yesterday the whole of baguio was plunged into darkness.... naks. hindi naman. there was no current from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. naturally carlo was bored and was wondering why.
carlo: lola bakit walang kuryente?
lola: kasi napag-isipan nung mga taga-beneco (electric cooperative here) na sabay sabay umihi. dahil walang magbabantay sa kuryente, ni-off na lang nila.
yan. ganyan sumagot ang nanay ko ng mga tanong. so we grew up stir-crazy. now she's doing it to carlo.
happy di ba? we may be dysfunctional, but there is never a dull moment in this house. and i like that just fine.
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Friday, November 05, 2004
priceless
as a reward for doing his kumon homework, i brought my 8 year old nephew carlo to the mall. i made him choose between buying film for his camera, or buying a toy. he chose the toy.
off we went to toy kingdom. he headed straight for the cars. i was a little surprised that he chose a sedan type car which cost less than a hundred bucks. but i wasn't about to complain. :)
he asked for fries so we ended up in mcdonald's. i was pleasantly surprised to find that twister fries are back! so i got twister fries for carlo and a cup of milo for me.
over fries we had this conversation:
carlo: tignan mo tong car ko, kakulay ni bogart o. (bogart is my box-type lancer. navy blue)
me: oo nga ano? pareho silang blue.
carlo: tita, ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng bogart?
me: wala. pangalan lang sya nung car.
carlo: hindi, yung bogart yung nasa loob ng ilong (while pretending to put something into his nose.)
me: (syempre gulat!) HINDEH! BOOGER YUN!
carlo: ah.
after which he went back to eating his fries.
toy car: P79.75
fries and milo: 64.00
booger conversation: priceless.
off we went to toy kingdom. he headed straight for the cars. i was a little surprised that he chose a sedan type car which cost less than a hundred bucks. but i wasn't about to complain. :)
he asked for fries so we ended up in mcdonald's. i was pleasantly surprised to find that twister fries are back! so i got twister fries for carlo and a cup of milo for me.
over fries we had this conversation:
carlo: tignan mo tong car ko, kakulay ni bogart o. (bogart is my box-type lancer. navy blue)
me: oo nga ano? pareho silang blue.
carlo: tita, ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng bogart?
me: wala. pangalan lang sya nung car.
carlo: hindi, yung bogart yung nasa loob ng ilong (while pretending to put something into his nose.)
me: (syempre gulat!) HINDEH! BOOGER YUN!
carlo: ah.
after which he went back to eating his fries.
toy car: P79.75
fries and milo: 64.00
booger conversation: priceless.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
bum
i'm a bum again.
here i am, eating breakfast in front of the computer, listening to the rolling stones sing "miss you."
i put my cell phone far away from me, and i have no deadlines or pressing appointments.
chatting with some friends who are now at work, and answering emails i haven't been able to reply to in the past 3 weeks.
so far it's been good. went out for a drink last night but went home early because i was too lazy to drink any more.
hmmm. knowing myself i will get tired of doing nothing in about 3 days. then where will i be?
oh well. enjoying it while it lasts. job-hunting to commence soon.
back to my hot chocolate.
here i am, eating breakfast in front of the computer, listening to the rolling stones sing "miss you."
i put my cell phone far away from me, and i have no deadlines or pressing appointments.
chatting with some friends who are now at work, and answering emails i haven't been able to reply to in the past 3 weeks.
so far it's been good. went out for a drink last night but went home early because i was too lazy to drink any more.
hmmm. knowing myself i will get tired of doing nothing in about 3 days. then where will i be?
oh well. enjoying it while it lasts. job-hunting to commence soon.
back to my hot chocolate.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
balik maynila
am back!
after a 3 hour flight from thailand, it felt good to be around people who spoke tagalog. grabe. dinugo ako sa ibang bansa. ang hirap magpaintindi pag hindi marunong uminggles ang mga tao sa paligid.
the funny thing was, in all the countries we went to, we were mistaken for locals. so they all spoke in their native tongues when talking to us. at siyempre ang sagot namin, english please!
it was my first time out of the country. my sister gave the trip to me as a birthday gift which i claimed only after the bar. am glad i got the chance. it was an experience that i will remember for a long time.
