no. 19: the kid in me

it's been a week since my last post. medyo busy kasi ako.  i'm planting lots of sunflower in my backyard kasi the zombies are coming! hahahaa!  opo, kinakarir ko ang plants vs zombies na karamihan ng mga adik ay na-adik na rin.  in fact, i held the record sa grupo ng 27 flags for two weeks kaso kanina lang inabot na ako ni maccoy.  kaya pag-uwi ko ngayong hapon kinarir ko ulit.  hmmm, matagal-tagal na ulit before they can catch up with my 32 flags! haha!

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oo naman, nag-pupuyat din ako sa computer games just like everybody else.  noong mga unang panahon na family computer pa ang uso, natapos ko yong 50 levels yata ng bomber man, pati galaga, queen bee, 1945 at syempre ang super mario na ang kalaban ko eh yong mga pamangkin kong napapalo ng mga nanay nila kasi hindi na umuuwi.  buti na nga lang hindi na ako pwedeng paluin ng nanay ko noon kahit magpuyat ako kaka-laro!  yon ang sarap ng being an adult! hehehe!

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nabaliw din ako non sa prince of persia na computer game pa long before it was made into a not-so-hit movie by jake gylenhall. and about 2 years ago, bumili pa ako ng games sa yahoo like ranch rush which is a better version of farmville pati ang kumpletong build-a-lot 1, 2 3 and 4.  hanggang ngayon nilalaro ko pa rin sila. 

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sa yahoo din ako bumili ng jeopardy pati family feud which, of course alam nyo namang spin-off ng favorite tv game shows ko na buti naman hanggang ngayon pinapalabas pa rin ng mbc4 during weekends.  but my all-time favorite ay scrabout na computer version ng scrabble.

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hindi ko lang sinubukan yong mga violent games like counterstrike coz i'm one who doesn't find excitement on bloods sputtering all over.  or yong mga strategy games like warcraft and age of empire. wala kasi akong tyaga. besides, pambata lang talaga ang nae-enjoy kong games.  wag ka nang magtaka, isip-bata eh! hehehehe.

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o, dx ball?  aba expert ako dyan! ahahha! so who said i'm boring and old-fashioned? 

no. 18: pag dhl mabilis!

Over lunch today, maingay na naman ang mga adik. One of the many topics being discussed (simultaneously, as usual) was about internet connection. May narinig akong DSL sa kabilang dulo nong mesa kaya sumingit ako at tumira ng ‘pag DHL mabilis’. Everybody around the table, being internet techies themselves, ang daling napick-up ng supposedly booboo ko. Nagtawanan. Si JunC tinanong pa ako kung intentional daw yon.

Of course it was. Gusto kong mag-joke even if it’s on me. Kahit papano may humor naman ako. Ascerbic nga lang minsan. But instead of quelling JunC’s suspicion on my very rare slip-off, nakitawa pa ako at bumanat ng ‘bakit, am I not allowed to commit mistakes?’. Hindi raw. Kasi pag mga tulad daw namin (Ega and Raoul) ang magkakaganon hindi raw bagay.

Siguro lang nasanay sila na magbasa ng mga sinusulat ko. Or sanay na silang bumabanat ako every now and then ng mga trivia that makes them go ‘ahhh ganon pala’. Sus, kakapanood ko ba naman ng tv at kakabasa sa internet. Aside from the fact that I have a few good years of experience ahead of them. Eh mga totoy pa sila ako nakapantalon na! hahahah!
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That’s why they have this notion that I’m too good for a stupid mistake like that. Tipong kung magkakamali, hindi na kasing-tuleg (pahiram ega… hehehe) ng DHL versus DSL. I just hope they didn’t believe it was real. Joke lang po yon. Nagpapatawa lang.

Pero sa totoo lang, talagang may mga booboo ako. At ako mismo nahihiya sa sarili ko for being so careless.

Like one time, tumawag si Ega… ‘nasan ka na’… sumagot ako ‘on the way na ako’. On the way? Buntis ako? hahaha! Ewan. Lapit kasi ng ‘I’m on my way’. Halos magkatunog kaya wala sa oras, nabuntis ako! hahahaha…

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A few weeks ago my friend Jonas and I were in Herfy (burger house po yon sa mga hindi taga-Saudi). Bigla akong tumayo, pumunta sa counter at tumira ng ‘kabayan pengeng Mayoneys’. MA as in maganda or maengot instead of the usual maarteng pronunciation nating mga pinoy na ‘meyoneys’. Alam ko nag-isip si kabayan. Siguradong isasama na nya ako sa isang high-ranking military na ang sabi sa burger eh ‘burdyer’!

One thing I don’t commit though is the very obvious and almost criminal redudancy in ‘at least kahit papano’. Daming words non at tamad ako kaya either one of the two lang ang ginagamit ko. At least. Kahit papano. Pero hindi magkasama. ‘At least at least’? or ‘Kahit papano kahit papano’.! Para kang echo! Hahaha!

May ilan pa akong katimangan na hindi ko lang agad maalala while I’m writing this. My point, however, is that yon nga, am I not allowed to commit mistakes?. Hangga’t maari wag sana. At kung may mga error man dito sa mga pino-post ko, maniwala po kayo I’m trying my best not to be careless about it. in fact, binabasa ko pa rin kahit lumang posts ko just to see kung meron akong palpak na sinulat.

If ever na may makita kayo, sabihan nyo na lang ako. Don’t worry di ko kayo tatanungin ng ‘am I not allowed…’ hehehehe…

no. 17: marlboro and six-pack

Nothing’s constant but change. Cliché pero totoo. Everything has to evolve from one point to another. From one form to another. At palagay ko nandon ako sa mood na yon.

Coz suddenly, out of the blue, I felt like straightening out a few crooked ways. Hindi ko na kailangang maghintay ng New Year to implement someresolution. It could be done right here, right now sabi ko sa sarili ko.

First, I’ve decided to quit a long-time habit. Yup, it’s exactly one month today na smoke-free na ako. Something I should have done a long time ago. Buhat pa nong sinabihan ako ng doctor to quit smoking, stop using perfumes and avoid dust para hindi ma-exacerbate ang allergic rhinitis ko.

Kailangan pang sipunin ako ng 2 beses na ilang linggo lang ang pagitan bago ko lubayan ang pagpaparusa sa respiratory system ko. It must have been crying out for mercy na ewan ko ba naman kung bakit ini-ignore ko. So I said better stop now dahil hindi ko naman pinangarap na maubos ang retirement fund ko sa pagpapagamot ng emphysema or worse, television na walang kulay!

