Locked Out

I have always loved living on my own. The independence is empowering. Except of course in certain times like being locked out of your door with your keys inside.

I was just going to throw trash away last night when I absentmindedly locked my front door. The moment I heard the defeaning click, I knew I was in big trouble. There was no way I could go 'round my back door, unless I possessed spiderman skills, which I sadly didn't. It was locked as well, so no point in trying to bother the neighbors.

Spare keys? Yep, I got them. Just not anywhere near my place. I handed them to my aunt, in case something like this happens but I didn't think then that it could happen while I was in my sleeping clothes and had no phone or money to get me a taxi to my aunt's who lives a city away. I also did not memorize any cellphone number except my own, so, even if I could borrow a phone, I wouldn't know who to call. I've never felt as helpless in a long time.

Unless I wanted to sleep in the lobby, or break the door open with desperate kicks (which I could not guarantee would be strong enough to do the breaking), I had to find a way to get in.

Clothed in my indecent get-up, I took the elevator down to the lobby guards and begged one to break my door open. No, not through kicking. Just the lock. He must know how to do it.

He thought for a moment then broached a bright idea: call a locksmith he knows. The catch, it was going to cost P450. I didn't argue, despite feeling a bit taken advantage of (I didn't think it should have cost that much). I would pay much more just to save myself from borrowing from someone, getting into a taxi in my attire and get the extra keys from my aunt.

To cut the story short, I was able to get in and felt so relieved that I parted with my P450 without regret.

Ah, the price we have to pay for a moment of stupidity.

Katy Perry Rocks for Relief

Finally! Was able to watch Katy Perry perform live. The postponed concert was staged last night and I am so glad I grabbed a ticket.

The front act(s) took quite some time, so I thought Katy would sing only a few songs. After all, the show isn't simply her concert anymore, but a fundraising drive to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy (which also caused the postponement). The fact that the previous sole front act was turned into three (an American band, a local balladeer and Journey's Arnel Pineda) made me suspect that Katy might have cut her repertoire.

But I was wrong.

Katy performed a lot of the songs from her album (One of the Boys). Yes, she "performed" and not just sang them. As one of my friends commented, she was OUTRAGEOUS. She meant to entertain, and she did just that.

Top memories:

1. Watched the show with my closest college friends (Yns, Luvs, TinAn and Paul).

2. Yns and Luvs, who were not as crazy about Katy as I was, were converted into fans after the concert.

3. Katy on addressing her audience: "You've been through a lot. But we're still standing, damnit!". I didn't see that last word coming, that's why I howled in laughter. After that, I knew her Filipino fans were up for a different performance.

4. Katy sang most of her songs in the album. Sooo loved it, because I knew each one.

5. Katy (not verbatim): "I'm flying home tomorrow night but I'll skip the flight to visit the islands and purr, purr, purr."

6. Finally met her cat, Kitty Purry.

7. Katy's voice remained quality, despite her various antics and running here and there on - and off - the stage.

PBB Double Up

It's official. This here is a PBB Double Up addict. ;)

Begin Again

Start over. If that isn't the theme of my life these days, I don't know what is.

So fancy my joy when I discovered Colbie Caillat's latest album and unearthed one track that puts music into my current state of mind... as far as the title goes, that is. "Begin Again", the second song in the album, is just so easy to fall in love with. One hear and I started humming the chorus. A couple more, and I became a goner. Apart from Colbie's unique vocal talent and the catchy rhythm/beat, Begin Again disarmed me with its lyrics. Songs that put a new perspective to an old situation and through simple but clever lyrics always get me.

Ellen Pranks Taylor Swift

...and I just so love it!!!

Fully Booked

There is just something special about bookstores. They're the kind of place that call to me when I happen to pass by and I would oftentimes not be able to resist the calling. They must have me under a spell because with them, I am powerless.

That's exactly what happened a while ago when I was on my way to Glorietta for a friend's birthday dinner. I walked past Greenbelt 1, then 2...then, upon crossing to Greenbelt 3, I happened to look sideways and saw Fully Booked at the grounds of the new Greenbelt 5! I was mesmerized. It called to me. I had to find a way to check it out.

The store is amazing - all shelves are so well-filled and the displays are so enticing. And Starbucks within!!! Can there be a more perfect combination?

Lovin' it here. ;)

Lost in Space

You know that song that, despite having been launched many years back, still manages to make you feel that it's on top of the charts now when you hear it: timeless.

You know that song that, you have not heard for a long time but the moment you do, brings you back to that time and place where something special happened and it was that song that was then playing: memorable.

You know that song that, no matter how often, how long, what time, or what place you hear, lifts your spirit up and just brightens your day: all time fave!

