how the grinch stole christmas

two unforgettable incidents this month : I was picked as one of the raffle winners from the year-end party that the company organized but never got the prize. And I got sick on Christmas day.

For the first incident, for reasons unknown to me, the person in charge of the raffled off items informed me in a flat, unforgiving voice that my name was not included on their list of winners, which only meant that I didn't win anything. Imagine my embarrassment! The people I know who were at the party and present during the raffle attested I was picked as a winner. They said my name was even flashed on the huge screens mounted on the stage at the party. My mistake was I left the party early so I wasn't able to claim the 'ipod' that people said I won. So when I tried to claim it 2 days later, my name disappeared on their list? So something must've happened by then huh! The party would've been fun if it wasn't for that terrible disappointment. The raffle organizers couldn't provide me with a straight answer. But I'm sure somebody else already claimed the prize intended for me.

Then of course, on Christmas day, I was running a fever so I was bedridden the whole time, I couldn't do anything much. I wasn't able to report to work the next day because of that. so I guess that's how my year ended. . .

feeling murderous

i'm having a bad day at the office right now. I had to deal with a lot of bullcrap from unreasonable customers. I don't know if I want to cry or scream in frustration. I feel like murdering anyone who would dare speak to me. And it's not helping that I am sitting beside a person I would not rather sit with. I went downstairs for a while for my lunch but I lost my appetite. I just went to starbucks and bought a mocha frap to help me cool off but there's still this dark cloud hovering over my head. That should give people a warning not to get near me right now. @#$%&^*

clobbered

so I didn't make the cut. Big deal. I think I wasn't that serious to really deserve that elusive promotion. I'll be a hypocrite not to admit I was a bit disappointed. But hey, at least I tried. It's not the end of the world. I have a feeling I am meant to go somewhere else. Either that or I am meant for something else.

I am not having a good week either. For the first time in a long time, I have gotten some serious acne problem that just wouldn't go away. It's not just one tiny problem, mind you. It's more than one huge problem! I don't know why they sprouted all of a sudden. One even grew on my nose, of all places! Now I look like a witch but instead of a wart, I have acne. There was this one time when I thought I can feel them growing on my face, ughs! I just changed my bedsheets and all but still! And I'm not under a lot of stress nor pressure right now so that doesn't sum up. Its absolute hideousness creeps me out! It's been a week now and I have yet to see them disappear. I have been using a facial cleanser meant specifically for that and have been applying a gel as an antidote to no avail. It did reduce the swelling a bit but I'm not too happy about that either. I just want them to go away, gone for good.

Cinemanila International Film Festival Official Selection

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
1. 9TH Company, Dir. Fyodor Bondarchuk (Finland,Russia,Ukraine)
2. Climates ,Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey,France)
3. Citizen Dog, Dir. Wisit Sasanatieng (Thailand)
4. Everlasting Regret, Dir. Stanley Kwan (Hong Kong)
5. Heremias ,Dir. Lav Diaz (Philippines)
6. It's Only Talk ,Dir. Ryuichi Hiroki (Japan)
7. Kubrador ,Dir. Jeffrey Jeturian (Philippines)
8. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Dir. Park Chan-wook (South Korea)
9. The Wind That Shakes the Barley ,Dir. Ken Loach (UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Ireland)
10. Taking Father Home, by Ying Liang (China)

DIGITAL LOKAL COMPETITION
1. Anino ng Setyembre Dir. Briccio Santos
2. Gamot sa Pagkabagot Dirs. Ato Bautista, Jason Donato and Shugo Praico
3. Manoro Dir. Brillante Mendoza
4. Numbalikdiwa Dir. Roberto Bonifacio
5. Raket ni Nanay Dir. Lawrence Fajardo
6. Squatterpunk Dir. Khavn dela Cruz

DOCUMENTARY FILMS IN COMPETITION
1. The Gift of Barong,Dir. Benito Bautista (USA/Philippines)
2. Hors Le Murs, Dirs. Alexandre Leborge and Pierre Barougier (France)
3. Paper Dolls, Dir. Tomer Heymann (UK)
4. Serambi, Dir. Garin Nugroho (Indonesia)
5. Storm of Emotions Dir. Yael Klopmann (Israel)

