hello world.

More Fun in the Philippines

2012-01-08T21:29:00.000+08:00

I'm no George Tapan, but I'd like to express my support for the Department of Tourism campaign to boost tourism in our country.

It isn't perfect, it has it's comforts and discomforts.

But we have a beautiful country, and the world deserves to see our beautiful spots and enjoy what we can offer.

Shots are taken with my S95 and my friend's S90.

Taken at Palm Beach Resort, Laiya, Batangas (Canon S95)

Taken at Salcedo Saturday Market (Canon S90)

Taken at Crystal Cove Island, Boracay, Malay, Aklan (Canon S90)

Taken at Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan (Canon S90, by Mike Sulit)

Uh Oh

2011-12-15T15:42:00.001+08:00

I think I'm slowly becoming a sneaker pimp.

Got these at the RSH Megatrade Sale a few weeks back at 10% off. It was a pretty new release, at least locally, so I went ahead and got it.

This brings my Reebok sneaker count to three. And another pretty pair is coming soon!

Must. Resist.

Futile.

So Close.

2011-11-22T23:12:00.001+08:00

Saw this in Greenhills last week. There was a whole lot of space, and it was just so wrong for the car on the left to hog two parking slots. So what does the car on the right do with a driver desperate for a parking space?

Yep, cut it close and give the dumbass his money's worth of a challenge.

It's shameful and pitiful looking at jow we Pinoy drivers behave on the road. Even the decent ones have no choice but become bad drivers because we are left with nowhere to go.

Kicks

2011-11-04T14:08:00.001+08:00

I love my new shoes.

They're my feet's rubber shoe heaven.

Mobile, finally.

2011-11-04T14:06:00.001+08:00

I've long wished for Blogger to have an IOS app so I can give my blog a fair chance against my other social web stuff.

Then the B decided to let me use her 4th generation iPod Touch so I can post blogs with pictures.

This is just perfect! iPod Touch 4G + Blogger for IOS + unlimited mobile internet via MiFi = geeky online goodness.

iPad on my radar? Maybe, but am happy with this.

Hello from Android.

2011-11-01T20:59:00.001+08:00

Just a test post from my phone.

posted from Bloggeroid

PHL Routes, Google Maps and iOS 5

2011-10-19T03:47:00.001+08:00

It works now. Even on my iPod Touch 3rd Gen + MyFi combination, I can get route info using Google Maps in iOS 5. Coolness!

Blogger for iOS

2011-10-18T15:05:00.001+08:00

Ok, I think this means that I have Ran out of excuses to keep my blog updated. Hooray!

Nostalgia

2011-10-10T08:47:00.000+08:00

At times, the Internet can be a time machine, or a vault that gives us a link to the past.

A Flickr group I stumbled upon has collected quite a bit of old photos of Manila and the Philippines in general. One group member from the US showed a bit of passion for what the old Manila had and strong sentiments about the destruction that the Second World War brought upon us and leaving us alone to pick up the pieces.

Makes me wonder if someone not Filipino can feel this way about our past and pride, why can't we feel just a little bit like he does?

True, there is no use living in the past, but how can we ever learn from our mistakes without looking into the past and learning from it?

Death of an iCon

2011-10-06T20:26:00.000+08:00

Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder, died October 5, 2011.

He was hailed as a game-changing innovator and visionary, and his return to Apple 11 years after he was ousted saw a revival that grew the company by leaps and bounds, bringing it back to profitability, relevance and importance.

The technology industry mourned his passing, along with technology fans, geeks, and millions of people who have owned, bought, loved and scorned the products that he and his company designed, produced and sold. Tributes flowed into Apple stores, messages of sympathy and loss posted all over the Internet in the form of blog posts, tweets, and status updates.

As a person, I cannot thank Steve Jobs and Apple enough for their innovations and products, giving me great tools to do the things I do best and reflect who I am, which I believe was what he and his company originally set out to do.

Thank you, Steve. You will always be remembered.

Still going

2011-08-29T11:36:00.001+08:00

Yes, I've decided to keep this going.

For as long as I can.

So what's with this update?

To show that Twitter hasn't convincingly won.

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It's almost September. Soon, it'll be December and 2011 will end.

It's all going by so fast.

Decisions

2011-08-01T10:03:00.000+08:00

I've always had this place for a lot of things. Talking to myself, or maybe someone who is out there who knows exactly how I feel. Or just jotting down thoughts that I can revisit, something to remind of who I was, when I'm a bit more older.

But lately, I've just flat out struggled - whenever I am in here, I find myself not knowing what to write.

So here I am. Deciding if I should go on. Twitter's already won. My mind has been converted to thinking in clips and phrases, something I could get away with in here in the past.

I've been known to regret rash decisions. So this is one that I may never make.

Half The Year

2011-06-16T05:07:00.000+08:00

It's June. We've made it through half of 2011.

So far, it's been good to me. Thank you, Lord!

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Watched 500 Days of Summer last weekend from my movie stash. Since then, I've been punch drunk, crushing on and hung over on Zooey Deschanel. Enough to make my wallpaper look like this:

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I used to do this effortlessly, like second nature. Now, it's just a struggle. Maybe it's time to close shop?

I really don't know right now. All I know is there isn't much people reading or following this.

At least not like how I used to know it was being read out there. (Nope, it was never really much tee hee).

Why I Take Photos of the Food I Eat

2011-04-02T17:10:00.000+08:00

Because I can, and because I deem them as interesting photo subjects.

They may be cheap food or expensive food. Price doesn't matter. The urge to share knows no classes or prices.

It doesn't have to be technical and perfect. As long as it can share the same feeling that I had when I wanted to experience the food I am about to partake, it'll do.

I don't have to keep them afterwards. But I try to, and usually what drives me to take photos is when I have that great feeling that its gonna be good. I share them when they are, and when they aren't, I try to be a little kind so as not to ruffle anyone's feathers.

What I deem as good photos may not be shared by other eyes as the same. When comments come, I try to exert effort to take criticisms objectively and not personally. Any two cents worth will help improve whatever skills are there.

That's why I do this. Simply put, I just love to. We all do what we love.

No matter what other people think. And that's life.

Seryna's Kaisen Gozen

Kagura's Okonomiyaki

Chelsea's French Onion Soup

Forgot the names of the other two orders we had at Chelsea.

Prayers for a Time of Uncertainty

2011-03-13T13:26:00.000+08:00

Five days ago, I was thinking of going north and turning Japanese.

And then this happened.

It's been a scary year for earthquakes and disasters. Wars.

I've never had a perfect relationship with my religion. I don't practice it that much. All I know is I believe that while our destinies are in our own hands and that we have free will, it's impossible that we are fully on our own.

I said a prayer in my thoughts - times are becoming uncertain, and if there is one certainty - if these things happened to me and my loved ones, it'd be a good help that someone else out there is saying a silent prayer for me.

So here's the prayer:

We are your creations, just as the world is.
We are free, intelligent, capable of all you are capable.
We thank you for these chances to exist, to live, to be in the created world.
We pray for those who are in grief, in suffering, in loss.
We pray for recovery. Healing. A return to normalcy.
We pray for more chances to live this life, to live in your creations.
Most of all, we pray for change. The good kind of change.

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On another note, a very different note, I felt dumb for pocketing the B's baggage claim tag as we shopped for groceries at the mall (Shangrila Mall) last week. As a result of that action, we had to come back to the mall the next day so she can retrieve the pair of shoes she got the previous day.

It was a blessing in disguise.

We decided to have lunch and cashed in on the B's promise to try out the new place we saw the last time we had lunch with friends at Green Tomato - Sing Hainanese Chicken House.

Hainanese Chicken (top) and Roast Chicken (bottom). Pardon the photos - we were both hungry and I only took photos after we had started eating.

No frills, no lines, no waiting - straight menu, viewable kitchens. They served the chicken cold, but I heard they could be heated up upon request. But what I can say is if the food is good while cold, what more if they were hot? I've never been to SG before, so I had no idea how they were really served. But the B is good authority, having been to SG many times before, and when she said that this was closer to what she tried in SG, I was glad. I've finally found a place for my HCR craving.

Comparing this to my previous HCR experiences at Penang Hill and Wee Nam Kee, this was the best of the three. I was expecting a flavor that PH and WNK didn't satisfy. SHCH hit the spot and I was happy. Definitely worth a trip to Shangrila Mall.

Don't waste your effort to line up at Wee Nam Kee for a hyped but inferior Hainanese Chicken experience. There's lots of room here at Sing, and a lot more flavor for your valued buck.

Still Not Over It

2011-03-11T14:32:00.002+08:00

I'm practically ripping off cyberlaundry's desktop wall paper (and blog post - forgive me dear), but added a little something that really got my attention while I was watching the show - I added a quote from Coach Eric Taylor at the start of the show's fourth season. It goes something like this:

Because tomorrow, if you give 100% of yourself tonight, people are going to look at you differently. People are going to think of you differently. And I promise you, you're going to look and think differently about yourselves. Clear eyes, full hearts... Can't lose.

I'm hanging on to all that I have left - Season 1-3 DVDs purchased during my US vacation more than a year ago and watching as much of the special features as I can. All I can say is that the cast are an amazing bunch of performers, and the characters created are a combined result of their creative inputs or improvs and the writers' creative drives.

I've accepted that the lights will never come back on for this show. But that doesn't mean I have to get over the show yet.

Back to Japan!!! (Not that I've ever been there)

2011-03-08T18:13:00.000+08:00

This photoblog just made me want to go to Japan.

And not just go to Japan. It made me want to stay in Japan and just want to take pictures all day, and maybe not come back.

I want to eat Japanese food.

I want to panic when I get lost and no one knows English.

It's hard to imagine that a lifetime ago, the Japanese were one of the most hated people in the planet for their actions.

Now, we just want to be them.

Or like them. Or live like them.

Thanks to @robin11th for the link posted via Twitter

Snaps

2011-03-08T17:36:00.000+08:00

I haven't been taking too much pictures lately. Been struggling to find the inspiration and the right subjects. And while I've been armed with a great point and shoot for almost four months now, I have yet to scratch the surface of the potential of the S95.

I'm left to post these scraps that I lazily took while hanging out by myself while waiting for the B at CBTL GB3.

Mi-Fi + iPod Touch = Online almost everywhere goodness. No need to lug a laptop around.

Taking time out, watching people, snapping up some self-serving photos. I love the Canon PowerShot S95!

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On another note, I've started watching White Collar - it's sort of like NCIS in the way that they've invested on working on character chemistry and rapport/relationships, and providing substantial plots for them to work on together. I like how Neal Caffery and Peter Burke work together, and Tiffani Thiessen throws in a good balance as Peter's wife to offset his already second-nature distrust in people fostered by him being an FBI agent.

But my favorite character so far - Mozzie.

Image credit from usanetwork.com

Sun-Date

2011-02-28T06:41:00.000+08:00

After weeks of staying in on weekends, finally got to go out with the B on a Sunday. I normally don't like to impose on other people when I feel like going out - I always wait for people to either ask me or just inform me because I don't really like making plans (unless its something for the B).

I left my Mi-Fi at home - so that I can focus on just being with the B and leave all the online stuff at home.

Since we rarely do this, I decided to take treat her for a snack at California Pizza Kitchen, one of our favorite haunts. Weekends are her normal family time so to make the time taking her away from her family, she deserves a good treat.

We got our usual salad, The Original Chopped BBQ Chicken salad. I wasn't really a big fan of salads before, but since we started going out, I've grown to love having salads to start a meal.

Herb and Onion Focaccia was a freebie from an HSBC credit card promo - not too bad for something free. All we had to do was part with one of the B's charge slips.

For the pasta, we didn't see much of a choice (since they took the Jambalaya pasta off their menu) so we got the Sausage and Pepper Penne with Bolognese sauce. The Italian sausage used on this dish was so good - it had a really smoky and roast flavor that went well with the sauce.

Alabang Town Center is slowly becoming unmaintained - some signs are losing their letters, shops relocating with no 're'-directions, and the A/C isn't that cool. And no one seems to care. Maybe because of the ongoing construction of a new mall facility where the old South Supermarket is taking place? We'll see.

After the snack, we went around to just check out stuff - the B with her window shopping at her usual stores (I didn't need to text her to find out where she was) and I went off to search for the new location of the Globe Business Center.

The Globe Store had a new look, but the same slow and bumbling service only they can provide. I left in frustration, finding out the info that I needed to know in a flyer that I got to read to tide the long wait. I was going to subscribe to Globe Wimax, but reading about it being subject to FUP and the bad speeds/reliability, I decided to just ditch the idea.

As we left, we saw Herbie parked near McDonald's. I just had to take a snap. It looks so much like the classic Herbie from the Love Bug movies that I think he/she deserves applause for the effort to make his/her Beetle look like a Herbie replica. It was off to S&R to accompany the B for her groceries.

Since I had ran out of Blueberry Morning cereals, I decided to get paranoid and buy two boxes. This was very good for any time of day. Got a box of milk too, and a can of Black Pepper Spam (BPS). I should have gotten a loaf of bread, as BPS is great with toast and mayo.

We also saw that Chic-Boy had a branch in Puregold Molito. I've been hearing raves about it, so its a destination for next time.

Sun-dates with the B is a great way to get the feet painful (more of my fault with my weight management) and to forget about the worries of work and home life. It would probably lose its magic if done too often, so I don't mind that we do this once in a while - we have a whole lot of time for this once we've realized our plan of settling down.

No Flash in the Pan

2011-02-20T21:09:00.000+08:00

Image credit to Chris Farina/Top Rank Boxing

I saw this coming.

Four years ago, Nonito Donaire, Jr., fought a cocky, overconfident Vic Darchinyan. Vic had boasted that he broke the jaw of Nonito's brother, Glenn, and that he would do the same to Nonito. Then trained by his father, his namesake, Nonito Donaire floored a reckless Darchinyan and KO'd him in a big upset that left the Armenian glassy eyed and had to be laid down on the floor for precautionary checks.

Next, he creamed and defaced Wladimir Sidorenko, an Olympic medalist and regarded as a highly technical fighter. Donaire simply disarmed his opponent with his speed and skill in avoiding heavy exchanges while delivering crisp, powerful punches that opened all sorts of cuts and welts on Sidorenko's face, which, by the end of the fight, was a bloody mess.

Today, he floored a very credible and veteran fighter in Fernando Montiel. I expected the fight to be a real thriller, but apparently, his team forgot to review the Vic Darchinyan fight film, making the exact same mistake that put him down and flailing wildly on the canvas. Montiel simply walked into the same crushing left hook that had knocked out two very good fighters and paid dearly for it. And it appeared that Nonito knew his opponent well, waiting and timing his opportunity well, knowing and seeing that at some point in the fight, Montiel will make the same mistakes that Darchinyan and Sidorenko did.

A lot of critics really didn't give a lot of thought about Nonito Donaire despite his wins and his conquests. They said that the best validation for his skill and talent was a rematch with Darchinyan that never happened, that he may have just caught Sidorenko on a bad day. But this win over Montiel showed finally, that he was no flash in the pan.

Restrung

2011-02-20T01:18:00.000+08:00

I love this guitar. It has a sound that is rarely heard from cheap guitars. I rarely play guitar nowadays, but when I do, I just love to go on and play because it really has a great sound, especially with good strings.