Fortunately, hindi ako dumadanas ng mga sinasabi nilang withdrawal symptoms. Aside from a few days na parang naglalaway ako, wala na akong ibang naramdaman. Considering na ang tagal ko ring suki ng Marlboro white. And I hope I can keep my resolve para hindi na bumalik yon. Will do my lungs some good pati na ang bulsa ko. Lalo na ngayon na SR7 na ang isang kaha. Kamahal!

I’ve also grown tired of my ever-expanding belly. From my eternal 27 waistline, it suddenly expanded to 32 over the last two years. Dahil sa katakawan kong kumain pero hindi man lang nag-e-exercise. Ang pangit nang tingnan dahil hindi naman kalakihan ang frame ko and at 5ft 6in, para akong butete.

Dati ayaw kong magsuot ng uniform na issue ng kumpanya pero ngayon sinusuot ko na rin dahil ang mahal na ng pantalon. My favorite Dickies jeans na dating SR 120-130 lang ngayon halos SR 200 na. Kaya hindi pwedeng bili ng bili ng pantalon.

Kaya nag-umpisa na rin akong mag-exercise. Halos one month na rin akong nagsi-sit-up araw-araw. Hopefully maituloy ko rin at hindi lang parang sumpong. Hindi ko pinangarap na magka-six packs. Tama na sa akin yong lumiit ng konti or, at the least, mapigil na ang paglaki. Besides, masarap mag-shower sa umaga pag nakapag-exercise. Hindi tulad ng dati na tubig ang gumigising sa tulog kong kalamnan.

Changes for the good. Sana kayanin ko. It’s just a question of resolve. Ang siste lang, I gotta have a lot of will power. Mas marami dapat sa aking katamaran. And that, my friends, is the real challenge!

no. 16: bakuna

dapat karugtong ito nong no. 10 ko entitled i've never... kasi sa buong buhay ko hindi pa ako nabakunahan. i don't have those scars in the upper arm like most people i know. ewan ko pero for whatever reason, my parents seem not to have bothered to bring me to the hospital for a vaccination noong maliit pa ako.

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and now that malaki na ako at alam ko na kung ano ang hitsura ng injection, ayaw ko na. kasi takot ako don. kaya siguro madalas akong may sipon. coz the immunity system is low dahil nga wala akong antibodies. eto nga at sinisipon na naman ako at may kati-kati pa ng lalamunan kung kelan pa naman kailangan sa trabaho na mag-ngangawa ako maghapon.

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though this one is coming from my allergic rhinitis. na-irritate na naman dahil kahapon i changed my perfume. eh sabi pa naman ng doktor sa akin, for that allergy to go away, kailangan daw that i stop smoking, stop using perfumes and avoid dust. yong dust walang problema pero the other two, well, pasaway lang talaga ako. kaya ayan sisinghot-singhot na naman.

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nagkataon naman that our clinic is now offering the seasonal flu shot like what they are doing on a yearly basis. pero ilang taon na nilang ginagawa yon and hindi naman ako nagpapa-shot. takot nga ako sa bakuna eh. tsaka nilalagnat pa raw di ba. ayoko kaya non!

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sa isang banda, maganda na rin coz i know that my natural system is working. at least natural resistensya ang ginagamit ko. but with the onslaught of the swine flu, baka pag-isipan ko na rin.

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i-kwento ko agad dito kung sinumpong ako ng tapang at na-overcome ko na ang takot ko sa injection!

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no. 15: bangggg!!!!

Baril. Pumuputok. Yan lagi ang naririnig ko pag nag-bibingo kami ng Nanay ko. Nong una nag-tanong pa ako kung ano yon. 45 nga pala. Well, I could’ve had an explosive birthday celebration last Wednesday. Makalaglag-baga sana ang candle blowing dahil 45 candles na yong ibo-blow ko. But yon nga, I spent the day curled up in bed nursing a flu na ewan ko ba naman kung bakit bumagsak sa akin with such impeccable timing.
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Yup, 45 na po ako and most of my friends know. Si Raoul pa, nothing escapes his 201 files kaya ilang araw din nyang binandera ang mga cute na b-day cards that says 45. And I’ve got no problems with that. Afterall, I’ve got no quarrel with my age. I recognize with pride na malayo na ang narating ng edad ko in terms of days. Tumalon na sa kalendaryo. Malapit na ring tumalon sa mega lotto. Buti na lang nandyan pa ang bingo.
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So while I was lying in bed waiting for that couple of panadol to bring me some comfort, I was thinking to myself, ano ba dapat pag 45 na? Old na ba yon? Should I feel like my joints are stuck at kailangan na ng WD40? Dapat ba malapit na akong makamukha ni Brader o kaya ni Felice? Ano ba ang nagawa ng 45 years sa akin? Where should the 16,425 days show?

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Well, as the fever subsided and the body pains slowly went away, that’s when I realized that the magic word for 45 is not OLD. Instead, it’s MATURED. And that’s when I started some introspection again.

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Matured saan? Psychologically? Emotionally? Physically? Financially? Sige, isa-isahin natin.

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Psychologically, hindi ko na yata hinintay na mag-45 ako bago pa ako mag-mature. In fact, matagal na akong 45 kung ito ang pag-uusapan natin. Noong college pa lang ako pero nagkukumahog na akong mag-support ng family ko, noon pa lang 45 na ako.

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Malaking factor kasi sa psychological maturity ang kahirapan. Coz you’re more exposed to challenges na normally hindi nararanasan ng iba. If you were born poor at nangangarap kang umahon sa kahirapang kinagisnan mo, then you have to be older than your age. 17 years old ka pero alam mo na kung ano ang meaning ng responsibilidad, ng hard-work, dedication, focus at determination. Hindi ka pa nagde-debut pero daig mo pa ang pamilyadong tao. Hindi ka pa nakaka-boto pero buo na ang prinsipyo mo sa buhay.

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Kaya kung maagang dumating sa akin ang maturity, konti na lang ang nasagap ko as years went on. Nag-improve lang siguro sa ilang bagay like yong manner ng pagha-handle ko ng problems. Hindi na ako panicky tulad ng dati. At ngayon mas masarap nang magbigay ng advise. Marami na kasing naranasan over the years. Marami nang natutunan. (Masakit kung maraming naranasan pero walang natutunan!).

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Emotionally naman medyo kulang pa siguro ang maturity ko. Oo nga at marami na akong dinanas, the pain and sufferings of love lost, relationships broken, family ties severed and dreams gone awry. At wag nating kalimutan ang stress sa trabaho and all the frustrations, aspirations, joy and disappointments resulting from politics at work. Lahat yan dinanas ko na so pwede ko nang sabihing medyo nasa 30’s na ang emotional maturity ko. Ang kulang na lang para maging 45 ako emotionally is yong makaipon ako ng kahit dalawang kilo ng pasensya sa mga taong mayayabang, makukulit, iresponsable at imposible. When that time comes, cool na cool na ako non.