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION
1. The Ballad of Mimiong's Minon, Dir. Jon Ballesteros
2. One Man Show, Dir. Dohna Sarmiento and Glenn Ituriaga
3. Hopia Express, Dir. Janus Victoria
4. Misteryo ng Hapis, Dir. Mark dela Cruz
5. Embers, Dir. Marc Laureano
6. Sakdal Laya, Dir. Tey Clamor
7. Buog, Dir. Milo Tolentino
8. Grandma's Recipe, Dir. Imelda Betiong

get a grip

my recent dream has jolted me into the realization that I need to do something about my career~ or lack thereof. Although the dream itself had nothing to do whatsoever with my present job, the situation was somewhat similar ~ about taking a step forward when an opportunity comes. When a chapter closes, another one opens. I'm not saying that I'm rabidly pursuing this promotion thing, but since an opportunity has presented itself, I might as well try. Maybe I was out of focus for awhile, that I have become stagnant in my career and was just content with what and where I am at the moment. But it dawned on me that it wouldn't hurt if I take a step forward and take some risk. After all, I'm not getting any younger. Sooner or later I have to think about my future, and I certainly wouldn't want to hurl myself in the mercy of other people, to depend on them for support~ financial, emotional or otherwise. I always think that a girl should be able to stand on her own two feet without the help of a man. That way, you would be able to handle yourself well and not be this clingy piece of molasses, sickeningly sweet if I may say so. Naturally, I don't wanna pass on any burden to my current beau. I was at the greenbelt 3 mall the other day to watch one of the films from the spanish film festival, and while I was waiting for my sister, I was casually observing the people that litter the mall that time. It struck me that most of them are the executive types, and for the first time in a long time, I felt envious. I started to compare my life with them and came to the conclusion that compared to them, my life sucks and that it's just as exciting as a piece of unwanted broccolli. This made me think that I have put my career on hold for reasons that I could not even begin to think. Somewhere along the way, I think I just lost my drive. I should get back on the right track, right? And you're damn right it's about time. . . Let's see what happens next.

moment of clarity

certain realizations entered my consciousness recently when I had another dizzying spell for the past two days. I have come to realize that in trying times, one can only rely on oneself. And that waiting for salvation or some sort of a blinding light from the sky would not change anything. People has to go on with their lives, regardless of any tragedy that had befallen them. This realization was brought by the desperation wrought by the recent typhoon. The helplessness that I felt after the calamity was indescribable. It only goes to show that there are forces which are really beyond our control. It also made me think of the dependency of humans on modern gadgets for survival. Take away all of it and man is reduced to a hapless being. So after five looong days of not having the modern amenities that has become part of everyone's life, I have reached the boiling point to which I decided pending matters should be resolved soon. So I turned to the most workable alternatives, and that's how I am living my life at this point. Now let's see how far my plan will go...

the stone age

i curse the recent typhoon to the high heavens! Up to now, my local area doesn't have electricity yet while nearby places already have their f@#$%&*! electricity. What gives?! I can't simply do anything at home for the past five days! It's like going back to the stone age, fer cryin' out loud! I can't cook anything, even boil water since I'm using an electric stove! I mean, I have loads of stocked food at home but I can't eat them. I had to go out and buy cooked food and it's already costing me a lot. My patience is wearing thin. . . Grrrh!

i felt the earth move

. . . and so it's signal number 3 in the entire metro manila today for typhoon milenyo. Classes were suspended. Three agents here in the office already have cough and colds, and that includes me. I was late for work this morning due to the foul weather and my sandals broke again since it was drenched in heavy rains. Good thing I brought a spare. So enroute to the office I slipped into a different pair of sandals. Voila! Still, I came to work soaked to the skin! There was a power failure here for like a dozen times and we were all restless. To top it off, I thought I was experiencing another vertigo episode while I was sitting in my workstation since I felt dizzy and my chair was moving. It occured to me that there may be an earthquake happening at that moment, so I turned to my workmate sitting next to me and asked him if he felt it too. Then everybody confirmed that the building itself was swaying! Turned out that it was caused by the heavy winds outside! Can you just imagine that?! It felt like I was in a hammock being put to sleep. Still, it was kinda scary because who knows what will happen. I could hear sirens in the streets way below when the entire building was shaking. I don't even know how I'll be able to go home. I'm crossing my fingers. If only I could change into a costume and be superhero so I can just fly. . . yeah right.