Music Is My Life Support Two

2011-02-18T17:28:00.000+08:00

I'm already out of foolproof ideas so don't ask me how to get started...

It's all uncharted...

Jumpstart my kaleidoscope heart...

Uncharted - Sara Bareilles (Live at VH1)

You may not be a baby anymore...

2011-02-16T16:57:00.002+08:00

But you'll always be our baby. Sweet little Catherine.

Lights Out

2011-02-13T17:22:00.003+08:00

Image from freewatchepisode.com

So it's finally over. The lights have been turned out. While I have yet to see the last three episodes of Friday Night Lights' final season, I am already anticipating a happy ending where the Lions will win the Texas state championship on their second season back in high school football. It is not really something believable, I know, but if you have a coach that they did like Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), anything is just about possible.

I will miss this show for the great story and acting that it delivers on every episode. At first, it was my fascination with football that got me attracted to it, and then the unique way they shoot the scenes and the dramatic camera angles. As I watched on, it was the acting delivered by a mix of acting veterans and Texas locals that made the show feel really credible. I know I've never been or lived in Texas, but that's the thing - it made me feel like I know how life is there, after being immersed in the show, and the story lines just reach out and get to you.

I read in an article that what caused FNL's critical success and ratings fail is its best characteristic - showing the reality with all its absurdness and awkwardness right in our faces - presenting us with situations where we would have most likely chosen the same paths that the characters did, something we probably wouldn't admit to ourselves. And in reality, in life, the best that we have at times are not good enough.

Like all good things, this show had to come to an end. The lights, at the end of the game, win or lose, go out and we all only have good memories of what was laid out on the field.

Out of the Calendar...

2011-02-10T12:44:00.001+08:00

...but still in the range of Lottery Numbers.

Hello, 32. It's either I'm 12 with 20 years of experience. Or 22 with 10 years experience.

Each year, the number grows bigger. But it is only a number. Real age is how you act it, how you deal with life, how you treat people around you and how you treat life in general.

Treat life with respect, and age will be kind to you. On the other hand, be crazy, careless and hurtful, and people will definitely get your age wrong ALL the time.

We wouldn't want our 12 + 20 or 22 + 10 get much bigger than it already is right?

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I will try to put up more blog entries this year - one, because I miss writing real posts and thoughts. Two, because I feel ashamed that I bought a Macbook hurriedly and barely open it up and use it. The keyboard is just so lovely to type with, I could just go on and on...

Wait - I'm starting to go pointless - I've definitely regressed blog-skills wise.

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Got more than a hundred greets on Facebook and SMS. I am absolutely floored. Thanks, everyone!

On Ortigas

2011-01-09T12:36:00.000+08:00

It's been more than a month since I've left EGG and the Globe project assignment, and tomorrow I've been working for my new employer for a month. So far, my career has taken me from the nearness of Alabang, to the ordered chaos that is Makati, up further north to the muted chaos that is Mandaluyong and now, to Ortigas.

All I can say that it has been a pleasant surprise.

Our office is at the Unionbank Plaza, just right in front of Metrowalk. Just a stone's throw away from a variety of choices for food, drink and ~~night cap~~. (scratch that coz I'm working nights now)

It is also a few minutes walk from Emerald Avenue (now known as F. Ortigas Jr. Avenue), where there is a good stretch of fast food choices, some favorites of the B and mine, coffee shops and fitness clubs. The banks where I usually pay bills are just a few steps away, and since I'm working nights now, I can conveniently bank without worrying about the crowds just before I go home.

Traffic along Emerald isn't much of a problem, but its more on the feeder streets to the main roads.

It's been a pleasant experience, I've considered moving here.

But it's too early to decide, and I should really wait till I get regular employment status before I start making long term decisions.

Gives me time to see if anything ugly will rear its head.

Change

2010-12-31T08:56:00.001+08:00

It is not easy, especially when we have been used to doing certain things in a certain way.

The most difficult part about changing, is not deciding to do so, but taking the first step.

2010 has shown that the first step of many can be taken - that we can be lead by someone so out of his element and comfort zone because changing the way things are is worth changing his life.

And that's how we can all change - if people can sacrifice changing their lives in service to change all our lives, wouldn't it be worth it to change ourselves in order to feel that tangible change that we want to see in society?

2011 is another chance, another day and another year to see if we can rise up to that challenge.

The Birdee Stole My Blogee

2010-12-25T23:40:00.001+08:00

I am posting this because I feel guilty.

Ever since I've gotten my E5830 and bought Gravity for Symbian S60, I've let Twitter completely obliterate my blog. In less than a few months, my initial five tweets made when I created the account has grown to around 400-plus tweets, while my blog has remained at a measly 311 total posts since I've resurrected it in 2004.

I remember completely dissing Twitter for being absurd - why would anyone want to blog something that has to be less than 140 characters in length? I thought to myself, 140 characters is simply not enough to contain an interesting thought.

So here's my apology to my blog: no, Twitter does not completely obliterate you out of water. 140 characters can contain interesting thoughts, but nothing tells a story (especially longer ones...) better than a blog does.

I've Always...

2010-12-01T00:30:00.002+08:00

it started when I thought of the drinking game 'I Never...'. all of a sudden, i just thought, why not make a blog post about the opposite - a list of things that i've always wanted to do, a kind of a reverse bucket list. The things I don't think I'll ever be able to realize in this lifetime. I guess I'm writing this not to remind myself what I had been afraid to do, but more of to remind myself how much I used to dream - and how big I dreamed, if I did dream big at all.

So here it is - some are things that I still hope to realize someday - others, well - I guess I wasn't meant to do those. We all have to let it go sometime, right?

So, here we go.

I've always...

...wanted to do something on the artsy side, like paint or sketch, but I couldn't draw squat.
...wanted to be a fighter pilot, ever since the day I saw Top Gun.
...wondered if I would make it to the age of starships, transporters and phasers.
...fantasized of performing small-scale, heroic acts - like hitting a game-winning jump shot or saving a life.
...wanted to drive a fast car, race and win. Heck, I even did my own commentary in my imaginary coverage.
...wanted to see my name in print (check!)
...wanted to travel the world and remember them in photos, hoping to just share the fascination even in just a small setting.
...believed in second chances, and even more when I resumed studying, since I was blessed enough in being given one.
...been in love with the idea of being in love, but not just for the sake of it - and it gave me hope.
...had a problem with needles. I handle it better now, but I still hate the idea of them going into my body.
...been used to working on my own and taking up cudgels for others, but that changed this year, and by a whole lot!
...loved the idea of going abroad, but never living anywhere other than here - until I went abroad.
...been in love with certain parts of history - up to now, I still look up historical events and imagine what it was like to have lived in those times.
...loved biking, even after an accident on one cost me my halves of my two front teeth. It's a little freedom that I miss.
...loved to read a good story, real or not, senseless or not, impossible or not. The important thing is that it's good.

Questions and Answers

2010-12-01T00:28:00.000+08:00

At times, we think the answer will always come just in time.

The reality is, life isn't fair and there will be days that we will be left waiting, without answers. And with the absence of answers to the questions that we have in our hearts and minds, we tend to turn to doubt. It creeps in slowly, but it easily firms up its hold, especially those whose hearts are weak to fight it.

The power of prayer is this - it doesn't solve the puzzle, or provide the answers to the questions or takes away what we don't need or what we want taken away. It simply allows us to cast the doubt away from our hearts and minds. Prayer is not just a set of words we need to memorize. It is a conversation, to a greater power. Trust in that greater power to enlighten us with what to do next, or what to choose with the options we have.

When we think, at times, the chaos of the torrent of thoughts causes us to not hear ourselves. Prayer gives us the channel to talk the doubt out of ourselves and allow that greater power to help us realize what we need to do, and to cast the doubts away. We will always get what we asked for, but not always literally.

The Hangover

2010-10-04T23:00:00.000+08:00

manila. planned over lunch. four at the start, three at the end. to hell with plans. three tickets. domestic airport. parked car, two nights. strong air con. rainy weather. take off. capture the clouds.taal. corregidor. sunny up here. sunglasses/polarizer. one hour on paper, thirty minutes in the air. landing. smooth. touchdown. kalibo. bus ride. ninety minutes. sleep will come. jetty port. wait here, sir. ten months ago, we got conned. fifteen minutes. boracay. traffic on the two-lane road. jony's. welcome drinks are so welcome. mango shake heaven. upgraded. three on room for four. walk the beach. d'mall. station one. sunsets. free dinner. sleep night.

up early. breakfast. dip. clear, cool water. white sand. bye, stress. find your watch. i can stay here forever. loving it. nothing like this in LA. wade. lie down. feel the sand. take it home. gentle breeze. clouds. blue skies. beautiful people. annoying vendors. can't blame them for trying. island hopping. snorkelling. i'll pass. cramps. beautiful down there. crystal cove. hot day for a hike. two caves, too many people. hand-shaped seats, burning buns. lunch. eat all you can. snorkelling after eating? pass. ice cream man on a small boat. COCONUT man on SMALL boat. not just one coconut. puka beach. peace. rougher sand. a healthy dose of silence. wows. sighs. can stay here all day. time to go back. rest. naps. wake up. shower. dinner. walk. nervous. face the fifteen. first shot is the fiercest. five down. ten down. thirteen down. FIFTEEN! two for the Philippines. two names. two brothers. still standing. fast fading (j). sleepwalk. TAX! forgotten fight. never again. promise.

up. eat. pack. walk the beach. take it all in. memories made. time to go home. boat. bus. stinky airport. jollibee conspiracy. gossip guys and girl. plane. hottest flight ever. touchdown. goodbyes.

Home

2010-09-19T22:29:00.000+08:00

For the past two weekends, I've been bringing one of my great friends, Mikey, around the city. While I was planning to make this tour a sort of healthy mix between a rediscovery of identity, taste and the changes that the Manila has undergone since the last time he was here, I slowly realized that this was also a journey that I needed to make. Not only did I try to show him the various gastronomic delights, mall marvels and the boom of high-rise residental buildings and developments, I tried to insert some kind of anecdotes to sort of feed their knowledge of the city as I know it.

I thought that I could easily leave the comforts of home to feed my longing to be anywhere but here. I thought I could embrace any other city and just make it my home and easily change who I am to match the spirit of whatever city I'm moving to.

I was wrong.

Your heart knows when you're home. And I knew, in two, crazy fun-filled weekends of traffic, food, malls and markets, that no matter where I go, this is the home that I'd always look forward coming back to, and that while any new city will captivate and capture my heart, it will always be here.

Susanna Kaysen named one chapter of her novel Girl, Interrupted, "If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now". I am happy that I live here and that I am home now.

Other Uses for A Car

2010-07-11T12:55:00.000+08:00

Storage for the Huawei E5830 Mi-Fi router where the signal is stronger. Yes, a car can become a Wi-Fi

hotspot.

Why I (Attempt To) Write

2010-07-11T12:50:00.000+08:00

It is because I love to read. Most especially, well-written pieces.

A well-written piece won't need too much words to captivate a casual reader, but its' impact is best appreciated by a creative mind. Words that unlock a mind's imagination, putting one's consciousness back into that world that the author has created or re-created. The power of words can be lost to the 'imagination-less', and without that power, the piece loses its meaning.

Personally, I have got a weakness for history and historical accounts. They pique my curiosity so much, that I can spend all day just googling about a significant event in world and local history and lose myself in layers and layers of links, facts, and images of the past, sending my thoughts into a time travel of sorts.

This is why, after so many attempts to stop blogging, I never was able to fully leave it alone - I always have this feeling and urge to write whenever I read something really great and something that enriches my mind. I want to say something about it and show how what I've read inspires me.

Music is My Life Support One - Sara Bareilles

2010-06-29T00:22:00.002+08:00

Inspired by cyberlaundry's 30 days of music. But I'm not gonna count up or down, because the pressure would be just too much for me - the last time I tried something like this (yes, an epic fail of a Project 365), I flamed out on day 2. So I'll just do the best I can.

Sara Bareilles rocks.

She first caught my ear a couple of years back with 'Love Song', but completely reeled me in with 'Between the Lines'. I've always wanted to be in a band/play with/jam with a woman who has a great deal of power and emotion in her voice and words, and it was that combination that really got me into her music. I wouldn't say I am a huge fan, but if she did come over to Manila for a show, I'd definitely most likely be there to watch, hopefully for free like a couple of weeks back when Train visited ATC. More on that in the next few posts to come :)

Anyway, I just gotta share this - Sara Bareilles covers The Beatles' Oh Darling at Abbey Road Studios. Damn.

The New World

2010-06-27T23:04:00.001+08:00

Actually, this post is around six months late.

Anyway, I knew that someday, if I wanted it enough or needed it enough, I would be able to set foot on the United States of America. I know that in the past, if I were made to choose, I'd choose to just stay here and spend the money elsewhere. I know that I've always been critical of the way of life in America, and how harder life is out there than it really looks.

When the B's sister and her family moved to America late last year, I knew that it would be sooner than later that the B would want to go to the States so she can visit them - she's very close to her sister and especially her niece, and the first few weeks that they were gone was a very difficult time for her. So I went through the process of obtaining a visitor visa, found it very smooth and nerve-wracking at the same time - and after a few hours, proudly declared 'California, here we come' on Facebook.

On this trip, I decided to hit two birds with one stone - my longtime childhood friends, the Sulit family, lived in California and as soon as I got the indication of an approved visa informed them that I'd be visiting - we haven't seen each other in 15 years, and didn't get a proper chance to say goodbye as they left on a school day. The trip gave me a chance to see them, see how their lives were and catch up with what's been on in our lives.

It was a whole new world for me, and being able to share it with the B made it all the more unforgettable.

Here's just a few of the images that I captured to remember the trip by:

Welcome to Hollywood

Grau's Chinese Theatre, the Harry Potter prints :)

Tita's, Catherine's and mine

Together again.

Craziness and a Camera, Part 1

Craziness and a Camera, Part 2

Craziness and a Camera, Part 3

Reunited.

Cooking Tita and Photographer Catherine

Save Us, San Francisco! At the Fisherman's Wharf

Golden Gate Bridge

Universal - the B was still in Merced at this time :(

Simpsons Ride!

Santa Monica Pier

Get your kicks

I always wanted to go here.

Candy heaven!

Kiss by the castle.

Gone Goofy

Loving life.

Jumping for joy!

My California Family - together again after 15 years, but the fire of friendship was never tempered.

A Few Small Repairs

2010-06-26T21:54:00.002+08:00

It's been a while since I last changed blog templates. I stopped caring what the blog looked like years ago, when it was apparent that I couldn't really think of a really good concept for a blog template. But now that Google/Blogger introduced its new template designer, I decided to take the leap and make a few small repairs.

The tool is very intuitive, and offers a lot of choices for backgrounds. I had no problems doing multiple changes and do-overs, as you know, I have this indecisive nature for guessing and second-guessing. For years that I've used Blogger, I've always struggled finding the right template offered from the defaults to match with what I wanted. At least now, it gives us users a wider range of choices and a great preview function to help us decide if its what we want or not.

+++

Speaking of repairs, I proudly announce that I have acquired a new skill - changing door knobs!

