Of Tables and Books.

I'm going on my 2nd trip to Boradise for this year. Heehee. It's funny -- I've been to Boracay many times but I still get all excited before I go. Weird.

I'm going to the island with my officemates (Ryan, Amabs, Leah, & Myles) -- first-timers to Boracay! I will serve as their tour guide. *bow sabay hintay ng bayad*
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So I just got my Purploony (my psp slim named after a PSXer admin at lavander kasi kulay ng psp ko), and ahlavet!!! I just added new games and bought all kinds of accessories for it: a silicon case, a travel bag, a polycarbonate case which can also serve as a stand. I stopped myself from buying the earphones because I just bought 2 in-ear earphones for my iPod which go great with the psp and the tv-out cables since I had no use for it really.

What I also wanted to get were speakers for purploony but the stores I visited still do not have slim-compatible speakers so I guess I'll just have to wait for those.
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I need to have new shelves installed. My books are piled on the floor. I wrapped my books in plastic covers and it took me quite a while to accomplish these because of the number but now that I've done it, I realized that my existing shelves can't hold all of the books we have. Kawawa naman sila.

I should get a new study table. Well, er, not a study table but more of like a work station. The table I currently have has outgrown my needs and I think I should include the pc and laptop I have to fit the picture. *sigh* I browsed through online office furniture stores and found 2 samples which I liked.

These are the nicest I can find, and since baka ipagawa ko na lang siya, I can make my own modifications -- like extending the bookshelves on both sides and extending them to high heavens to accomodate some of the books. Kaya ko kayang gawin 'to? May power tools naman sa bahay and I can just ask the hardware store to cut the wood sa size na gusto ko.

Shet. Baka 10 million years before I finish. So, yeah, ipagawa na lang.

I knew you'd say that.

Ass.

Yey!! It's Lavander!

Shameless Plugging 101.

I just wanted to advertise a few things: *ahem*

Bargain Corner - my friend, Bianca, is selling authentic Nine West bags at very low, low prices! I bought one already. Hihi. Bili na kayo!

UR Guilty Pleasures - another friend, Mishee, is selling bags (Nine West & XOXO) as well as perfumes, and other stuff!

Bananatrix - another friend, Will, (ang dami kong business-minded friends 'noh? Hehe) - is into baking these to-die for banana cakes ala cup cakes and more! I'm addicted, and I'm sure you'll love it. *rose gets hungry*

Last - my brilliant 14-year old nephew, David Ples, has just released his book The Talisman Unsealed. Please get a copy ;) Excellent work, David!

Yun lang. =)

Ciao!

Of Changes And Sensibility.

I fell in love with Boracay the first time I set foot on its shore 10 years ago.

My uncle brought me to the island, along with his staff and the champion team of the just-concluded City-wide basketball tournament (a trip to Boracay was their prize! Lucky chaps!). We landed first in Kalibo and then took a 2-hour road trip on rough terrain to Caticlan. Believe me when I say my arse was truly sore after that. When we got to the (what we know now as) Caticlan jetty port -- well, actually there was no port, just a cottage where tourists had to pay for their boat ride, we had to wait a few minutes for Willy's (resort) boat to take us to the island. Midway through the boat trip, I looked down at the water and I couldn't believe that it was so clear! I could see the stones at the bottom! I remember calling out to people and telling them to look out and down, and hearing all the wows, the oohs, the aahs. Once we were all standing in front of Willy's Resort, nobody really wanted to go their rooms yet and we stayed in the beach for a while to get a good look of the water, the sand, the sky. I think we went directly to Willy's Rock before going to our rooms! We stayed there for 6 days... 6 blissful days. I was infatuated. And before I knew it, I was in love. I nearly cried when I realized we had to come home.

I've been coming back to its cozy embrace almost every year since then and I see the gradual changes in the things I do during my stay - drinking and dancing until the wee hours of the morning to snorkeling, jet skiing, windsailing to just relaxing and taking in the great scenery lying before me.

I get it now -- I don't necessarily fancy the water sports nor the nightlife as much as other people, nor the thrill of land adventure it offers -- it appeals to me, yes, but I don't crave for it nor want it. I've tried almost everything once. And I think that's enough.