there were a lot of opportunities for mishaps, like almost being left on an island by the last train because we couldn't understand the announcement, finding out that the cab driver had no idea where the place we were going to is located, having no map to go around, getting caught in little india with enough money left only for the train, which we couldn't find... the list is long. but at the end of the day we just found ourselves laughing and congratulating each other for winning the day's leg -- ala amazing race, and for getting to the hotel safe and sound.
several times during the trip i found myself feeling sad for the philippines. kasi parang ang progressive nung mga ibang bansa. disiplinado ang mga tao. of course there were exceptions but on the whole, people were pretty much disciplined enough to not litter, not push, not run red lights, and generally follow the law.
nakakalungkot. but i realized that we can do it if we tried. perhaps we lack pride. not in ourselves as individuals but we seem to not take pride in being filipinos. collective pride kumbaga. kaya natin eh.
ewan.
other than those moments, though, the whole trip was fun. rina and i enjoyed ourselves immensely. and the fact that we were working with a limited budget added spice, not to mention hysteria, to the whole experience.
will put in a more detailed account when i get hold of a computer i can hog.
it's good to be back. :) am home.
after a 3 hour flight from thailand, it felt good to be around people who spoke tagalog. grabe. dinugo ako sa ibang bansa. ang hirap magpaintindi pag hindi marunong uminggles ang mga tao sa paligid.
the funny thing was, in all the countries we went to, we were mistaken for locals. so they all spoke in their native tongues when talking to us. at siyempre ang sagot namin, english please!
it was my first time out of the country. my sister gave the trip to me as a birthday gift which i claimed only after the bar. am glad i got the chance. it was an experience that i will remember for a long time.
there were a lot of opportunities for mishaps, like almost being left on an island by the last train because we couldn't understand the announcement, finding out that the cab driver had no idea where the place we were going to is located, having no map to go around, getting caught in little india with enough money left only for the train, which we couldn't find... the list is long. but at the end of the day we just found ourselves laughing and congratulating each other for winning the day's leg -- ala amazing race, and for getting to the hotel safe and sound.
several times during the trip i found myself feeling sad for the philippines. kasi parang ang progressive nung mga ibang bansa. disiplinado ang mga tao. of course there were exceptions but on the whole, people were pretty much disciplined enough to not litter, not push, not run red lights, and generally follow the law.
nakakalungkot. but i realized that we can do it if we tried. perhaps we lack pride. not in ourselves as individuals but we seem to not take pride in being filipinos. collective pride kumbaga. kaya natin eh.
ewan.
other than those moments, though, the whole trip was fun. rina and i enjoyed ourselves immensely. and the fact that we were working with a limited budget added spice, not to mention hysteria, to the whole experience.
will put in a more detailed account when i get hold of a computer i can hog.
it's good to be back. :) am home.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
hello
rina and i are doing our version of the amazing race. 4 countries in 12 days. how's abouts dats?
we are now in singapore. we arrived from indonesia yesterday. then off to malaysia then thailand.
so far it's been an adventure. tell you all about it when i get back. all i know right now is that i'm getting very good at monosyllabic answers.
:)
we are now in singapore. we arrived from indonesia yesterday. then off to malaysia then thailand.
so far it's been an adventure. tell you all about it when i get back. all i know right now is that i'm getting very good at monosyllabic answers.
:)
Friday, October 15, 2004
we do not have a monopoly
Arguments Before the Committee on Patents of the House of Representatives on H.R. 1885, 59th Congress (May 17, 1906).
Mr. Chaney: If you proposed to do this in horticulture, might you not authorize a man breeding horses to get out a patent on an improved breed of horses?
Mr. Walker: The difference is very marked. In horticulture you produce new varieties, while in animals you do not. If somebody could produce an animal that had the speed of the horse, the patience of the ox, the intelligence of the dog, and the wisdom of the elephant all combined, then perhaps he ought to have a patent on that animal.
Mr. Southall: Then you would give a man a patent on a mule?
Mr. Walker: Yes, although the patent on the mule would have expired by now.
The Chairman: But in the first instance you would give a patent on a mule?
Mr. Walker: Yes, we would on that principle give the man who bred together the horse and the ass a patent on the animal produced; that was undoubtedly a benefit to mankind.
