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

H invited me to comeover and bring my Twilight DVD the other day. I have been maintaining “good friendship” with him despite everything that happened. We met for dinner first and discussed in detail our thoughts on the books. He was teasing me because I have reall all the books except “New Moon”. I was on cloud nine, no kidding [I don't know if it's because I sooo love Twilight or because I still sooo love him]. Someone in the flesh to discuss Twilight and all those wonderful, magical characters with! My only complaint is that the evening went by too fast. Before we knew it, it was time to head over to their place. My ardour for everything Twilight had settled somewhat, which is a good thing [because it's exhausting being obsessed with something all the time]. Yes Twilight and Edward and Jacob are still some of my very favorite things, but daydreaming about them had become secondary to…living! [pun intended]

As tempted as I am to pick up Twilight and start rereading the saga, I will refrain. Because after seeing the movie again, I feel myself getting pulled right back into the obsession. And if I allow myself to get Twilight out and read it, there will be no looking back. I’ll succumb to the magical draw of Forks, Bella, Jacob… and Edward. Ah, Edward!

H and I went into the Nth viewing of Twilight with different perspectives. He had seen it the first time with no prior knowledge of the story [more or less]. He hadn’t read the saga. I think that would’ve been a cool thing, to have seen the movie before reading the books. I had of course read them [a few times] but they weren’t extremely fresh in my mind. That was on purpose, I tried to remove myself from the story so I could have a fresh perspective. It was hard to do the first time I saw the movie. I couldn’t make my mind focus on the actual movie. Instead I just noticed what was different from the book, what was the same, and especially how the movie felt like a “cliff notes” version of the book. The scenes seemed choppy to me.

That night however, it had been even longer since I’d read the book and I’d already seen the movie so it was a lot easier for me to just go and focus on enjoying the movie itself. I loved it even more the Nth time! I did not get the sense of a choppy cliff notes version again. The movie flowed and the story seemed consistent and smooth. I’m not exaggerating! The excitement of being with him and the midnight viewing was gone as well. That was great and totally added to the experience the first time but had been maybe a little distracting from really seeing and enjoying the movie itself. My heart still raced with Edward’s first grand appearance onscreen, it was all very satisfying. And the things that bothered me the first time didn’t so much this time. My only complaint remains [and was even more heightened this time] Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Bella. Hopefully she will tone down the drama and play up Bella’s “goofy in love in the face of danger” attitude for New Moon.

I trusted my friend when she told me that Eagle Eye is the perfect B-grade thriller, a fast-paced, excited and well budgeted picture with quality acting and enough chaos to satisfy my long planned DVD marathon. She somehow warned me that it is also ridiculous at times, forcing you to stretch your imagination far beyond what you expected. And that if I’ll accept that, the movie will be pretty damn entertaining.

The 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, however, is not. The Special Edition is not very special at all, as it contains just a few mediocre bonus features that no one really wants to see. The Alternate Ending, which is short and to-the-point, is okay - but thank God they didn’t use it in the theatrical release. However, the series of featurettes included on the discs are dull, dull, dull.

There’s a making-of featurette, which is more promotional than anything else and only provides a few real glimpses at the actual production of the movie; another one looks at filming in Washington, D.C. That’s not very exotic at all. Yet another is about the reality of the world we live in, and how it’s not that farfetched that we can be tracked most of the time; interesting subject, but there’s just too little real content to make this worthwhile. There’s also an interview between the director and his mentor, but I lost interest early on. Ironically, this one may be the most authentic of all of the bonus features, though it was a mistake to have the two just talking in a room; instead, they should have had a moderator to help lead the men down a more interesting path.

There’s also a gag real and some deleted scenes, but both features are pretty standard.

Now about the movie…

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean you should make a movie about it. The abysmal Eagle Eye attempts to take modern-day paranoia about the intrusive nature of technology and turn it into an action movie. The result is an unqualified disaster, an unbelievable, unrealistic, and simply un-enjoyable barrage of noise and increasingly ridiculous plot twists. Eagle Eye doesn’t just require suspension of disbelief on the part of its audience. It demands that all logic and believability be left at the ticket counter with your hard-earned cash. This may be Executive Producer Steven Spielberg’s least believable film ever, and that’s including E.T. and Transformers.