By some bizarre coincidence, all the house doors' knobs started to fail one after the other - with the exception of the bathroom door. When the first knob failed, I had watched this handy man transplant one of the knobs in the extra room to the front door (which also failed eventually) and thought that if ANY of the knobs in the house failed, I'd be able to do it myself without having to shell out money for a handy man. I guess that's when the knobs started to fail one by one.

Since we needed tickets for the Train show in ATC, I decided to buy the door knobs from True Value in ATC. By Sunday, all the doors had spanking new door knobs.

And I didn't even need to read the instructions!

Yes, I am now officially a D.I.Y man :)

you know

2010-06-12T12:18:00.003+08:00

no, this post isn't about Manny Pacquiao.

you know it's right when there are good days and bad days
you know it's healthy when you don't always take the same side of the argument
you know it's fun when you can still make her go into coughing fits in between a big laugh caused by an inane comment
you know it's perfect because you both can be equally right or wrong depending on what side of the fence you sit on
you know it's love because you can be yourself and be what she wants you to be at the same time

Comfort Food

2010-03-22T07:56:00.002+08:00

Food is more than just nourishment - they relieve more than just hunger. The scents can instantly crush a bad day at the office, or enhance the good company you share the meal with. Great food can make you feel all that and more. The best thing about it is you'll never have regrets with the money you spend. After all, it is food.

The B and I make sure to find some time and resources to get ourselves a great food date every now and then. Some couples have regular movie nights, regular shopping sprees or mall visits. For us, a visit to one of our favorite eating spots and enjoying the food is our thing.

Goodbye Tags...

2010-03-21T06:50:00.002+08:00

A dear friend passed away last Tuesday due to complications arising from childbirth. It felt gut-wrenching, receiving the news - she was the youngest in our circle of friends in college, and we always considered her as our 'baby'. She had a way with all of us, and despite the fact that we rarely all got together after graduation, we'd always recall how fun it was with her around and how she'd make us laugh with her antics and ways.

I went to her wake last Friday and saw her for the last time, dressed in white. I chose to remember her in the photos that my other friends had kept, in the memories we all made together.

This morning, she will be laid to rest. I pray for her soul, and the son and husband that she left behind, and her family, that they may find acceptance and courage to move on from this loss and do her memory well by living their lives the way she would have wanted to...

CamSur

2010-03-17T10:48:00.002+08:00

We figured that it is better to see it now while it is still undeveloped and raw. The roads that lead to this place is rough and tiring, but the beauty is well worth it.

Don't Stop Believin'

2010-03-10T18:14:00.001+08:00

Photo Credit: GleeksUnited.com (c)

This is a guilty pleasure.

Lost and Found

2010-03-08T08:30:00.002+08:00

When you feel you've lost something, whether it's your mind, your heart or your fire, just retrace your steps. It won't guarantee you will find what you're looking for, but the journey will somewhat reassure you that you're on the right track.

+++

It's been a year of changes so far - so much to work on, so much to save for and so much to pray for.

For the one biggest change in my life, I dedicate all my energies and my commitment. For this one big change, I will put all of myself, because if I can't, then I don't deserve it.

Mission Impossible

2009-12-30T07:59:00.004+08:00

Mission: Surprise the Jr. Cutie Pie.

We first landed in the land of the stars.

We saw some award-winning films.

We ate some burgers - "animal-style".

The journey - a short train ride, a scenic bus ride and a fast and comfortable trip on the "Midday Marauder".

Six hours later, we are reunited. Her tears of surprise and happiness is well worth it.

Mission accomplished!

What Happens in Bora...

2009-12-04T17:10:00.004+08:00

... stays in my heart.

What I believe is Manny's secret.

2009-11-16T00:44:00.006+08:00

Image from: Getty Images/Al Bello

Before the match, he trains - he trains hard. Most of the brilliance on the night of the fight is the result of countless hours of practice, sparring, road work, watching fight tape and you can go on and on whatever boxers do to prepare for a fight. Anyone in Team Pacquiao will say that the man is who he is because of the work he puts in during training.

For what you can't prepare for, because life is that way, Manny prepares the best way he knows - look up high to the heavens, with earnest faith, for guidance, glory, and protection. The image above shows that same fire in training as he prays for his victory.

He is where he is right now because of these things - work and prayer. And maybe that's there all is to it. The rise to glory might not be meteoric or in the same scale as Manny's but if we tried, it will all make things better for us.

Now that it's out there...

2009-11-14T12:17:00.004+08:00

She put in long hours, best effort and much of herself into this project. She pushed people to give it their best, and made compromises for both sides. She hung tough and accepted the challenge, the opportunity to oversee and manage this gig, coming from our small company to make a big difference in this bigger organization. She made difficult choices, lost sleep and now that it's out there, I feel nothing but pride for what my b and her team has come up with and delivered.

I like the new look.

I am proud of you b! Congratulations!

Friday Night Lights gets its second wind.

2009-11-14T03:52:00.013+08:00

"I love my job, and I would like to keep it." But he didn't. The town chose the truckful of money and the boy with the good arm.

It was done. It was over in the eyes and minds of many of its faithful followers.

Time to turn off the lights.

The uncertainty of its continuity on TV opened the door for the creative team behind the show to create deep plot lines way beyond football, an opportunity to rebuild its cast, reinforce its faithful roots to realism and most of all, sensational performances from the leads.

From the loud, shaking, rabid fanaticism of Dillon High, a quiet eerieness greets Kyle Chandler's coach Eric Taylor at East Dillon. The years of disuse of the school's facilities left him with not much to rebuild on and very little to start with. It comes to full circle with his voice over at the end of the pilot where he described the loss of Jason Street to paralysis as a test - "We will be tested - we will be tested to our very souls."

This is his test. And he confronts it the best way he knows - with the same fire in his eyes, that same love for the game, for those who play for him, those who watch, those who teach and coach the game with him. He knows the odds - he knows he can't win, but he also knows that by playing and getting these kids to find meaning for themselves, he can't lose.

Softly, poignantly: "Clear eyes, full hearts..."

There is no better way to start a new season.

Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't lose.

2009-08-01T11:25:00.003+08:00

I'm hooked on the show Friday Night Lights.

I've known about this since it started airing here last year, but never around to really check it out because I thought it'll never work. It'll start out as a sports-centric weekly drama then progress into some twisted, convoluted story straying far away from what it really set out to tell.

Surprise, surprise.

It's really good. The acting is top notch with its different approach (mostly done in 1 take, and actors are given the creative freedom to express the base dialogue), the ambient music and the imagery is just -- excellent. The creative team behind this are taking huge risks of wholesale cast changes to keep up with the reality of high school varsity teams being broken up due to graduation and I think it's a really bold move, hopefully the stories and characters they develop will keep the show going. They've wrapped up 3 seasons with NBC picking up 2 more seasons, the next new one airing summer of 2010.

It's gonna be a long wait so I'm taking my time to get episodes and watch this at a slower pace.

Watching this show reminds me of how much I wanted to excel in the things I love, how life isn't really always about winning or losing, but what you become after you leave it all out in the court, field, gym or the road. It reminds me that a game is a lot like life - it's never just a game, and if your heart isn't in it, your eyes are not set on the goal, everything you play for or live for in this matter may be lost.

Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose.

Those six words best describes what you need to do to succeed in life.

About Comebacks

2009-07-12T10:02:00.003+08:00

Michael Jordan couldn't stay retired - it didn't matter if he would be able to win championships again prior to his last (and hopefully final) retirement - he just wanted to play.

Lance Armstrong thought his seventh Tour de France title would be his last competitive ride - but he rides again this year to silence that voice in his mind egging him to do it one more time - against younger legs, strict rules against the evil of doping, but most of all, to challenge his already incredible legacy.

The Dawn has split up many times, only to come back again - it doesn't matter if they sound way different from before - or if the critics are panning them for their latest efforts - they just wanted to play and make music.

Hulk Hogan still wrestles from time to time. I once heard, in Wrestle Mania 3, that the announcers would love to see him win a wrestling title coming out of retirement.

We've seen boxers give up their careers after a devastating loss, only to bounce back to the ring, their desire to test themselves against the best or the best of who's available and willing.

It is in our nature to post comebacks. Deep inside everyone of us is that irresistable urge to fight adversity, to prove to ourselves that we are given the tools to come back even from the most lopsided odds, that winning small victories can deliver that ultimate goal.

That's the reason behind this blogging comeback - I've always wanted to keep writing. The fire was never lost. Things of greater consequence came but now that they've settled down into the background, it opens the door for this return.

And while this comeback may not be great or worth anyone's attention, I find comfort in the similarity of my story with others.

For me, that is enough.

Once You Go Mac...

2009-07-04T20:18:00.007+08:00

They say you won't go back.

Given this beautiful aluminum-shod beast to work with, I just might not. Not with VMWare Fusion around :)

***

Where do you find the best cheesesteak sandwich in town?

Not Charlie's. Not Elbert's. Tried them both and to me, they're overly hyped in blogs and reviews.

The best and consistent cheesesteak sandwich overall can be found in Gram's Diner in Rockwell. The bread won't hurt your palate and uses cheese you can actually taste. Taste buds don't lie and mine told me that Gram's easily knocks out these other two sandwiches out in the taste category. That's my verdict.

My friends and I used to frequent Gram's diner and I don't know why I missed this sandwich on their menu.

The beautiful one agrees, and with that, it's game over.

***

I can't help but notice that we're the same about things that we like individually. We don't get tired of them at the peak of our liking of those aforementioned things, and we don't care what other people say about what we like.

I know you won't have a problem with that because I don't. And please don't hesitate plugging in your iPod and play your music while we're on the road. With all the talk on the radio these days, I'm more than happy to listen to your playlist over and over.

THOUGHTS

2009-03-12T23:36:00.004+08:00

When we were younger, my kuya Glenn and I always played with toy cars. My mom and dad had spoiled me rotten with Matchbox toy cars, because way back then, they were dirt cheap. Dad then got us pedal-powered carts, which he'd stow on his 79' Corolla, drive all the way from Makati to CCP early in the morning so we kids could get a breath of fresh air from Manila Bay (it was really fresher back then), which was good for me because of my intense ashtma attacks.

As we grew up, the family fortunes changed somewhat and my older cousin got to pursue his love of automobiles. He inherited my uncle's 89' Corolla XE and saved up for his modifications to his car. He'd always show me what to pick out if I was going to have my own someday and he'd teach me a lot of things about cars that most guys have to know.

A few weeks shy of my 30th birthday, I decided to give myself something that I knew that I wanted to have, and at the same time I knew would be a great convenience for me and my beautiful one. With her helping me pick out the color and a lot of other things, such as constantly reminding me to check my budget and really assess that we were ready for this, we were together when we finally rolled Cameron out of the dealership on January 31.

We got the 2009 Hyundai AT GLS i10, our first car. It was available on a special promo price, and pretty much souped up with lots of extras at a price we just couldn't say no to. I was really eyeing the MT model which brought the price down by just a little bit, but my beautiful one convinced me to take the AT model so that we both can be less worried driving it around the city traffic jams.

These photos were taken just right after her first 1000km check up. I wanted to drive to a more photo-friendly location to shoot photos but since we were due to leave for my uncle's birthday party, I decided to take photos in our neighborhood's common parking area.

A big part of my decision to get this car for me and my beautiful one was that I wanted to give her the convenience of no longer worrying how to get home or keeping her mind off the thought of how to get a ride when she works late. It also freed me from the worry of thinking how she gets home and her safety in doing so. I treat it as something ours more than mine, because our joint efforts and the graces from our Maker helped this to become a reality through His providing of opportunities and means. To me, it was the biggest birthday gift I've ever received, but still only second best compared to the happy relationship I'm enjoying with my beautiful one.

A few days after we got the car, I visited kuya Glenn in his QC office to show him the latest addition to our automobile family. We spent a good hour or so checking the car, driving it around and talking about how it feels and rides. At the end of that good hour, we both reminded ourselves of those days when we just played and drove our toy cars by the bay, on a cool Sunday morning, with the breeze blowing slightly and of the days we played with our Matchbox cars in the sand.

Arrivederci, 2008

2008-12-31T23:22:00.002+08:00

It was a good year.

It had its highs and lows.

It had its trials and its woes.

A year to live, a year to die.

A year to make mistakes and sigh.

Memories made and enjoyed.

If there's any moment in the year,

That made you smile or shed a tear,

Give thanks and face the new day without fear.

Say farewell to 2008,

2009 is here for us to make!

MUSIC

2008-12-18T15:14:00.003+08:00

Rediscovered this song from Ria's onsite wedding video. I've always been a believer and a fan of musicians who speak of truths through their music. This is one of the few songs where it's not hard to see the truth in its words.

I really believe that our relationship is truly built to last.

Built to Last
Melee

I've looked for love in stranger places,
but never found someone like you.
Someone whose smile makes me feel I've been holding back,
and now there's nothing I can't do.

'Cause this is real, and this is good.
It warms the inside just like it should,
but most of all it's built to last.

All of our friends saw from the start.
So why didn't we believe it too?
Whoa yeah, now look where we are.
You're in my heart now.
And there's no escaping it for you.

'Cause this is real, and this is good.
It warms the inside just like it should,
but most of all it's built to last.

Walking on the hills that night with those fireworks and candlelight
You and I were made to get love right

'Cause this is real, and this is good.
It warms the inside just like it should,
but most of all it's built to last.

'Cause you are the sun in my universe,
considered the best when we've felt the worst
and most of all it's built to last.

THOUGHTS

2008-12-03T23:36:00.004+08:00

A Good Year?

There's 27 days, 24 minutes before the curtains draw a close on the year 2008. It's that time of the year again - to look back at the year that was and see if it went the way I planned it. Most of us avoid doing this because of the obvious - we never really do things perfectly as we had planned it - but I believe that looking back is never a bad thing because it reminds us what we have to be thankful for for this year, and learn from what we had horribly done wrong.

So, I guess I'll start:

January - my beautiful one got confined due to a strain of the dengue fever which got me all worried, frantic and sleepless. My first time to face the reality of our situation and I don't think I passed that with flying colors at all.

February - my beautiful one gives me a generous present for my birthday, the Nokia N95 8GB, a great lunch at Cafe Juanita, and I got myself my 2nd digital camera - the Fuji Finepix S5600. Also booked tickets for our planned Thailand trip in July. Yes, thank you to CebPac, we got a great rate on plane fare to Bangkok.

March - Got bitten by the photography bug big time, and immediately moved on into DSLR's by buying my Nikon D40. It's mostly snapping what I see at home and what I see around, except when in Makati.

April - our Las Pinas home of 23 years and 8 months is sold; with a heavy heart, I pack my things into boxes, the first 'moving' that I've encountered with complete awareness. We move in to a smaller but a potentially great house still in Las Pinas, and lies in a closer proximity to my beautiful one's home.

May - got my beautiful one an iPod Touch for her birthday (and Apple screws me over big time by releasing a spanking new one a couple of months later) that she totally likes, celebrate her birthday a night ahead, and left her a birthday song message via audio messaging - technology is just uber cool.

June - spent it being mostly excited for July. Picked up running again - ran my first 5K and finished in under 45 minutes, by my clock.