Mr. Chaney: The late Mr. Ingalls would object, because he said that the mule has neither pride or ancestry nor hope of posterity.
H.R. 18851 did not become law.
this amused me no end. :)
*www.westlaw.com
Mr. Chaney: If you proposed to do this in horticulture, might you not authorize a man breeding horses to get out a patent on an improved breed of horses?
Mr. Walker: The difference is very marked. In horticulture you produce new varieties, while in animals you do not. If somebody could produce an animal that had the speed of the horse, the patience of the ox, the intelligence of the dog, and the wisdom of the elephant all combined, then perhaps he ought to have a patent on that animal.
Mr. Southall: Then you would give a man a patent on a mule?
Mr. Walker: Yes, although the patent on the mule would have expired by now.
The Chairman: But in the first instance you would give a patent on a mule?
Mr. Walker: Yes, we would on that principle give the man who bred together the horse and the ass a patent on the animal produced; that was undoubtedly a benefit to mankind.
Mr. Chaney: The late Mr. Ingalls would object, because he said that the mule has neither pride or ancestry nor hope of posterity.
H.R. 18851 did not become law.
this amused me no end. :)
*www.westlaw.com
Thursday, October 14, 2004
owie!
went to get myself vaccinated today. there is an outbreak of chicken pox in the office and since i don't seem to remember being infected when i was younger (neither could my mom, for that matter), i thought it best to get a shot. plus a flu shot for good measure.
my cousin bien administered the shots. imagine my shock when he asked me this question:
madami ka bang taba sa tyan?
heyng????
i thought he was just making cracks about me being fat. apparently he was not.
he said it would be less painful to get shots in the stomach if there's fat. there'll be less blood too. i, being the younger cousin and oh so trusting of mr. doctor cousin, decided to take the shots in my stomach.
there was no warning. first he was just pinching about 3 inches of my stomach. and then WHAM! i couldn't help it. i practically whimpered in pain. the vaccine was a suspension -- powder dissolved in liquid to reconstitute it -- and it was PAINFUL! i took it as a good sign though. there may be less fat there than i first thought.
the second shot was a little less painful, but painful nonetheless.
after the 2 shots, my legs felt wobbly, i felt sleepy, and oh so tired. i had to go back to the office to try to get some work done but i was starving already. i ended up just reading some and then we had dinner already.
now am all pooped. waiting for the fever which is a common side effect of vaccines.
oh well. at least when i go out of the country i'll be protected against the birds and the chickens.
my cousin bien administered the shots. imagine my shock when he asked me this question:
madami ka bang taba sa tyan?
heyng????
i thought he was just making cracks about me being fat. apparently he was not.
he said it would be less painful to get shots in the stomach if there's fat. there'll be less blood too. i, being the younger cousin and oh so trusting of mr. doctor cousin, decided to take the shots in my stomach.
there was no warning. first he was just pinching about 3 inches of my stomach. and then WHAM! i couldn't help it. i practically whimpered in pain. the vaccine was a suspension -- powder dissolved in liquid to reconstitute it -- and it was PAINFUL! i took it as a good sign though. there may be less fat there than i first thought.
the second shot was a little less painful, but painful nonetheless.
after the 2 shots, my legs felt wobbly, i felt sleepy, and oh so tired. i had to go back to the office to try to get some work done but i was starving already. i ended up just reading some and then we had dinner already.
now am all pooped. waiting for the fever which is a common side effect of vaccines.
oh well. at least when i go out of the country i'll be protected against the birds and the chickens.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
twisted
yesterday morning i was watching tv when i came across a program where they were discussing religion. there were priests and bishops being involved. i don't really know why i stopped to watch but i did. (religious programs are not really my cup of tea)
what i heard left me slack-jawed in disbelief.
the priest (or bishop, am not really sure) was saying this about pre-marital sex and birth control:
"pre-marital sex and birth control are not wrong because the church says they're wrong. they're wrong because they're really wrong."
huh?
okay. it's the church. i'm there already. sex should be within the confines of marriage. and the bible said go forth and multiply. i'm there too.