As over-the-top and only-in-Hollywood as Live Free or Die Hard or similarly insane action movies [only with a completely straight face about it], Eagle Eye is hard to even recap intelligently. The film’s only accomplishment might be in that it will linger with audiences out into the lobby and beyond as viewers try to piece together the plot holes big enough to fly a B-12 Bomber through with ease. Shia LaBeouf stars as Jerry Shaw, a Stanford drop-out who now works at the Copy Cabana. He’s grown distant from his family, especially his successful twin brother Ethan. When his Air Force star sibling dies in a car accident, Jerry goes to the funeral and sort of reconnects with his family, but comes home to find his life in complete disarray. First, his bank account, which couldn’t satisfy his rent payment one day, has $750k deposited in it the next. He takes out some cash and heads home to find an apartment full of terrorist supplies that, apparently, are pretty easy to ship via DHL. As he’s examining the confidential documents and illegal weapons in his living room, his cell phone rings and he’s instructed that he has thirty seconds before the FBI will get there and arrest him on suspicion of terrorism unless he runs.

At the same time, Rachel Holloman [the miscast Michelle Monaghan] gets a similar call. Her son is on a train to DC to play at the Kennedy Center, and the mystery woman on the other end of the phone threatens to derail the locomotive if Rachel doesn’t follow orders. Jerry doesn’t run when he’s first told to and gets nabbed by an FBI, headed by Billy Bob Thornton, and the better-at-taking-directions Rachel has to bust out her unwilling partner in crime. The idea is that Jerry and Rachel are going to be pawns in an elaborate plot that uses our increasing lack of privacy as a weapon. Imagine an enemy that could get to you through any technological device. They can hear you on any phone, see you on any camera, and even use any computer-operated device like stop lights and cranes to their will. While LeBeouf and Monaghan run, jump, and scream every time the phone rings, Michael Chiklis, Rosario Dawson, and Anthony Mackie are all wasted in small supported roles.

It’s not that horrible an idea for a thriller, but it’s the execution that’s horrific. Unwilling to do anything in moderation, the four people it took to write one of the worst screenplays of the year almost seem to be playing a game where they have to top each other with each stupid twist. There’s something in the idea that we are surrounded by ATM cameras and cell phones, but, when the computer system that’s manipulating Jerry and Rachel starts to go beyond what any could possibly do - my favorite is that, apparently, a computer can not only cause power wire to snap but also swing directly into a running person - the suspension of disbelief becomes far, far too much to bear. And the final act is a howler. If director D.J. Caruso and the rest of the team behind the film could have put their tongue even slightly in cheek, Eagle Eye might have worked, but the increasingly insane plotline is played deadly straight, which should make the laughter in the audience all the more uncomfortable.

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.

It has been going on for quite so long now. I really can’t get a good sleep. I already have signed “written warning” escalation from work because of tardiness. I tried reading books but I can’t understand any. I tried taking some meds but hell-what-the-hell, really no effect!

After all desperate attempts and bugging H about my ordeal, he suggested that I come over his place and watch DVD with his all caps - JUST STOP TEXTING! I was reluctant to watch the movie - The Bucket List at first. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman sounded quite boring and too melodramatic for my ears. H insisted and demanded a review here. With so much love, I obliged [hehehe].

The movie operates on the hope that two beloved stars rubbing their signature screen personas together can spark warm, fuzzy box office magic. I didn’t count on it. Stars or no, it is an open question whether audiences will flock to a preposterous, putatively heartwarming buddy comedy about two men diagnosed with terminal cancer living it up in their final months.

Sitting atop of one of the Egyptian pyramids, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as terminally ill cancer patients, engage in a sentimental philosophical chat about life and loss. The two have decided to travel around the globe, doing whatever the heck they want; they can afford it since the Nicholson character is a billionaire CEO. The first thing to say about The Bucket List is that Rob Reiner is the rare director who can take all the wonder out of one of the seven wonders of the world. The way that the pyramid they’re sitting on is lit and shot, it looks completely fake, and the one in the distance could be a rear-projection backdrop. The second thing to observe is that the conversation might be taking place almost anywhere — in a coffee shop, say, or back in the dingy hospital room where Nicholson, as an aging playboy with four ex-wives, and Freeman, as a mechanic who has spent his life sacrificing for his family, first met, discovered that they had absolutely nothing in common, and decided to bond over their tragic illnesses and become friends anyway.