That song for me is LightHouse Family's Lost in Space:

Reader Statistics

For blog readers who may not realize it (Eds, are you reading this? hehe), bloggers have a way of knowing who reads their blogs. See that logo above? It's displayed on the left side of this blog. It collects data.

Nope, no need to hyperventilate. ;) The most the stats can tell is which country and city you're from, what your IP address is (which I don't really care about) and what led you to the blog. We still cannot know who you really are.

So, Nonthaburi-Thailand, I kinda know you come around, but wasn't really sure whether you personally knew me or not. Glad to have known. =) Leave a word or two, ok?

P.S. Richmond-Virginia, do we know each other personally? ;)

Lost in Translation

I just finished souvenir-shopping at Nanjing Road and was taking the escalator up (the stores were in the basement) when I chanced upon this sign posted on the wall:

I couldn't believe (or understand) what I saw so I went back down the opposite escalator and back up again to take a good look and snap this shot. It still read the same. Hmmm. Puzzling. What could it mean?

From hotel receptionists who did not understand basic English, to taxi drivers who replied to me in complete Chinese when I spoke English, I finally found this sign which spoke the language I understood. Or so I thought.

Care to translate? ;)

Happy Weekend

Unlike the past weekends, this one is surprisingly themed with so much hope and adorned with trinkets of achievements. And I happen to know what set the mood. It was Friday night's call from a friend.

I thought my Friday would be wonderfully capped with that tete-a-tete with my friend late into the afternoon. I needed that talk, after all that's been going on in mind. Apparently, my friend and I were on the same boat, thus, the outpouring of our hopes and dreams and confusions and frustrations and plans. Aren't friends such wonderful beings? ;)

Come a few hours later, my friend would call me up to inform me of the shocking good news. It probably lifted my spirits as much my friend's even if the news was really hers. Hehe. Isn't being alive such a great thing, especially with these kinds of news around? What hope it brings!

That hope propelled me to do on Saturday what I could not accomplish for the life of me in the past two months. And again, comes that old realization that I often forget - when you get your mind and heart into something, nothing could come in your way. It's going to be as good as done. And so, it got done - and the sense of achievement was just, well, overwhelming.

I don't really know how to round up my point but let me just say these: it's been - and still is - a happy weekend. Apologies for the discretion. It is a must, and thus, intended. ;)

Now back to lounging at Figaro and starting my review. I hope you are enjoying your Sunday as well, blogger friends, like I do. =)

Mamma Mia!

I just can't get enough of this soundtrack. It's on repeat mode in my playlist and it's all I need to enjoy my day. I can't even describe why I like it. I just do.

Shanghai Host

With typhoon Ondoy 'welcoming' me home from my Shanghai trip, there appeared to be no room for trip photos when so many concerns were foremost on my - and my country's - mind. But I guess, now is a good time to share them. After all, I can't think of something else to write about. Hehe.

The workshop was held at a sprawling government-supported academic institution, which I liked for two main reasons: its modern, unique architecture and its hotel-like student apartments. Below are photos:

This was the canteen

The workshop venue

View from my veranda

More photos to go! ;)

Elevator

I LOVE -

7. Waiting for my turn at the elevator lobby, because I don't really have to wait long unlike some of my fellow residents. Whichever elevator opens up is irrelevant because each one stops at my floor. ;)

500 Days of Summer

Unique. Unlike typical romantic comedies, this one stuck to the last two words of its tagline. And that's just one of the reasons why I liked it.

For a change, the movie dared to irrevocably break its two main leads up. It's heartbreaking not to have a happy ending, I know. But it gave the story some semblance of reality. After all, it's not that easy to find 'the one'.

"Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't."

I also liked the way the story was told. In fact, the manner was quite risky. Choosing to bring your audience back and forth through the timeline of the story may cause confusion, if not headaches. But the movie made it brilliantly well. Using the nth Day of Summer to prompt the point in time the scenes occurred was smart and effective.

And I must say, the actors did great, considering that the lead actress was able to make her character really as charming and mysterious as it needed to be. The lead actor could also make you feel how devastated he was when the relationship didn't work out.

Of course there were some downside, like the laughs that came far between and that one out-of-place dancing scene that made me wonder whether I was watching Mamma Mia or a non-musical film. Ultimately though, I give the movie a thumbs up. It's not up there with my all-time faves (Notting Hill, The Cutting Edge) but it's a good watch.

