Oh Brother!

This print ad actually caught me by surprise. I remember receiving a call from Ford several weeks ago asking for Rick's contact number, but knowing my geeky melancholic brother, he's not the type to pose for print ads. I'd imagine our youngest, Raymond, doing so -- being the social sanguine that he is. But Rick? Nah... It takes a lot of effort for this guy to even make an appearance at parties or socialize with visitors at home.

But I gave them Rick's number nonetheless. I can still remember him telling me that he didn't want to show up for the Ford pictorials, but he might do so for the P10,000 worth of free gasoline incentive. Well, I guess free gas won him over. And I think I should ask for a cut for giving them his contact number. =)

Okay, okay... I'm posting an entry!

Due to insistent popular demand (first by Beng, now by Bong) I am posting a blog entry!

Now some of you may be curious why I have not been blogging for a while. Here are my reasons:

1. When writing has become work, it ceases to become leisure. I've been doing too much writing at work that my favorite past time at home has switched from blogging to playing DOTA (blame it all on my brothers who introduced me to that game).



2. There are less significant events but more significant expectations. But I'd rather write about things as they happen, so as not to disappoint my readers - or myself - when things do not happen the way we expect or want them to.



3. The most interesting of stories are better told in person. Now for those who want to be updated about my life, and can't find the more interesting or juicy stuff on my blog, all you have to do is invite me for a chat over coffee. ;)

There. I've a blog entry na ha. =)

Text Discoveries

“Ang profound naman ng discovery mo,” was Pastor Bong’s response to my text message. The limits of SMS messaging is not enough to show the sarcastic tone in his message – though knowing Pastor Bong, I can tell for sure that it was (hehe). But that text was not the discovery in itself – for the real discoveries came in with responses I received. Let me explain.

Having been swamped with so many social gatherings and interactions over the week, I decided to spend time alone in Makati on a Sunday afternoon. While having a solitary dinner at Greenbelt 1, I felt I needed some conversation. So I decided to use the unlimited Globe-to-Globe text promo I availed of the day before. So I typed in this message:

“M here havng diner alone at Thai in a Box in Greenbelt.
Solitude is good, but after a wyl, u realyz havng company is beter. Hehe.”

I then sent it to a dozen of my friends, partly to find out how they would respond to my musings, and mostly to just use up my free alone time and maximize my unlimited Globe-to-Globe text. Here are their responses...

• Four of them thought I wanted company that particular time, and even said they'd join me for dinner had they been free that time. These responses really caught my attention, since I did not intend to invite them to join me. Knowing the hospitable nature of us Filipinos, however, I guess we simply can read between the lines and are gracious in offering our company to someone who seems to need it.
• Three people asked “Why are you alone?” – two of them were simply curious what drove me to spend alone-time on a weekend, while the other one found it unusual for me to have dinner alone in Greenbelt.
• Two out of twelve knew that the text was just one of the outlets of my self-expression: Olive (who, perhaps having known me for almost a quarter of a century, just knows that it was one of those days when I would text my thoughts out loud); and Pastor Bong (whose response made me laugh out loud because of its sarcasm)
  
• And, there was one very different response – Jun, one of my cellgroup mates in IVCF, said: “Hehe… wrong send!”

Now I feel like I have done a text survey. I guess, I now have shifted to the researcher mode, and published a small research work on my blog.

By the way, it might interest you to know that I did a quota sampling of the respondents who were chosen based on their level of intellect and profundity (read: those whom I texted are people whom I consider intelligent and profound). And of course, they have to be a Globe subscriber. Hehehe...

Pause

It’s that blank page in between chapters. The rest between the musical notes. It’s that pause. That much-needed pause that form part of a masterpiece.

The absence of words does not connote emptiness. Silence is not synonymous with insignificance. For some things are just left unwritten. Events that are better left untold.

Write them all down I tried, but words escape me. It's like staring in silent admiration at something so beautiful that no words can aptly describe. Or maybe it is just a prolonged case of writer's block -- but until now I have not found a cure.

And so now I shift from writer to reader. The Author is beckoning me to re-read the past chapter in my life -- see the details of His matchless love – then sit silently as I behold a new one unfold. I have no idea what the next chapter will contain, but one thing’s for sure – the story will have a happy ending.

