THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

HAY AMORES!

"51 years, 9 months, 4 days. That's how long I have loved you."

OMG. Gabrial Gacria Marquez's 1985 novel LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA is already a movie featuring Benjamin Bratt, Javier Bardem and Giovanna Mezzogiorno under the direction of Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Mona Lisa Smile, Donnie Brasco, Four Weddings and A Funeral). Shakira sings the theme song, Hay Amores!

I can't wait.

EYELOVEIT

Sana may melon din. Jeanette told me may coffee-flavored milk daw sa SM. Wow naman!

DANGER: LOVE CAN KILL YOU

Had a chance to see this film before BC left for Singapore/Malaysia. No pretentious reviews for you today, but this one was just painful to watch. It reeked of danger at every point but nothing prepared us for the far more dangerous thing called LOVE.

Keeping your enemies closer does have its risks.

WHAT ARE ITS CHANCES AT MAKING GOOD AT THE TILLS?

I like the poster. Very clean and balanced. Wish Ken had a better shot though.

By the way, I just saw HAIRSPRAY on DVD. I got bored (with apologies to the colored community). Maybe I just wasn't impressed with the songs. Story is okay though.

Ang hirap ng walang makausap.

PLANS, PLANS, PLANS

I have a million things to do these days and I have been slowly making progress in striking out entries in my To-Do list. These past few days, I have been working on claiming certain benefits from the SSS. The guy at the counter asked why I was filing the papers only now. How does one explain depression to these people?

Anyhoo, I have a wedding coming up this Saturday (oh, that's tomorrow already!). It will be a double-ceremony thing - one civil, one Muslim. Rather confusing but clients are clients. Never make it appear that you are complaining.

I have been running dry in the creativity department lately because of a mixture of unexplained emotional swings that are blocking my ability to focus on what I am doing. I am starting to hate myself very much. My friend said I must see a shrink. She doesn't know I have been having suicidal ideation but what the heck. I cannot go before my yaya does, 'no. She will be terribly devastated. Besides, nobody will be brave enough to take care of her. One Uncle suggested that I bring her to a home for the aged so I can leave the house any time I want. The nerve. He should be happy his kids didn't have the same ideas.

I am very relieved though that I have finally spoken to a lawyer. Doing so has confirmed everything that i already knew. One, that selling the house in CDO is more complicated than I originally thought it would be. Second, I really have to start talking to my Dad. The legal implications of the sale (inheritance issues, etc) are going to be messy if not handled correctly.

I am still torn between letting go of the CDO property. Aside from the fact that I love that house, I am also wondering if the city where it is located is the place to do business in the future. Besides, I really don't know if I should stay in Manila for long. I mean, any longer. But selling the house has its pluses: I can start life anew and will be totally debt free. God, please help me. Only You know the best things to do.

By December, I will be having 3 or 4 weddings to make. I wish to settle some debts by this time. I have miscalculated in some aspects (I always miscalculate) and I have to focus on making sure I do not default in my payments. Learn from mistakes, Dylan. Learn.

Oh, yes. Last Tuesday, I got a call from this event coordination team who I worked with in my event at the Peninsula Manila and they have asked for some sample designs for a potential 500-guest event at the Makati Shangri-la in February of 2008. Of course I was overjoyed and inis at the same time because they called me on Tuesday and the client presentation was on Wednesday morning. The girl said, "Pasensya na kasi marami akong labahan (laundry) to do lately kaya I forgot to inform you sooner." Kaloka. Of course I was only able to come up with crappy drawings that I wish I will never have to execute or else it'd be the end of me and V.M.

My work process usually finds me in Dangwa where I can see what kind of flowers are available for what season so I know what will work best pero who has time to do that in a moment's notice? I didn't even have time to confer with my florists. Can't blame her though. Now I have to rethink new designs pronto to present to her client before it's too late. Imagine, a 500-guest list! That would mean 42 to 50 tables if ever! Be still, my palpitating heart.

KUMUSTA NAMAN YUN?!

I am not given to saying the title of this entry but today, I have to say it out loud. After days of trying to get the chance to file for an SSS benefit in their office in Alabang, all my efforts at waking up early to get a number (the numbers for Counter 7 run out by 7AM, if you must know), the strong rain this morning downed the PLDT lines in the area and SSS - the mighty insitution which just turned 50 years old last month - went OFFLINE for the day.

F***.

Yeah, I know it's not just me. I mean, there were other folks too who came from remote barrios and boondocks of Laguna but what are the chances, right? Anyway, I was so tired today. Had to go around the metro for many things and I ended up at the Manila City Hall for my grandfather's death certificate (I didn't know he died in Manila until today). The city hall is a chaotic place, but if you want to survive it, you have to keep on asking for directions and what to do next para 'di ka magmukhang tanga. One rule to keep in mind when in government offices: BAWAL ANG MAGTARAY. Talo ka when you are pikon. The system has been like that for decades and there's no point in trying to argue your case with the staff. Get your requirements ready and complete and prepare to wait for hours on end. Keep your cool. Your number will be called eventually.

The thing with waiting is that whether you like it or not, someone will almost always strike a conversation with you and tell you his/her life story. You can choose to ignore at your own risk or you can just nod your head and smile once in a while. At least this will keep you from losing your sanity altogether.

Oh, and another thing. NEVER ask information from the blasted security guards. They are moronic and must be ignored at all cost. Not that it's their fault though.

EVIL REARS ITS UGLY HEAD

You know what? There are e-mails circulating in the office featuring several of our supervisors in the most unflattering of light. Many of them had their personal photos superimposed on groins or were topped with... never mind. One even had a court case story created to make him look like he was illegally recruiting people for the Middle East or something.