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Physically, 45 na ba ako? Parang hindi pa. Wala pa akong rayuma, dementia, dyspepsia at kung ano-anong sia. The passing of years seem to do very little damage kung physical maturing ang pag-uusapan. Kasi hindi ko rin naman inabuso ang katawan ko. At salamat na rin dahil binigyan ako ng bodily structure na hindi madaling makuba or mukhang madaling matadtad ng pilegis like a pitbull.

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In fact, it’s in the looks department where I suffer most. Imagine, 9 years ago I went to see an adult movie sa Robinson Cinema. Tinanong ako ng ticket lady kung ilang taon na raw ako with the most suspicious look in her not-so-good-looking face. Sige nga, if I were you paano ka magre-reak? Shall I tell her the truth? Sasabihin ko bang 36 na ako eh ito nga at pinag-dududahan na ang edad ko kung adult nga ba ako o hindi? ‘26’ sabi ko ng walang kakurap-kurap. Binigyan ako ng ticket. Eh kung sinabi ko ang totoo baka sabihin pang niloloko ko sya!

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It was only three years ago when the age started to manifest physically in some ways na hindi ka-aya-aya. My mid-section started to grow. Lumaki ang tyan ko and it was a very unpleasant sight dahil hindi bagay sa frame ko. But I was too lazy to do something about it. And if you’ll look at me, yon lang ang pwede mong maging clue na 45 na ako. Otherwise, you’ll think I’m just one overfed soul na mahilig kumain pero tamad mag-exercise.

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And what about the financial department? Ay teka, can I leave it out na lang…. heheheh… Basta ang masasabi ko, nagtitiis pa rin ako dito sa Saudi until now. And I wouldn’t do that if I already have reached a certain level of financial maturity. Yon lang.

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So what now that I am 45? Wala. I’m old in some ways but still young in most. Mahilig pa rin ako sa burger and fries. I still love watching Tom and Jerry and The Simpsons. Mas gusto ko pa rin ang T-shirt at rubber shoes. Updated pa rin ako sa alternative rock. I still love Superman and Star Wars. Mas gusto ko pa rin ng mga kaibigang makukulit at magugulo. Mas gusto ko pa ring tumawa kesa magmukmok at ma-mroblema ng mga bagay na hindi ko dapat problemahin.

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In short, if you think 45 is old and boring, then you’re totally mistaken. Afterall, if you’ll believe the cliché that says life begins at 40, then I’m nothing short of a 5-year old kid. So cute and cuddly! Wanna hug? Pag-bigyan mo na, birthday ko naman eh! Otherwise, uubuhan kita, yon, pumuputok din! Hehehehe.

no. 14 : spendthrift

The other day, may nakasabay akong dalawang kakilala sa bilihan ng isda. What caught my attention was the fact na naghati pa sila sa 10SR na bayaran for 1kg of fish. Samantalang ako na nag-iisa eh 3kg ang binili. ‘Ipi-freezer ko’ sabi ko dahil tiningnan ako na parang gusto akong tanungin kung bakit para akong nag-panic-buying.

A few days before, may dalawang kakilala rin akong narinig na nagdi-diskusyon sa pambili ng tubig (mineral water). And they’re talking of what, 4 or 5SR?. Parang gusto ko na silang bigyan ng 5SR para lang matapos na ang diskusyon. Pero napahiya ako sa sarili ko.

Naisip ko kasi, siguro sa akin no big deal ang ganon dahil natural akong gastador. Pero sa kanila, they seem to understand the value of money. Obviously, better than I do. And that’s something I know I have to work on.

One of the weaknesses kasi that I have is handling money. When it comes to managing my finances, lalo na ang pagtitipid, I’m still one big work in progress.

Ako kasi yong taong may problema sa interpretasyon sa pera. Para sa akin, money is just one piece of overly decorated paper pag nasa wallet ko lang sya. It only comes to life, glowing with so much power pag iaabot ko na sya sa shopkeeper in exchange for whatever I’m paying for. That’s why I have this propensity towards buying. Whether it’s something that I really need or something that I simply want.

Kaya siguro hindi ako pinanganak na mayaman. Coz if I were, lalo sigurong wala akong respect sa pera. Eh ngayon nga na pinaghihirapan ko syang kitain, ganon na lang ako makagastos. How much more kung basta ko na lang minana from rich parents. Everytime siguro na papasok ako ng isang mall eh para akong huramentadong kaliwa’t kanan ang lipad ng cash at credit cards.

Coz I love money the way most of the rich and famous do. Dahil marami silang pera, they enjoy the finer things in life. And I want to live La Dolce Vita too. Have a nice house, a flashy car (a fleet wouldn’t be bad), leisure trips to the Carribean and the Swiss Alps, designer clothes, and probably a 150-ft yacht. Eh kaso hindi kaya ng kakarampot kong sweldo. Kaya ding! ding! Reality check muna.

I know I have to enjoy the fruits of my labor but I know I have to save for the rainy days as well. And start a retirement fund kahit matagal pa naman yon. That’s why I’m trying to find ways on how to control my urge na gumastos. Kaya madalas hindi na rin ako naglalalabas ng bahay. Hindi kasi uso sa akin eversince ang window shopping. Wala man akong balak bilhin pag lumalabas ako, pag-uwi ko ng bahay siguradong may bitbit ako. Again, be it something that I need or simply want.

Kaya pinag-aaralan ko na talagang mag-tipid. And the very first monster that I have to deal with is my taste. I have to tone it down. Hirap kasi ng pasosyal wala namang karapatan. Kaya bawas muna sa mga expensive perfumes. May nadala naman akong ilang bote ng Afficionado nong bumalik ako from vacation, okey na yon. Tigil na muna ng pagpapalit ng laptop pag may nagustuhan. At wala na munang expensive dinners sa classy restaurants. Kaya tinuturuan ko na ang sarili kong kumain sa Al-Bahar kahit pa sabihin ni Raoul na hampas-lupa ako. Hindi pwedeng puro Applebees at Sizzler. Si Ega lang ang nakakagawa non.

Mahirap ang buhay. Wala nang OT. At ang recession baka hindi pa matapos this year. So I have to tighten my belt once in a while. Kung kelan pa naman naging 32 tong bewang na to. Hmmpttt!

no. 13: things i wanna do

As the year draws to a close, I asked myself kung ano ang nagawa ko this year that I have been wanting to do for the longest time. And I was happy to realize na natupad yong wish ko na maka-sakay sa isang long-haul train ride. Yon nga yong nagpunta ako ng Riyadh. Twice ko pang nagawa back in June and again in November.

Nakasakay na kasi ako ng cable car – one in Singapore and one in Tagaytay if you can call it cable car. Nakapag-horse back riding na rin ako once. Nakapag-snorkeling na rin ako.