The biggest surprise of The Bucket List is how casually it treats the whole ”bucket list” of wild-things-to-do-before-we-die concept. It’s fun, for two minutes, to see Nicholson and Freeman jumping out of a plane, but once they’ve gotten tattoos and raced vintage cars [to the cloying been-there-heard-that accompaniment of ZZ Top's ''Tush''], the movie is already scraping the bottom of the bucket. Basically, they spend the rest of the time doing disease-of-the-week buddy-movie therapy against the backdrop of world landmarks. Nicholson has the benefit of playing a rascal so self-centered he veers into unpleasantness, but Freeman, as the brilliant working-class autodidact whose one ”flaw” is that his marriage suffered from empty-nest syndrome, reminds us once again that it’s long past time this actor played someone who isn’t a saint. If he and Jack had traded roles, there might have been one thing about the drably tender Bucket List that surprised you.“The Bucket List” is rated PG-13 [Parents strongly cautioned]. It has off-color dialogue.

After the movie, H asked me… You, what’s your Bucket List? Which I replied - Don’t ask me that, lalaki lalo ulo mo.

Eto si Lanie, ang aming Call Center Manager, na very-preggy sa anak nila ni Shoti, na dati kong shota [harharhar]…

Did this for her phone’s wallpaper and friendster’s background.

Labyu Lanie! mwah! mwah!

Pasko na nga ba? Not really. I just felt it when H and I went to shop last weekend and earlier today. We bought gifts for his relatives and friends already. That is the only time I felt its already Christmas because there are so many people around doing their Christmas shopping. But other than that, wala.

I just feel sad because you cannot feel the old Christmas spirit anymore. Those times we were kids when shopping was not really important. Caroling was the main focus of kids, eagerly awaiting December 16th. I miss the old times when Christmas decorations did not consist of huge, expensive “parols” bought from Pampanga or Gilmore Street but of a simple parol made of papel de Hapon. The parol-making competition sa Baste, simbang gabi, Christmas parties and everything that is very “pasko sa Mindoro”. Christmas is so commercialized nowadays. If you don’t have enough money, your Christmas is doomed. That’s the idea injected in our minds.

I noticed that in our neighborhood, only 3 houses, including ours, put up Christmas lights and parol. How sad no? When before, after November 2, decorations are in full swing already. Now, it’s already November 14 and yet people are not yet in the Christmas mood.

Ask them why and only one answer will they give you…

Wala kasing pera.

Didn’t they know that with or without money we can all celebrate Christmas? It need not be an expensive celebration. We just have to go back to basic and celebrate it because of the Lord. A simple parol will do. It need not be an expensive one. Banderitas will do. And some Christmas songs blasting from the neighbor’s radio will do the trick.

Wait, come to think of it, do you hear Christmas songs being played on the radio?

Come on, let’s start spreading the Christmas spirit.

Here’s my nephew very much anticipating Christmas.

Bakit? Ano ba meron? Kailan? Hanggang? Pede ba to?

So, when you read that title, did you automatically draw a conclusion in your mind about what a “skeptic” is? Did that word have a negative or a positive connotation in your mind?

There will always be times where you’ll feel dumb, uncertain, needs confirmation, needs help. I must admit, when it first occurred to me to write about skepticism this morning, I was thinking about those people who never trust anything unless they have proof; those people who want to live in what they KNOW, not what might be possible; those people who won’t support anything new; people who are basically difficult to have a conversation with because they question the logic of every idea. For me, the word had a negative connotation.

But when I looked up the meaning of the word in my trusty dictionary.com, I found out that the definition is:

One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.

And I discovered that I am a skeptic.

I’ve always been a questioner. As far back as I can remember, I had to know why things were the way they were, and whether or not they had to be that way. I really don’t believe I was trying to be difficult - I was just curious.

But the older I got, the more I began to understand that questions didn’t always have answers, and the people to whom I was addressing my questions didn’t want to appear uninformed or unintelligent, so they encouraged me to stop asking questions. Whether this was in school, at work, or even at home, I remember the effect of my questions on my teachers and parents, and I remember that I slowly began to shut up - at least on the outside.

But now I wonder, where would we be in our world of science, religion, education, business without those people who “instinctively doubt, question or disagree with generally accepted conclusions”?

Maybe for me the hangup has been with the context in this definition provided by the word “habitually.” Even the “right” thing done for the “wrong” reasons is still “wrong,” right?