July - hit two birds with one stone - get to go abroad for a vacation and got to share it with someone really special. My beautiful one and I go to Bangkok for the first stamps in my passport. Although we didn't get to go to the places we originally planned to go, just being somewhere else with my special someone was an experience to remember. We also ran our first 5K together and finished in under an hour. Not bad for a challenging and undulating course in the Fort!

August - new challenge career wise: took on the role of senior system administrator. I knew I still had a lot to learn in this job but if I was gonna expand my horizons in this role, then bring it on! The consequence was I had less time for running as we adjusted to the workload big time. I guess this also means I don't remember much from August.

September - still adjusting. Less running, pretty much less life as I try work my way into doing a good job. My sister gives birth to a bouncing baby boy - Enzo Inigo - I am now an uncle! Makes me wonder when will I be given the blessing to start my own family...

October - Adjusted! Was able to do a lot of races, but still pretty much work took much of the time and the rest went to spending quality time with my beautiful one. Also, a major change and challenge - Ann was assigned to do PM work for Globe Telecom. Spent Halloween trick or treating with her niece and it was great playing nanny to Cat-cat. Joined a on the spot photo contest during a photography group EB - my entry made top 50! (I know it isn't much... but hell I'm proud of it!)

November - Took on an even bigger role work-wise: meant having to meet insane deadlines and painstakingly make sure every detail was covered as we moved all our machines out of the old data center and migrate the services to Globe and PLDT data centers. Also, I start to do infrastructure costings and design solutions for our prospective clients and internal projects. Since Ann has been mostly not in the office, I put my energy in dealing with the change by working and trying to tick out what we need to do one item at a time.

Now that I look at it, I say it's been a good year. Lots of new things, lots of old things rediscovered, and even if there's been a lot that I haven't been able to do (buy a car, get a new laptop, get married, talk to Ann's parents [yet, but I will before the year ends and before Christmas comes so it's coming up real soon]), just being able to do a lot is an accomplishment.

So if you feel you haven't done much, cheer up. Take a look back and you'll realize that you've done enough to have a good year. Don't forget to give thanks for the gift of a good year because it's something that we can't do all by ourselves. He also made it possible.

RUN

2008-10-31T10:35:00.003+08:00

Run Love

I love to run because I can do it with my friends - we support and motivate each other, exchange tips and push each other to go faster each race and at the same time enjoy the run knowing we are all going to be suffering the same pains and the same joys of crossing the finish line.

We all run different races, but when we finish our best and strongest, we are one in being happy with our sense of accomplishment.

+++

One thing I miss most is running with my beautiful one. I feel happy seeing her push herself and test her limits, and I feel proud that I help her do so. Although running is something that I really enjoy for myself, the fact that she puts in effort to share it with me drives me to keep helping her get better and faster and love running as well.

EATS

2008-10-29T20:29:00.003+08:00

Sr. Pedro Lechon Manok (Roast Chicken)

This is a long time favorite. I discovered this around five years ago - back then it was just P140 for a whole chicken, which was way cheaper than Andok's which was P200+.

They cook the chickens in a clean coal-fired roaster. You can see how pretty much everything's done, and is much more somewhat reassuring than how they clean chopping boards at Andok's.

The chicken meat is juicy, tasty and a lot less salty (but not bland) in comparison with Andok's. It's got a sweet flavor. The sinfully delicious juices of the chicken are retained (not spilled) in its foil wrapping, and great to give your steamed rice the flavor from the roast chicken. Goes well with their soy sauce and calamansi.

Mmmm. I love this roast chicken. I still haven't given up eating Andok's chicken, but for me this one rocks for less cash.

Let the LOVE Begin

2008-10-24T06:15:00.002+08:00

Starting from scratch? Zero training? Hate running and want to start feeling the love?

This is what I did to get started.

It's a simple running program - in 8 weeks, you'll be more than ready to run your first 5 km race. You don't need to sign up for a pricey gym plan and buy credits for personal training and instead, spend the money on a good shoe, Dri-Fit/ClimaCool/LightningDry shirts, shorts and socks. Though they say running is an inexpensive sport, it still does have its initial investments. But you don't need to spend on renting venues on a per hour basis, and you don't have to worry about gym people bugging you all the time to upgrade/avail of promos and plans. And the initial investments have its benefits that gives you less worries while you're running.

Just a few pointers I found useful:

- Pick a light, comfortable shoe: heavy shoes take its toll on legs, and the farther you go, the more you'll feel the pain of having picked the wrong shoes. Try to throw visual appeal out the window - it doesn't help you finish your target time or distance.

- Lightning Dry/Dry-fit/ClimaCool,etc. counts: it feels fresher on the skin than regular cotton shirts. When you feel fresher, the longer you can go on running, especially on humid days/nights, helping you increase or maintain your target mileage.

- Attend FREE run clinics @ R.O.X Fort Bonifacio: every now and then, R.O.X holds run clinics - invaluable lessons to aid proper running, the do's and dont's, as well as pre-race preparations and useful exercises. Some of these sessions hold runs after the lecture is over, so make sure you have your gear. Some of the facilitators are sports doctors and experienced elite runners, so their insight and knowledge are reliable and trustworthy.

- If you're planning a meal before you run, make sure you eat lightly at least an hour before your run. After the run, our metabolic rate remains elevated for up to an hour, so we can eat to replenish energy and nutrients (remember, eat, not binge!)

- Find a safe place to run, especially if you run at night: if you're running alone, make sure your route is a common runners' route or at least well-lit and recommended by a number of runners - I'm a night runner and I do mine either in Legazpi Car Park, MACEA Park along Legazpi St. and if my running mates are feeling really up to it, Bonifacio High Street. Also find safety in numbers, and minimize carrying valuables while running. It also helps if your route features zero stray dogs!

- Warm up before running, cool down after: 10 minutes of stretching, 5 minutes of super easy jogging/walking or 15 minutes of calisthenics (future post) before getting down to business will get you ready to run, and doing same stretching exercises after helps minimize that weary feeling.

- No pain killers please! Sure, we'll feel the pain, but avoiding pain killers help increase our pain thresholds. The more we can stand the discomfort of our effort, we can press and push harder to achieving our targets! If the pain gets unbearable, the recommended medicine is R.I.C.E - rest, ICE, compress (warm/hot), elevate.

So there. Ready to run? Go for it! Start feeling the love.

* tips are courtesy of what I remember from the Rush Run Clinic held on June 26, 2008 @ R.O.X

Race Report - Takbong May Yabang @ AAV (5 and 10K)

2008-10-18T22:07:00.006+08:00

How proud are we of our being Filipino? Lately, it seems that most of us want to get out of here, perceiving that our country is a sinking ship, no thanks to a number of leaders who put personal interest first above national interest. And with a grim picture being painted for the future, most Pinoys despair and hang their heads in surrender.

But then, there's still those who believe that there is still some pride left in being Filipino - they have formed Yabang Pinoy, and they believe that if we all believe and take pride in who we are, we can go places and achieve what we have all set out to do.

It's not easy, but they at Yabang Pinoy are taking steps to make sure that our national pride lives on, despite the difficult times and challenges of surviving the modern world.

All Finishers!

Anyway, Yabang Pinoy organized Takbong May Yabang, a 5 and 10 KM fun run in AAV. Race registration was a paltry P150 and you get an abaca Yabang Pinoy Band, mug and cap, plus a chance to run in a refreshing environment inside the AAV. Quite a number of runners turned out (sorry, but I am extremely pathetic in estimating crowd numbers) and the event was well-run and organized.

Sir Gil, Sam, yours truly in triangle cone orange, Miss J and Ivan

Five of us from the our running group came, and we're pumped up to take on the undulating course that ran from Cuenca Community Center passing through Country Club Drive, Acacia Avenue Extension and then back to Cuenca. According to my Nokia Step Counter, the route was 4.37KM long, but I had only started it after around 5 minutes of running so it was probably exactly 5K.

The start was delayed for the benefit of runners coming from north of this side of town due to the accident in SLEX but everyone was more than accomodating to wait for a while for other runners to come in. At around 6:30 am, everyone was off and running.

AAV is a very conducive environment for running. Lucky are those who live and run here. If I had a home here, I would probably wake up early to run as much as I can, and not fear ending up being on a milk carton.

The toughest part the gradual incline on Country Club Drive, and the final hill approaching St. James the Great. I ran top gear from the crest of the hill all the way to the finish, forgetting that the finish line was down the street in Cuenca, not in the Community Center itself so I was out of breath by the parking lot but I found a little bit of extra to clock in at 34:31, another personal record, my second in two races. My boss, Miss J, finished among the Top 5 in her age group and was so proud that one of our friends really won something :)

Just after the finish...

Miss J was a Top 5 in her category

Everyone in the team had a good time (run-wise) and a great time after the race. We posed for photos, chatted around while looking for good buys at the Yaman Pinoy bazaar and explored the Narra St. Food Market to replenish our empty stomachs.

Overall, it was a successful event, and there couldn't have been a better way to spend Saturday morning. New PR, fun with friends, helping a cause and experiencing that great feeling of finishing fast and strong.

+++

Felt bad for my beautiful one that she couldn't make it to this race because of back pains and staying up late from helping out for her dad's 60th birthday party last night, and it would have been really great for her to see all this. Anyway, my new PR is for you and hopefully, we run a race together again so you can set your new race PR.

These Shoes were Made for Running

2008-10-16T00:21:00.006+08:00

Where to next?

I don't wear them for style, or to make a fashion statement. I don't worry if they don't match the run apparel I wear. I don't really care if you think they're too orange for your comfort.

These shoes were made for running. And that's what they and I do.

They only come in screaming, early warning Orange.

I love running in my New Balance 902's. With them, I don't worry about my feet - I just put them on, start running until I can, or the finish line, whichever comes first. They're light, available in wide-toe configuration to give my feet a generous amount of breathing room, and soft on the heels and feet. The N-Lock system (the big N is not just a logo) and the laces make sure the fit is always constant - and they've never come undone for me - yet.

The N is more than just a brand and a marketing stunt - it serves a purpose.

I got them on sale at Planet Sports, and last time I checked New Balance Festival Mall, they were on sale at 50% off. If I had the money then, I would have bought a second pair purely for keeping in my office so I don't have to lug my shoes around. And maybe another one for races...

Acteva soles - Light yet provides firm cushioning and support.

If you're thinking about getting really nice running shoes, and not really squeamish about its screaming orange color, get a pair of these. They're another reason to love running.

**Shameless plug: I'm thinking of running the New Balance race in Clark Air Base. It's a 10K race on November 15 at 5:30 in the morning. I'll try to train hard and focus on longer distances for this race and hopefully, I finish with a decent time. Wish me luck!

I'm The King of the Road!

2008-10-11T21:55:00.004+08:00

I'm the King of the Road!

No, I didn't win the 2008 Adidas King of the Road 5K race, but I did finish with a new personal best, so I guess that counts for something.

Adidas gave us a fine singlet - ClimaCool shirts rock!

I've completed four races now - Mizuno Rush to Infinity, One La Salle Run, Robinson's Buddy Run and King of the Road. This was my third 5K race because I ran 3K in the One La Salle race after they ran out of 5K race kits during registration.

My beautiful one - reduced to cheer leader due to 'bad timing'. My inspiration and best supporter!

I was supposed to run with my beautiful one for this race - she had been looking forward to running this particular race because she wanted to improve her 57:55 benchmark set during the Buddy Run last July. Unfortunately, it was her first day and she also suffered a hip strain a week before the race and couldn't train properly. She would've broken her personal best by a lot of time because she has been training in flat courses. So I felt bad she couldn't run this one. But I made her a promise to break my personal best for her during the race and I was happy that she was able to come along and see it happen!

This was the toughest 5K I've ran so far. The weather was sunny and a tad hot, and even though the course was flat and easy, the absence of water stations made it tough for me. Since most of the 5K's I've ran had water stops for the runners, I assumed there would be water on the course. This will probably serve me a lesson to bring my own water next race and never assume that the organizer will provide for everything. There were also no distance markers, but that was fine with me because I wanted to get used to running without being to conscious of how far I still needed to go.

My boss and running buddy Miss J - her first race after a minor injury.

The first part of the race was relatively running my usual slow start - I always wait for my legs to fully warm up before turning my gears up a notch. After the first kilometer, I increased my pace and ran the next two at my top non-sprint speed. When I realized there wasn't any water stops, fatigue and thirst set in and spent the fourth kilometer run-walking. By the time I reached the last kilometer, I was struggling to maintain a steady run, really felt the thirst and felt my lips drying up. Then, I remember what my friends and running buddies Ivan and Miss J told me - finish strong! So I took whatever strength I had left and gave it everything I got from behind Serendra to the finish.

It was a great surprise when I saw the clock counting around 37 minutes. I was going to beat my personal best! So I sprinted the last 200 and crossed the finish to clock in at 37:30.

So, I may have not won the King of the Road - but I won against myself and again, proved Adidas right - that Impossible is indeed nothing!

+++

Savory is back!

Better than Max's in my opinion! Great tasting, juicy and savory chicken indeed!

My beautiful one treated me to lunch at Food Choices G4 last Thursday - it was my turn to choose and I chose Savory Chicken Classics. This was a childhood favorite - my mom and dad would always take home their fried chicken and pancit canton for me and my sister coming home from work. They withered away and closed down their big restaurants, but now they're back and they still have the same chicken that has a unique blend and flavor, as well as the ever tasty pancit canton.

I've always told my beautiful one that this is one of the best tasting fried chicken in town, but I haven't had the chance to get her to try because they're no longer around. But now that they're back, we jumped at the chance to try it and we weren't disappointed.

Welcome back Savory and I hope that you guys stay on and keep the flavors the same!

THOUGHTS

2008-09-20T22:08:00.003+08:00

Even before the romance started, one of the common passions that the beautiful one and I share is eating. We would either talk about the food we love (over a meal!), or ask each other their favorite food places and their usual orders there, or simply just talk about the cuisine we love most and share as to where we can find them. Over the years, our late night exploits with our friends is a very simple formula - great food, conversation, and drinks (for anyone up to it).

As a couple, this is what usually eats up the excesses of our monthly budget for day-in, day-out expenses. We dine out whenever we want to feel good and relax - there's a great feeling of satisfaction that a great plate of food brings, and it's almost given that we find conversation pieces to share to one another when eating out together. On one night, we could be eating in a nice, cozy medium-priced place with good food, and on another we dine in a low-key yet fulfilling food haunt. It can sometimes hurt the wallet or be friendly to it, but spending for food really doesn't leave one with too much buyer's remorse, even on a bad choice of a dining destination.

Anyway, we both tried new budget dishes at Italianni's GB2 the other night, and much to our satisfaction, they were great. The beautiful one had pasta and fish (my apologies for forgetting their names - rickety memory), while I had 2 big slices of grilled pork belly on pesto rice with honey and butter sauce. The pasta and fish needed a little extra parmesan cheese to bring out the flavor, but this is something we usually do to our pasta dishes - ask for extra cheese. The pork belly was a little bit fattier, but the texture, taste and tenderness was all good for me. It went well with the sauce and pesto rice and left me feeling that euphoric sense after eating a good slab of grilled meat. All in all, we spent less than Php 1000 on the food and drinks (around Php 930 was the exact figure, I think) which is a bit high but considering the quality of food and service (gotta love the free bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar), it was well worth it.