Soon I will share anecdotes with you, as I always have. But as of the moment, allow me to read first. Allow me that pause. I shall write again later.

Till my next entry.

Christmas Lights

Walking along the Makati Business District the night before, I can't help but notice the lights that lined the streets. Ayala Avenue is beautifully adorned with bright lanterns. Small twinkling bulbs elegantly cascade the lamposts and the leaves of trees and bushes. The buildings glitter with their own Christmas decorations, making the grey walls alive with color.

And the brightest of all lights along Ayala? Headlights. Christmas rush becomes traffic. Horrendous traffic. The jingle of the bells are mixed with the sound of roaring engines. Christmas carols are drowned out by the noise of the crowd during their last minute shopping spree. I then felt the exhaustion of the commercialized Christmas. Too many deadlines. Too many papers. Too many social gatherings. More often than not, I just wanted to stay home and stay far from the madding crowd.

Then I looked up above the towering buildings, and saw what may be left of the view of the evening sky. Beyond the restlessness of the city are another set of lights -- millions of miles away, lighting the dark expanse of the universe for thousands of years are the stars. Their faint faraway glow amid the brighter citylights may go unnoticed -- but in looking upon them, I had a glimpse of timelessness. Of eternity.

These may be the same stars that the shepherds gazed upon while they were watching their flocks the night the angels sang. These may be the same stars that led the wise men to the small stable in Bethlehem. The same stars that gave light upon the manger where the Savior was born -- only, they grew brighter that particular night.

And these are the timeless lights that constantly remind me what Christmas is all about -- more than two thousand years ago, the Creator came to earth to redeem His creation. An eternal and all-powerful God, in an infant's body, born among us lowly creatures. And in the humblest of all settings.

This truth never ceases to bring me awe. And enough joy as well to make me want to celebrate Christmas ... and find meaning and peace amid the glare of headlights and blare of horns.

May you all find meaning and wonder this Christmas as well. =)

The Story Behind the New Look

A frenzied sked this week had me looking for diversions to escape the reality of work and MBA life. I tried planning for a weekend getaway with Olive and Oliver to visit Pastor Bong in Baguio -- and enjoy the fresh mountain air that we Manila people are deprived of. But the girl has puppies to feed (at least that's a good preparation for motherhood, hehe), so the planning turned to drawing. I ended up instead in an impromptu overnight Friday gimik with Pierre, Third and Macoy, disrupting their normal evening routines and sleeping comforts (and appreciating the maximum tolerance they exerted just to accommodate my impulsive trippings). The rest of the weekend was a normal gym routine with Iam, an Italianni's dinner with my family and a window shopping spree with my mom.

Back home, I shifted to my normal but favorite diversion: blogging. I took a test on blogthings mostly for fun -- and partly to deal with my "mid-stress crisis" (hehe) -- and here was a rather revealing result of one of my tests...

You Should Get a MFA (Masters of Fine Arts)

You're a blooming artistic talent, even if you aren't quite convinced. You'd make an incredible artist, photographer, or film maker.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

Should I, really? Well, that had me thinking... the creativity of Fine Arts is a lot more enjoyable than the numbers I am enduring in my MBA. A few minutes ago, I was trying to decipher a number of financial statements, balance sheets, economic indicators and what-have-yous for my Refresher Paper in Financial Management -- the fifth of seven papers I have to submit this term. And the deadline is the same date as the big event that we are planning for our major client next week! Talk about toxic.

"You'd make an incredible artist, photographer or film maker," so says my test result. Well, I'm not quite convinced, but it did get me into the artistic mood. I set aside the 29-page Telkom South Africa case and all its financial annexes, opened my Photoshop and started working on a new design for my banner. Soon, I was also experimenting on my RGB codes and changing the shades of my blog. Upon seeing my finished product, I said to myself "Not bad for a Fine Arts Master - wannabe."

Now that my artwork is finished, it's time to go back to my real course -- and drown myself once more in financial ratios, risks and corporate valuations. Gah.

Wireless!

Nechie has gone wireless!