Was I asking questions all my life just to be difficult? Was it a habit? I don’t think so. I’d like to get beyond my own preconceived notions and concepts of what constitutes skepticism and trust my own gut and instincts. Maybe that’s why I asked other people for the answer - because I didn’t trust my own knowing. Maybe I wanted validation. Maybe I just wanted to be acknowledged. Maybe I just wanted attention. I’d like to think those reasons for being curious evolved as I evolved throughout my life.

Maybe people have to be skeptical as they’re learning things in their lives. Maybe it’s their conditioning that turns them from intuitive skeptics into habitual skeptics. Let’s not let past perceptions - others’ or our own - keep us from questioning.

So let’s get back out there and be curious. Ask questions. Challenge the status quo. But don’t be afraid to look inside yourself for the answers.

Skeptics unite!

*Sigh

Everybody’s in a pressure cabin now. Everybody’s getting too sensitive. Everybody’s freaking out of nowhere. Everybody’s just not them right now. And I understand that.

The day made me realize things. I stopped on what I was doing, breathed and decided to write.

How do you deal with misconceptions? Some days you let it slide because, well, it is afterall a misconception, and you figure, hey, they’ll figure it out eventually and if not, good riddance.

It seems directly proportionate to the amount you feel about and for someone to how much their misunderstanding of you will affect you. The more you care about them, the more you care what they think. The less you care, the less frustrated you are when they get it wrong.

I’m finding that I’ve spent the greater part of my congnizant life being misunderstood and mislabeled…from the time my parents refused to understand why I would cry for no reason and told me to simply cut it out [maybe it was in fact depression],to my adulthood and the relationships I’ve attempted to have who did not and never would have the capacity to understand someone like me.

I think that sometimes people misunderstand because to understand might cause them greater pain or confusion. I think that sometimes people misunderstand because they’re afraid to really comprehend another person or another belief or another culture or another preference. Fear can drive people to do some pretty fucked up things. Maybe misunderstanding someone is just another way to hide from that fear and from the reality it presents. It’s easier to simply misunderstand and play dumb. It’s easier to not quite get it right because to get it or someone right requires too much work.

People rebel against being misunderstood. People kick and scream and cry and suffer and fall apart. All because they are misunderstood. People act out against it, write songs and poems in protest–anything to get their misunderstood voice out there so that maybe someday someone will understand. People speak up and out in desperation, as a last ditch effort, because they have nowhere else to turn, because they have to do something. So that there’s a record of them being misunderstood and what it really all comes down to is perspective. And no perspective is a Truth.

And sometimes people blog about it. Blog about the loneliness that being misunderstood brings. About the isolation and the alienation. Even misunderstood people need the chance to be accepted and loved and understood.

Because we are different, we are misunderstood. By default, we are misunderstood. We are brought up to be misunderstood and to misunderstand. And the disconnects keep getting easier and easier to commit.

I’m feeling misunderstood and I’m blogging about it. Not to be understood. Not about which I am misunderstood. Not to be on some sort of psuedo record of being misunderstood. Blogging because it is a lonely feeling indeed even though I know I’m not the only one.

Soooo, I’ve been over-inundated with work lately and have been a poor blogger, so I will attempt to add a good bunch of fun posts for you all to enjoy. I will make every effort to avoid the computer while I’m off work, so therefore will not be enlightening you with my obscene witticisms and off-color antecdotes. Sorry…

Kiko requested for me to write something about him and Jc. I really want to but I can’t still find the right words to even start. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe. I just hope I won’t be forced to write so quick just to announce something bad as their actions insinuate. Guys, take care of your relationship.

So, here I am with all this work surrounding me, pondering how I’ve come to the place I’m currently occupying. I should really be typing my poor little fingers to the bone as I monitor agents, but I am caught up in a conversation from the other night. I have a wonderful significant other who likes to catch me unaware and pose the kind of questions that require thought and meaning to the response. It gets me every time. Yet, when responding with the same question back, the same issues are posed - not enough time to think, am I saying this correctly? what will they think when I say this? is the feeling returned?

Funny enough, the adjective used for me is “genuine”. I guess that’s a good thing. I’m genuinely a pain in the butt from time to time. I’m genuinely a good lover [insert pat on the back here] I’m genuinely a good partner. I genuinely pursue the goals I have set for myself. Oh yeah, and I’m pretty up front and speak my mind. Maybe that’s what it means. Also, what you see is what you get. I don’t spend a lot of time fakin’ it up for folks. It’s just not me and, to be honest, I’m too lazy for all that. It’s MUCH easier to be me and let you all decide for yourselves if you want to bother.