the case of lonelygirl15 solved!

so I was almost duped by lonelygirl15 on YouTube like many, many others. She's not really the wide-eyed 16-year old girl in her 'personal' videos as she portrayed herself to be. Widely-known as bree in the internet circle, her real name is jessica lee rose and she's 19 years old, born in maryland. I was skeptical about her supposed platonic relationship with 'daniel' , but I was almost convinced. I thought it was a cute story -- being home-schooled with daniel as her only best friend, has a purple toy monkey for a playmate, and discusses her 'religion' in a vague way. Up until recently, I didn't know she exists. I was never aware that her 'videos' had already made a cult following of some sort. So it was all a hoax...

you think your job sucks?

sure there are a lot of things in our current job that we might be bitchy about. This always happens when we feel that we are stuck in a rut somehow. We always whine about our workload, deadlines, bosses and all. It seems that we are missing out on something and we get envious of other people's achievements that we aspire to become one of them someday or in the near future. But how about those people who are not lucky enough to land their dream job? We might think we are never given the best opportunities out there, but what about them? Here are some examples of what could be considered the WORST JOBS :

1) telemarketers - since I am in the BPO industry, I could very well understand and sympathize with these type of salespersons. It is a thankless job and if you happen to be a telemarketer, you would readily admit that 95% of the entire population hates you ~ for bugging them, calling them endlessly, asking for their personal information, trying your mightiest to patronize whatever products you're trying to sell them. What could be worse than convincing people to buy stuff they would never have any use of anyway?

2) store clerks doing demos - I'm sure you've seen them in the mall with their mock set up-slash-worktable with the numerous kitchen/home gadgets spread out. It's like watching one of those infomercials ~ only you see it live. They show you how to remove stains from clothes, carpet, rugs, etc. They show you simple kitchen recipes done in minutes or kitchen remedies for that matter. They'll teach you how to operate a miniature vacuum cleaner, a sawing machine, a blender, a meat grinder/fruit-slicer, etc. And all this time, you see them doing it all day, saying the same spiel over and over again~ even when there's no one watching at all. And yet there they are, standing in the same spot the entire time, doing their miserable job.

3) promodizers - from my understanding, they're the ones who are stationed at supermarkets, holding a sample of their products, convincing you to try their brand. As mentioned above, they do their work standing all day, dressed in those colorful outfits ~ the same color of their products' packaging, I might add. I have one funny incident involving them recently. I was doing my grocery shopping and these two girls/promodizers from competing brands pounced on one hapless 'victim'. While the customer was talking to the other lady, this girl from the other brand interrupted the conversation rather rudely and proceeded to 'hard sell' the hapless customer. In the end, the customer was swayed to buy the other girl's brand ~ to the detriment of the other lady. Oh she was fuming mad and started lecturing the other girl that she wasn't trained that way~ to steal other people's customer. The other girl was just amused and took it in stride, she got the sale anyway. Talk about competition.

4) security guards - they risk their life and limb for a measly salary, and they're not even properly trained to handle difficult situations like robbery or theft. They merely stand at the entrance of a commercial establishment looking bored, most of the time distracted, and sometimes they merely sleep at their jobs. Their primary function is to open doors to customers entering/exiting the establishment and greet them with 'good morning maam, sir/thank you for coming maam, sir'.

So you see, we have a lot to be thankful for, for not ending up with a job that would surely bore you to tears ~ or will kill you...

the bandwagon effect (the blue pill or the red pill?)

i don't believe that people should plan their lives according to what the society dictates, nor they should pattern their lives out of others, hoping they would get lucky too. I have news for you people : that's bullcrap. Just because your peers have all gone and are already moving on with their lives doesn't mean you're meant to do the same. Talk about peer pressure. I mean, don't get me wrong, if your friends have started branching out to other stuff, then good for them. It's what they've always wanted to do. But for other people to model themselves out of their peers and trying the same thing just for the heck of it, I think there must be something wrong there. And don't tell me they're just going with the flow. C'mon. I believe no one should take charge of their lives but themselves. You should be the one who would be able to know if it's already time for you to move on or not. You should be able to dictate what happens in your life. Of course what with fate and all, I guess whatever/wherever you end up with would be the result of that. Then again, it was probably because of the choices you made with your life.