Here am I, at Starbucks Morato, using Macoy's high-tech WiFi-enabled laptop... happily blogging without the use of dial-up servers or internet cables... over the sweet aroma of toffee nut latte and the delectable taste of oreo cheesecake. First time in all my blogging history!

Ah the wonders of technology. ;)

Something New

When I attended the convergence of Influencers International a week ago, I wanted to leave Tagaytay discovering something new about three long-time friends who were with me on that adventure. Let me tell you about them and my recent discoveries.


Beng. Having her as my roommate during the convergence gave me the chance to discover more about Beng. I have known her since I was in fifth grade, but I was closer to her sister Chayen who was my contemporary. The short greetings after church service is never enough to discern this lady's mind and heart, though you get a glimpse of both through her blog. But being a blogger myself, there are just some things you do not write about for everyone's consumption - and usually, these are the things that reveal much about you. I'm glad to have had access -- even for a short time -- to such things in Beng's mind. Things you will not see her write in her blog. It is then that I have confirmed that she is a woman of depth. Yet, despite the profundity of her thoughts, she still is shallow (o di ba, deep but shallow?). For I discovered that Beng is one of the enjoyable companions when it comes to "girl talks." To spare you the mystery, we mostly laugh about the idiosyncrasies of men (hehe) and how much we enjoy our differences with them. Everytime Beng gives a piece of her mind, I know for sure it is a "piece" can definitely make you learn and laugh.


Toto. I remember calling him Kuya Toto way back in college for he was two years my senior. Soon afterwards, I had to do away with the kuya - not that I lost respect for him - but somehow, as you get older, the age gap closes. I missed my chance of getting to know Toto during my college days since I used to steer away from people his age thinking they were a bit too mature for me. That is why, it was only through this convergence that I had a glimpse into the extremely opinionated -- almost volcanic -- mind of this individual. You would see him talking with different people, debating, discussing. I recall seeing him get into intense discussions and heated debates back in college. His emails in our yahoogroups and the exchange between him and some other opinionated movers is enough proof how passionate he is in expressing his views. And I enjoyed listening to him debate and challenge other people's thinking and stimulate discussion. The discussions were more interesting with him around, for he was not afraid to go against the flow. What an interesting discovery.


Pierre. I never expected to discover anything new about Pierre during the convergence. He has been one of my closest friends since college, and I've seen that the years have not changed him much. I saw that he is still the quiet leader I've known him to be, only wiser now. He still had the habit of asking hard questions, though they are more thought-provoking now. He still takes time for one-on-one conversations, but now, such times are more precious since they are subject to the limits of his schedule. Having been constantly in touch with him, I held no expectations of new discoveries about Pierre during the convergence. I was right. Because it happened the week after: I was rummaging through the pictures in his wallet, which allowed me to see a side of Pierre I have not seen in the twelve years I've known him. The girl in the picture inside his wallet whom he calls his "first love" is actually his mom when she was still a teenager (all the while I thought it was someone else!). And, it was only then that I realized that he had a brother (for twelve years, I lived with the notion that all three of his siblings were girls!). Sometimes my discoveries surprise me. "Imagine knowing a person for more than a decade and all the while she thinks you're the only boy among four siblings," he reacts, "that's new."

Lesson learned from all these? No matter how long you have known a person, you cannot say for sure that you actually know them. There will always be something new to discover. =)

Sevens for Pastor Bong

I missed Pastor Bong's despedida at church today. As my penance, I am dedicating this blog entry enumerating my sevens for my favorite pastor (hehehe, sipsip!). Here they are...

Seven reasons why i missed the despedida:
1. I live in faraway Quezon City
2. I have to finish a Management Science Refresher Paper by Friday
3. I did not have a meal to bring to the potluck dinner
4. I hate goodbyes
5. I will still see him naman eh
6. I plan to visit Baguio soon (at makikituloy ako sa kanila ni Danielle)
7. Drawing ako eh, hehehe

Seven things I like most about Pastor Bong:
1. His sense of humor and fun-loving disposition
2. His interesting sermons and writings
3. His book collection
4. His movie recommendations
5. His cooking!
6. His photochromic glasses
7. His colorful table cloth... er, I mean polo, hehe