But still I’ve got a lot of things I want to do sa buhay ko. Things that I want to do but never had the chance to. For one reason or another. Ke pera (the biggest reason), time or simply because of the lack of drive. But there are things that I really wish I’d be able to do in my life. Some will probably remain as dreams na lang but nevertheless, let me list them down:

- Go hang gliding. I’ve always wanted to be Superman who can fly whenever he wants to. But that’s fiction and hang gliding I think is the more realistic option. Parang hindi ko kasi kakayanin ang sky diving. Even bungee jumping. Both are too extreme for me.

- Watch any one of the four tennis grandslams. Mas maganda kung Wimbledon but Roland Garros, Australian or US Open will do. Basta dream kong makapanood nito coz I love tennis.

- Experience a hot air balloon ride. Again, it’s because of my love of heights. It would be nice if it will be a ride over the scenic landscape of an English or a French countryside. Now, this is more like a dream! Haha!

- Touch a dolphin. I know I should’ve visited Ocean Park when I was in Hongkong but I never did. That’s why I still haven’t touched one of these cute and lovable creatures.

- Play a grand piano. Of course, kailangan kong mag-aral muna which is gonna be a big challenge coz I’m a moron when it comes to reading musical notes. Pero gusto kong makatugtog ng piano. I’m not aiming for a Brahms or Rachmaninoff concerto. Kahit My Heart Will Go On lang pwede na.

- Go rapelling. Medyo extreme ito pero gusto kong ma-experience kahit sa isang mababang cliff lang. I wouldn’t dream of doing the Grand Canyon.

- Experience an opening or even the closing ceremony of an Olympic Games. Well, who doesn’t!

- Learn to swim. Yup, hindi po ako marunong lumangoy! I’ve been to so many beach resorts pero kakawag-kawag lang ako sa tabi. And when I’m in a pool, doon lang ako sa 3ft. O kaya sa pang-bata! Haha!

- Go to the ballet. I’ve always been fascinated by this dance form. But I just wanna watch Swan Lake, not doing the pirouette myself. Dancing for me is getting wild doing crazy stuff on a dance floor.

- Go on a camping trip. I want to sleep in a bag tucked under a tent and wake up to the chirping of a bird instead of my pesky alarm clock. It would be glorious to stretch and yawn while looking over endless greenery of a mountain range. Going back to nature is one trip I’ definitely want to do.

There you go. Ten things – some crazy, some definitely expensive things that I’d like to do in my lifetime, not including my ultimate dream of touring Europe. Well, maybe I can do one or two of these things next year. Or the year after. Bahala na. But one thing I’m sure off, crossing out the things in this list is gonna take a long, loooonggg time! Hahah!

no. 12: raindrops and nostalgia

Umuulan na naman (yup, umuulan din po sa Saudi for those who doesn’t know). Magbabago na kasi ng season at yong dating init ng panahon ay mapapalitan na ng lamig. And in between these extreme seasons, laging may transition na nangyayari. Magsa-sandstorm muna saka bubuhos ang ulan. Then change weather na, either from summer to winter or vice versa.

Hindi ako madaling ma-homesick but whenever it rains, feeling ko nasa Pinas ako. And it brings back memories, fond or otherwise, ng mga experiences ko about rain. Let me share some of them with you.

Pitter-patter…
When I was still young, hindi ko natandaan na nakaranas akong maligo sa ulan. Sakitin kasi ako noon, madaling sipunin. Kaya while other kids na kapitbahay ko ay nagtatampisaw sa ulan, ako nakapanood lang sa kanila. Madalas nagpapa-anod lang ako ng bangkang papel sa kanal ng tubig na galing sa bubong namin. Or, paglalaruan ko ang pusa kong si Turnino, ihahagis ko sa ulan at tuwang-tuwa akong nagpi-pipitlag ang mga paa pagtakbo pabalik ng bahay. Pero kahit ginawin ako noon, enjoy na enjoy naman ako dahil malamig ang hangin. Ang sarap matulog at hindi na kailangan ng pamaypay o bentilador (na wala naman kami). Ang masarap pa, parang music yong patak ng ulan sa bubong naming yero. Minsan maglalagay pa ako ng empty na lata sa mismong pinapatakan ng tubig galing sa bubong. At yon ang ini-enjoy kong pakinggan hanggang makatulog ako. I still cherish those memories. Simpleng buhay. Simpleng enjoyment.

Hayyy… hirap ng buhay.
After High School yata yon and it was summer break bago ako pumunta ng Maynila para mag-college. Nagkataong tag-ani ng palay. Mabait naman akong anak (hehehe) kaya tumulong ako sa Tatay at Nanay ko na maki-ani ng palay sa kabilang baryo namin. Hapon na at pauwi na kami, pareho kami ng Tatay ko na may pasan na sako ng palay habang bitbit naman ng Nanay ko ang mga gamit namin. Saka naman biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan. Eh tatawid kami ng isang bundok. Nagkadulas-dulas ako lalo na nong pababa na kami. Kaya ang Tatay ko ang nag-buhat ng palay na dala ko. I was such a whimp. At ang Tatay ko, ganon kabait. Yan, na-miss ko na naman si Ka Lando.

Ulan sa Sentosa.
1995 nang mag-tour ako sa Singapore. All by myself dahil nag-back out ang kasabay kong magbakasyon na dapat kasama ko sa Singapore trip (it was a side trip on my way to Manila from KSA). Pero kahit mag-isa ako, tinuloy ko yong tour. It was my second day in Singapore nang sumama ako sa Sentosa tour. At the end of the trip, sumakay ako sa cable car from Sentosa papunta ng Mount Faber where our tour bus was waiting. At the start of the ride, marami akong kasabay, 7 or 8 yata kami sa isang car. Pero bumaba sila lahat doon sa terminal na nasa gitna nong dagat. And I was left all alone on the second segment papunta sa Mt Faber. Biglang-bigla naman, bumuhos ang ulan na may kasamang malakas na hangin. And the cable car was swaying mad! It was really scary. Pero kahit ganon ang experience ko, I’d do it again (cable car ride) pag napunta ako ulit don. Sana lang wag nang umulan ulit.