Graduation

Was at DLSU graduation at PICC yesterday. Nope, I was not up for a diploma (I just wish I was) but my good friend Ynnah was and it was such a pleasure to be there as a friend cheering her on. Yns just got her MBA. Go girl! (Lunch at Capricciosa was yum. =)

There were 900+ graduates. Tio2x (our friend) and I could no longer stand the long list, we got up and had coffee while grads took the stage for their diploma (after Yns got hers, of course). Our timing was perfect because when we got back, the roll call was over and the program moved on to the pledge of loyalty part. Next was the La Salle hymn and it felt good to have sung it after a long time. =) Speeches of the President and grad student were outstanding.

Congrats, Yns!

Cousin

What I remember of him last christmas when I went home for vacation was that we played badminton. It was the first time I saw him play and I was surprised at how good he was.

Now that he is gone, I look beyond that recent moment and into his short, short lifetime of 19 years. He was a cutie toddler, with his chubby little self inviting for big hugs. Growing up, he always made me feel that he looked up to me and held me with much affection. Our age gap and different circles did not provide a venue for a closer relationship but he always reached out.

He struggled through school and from what I hear, it was paying off both through his potential to graduate with honors and the love his classmates and teachers are showering him with now. He died in his sleep last night.

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Yan, I pray that you are happy and well where you are now. I wish I could have been there more for you and I am sorry for the times I wasn't. I love you, cousin. Rest in peace.
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1st Year Anniversary

It occurred to me this afternoon that yesterday marked my first ever post on Blogger. Yes, it's been one year. And, if I'm not mistaken, it's the year that I blogged the most - and often - in all my years in the blogging world (started in 2002/2003/2004, can't remember!).

I have a theory about the correlation of my state of mind and the frequency of my posts. Simply put, the more I post, the less happy I am. And in terms of causal relationships, it's not the posts that cause the unhappiness, it's the other way around.

Writing is my catharsis. If I wrote a lot in the past year, that must tell how the year was. But as always, life provides ways to ease our worries and brighten our days. Blogging is a way. And I am grateful. ;)

Ondoy

We were at Pudong International Airport last Saturday afternoon when I and my colleagues heard the news. I heard about the typhoon earlier that day but I initially did not mind. Typhoons come and go in the country. Unlike my colleagues who were longing to come home to their families (they were both married), I did not mind if our flight back was delayed.

But when I learned about the flood, that's when the danger of the typhoon sank in. Ondoy was not an ordinary typhoon and it was hurting Manila in an unprecedented scale. Suddenly, I wanted to get home to check for myself how things were.

The flight back was relatively safe, considering the weather towards the country (I think, PAL pilots are really quite good). For the first time, however, it took more than an hour for us to de-plane once we got to the Centennial Airport. We just 'parked' somewhere in the airport and remained seated all that time. Flights were delayed and there was no available tube.

Arrival Section - Centennial Airport

The moment passengers finally stepped inside the airport building, an announcement about all major routes to/from the airport were closed/not passable greeted us. For not knowing how the way to my place was (I knew our street was flooding thru a call from a friend), I chose to stay in the airport. I slept on the baggage conveyor. I knew though that I had better fate than the ones I saw on the net who were braving chest-deep waters. (I got home at 4am the next morning; our plane landed at the airport at past 8pm.)

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The damage was heartbreaking. As I watched TV news reports, I could see the grief, the helplessness. Tragic.

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I know it's a waste of energy, but I must say it: the government did not rise to the occasion. I know, I know. I know it was too big a disaster to totally be prepared for, but please, what little the government could do was just too little. And some, too late. I doubt the government (national and local leaders) took disaster preparation seriously. I've never heard of projects for it. All I heard were election fraud, shady business deals, houses in the US, fancy dinners, questionable statements of assets/liabilities, etc. The list is long.

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Was at Whitespace this afternoon. Wanted to volunteer as packer for relief goods. There were a lot of volunteers there already. I helped pack a few bags but it seemed that the goods to pack ran out. Since there was nothing much to do, I headed home after staying in less than 30 minutes.I'm hoping to do further volunteering this Saturday.

Oh, Lord, bless my country.

All Set

Things are ALL SET for tomorrow's trip. Just finished packing. Love the new red luggage I bought. =)

Things are also ALL SET for the coming elections. It's Noy-Mar then. As long as I don't see those squirm-inducing commercials, I'm liking Mar more. Wharton grad pala ang lolo mo. Bongga!

Also bought my Pilipinas shirt (collezione) and I-am-Ninoy shirt (penshoppe). Go, go, go May 2010! I've just never felt this much affection for the country. And I'm happy to discover the love.

Shanghai

It's nearly midnight, and I'm so sleepy and tired (two nights of abnormal sleep do that to you), but I can't stop researching about Shanghai (I'm going after all). I couldn't help but assemble an idiot's guide to the city. Key word: idiot. I'm just nearly totally lost about the place. As I read and read though, it's getting really interesting. I think, I'm quite excited now.