The great meal really left us feeling great after such a tiring and draining week. It's the cheapest getaway that we could afford - and though it may not be as relaxing and effective as a vacation, a great dining experience gives you a momentary one.

Each of us has that special food place that makes us feel good and we're glad we found our places.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

2008-08-25T02:11:00.005+08:00

It's 2:12 AM.

One of the things I haven't done in quite a while is touch base with my mom. We've always talked before about anything and everything, but the busy past few months have sort of left us to just talking about the house, finances and other finicky basic stuff about the worries of life. We talked about family, politics and the country's sad state over a documentary prying more closely over the mysteries behind Ninoy Aquino's murder 25 years ago and shared thoughts and opinions.

It felt great and it felt really wonderful to find myself engaging my mother in conversation. Years ago, I would have been hushed by them for trying to talk with matters only adults would be engaging in. (I found it utterly useless, why they do that.)

So all that got me wired and now I'm having trouble sleeping.

Good thing my beautiful one's still up, savoring the long weekend by staying up late and here we are, doing are not-as-often-as-before YM-'babad'. Unlike other couples who stay up late and keep each other company over the phone, we choose to YM- we get to review what each other's been saying, and we get to share links and videos and allow each other to multi-task. It's really something great for me because I get to see the things that get her interested and I get to show her what interests me. It's a deeper sharing than trying to describe in words (in other words, tamad kami mag explain - we just google and paste links instead of elaborate explanations).

So, we end up conversing - about how Ninoy's death affects us as individuals, how it affects us now, how it makes real to her the feeling of losing someone in the family and how it makes me feel how Ninoy's passion for the Filipino's freedom now that I am more mature in thinking and age; about work and the issues we've encountered; about make-up and her amazingly great rice cream moisturizer, eye shadow and whether to get mascara; about my plans with my camera, getting a car and managing my money situation; and of course, food.

Which now brings me to what I really want to share (see- anyone who really knows me knows I have a penchant for long introductions) -- Food to think about when you're hungry, in bed, at 2AM:

Roast Pork and Chicken from Mamou

Steak from Melo's

Funghi A'llerbe from Cucina Victoria

Pork Ribs from Rack's

Aglio Al Rosmarino from Cibo

Seafood Platter from Manhattan Seafood Market in Bangkok

Pad Thai in Bangkok

Red Mango Frozen Yogurt in Bangkok

I'd better go to bed before I decide to put on a pair of running shoes and blaze off to the nearest food trip stop to sate my hunger.

Good night, Blog.

THOUGHTS

2008-08-10T00:08:00.003+08:00

On Globe Visibility:

I've read some reviews on the service and it's been mixed so far - some people complaining that it's useless for the price and that it is greatly inferior to the fixed internet offers by Globe. Most of these were early on in the introduction phase of the service, and I haven't seen any much more recent feedback.

Since I needed internet connection I can lug around and not just use at home, I decided to take a chance with it. I chose the 60 hour plan for P999 which I know is quite pricey, but I really didn't need the unlimited fixed internet at the same price because I only go online from home on weekends. Visibility fit my needs as I spend longer hours at work and I can limit my online addiction by scrimping a time budget on internet usage.

I've been advised by the Globe CS at their wireless centers - Visibility is a gamble, because not all areas have strong 3G signals. However, they assured me that the USB modem supplied by Huawei, is very sensitive to signals, and they are much stronger than the receivers for mobile phones. Here at home, I rarely get HSDPA when using my N95 8GB as modem, and even less when using my mom's N70, so it was a worry for me of sorts.

So far, nearly two weeks in, I am not disappointed - constant HSDPA speeds of up to around 180-240 KB/s in stormy weather, 200-300 KB/s in clear weather, and consistent HSDPA availability. I was able to download 5MB files for my updates in just under 2 minutes, 20MB installers in less than ten minutes and super fast YouTube viewing - rarely stops to buffer content.

It sure beats my old SmartBro fixed internet by leaps and bounds.

Again, this review is to be taken with a grain of salt - Globe has told me that it may vary from place to place, but it should be fairly okay within Mega Manila.

So far, Globe scores 5 for 5 for this great mobile internet service.

+++

On Globe's iPhone Plans

Ridiculous. Apple offers this up for USD199 (roughly PHP9,000) or so everywhere else and we have to fork over a minimum of PHP16,800 for the 8GB flavor on top of a subscription starting at PHP1,600?

I'd rather go the iPod Touch 32GB route and spend the money on all those marvelous games and apps at the App Store. Granted that the plan gives free wi-fi hours at WIZ hotspots and free mobile internet hours, the total cost of ownership is just too much.

No HSDPA compatibility, no video call and MMS, and finally internal batteries are just glaring fails for the pricing point handed over to us. I didn't see any capability for it to be used as a modem, and in order to do so, there's some pretty complex stuff to do for non-tech people that will probably void the warranty.

And PHP 41000++ for prepaid? No, thank you.

I'm no Apple hater - it's just that many hail this device as a Nokia slayer. In many levels, it is, but simply put, it's still no Nokia - simple enough to address most needs that we have. In the things we don't need, it has so much sexy points, but for the basics, it just fails on most.

+++

On Running

I think I'm getting better.

I've broken 40 minutes for five kilometers for the last three weeks with 37's and 36's.

In between runs, my legs don't hurt as much. I feel great with all the sweating, movement and speed - I've been doing sustained sprints of 400-500m for my last lap and it feels great to find your limits and testing them.

The thing is, I need to work on my distance and pace, and it's in that area where I miss my beautiful one during training. She helps me keep a constant pace - she runs consistent paces, while I tend to speed up and slow down. I love training with her because I enjoy catching up with her as we run, and we're doing something we both want and enjoy.

So yeah, I think I'm getting better :p

RUNNING

2008-07-31T00:26:00.004+08:00

Robinson's Supermarket Fit and Fun 5K Wellness Buddy Run

His and hers : our race bibs pinned on our singlets!

Last Sunday, Ann and I took part in this fresh concept of a race where two runners should start and cross the finish line together. When we heard about this, we both agreed that this would be a perfect race for Ann to break herself into running and at the same time, it was another great opportunity to share something we commonly like.

Like most fun runs, this one was held at The Fort, and we were there around 5:30 in the morning. The sky was a murky gray that threatened to bring down rain at any moment, while the wind was gently blowing with that eerie calm right before a storm reveals its wrath. The spirit was quite festive despite the limited number of participants (the limit was 300 pairs) but a little less responsive unlike the two previous races I've joined.

Before the start...

When the starting gun went off, we resisted all temptations to zoom up front and lagged behind at the tail of the field, doing our own pace and determined to spend most of the race running rather than walking. Since Ann was a first time 5K runner, we contented ourselves with the goal of finishing the distance and setting a benchmark time to improve ourselves against. Our silent prayer at the start kept the rain away during the race and the cool weather was a boon for us, because it kept away the energy draining morning heat.

We also had reservations about the race because we had just arrived from Bangkok on the Monday before the race weekend and the heavy work load simply didn't give us much time to prepare more for the run. However, Ann really did well with her runs and showed grit and determination to run for most of the undulating, challenging but manageable Fort 5K route.

After the race - smiles of accomplishment! :)

Fifty-five minutes and fifty-nine seconds later, we were hand in hand crossing the finish line, to the applause of some of the organizers and some other people at the finish. There were no lines (Thank God!) and we coasted in to get our loot bag and our free energy drink at the finish area. The loot bag contained buttered toast biscuits, a box of milk tea, 2 packs of 2 pieces of bread, some tetra boxed fruit juice and other goodies that were useful in one way or another. We lingered around for a bit to see if we would win anything in the raffle (our friend Ivan already got lucky by winning the Oakley sun glasses at the Mizuno Infinity Race 2) but we didn't.

But we did get our money's worth - a good run and a great time. The race was really well organized and had what most runners were looking for - distance markers, adequate water supply, no lines at the finish and marshals making sure we were on the safe side of the road.

All in all, I hope they put together another event like this - and as for our next race, we hope to be able to run in the Men's Health Miracle Run.

+++

Edit: Some food loves...

Isabel, Adrian's wife, tipped us of Red Mango in Central World mall in Bangkok. We had Blueberry, Orange and Mango with soft yogurt ice cream. Yum! Healthy dessert heaven...

Our favorite in Cibo - Aglio al Rosmarino

A welcome surprise: CW Lifestyle Cafe in SM Southmall has a good Seafood Fettucine @ P160

Since I wanted to enjoy CW's free wi-fi access longer, I decided to take a snack: Banana Caramel Pie @ P50 - artfully decorated and with a good enough creamy high that's not too overly sweet.

TRAVEL

2008-07-23T15:20:00.004+08:00

I have never before left the shores of my home land in my entire life. The farthest I've been out of Manila previously had been Cebu and Davao. This trip was full of firsts - first stamp in my passport, first major vacation for the year, first trip taken with my significant other, first time in an international flight, and first time to roam inside in an international airport. It was difficult to hide my being a tourist: I was curiously looking in all different directions almost all the time, and I had this itch to whip out my camera every time I see something different, if only the taxi wasn't flying down the highway.

Bangkok, Thailand is pretty much like Manila - with people driving on the 'wrong' side of the road, with signs in Thai and at times with English sub-scripts, with people looking very much alike yet speaking in a very different language, with the Skyways stretching for miles and miles and in multitudes, and with Buddhist temples scattered all around the city in place of our churches.

Our host was our former colleague from our first job, Adrian and his family, and they were very accommodating enough let us live in their place for four days, gobble up their food and water supply and piggy back off their 1Mbps internet connection. He was also gracious enough to accompany and translate for us as we go around because we had absolutely zero fluency in speaking Thai.

The trip was primarily a shopping trip in the city, so Ann and I hopped around the malls and the bargain hot spots of Bangkok - due to the limited time we spent in the city, we sampled the local cuisine to please our appetites and being the shallow people we are, tasting authentic Thai food (and all its' spicy glory) was more than enough to satisfy our palettes. We also saw Wat Pho, home to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and the nearby Grand Palace to see the beauty of Thai culture and its influences. Since we took an early afternoon trip, it was hot and a bit scathing on the skin, but worth it as the sun's light was great for taking photos.

During the trip, Ann and I got to rest enough and sleep long enough to recharge our spirits. We have been pushing hard at work for the last few months and this change of pace was very much welcomed by our bodies. Since Thailand was an hour behind Manila, the days seemed long for us - which worked pretty much in our favor as we felt we had so much energy to roam around and see the city.

When it was time to go home, we did with a heavy heart - we both agreed that if not for the challenges of living in Bangkok posed to us language-wise, it would be a good enough place to live and work in abroad - we had seen a certain order and regard for authority that we rarely see here, and a very optimistic progress that seems to have been sustained over the years.

Lastly, I just felt happy to get away with Ann and spend time with her to strengthen our bond and our relationship. I feel that in this trip, we were able to find out more about one another's qualities and quirks, and develop the adjustment, patience and new facets of our personalities to love and understand. This trip was a labor of love and I have no regrets that we made this happen. We hope to come back again and venture deeper into the country and explore its beauty.

Anyway, here are some select snaps from our Bangkok trip:

More here

Sawasdee!

2008-07-20T01:23:00.000+08:00

I know it's been days late, but I'm alive and well in bangkok. It's been a busy three days and we haven't been out much except when going to the shopping destinations and it's been tiring.

It's like Manila in some ways - the weather is pretty much the same, and the Thais are not too unlike us in appearance - but they drive on the opposite side of the road, speak in a language that sounds like Chinese, and the trikes are like jeeps. The cab drivers only have two gears - fast and faster. The street food is appetizingly tempting, and we would have loved to try everything.

More entries to come and photos to post when I come back :)

2008-07-16T20:15:00.000+08:00

The last time I saw the inside of NAIA, I was seeing my mother off when I was three. Now, here I am, waiting with my beautiful one as we take a long weekend get away to Thailand. It's my first trip anywhere outside the Philippines ever and i'm just glad that it's with her. This is us passing the time away waiting for our flight.

THOUGHTS

2008-07-15T16:25:00.002+08:00

Every Pinoy Should Root for Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas, a 60-point game scorer, written off during college as a player and known utterly for his buzzer beating, heart tearing daggers in clutch situations recently visited Metro Manila as part of his Asian tour for his sponsor Adidas. He had nothing but good words to say about Filipinos during his visit and you can read more here.

This man is a one of a kind athlete not only for what he does on the court but also for what he does off of it. One of the few players without an agent who does the negotiating for his salary and his career, Agent Zero is a deeply principled athlete who shows off class for a star of his magnitude.

I don't think there's anyone else in the NBA who's a franchise player that would slash $16M off of his salary to give his team a better chance to get better players to help achieve his dream of an NBA title - one who would actually go to GK areas and help a kid's wish to have a basketball court and one who actually goes online to play with other players in various online games.

He may have that star swagger in the manner he talks, but with the talent and class of this athlete, you won't mind. He's been written off before to be destined as a nobody in basketball, and given the hard work and perseverance he's put in his game, he deserves to talk the talk for his talent in scoring, stealing, passing and winning.

Personally, I think Arenas is a hugely gifted player, explosive inside and out, plays on both ends of the floor and with more reliable big men to complement him, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, they could be the next big threat out in the Eastern Conference.

As a Filipino, I feel honored that Agent Zero has given us a great honor of visiting our country and I feel proud that our countrymen have extended him the warmth and welcoming that we are known for around the world.

Feel free to come back, Agent Zero. You've just won yourself millions of Filipino fans and expect Filipinos to be rooting for you and your Washington Wizards.

2008-07-15T10:54:00.003+08:00

One Run, One Family, One La Salle - One Wet and Crazy Race

I awoke to the familiar sound of rain falling on the roof at 3am. It was just a short, strong burst from the sky and in my mind, I was playing with the thought of not pushing through. But when I was flying out the door of my house at 4:45, the rain had abated but the skies were still littered with dark clouds, and I knew there would be a great possibility of running in the rain.

I spent 20 minutes at the long queue in the baggage counter, 10 minutes in the portalet queue, and just around 10-15 minutes to warm up. Since I have not yet acquired an armband for my N95 8GB that will do my distance measurement and timing, I was forced to carry a thick towel to shield it from the rainy weather. There was a festive atmosphere in the air, a sea of green and white runners, with an occasional blue and white runner to grace the occasion - La Sallians and Ateneans are fierce rivals on court and in the playing field but in occasions like this, they are cordial with one another.

A few minutes before the start, the rain started to fall and once the 3K race have fully cleared the start line, the drizzle had intensified - it was a difficult race for me as I've never ran in the rain before - my eyeglasses fogged up, the water ran down to my eyes which I had to dry every now and then - I was already one-handed with my towel-wrapped N95 so everything was pretty much a tough task - wiping the sweat and rainwater, getting to open to water bottle, and trying to clear up my foggy glasses.

I struggled after the halfway point - blaming it on my colds and slightly bruised body from an undulating 5K last Friday at AAV. I started to walk past the halfway mark and could not sustain a good enough pace without cramping so I had to resort to run walking just to try for a strong last kilometer finish.

Once I saw the long line to the finish, I just went ahead and did not bother for an official time anymore. My N95 8GB reported I completed 3.5km in 26 mins flat and though I was disappointed that I didn't run the whole distance, it felt good that I was still able to finish despite the conditions.