Barefoot on Buendia.
Back in 99 nong nagta-trabaho pa ako sa Makati, pauwi na ako isang hapon nang biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan. Buong Metro Manila yata ang inulan ng malakas and in just a couple of hours, baha na halos lahat ng kalsada. Even Ayala Avenue was not spared. Ang masakit nito, tumigil na ang ulan pero tigil din ang traffic. Bumper to bumper ang mga sasakyan at walang umuusad kahit isa. 5pm ako lumabas ng office, spent an hour na magpatila ng ulan and another hour trying to find any form of transpo para makauwi. Nong wala talaga akong masakyan, naglakad na lang ako since dela Rosa lang naman ako uuwi. Pwedeng lakarin. Kaso, baha nga lahat ng kalye. At nanghihinayang ako sa sapatos kong medyo mahal (medyo pa-sosyal kasi sa Citibank Towers ang office namin). No second thoughts, hinubad ko si sapatos at medyas at naglakad ako sa Buendia Ave – barefoot. Na-realize ko na lung gaano ako ka-stupid ng maka-uwi ako ng bahay. What if nakatapak ako ng bubog or pako? Stupid di ba? Anyways, pagdating ko ng bahay, nakita ko nga sa Tv ang mahabang traffic na hindi lang pala sa Ayala at Buendia, even the entire stretch of EDSA all the way from Baclaran to Cubao. Ganon pala ka-grabe yong sitwasyon.

Well, these are just a few of the experiences na naaalala ko pag umuulan. How about you, may mga memories din ba ang ulan sa yo?

no. 11: my faves

for whatever reason, a song from the sound of music keeps playin on my mind this afternoon. it goes something like 'these are but few of my favorite things' (i'm not even sure if i got it right). then i said, yeah, why dont i come up with a collage of my favorite stuff - people, food and whatever.

well, this is how it turned out...

no. 10: i've never....

Been hypnotized by the Harry Potter magic. Ok, please, don’t look at me as if I’m weird or something. I just don’t get the Harry Potter story. I’ve never read any of the books. I’ve seen one or two of the six (or seven, I’m not sure) movies which I didn’t really enjoy the same way I enjoyed Stardust, Willow and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I just don’t get Harry. Why? Beats me.

-

Rode the Friendster bandwagon. Ok, I found blogging very interesting. it’s a gift to people like me who loves yapping this and yapping that. But Friendster? I don’t know. I tried it. Even Facebook. But I haven’t got the hang of it. I guess I’m not really into social networking. I’m too boring to post cutesy pics and messages.

-

Smoked pot or tried recreational drugs. I smoke cigarettes. I drink occassionally. But not drugs. Never tried it and got no plans to. I don’t have any reason, nor the time and the money. But even if I have all these things, I still think I wouldn’t. I’m enjoying life at its purest. No need for drug-induced happiness. I’d rather be boring than stupid.

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Had a confession. Yep. I already told you in one of my postings I’m not your typical Catholic. I’m God-fearing alright. But never a good Catholic whatever you mean by that. I never believed in many of the rituals going on inside a church. One of them is confessing. I communicate directly to God. I need no interpreter. Something might get lost in translation.

-

Been to Baguio nor Boracay. Been to several countries already but not to the two very popular local spots. Why? I dunno. Just didn’t have the time. But I made a promise I’d visit them soon. Coz I know I’m a big loser missing out on these beautiful places.

-

Ever had a Playstation. Even a PSP. The latest hand-held game I played was Star Force on my jurassic Nokia N70. I may be too old for the very fast paced and all too gory games with bloods a-squirting and heads a-flying. I’m too squeamish for that. Call me neanderthal but I’m still a Tetris fan by heart. Haha!

-

Understood Golf. They say it’s the sport of the rich and famous. Well, I’ll never be rich and probably stay a nobody coz I don’t get golf. For me, it was invented to provide reason for the lazy nobilities to use their feet for it’s original purpose. Whacking the ball then squinting your eye trying to find where it landed? I don’t see anything athletic in it. Ho-hum! (Guess I’m not the very boring type afterall!)

-

Liked horror movies. I’m not the type who believes in supernaturals. But show me something hideous or frightening and my very active imagination wouldn’t let go of the images. That’s why I don’t watch scary movies. I want to be entertained, not frightened.

-

Had a brush with the law. Even for the smallest offence. Not yet so far. And I’d prefer to keep it that way. Coz I can’t imagine myself being arrested, handcuffed and herded to a police station. Being behind bars is something I would never ever dream of in my entire life.

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Hurt anybody physically. I’ve never used any of my extremities to inflict pain on anybody. Even as a child, I don’t recall hitting, slapping or kicking anybody. I'm too gentle you might say? Well, not too fast my dear. Coz when my tongue start lashing, its an entirely different story.

no. 9: bookworm not

I’ve been ranting about my favorite tv shows, movies and music. Now let me tell you about my reading influences. Though I’m not really a bookworm but if I find something interesting, I stick to it with much loyalty. Until I find something new and different.

If I’m not mistaken, I was still in my 5th grade when I started reading Readers Digest. Nakita ko lang sa pinsan kong may subscription. Although noong una, it was a challenge to read most of the articles because of the words na hindi pa natuturo sa school. Pero kahit ganon, enjoy na enjoy na akong magbasa noon. Ang ginagawa ko na lang, laging nasa tabi ko si Mr. Webster pag meron akong hindi maintindihan na word. And when things got easier, I would be devouring the Digest from cover to cover. Favorite section ko yong It Pays to Increase Your Word Power and the jokes (Humor in Uniform, Life in America, Laughter the Best Medicine, etc..) plus the drama features of real-life adventures, survival stories and other human interest topics.

It went on until my mid-High School days. That time, I was also bitten by the Mills & Boon plague kasi sikat na sikat noon. At siyempre, wag kalimutan ang mga komiks na nire-rent ko pa sa tindahan ni Aling Narda. And of course ang Jingle Extra Hot na puro kachismisan sa showbiz ang laman pero suking-suki din ako ng mga ito nong mga time na yon.

But it didn’t last long coz our English literature teacher introduced me to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales which started my interest in English novels. Soon enough, I was reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath and Cannery Row. Yon nga lang, sa tagal na siguro ng panahon, kailangang basahin ko ulit sila ngayon just to remember kung ano ang story nitong mga ito.

Then my interest shifted to espionage thrillers. At dito isa lang ang naging favorite ko – si Frederick Forsyth whose The Day of the Jackal and The Odessa File were even adapted to films na pinanood ko pa rin.

After studies and when I started working, tinamad akong magbasa. Until John Grisham came along. Una kong nabasa yong The Client which is his fourth novel. Then I went back to A Time to Kill, The Firm and The Pelican Brief before continuing on to The Chamber. Pinanood ko rin lahat ng film adaptations nito although I was always disappointed kasi, iba talaga yong picture na tumakbo sa utak ko while I was reading the novel compared doon sa mga interpretation na ginawa sa big screen.

Then tinamad na naman akong magbasa. But years later, I picked-up a copy of his A Painted House which was a total departure from his legal drama genre. And lately, sinubukan ko ulit syang balikan via The Broker which was his first attempt on crime thriller category. It was good but not as brilliant as his earlier works.

Lately, binasa ko rin si Robert Ludlum only because I was amazed by the film The Bourne Identity. And so I read The Holcroft Covenant and The Acquitaine Progression. Pero hanggang don na lang.