Seven important things I learned from Pastor Bong
1. This "Sevens" game
2. Christianity is fun
3. Under the Tuscan Sun
4. Fitness First
5. Indian Mongo Curry
6. Post Modernism
7. Chocolate Mudshake! (hehehe)

Seven random facts I know about Pastor Bong
1. Aside from the obvious fact that he's a book and movie buff?
2. He is "omnipresent" in coffee shops within Makati & Paranaque
3. He's being paired up with *toot*
4. and *toot*
5. and *toot*
6. He once lived in a Hobbit Hole in BF Homes
7. He is the "Roar of the Rings" ...hahaha!

Seven things I plan to do to Pastor Bong before Rapture
1. Get his pasta recipes
2. Treat him to Grappas (as I promised but never delivered... yet!)
3. Swap Under The Tuscan Sun paperbacks with him (as promised too)
4. Attend his wedding
5. Attend his wedding
6. Attend his wedding
7. Attend his wedding (hehehe)

Seven people I want to comment on this post
1. Beng
2. Olive
3. Aleks
4. Dennis
5. Pastor Bong
6. Pastor Bong
7. Pastor Bong
8. Pastor Bong (oops... lumampas, seven lang pala dapat!)

Wishing for Rapture

It was but a short drive from Makati to Quezon City, but feeling the exhaustion of an emotionally tiring weekend and an equally physically tiring Monday late enrollment, I asked my classmate Leo to drive. I have not had enough sleep over the weekend. There were just too many things to do and visitors to attend to during my lola's wake. I felt like it was a town fiesta since the barangay closed half the street to accommodate the influx of visitors who came to pay their last respects. The people spilled over to the street, blocking all vehicles who wanted to pass by. Many are the lives Lola Siony had touched. Now, the old ancestral house will be empty of her laughter. Of the radiant smile that would greet its visitors at the door. Of the listening ear that was patient enough to sit through all our raves and our rants.

As I was reminiscing the days when lola was still alive, Leo mentioned the movie "Left Behind." Soon, the conversation turned to talks of rapture. I noticed that lately, discussions about the end of the world are being brought up, particularly now that the disaster keeps striking at different parts of the world. Tsunamis. Bombings. Hurricanes. Rising Super Powers. Is the end really near?

I then found myself wishing for rapture. Partly because I just want to find myself caught up in the clouds and not experience death. And partly because I do not want to experience losing any one of my loved ones again. As I articulated my desire for rapture, Leo reacted: He still wanted to do a lot of things before leaving this world. Wel, I, too, had listed in this blog, seven things I wanted to do before I die (or, if I am fortunate enough, before I get raptured). But as I read through my list, I realized that I do not really mind if I don't get to do these things during my lifetime. Except one. That is: make a difference in the lives of my relatives and friends.

Well, I guess I have to start working on that. Pray with me, that they may all come to know Jesus personally. Once they do, then I can already think about diving at Apo Island and visiting Europe. And of course, finding true love. hahaha... ;)

Back to Bach

This is the cello that occupied the right side of the stage of the PhilAmLife Theatre last Sunday. It is two centuries old. Antique. Ancient. But it can still produce music.

The cello gave a visual prelude to what we were about to witness that night. As the hall lights started to dim, the old cello became more resplendent. Then the cellists came. I soon found myself in a musical journey from the Baroque period of the late 1600s to the high romantics of the 19th century. After the intermission, it was heavy metal music -- only, the finer sound of eighteen cellos played in lieu of electric guitars. It was Bach to Metallica indeed.

It has been quite a while since I last attended a concert like this. For several years I had access to almost all of Manila's classical concerts, plays, and musicals. I even remember watching Lea Salonga in the musical Miss Saigon at the CCP Main Theatre -- one orchestra center ticket costs P4,000 and I got it for free! All these I took for granted.

Soon I left the station, and became busy with other things such as free trips to Negros Oriental (hehe), graduate studies, work and gimiks. My classmates exposed me to the more boisterous music such as Rock, Reggae and House. I would genuinely enjoy the beat for a few minutes. Then I would try to look for a finer tune -- a more meaningful and deeper sound beyond the beat of drums of the rhythm of electric guitars. Finding none, I switch to jazz and crossover music -- having temporarily forgotten that there is such a thing as classical music.

