Run Buddy Run

I am not into any physical sport. If you'd ask why, my answer would be is that I lack the physical and mental coordination needed to play effectively. I'm not sure which field of intelligence coordination belongs to but I sure was not gifted with it. This also explains why I have difficulty following, memorizing, and executing dance moves. I really don't mind however, there have been quite a few times when my inabilities have frustrated me enough to make me wish I were good in sports and in dancing.

Despite my shortcomings, I found myself joining the 3rd Seminary Fund Run last November 30. So how did I get myself into it? It was Yogi Hen who introduced me to the idea. I thought, "Why not?" I can run. It's not complex. Plus, I already own running shoes. There was one thing that was bothering me though. Can I make it to the finish line? When I told Yogi Hen about this, he invited me and Pretty Pidz, who was also a first-timer, to practice with him. He gave us an advice on how to ensure we finish the 5K run: jog for 1 minute and then walk for 2 minutes. We did this in Abellana for 12 rounds which was roughly equal to 5 kilometers. The total time it took us to finish was 49 minutes. Who cares? I wasn't joining to compete. I was joining so I could prove to myself that I can finish a 5K run and so I could shoot one duck down. Joining a marathon is part of my Things-to-Do-Before-I-Die list. There was no point in wasting an opportunity.

I am now officially a loud and proud member of Team RUBU. The founders of the team are Jam Master Yogi Hen, Baller Coyote, and Doraemond. The name, coined by the Jam Master himself, stands for Running Buddies. It makes you think of things-better-left-unsaid which was why I was at first hesitant to use it. But RUBU is pretty catchy and it got to me eventually.

There were about 20 of us who joined the Fund Run and we are looking to increase our number. We don't require you to be a pro runner. In fact, bums (like me) are much welcome. If you think you have what it takes to make it to the finish line, then i dare you to run, buddy!

The Hand That Holds No More

This is our last goodbye
I hate to feel the love between us die
But it's over
Just hear this and then I'll go
You gave me more to live for
More than you'll ever know

Last Goodbye, Jeff Buckley


November 27, 2008. With the aid of Vodka Ice and SanMig Light, I finally had the courage to tell The Tamblot that I want to discontinue whatever it is that we have. These were the words I said: This will be the last time that we'll be together. Please don't contact me again. I want to move on and I can't do that if we keep on seeing each other.

I was holding his face and I was looking into his eyes while saying these. It took so much effort to control my voice so the raging emotions inside wouldn't show. I kissed him, then I closed my eyes and basked in the scent that I've come to love these past three years. When he hugged me, I took to memory even the littlest details of how it felt like having him so close. I didn't look back as I left. How could I? I was desperately fighting the tears that were threatening to fall. I didn't want him to see me crying lest he see just how affected I was.

Darn. I hate goodbyes.

I'll miss The Tamblot, that's for sure. I'll miss his hugs, his kisses, his corny jokes, his laughter, and the scent that's uniquely his. I'll miss touching his oily face and his equally oily hair. I'll miss talking to him and I'll miss the feel of his hand holding mine.

Nonetheless, I will stand by my decision. I love him but it's high time I love myself more.

Year 2

We celebrated the 2nd year of ABP operations in Cebu last Saturday. The first edition of the ABP Amazing Race was held in the afternoon. The unlikely winners who made the race really "amazing" all came from my team! Ha! Never underestimate underdogs.

Party in the evening was themed Safari Night Camp. Managers, supervisors, analysts, trainers, and agents all came in dressed up accordingly. This is me all ready for the safari (I bought my coaster earrings for a mere P26!) with my tools of trade for the night. The games and the presentations were all crazy. The party was so much fun!

After-party was at Kalye 80's and at YO.U. Booze galore! Everybody had a good time. I went home at 6AM and I slept with a smile on my face. What a fun-filled day it has been!

Jam Master Yogi Hen

The first thing I did upon waking up on Sunday was cry. Nope, I wasn't on "quarter-life crisis" mode. It was because I received this SMS from Yogi Hen:

Thanks pud kaayo, parekoy! Because of our common interests, you made my PS life more homely. Padayon ta sa atong mga trip ha. Mingawon jud ko nimo. Pangitaun kaayo ang sama nimo. Way binuang ni.

Now, this is one message I'll be saving forever!

I'll miss you too, Parekoy! Your ways are inspiring. You are most admired. I'll always remember you with great fondness. Thank you for the memories!

I'll see you on the 30th!

PS.

I took this photo during the after-party at YO.U. Paduy was taking a break then. Thanks, Oslec! :)

Give Love

I did a clean up of my room last weekend. I finally got rid of training manuals from my two previous accounts. It's a wonder how they survived almost three years just locked away in the closet. Boy, my skills are waning with age.