My destiny is different from other people. If I choose one path it's because I chose to be on that path and not because someone else have decided for me. If bad things are bound to happen to me, then it's because I made the decision. I should be able to own up to my mistakes, right? If I feel that it's not the right time for me to do any major decisions in my life then I won't probably do it. I usually just trust my instincts. Gut feel. I don't wanna go where everybody else goes, because what if it's not for me in the first place? Then I would probably end up being unhappy. I have observed that most people map out their lives early on, right down to the very last detail as if everything depends on it. Of course, it's not bad to prepare for the rainy days but most of the time, people don't realize that however you plan ahead, surprises are bound to happen. You don't always get what you want in the end. If you were expecting to achieve the same goals you aspired for 20 years ago and don't get it, you just end up being disappointed and/or frustrated. Maybe you thought what you wanted was supposed to happen. Sometimes you realize it wasn't what you wanted after all. Maybe fate has something else for you all along.

Maybe I should try to stop analyzing what I'm supposed to do with my life, and just let fate take over . And now I'm contradicting myself. Who am I kidding anyway?

learning chutzpah

as much as I hate to admit it, I wasn't a very studious person back in college. I don't read textbooks religiously (not unless it's a really, really interesting subject) and would usually cram for exams. I would only read my notes on the night of the exam or even the day itself, an hour before an exam is scheduled. It's a miracle that I've passed all my subjects. Math subjects were always a bit of a problem for me. It's always been my waterloo. I had to befriend the class geek just so I can be mentored on complicated formulas and the like. But I faired well enough in most of my subjects ~ even spanish. Although I eventually un-learn my spanish after I graduated. I couldn't practice the language simply because there's no one who speaks spanish in my circle. How was I to know that I would be able to use it in my current job? But anyway, I've enjoyed going to school, meeting up with schoolmates after or in-between classes. I've tried to stay away from campus politics ~ unsuccessfully I might add. I was forced by my adviser to run for a noted class position since no one wanted to challenge the other party. I eventually lost simply because my heart wasn't into it in the first place. I didn't have the reese witherspoon competitive complex that time (reese's character from the movie Election). But then again, most of my posse that time were active in campus politics. I even attended their meetings once or twice.

Anyway back to my story, I never considered myself a role model or a perfect student. I was merely trying to finish my education, coping with the day-to-day demands of professors, co-existing peacefully with my classmates ~ and of course just enjoying my carefree student life. Now that I'm finally on my feet, living independently away from family, I have come to realize the importance of learning and knowledge per se. Though it is true that you don't learn everything within the four corners of a classroom. When you graduate, you're on your own. Eventhough mentors provided you with the necessary tools~ and advise for surviving the real world, it's still up to you which direction you want to take. They can only do so much. Acquired knowledge gets you a decent job. Learned skills gets you promoted faster, although not in some cases.

I have come to realize that whatever knowledge you have gained from school will never prepare you for the real thing. The real deal is, other factors affect your advancement, professionally and personally. It dawned on me recently that however I keep myself up-to-date with the rest of the world and however I prepare myself from the onslaught of globalization, never-ending industrialization and creeping consumerism, I always find myself cramming to learn everything~ or at least know a little bit of something. But of course that cannot be done all in one day. Then again the next day, something new has developed and other matters would materialize and has to be learned again. And so the cycle goes on. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with the world that's forever rushing forward. Like I said, nothing will ever prepare you, you always have to keep your head above the water because the world will always evolve . . .

being capt. jack sparrow

like captain jack sparrow, you don't abandon your ship just because everyone in your crew started jumping ship ~ not even if the flying dutchman is hot on your heels. . .

bracing myself

so now i'm sporting my new braces and i'm finding it hard to speak and pronounce certain words since the metal brackets gets in the way. I totally feel hesitant to flash a grin or a smile. What's worse, I can't properly eat. I feel like there's a metal grinder shoved in my mouth everytime I try to eat something. My dentist advised me to eat soft foods and mostly liquids at the moment. Hopefully, I would lose weight because of this. . .