My beach trip to Panglao was a key to this realization. I now know that a beach trip doesn't have to be a 'gimmick' with booze and hip-hop or house music. It's what's sensible which really matters.

I'm now more into the sights, the people I'm with, the sounds, the feel of things, the smiles, the taste of its food. I'm into the anecdotes from a book a friend will share while she's reading it. I'm into the 'kwentos' friends will suddenly share with me while we're sunbathing, the hirits which come while drinking strawberry wine in the beach, the life-changing realizations which are shared during long walks from station to station, I'm into waking early to get a wonderful view of the empty beach. I'm into the kids who bathe naked in the crystal clear water without a care in the world. I'm into the words of wisdom a true friend will utter at the most opportune time.

These are the beach experiences which I'm after.

Boradise-bound.

I'm off to Bora.

Beaching myself! Yihi!

Ciao!

Of Fairy Tales and Art.

I used to believe in fairy tales. I was fascinated with the thought of living in a castle with servants waiting for my every command, catering to my whim and fancy. I dreamt endlessly of my knight in shining armor sweeping me off my feet. I was excited at the thought that I could have an army ready to march to battle in my honor.

The wonders of childhood.

At one point in my life, I thought I had stumbled into a fairy tale. I couldn't believe my luck. But I should've known better and should've armed myself with the knowledge that nothing is ever perfect, nothing and no one is constant. And it took me quite a few relationships to realize fairy tales do not exist for me. No Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet. No Knight in Shining Armor to save me from witches and dragons. No army to fight my battles.

Fairy tales are exactly what they're called: non-existent and fictional.

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My good friend and neighbor, Ces, sent me new books to read: The Secret Life Of Bees and The Secret Life Of Husbands. Unfortunately, haven't started reading any of the two, but I've read some good reviews.

She also sent me a cd of the Avenue Q Musical Sountrack, and I have to say, I love it! The songs were right on the money. It was never boring, it played the characters of the play to the hilt! It was funny and entertaining that I was actually laughing out loud when I was listening to it on my iPod on the bus going home (now, that was embarrasing). *sigh* I wish I can watch it though.



Some songs of note:
There's A Fine, Fine Line performed by Kate/Stephanie D'Abruzzo
The Internet Is For Porn performed by Kate/Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Trekkie Monster/Rick Lyon & the Guys
What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?/It Sucks To Be Me performed by The Cast

Read all about Avenue Q by clicking on the banner above. And get your own copy of the CD. It's worth it.

Of Movies and Books.

I'm back.

No, I wasn't on vacation. I couldn't even go on a vacation if I wanted to anyway so NO, I wasn't on vacation.

But I have to admit, I have neglected this site for far too long. I've been lazy to put it simply.

I loved 'Transformers' by the way. Watched it twice on the big screen. I suddenly missed watching Transformers on Channel 9 and then Channel 13 when I was kid. It was nice seeing Bumblebee be a Camaro instead of a Volkswagen. Now, that was cool.

I also watched Harry Potter twice. Having read the book several times, I'd say the movie/ story line was predictable, but the acting was definitely good. That Radcliffe boy is hot. Hmm.

Finsihed the 7th book too. Of the HP series, I mean. And I have to say, I cried many times while reading it. Waiting for Harry Potter books has become a yearly treat for me (and I'm sure for a lot of people), and now, it's done. No more HP books. *sigh* I sort of have to say that once in a while... to get used to it.

Speaking of books, I'm waiting for the release of the 3rd book in the Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini. And because of the end og HP, I've been going to the bookstore more often than usual.

Oh well. For now, this will do.

Ciao.

Screwed.

Yup, I'm screwed.

My external hard drive went kaput.

EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING IS GONE.

MUSIC. PICTURES. MOVIES. DOCUMENTS. MUSIC. PICTURES. MOVIES.

ALL GONE.

Did I just say I'm screwed?

Fuckin' screwed.

Of Pen and Paper. Part II.

She wrote back! Rita wrote back!!!!

