ramblings, random musings, fascinations, rants, raves and revelations

I usually attend Sunday Services at Victory Ortigas. Most of the time, I feel so hungry that I cruise for food stalls that could at least help me with my cravings and hunger. I found one that I think worthy of this entry. Located at the Ground floor, Asian Bites is more like an airconditioned “turo-turo”. It serves the usual asian dishes, chopsuey, noodles, sushi, maki, gyoza, tofu and iced tea. It becomes a favorite because the prices are really cheap. I’ve been there for more times than I care to count because I need to stretch out my budget. Some of the dishes they serve like the yakisoba can be shared by 2 as the servings are more generous than most. It is also a convenient quick stop for a hot meal if you are in the Ortigas area.

Added attraction is the fact that you can watch the cooks prepare your orders as they have an open kitchen.

California maki [you can ask them for extra wasabi] tops my list and their yakisoba has a lot of vegetables especially my favorite green bell pepper. These 2 treats you can have for less than P100.

This Sunday, I’ll try to cruise for some more sosy turo turos.

And hey! did I mention about the fried ensaymada that Red Ribbon offers? panalo!

I had a bad mood almost the whole week. Epal people just came popping out of nowhere. I thought of writing something to release what my heart is really feeling but decided to think things over. Yeah, I still don’t feel like seeing HER and HIM but I guess that’s how we were created… to coexist. So I should learn to ride the waves and start pondering on positive things. I’ll try to be rational and not to be emotional this time.

Unknown, unseen and unheard. That used to be the way I see of myself. Naive to the outside world, I wander about. Occupied with my own thoughts, blinded by my own life. Having no clue that eyes are set on my every move - both on the good and bad, but more inclined towards the bad.

Unaware of the “prying eyes” keeping track on me, judging me on what they observe and what they want to consider the truth. It sort of comes as a surprise when one gets the smell of these “prying eyes” lurking around one’s private life. What a palatable prey I’ve been.

But these “prying eyes” are part of our human nature. To be curious is to be human. No matter how much one tries, it is there in every one of us - in me and in you. And it is hard to be parted away from. It can as well be said to be an accessory that is central to maintaining human relationships. I just hope no one gets overdosed.

They say “one’s character and life are better known by the people outside the four corners of one’s home”. Well, there may be some underlying truth in it after all. True, our families are aware of our true colors, strengths and weaknesses. But take the time off to think again.

Once you take that step away from your secure home to the outside world. Hidden, prying eyes will ever be on you from then on. Without realizing, your footprints are scanned and minutely studied. And you become hounded as a prey by your “shadows”. And these “prying eyes” are not just a pair of them, but innumerable. That makes it more of a dilemma for one to find ways for an escape. And they are found to be on every nook and corner one’s life.

You may think yourself as being secure. It’s a pity. Given the green signal, your “shadows” will be on you before you can even say “huh!” You will know then, how fragile and insecure you are in the hands of your “shadows”.

This is the place I’m in - a wild and savage place; unsafe to wander about. Sad.

Everybody nosing around in their none-of-their-businesses. Ever ready to choke the other to death for the tiny mistakes they made unknowingly. Self contentment? that I don’t know.

This has become the trend. We can’t do nothing but stare with eyes wide open and try to live along with it. And be ever on our toes for a lookout of these “prying eyes”.

With very little clean air to breathe and congested dwellings, life sure is tough for a “celebrity” like me. Humorous it may seem to be, but have you ever given a thought that, like me you are also a “celebrity” for someone unknown to you out there?

So what can I say now? Go, squeal like a pig losers. Whatever pleases you. Eh bakit si siya? tapos ako… Pity.

Friends, these are all I need from you. No unsolicited advise please. Yes, I’m devastated. I caught him cheating. Pain. Agony. Hatred. Love. Tears. Denial. I can’t explain what I’m going through. Just bear with me, I’ll get over.

1. I want to vent, get it out without censor. I will say what I shouldn’t be saying. It may not be nice, pretty or mild. Please know that I know better, but I need to get it off my chest.