When this particular question comes into play - Why do you love me? - I froze. I saw pictures of us in an Andy Warhol-type portrait. What particular thing makes one love another person? Is it a chemical balance? Is it a response to pheromones produced by their pores that comingle with your pores that just feels so right? Is it the way they smile when they look at you that makes you feel like you’re the only person in the world and they can only smile that way because you are who you are? I have NO CLUE.

I do know that I am capable of loving, and that almost came as a shock to me since I had removed myself from that scene for a very long time. It feels great, and I’d like to believe that I have chosen someone who is very deserving of my love despite all the hardships and troubles I’m encountering. I guess time will tell how it all plays out.

Soooo, I’ve been over-inundated with work lately and have been a poor blogger, so I will attempt to add a good bunch of fun posts for you all to enjoy. I will make every effort to avoid the computer while I’m off work, so therefore will not be enlightening you with my obscene witticisms and off-color antecdotes. Sorry…

Kiko requested for me to write something about him and Jc. I really want to but I can’t still find the right words to even start. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe. I just hope I won’t be forced to write so quick just to announce something bad as their actions insinuate. Guys, take care of your relationship.

So, here I am with all this work surrounding me, pondering how I’ve come to the place I’m currently occupying. I should really be typing my poor little fingers to the bone as I monitor agents, but I am caught up in a conversation from the other night. I have a wonderful significant other who likes to catch me unaware and pose the kind of questions that require thought and meaning to the response. It gets me every time. Yet, when responding with the same question back, the same issues are posed - not enough time to think, am I saying this correctly? what will they think when I say this? is the feeling returned?

Funny enough, the adjective used for me is “genuine”. I guess that’s a good thing. I’m genuinely a pain in the butt from time to time. I’m genuinely a good lover [insert pat on the back here] I’m genuinely a good partner. I genuinely pursue the goals I have set for myself. Oh yeah, and I’m pretty up front and speak my mind. Maybe that’s what it means. Also, what you see is what you get. I don’t spend a lot of time fakin’ it up for folks. It’s just not me and, to be honest, I’m too lazy for all that. It’s MUCH easier to be me and let you all decide for yourselves if you want to bother.

When this particular question comes into play - Why do you love me? - I froze. I saw pictures of us in an Andy Warhol-type portrait. What particular thing makes one love another person? Is it a chemical balance? Is it a response to pheromones produced by their pores that comingle with your pores that just feels so right? Is it the way they smile when they look at you that makes you feel like you’re the only person in the world and they can only smile that way because you are who you are? I have NO CLUE.

I do know that I am capable of loving, and that almost came as a shock to me since I had removed myself from that scene for a very long time. It feels great, and I’d like to believe that I have chosen someone who is very deserving of my love despite all the hardships and troubles I’m encountering. I guess time will tell how it all plays out.

Would you date the exact you?

The problem with you, you always compare yourself to me. What you can do, what I can’t, What you want, what I don’t… why don’t you clone yourself and let that shitty clone be your boyfriend?

Those were the exact words. Maybe I’m really being so demanding and inconsiderate. I always make an excuse by saying, you made me to be like this. You pushed me to be like this. Blah, blah, blah…

There is a major issue, especially in the gay community, but also in the straight community. It seems that no matter who you are, you want the perfect partner? Someone who is attractive. Someone who is pleasant to be around. Intelligent. Funny. Has money and a great job. Has a sense of spiritualism. Is comfortable with himself or herself. Yes, we want the perfect partner… all of us.

I do quite a bit of chatting online in the gay chat rooms, and whenever someone starts talking about how hard it is to find the perfect guy, I try to ask the same question: Would you date yourself?

In other words, are you the perfect guy [or gal] that you always talk about wanting? Are you attractive, or do you fundamentally feel that you’re entitled to someone that is more attractive than you are? Are you pleasant to be around, or do you think you should date someone who is more pleasant than you? You say you want someone to cuddle with you on the couch, but how often do you hold your friends when they’re hurting? You want a brilliant scientist or musician, but are you brilliant? Do you want someone who is more intelligent than you? In other words, do you want the perfect partner despite the fact that you are not the perfect partner?

I would ask you this next question? I promise, it’s not a trick question. What do you offer someone who would date or marry you? Are you a good listener? Are you very attractive and good in bed? Do you have interesting and intelligent things to say? What makes you a good partner?