Anyway, I noticed that I've quite few shirts I don't wear anymore due sadly, to size constraints. What better way to put them to good use? I plan on using all of them as rags. Kidding! I've decided that I'll be donating them to an orphanage this Christmas. (They're mostly baby tees so it's just appropriate.) I've suggested a Christmas party in an orphanage for the account but my fellow supervisors and my manager didn't seem sold out to the idea. I'm quite sure we'll come up with an event wherein we'll be able to share our blessings to others, especially the kids. If not, then I'll just hand over the shirts to Kid A. They (him and his officemates) organized a gift-giving last December and I'm pretty confident they'll be doing it again this year.

Pack Rat (I'm not)

There's something exciting and liberating about getting rid of things I think I would not need anymore. At the back of my mind, there's always the fear that I might regret the decision one day. There have been quite a few times when I did and it's always deplorable.

Making the decision is never easy but I go on simply because I abhor clutter.

Alice in Wonderland

This is not a review. In fact, this is in no way connected to the story. Alice in Wonderland was where we stayed in Boracay.

Overall, I had a great time. I loved the road trips. We passed by places named Pototan (Middle Earth's Shire) and Balete (can't recall seeing a Balete tree) while listening to Rihanna's Disturbia. Ha! Thank goodness I brought my own cds. I had with me Jack Johnson, Smooth Friction, and Radiohead which made traveling to and from Caticlan way cooler. The beach was fantastic! No creepy seaweeds, much to my satisfaction. Boracay surely lived up to its reputation. The Tamblot and I walked almost the entire shoreline and took lots of pictures. We swam to our hearts' content, we roamed, we ate Cyndi Lauper the Crepe, we drank Sex on the Beach, and there was a time we spoke in English so people would think he was Korean. I find doing the last one really amusing.

Despite all these, there were things I planned on doing but I wasn't able to. For one, I didn't have a picture of me caught jumping in midair. I realized this on the trip back to Iloilo and it depressed me for a while. "Jump shots" from previous trips were unsuccessful because point-and-shoot cameras weren't fast enough. The Tamblot's SLR would've eliminated that difficulty and I already imagined what my poses would be to avoid looking funny and awkward.

So much for planning...

Another thing I failed to do was discuss with The Tamblot what the real score is between us. I wasn't going to settle for a commitment-free relationship anymore. There were many chances to do so. Why didn't I? I chickened out, I guess. I was afraid that if I discuss things with him, it'll be the end of it all. I don't know if I'm ready for that. I've read that repeated experiences teach us what we refuse to learn. Do I like the pain? I don't. I detest the cycle. Why then do I keep on coming back? Why can't I simply end things and be done with this phase? I have the power to better my situation. When will I have the courage to move on?

Yes, yaya. I am such a loser.


To Sher Butter, Jabbered Onion, Baller Coyote, Dhon, Big J, and BFF Lapad:

This is a confession. I'm sorry I lied. Please don't give up on me. Don't think that your advices have fallen on deaf ears. They haven't. It may not seem like it but I really am trying. Thank you for your concern.

Please understand

I'm sorry I've let you down.
I just had to escape today.
I can't think on my feet as well as you do.
I hope you understand.

Famous Last Words

From an epitaph:

Pause, stranger, when you pass me by
For as you are, so once was I.
As I am now, so will you be
Then prepare unto death, and follow me.

A stranger's response (crudely engraved):

To follow you I'm not content
Until I know which way you went!

This story was part of the priest's sermon during the 5:30 PM mass at Metropolitan Cathedral yesterday. I found it funny. Unfortunately, not everybody reacted the same way I did.

To the Faithful Departed

My favorite pair has finally surrendered to the dark force. There will be no remedy this time. I will let her rest. I'm just hoping that I can find another one as pretty, as loyal, and as durable.

Bisaya Blogger in Roxas City

Blogging in the Seafood Capital of the Philippines! Beat that for 'coolness'! So what the blazes am I doing here?

Do you remember the Bora trip with The Tamblot? It happens this weekend. We agreed to meet up in Iloilo and then drive our way to Bora. We had to come here first though, because he has to finish some cabling works. It took us about three hours to get here and I think it's going to take four more hours of driving to get to our destination. Poor Tamblot. It's a good thing I don't know how to drive.

We had sizzling tangigue, garlic shrimp (panalo), and kansi (pochero-like) for lunch. Yummy! I cannot recall the restaurant's name but it's definitely worth another visit.

Everybody is speaking in Hiligaynon! Waaaaaaaa! Nosebleed!