but then we have to look at what is actually happening now. it's out there. people are having pre-marital sex. and some of these encounters end in people having babies. hence the multiply part.
but in my opinion, letting kids grow up in the streets, barefoot
and hungry, is way up there on the "WRONG" scale. mothers leaving their newborns to die in garbage bins or in gardens, or worse, under trucks, is a greater crime than practicing birth control.
people engage in pre-marital sex. that's a fact. perhaps in a perfect world people shouldn't. but they do. so we have to approach this in an appropriate manner. why say that birth control is wrong? is it, really? don't you think that it would be better to at least have a safety measure so that what they perceive as wrong will not be compounded?
and what of those who have more kids than they can feed? just because birth control is "wrong." i see kids in packs, running in the streets and begging. what will become of them?
nobody wants to hear about babies and children begging and starving. or babies dying. i'd rather hear about an increased sale of condoms. or pills.
the irony of it is that i've encountered women who got pregnant out of wedlock because they said that birth control is not right. yet they indulged in pre-marital sex. something which the church considers equally wrong. twisted, huh?
i'm probably not making sense. but it just ticks me off that people can be so blind. if people can stay chaste, hell why not? but for those who don't, or can't, or whatever, why aren't they taught to at least practice safe sex? that way there will be no children to suffer from the indiscretion of their parents.
hay naku.
basta, in my world, it is still more of a crime to have kids go hungry.
what i heard left me slack-jawed in disbelief.
the priest (or bishop, am not really sure) was saying this about pre-marital sex and birth control:
"pre-marital sex and birth control are not wrong because the church says they're wrong. they're wrong because they're really wrong."
huh?
okay. it's the church. i'm there already. sex should be within the confines of marriage. and the bible said go forth and multiply. i'm there too.
but then we have to look at what is actually happening now. it's out there. people are having pre-marital sex. and some of these encounters end in people having babies. hence the multiply part.
but in my opinion, letting kids grow up in the streets, barefoot
and hungry, is way up there on the "WRONG" scale. mothers leaving their newborns to die in garbage bins or in gardens, or worse, under trucks, is a greater crime than practicing birth control.
people engage in pre-marital sex. that's a fact. perhaps in a perfect world people shouldn't. but they do. so we have to approach this in an appropriate manner. why say that birth control is wrong? is it, really? don't you think that it would be better to at least have a safety measure so that what they perceive as wrong will not be compounded?
and what of those who have more kids than they can feed? just because birth control is "wrong." i see kids in packs, running in the streets and begging. what will become of them?
nobody wants to hear about babies and children begging and starving. or babies dying. i'd rather hear about an increased sale of condoms. or pills.
the irony of it is that i've encountered women who got pregnant out of wedlock because they said that birth control is not right. yet they indulged in pre-marital sex. something which the church considers equally wrong. twisted, huh?
i'm probably not making sense. but it just ticks me off that people can be so blind. if people can stay chaste, hell why not? but for those who don't, or can't, or whatever, why aren't they taught to at least practice safe sex? that way there will be no children to suffer from the indiscretion of their parents.
hay naku.
basta, in my world, it is still more of a crime to have kids go hungry.
Monday, October 11, 2004
Thursday, October 07, 2004
back in the saddle again
back to work, actually. but only for the next two weeks. my contract says i'm a "consultant." big word that would look nice in my next resume.
anyway, the months between july and october seem to have faded into the woodwork. much like a bad dream that is best forgotten. when i got back to the office it was like i slept july 15 and woke up to october.
work is tedious. i think i should have taken a break (aside from the nights out, that is) before going back to work. but then again, this stint is only for two weeks, then i'm hopping on a plane and will be off to somewhere.
looking forward to that. this is a boring post. :D brain slow.
must have food.
anyway, the months between july and october seem to have faded into the woodwork. much like a bad dream that is best forgotten. when i got back to the office it was like i slept july 15 and woke up to october.
work is tedious. i think i should have taken a break (aside from the nights out, that is) before going back to work. but then again, this stint is only for two weeks, then i'm hopping on a plane and will be off to somewhere.
looking forward to that. this is a boring post. :D brain slow.