For now, all that's in my mind is the trip to Thailand with my beautiful one. That should be a real break from all this - once we get back, we'll prepare for our next run - our first one together in an event - The Robinson's Supermarket Fit and Fun Buddy Race :)

2008-07-12T11:11:00.000+08:00

I'm ready for tomorrow. I'm kind of excited. Running alone, albeit a shorter race, is a first for me. No familiar faces to count on. Just me, the course and hundreds of unfamiliar faces. I'm facing new ground and it's thrilling for me. I wish she'd be there to watch. I always push myself to do better with her.

So here goes. I'll run in green and white, for it and for all those who can't.

THOUGHTS

2008-07-10T20:39:00.002+08:00

Preparing for the Buddy Run

Last night, my beautiful one and I spent more or less 3/4 of an hour running in order to prepare for Robinson's Supermarket Fit and Fun 5KM Wellness Run on July 27. Since she just started running again just last week, we decided to gently break her in using this couch to 5K program that I found here a year ago and so far, it's been a great help. She's been able to increase her endurance and with a few more runs, she'll be ready to take on the Fort's usual 5K undulating course.

The weather was cloudy so that meant no GPS distance tracking via my N95's Sports Tracker. Although I would've really loved to know how far we were able to run, all I was able to do was time our workout and Ann was able to do a total of 40 minutes of running. I went on my own after she went off to do cool downs for about ten minutes and I was able to pull off 4 laps of the Legazpi Village Parking Lot in less than ten minutes. This really boosted me as this meant I could probably be faster on my next target run on Sunday - The La Salle Cares One Run One Family One La Salle Run - thing is I wanted to do the 5K but they ran out of race kits, so I settled for the 3K run and maybe just add 2 extra kms after finishing.

Hopefully we'll be able to finish the Buddy Run with a respectable time and it would be a really great experience to share something that I enjoy doing with Ann. Well, hopefully by some stroke of luck we get the first prize, but that will be the day if that happens. I'm really excited to run with her and cross that finish line with her and have another story to tell our kids when that time comes.

THOUGHTS

2008-07-06T22:22:00.002+08:00

The Turn Around Point

Last month, I started to pick up running after being encouraged by my office friends to try it out. Although I have done some running in the past, I was challenged by their achievements of conquering themselves and pushing themselves to the limit. So I decided to take it up much more seriously this time and started running regularly again.

If life was a 5K race, then we are in the turnaround point. You would think running five kilometers is an easy task, just like going through a year of your life, but as soon as you start running, you realize that the course offers its challenges - there are climbs, pains and doubts to deal with. When you look back, you would see how far you have gone, but looking forward, there is still much work to do ahead. You will find there are others ahead of you, but also it helps to know that there are others behind you as well. There are times that you will find yourself moving fast, having the speed, energy and the willpower to propel yourself forward, but in time, you will realize that you do get tired and will need to slow down and rethink how to get yourself to the goal of finishing the race.

At this halfway point, I realize that even the most intense preparations, training and planning for the race of life will never prepare you enough - the best preparation to take this race head on is just like running - do what you can and take what the race throws your way - when things do not go as planned, adjust as much as you can and never take your mindset off of the goal. When we take on the surprises of life and get through them, whether scarred or unscathed, we find something new in ourselves and in that we are thankful for the experience.

And now that I realize I'm at half distance and going through what I have, I start to re-plan what I had originally planned and re-set my little goals to attain the big one. I will be much more resolute in my decisions and in my actions. I will continue to work and run at my pace, picking it up when urgently needed and slowing down when I can go no faster. I will focus my energies on my chosen long-term goal. I will continue to help my family, but within the limits of what I can give. I will think of myself more, but up to a sensible level as to not to alienate the people around me.

Hopefully, as I cross the finish for life's race of this year, I would be able to see that I was able to do what I set out to do -

Take what the race has given me, cross the finish line and become a better person out of the experience.

EATS

2008-02-09T12:46:00.000+08:00

Another Beautiful Birthday Present

Cafe Juanita is a small, cozy restaurant located in Pasig City. The interior is artfully designed, adorned with ornaments, old bottles, mantle pieces that gives off that feeling of dining in an old home. We first encountered this restaurant in a Christmas lunch setup for a client and the combination of a intricately designed place and great food flavors made me and my beautiful one promise ourselves a return trip here.

As my birthday was coming up, my beautiful one asked me what I thought about spending my birthday lunch at Cafe Juanita. With my recollection of our first experience of their kare-kare and adobo, I immediately said yes and she setup reservations, three weeks away from my birthday as part of her present for me.

Not wanting to be disappointed by trying out untested dishes, we decided to stick to the same fare we had for the Christmas lunch - the Two-Way Adobo - pork ribs and crispy adobo flakes plated beautifully. At P3xx, it is quite an expensive dish, but the meat was perfectly cooked, falling off the bone, and the salty-sour flavors well-balanced. Certainly not your everyday adobo experience and I'd gladly play that much for something delicious as this.

We also ordered their Kare-Kare: leg of pork and innards in peanut sauce, vegetables and a side of shrimp paste. If you love this dish, you'll love eating it here. The peanut sauce's consistency was perfect, the meats cooked tender and the flavor seeped into the meat. The vegetables were crisp and fresh, and just the way I like them - cooked separately and added just moments before the dish is fully cooked.

Lastly, we had Crepe Samurai for desert. I have no words to describe it - but I'll try. It's like a mix of crepe and leche flan - with strips of mango fruit. It's not sickeningly sweet, so it doesn't give you that umay feeling after a few spoonfuls. By the time you're done with one serving, you may want more. It's that good. Check out my beautiful one's smile in the photo below - it's quite obvious how she feels about dessert.

After lunch, we spent a bit of time taking photos of the place, admiring its unique setup and all I can say is that a meal here in Cafe Juanita would be a good present for anyone who loves a good overall dining experience - though expensive, you are treated to a good ambience, great flavors and great service. I loved how everything turned out and I am grateful to my beautiful one for her beautiful birthday treat.

Now, this present will be hard to top when the time to celebrate her birthday comes.

THOUGHTS

2008-02-07T23:08:00.000+08:00

Christmas in February

My Beautiful One's gift for me - a Nokia N95 8GB

My Beautiful One sure made my upcoming 29th birthday one for the record books - by giving me a gift I consider truly special, surprising and one of borne out of sacrifice.

Just a week back, she was informed that she had won in an online competition thru a phone call. I couldn't help but overhear that there would be a small awarding ceremony for the winners so I knew right off the bat that it would be something big.

It was to my pleasant surprise to find out that she had won a Nokia N95.

Not long after she finished her call, she started ribbing me on the idea on that she'd give me the N95 for my birthday. While I welcomed the thought, I know that she deserved her price and she ought to have it. However, she made a good point in saying that despite her reservations on budget and other matters, she lets me gives her gifts - and hearing that, I accepted her offer.

Farrah, My Beautiful One and Gedwin (Inna taking the photo)

So Monday finally came, the day of getting her prize. Our friends Inna, Ged and Farrah went with her to the small gathering and everyone's excitement stepped up a notch higher when they found out that she will be getting the 8GB version of the N95. Since I was away attending a training session, I nearly let out a yelp when I found out the good news.

I almost tripped over myself hurrying back to the office so she could give me her gift. And when they finally arrived, she called me over and introduced me to my newest toy -

With My Beautiful One and her generous gift.

I thank her for making such a sacrifice, despite my encouragements to keep her prize. She has a kind and generous heart for giving such a gift. I also thank God for letting her win the prize, for in such a way, it saved her from a spending on a gift for me. In the end, her prayers for getting me a gift that I want, without spending too much, and making my birthday special was answered and I am very much thankful to her for making this birthday special beyond words can describe.

I love you, Ann! You're a blessing.

PHOTOS

2008-02-03T20:12:00.000+08:00

Shutterbug Reactivated

A few years back, I decided to get a digital camera to try my hand in photography. I got an entry level point and shoot, a Canon Ixus 30. As time went by, I realized that most of my shots didn't really come out the way I wanted them as I found myself limited by the camera's lack of manual controls and watered down features. I eventually sold it to my sister for a steal of a price.

Then when my buddy Rob went to London and came back with a nifty Fujifilm Finepix S5600, I found myself wanting to get one but always putting it off for something more that I wanted at that time - PC upgrades and other things - but deep inside, how I really wanted to get the Finepix and start shooting photos with a more appropriate hardware.

Then, just last week, Rob decided that he'd go for an SLR in the Nikon D80. He offered me his Finepix for a really manageable price - and this time, I didn't back down. Initially, I told him to hold on to it for me until March, as I didn't have the means to pay for it. But I guess Him up there really wanted me to have it as a client paid up the money exactly needed to pay for the camera. A week later, I was taking the camera home with me, and just earlier today, I did some shots to test if I still have the knack for taking photos.

All I have to say is this - I love this camera - it's quite bulky but I'm not after mobility comforts - I want to take respectable photos and with its auto setting, it takes fine photos that one would end up rarely going full manual. However, if you intend on learning enough to go SLR, the Finepix S5600 is a great springboard prior to moving to SLRs.

Here's some photos I took this morning:

A pair of white gumamelas from Mom's garden.

A bunch of red santans in Mom's garden.

Dad's pork kilayin and spicy sweet chicken feet

A faux dragonfly in our neighbor's garden.

A bunch of bougainvilleas in Mom's garden.

Obviously, I've fallen for shooting subjects with a setting focusing on the depth-of-field. It's been something I wasn't able to do with compact point and shoots, so I'm relishing the Finepix's ability to take them with relative ease and superb detail.

Looks like I'm going to start blogging/photoblogging much more often this year. Stay tuned.

FOOD

2008-02-02T09:57:00.000+08:00

Cloister Cookies made by The Pink Sisters in Tagaytay City

These are really great cookies - Ann and her family went to Tagaytay City to visit the convent of the Pink Sisters and she bought around three plastic containers of these and shared one container among officemates.

It looks plain and unflavorful but let me tell you, these cookies have a subtle flavor in them. It maintains a slight hint of sweet, a taste a bit somewhat reminiscent of Fibisco Ginger Snaps (just a tiny little bit), and goes perfectly with coffee.

Oh, and one more thing - at first bite, there's a sense of relief that came over me - I can't explain it but for at least a moment, I was free of all earthly worries and fears. It's almost as if these cookies contained a prayer and a touch of heaven.

THOUGHTS

2008-01-15T15:19:00.001+08:00

I have viral conjunctivitis.

It's contagious.

It's commonly known as sore eyes.

It sucks.

Big time.

I have all this free time, and I can't even use it for any of the following:

- organizing my mp3 collection (I follow a certain file naming convention - yes, i hear hisses of 'oh see' coming from those who are reading)
- writing posts
- a bit of coding
- a bit of work
- long IM sessions with Ann

The doctor limited my computer use to just 3 hours a day - MAX.

It's like a geek death sentence. 3 hours might be as long as 3 days without any computer use.
The computer and the Internet makes days shorter and time seem faster (some tell time in terms of KB/s, but I'm not that geek yet).

Hence, just a short, breezing post.

It's like you're gonna die in 3 days - I'm making the most of my time with the computer.

Later.

THOUGHTS

2008-01-09T22:53:00.001+08:00

Missing

I miss you when I walk the sun-lit streets.
We take almost the same path five out of seven days in a week.
Week in, week out. If not this way, the other.
Hand in hand, sometimes in silence, other times not.
I miss you as I walk this dimly-lit street.

I miss you when I take my meals.
Sharing late breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners.
Mostly satisfied and sated, occasionally dismayed.
We talk, and laugh over the blessing that is food.
I miss you as I take this meal.

I miss you when it's time to say goodbye.
For the night, for the weekend, or for an extended holiday.
Making sure you're safely home, at your door no matter what time.
The moments are special too right before we part.
I miss you because tonight I won't say goodbye.

Wala lang. I know I'm rusty. But I guess it's better to try and just keep writing. It's exactly what I've been feeling lately while you're resting at home and regaining your strength after you bout with your illness. Sometimes, I may seem too busy to think of words other than our usual fix but hey, I guess I found some time to do so! Like I said many times before, I'll do my best to keep courting and dating you till our days are over, and I know you enjoy that feeling of constant dating :)

+++

I missed writing. It feels great to post here, to just have some thoughts blurted out and to actually see something written on my blog. Like I've said before, I'm not writing for the readership. I write for the relief it brings to my often-clouded-in-(geek,future,love,food,game)-thought mind.

+++

My Picks from 2007's Food Adventures (Batch 1)

First Row (L-R): Extra Long Chicken Sandwiches from Burger King (French and American), Fish and Chips from Fish & Co., Pasta Telefono and Beef something from Cibo.

Second Row: Adobong Kangkong (with Fried Liempo) and General's Chicken from Recipes by Cafe Metro, Chai Tea Latte and Blueberry Cheesecake from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and Corn Dogs from The Corn Dog Factory.

Third Row: Katsudon from Rai Rai Ken, Chicken Barbecue by my Auntie Minda, Green Mango Shake, Chicken ala Kiev and Norweigan Salmon from Conti's.

Last Row: Oil and Garlic Special from Pizzeria Avenetto, Ribbit and Lazy Oaf from Kitchen and Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs from Racks.

IMAGES

2008-01-08T20:37:00.000+08:00

Show Off

That's a lot of sevens. Hopefully I can chance upon eights next :)

My current weapon of choice - the Black Pearl - IBM ThinkPad T43
Intel Centrino 1.86Ghz 2MB L2 cache, 2GB of RAM, ATI X300 Graphics and 40 + 160GB of Hard Disk space. Sound system spruced up by Ann's Christmas present - the X-mini speakers :) ultimate geekness!

My newest toy - a Nintendo DS, bought from Ann's brother Mark - got me hooked on Elite Beat Agents, Nintendogs, FIFA Street 2, Madden NFL 08 and New York Times Crosswords.

Next post - more food love! :)

THOUGHTS

2008-01-08T20:12:00.000+08:00

Going Legal

Ever since I've acquired my beloved notebook, I've thought about going completely legal on the software side - I know, it's quite a bit of an impossible deed in this age of technology where nearly every great software could just be pirated and cracked. So far, so good - I have been able to acquire freewares that allow me to be completely legal on the software side and without any licensing worries (GPL/Creative Commons/non-commercial/fair use).

So while waiting for my backups to finish, I managed to find freeware substitutes for the commercial software installed on my notebook whose evaluation copies were about to expire:

- PSPad over UltraEdit32
- OpenOffice 2.3 over Microsoft Office
- Thunderbird over Outlook
- AVG Free Edition over NOD32
- ALZip over WinRAR
- SQLyog Community Edition over SQLyog Enterprise

Now, I can say somewhat that my trusty old IBM ThinkPad T43 is completely legal in terms of hardware and software.

What's next? Content?

Hmmm. That one's a bigger challenge. Stay tuned.

+++

Just glad and happy that my beautiful one has been discharged from the hospital that should not be named.

I'll just call it the hospital with lamentable service, at least in Ann's case.

The doctor showed up for rounds only on her second night in the hospital - I thought physicians got called about patients and shouldn't waste any time in checking in on them? Anyway, I never got to meet the lady and I know it's quite unfair to complain about her without airing her side but as far as I know, doctors are portrayed as selfless people who risk personal life and time to save lives.