playuh

so my beau just gave me this spanking new mp3 player the other day. I must say that I am quite satisfied with it, given the fact that it was a replacement from the original thing he wanted to give me. I almost threw a fit when he showed me the first one. To say the least, I didn't like it. I know I may sound like a beyotch for being so picky and petty about the whole thing but I thought what he picked that time wasn't practical since I could only download a few songs. It wasn't even user-friendly to say the least. Sure it has an FM radio, a voice recorder and such but I figured it wasn't all worth it. I didn't get the value for what it's worth. So I refused to take it. But the other day, he returned the damn useless mp3 to the seller and replaced it with a new one, a better one. And I'm happy with it. I must admit though that I am not a gadget freak. So I am not really updated when it comes to the latest gadgets or gizmos. I'd be totally lost without a manual, he he he. I haven't really mastered the operations of my new mp3 player but it's not rocket science either, so... And just so you know, I am not a high-maintenance girlfriend so I value what my boyfriend gave me.

just another episode

I almost came in late for work today. Do you ever have that feeling that the forces of nature seem to be against you? Well, I just experienced it today. It seemed like everything was going wrong. The driver of the tricycle I was in got into a fight with another driver just as I was nearing my destination. Then the jeepney I happened to ride was sooo damn slow, stopping at every corner to get passengers. Then I had to take a long walk to the bus stop since the jeep didn't go to the usual route this morning. And of course, I couldn't get a bus ride along edsa as always. I was tempted to hail a taxi already when lo and behold, an ayala bus came in sight! It was almost full but I took my chances and got on the bus. And when I got to the office, all the seats were taken! Of all the... I had to wait for some people to log out before I can get a damn seat. To top it off, my office tools have gone bonkers. I couldn't seem to log into the system. I have to wait for some directive from the NY office! Just another reason why I don't like tuesdays. . . sigh!

My Topmost Pet Peeves :

1) When you're walking at a public place (street, mall, etc) and the person walking in front of you is sooo damn slow

2) When people stop to say hello to one another in the middle of the street (or mall) thus blocking your way

3) When store clerks follow you around when you're just window shopping

4) When store clerks follow you around suspiciously as if you're going to steal something

5) When store clerks go bonkers when you're just looking around the shop and don't buy something

6) When your nosy neighbor curiously looks at your grocery bag as you pass them to see what you've bought

7) When your neighbor decides for a videoke night wailing like a banshee till 4 o'clock in the morning thus preventing you from getting a good night's sleep

8) When strangers ask you personal questions (i.e how much you're earning from your current job, etc)

9) When you ride a bus/jeepney/FX and the person sitting next to you has a foul odor/didn't take a bath/is sweating profusely/farts

10) When people don't respect your personal space, figuratively and literally

11) When people stare at you from head to toe

12) When people eavesdrop and interrupts you in the middle of a conversation with another person

13) When bus/jeepney drivers don't know how to park properly along edsa or any other street for that matter

14) When taxi drivers ask for more than what's on the meter

15) When men don't give way to women/children at a public place

16) When store clerks ignore you just when you need to ask them something even though they are aware of your presence (the irony of it all!)

17) When people impose their views/beliefs on you

my song of the moment

Someday
by nickelback

How the hell did we wind up like this
Why weren't we able
To see the signs that we missed
And try to turn the tables

I wish you'd unclench your fists
And unpack your suitcase
Lately there's been too much of this
Dont think its too late

Nothin's wrong
just as long as you
know that someday I will

Someday, somehow
gonna make it allright
but not right now
I know you're wondering when
(You're the only one who knows that)
Someday, somehow
gonna make it allright
but not right now
I know you're wondering when

Well i hoped that
since we're here anyway
We could end up saying
Things we've always needed to say
So we could end up stringing
Now the story's played out like this
Just like a paperback novel
Lets rewrite an ending
that fits
Instead of a hollywood horror

Nothin's wrong
just as long as
you know that someday I will

Someday, somehow
gonna make it allright
but not right now
I know you're wondering when
(You're the only one who knows that)
Someday, somehow
gonna make it allright
but not right now
I know you're
wondering when
(You're the only one who knows that)

[Solo]

How the hell did we
wind up like this
Why weren't we able
To see the signs
that we missed
And try to turn the tables
Now the story's
played out like this
Just like a paperback novel
Lets rewrite an ending that fits
Instead of a hollywood horror

