly trace where my family roots came from (my paternal grandpa was Spanish, after all). I'd go to Morocco and get hooked on hookas while reliving those wonderful scenes from Casablanca.

I'd love to spend a month in Europe, going not to the famous "It" cities but the quaint, rustic countrysides of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England. Go chocolatier-hopping in Switzerland and yodeling ala-Maria von Trapp in Austria. I'd see the sacred and the profane--the birthplace of Jesus in Israel and Count Dracula's castle in Romania.

I'd go to Greece and hoard olive oil. I'd go up and down a million times in the Spanish Steps in Rome, till my knees go all jello and I tumble down in a happy heap.

I'd go to Poland, see the Auschwitz Camp, look for answers as to why people are so. I'd go to Africa and see not just the beauty, but also the strife that I may realize how lucky I am to live a very imperfect yet fulfilled life.

Until I get the money (if only guts were enough to buy me a plane ticket around the world), this is but wishful thinking. Good thing I'm a believer.