Pork Chop Thursdays

What: Pork Chop with Pesto Butter Sauce Day

When: Thursday Production, 12:00 AM MNL (technically Friday morning)

Where: Brown Cup, Skyrise Bldg. 1, Asiatown IT Park

Who: Dhon Crackling, Jabbered Onion, Sher Butter, Yona (The Gang)
Guests are welcome. Just please make sure your tasks are covered.

If you happen to come by Brown Cup on the first hour of Friday mornings, you'd most likely see four (or more) people talking and laughing as if they own not just the place but the entire building. That's us having barkada lunch and enjoying the best hour of the entire work week. It's the time wherein we share ideas and talk about events, work, the people we work with (chismis!), and each other's love life. We never fail to find wholesome things to laugh at and it's fun and very relaxing.

Pork Chop Thursday is something we always look forward to each week because more than great conversation and good food, it's a celebration of friendship.

PETA

I don't like cats. They're dirty, they're smelly, and most of all, they're sneaky little beasts. (Those that I've encountered, that is.) Also, it's kind of creepy the way they stare at you with those oddly-colored eyes. My heart went out to this particular feline, though. Look at the poor thing! Having nine lives in this lowly condition is a curse. I wonder what she could've done to deserve such a cruel fate.

I think I'll be bringing a pair of scissors the next time I come around.

Simple Pleasures

October 8 was so great a day that it could have been my birthday. Let me tell you why.

I got to finally watch the first episode of the fourth season. What a relief! The suspense was a killer!

I had a sumptuous dinner at Krua Thai with friends courtesy of Birthday Boy Kid A.

I received an SMS from The Tamblot in which he asked: "Would you like to go to Bora?" (Are you kidding me?!) I replied: "Weee! Sure! When?" There was no way I could hide my excitement.

In6Words posted my contribution. Go check it out!

Firewall was down. Freedom from bondage that's SurfControl! Non-work-related websites what?

Ahhh... The simple joys of living..

911

September was a good month. I spent a week with my family and I got to visit a new place. Aside from these, September also marked my first-ever minor PC operation.

When I got back from my week-long homecoming, the first thing I did after putting my bags down was to turn on my PC. I was excited to view the pictures we took. I had plans of resizing them that night so I could post them online right away. To my sheer disappointment though, I heard three long and agonizing screams coming from the CPU. That time of the month again, eh?

Every two months or so, I'd hear these screams and cleaning up the CPU has proven to be the cure. I even bought special tools from Handyman just for this task. Despite being tired from travel, I screwed open the CPU and freed the inside of dust. It didn't work. That's OK, I thought. It happened before. I'm just going to clean it up again when I'm well-rested.

I cleaned the CPU again and again but still I hear the screams. Oh-oh. After the third clean-up, I was already in panic mode. I swallowed my pride and sought the advice of my techie friend Kid A. He said: Try removing the RAM chip and installing it back again. And because he knows I have no idea what a RAM chip looked like, he added: It's the one that looks like a wafer and there could be one or two of them. (Do you now understand why I waited that long to ask for his help?)

Kid A has proven yet again that age does bring forth wisdom. Hahaha!

It worked! Now I know exactly what to do the next time I hear those painful screams.

The procedure was exhilarating! So, this must be how doctors feel after every successful operation.

Nardong Putik

Let's go outside
Stand by my side
Say forever
I'm always there
The one who cares
Say forever

-Say Forever, Rico Blanco

Indeed, the tie isn't one from China. Say forever, Mudboy! Here's a toast to a lifetime of friendship! Happy Birthday!

Orange Crush

I went to great lengths to have this picture taken. It was his last day at work and I couldn't just let him go without a souvenir.

A silly smile was plastered on my face for the rest of the day.

Anak ng Pasil

Pasil's notorious reputation gives me the creeps. Yesterday, however, I found myself volunteering to accompany Big J to buy ingredients for our October Feast. I couldn't bear letting her go there on her own especially since she's been mugged in Colon just recently.

Pasil's fish market is definitely not the place to be for the unwary and the sleep-deprived. The stench was overwhelming. Chaos ruled. I struggled to maintain a clear mind as we walked around looking for the things we needed.

As Big J was busy deciding on what fish to buy, I was also busy observing various fish vendors conducting their businesses. I couldn't help but be emotional as I stared at them.

My Pa used to be a fish vendor that's why I have a soft spot for them. Unlike the ones you find inside a wet market though, Pa was a mobile fish vendor. He went around from place to place asking people to buy from the buckets he carried.