My recent assignment for the October issue of Enterprise Magazine brought me back to the old hang-outs with old friends, discussing long-forgotten topics such as orchestras and classical artists and the station. Then I found myself in a familiar place, listening to a familiar tune. Thanks to Martin who so generously gave me orchestra center seats to this concert he so creatively organized, and to Deo who obliged to take photos when I cannot (yes, he took these photos -- his digital SLR captured more beautifully the color and action that my point-and-shoot cannot) -- and most of all to Sir Bombing (if not for him, I would not have had this assignment) -- I found myself once again indulging in two things that have deprived myself of for years: listening to classical music, and writing about it.

It does feel good to be Bach... i mean, back. =)

Thinking of Seven

Due to insistent popular demand (okay, it's just Pastor Bong and Beng who asked me to do this)... here are my sevens...

Seven things that scare me
1. "A cage. To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them."
2. Snakes and sharks and any animal that bites! (even mosquitos)
3. All kinds of diseases
4. Being the center of attention (I have stage fright)
5. “totally blind” dates (going out with a total stranger freaks me out)
6. The End of the World (that’s why I want to be “Raptured”)
7. “Divine Discipline” (it can be quite painful, you know)

Seven things I like the most
1. Enjoyable conversations
2. Inspiring words (from movies, books, sermons or a simple chat)
3. The Great Outdoors
4. Relaxing Music
5. Smiles of people
6. Water (to drink, to take a bath in, the swim in, to relax in)
7. Chocolate (specially the ones with a tinge of alcohol, hehehe)

Seven important things in my room
1. The Window! (wishing it had a great view)
2. Cotton or Wool Blanket
3. Two Pillows
4. My Bible
5. My Journal and its bookmark
6. Closet Full of Clothes
7. House slippers

Seven random facts about me
1. Most people have wrong first impressions about me
2. I have eyeglasses that I don’t wear (unless my eyes are strained)
3. I can be a tour guide in Negros Oriental though I’m not a native
4. I modeled for a fashion brochure when I was five years old
5. I've a gazillion nicknames (invented by my friends)
6. I’m a published photojournalist! (hehe, proud ba)
7. I firmly believe that God answers all our prayers

Seven things I plan to do before I die
1. Dive at Apo Island
2. Visit Europe
3. Write my autobiography (even if it doesn’t get published)
4. Own a top-of-the-line digital SLR
5. Make a difference in the lives of my relatives & friends
6. Get a life insurance
7. Find true love (hehehe, mushy!)

Seven things I can do
1. Chat for hours (well, actually it depends who I am chatting with)
2. Write and take pictures
3. Swim (though I get scared when it gets around 10 feet deep)
4. Recite some lines from the LOTR movies
5. Cook a few edible meals (Wana share to me your recipes? hehe)
6. See humor in the most mundane things
7. Listen.

Seven things I can’t do
1. Wear 4-inch stilettos (I’d trip!)
2. Be totally comprehensible at half past midnight
3. Read my MBA books from cover to cover (even if it were required)
4. Sing in front of people (I can sing in the bathroom though)
5. Be on Fear Factor (I can’t do what they do)
6. Solve complex mathematical problems
7. Solve people’s problems (I can only listen and give advice)

Seven things that attract me to the opposite sex
1. Intelligence
2. Good-natured humor
3. Strong values and rock-solid principles
4. Mga Talentado!
5. Voice (baritone sounds good, hehe)
6. Smile (who wants a frown, anyway?)
7. Fashionable eyeglasses
(I don’t know why, but I find them attractive, hehe)

Seven things I say the most
1. Hahahahaha
2. Hehehehe
3. Ngyak
4. Yikes
5. Haller
6. Hala
7. Yeah right

Seven celebrity crushes
1. Jim Elliot (it’s his passion)
2. Aragorn (it’s his rugged charm)
3. Will Smith (he is so fun and witty)
4. Hugh Grant (it’s the boyish yet cultured countenance)
5. Prince William (It’s his royal title)
6. Gary V (the voice!)
7. Sam Milby (cute sya eh, hehe)

Seven People I Want To Take This Quiz
People who haven’t taken it yet…
1. Rick
2. Macoy
3. Christine
4. Joni
5. Grace
6. Liezl
7. Doms

Trip to Reality

I had long postponed this trip. Not because I found the city less beautiful than the others. I actually have loved this city since childhood. Most of my summer vacations were spent here enjoying the countryside scenes and the company of my cousins. But lately, I have been afraid to go back. Afraid of the changes I shall see. Not of the city streets and sceneries – they have remained largely the same over the years – but changes I will see in people.