Now, what are the areas that make you not so great? Are these things that you can work on?

The point of this is not to berate you for aiming high; in fact, I think that’s far better than settling on someone that is not compatible with you. But I have found based on my own experience, that when I am focused wholly on my own pain, I cannot focus on the pain of others. When I am focused on others, that is when I can see the world focusing back on me, and I find I think about myself even less when I am happy.

So I propose this challenge to you: Make a list of all those things that you want in your partner, and then BE those things. Often, we want our partners to have characteristics that we lack ourselves so that we feel like a whole person when we’re with him or her. If, however, we are all the things that we want in a partner, then we can focus on whether or not we simply like the person that we’re interested in rather than trying to get a resume of traits and experience that we can proud of in them.

You see, I am a whole person, with or without a relationship. So are you! Do you believe that? It’s true. You are a whole person even outside a relationship. If you can take the time to focus on improving and loving yourself, then you will not be so obsessed over when you will find a boyfriend, girlfriend, significant other, husband, or wife. You will be happy in the moment. You will be happy with yourself.

I proposed a challenge above. I hope you will take me up on it. Make that list and be brave in making it! If you want a supermodel, then write it down. A college professor. Someone who listens. Then write it down, and be all those things. We learn from quantum physics [I think] that like energy attracts like energy. Although we have always heard that opposites attract, often that is not the case! Attractive people tend to end up with other attractive people. Educated people tend to have relationships with other educated people. Weak spiritual people are often with other weak spiritual people. That is why I have said it is so important to be the person you would want to date.

You will never be perfect; no one is. And that’s a good thing because you will always have room for improvement. Use that as an opportunity to continue to grow, and when you have grown enough, that special someone who has also been growing might show up in your life. Then you can have that fantastic relationship. Until then, use your time wisely rather than wallowing in pain from loneliness.

Sorry Beb. Mwah!

Before coming to work yesterday, I asked H to join me for coffee. While enjoying our usual bantering, a very familiar woman with 2 kids approached us asking for alms. The usual “we ran out of money and now I don’t have enough to pay for our fare to Bulacan” spiel went. I wasn’t really in the mood to say also my usual “ilang buwan na kayo humihingi niyan ah, di parin kayo nakakauwi?” counter spiel so I just told her “naku Manang pasensiya wala din”.

When the woman went away, H quipped “di ka na naawa, kahit 5 lang sana binigyan natin, nakabili nga tayo ng ganito eh”, I just shrugged my shoulder and gestured “sorry”.

Should I feel guilty because I bought and consumed the drink, which is worth P180, when I could have just given a part of that amount to the poor woman asking for alms? Should I feel guilty that I have the time to spare to drink such expensive drinks when those who’re not so fortunate, had to work to the bone to find something to eat?

I think ads for charity are all too good eliciting that guilt feelings from us, so that we would donate to their foundations or fund-raising events. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with giving to the needy, but if we’re going to eradicate poverty, we should begin with eradicating the mentality of dependence.

And for such a reason, I prefer to give alms to street kids who’re selling flowers, or candies, buying their merchandise and giving an extra tip if they’re courteous than to those who beat at the car window asking for some coins. I prefer that those who’re asking for loans from me to do something reasonable for me in exchange of the money instead.

As a matter of fact, I’ve never believed in equal distribution of wealth. I find it a devolution of our value of giving rewards based on merit, shifting to a value of giving rewards based on need. I think what we should be propagating is a mindset that one should not get more because he needs more or that he has less than others, but rather, he will get what is due to him because of what work he had done.

But what about the poor? [I am too] How can they get out of poverty if we will not help? I think in this part, we would all be better off we’re to concentrate on generating more jobs that are parallel to one’s available skills, instead of using up resources for short-term solutions.

And I hope most people would be more like those people working even if it doesn’t pay that well. These are the people who will not demand things just because they have less, but rather, will work to make themselves worthy of what it is that they ask. This is the kind of attitude that all of us should have and it is the attitude that will get us out of being one of the impoverished nations in the world.

To H, I’m really sorry if you think I’ve been selfish but there are things in this world that need to be taught and be realized. There are things that need a different attention rather than just directly giving them what they think they lack. Many of these people take advantage of the term “mahirap ako eh”. Being mahirap doesn’t mean you’re hopeless. Being mahirap doesn’t mean you can always just make kalabit to people and say “PENGE”.