Today, most of the time, current events na ang binabasa ko. Signs of ageing? Siguro. But unless there is something that would titillate my interest, saka na lang ako ulit magbasa.

no. 8: ghost busting

One of the topics na madalas mapag-usapan ng mga adik lately ay ang tungkol sa multo and other things na katatakutan. Like Matt na kinakatok daw sa kwarto nya samantalang wala naman syang kasama sa flat kasi naka-bakasyon lahat. Or JunC who swears na nakakita na raw sya ng duwende. And even Tito Bong na meron daw third eye, nararamdaman talaga ang presence ng kung ano sa building nila ngayon.

Ang madalas na tuwang-tuwang pag-usapan ito eh si Raoul na sya rin ang magpapahinto ng kwentuhan kasi madaling matakot lalo na’t wala si Ricky na kasama nya sa bahay. Ako naman, enjoy lang makinig kahit wala akong mai-share na hair-raising experience tulad nila. Ako na lang yong taga- ‘ow talaga?’ o kaya ‘naayy kupooo’. In my entire life kasi, I can never recall one incident na nakakita ako or even nakaramdam man lang ng presence ng mga ganito.

I’ve lived alone almost all my life. Sa iba-ibang bahay pa and in different locations. Kahit sa Pinas o dito sa abroad. Pero wala talaga akong naranasan na ganito. Even dito sa current house ko where my previous housemate says na may nararamdaman sya (meron daw syang naririnig at night na heavy breathing sa kwarto nya). Wala akong narinig or naramdaman kahit matagal akong nag-isa sa bahay na to.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaction ko pag nakakita ako or nakaramdam ng ganito. For sure matatakot din ako. Pero yon nga, wala pa talaga akong experience sa mga ganito.

Not that I do not believe in their existence. Naniniwala ako na merong ganyan. Kahit sabihin pang mas practical ako and objective than the next person. I do not deny the fact that I do believe in their existence.

Bakit kamo?

Simple lang. I believe in God. And if there is God who created all the things in the universe, then dapat maniwala din ako kay Satan who is also God’s creation. So if we believe in God and his angels, then we should believe (not in the better sense of the word) in the existence of the prince of darkness and the many forms and faces he assumes. At sya lang naman normally ang nagpapakita sa mga tao not only para manakot but to remind us that they he exists. KSP kasi yan.

Kasi, di ba if you happen to come face to face with the devil, parang tini-test ng dark forces yong faith mo sa Diyos. Ke white lady pa yan or multo, even the face of death itself, normal mo sigurong magiging reaksyon is matakot. But if you believe that God resides deep in your heart and soul, then you’d know na ililigtas ka nya from that situation.

So siguro, yon ang purpose kung bakit may mga ganyan. Siguro to remind us of the ever-continuing struggle between the good and evil. And you’d only know kung nasaan ka when put to extreme tests like these. What will you do, what word will come out of your mouth when confronted by a headless corpse floating in the air? Di ba?

Kaya nandyan ang existence ng mga unknown and unseen forces na hindi pwedeng i-explain ng logic and even the most intelligent minds of the academe. Dahil kung wala yan, wala nang mystery na natitira sa buhay natin. Everything will be written down and charted on books na parang buhay lang ng sequioa tree ang buhay natin. And we all know our life is far more interesting than that of a tree. Or anything else in this world.

Simply put, life is full of the unknown. And the supernatural exists to let us know what is natural. Either we believe it or not, it is there. Somewhere. Depende na sa atin how we will let these forces affect us.

no. 7: pangit!!!

i have several physical imperfections. things that normally bother vain people. things that hardcore metrosexuals would find reason enough to scamper to the nearest derm clinic or beauty spa. sa akin, wala lang. keber ko. konti lang ang banidad sa katawan ko. and for that, pasalamat ako.

.

maitim ako by standards ng mga pinoy ngayon na naloloko sa mga skin-whitening pills. o di ba at ilang high-profile lawsuits sa pinas ang nag-umpisa sa whitening pills, the latest one involving korina. marami kasi sa atin ang gustong-gustong maging puti kahit fake lang. hello magic creme victims - wag mag-deny! sa akin, i don't mind. magpapahid ako ng lotion or moisturizers or even fair and lovely para lang hindi nakakahiya ang mukha kong may pagka-burog din (i can hear raoul laughing! hehehehe). pero i don't think i'd go to the lengths of taking glutathione. parang takot ako sa epekto non sa katawan ko.

.

may ilang diyes at bente-singko ang payat kong binti. pero wala akong keber. siguro pag yumaman ako, kakaririn ko ang magpa-tanggal ng mga peklat. pero as of now, wala akong paki. nako-conscious ako minsan pag nagso-shorts. pero never did it affect me deeply, much less my self esteem.

i have one more pangit in my body. pero ito, hindi talaga ako na-bother kahit kailan. in fact, nag-enjoy pa ako in several instances. nakakatawa kasi ang reaction ng mga tao and pseudo-palm readers sa pangit kong palad. sa pangit nya, marami na akong pinasakit na ulo ng mga manghuhula!

ang sabi ng karamihan na 'bumasa' sa palad ko, magulo ang buhay ko dahil daw sa dami ng nga guhit na nagsala-salabat sa palad ko. eh doon pa lang, bagsak na sila. bakit? eh ang pagkaka-alam ko, matino ang buhay ko. tahimik akong nagta-trabaho at namumuhay as one responsible, productive member of the society. never did i commit any crime nor was involved in any illegal activities. kaya don pa lang, hindi na ako naniniwala sa mga palm readers. my life is my choice. kaya walang epekto sa akin magulo man ang palad ko.

second thing na madalas kong marinig sa mga palm readers, marami raw akong magiging asawa. bilangin ba naman yong mga guhit sa gilid ng palm ko. yon daw ang number ng mga magiging ka-relasyon ko. eh di bagsak na naman! eh ni hindi pa nga ako nakaka-isa. pero kung bibilangin ang mga illicit love affairs, pwede. marami na nga. hahahaha!!! jowk lang po!!!

another thing na naririnig ko sa mga manghuhula eh hindi raw ako yayaman. dahil yon daw little finger ko ay hindi umabot sa upper line nong ring finger ko. eto talagang totoo. pero siguro kahit hindi na ito ihula sa akin, alam ko na at tanggap ko na hindi ako yayaman kahit kailan. kasi, yayaman lang ako kung magpapaka-selfish ako. and turn a blind eye on things goin on in my family. pero hindi ko yata yon kaya. kaya hindi talaga ako yayaman.

kaya pag may nakakapansin sa palad kong magulo at mag-aattempt na basahin, sorry na lang kayo. sasakit lang ang ulo nyo. tingnan nyo na lang ang pix.... o, dare???

no. 6: takot ako ehhh!!