Nothin's wrong
just as long as
you know that someday I will
Someday, somehow
gonna make it allright
but not right now
I know you're wondering when
(You're the only one who knows that)
Someday, somehow
gonna make it allright
but not right now
I know you're wondering when
(You're the only one who knows that)
I know you're wondering when
(You're the only one who knows that)
I know you're wondering when

hooked on you

I must confess that you got me hooked. When I discovered your existence, I have been addicted ever since. Like a moth to a flame, you got me mesmerized, hanging on every scene that unfolds before my very eyes. I could not believe that I have waited this long to appreciate another tv series! Lest you mistake this entry on a different topic, let me clarify that I am merely referring to the hottest tv show of the moment, Lost. Seriously, I find myself in tenterhooks whenever I watch this show. I savor every episode. It's my favorite show at the moment. Gawd! I can't wait for the next episode! I even surfed the website for advance reading of future episodes. I know it's a spoiler but I've only cheated for like, a few advance episodes. The best part of this show is the gorgeous hunks! I mean, cute guys in one show?! C'mon, you gotta be kidding me! I am loving it!

Reminder to self : Must get that book, The Bad Twin which is written by a fictional character based from the series...

i dream of lindsay

I had a brief taste of fame the other night when I dreamt that I was friends with paparazzi-magnet lindsay lohan. So what's it like to be lindsay's friend? It wasn't really grand. If you're the type to party, divulge secrets and pull pranks, then that's what it is. But it was fun to be part of a hollywood crowd even for just a nonasecond. It was kinda cool, reminiscent of alicia silverstone's Clueless days ~ sans the blonde locks. At least, it was better than being friends with the dumb bimbo jessica simpson... ugh!

melt with you

i could list a lot of things to be bitchy about these days, things that are mostly irrelevant and condescending. But mostly, I am pissed about the humid weather. Yesterday was no exception. I left the office early in the afternoon and the sun was beating down on me. It was punishing, I tell you! So I went to my usual route after work ~ meaning, I had to pass glorietta. Since it was a sunday, the mall was packed. Every conceivable human types were all there basking in the coolness of the airconditioned mall. Mind you, there wasn't any sale going on whatsoever. But the mere fact that MI:3 has just opened that means the cinemas were jampacked as well for this big budget movie.

I was able to watch the movie already, and since I am aware of the fact that it was directed by JJ Abrams (creator of tv series Alias and Lost), I somehow recognized some familiarity in the execution of some scenes. At some point in the movie, the background music was awfully familiar-sounding. To summarize, it made me feel like I was watching a great episode of Alias on the big screen. In fact, some cast members from the said series was on the movie as extras. What do you expect, even one of the female cast was an alumni of Felicity, another series from JJ Abrams.

So anyway, back to my original story, I was bumping into a lot of people at the mall yesterday. Turned out there was also a sort of story-telling session for kids in the activity area. lots of kids were loitering around chasing one another, and that made me irritable as well since it hampers my progress to get home in the shortest possible time. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against kids per se but thrusting them into the arena of adults is kinda annoying. I mean, kids should be playing in parks, gardens or picnic groves ~ not in the middle of the mall where accidents are bound to happen. Of course, it would be nearly impossible since this country lacks parks or lush recreational areas where kids can just run around all day in the vast greenery. Besides, majority of this country's population seems to treat mall-hopping/mall-lounging as a past-time activity. I can't really blame all these people, they had nowhere else to go.

Some girls my age already have kids of their own, but I don't feel my maternal instincts kicking in yet. I don't feel inclined to get married or get pregnant at the moment. I'm not really one of those women who gush whenever they see a baby. Sure, they're cute and cuddly, but that's all there is to it. I am not overwhelmed with emotions when I see one. To me, they're just kids : playful at times, annoying when they're kicking and screaming. My throat was so dry from the heat when I got home ~ merely surviving the maddening crowd at the mall.

burn baby burn

summer is not my favorite time of the year. The idea of staying under the scorching sun even for a fraction of a minute is not exactly sexy-- especially to your exposed skin. Hitting the beach? Forget it! Too crowded already, no matter where you go. Personally, I would like to go to the beach during off-season, when it's almost deserted. I want the ocean all to myself-- not that I have excellent swimming skills to boast of, but you know, you don't have to deal with people peeing in the water. Gross, I know. The hot weather also makes me irritable, like you wanna pick a fight with anyone. I could become a mean beyotch for no reason.

spring in june

here's something to look forward to :