Araguuyy…

If you’ve ever had an ingrown toenail that got infected, you know how painful I’m feeling now. Some people are more prone to having ingrown nails than others and it can become quite a problem. I already had 2 operations because of this. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot that can be done for this other than actually removing the nail.

I had this problem on the big toe of both feet. In one urgent care clinic, the doctor tried to remove part of the toenail on one foot and the whole experience was horrendously painful - and unsuccessful. After some incompetent treatment, I finally got to see a podiatrist who removed both toe’s nails and has never had a problem since.

When the nail is removed, some podiatrists and surgeons remove only part of it, the part that edges along each side and part of the matrix [root], while others remove the whole nail and root. The problem with removing the whole nail and root is that the toe bed no longer has the nail for protection.

The most painful part? Anaesthesia wears off even before the whole process is finished. Geee, I can’t imagine the pain I have to go through again. I hope it won’t be that bad. Please don’t. Huhuhu.

I still have 2 kulanis [lymph gland] sa singit to think of. Talking about pain. Huhuhu.

I had a WTF moment earlier. It was a dreary Monday. Everything just went wrong. I thought I’ll be spared from the venom, in a surprising instant, the proverbial chair was pulled out from under me. So I decided I need a t-shirt that says “WHAT THE FUCK” and a cute zip up hoodie to go over it. Then when I have these moments, I could just unzip the hoodie, exposing the shirt and appropriate sentiment. I often wish I could create such moments for myself at time when someone completely confuses me [happening a bit too frequently lately]. I would just unzip, sentiment expressed, and situation dealt with. Because, seriously, what the fuck.

That’s you Evette! Laglag Queen! I love you!

I’ve been itching to write, but a wonderful internet glitch has kept me away from accessing my site to update it…or to even just view it. But I’m here again.

Well, now I’m in information-overload mode and don’t know what to say.

1) My sleep schedule is horrific. I’m desperately trying to get myself back on track. It isn’t easy.

2) I’m eagerly waiting for the arrival of November 15. The time when everything’s gonna be over. With that, I meant everything bad, and that may include some people.

3) I have a big decision to make. I need to decide if I’ll be moving in with H or just let him leave me because we can’t be together. We’re supposed to have a vacation too. I think I need it. Badly.

4) My 10-year reunion is coming up. That’s depressing. It makes me feel really, really old. I’m too hip and cute to feel really old.

5) I watched Heroes last night. I don’t know. I LOVE this series, but right now, things seem so disjointed, I’m just not sure what to think.

6) I’ve developed new music obsessions. This is dangerous. It means I have to listen to each song over and over again until I know all the lyrics. Now I just need a mic.

7) Some things in my life really don’t make sense. Confusion is an interesting addiction. I’d rather be a bit confused and content than sure of something and not.

I like lists. I make them all the time. I like checking things off, getting this done. Sadly, my to-do list right now is WAY too long. I don’t feel like I’m ever in control.

9) I want a Kitchen-Aid mixer so I can make a Bailey’s ice cream and pair it with some delicious chocolate cake thing. That means I’ll have to invite people over to share with me.

10) And to conclude, I am about to confront a good friend who’s been trying to take away my boyfriend. Why can’t you just be happy for me? You think I wouldn’t know?

Over the last few days I realized how many things in my day-to-day life are habits. I think we create habits to help us feel safe: we take the same route to work; we shampoo, condition, and wash in the shower in the same order every day; we check certain websites with an eerie regularity. It’s harder to break some habits than others and we find that stepping out of our comfort zone in extreme ways may cause us great anxiety. All the more reason to push ourselves to do away with such habits. I could easily make a long list of those I want to break and ones I want to create. Some habits I have decided to give up and replace with new ones. Actually, I think I’m developing a new habit. I’m a bit scared by it, and I had initially decided it was probably one I shouldn’t adopt so quickly. But sometimes, you need new habits to replace old ones. And other times, you realize that a habit is good for you.

For the next few days I’ll be assessing myself and jot down these habits. Another post will be created for this. Maybe you can also create yours?

As I was checking all my messages and new pictures my Boss posted, I received an email -

“I just had a knock down with my boss. Not sure what what will happen.”

After reading the e-mail from my friend, I immediately picked up my cell phone and punched in his number.
I completely disregarded the pleasantries: “What the heck happened?” I asked.
“I lost my patience,” she replied.