Sobrang evil talaga. The supervisors have released denials in their blogs. I was told it was the work of someone whose contract was terminated recently. Wow. Imagine the anger that roils within his / her person. Anyway, I am pretty sure his / her feelings and outpouring thereof were very much appreciated by many. :-)

WALANG KUWENTA

Cartoon by Toothpaste for Dinner

1. Name of the person who made you laugh last night? Nobody.
2. What were you doing at 0800? Still rolling around in bed..
3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Reading blogs while stuffing myself with Gardenia’s Black Forest.
4. What happened to you in 2006? I turned 31. It was very depressing.
5. What was the last thing you said out loud? “You aren’t a misanthrope for nothing!” – to Jeanette
6. How many beverages did you have today? Just water.
7. What color is your hairbrush? Black.
8. What was the last thing you paid for? The Gardenia loaf.
9. Where were you last night? What time?
10. What color is your front door? White.
11. Where do you keep your change? In a blue bowl that looks like it was bought in Morocco. When on the go, in a nice soft leather satchel.
12. What’s the weather like today? Rainy and sad.
13. What’s the best ice cream flavor? Pistacchio by F.I.C.
14. What excited you? The thought of dinner.
15. Do you want to cut your hair? Yes, tomorrow.
16. Are you over the age of 25? I stopped counting at 28, so yes..
17. Do you talk a lot? It depends.
18. Do you watch the O.C.? Heard of it.
19. Do you know anyone named Steven? It’s not spelled that way.
20. Do you make up your own words? Ate-atehan.
21. Are you a jealous person? No. As in NO.
22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. Aida. She owns the food stall in our office.
23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’. I checked my phone just now. No match, eh.
24. Who’s the first person on your received call list? Jopie Lietgeb, my first cousin.
25. What does the last text message you received say? It was a long joke about learning English (i.e. Babaeng nakatayo sa ilalim: Misunderstanding). I am surprised I haven’t erased it yet.
26. Do you chew your straw? No.
27. Do you have curly hair? Every now and then. :-)
28. Who’s the rudest person in your life? I know a lot of them. There’s one sitting beside me as I write this.
29. What was the last thing you ate? Gardenia Black Forest. Ang kulet, ha!
30. Will you get married in the future? *rolls eyes*
31. Where’s the next place you’re going to? Wala pang Php 1 fare ang Cebu Pacific, eh. (Pobre!)
32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? I can’t recall. It was on DVD. I am accused of fastforwarding all the time so maybe I didn't notice it was good pala.
33. When was the last time you did the dishes? Yesterday.
34. Are you currently depressed? I was born depressed.
35. Did you cry today? The other night, yes.
36. Why did you answer this? I got tagged, eh. (Sunod-sunuran?!)

TORN

An idea occured to me today while on my way home from a day of doing nothing lang naman but crisscross the whole of Metro Manila. Was lined up at the bank near my place at 9.30AM, was at the Civil Registrar's Office by 10.30, and then it rained. God. I had to be in Makati before 12NN pa naman sana.

Anyway, the heavens heard me and I was on my way to my Mom's former office pero barely made it there on time so had lunch at Greenbelt 1 and wait for 1PM.

I killed time by poring over design books at Powerbooks. I need some wild idea pronto for an exhibit I am designing. Needless to say (but I am still saying it), I just ended up salivating over the many books I cannot afford at the moment. Best of luck to the staff who'd be cleaning after me.

Went to Mom's former office, got the signature I needed, exchanged pleasantries with some people who pretend to miss her (why do i seem so Bitter Ocampo?) and then headed to Quiapo. I needed to get some capiz angels to ship to Bangkok. Uy, exporter na ba ako? Ha ha ha!

Anyhoo, after Quiapo (and boy, what a day it has been!), went to Raon to meet up with M.S. to pick up a CD and some further work so I can finish the teachers manual for that Grade III Science textbook that I worked on last year. I heard the textbook is now out. Wow, I can't wait to see my name on an actual textbook - a textbook that will be shaping the minds of Grade III students for at least 3 years (that's how long a textbook remains in private schools before it is updated)!

After Raon, got myself on a comfortable FX, paid for the entire front seat (so cheap) and headed for Alabang Town Center to deliver the angels. They will fly (how apt!) to Cebu tomorrow morning, and then on to Bangkok. Buti pa sila pupunta ng Bangkok. Hey! Capiz angels going to Bangkok - the City of Angels! Cute ng mga coincidences in this paragraph.

After ATC, had a quick dinner then went home to finish a letter, write a authorization letter for my lessee in Cagayan de Oro, and then catch my breathe at long last. My yaya says she is feeling so much better. She's had me on my toes for two weeks now. She's been very sick. Thank God for answered prayers.

Anyway, what was the idea that occurred to me? To sell my house in Cagayan de Oro, that's what. My friend there said that it might get a good assessment because it is well-maintained, is located in one of the city's oldest (and safest) subdivisions, the front door opens to the breeze that rolls down the Cugman hills, the phase II of the village is next to the scenic Macajalar Bay. You can see Camiguin Island from there on a clear day. The water flow in the village is strong and it never floods. There's a good carpark. Trash is collected regularly.

If a house with narra French-style windows, marble floors, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a unique floor plan (no cabinets in rooms), a nice front yard in a quiet setting appeals to you, let me know the soonest before I change my mind.

J'ADORE!

I do not know why I am drawn to Des'ree even if she's got crappy lyrics (her LIFE was most maligned in the SUPERNATURAL album), yet her music is so nice to listen to, so alive (kahit sometimes it's so melancholic). Crappy music for crappy people. Anyway, she sort of saves people from committing suicide or do something similarly morbid. She's my counter to Chris Isaak. Then again, what's heaven for me could be hell for you.

Visit Des'ree here.

IN MEMORIAM

In loving memory of those who have gone ahead of us.