The French Film Festival on June 8 to 18 will be shown at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall as part of the French Spring in Manila 2006. Also, there will be a staging of the play 'Waiting for Godot' by Dublin-born writer Samuel Becket. It would be staged in Tagalog and will be collaborated by French director Alain Timar with four Filipino actors. Hmm, I remember this play in college when we were required to read it. It would be nice to get re-acquainted with the play. 'Waiting for Godot' will be shown at the CCP Little Theater on June 23 (8 p.m.), June 24 (3 and 8 p.m.), and June 25 (3 p.m.). Lest I forget, there is an exhibit of works by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix at the Ayala Museum which opened last April 1. I hear the collection was very impressive... and of course, the all-night street party Fête de la Musique on June 18 will be held at El Pueblo, Ortigas Center, 4 PM onwards...

song from the broadway musical, Rent

many thanks to jayna for the lyrics...

Seasons of Love

Company :

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand

Six Hundred Minutes

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand

Moments So Dear

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand

Six Hundred Minutes

How Do you Measure - Measure A Year?

In Daylights - In Sunsets

In Midnights - In Cups Of Coffee

In Inches - In Miles

In Laughter - In Strife

In... Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand

Six Hundred Minutes

How Do You Measure

A Year In The Life

How About Love ?

How About Love ?

How About Love ?

Measure In Love

Seasons Of Love,

Seasons Of Love...

Soloist # 1 :

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand

Six Hundred Minutes

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand

Journeys To Plan

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand

Six Hundred Minutes

How Do You Measure The Life

Of A Women Or A Man ?

Soloist # 2 :

In Truths That She Learned
Or In in Times That He Cried

In Bridges He Burned

Or The Way That She Died

All :

It's Time Now to Sing out

Tho` The Story Never Ends

Let's Celebrate

Remember A Year

In The Life of Friends

Remember The Love

Remember The Love

Remember The Love

Measure In Love

Soloist # 1 :

Measure, Measure Your Life In Love

Seasons Of Love. . .

Seasons Of Love. . .

viva la boheme

For anyone out there who loves the 'theatuh', don't fail to watch the movie version of Rent, the musical. It's only being shown this week in two cinemas, Glorietta 4 and Greenbelt 3. 'Love all the songs... it's definitely worth watching... and worth every penny. I might consider buying the original soundtrack...

Which LOST character are you?

i relate to hurley? how the hell did that happen?!

Hurley

You scored 46% kindness, 34% courage, 31% seedy past, and 51% secretiveness!

"For the record, my belt HAS dropped a notch. I'm a big guy. It's gonna be a while before you're going to want to give me a piggy back ride."

Dude, you are Hurley. You are a kind soul with some terrible luck. While you're always lending a helping hand, you're not exactly the bravest guy on the island. What you do is even more important - keep people entertained. The only problem you've got is that whole jinxed numbers thing. You're so secretive, no one on the island even knows that you're a multimillionaire! Let it out, dude. There's no use trying to keep it all bottled up inside, man.

Your polar opposite is: Jin. You are similar to: Claire and Sun.

this little missy went to the dentist

one hot day, during my time off, I went to the dentist for an appointment. I was a bit early so the lady dentist was still attending to another patient. Naturally I have to wait for my turn. I was casually leafing through a copy of cosmo magazine when I heard the dull whirring sound of the dentist's equipment, you know that thing they put inside your mouth. It wasn't a pleasant sound. It sounded like she was actually drilling hard! I almost winced as if I was the one on the dentist's chair at that moment. I just wish I won't walk out of that clinic all bruised and swelling, you know. I hoped she wouldn't be that clumsy or hard on her patients. Well, I didn't hear any loud screams from the other patient so I thought I was safe. Surprisingly, when it was my turn, the dentist's hands were actually gentle. So I was in capable hands and I was able to relax. I just kept thinking she wouldn't make a mistake since she kept on yapping while she was doing prophylaxis on me. I always dislike going to the dentist. It's like submitting yourself to some kind of a barbaric torture, especially if the dentist is a caffeine addict & doesn't have steady hands. I usually put off making a dentist appointment. Well, the trip to the dentist almost always ends well for me~ unless the dentist told you some bad news. As for me, I have clean pearly whites now, and a clean fresh breath, it's almost a sin to eat something...

book of revelations

some revelations have occured to me today :


1) it's still money that makes the world go round~ after all, we're still living in a material world (go ask Madonna);