I cannot imagine how hard those two years must be for my father. Thinking of all his sacrifices makes me love him all the more. He will always be a source of inspiration and I'll always be proud to tell the story of how he was able to provide for his family.

Explosive!

Yogi Hen is the one person in the office who shares the same taste in music as me. He's the only one who shares my passion for Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Radiohead, Beck, and U2. (You can bet he's the only one who knows all of them too!) Considering that, it's only natural that we share music downloads. Just last week, I traded Rico Blanco's Your Universe and Pearl Jam's Live at Benaroya Hall for Jack Johnson's 5 albums, Pedicab, and some Explosions in the Sky.

Explosions, what? That was how I reacted when Yogi Hen first ranted about the band. He made me promise I'd listen to the album and I jokingly told him I'd even make a review if he wanted one. Well, I did listen to the songs and I'm mighty glad I did. Missing out a classic such as this would have been tragic.

When I heard the first track playing, I immediately thought that the band's name was very appropriate. Well, saying that they're explosive is quite an understatement, actually. They're mind-blowing! Makes you want to stop whatever it is you're doing, however important it may be and just close you eyes and focus all your attention to them. Easily the perfect background for cozy and relaxing nights.

The last time I reacted this way was when I first heard Beck's Sea Change. It's amazing how easily Explosions in the Sky entered the list of my favorite bands.

As I'd normally say when something pleases me, "Panalo!".

Bewitched

I thought I was OK
That I had my feelings in control
Then I saw you again
And I knew that I was wrong
Because the cycle begins

Image from Google Images.

Balisong

I don't think that you even realize
The joy you make me feel when I'm inside
Your universe

-Your Universe

The morning wakes
I find myself entangled
In visions of your warm embrace

-Helpless

One more chance to never be apart
I promise I won't break your heart
Baby, please, can we just start again

-Start Again

I listened to Rico Blanco's new album all weekend. He makes such beautiful love songs.

Call-in

The Tamblot's job required him to go to Siquijor and he invited me to tag along. He said it's not gonna take him long to finish the task and we could spend the rest of the time there getting to know the place. Driven by the prospect of going to Siquijor for free, of traveling to Dumaguete all on my own, and of seeing The Tamblot, I agreed even if I couldn't find somebody to swap schedules with. What the heck, it's high time I call-in anyway! There's never a better reason than to explore new territories with The Tamblot.

So I called-in sick last Sunday for the first time ever in my career history. I was already in Siquijor when I informed my manager that I couldn't work because I wasn't feeling well. I told him I was in Talisay, Cebu attending to a family emergency that's why I didn't get to sleep the whole day.

You little liar, my conscience said, but I paid no heed. I was hell bent on making most of the little time I have away from the pressures of work.

Secrets

The lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain.

-The Space Between, Dave Matthews Band

Today, I was confronted by a truth that's somehow known to me all this time. I just needed proof and with a twist of fate, it was given to me. Shoot, I hate it when I'm right.

Everyone has secrets. Dexter Morgan is a serial killer and his sister does not know. Chuck Bartowski got hold of information known only to the CIA and the NSA, however, neither his sister nor his best friend knows anything about it. Kidding aside, my point is that we keep secrets for a lot of reasons. Mine are to protect the people I love and to save myself from the humiliation. So, although I was disappointed and hurt about what I learned, I did my best to understand. It wasn't easy because I've always looked up to this person all my life, but hey, who am I to judge? I have secrets too. I would want him to understand if in case he'd know.

The Rebirth

I am not into gardening or landscaping. So why yellow garden hose, you ask? I coined the term back when I was a lowly, malnourished, and over studied ECE reviewee. It was one of those dreary hot afternoons when my room mates (college buddies and fellow reviewees) and I decided to surf the net so we could get some air-conditioning and at the same time get a break from the endless reading, analysis, and problem-solving. Before going to the Internet cafe, we were listening to Pearl Jam’s Yellow Ledbetter.

I don’t know what inspired me then but I decided to start a blog. I couldn’t come up with a name right there and then so I looked around for inspiration. I was seated beside the window and the girl to my right was giggling every other minute, flirting with her chat mate in broken English. I looked to my left and there lying on the garden floor was an ordinary green hose. Yellow Ledbetter + Green Garden Hose. So I came up with Yellow Garden Hose. I don’t know about you but I actually haven’t seen a yellow hose. I grew up seeing only green and pale red ones.

That first blog died containing only one entry. I was class mayor/president, you see, and it was nearing exam day so I wrote something encouraging my classmates not to give up and to do well in the exams.

Now that I’ve decided to start (and hopefully maintain) a blog, I will use the same name because I could not come up with any other that's “cool”. Haha!

Welcome to my personal sounding board!