Ang number one fear ko is injection. You can give me all the tablets and syrups in the world, iinumin ko lahat yan, wag mo lang akong bigyan ng injection. Lagi akong kinakabahan at nanglalamig pag nakakita ng syringe.

Of course hindi naman maiiwasan that I have to go to the doctor. Lalo na sa dentist, naka-tatlong tooth extraction na ako. And whenever I have my tooth extracted, pipikit na lang ako pag alam kong sasaksakan na ako ng anesthesia.

Takot din ako sa ahas. Any form of this scaly cold-blooded reptile, kahit pa yong mga albino python na nilalagay ng iba sa kanilang shoulders, hindi mo ako mapapahawak nyan.

Takot din ako sa dilim. Although hindi pa naman siguro nyctophobia ang level ko. Basta ayaw ko ng madilim na lugar as in talagang walang ilaw. I sleep with all the lights off but it’s not totally dark because of the led lights ng Tv, satellite receiver and vcd players – all on stand by mode! Kaya parang may lamp shade na rin akong naka-dim.

Takot din akong tumingin sa mga mukha ng patay na naka-burol. Sa sobrang likot ng imagination ko, nadadala ko ang mga hitsura nila sa pagtulog. Kaya hangga’t maari, hindi ako lumalapit sa casket. Pero kung hindi maiwasan, lalapit man ako pero halos ipikit ko na yong mga mata ko. Or I’d pretend to read the messages kunwari don sa mga ribbon. Pero never akong titingin sa face ng bangkay! Ngggiiii…

Kung number one fear ko is injection, let me end this article with my last and worst fear - rejection (rhyme naman huh). Yes, fear of rejection. Dahil nga Leo ako, I always have this humongous ego that bursts out easily whenever I feel I’m being rejected. Syempre masakit yon huh. Fortunately, kakaunti pa naman ang instances na naranasan ko. At hindi pa ganoon ka-grabe. Either in my career o sa personal relationships, hindi pa ako nakakaranas ng major rejection that blew my ego to million little pieces. Kung baga, na-wasak na sya minsan pero in manageable pieces na madaling nadikit ng epoxy!

Maybe I’m just too lucky. O dahil maingat din ako. And very objective. I don’t dip my fingers on wars that I know I can’t win. Pero may regrets din ako syempre. Lalo na yong one or two na taong dapat nasabihan kong ‘alam mo, you’re hot’. Bwahahaha!!! Jowk lang pow!!!

no. 5: just as mushy

You would probably see me as a strong character. In fact, marami ang nagsasabi na mukhang matapang ako, unapproachable, etc., etc... lalo na't hindi mo ako masyadong kilala (or does knowing me make any difference? ewan hehehe). Hindi kasi ako mahilig sa ka-dramahan sa buhay. I’m overly practical, a bit cold-hearted and it takes a lot to make me cry. But believe it or not, there are a few things that could melt my heart in an instant.

One of them is seeing a stray cat. Dogs too. But I feel more strongly for cats. May istorya kasi sa likod non.

Siguro mga 7 years old pa lang ako when my father brought home a stray kitten. A cute, furry, white ball with black spots at ang buntot eh nakabaluktot in three sections. Tuwang-tuwa ako to have him. Only child ako so ang magkaroon ako ng kasama at kalaro, even in the form of a kitten, eh big deal para sa akin. I named him Turnino (I really don’t know where I got that awful name).

I took good care of him. Kung ano ang pagkain ko, yon din ang kinakain nya. In fact, madalas akong napapagalitan coz i spoiled him a lot. Naging very choosy sya sa pagkain. At hindi mo mapapatapak sa lupa or putik. Maglalaro man sya sa labas pero sandali lang, babalik agad sa bahay. And never messed himself up tulad ng ibang nakikipag-away at uuwing putikan, duguan or nanglilimahid. Kung sa tao, he's always neat and clean.

Dahil para ko syang stuffed toy, tinatabi ko sya pagtulog. Hanggang nasanay na sya at hindi na umalis sa tabi ko. Then my parents warned me that I could get asthma if I go on like that (thank God I didn’t).

So I tried to kick him out of my room. Nila-lock ko pa ang bedroom door ko, and tucked the kulambo (mosquito net) edges under some heavy pillows para hindi sya makapasok. Pero magigising pa rin ako sa umaga na nasa tabi ko sya, all warm and purring from a deep, comfortable sleep.

After High School, I left home to study in the city, leaving Turnino behind with my parents. Pero ang parents ko, ayaw pumayag na matagal akong hindi makikita so they had to relocate from Mindoro to Batangas, mas malapit sa Manila at mas madalas akong makakauwi.

Trouble is, they left Turnino behind.

Studies, and, later on work, took 100% of my time and attention. It was years later when I realized I was missing something. Then I started wondering what happened to my Turnino.

Sabi ng isang pinsan ko, he became a stray cat after my parents left. And that made me so guilty. Naisip ko, after living a comfortable life, siguro nag-suffer sya while trying to survive in the streets, scavenging for food, fighting it out with meaner cats or dogs, getting soaked in the rain and just wandered aimlessly. Siguro nagkasakit sya at basta na lang namatay sa isang madilim na sulok. O kaya nasagasaan ng truck. Tuwing naiisip ko yon, i feel so bad.

Until this day, isa sya sa biggest guilt na dala-dala ko. Sure he’s just a cat. But he was a part of my childhood. We practically grew up together. And I loved him like a brother that I never had.

The fact na hindi ko na malalaman kung anong nangyari sa kanya is unbearable. It always makes me sad. And I think I’ll never forgive myself for making him suffer whatever he’s gone through.

no. 4: sing, sing, sing

some people think that i can carry a tune (hindi ko sinabing magaling akong kumanta ha). at least hindi naman siguro ako mababato ng kamatis pag humawak ng microphone.

but the truth is, super late na bago ako natutong kumanta. dati noon, sintunado ako at parang ngiyaw lang ng pusa kung kumakanta ako sa banyo, kung kanta mang matatawag yon.

then nauso ang multiplex (ahemm… ano’ng year ba yon!) and most of my friends, kamag-anak at mga kakilala started singing. nag-aagawan pa ng microphone sa karaoke! eh hindi nga ako marunong kumanta kaya tatahimik na lang ako sa isang sulok.

parang na-challenge siguro ako so i said to myself na kailangan matuto rin akong kumanta. afterall mahilig ako sa music. ang dami kong alam na songs. yon nga lang, alam ko lang yong song pero hindi ko kayang kantahin.

i love basil valdez and i thought mas magandang mga songs nya ang umpisahan kong pag-aralan. oh yeah, basil valdez talaga! lakas ng loob di ba. from the very popular kastilyong buhangin to my personal favorites kung ako’y iiwan mo, iduyan mo and paraisong parisukat. lahat yon minasaker ko while i was trying to to learn how to sing properly. the nerve di ba!