Maybe I just got used to watching way too much medical dramas and series. So this matter is just a judgement call, not meant to demean the good doctor.

Then there's the seemingly lack of maintenance. Normally, the hospital rooms are kept clean to prevent any other afflictions brought about by dirty surroundings.

Again, not in her case. No cleaning is done until the attention of cleaners are called or complaints are aired to nurses (not their forte but well, who else will do it? the patient?). The lacking concept here, I guess, is initiative.

Now, I know that the best practitioners of the medical profession have been leaving our country for greener pasture, but come on - even the best in cleaning up rooms and making up beds?

If this is the case in every hospital in Manila or in any other medical facility here, then I better start taking really good care of my health so I don't waste a single peso paying for being treated as such.

Healthcare disasters are a reflection not of those people in the system, but those who run the system - and if this country is to progress, it's one of the first systems that have to drastically change.

But I thank the people around who helped Ann get back to health - the nurses, doctors that attended to her and listened to her gripes, symptoms and complaints, who catered to her requests and whims.

After all, we can hack and slash away at the system all we want, but still be thankful to and for those who do their jobs.

THOUGHTS

2008-01-01T23:31:00.000+08:00

In 2007, I...

Proposed to the woman I love (!)
Smoked my last cigarette.
Helped three people get Starbucks Planners.
Gained back most of the 30 pounds I lost in 2006.
Sold my electric guitar, Scarlett.
Quit the band, and focused on work.
Cut back on my alcohol intake.
Lost cable and stopped watching F1 races.
Suddenly abandoned my blog.
Discovered a lot of new food places, tastes and scents.
Went out on the most number of dates in a year (with my fiancee, of course)
Set a new personal shopping record (but still no brown belt)
Set a new personal gift giving record.
Set a new savings record. (I actually have money I could call savings)
Got a driver's license (after years of driving without one)
Got an insurance policy.
Got her an insurance policy.
Got a laptop, went on an upgrade binge, and sold my PC.
Got a new mobile phone (thank you Globe for the loyalty treat)
Nearly bought a second-hand car.
Nearly bought a brand new car.
Nearly bought a house (not with cash, but with through the HDMF)
Nearly went to the US.
Am still carless.
Ventured into small-time hog raising.
Did not have a major illness.
Made most of my software work.
Learned ASP.NET, VB.NET and MS-SQL.
Acquired more skill in MySQL.
Did some driving for Ann for a change (thank you, LTO).
Bonded deeply with Ann's niece Cat-cat.
Shared faith with friends.
Didn't get to go to the beach (see? it seems to be a once every three years thing for me)

Looking back, I suddenly see that there is a lot to be thankful for the year that was - so much gain and a little lost. I lost most of what I needed to take off of me - vices, some flaws in my thinking, approach and mindset (thanks to the help of my beautiful one, Ann, and our friends), but gained so much blessings that helped me achieve what I wanted - provide, perform and pray. It was a healthy balance that I am truly grateful for from our Creator up above and I sincerely pray that He may bless us more of the same for the coming year.

Happy new year to all!

THOUGHTS

2007-12-28T21:19:00.000+08:00

On Christmas

I used to look forward to the Christmas season because of the gifts I expected to receive from people around me - toys and clothes from my parents, clothes and/or money from my uncles and aunts, more toys and other nifty stuff from my godparents, plus trinkets from family friends, neighbors and people close to our family.

That was the nifty thing about being a kid - Christmas is a season more of receiving than giving.

I grew up, and here I am, on my 29th Christmas, and the fifth Christmas spent as a part of the work force, but only the first wherein I was finally able to actually have the budget to give people close to me and people who helped me Christmas gifts. Why only now? The first Christmas, my 13th month pay went to a payment for the house to keep it ours, while the second and third I had to pay off some other debts and obligations, while the fourth one was pretty much spent little by little on things needed by my family - I never regretted making sacrifices of not getting everyone gifts because my help was needed elsewhere, and I'm glad people around me understood.

This time, I did it differently - I planned on how to save and spend my money. This year, there were a lot of blessings that enabled me to give gifts - my mother had solved most of her financial woes, my dad spent a whole month afloat on his own financial ability, and I got the major debts out of the way with my mid-year money. With my beloved better half in tow, she helped me pick out presents patiently and kept me within my budgetary limits - offering substitutes, alternatives, ideas and words of comfort - to come up with presents for nearly everyone - mom, dad, my 2 lolos, titos and titas, siblings, workmates, and friends. We went from malls close by to bazaars within reach. With my mom's help, we wrapped the presents. And come Christmas day, faces of happy surprise met my gifts - something that left me speechless and feeling really good.

Finally, as a grown up, I realized how special Christmas is to one who gives - that in giving, there is that satisfaction that you can make your loved ones happy through your time, patience, effort and gesture, and how this good my parents must have felt everytime I let out a yelp of joy as I opened my presents come Christmas.

Little Loves

2007-09-13T02:18:00.000+08:00

Today's Little Loves: Bites!

Me and my beautiful one's simple and not-so-simple joys :)

His and hers sandwiches from Burger King: Hers - American X-tra Long Chicken Sandwich (Tomatoes, Cheese, Lettuce and lots of catsup!) His - French X-tra Long Chicken Sandwich (Cheese and Ham)

The new facelift, comfy chairs and modern settings just added a few more reasons why Burger King will always be a choice for us to find solace especially after a long day's work. But of course, these twin sandwiches are a treat for anyone who loves chicken. Not bad for P135 in a value meal.

The Last Twister Fry: Yes, they're back! It's always a pleasant surprise to see the Twister Fries of Mc Donald's return to its menu. This year's comeback features a new 90-peso, taller boxed offering good for two people. Not missing a beat in its unique blend, the Twister Fries magic act of disappearing and reappearing in the menu keeps fries lovers always on the lookout for their return.

Today's Not-So-Little Loves: Pricey but... great enough!

General's Chicken from Recipes By Cafe Metro: After first tasting this dish at Cafe Metro in Megamall's Megastrip, I immediately loved it. Tasting the crispy chicken fillets and eggplant slices soaked in sweet/spicy peanut glaze, which they claim as their secret recipe, makes me want to seek out and personally salute whoever that General is who concocted this wonderfully different dish.

Great White Pizza By Chef d'Angelo: Introduced to me by my sister a couple of years back during a get together, this pizza is the reason why I keep coming back to Chef d'Angelo - one of the few places I come back to for a non-chicken dish. Generously topped with mushrooms, cheese, and shrimps, all favorites of mine, combine to make a great tasting pizza you'll want to have from time to time.

God Spotting

2007-07-21T22:47:00.000+08:00

There are a select few who inspires others to write something so every one of us seem to take for granted most of the time. Don't we wonder why good things still happen to us, despite our ways that seem to take us far from His love and ways?

After reading rheea's post on God spotting, here's where I've spotted God this week:

In my loved one and her loving that I experience every day of my life - the patience, perseverance, forgiveness, caring and concern she gives me. The extra time she puts in to make sure I have food for lunch and bread to accompany my morning coffee, and the touch to assure me that the day will be alright, her being there in both the joys and the pains, that life is beautiful not only for its wonders but also for its trials and what we learn from them and how we grow stronger in love and faith because of them.
In my mother who despite my insufferable moods and firmness in trying to keep everything in budget still provides me with ample care and guidance, as well as effort to keep my everyday life going in relative ease.
That I have what I need when I go to work for my keep - shelter, food, clothing, money to share when I can, and that in my years of commuting, I have been kept safe away from harm and evil, even when I travel late at night.
In friends who inspire me, believe in me and what I can do, who guide me and share their zest and their faith in God, for they help me realize that everything in this life is not from my own hands, but also of God's will. In them I see Him working His ways, reminding me that faith is not a burden to our lives, but rather a way to help us ease our burden.

He is there, standing, watching, observing - waiting for me to reach for His hand. I have often resorted to pride in not taking it. But in the end, I will find myself hanging on to His hand, for I have seen that in His hand was the freedom to believe in what He has always been freely giving to us - the gift of faith.

POQUITO MAS

2007-07-21T20:34:00.000+08:00

When you live in the south, particularly in Las Pinas City, weekends are a time where you should seriously consider staying indoors in lieu of spending the day (and money) out. Especially if you are not fortunate enough to have a car with a 'Friendship Route' sticker, or a simple commuter (like me).

Our little city is notorious for its snaking traffic jams, which makes spending the day out in the nearby malls a challenge.

However, one place worth making the trip and braving 2-3 intersections worth of 10-15 minute grid locks is Poquito Mas, located at the Westgate complex in Filinvest Corporate City in Alabang. First, there's lots of parking space - you'll waste no time finding a spot, and everything is just within reach - coffee at UCC and Cafe Breton, sweet delights at Go Nuts Donuts, burger havens at Brother's Burger and Hot Shots, and steak heaven at Melo's.

Poquito Mas serves 'Splatino' cuisine - an interesting mix of dishes with Spanish and Latino/Mexican influences. My beautiful one and I experienced this place first during our good friend Inna's birthday celebration, and ever since, we have made sure that we come back to Poquito Mas from time to time.

Mexican Dumplings

For starters, you'll want to try the Mexican Dumplings - marinated ground beef wrapped in small, thin tortillas deep fried to a crisp. This offering was one of the first to vanish at Inna's birthday buffet and has been receiving a consistent thumbs up from us every trip after our first visit. Served with fresh salsa, the Mexican dumplings are a steal for 95 bucks at eight pieces. Though small in size, they're gonna leave you wanting for more without much damage to your budget.

You also might want to try their Taco Soup - a tomato-based concoction served with tortilla chips on the side topped with grated cheese. Served piping hot, you may want to wait a while till it cools a bit before digging in. As it is, it's a great way to start a hearty meal before digging in their main offerings.

Mushroom Lovers Pasta, half-eaten (was so hungry, my apologies)

If you love mushrooms and pasta, Mushroom Lovers Pasta will surely strike your taste buds with a very satisfying experience. An assortment of tasty mushrooms coated by a creamy, tasty cream-based sauce served with the usual slice of garlic buttered bread will surely tickle your fancy for a different pasta experience without the guilt that other tasty meat-based pastas offer.
Then there's the Paella. I know it's really bad to forget the name of a dish that you enjoyed but hey, I'm in that age (sorry, not the 40's though) where one can forget the name, but remember the taste oh-so-well. The paella isn't bad for the price, but it could use a little more flavor and a little bit more added to the serving to share around.

Poquito Mas also sells 'baby' cakes (not made from babies, thank God) - we tried the Choco Moist cake which strikingly resembles Cookie Monster chocolate cakes (nothing beats this chocolate cake, in my opinion, but that's another post). At 60 pesos, it's a bit steep but worth the try if you like a good, not-too-sweet chocolate cake.

A group of six will cost around 1,500 pesos to feed - two servings of dumplings, three servings of pasta, taco soup, clam chowder soup (wasn't that good, not really worth a descriptive review), and drinks (costing around 50-65 pesos each), so it's not bad for a light, healthy but tasty dinner made the 'Splatino' way.

Poquito Mas is at Westgate Center, Filinvest Corporate City, Commerce Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Call them at 771-1334 / 771-1325

Apartment 1B

2007-06-16T21:09:00.001+08:00

Food reviews are always either a hit or a miss.

Believe me, I'd agree with them other reviews if I really had the same experience that they did, but unfortunately, I wouldn't in this case.

When they charge you so much for an appetizer and two entrees, good doesn't cut it.

My beautiful one and I tried out Apartment 1B's pricey offerings, particularly the Crab Cakes, Meat Loaf and Prawns with Crab Fat pasta. As the place brimmed and buzzed with guests, our excitement built up, hoping that the comfort food high and the rave reviews would give us relief from the pains and stresses of the work week had brought us.

The food was good. The scent, the presentation and the service were all good. But when it came down to the taste, it was a bit of a let down.

First came the crab cakes - they seemed interesting (the shoestring potato covering it giving it a really appetizing appearance), along with the salad that came along with it but the cherry tomatoes were overripe, there was barely enough dressing and the lettuce wasn't as crisp as we expected. The crab cakes themselves seemed to taste of only crab meat and deep fried flour, without much character, somewhat like okoy but made with crab meat.

Quite a mediocre start for something priced at P280.

Then came the prawns, pasta and meat loaf. The prawns were good, but I realized the recipe wasn't new to me - they taste exactly like my aunt's roasted garlic butter prawns recipe, which we have at almost every family gathering! (The beautiful one and I tried cooking them once without much effort). Too much lemon killed the tasty crab fat in the pasta and left us sort of clueless as to what was really the character of the dish taste wise.

It definitely seemed not worth the P730 you'll fork out with that kind of experience.

As for the meat loaf, again, it was good, but sadly, it struck me as 'common', having experienced this kind of cooking from a friend's mom almost every week after a long day of band practice every Sunday. The gravy had a good herb taste to it, but for P340 I think there ought to be an extra helping or so readily available by default. The mashed potatoes seemed lacking in some pepper, a slight splash of milk and a dash of herbs for additional flavor.

My beautiful one and I were left full but really let down and unsatisfied. All that money we could have eaten heartily at CPK or Italianni's. But yes, it was a risk and an adventure, like all food trips are, and you can't always love them all, these restaurants.

Again, when it costs this much, nearly P1500 for three dishes (we only had house water), good food doesn't really leave you with much choice but to pay attention in the details. You expect great food, and when you don't get it, a blog post like this will definitely not agree with other people's experiences.

REVIEW

2007-04-15T09:25:00.000+08:00

CUCINA VICTORIA

"Take Someone. Spend. Share. Enjoy." - Me :)

Before the Mall of Asia opened its doors late last year to the public, one of the places where most decisions were most probably most difficult to make was in this row of restaurants sitting side by side in the Concourse Level of the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell. A great mix of fast food, specialty and themed dining places all thrown together into one floor, a dream land of sorts for any food lover. If the fun is in making the decisions, then this place packs a lot of it.

But now that MOA is lined with nearly half a kilometer (I don't really know, but walking the restaurant row seems like miles and miles of food options) of nearly equally good restaurants, the Power Plant still gives me and my Beautiful One a major reason to visit:

Cucina Victoria. She introduced me to the place and I fell in love with it on the first bite. The menu offerings are quite pricey, ranging from P195 - P295 and higher but you'll get what you pay for - big, generous portions of pork/fish/chicken, sauces, and pasta/rice. Definitely two can share on one serving, but why get just one serving of something delicious? I believe a dining experience for two, especially a couple, is best when sharing two selections from their offerings, eat half a serving, then swap plates, while sipping green mango shake (you'll really shake drinking this one) off one glass with two straws and exchanging "ooohs" and "ahhhs" of heavenly, sinful food pleasure.

Pork Medallions in Pomodoro Sauce (sorry, still no photos. I would post some if I had a camera. Maybe a generous soul out there would bless me with a nice camera? Kidding) is one of my favorites. Pork cutlets fried to a golden crisp topped by their fragrant and equally flavorful Pomodoro sauce. This sent my mind into a frenzy as the flavors merged and registered. The Beautiful One watched with a satisfied smile as I savored every bite and at my reluctance to give up the half plate that we promised one another.