Go Taylor!

Dear Kanye,

I condemn what you did to Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs. So unforgivably heartless. Where was your soul? Your manners? Your sense of right and wrong? Do you even know what 'respect' means?

If you disagreed with Taylor's win, that is up to you. Unfortunately, those who voted (did you even vote?) thought otherwise. If you have a problem with the voting, bring it up to MTV. You had no right to grab that mic from Taylor and humiliate the girl on national TV. Humiliate, Kanye. Humiliate. If you didn't realize that, where were your brains?

I hope you get what you deserve.

Without any love,
dojski

Katy Perry is Coming to Manila!

I couldn't believe it at first. Katy, the artist I came to know before the country realized and came to appreciate her talent, is going to perform in Manila?! Amazingly unbelievable! But it is true. And I am so excited!

For the Unfamiliar: Katy is known for her controversial hits "I Kissed a Girl" and "Ur so Gay", as well as "Hot n Cold"; her outrageous outfits (e.g., she wears fruits, literally); and her 'wild' image. But there is more to her than all these: her album "One of the Boys" contains some very thoughtful, sensible songs (Thinking of You, Lost, Fingerprints), the entire album is quality music, she's a songwriter, she's smart and witty based on interviews, and she has real vocal talent. My guess is, all the outrageous stuff about her is just publicity. Inside, she's a serious, sincere music artist. ;)

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Birthday came and went, and as usual, reflections about what my year has been and what direction my life is taking are the central theme of the occasion. I continue to be a work in progress. But I know better now than to take that against myself. It's just how it is: as long as you breathe, you are never going to be "made". You will remain a journey. The key is to keep trying to live the best life you could.

Lunch with colleagues was relatively low key and so was dinner with friends. I wanted it that way. And I am especially thankful that all whom I invited came to dinner. It was a wider circle of friends this time and though intimate talk could not be expected from such, I achieved the purpose of gathering them together as appreciation for being a part of my life. When you are getting older, you tend to be more appreciative of people and things. I wanted to celebrate my friends on my birthday. (Family was is in the province. =)
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My Tita, whom I talked about in this post, passed away yesterday. So my planned trip home for October will have to come earlier as the funeral is this Wednesday. Rest in peace, Tita.

09/09/09

Today marks three special events. First, today is amazingly a triple nine: 9th September 2009 or simply 09/09/09. Cute, isn't it? ;)

Second, Noynoy finally said his piece. He's joining the 2010 presidential race. I admit I have my reservations as regards his performance as a senator but as the ever-sharp Conrado de Quiros points out, this country needs a leader that is more than just an impressive resume. At this point, I also declare that Noynoy owns my vote. And it is given willingly. The personal agenda of the rest of the presidentiables are too obvious not to notice. They are just out there to advance themselves. Noynoy presents THE alternative. Therefore, there is nowhere else to go. I hope the best for him. And the country.

And third, today is the last day I am able to say that I am 28 years old. Yes, 28. And yes, again, this is the last day. So, allow me one more time to say it: I am 28 years old. Tomorrow, it will be a lie to say that.

I am 28 years old! =)

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Photo credit: Inquirer

Coron Stories

There are a lot to tell. But I'm too tired to do so now. Instead, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

very tricky way to barracuda lake

photographic kayangan cove

one side of the twin lagoon

amazing kayangan lake

Bumpy Ride

We almost did not make it.

The plane was supposed to leave Manila at 9:40 am but due to "bad weather" in our destination, our flight was put on hold until further notice. After what felt like 20 minutes though, our flight was finally called and we were set to board.

Length of entire plane

It was a small plane. Probably the smallest I've been in, ever. But since only such planes fly to Coron, they're the way to go. Accepting this fact, however, did not mean forgetting what small planes entail: a bumpy ride.

And indeed, a bumpy ride it was. Things were all right up to about 30 minutes into the flight but when we got near the Coron (Busuanga) airport, we were treated to some semblance of a roller-coaster ride. That was fine. As long as the plane does not actually crash, I don't mind such weather disturbances.

What was not fine was the pilot's announcement: "The weather has deteriorated. We will stay suspended on air for 20 minutes but if the weather does not improve, we will fly back to Manila". Charming.

I could see anxious faces scanning the reaction of fellow passengers. I think, people were more worried about not reaching Coron rather than the plane crashing. Those people included me.

Minutes into the ultimatum, the pilot declared that the airport has cleared our plane for landing and I just knew everybody collectively heaved a sigh of relief. When the stewardess announced the touchdown, a joyous applause erupted.

cleared for landing

And so, goes the story of our onward journey. Adventurous, at the very least. And we were not even in Coron yet. ;)