2. Every so often I want to hear something like, “This too shall pass.” Remind me that this is not forever.

3. Spare me from you “epal” attitude please. If you’re perfect then just be one. I don’t care. If you lack attention, don’t gain them through me. If you’re a model employee, then you are. I think we know you. Avoid the “sawsaw” attitude. You’ll have your time, trust me.

4. I want to be validated. I want to know that I am OK. You can best do that by nodding acceptance when I talk about the pain or confusion.

5. I want to hear sometimes, “What are you learning? What are you doing to take care of yourself?” I may need that little jolt that moves me beyond my pain to see the larger picture.

6. I’m a little bit sensitive now. Simple jokes may mean hell and all spears thrown. You know what to do.

7. I may want space. I may want you to be quiet and patient as I attempt to sort through and express my thoughts and feelings. Give me some time to stammer, stutter and stumble my way through this.

8. I want someone to point out some new options or different roads that I might take. But before you do this, make sure I am first heard and validated.

9. When they pop into your mind, recommend books or other resources that you think I might find helpful.

10. I want to hear every so often, “How’s it going?” And, I may want this to be more than an informal greeting. Give me time and space to let you know exactly how it IS going.

11. I want you to understand and welcome the ambivalent feelings and desires. I would like you to be fairly comfortable with the gray areas and the contradictions about how I feel and what I may want.

12. I want you to be predictable. I want to be able to count on you to be there, listen and speak consistently or let me know when you are unable to do that. I will honor that.

13. If you know our story, don’t tell me “wala ka kse time sa kaniya eh” I know that already and can’t do anything about it.

14. Avoid asking questions on how it “all” went. Wait and you’ll read it here.

I felt so goody goody last Saturday. I decided to take my nephew and my younger brother to MOA and see Madagascar II. I had heard good things about this movie, and it did not disappoint.

In most cases, when they make a sequel to a popular kids cartoon, it flops. It’s never as good as the first one right? Madagascar was definitely an exception. This movie had a number of things going for it. My best friend agreed that it was definitely funnier then the first movie and we definitely laughed a lot. For the most part, it was pretty clean to. There were a few places in Madagascar where the jokes were a little on the adult side, but this one didn’t have much of that which was nice. It’s always refreshing to watch a movie everyone can enjoy, both kids and adults, without getting a little off-color.

Hopelessly stranded on the remote shores of Madagascar, the New Yorkers hatch a plan to get back to Central Park that instead finds them soaking up sun in the picturesque plains of Africa. Madagascar may be a nice place to visit, but for the gang of animals who spent most of their lives in New York, there is truly no place like home. After discovering the remnants of a crashed airplane, the penguins quickly set about making the repairs needed to get the craft airborne again. When the plane finally takes to the sky, it begins to look like it’s only a matter of time before Alex the Lion and friends are soaring over New York Harbor. Unfortunately the penguins weren’t the aviation experts they claimed to be, and before long the crew is coming in for a crash-landing in the untamed plains of Africa. Now, as the animals reared in the safety of the zoo come into contact with their decidedly wild counterparts for the very first time, they get a better feel for their roots while marveling over the differences between life in the concrete jungle and life on the world’s second largest continent. Of course, while there’s plenty to love about wandering the open plains, romantic rivalries and the risk of running into dangerous poachers soon begin to outweigh the joys of some long-overdue family reunions. With some particularly heavy cases of homesickness causing hearts to weigh heavy, the group gradually starts to wonder whether they’ll ever find their way back home.

I think one thing that made Madagascar 2 such a great movie was the range of relationships it explored. The first movie centered mainly around the relationship between Alex the Lion and his best friend Marty the Zebra. In Madagascar 2, they develop that relationship a bit more as well but they also work with the relationship between Alex and his parents, as well as some romantic relationships among the other characters. All put together, it makes for a very engaging plot line.

Oh and did I mention the movie is GORGEOUS? Set in Africa of course, the settings and the animals are just beautiful!

My nephew had really a good time laughing [he's only two years old], and pointing to the characters on screen that I had to hush hush him always.

Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa makes a great family night movie, and is a definite must see. We will be adding it to our movie library when it comes out on DVD as well.