siguro early 30’s na ako noon (mabibisto ang age! hahaha) and you can just imagine how difficult it is para mag-vocal stretching sa ganong edad. do-it-yourself pa dahil hindi naman ako nagpa-turo kahit kanino, nahihiya ako so i had to do it by myself sa kwarto ko na walang ibang nakakakita at nakakarinig.

basta susundan ko lang ng susundan yong mga tono ni basil. nag-umpisa akong walang mic. then nong kabisado ko na ang tono, sinabayan ko na. swerte ko dahil hindi naman ako nakaranas makatok ng kapitbahay!

naawa naman siguro sa akin ang bathala ng kalinangang musika kaya pinayagan akong maabot ang mga matataas na nota ng songs ni basil. sa tuwa ko nga non, nag-record pa ako ng songs at pinadala ko sa amin para marining ng mom ko, mga tita at kapatid na nakaka-kanta na ako! (hmmm… come to think of it, hindi ko nakita yong tape na yon ng magbakasyon ako! baka itinago – collector’s item! bwahahahaha!!)

since then nakaka-kanta na ako sa mga videoke bars kahit maraming tao at may scores pa na lumalabas after the song. and so far, hindi pa naman ako nababato ng bote ng beer. in fact, minsan sa san pablo, na-request akong ulitin yong wildflower (originally by skylark later on popularized by martin nievera). yong mag-asawa palang owners ng bar ang nag-request, theme song daw nila yon.

and since then, hindi na limited to basil songs ang mina-masaker ko. may aerosmith pa, bon jovi, u2, barry manilow and lately eh josh groban.

did i learn how to sing? siguro. but more than that, may natutunan pa akong isang mas importanteng bagay – and that is, kapalan lang ng mukha yan! hahahaha!!!

no.3 : ocd

I have a trace of what is clinically called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. According to Wikepedia, this is a psychiatric anxiety disorder most commonly characterized by one’s obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.

In English, (hehehe) it is an abnormality in one's behaviour and in my case, it manifests on several small and even trivial behavior I have.

I hate messy, unorganized room – either in the house or in the office. It bothers me if a picture hangs askew. I just have to fix it. I can’t bear to see one sheet jutting out from a stack of paper. I need to arrange it. I always want my shoes neatly lined on the shoe rack. I don’t want to see one single crease on my bed sheet; it has to be totally flat and taut across.

When I do my laundry, things have to be neatly and evenly lined on the clothesline. Socks have to be hanged in pairs. Shirts on hangers have to face just one direction, evenly spaced.

Even in the office, I don’t leave a messy table at the end of the day. Everything has to be on the exact same place where I want to find them the next morning.

And my wallet? I hate it if the bills are mixed up like a stew. I always arrange it in order from the smallest to the largest bill.

Fortunately, nothing major so far that can be cause of concern. As I said, it’s small, simple things that don’t hurt me or anybody around me. Afterall, there’s no law anywhere that forbids having a well-organized dresser or closet, right?

no. 2: zzzzzzzzz!!

I sleep on my sides. For whatever reason, I cannot sleep when I’m lying on my back so I have to do it sideways. I would normally toss back and forth, left to right, before finally settling in on my left side and doze off.

It wasn’t always like this. Coz I remember when I was a bit younger, I can only sleep when I’m lying flat on the bed. But a year or two ago, I changed my sleeping posture.

I once read somewhere that people who sleep like this are deep thinkers. So maybe I wasn’t doing this earlier coz I didn’t have much on my mind? Ah well, maybe that’s true.

Aside from the posture, it’s my sleeping pattern that’s totally off. I salute people of my age, and some of people I know who are a lot younger, who can discipline themselves by going to bed early. Coz I can’t.

I’m a night person. While most people are already having their dreams or nightmares, I’m still wide awake – watching television or running some fantasies or daydreams on my mind. (hmmm…do you still call it a day dream when you do it at night?!?)

Though I wouldn't say that I'm insomniac coz I think I don't have that extreme condition of staying up all night like a zombie. Insomniacs don't know the word sleepy. I do. It's just that the sandman visits me much later, probably after he has already tucked away most people in their beds. Blame it on my body clock that simply refuse to recognize whatever time zone I'm in.

So for the longest time, it’s always been a struggle holding a day job. Coz waking up in time to make it to a 9am clock-in, worse a 7:30am work, has always been a struggle for me. I really wish I had a different line of work and eternally given the 2-10pm shift. That way, I can sleep at 3am and stay in bed until mid-day. That’ll be heaven for me.

no.1: why i can make restaurants go bankrupt

I don’t eat a lot of stuff. Even though I love dining out, my idea of food excludes a lot of things on a menu.

Close friends already know that when I say yummy, it doesn’t include chicken. And sure it always prompts people to ask “why, do you have buni?” or something like that. Puulleeezzzz!!! I got none of those. I just don’t. For whatever absurd reason, I grew up not eating this feathered cackler. And now that I’ve grown older (and hopefully wiser, hehehe)… I never dared break what already turned into an unconscious crusade to spare the chicken from it’s barbaric slaughter.

Actually I tried eating chicken several times already. I can swallow it, no problem. But as soon as it hits the bottom of my intestines, it starts acting like the stirred lava of Pinatubo. My tummy rumbles, incessantly, until the intruder is thrown out, discharged through it’s original entry point.

I know it’s just psychological…. but hey, can’t help it. That’s why I can’t find joy in your Chicken Joy!

But it’s not only chicken that’s a no-no for me. A lot of other meat too. To sum it up, I only recognize beef and pork – that’s it. And oh, it’s limited to the meat please, not the internals! Maybe with the exception of Sisig (I’m not quite sure what it’s made of) specially if it’s Gerry’s, I don’t go for the organs – kidney, heart, liver, intestines, tongue, ears, eyes and all other gory parts. Eeewww! says my friend Jun!

In fish, I only eat common salt-water species. Bangus is the only fresh-water specie I can take. Which means I’m missing out on those tilapia, dalag and hito barrio folks normally enjoy. No-no too to ‘kilawin’ (raw fish and, i think, even some type of meat, marinated in vinegar sauce) or anything that is not fully cooked. That’s why even if I love steak, I can only take it if it’s well done, not medium, never rare. Blood oozing from the meat is disgusting for me. Which brings me to ‘dinuguan’, something that I also find unpalatable. Not that I’m a member of another religion.

And the discrimination doesn’t stop there. Coz even in veggies, I’ve got quite a few wars. I don’t like okra, sayote and other slimy varieties.

Weird huh. Well, at least I’m not so choosy when it comes to ice cream and chocolates!