2) the philippine diaspora is continuously growing ~ year after year after year... (you get the point);

3) politics is still the name of the game ~ and it will never change;

4) politicians will forever be greedy with power & money;

5) I have lost all enthusiasm about life in general (dunno how it happened);

6) I have mellowed in some ways (uh...);

7) I can describe my social life in one word : zilch;

8) I missed spending time with my closest friends;

9) I missed going out on a shopping spree;

10) I am full of ideas, but they are just that ~ ideas;

11) I still don't care what other people think;

12) I have become a lot more jaded, moreso about other people's perception of happiness (what I'd like to call 'kababawan');

13) people can be sooo naive about a lot of things;

14) people just don't know where to draw the line;

15) the world hasn't stopped turning just because you're not having the time of your life...

the supermarket

funny how you meet people in strange places... a few weeks ago I was checking some items in the grocery store when I suddenly spotted a guy a few aisles away. I recognised his profile even from afar and so I quickly grabbed my pushcart and turned away before he could see me. That guy happened to be someone I dumped before when he tried to court me, and so it would be awkward for me to see him again, and at such a public place.

Then about two days ago I went to the same supermarket to do my usual grocery shopping when someone actually said a timid hello right next to me. Before I knew it I was staring at the face of my ex-boss' wife. Well it was a pleasant surprise but I didn't want my ex-boss (any ex-boss, for that matter) to catch me doing any domestic stuff. First of all, I didn't know she does her grocery there also in makati though they live in alabang. On the brighter side of things, I was in decent clothes when I ran into her and I didn't look 'losyang' so I guess it was okay. We had a small chit-chat & thank god her husband's not with her so I didn't have to deal with his not-so-subtle questions about my present job or why I didn't show up on his last birthday party. Nevertheless, I ended the conversation swiftly. I had to report to work right after, that's why. Besides, there were a lot of people in the supermarket that time. It wasn't an ideal place to converse properly anyway. Well, things could've been worse...

men are such simple creatures...

I was having my lunchbreak earlier in the office pantry next to two guys enjoying their pizza. I couldn't help overhearing snippets of their conversation since they were seating close to me. Apparently, they were raving about movies that they love. I was expecting them to mention maybe a stanley kubrick film or the latest movie of woody allen, but no. They were talking about 'The Longest Yard' & 'The Dukes of Hazzard' fer crying out loud! And these are men in their mid-twenties! They were even quoting lines from those movies! Unbelievable! Somewhere along the conversation, they started narrating all those old movies they love : 'The Mighty Ducks', 'Cannonball Run', etc ... Astig pre!

slumber bummer

i slept badly today. My neighbor's toddler was sort of running & jumping around outside my window screaming at the top of his lungs trying to get my attention just so he can tell me that I should be awake in the daytime and not asleep. Kids. What do they know about call center jobs? Then there's that episode with my boyfriend who was checking up on me while he's boarding the plane for another one of his numerous business trips. Such a workaholic. He travels so frequently that philippine airlines already awarded him as an elite member of their frequent flyer miles program. But I'm digressing... anyway, I'm at work now and miraculously, I don't feel drowsy at all. 'Must be an overload of that frappucino I had earlier this evening. But the night is still young, so who knows? I'm usually cranky when I don't get enough sleep ~ or my sleep is rudely interrupted. So even a soft beep on my mobile rouses me from my oblivion, and so I unceremoniously lashed out at my boyfriend this morning for the sudden interruption. My words must've stung since he never texted me nor called me the whole day. Poor guy! I didn't mean to be such a bitch. I'll make it up to him when he gets back...

new year state of mind

i spent my new year in baguio just so i can avoid the noise of firecrackers on new year's eve in the city. And I wanted to feel the coldness of baguio during the busy month of december since I've never been to this city of pines on a holiday season before. I stayed there for barely 2 days and most of the time I just slept in my hotel room. It was a mixture of fatigue and a lingering case of vertigo that made me stay in bed most of the time. Besides, it was too cold to do anything else. Me and my companion just strolled along session road then had dinner. Afterwhich we had a steaming cup of hot choco from the nearby cafe located inside the mall. It was just unfortunate that I had to return back to the city soon afterwards. Well at least, when I got back, the noise barrage was over, whew! My mother came over for christmas and I was just glad to see her again after such a long time. I don't get to come home as often as I want to...