Crispy Fish Fillets with Funghi receives a big rave from me. Cucina's own funghi sauce (mushrooms, capers, olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes) generously covers four crispy fried fish fillets and an array of flavors will instantly make you close your eyes and go "mmmm" in delight. The sauce complements the fish flavors well and the scents will instantly make you want to take that first bite. The fish fillets were fried to perfection and the textures of the crunchy exterior complemented the soft mushrooms to a tee.

Vongole Bianco is the delicious pasta dish that my Beautiful One had. After switching plates, I had to muster all the control in my body to keep myself from over eating (I already had half the crispy fish fillets and a number of sips of shake). Clams generously adorn the dish and it's distinct flavor blends well with the sauce. This was our 'risk' dish as neither of us had tried it before but it turned to be something 'unrisky' after all, showcasing the places' wide variety of options besides its' customers' favorites.

Chicken a la Victoria instantly made one of my all-time favorite chicken dishes list (which seems to be made up of anything chicken). Breaded fried chicken fillets topped with Cucina's Pomodoro sauce and thick mozzarella cheese. A pleasure. By the time you taste this dish, you'll be sure to grab a jar of their Pomodoro sauce home and try making some of their dishes yourself, and even play around with recipes that would go well around their sauce.

I would have loved to review more of their dishes, but sadly, my rickety old memory just won't work but I would come up with a part two for this, and hopefully armed with a camera to provide photos.

If you have money to spend and you love to spend it for food, take someone dear with you and try what Cucina Victoria has to offer. I did, we both enjoyed it and the money spent was worth the experience.

***

Cucina Victoria
Concourse Level, Power Plant Mall
Phone: 898-1403/898-1098

THOUGHTS

2007-03-27T04:56:00.000+08:00

Outside, the lights flicker and fade, the darkness turns to a shade of dark blue.

A new day begins.

Here, I lie awake, wondering what you are dreaming of. Do you see me in your dreams? Are they good dreams? Are you covered by your blanket enough to keep you warm? Is there someone to jolt you awake should your shallow breaths turn into a light snore, to move your head in a more appropriate resting position?

Flooded with thoughts, I fall asleep and dream of you.

I may miss the turning of night to day.

It doesn't matter now. The beautiful thing that is seeing you would mean much more to me, even if only it is in my dreams.

- Night Shift Dreaming by JD

+++

Hiro is my HERO.

A human DeLorean sans the flux capacitor. He may have the least interesting power in the new TV series Heroes, but surely his wit and his innocence has attracted a following among the show's fans. Hiro, upon learning of his ability to bend space and time, goes off into a quest to save the world after transporting himself into the future accidentally and discovers his adventures-to-be written in a comic book.

I just find him funny, perfect for the role of a hard core super hero fan turned super hero and maintaining a humorous persona despite all of the changes and challenges that he has gone through so far.

Sure, the others have much more useful and appealing powers. But I'm for Hiro to be THE HERO.

SEMPER FIDELIS *

2007-03-12T23:36:00.000+08:00

You told me everything I needed to know.

Yet, I choose to set off on this journey with you. I chose to take my chances, because maybe this was the time for us to make this beautiful leap into flight. Your wings may still be clipped and hurting from our previous falls, but I assure you, I won't leave you alone. I will fly in front of you, shielding you from the head winds, to aid you in your flight while healing. When we set down to take a drink in the pond, where others are doing the same, I shall only have eyes for you. I will whisper my words of love in your ear to give you strength when pain is gnawing at your heart, and take you under my wing to give you warmth and comfort. I will walk not far from your shadow so you will not feel alone.

I look up at the sky. It is night. Polaris is no more.

No longer prominent nor shining in my sky.

It has led me to you, away from my path laden with tears and fears; discarded thoughts and feelings.

I have found the one, the one whom I will vow myself to.

Always faithful.

Always love...

* Borrowed from the USMC motto: Semper Fidelis (always faithful)

THOUGHTS

2007-03-10T13:04:00.000+08:00

After movie hang outs is almost always a given after watching a film.

It was a fun movie night with friends watching 300. Inna, Pao, Sophie, Chie, Ann and I exchanged quips during and after the movie. Xerxes reminded them of our former boss who always liked to put a hand on my shoulder and kept teasing me about it, leaving me shuddering at the thought. All I noticed about him was he reminded me more of Dhalsim from Street Fighter rather than a Persian emperor. I was actually waiting for his arms and legs to stretch :P

Of course, we watched Master Chie as the steamy scenes came on, watching his smile widen and eyes glisten. I'm pretty sure he enjoyed all that and made sure we noticed and heard his quips about it.

Dinner at Teriyaki Boy after the seeing the film (all the blood spill made us hungry, but not for dinuguan though) was cozy, indulging in food, banter, talk and teasing. There was a bit of playing the "Find the Teriyaki Boy in the placemat" game, and we all concluded that yes, there were 12, including those not in the drawing.

I miss having a camera for times like these. A photo would have been good in taking everyone with their moments - Pao with his busog look, Inna digging in on her order, Sophie with her "salubong kilay" stare down and Ann with what I call her "food pout".

Wrap the night up with serious conversation on the drive home with Inna, Ann and Sophie, and all that happening just reminds me why I love spending time with them.

Most of all, I had just had the most wonderful day with my sweetest one. She just made me feel loved and cared for all day long and I treasure and thank God for days like these, for making me feel loved and cared for.

I love you B!

THOUGHTS

2007-03-10T12:28:00.000+08:00

300

Three words best describe this movie: hack and slash.

When you're three hundred of the finest warriors of Sparta pitted against a melting pot of Asia's warriors and phalanx of invaders, the fine art of hacking and slashing helps you and your brothers in combat survive wave after wave after wave of attacking enemy warriors. Of course, don't forget that these men were trained from boyhood to become fine men of combat, unfazed even by overwhelmingly unfavorable odds, and that fear or intimidation is not tolerated.

Of course, throw in the valor of their leader, their king, Leonidas.

Though it may appear that his leadership and courage can be mistaken for being irrationally unrealistic, absurd and arrogant, Leonidas led his brave three hundred the way he knew how - with inspiration, assurance and trust. His words reinforced the strength and lightened the burden of defending a nation upon the shoulders of his men and trusted them to hold his bold declarations of glory and honor to the end. He fought with them, if not in the front lines, and faced the same perils that each of his men confronted.

This movie is not a feel good or an inspirational movie. It is simply a story told about how a small few held off a barrage of aggression to uphold their freedom, what they believe in and fight for it to the death. Graphically gory at times with dismemberments and decapitations, 300 reminds us that in this world, selfless gallantry and valor is rare, and all that should not be thrown to waste in wars, battles and deaths, no matter how much interesting history they make.

THOUGHTS

2007-03-07T21:26:00.000+08:00

On Campaigns, Politicians, and the sad state of Political Advertising

If it is true that show business has indeed invaded the political arena, does it follow that the opposite, politics finding it's way into show business, also true?

From what I am seeing, yes.

We are used to seeing adoring fans lining up, screaming, waving, enduring the heat and the blazing tropical weather of our country to catch a glimpse of their showbiz idols, hold their hands, have their photo taken with them, or even get to kiss them on the cheek. Fans adorn their idol with garlands of fresh, fragrant sampaguita buds, hand them flowers or food or water, wipe their brows, basically show their admiration and adoration by doing these little things for them.

They do this for them because they see their movies, watch their TV shows and follow their lives on the paper, gossip columns, talk shows and of course, the rumor mill (I was gonna say 'scuttlebutt' but NCIS fans would definitely find out that I'm an addict as well).

Anyway.

Now, we see nearly the same thing for aspiring politicians as they blaze the campaign trail - people treating them as heroes, idols, and role models. People showering them with their care and affection, most especially women towards the young, virile and potent rising politicians. They are almost mobbed at their campaign sorties. Of course, these aspiring public servants put on their best smiles and accomodate what the people want from them. This is the only time for them to come out and meet the public - campaign time, a time to woo votes and pin their hopes on a public that can be easily won over just by looking nice and giving away stickers, pins, fans, and other campaign paraphernalia that will lead them to say 'Ah I like this candidate because he shook my hand, blah blah blah...'

And the TV ads. Lord, grant me the patience.

Campaigning on TV has become a circus. Tag lines. Jingles. Celebrity endorsements.

Whatever happened to debates, presentations of platforms and plans, strategies and a more cerebral approach rather than a mindless overplay of campaign jingles that boast of no concrete plan on how to save our battered nation from corruption and bring forth the good kind of change?

"Pag bad ka, lagot ka?"

"Itanim ang sa Senado"

Do we dare pin our hopes and dreams and those of the future generation on such comical tag lines? On catchy songs that painstakingly fits their last names into the lines just to bank on a song's popularity? On looking good and winning the public over with smiles and free kisses on the cheek?

I do hope the masses have learned from the mistakes of history.

We can't afford any more.

THOUGHTS

2007-03-04T18:03:00.000+08:00

You are just a three-hour plane ride away, one big body of water across, and yet, I feel like there's big gaping hole within me. Your absence has thrown me into a state of somewhat uselessness but I get by with hours of NCIS episodes to watch, a number of already seen movies on DVD, blogs to hop on to and dreaming of a hot, steaming cup of coffee that I wouldn't dare get in fear of another sleepless night.

All I could think of is your safe return, a whiff of your fragrance and the familiar feel of the palm of your hand, your fingers around mine.

The more that you are not here, the more you linger in my mind.

The song was right.

I can't take the distance, even if I thought I could.

I miss you.

THOUGHTS

2007-02-18T21:29:00.000+08:00

On Thick Blankets and Lying on the Floor in a Comforter...

beneath the cool air,
the thick sheets sheltering us..
our fingers entwine, thus filling gaps.

in silence, waiting for sleep to come...

i watch as you slowly drift,
away from me and into slumber.
your breathing soft...slow...peaceful.

into the land of dreams you enter.

your lips, kissed with a sweet smile...
your form curled up like a child,
hair beautifully ruffled on your cheeks.

beauty and peace, both yours, leaves me sleepless...

+++

I say a prayer for a child lost.

I say a prayer for a mother weeping inside her facade of strength and fortitude.

I say a prayer for healing of a family long shattered and broken.

And of course, I say a prayer for you... and for us...

MUSIC

2007-02-13T16:51:00.000+08:00

Hopelessly Addicted
The Corrs

Opened my eyes today
And I knew there's something different
Saw you in a brand new way
Like the clouds had somehow lifted
And if yesterday I heard
Myself saying these words
I would swear it was a lie

I don't know why but suddenly I'm falling
Was I so blind
I was loving you all the time
Now I'm hopelessly addicted
Helplessly attracted

I'll make a wish this day
And I'll send it to the heavens
That we will always stay
Entwined like this forever
And though the world may change
Coz nothing stays the same
I know we will survive

I don't know why but suddenly I'm falling
Was I so blind
I was loving you all the time
Now I'm hopelessly addicted
Naturally we acted

+++

I really went through this. It happened one day and I knew that it was the day for me to let it out, let you know.

I knew this was the only time I could see if this can happen, and pray that it will last forever...

And I know what to do...

Just let it flow and let it go...

THOUGHTS

2007-01-30T01:04:00.000+08:00

God is THE MAN. And you're the woman...

I can't explain it, but after telling you everything, my woes, my pains, my worries and my failures, I seem to get them all figured out and resolve them not too soon after revealing them to you. Maybe it's His way of touching me and blessing me and I am very much thankful to Him for it and to you.

It's been a rough week, a rough start to the year, and not the ideal way that I would have wanted it to begin, but somewhat having you here reminds me that the trials I've faced are but just the beginning and that facing the coming ones would not be easy, but we'll see them through having one another to share these trials and challenges to overcome.

Good night and dream well.

You are a blessing.

THOUGHTS

2007-01-18T17:55:00.000+08:00

"What do you want?", a deep, dark voice boomed in my ear, as if demanding that I convey my deep desires in exchange for my own life.

I paused for a moment and thought deeply, not to decide if I were to choose between a million dollars, a powerful position in a company, or a night with the consensus most beautiful woman in the world.

I paused for a moment and thought, "Will he able to make her love me?"

I started drawing. I pulled out a sheet of fine paper, holding a fine stem of dark drawing coals and started drawing from memory how her hair flowed from her face down to her silken chest, her eyes that stared far and away, her cheeks that reminded me of something I can never put words down to describe. I drew and drew, as if she lay before me, as if she posed for me.

Then I showed him.

"I do not grant wishes, nor give what is not in my power to give. I can give you only dreams, and you make of what you want of them, like the thoughts, feelings and actions you put in your canvas. It is not I who has the power, but you."

Then I woke up.

I feel a soft, warm hand brush against mine and a soft whisper.

"Are you alright?" you ask.

I nod sleepily.

The next thing I feel is your lips against mine, and I am reminded, like everyday that I am with you, that dreams can do come true.

I had a dream, and that dream was you.

THOUGHTS

2007-01-17T11:49:00.000+08:00

The traffic slows down to a crawl, and a collective sigh exudes from the passengers all around.

Not from you.

All I hear from you is a rhythmic, peaceful succession of breaths emanating from the small gap between your lips. Your world is neither here with me, nor the world out there where smog clearly lines the sky or the honking of a horn from an occassional car or bus or jeep. It is deep within you, your world of rest, where you temporarily escape to, to recapture your energy, to revitalize your soul and to find calmness that you can rarely find in the city, in the waking world.

By resting your head on me and laying eyes on you, I find the same peace.

In you, I am home.

RAVES

2006-12-07T10:55:00.000+08:00

N.C.I.S

Watch out Tony. Gibbs is about to show you the love.

This is one of the shows that taught me to not judge a series by its first three episodes. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (the series, not the department) or simply N.C.I.S is one of the shows I'm currently digging because of so many things - if you're the type who digs investigative series, medical/forensic themes and plots, military/federal setting, talk/wit-based comedy and cast-chemistry focused shows, you'll like this show.

A word of advice though is don't give up on it after the first few episodes. It's the kind of series that didn't start explosively or impressively. Instead, it built up cast chemistry and the interest level progressively as the series wore on, and by the fifth episode, it became a highly entertaining show not only for the witty exchange of dialogue between the cast, but also for the intruiging, albeit unspectacular cases that they work on.

Of course, there are some lows case-wise on some episodes, but what I can guarantee is that you'll get a kick out of how the characters work with one another.

Mark Harmon plays Jethro Gibbs, a former Marine turned NCIS agent. Firm, authoritative but hardly a boring character, Gibbs has had three marriages, uncompromising run-ins and stand-offs with the FBI, CIA, Navy and Marine brass to accomplish his job's main goal - uncover the truth behind every crime within his jurisdiction.

Tony, Ducky, Abby, Gibbs, McGee and Kate

He is supported by a talented cast who play members of his NCIS team - Sasha Alexander plays Kate Todd, a former Secret Service Agent on Air Force One and a very talented profiler and artist; Michael Weatherly plays Tony DiNozzo, former police officer, your usual funny guy with an eye for the female form; Pauley Perette plays Abby Sciuto, a young Goth who does all, and I mean ALL the lab work; and David McCallum plays "Ducky" Mallard, their coroner who always has a story to tell, but seemingly no one is interested in listening to (poor guy).

Anyway, it's a really great show to watch and I'm pretty sure that this will occupy your list of series to go on a marathon and couch the weekend away.