As I child, my heart would jump everytime I hear the word “Cavite.” It means that I will again pay a visit to my lola’s house. That I will have a taste of her delicious tinola, her crunchy fried chicken and her mouth-watering cordon. That I will play with my cousins at the well, where we douse each other with its cold water then hear our lola’s loud voice telling us to stop all our mischief. At night, we stay at her sala, hiding from the bats that come out after dark, and just listen to stories of her youth – of how she loved playing the piano, how she enjoyed fiestas and won for herself a beauty queen title in their barangay.

That was then. Now there is a stark change in the image I see. The hands that once nimbly glided through the piano keyboard now cannot even hold a spoon to feed herself. The voice that strongly but lovingly scolded us for all our mischief has grown faint. The youth in Barangay San Antonio’s former beauty queen seems to have vanished, and turned into a thin and frail figure lying on a bed all day.

Sometimes reality strikes hard at you. I shiver at the thought that many years ago, this woman was once like me – attending parties, developing her talents, joining competitions -- experiencing all that life has to offer, only to come to a point of total dependence on the people around her. More so at the thought that I, too, may come to a point in my life when my eyes will no longer feast on the magnificence of the sunrise or on the smiles of my loved ones; when my feet will not anymore take me trekking up mountainslopes, or down the street toward a friend's house; when my hands can no longer play the piano or sketch a picture or write a poem.

I have long denied this reality. A lot of us do. We live our lives as if there is no tomorrow. As if none of us will ever grow old. As if time will stand still for us. Well, it never did. And it never will. Each tick of the clock brings us closer to the reality that we all must face: our mortality.

But despite the weakening of her body, I noticed my lola still had the spark and the spirit she always possessed throughout the years. Her eyes, no matter how weak they have grown, still sparkled when she hears our voice calling her name. Her smile, which would have won her the beauty title in her teenage years, is even more beautiful at this age, for with it comes the many joyful days she spent with her children, and her children’s children. And her soft voice can still utter the usual wit and sarcasm that is typical of lola, eliciting tons of laughter from those around her.

I’m glad I made that trip. Though I had to face that harsh reality about our humanity, I also encountered one glorious truth: that beyond the frailty of our bodies, is an eternal spirit. I had a glimpse of that spirit in my lola. Indeed, there is promise of eternity. And on that promise I rest.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time,
He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
yet they cannot fathom what God has done
from beginning to end."
Ecclesiastes 3:11

Published!

There was a time when I came across this question: "If you had the time and the money to do whatever you wanted, how would you be living your life right now?" The first thing that came to mind was: "I'd be a travel writer and photojournalist... I'd travel to places, delight in the beauty of nature, enjoy the richness of the culture; then preserve the images my eyes can see in pictures, and the impressions my mind can make in words."

That's one of the reason why I keep my own writer's blogck and my photo blogck -- I guess it's an outlet of two things I've always loved doing: writing and photography. So you can't really blame a girl for raving about this article published in the August 2005 issue of Enterprise Magazine, can you?

Just check out the name of the writer and photographer, if you want to know what i mean. ;)






Now don't those photos look familiar? Click on the images if you want a closer look at the article... or if you want to see it for real, go buy a copy at your nearest magazine stand. ;) .

That Little Book

What will you do
when the person whose name
is sporadically mentioned in your journal
suddenly discovers that secret little book
that no one ever has access to, except you?
When you have no idea
which part he might have read,
and if, in the few pages he may have flipped through,
he found his name, written in your handwriting,
with such fondness
that you don’t usually ascribe to your other friends?