must have food.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
let this remain untitled
this afternoon i was having a text conversation with my ex's older sister. i told her to come over to baguio since she always looks for me when she's here. but as luck would have it, we never get to meet up. so i told her to come up to baguio. it is only a 45 minute bus ride after all.
anyway, her reply was: "baba ka na lang daw sabi ni papa. dito na tayo inom. maghahanda kami ng pulutan."
i thought about it. it would be nice to visit. it's been over a year since i last visited that house. but then again, i decided it wouldn't be a good idea.
i mean, i know i'm welcome. i don't think i will ever be unwelcome in that house. i practically grew up with that family (been hanging out with them since i was 15). i'm ninang to several babies, (and will be again next year) , they've seen me gain and lose weight and gain it back again (plus some more). point being, i've known them long enough.
all that aside, there's something missing. the sense of belonging is gone. i can't just up and go there and plunk myself down on their sofa.
i'm little better than a stranger now, i suppose.
but these things happen. malungkot. pero ganyan talaga.
so i guess i won't be going there. except maybe for the occasional "hi" on my way to the beach.
she's just going to have to come up. :)
anyway, her reply was: "baba ka na lang daw sabi ni papa. dito na tayo inom. maghahanda kami ng pulutan."
i thought about it. it would be nice to visit. it's been over a year since i last visited that house. but then again, i decided it wouldn't be a good idea.
i mean, i know i'm welcome. i don't think i will ever be unwelcome in that house. i practically grew up with that family (been hanging out with them since i was 15). i'm ninang to several babies, (and will be again next year) , they've seen me gain and lose weight and gain it back again (plus some more). point being, i've known them long enough.
all that aside, there's something missing. the sense of belonging is gone. i can't just up and go there and plunk myself down on their sofa.
i'm little better than a stranger now, i suppose.
but these things happen. malungkot. pero ganyan talaga.
so i guess i won't be going there. except maybe for the occasional "hi" on my way to the beach.
she's just going to have to come up. :)
Monday, September 13, 2004
my new toy
got a new toy from my sister. it's a pocket pc!!!!
haven't explored it to my satisfaction yet but so far we've had a good working relationship. he recognizes my handwriting, and i keep him charged and dust free. fair deal, i should think.
can't wait to figure out all its capabilities. :) now to get a keyboard.
haven't explored it to my satisfaction yet but so far we've had a good working relationship. he recognizes my handwriting, and i keep him charged and dust free. fair deal, i should think.
can't wait to figure out all its capabilities. :) now to get a keyboard.
Sunday, September 12, 2004
murphy day
we all know about murphy's law. what can go wrong will go wrong in any given situation. yep. murphy's law.
well i had a murphy day today. went to the exams and found out i left my civil code at the hotel. sigh. it was okay. i had something else to read.
when i got to my exam room i discovered i didn't have my permit. it was hanging inside a plastic thingie around my neck. one end open. i put my pens in there too. alas. they were not there. permit and pens, gone.
i retraced my steps and found nothing. talked to the guards, they found nothing. to my credit i was calm and collected the whole time except sweat was running in rivers in the nooks and crevices of my body. it was freakin hot!
anyways, was able to secure a temporary permit. so i took the exam and probably failed it. but like i said, i was calm and collected the whole time. that should count for something.
on a happier note, my dad took us out to shakey's. yey! garlic and cheese thin crust, spaghetti and garlic bread, fried chicken and coke. my breath smelled bad, but i felt good. :)
well i had a murphy day today. went to the exams and found out i left my civil code at the hotel. sigh. it was okay. i had something else to read.
when i got to my exam room i discovered i didn't have my permit. it was hanging inside a plastic thingie around my neck. one end open. i put my pens in there too. alas. they were not there. permit and pens, gone.
i retraced my steps and found nothing. talked to the guards, they found nothing. to my credit i was calm and collected the whole time except sweat was running in rivers in the nooks and crevices of my body. it was freakin hot!
anyways, was able to secure a temporary permit. so i took the exam and probably failed it. but like i said, i was calm and collected the whole time. that should count for something.
on a happier note, my dad took us out to shakey's. yey! garlic and cheese thin crust, spaghetti and garlic bread, fried chicken and coke. my breath smelled bad, but i felt good. :)
Thursday, August 05, 2004
post birthday blues
before anything else, let me mention that the place smells like burning wires. my sister was fiddling with the cord of her lamp and it went kaboom on her. it plain stinks in here.