It just arrived this afternoon and when I got home from work at around 9pm it was displayed prominently on our mail table. I opened it immediately and started reading.

I mailed my letter the day after I wrote my Of Pen and Paper entry. The date on her letter said March 5, 2007, so it took my letter more than a month to reach her. She said 'it has been a long time since I last wrote you. But it doesn't mean that I forgot you. I'm very joyful about your letter.'

Parang gusto kong umiyak nung pagkabasa ko 'yun.

She also sent a picture. Sorry, it's blurry because my scanner is busted so I had to use my phone to take the pic. The little boy beside Argo, her dog (who is 7 dog-years old now), is Karlis (her son! Ang gwapo!) who just turned 4 last January 11. Her mom and dad have retired enjoying their 4 grandchildren. Rita passed her medical exam and she's now working as a nurse in P. Stradiva Hospital in their Neurovasculary and Neuroncology department. She's now a Ph. D. student and will defend her doctoral thesis in engineering sciences 2-3 years from now. She says she doesn't have internet yet but will send an email my way once she has it in their home.

Wow. I can't wipe away the silly smile on my lips. I am truly happy for her and relieved she's doing sooooo well, and her family, too.

Thanks everyone for hoping with me! It was well worth the wait really.

I'm glad that I took the time to write her and, well, sort of renew our friendship.This is definitely a bond worth keeping.

A year after saying goodbye...

Yes, I'm still in love.

Demmet. *drives a stake through heart*

*sigh*

Gusto ko nang dumating yung araw na iisipin ko na lang ----

"What the fuck was I thinking?!"

That'll be the day.

For now, I still love him. And it's killing me.

Of Pen and Paper.

I had free time over the weekend so I decided to clean up my desk drawers. As I was sorting through the countless receipts, meaningless post-it notes, and funny-smelling stationaries I've collected since I was in grade school, I came upon Rita's last letter which I haven't been able to reply to.

Just to make things clear: Rita was, well, is my Latvian pen pal. Yes, PEN PAL. Haha.

It all began during my last year in high school. On our first week of classes Mr dela Vega, our beloved World History professor, told us we had to write to someone from another country and have them give us first-hand information about their culture, history and traditions. No relatives: Canada and the US were not included. Filipinos in any country do not count. [This was a time e-mail was not option, the internet available to businesses and was altogether unheard of at that time]. You could just imagine our horror at was he was asking us to do. But our grade depended on this, so a week into the announcement it was a common thing to see the seniors of St. Paul Pasig batch 94 to have a copy of Buy and Sell, scanning through the pen pal section, looking for a prospect pen pal.

I wrote to at least 10 people who appeared wholesome in their ads. Only 2 wrote back. The first was a German, who wrote in his reply to my candid letter of friendship that he was 'looking for Filipina wife and you seem to be perfect.' I tore the letter into pieces and burned them.

The second letter I received was from Rita. Her English was bad but she got her message across, her penmanship neat and clear. She was 17 (at that time) and planning to enter medical school the next year, and has 3 sisters. They are not rich but they get by, she says. Her dad is a driver and her mom a housewife. She didn't know anything about the Philippines but she'd very much like to know everything about it and would I care to correspond with her? Would I care? I wrote a reply and sent it the next day.

We continued to correspond over the next 5 years, sending each other tokens, pictures, postcards, books, pamphlets, and even food. We've shared deaths, birthdays, holidays, and births even. She would write me stories of her dog, Argo, and I would entertain her with stories of my cat, Long. She invited me to visit her and I said if she found herself in Asia someday she can definitely stay with me.

Now, I have in front of me a letter she sent in 2000. I feel bad for not finding the time to write back. I feel so ashamed of not taking care of the friendship we've formed. I've grown accustomed to just typing the words and sending it through email that I don't know if I'll be able to write something eligible and meaningful.

I realize that I will write back and I will write beautifully. It will be long and I will send pictures of me and my 3 pesky pamangkins. I will tell her how sorry I am for not corresponding with her the past 6 years and that I have no excuse to offer her. I am still her friend and I hope that she feels the same way.

And maybe I'll also ask her if she has an email address now... you know, just to make things easier for the both of us.