How will you react
when he casually hands you your treasured little book,
saying it fell from among the things you were carrying?
And as he hands it to you,
straight faced,
innocent-looking,
with no sign of mischief,
he says “This must be your diary?”
And upon checking that little book, you realize
that the bookmark is on the page of your last entry,
and his name on the first paragraph?

What if
he may already have an inkling
of your thoughts about him?
If he was able to get a glimpse
of the words you poured into that little book,
written as if no one will ever read it,
or even just glance at it?
And you ask yourself why, of all people,
should he be the first one to do so?
Will you be embarrassed of that little revelation?
Or would you be glad that at least he now knows?

That Little Letter Blooper

This picture is a remembrance of that little letter blooper we committed last week. Three were we -- Leo (the budding photographer who took this photo) Marianna (the photogenic Lisa Macuja look-alike in picture) and me (in candid mode, photo-finishing our presentation) -- the more industrious and more intelligent half of the group (hehe), seen here working late into the night while the other half did not even bother attend the meetings. Tired and exhausted after finishing our report, we vent all our frustrations on a letter addressed to the three freeloaders -- with warnings of "impending doom" should they not pull their act together; but without any intention of sending the letter to them, all in the name of peace. It was just our "stress reliever" for the night. And yes, we are very nice and forgiving MBA students, so we simply saved the file on Marianna's laptop and called it a day.

Report time came the following day, and just when we decided to erase all traces of last night's sneer and satire, the letter was no where to be found! And of all people who had to discover the file, it was one of the unintended recipients -- the file was just on the laptop's desktop, with his name as the file name!

Blooper of the trimester? Indeed. Should we be bothered that he read the unfiltered sarcasms we poured out on that letter? Maybe. But honestly, I wasn't bothered at all. I found the blooper totally hilarious, and somehow, I'm actually glad he read it. =)

Alone Again

Just when I had so much to do this week – reports in school, reports at work, client calls and meetings – that little accident had to happen. It was largely my fault because I was not looking where I was stepping. An uneven portion of the parking lot floor sent me tumbling down on one knee with a sprained ankle. I had to climb back up my unit hopping on one leg, calling the office that I can’t report for work, and texting my groupmates that I cannot join them in our report tonight. Well, they were gracious to me, maybe because they simply loved the animated powerpoint presentation I whipped up for our report (one of the things I learned from my brother Rick).

After a few texts and phone calls, my phone was soon silent. I turned to other things to pass the time – the TV, the net, the piano, my books – but none of these satisfied me. I realized, somehow, I needed to talk to people!

In my previous entry, I said I spent my birthday alone. Yes, I may have been alone that time, but still, I interacted with people– I talked to the barista at Starbucks, the cashier at Powerbooks, the saleslady at Mossimo, some fellow members at Fitness First. I wasn’t really alone during my birthday, for there were people around me.

This time, I am confined to the four walls of my apartment. I was really alone. It can get really lonely not seeing people around you. I had this compelling desire to go out, but my swollen feet wouldn’t let me. So I had to spend my alone-time really alone. I’m just glad that God gave us access to communicate with Him. Otherwise, alone-times can really be lonely. And so we talked. And guess what we talked mostly about? People. My family, my relatives, my friends, my officemates, my classmates. We even talked about GMA and about Garci.

And before I knew it, the day was over. The doorbell rang. So did my phone. I soon had family members in the apartment, and friends at the other end of the phone line. Well, I’m not really alone after all.

Song Without Words

I am writing this entry while listening to Felix Mendelssohn’s Song Without Words. This has been one of my favorite classical pieces, perhaps because of the solitary sound of the piano, which sets me in a rather reflective mood. The title itself denotes a sense of elusiveness and enigma. No words are used, the emotion and message of the song are expressed in piano music.

The piece is a good background music while I write this blog entry… the first I shall write without pictures. I know that in my previous entry, I said that I cannot write well without good photos. Thanks to Pastor Bong who lent me his book, Under The Tuscan Sun, I discovered how words without pictures can stimulate my imagination. I was fascinated at how Frances Mayes described her vintage house in Tuscany, and how my imagination flowed with images of quaint furnitures, the scent of apple trees and the sound of people's laughter. You will fall in love with the place just by reading about it. No need for pictures, only words. (I hope never to return that book… maybe Pastor Bong will just give it to me as a birthday gift, hehe.. hint… hint…)

I now realize that the absence of something explicit makes a work of art - such as a musical piece or a classic novel - beautiful.