~~~~~~~~
i'm 29.
went to an insurance company yesterday to claim my something or other freebie. of course they took the opportunity to try to sell me something. they made such a big deal about me being 29 and single.
first, they didn't believe i was 29 (salespeople. they will flatter you at every turn). then they didn't believe i wasn't married with kids. (bordering on insult. do i look like i've had kids already????) finally they didn't believe i don't have a boyfriend (ma'am with your looks.... like i said, salespeople).
am i past the marrying age? or the childbearing age? i don't think so. what's the hype all about? why do they look at you funny when you're 29, beautiful and single? (ahem)
i am sure there are a lot of people similarly situated. i'm sure they often get asked when they plan to marry, whether they are with a current significant other or not. i know i get asked a lot.
i don't really mind. most of the time. specially if the person asking is particularly dear to me, or obviously well-meaning, without any mean undertones. i simply answer that it'll come, someday. all in good time.
but then sometimes even i don't believe that statement. perhaps the biggest reason why i detest being asked is that even as i give a flip answer, even as i smile and shrug, i am asking the same question.
what if there's no one out there for me? or what if i met him already and i let him go by? what if i pushed him away without knowing i was? or worse, what if somebody else found him already?
i know these questions have no answers. perhaps only the Big Guy Up There has the answers.
still, knowing these questions have no answers does not stop me from asking them.
i don't know. i'm rambling on and on.
sometimes i want to be back in a relationship again. i want the warmth of somebody's arms. i want those hugs that make me feel special. i want to be kissed. i want someone to turn to when i'm deliriously happy, or terribly sad. i want to feel that he is near, even when he's cities away. i want those quiet drives, the comfortable silences, the loving stillness. no words necessary.
or maybe i don't want them. maybe i just miss all these.
all these maybes. i guess i'm just lonely. birthdays do this to me. year after year.
check back in next year. maybe i'll be typing in a different tune.
in the meantime, i'll post the ad that's printed on my shirt that i got from tibs.
~~~~~~~~
i'm 29.
went to an insurance company yesterday to claim my something or other freebie. of course they took the opportunity to try to sell me something. they made such a big deal about me being 29 and single.
first, they didn't believe i was 29 (salespeople. they will flatter you at every turn). then they didn't believe i wasn't married with kids. (bordering on insult. do i look like i've had kids already????) finally they didn't believe i don't have a boyfriend (ma'am with your looks.... like i said, salespeople).
am i past the marrying age? or the childbearing age? i don't think so. what's the hype all about? why do they look at you funny when you're 29, beautiful and single? (ahem)
i am sure there are a lot of people similarly situated. i'm sure they often get asked when they plan to marry, whether they are with a current significant other or not. i know i get asked a lot.
i don't really mind. most of the time. specially if the person asking is particularly dear to me, or obviously well-meaning, without any mean undertones. i simply answer that it'll come, someday. all in good time.
but then sometimes even i don't believe that statement. perhaps the biggest reason why i detest being asked is that even as i give a flip answer, even as i smile and shrug, i am asking the same question.
what if there's no one out there for me? or what if i met him already and i let him go by? what if i pushed him away without knowing i was? or worse, what if somebody else found him already?
i know these questions have no answers. perhaps only the Big Guy Up There has the answers.
still, knowing these questions have no answers does not stop me from asking them.
i don't know. i'm rambling on and on.
sometimes i want to be back in a relationship again. i want the warmth of somebody's arms. i want those hugs that make me feel special. i want to be kissed. i want someone to turn to when i'm deliriously happy, or terribly sad. i want to feel that he is near, even when he's cities away. i want those quiet drives, the comfortable silences, the loving stillness. no words necessary.
or maybe i don't want them. maybe i just miss all these.
all these maybes. i guess i'm just lonely. birthdays do this to me. year after year.
check back in next year. maybe i'll be typing in a different tune.
in the meantime, i'll post the ad that's printed on my shirt that i got from tibs.
"WANTED: dangerously
handsome man. must
like horses, have money,
and look good in jeans.
will train."
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