I celebrated my birthday today without a party, and even without company. This has been my practice ever since I turned twenty. Some people ask me how come I like spending my birthdays alone. It is not because I don’t want company on this special day – I was actually blest with so many text greetings (I woke up and found more than 20 text messages in my cellphone inbox, and that’s not even half the greetings I received today!) – but it is in the absence of company that makes me all the more appreciative of the friendships I have. I had time to thank God for all the wonderful people He had brought into my life: there are new friends and acquaintances – people whom I met at this stage in my life, adding to my joy as I embark on this journey of getting to know them; and there are my loved ones and life-long friends – those who have been with me in this journey since time imemorial, who have come to know me inside out, and have accepted the person that I am.

Now, as I think about it… I wouldn’t have appreciated the magic and emotion in Mendelssohn’s piece had he placed words with the music. I wouldn’t have been fascinated by the images of Tuscany in my mind had Frances Mayes placed pictures in her book. I wouldn’t have cherished my friendships as much as I do now had I not spent solitary times to reflect upon them.

And, I wouldn’t have written this blog had I looked for a good-enough picture for this entry. I’m glad I didn’t have to.

Redirecting to my PhotoBlogck

I haven't updated my writer's blogck for a while. Why? Because I am out of good-enough pictures showing me in one of my misadventures. Admittedly, I cannot write without good photos (I think the visual images actually affect my writing) so I was compelled to learn a little photography, and take the pictures myself. I'm still an amateur though, and I know my images cannot compare with that of my professional photojournalist friends. But when I do chance upon something beautiful (such as the Dumaguete sunrise above), I cannot help but preserve the moment on my digicam. I have shared them on my photoblogck, which, as of now, is more updated than my writer's blogck. I hope you can take time to visit by clicking on the picture above. =)

Mashed Eggs, Mushy Topics

Valentines day. The air in Makati changed when nightfall came. Not that it got less polluted - though I wish it did - the Valentines ambience just made it seem so. RCBC Plaza - a high-tech building with all its hotspots and sensorized escalators - had a classic look as roses and soft lights welcomed its visitors at the lobby entrance. Starbucks had a different flavor: the aroma of freshly brewed coffee was still there, but the small round tables usually topped with books or laptops are now adorned with flowers and candlelight.

My companions soon arrived one by one, and after a small chitchat, we started discussing the most incredible topic ever on Valentines day... powdered eggs.

Yes, powdered eggs. A very appropriate topic for such a day isn't it? It was actually our report for Production Management class that was due in four days -- and we were already on panic mode. So six La Salle MBA students (you can see their pictures above, talking about powdered eggs over coffee, flowers & candlelight) met on Valentines Day. For most of us, it was no big deal. But for some, the thought of a meeting on a special occasion was simply pathetic. To top it all, our discussions revolved around such an unromantic topic: EGGS.

Though mashed eggs won the floor, there was still some degree of mushiness in the meeting. One of us tagged her date along, and another came in late since she simply had to go on a date before our meeting.

The night before was even more mushy. I received a number of corny text messages (no offense to those forwarded me those Valentines greetings), five invitations to dinners and banquets (not now, I'm on a carb diet to prepare for Chayen's wedding), a confrontation with a friend who thought I was avoiding him (is this what happens when you get too busy?), and an online chat with a former classmate who, in his own words, was feeling "mushy" and "crappy," and typed in a dash of profanities that aptly described what he was feeling (too bad there is no way to filter bad words sent through YM, unlike in Ragnarok).

Well, there is really something about Valentines day that turns people into sentimental fools. Good thing my groupmates were not as sappy as some of the people I encountered the night before. Don't get me wrong -- I like discussing life and love and the lessons learned from these. But last night was simply an overdose of slushy syndromes that I'm glad our group talked about mashed eggs rather than mushy topics. Even on Valentines Day.