That made me laugh, since she has the patience of a saint. This is a woman who takes care of her aging mother, her aging husband and everyone else around her, including people not related by blood.
It took little coaxing to get the full story.

Her supervisor gave her a task, she made the assignment to a staff member and apparently it did not meet her supervisor’s standards. So she was sent an e-mail, badly worded and ill-timed, to share the displeasure.
At a time when workers in almost every industry are being asked to do more with less, this seems like a less than effective way to manage — much less lead — a company. But this is pretty routine for her boss.
My friend has had the same boss with the same “tone” for years. And I’d been listening to her complaints about it since she took the job.

So I asked again, “Really, what the heck happened?”

Long story short, after dealing with a manpower shortage, equipment failures and a series of personnel issues in her small department, my normally quiet, hyper-responsible friend decided to call her boss on the “tone” issue — and more.

The behind-closed-doors conversation degenerated from bad to worse, ending with both of them angrier than they started.

I must admit I was sympathetic, having had my own run-ins with that personality type before. You know the kind I’m talking about. In an article I’ve read, the author called them “naysayers”, because they find fault in everything you do. There was this insecure superior before who would make stories, do everything he could to stop my growth [promotion] or even simple endorsements so that I’ll have better position in the company. I don’t what was his problem. Di naman daw siya bading, or because burog burog mukha niya, or because feeling niya mas magaling kasi siya sa graphics or what? I really don’t know. He’s got what he deserved naman. Na-karma?

They’re like speeding trains careening wildly through the room waiting for something — or someone — to run over with their negativity. The words, “Thank you”, don’t exist in their vocabulary, because then they’d have to admit your work was valuable.And that just wouldn’t do.

But I still didn’t understand: “Why now?” I asked.
“I’ve just had enough,” she replied.

I didn’t know what else to say. She has a point, and apparently she’d reached it. And, having listened to her over the years, it made me wonder why it had taken so long.

I mean, in the workplace when you’re being shot down routinely by negativity, at what point do you say, “Enough is enough?”

Good thing I sooo love my Boss that I couldn’t even think of reasons to complain.

I received this from Kuya Robert [one of our IT person]. Although I really don’t know if there’s something behind it or if there’s a different message aside from the “supposed intention”, I appreciated it.

Many people hold tension in their necks and shoulders, leading to stiffness, bad posture and tension headaches. If you want another way to do it, repeating these five yoga Neck Exercises eases tension, increases flexibility and tones the muscles. Do them slowly and keep your spine straight. Your neck relaxed and your shoulders facing forward. First drop your head back, then drop it right forward. Now keeping your head erect, turn it all the way to the right, back to center, then all the way to the left. Next drop your head forward and roll it around as wide a circle as possible. Repeat in the opposite direction. Now, raise your right shoulder, then drop it down. Repeat with the left. Lastly, raise both shoulders at once, then drop them down again.

• Bend your head forward, chin on chest, then back to original position.
• Bend to the right, then back to the original position.
• Bend backward, then back to the original position.
• Bend to the left, then back to the original position.
• Bend forward, chin on chest, move from right to the left, then move from left to right.

Way to go Kuya Robert!

I made “palahaw” last Saturday. I was hurt, saddened, devastated and all. The brother I was sending to college got her GF pregnant. Didn’t know it’s gonna hurt that much. It’s been quite a while I cried.

I felt the whole world crushing on my shoulders. I have been into a lot of problems for the past months. One after another, one after another. I have my own struggles. I wish I have a choice. I wish I could say “taym pers” but no, I’m not just playing “saksak puso” this time. This is true life. I’m dealing about life.

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” - Jimmy Dean

Just when we thought that everything is going as planned, life throws us a curveball that leaves both of us badly shaken. After getting over my initial shock, I know that it was up to me to decide how we’re going to deal with this challenge. We can take it negatively and consider it a problem or look at it positively as an opportunity. We choose the latter.

Life is unpredictable and maybe curve balls are thrown our way to keep us on our toes all the time. To train ourselves to be flexible, to teach us to let go when things don’t go your way, and more importantly to teach us not to avoid the curve balls but to grab a mitt and try to catch it instead.

Earlier, the GF was thrown out of their place and will be joining my brother tomorrow. He was so worried and kept on texting my sister for help. He wasn’t texting me. Maybe because he knows how i’m feeling and how deeply affected I am. I don’t want to initiate and just give him the rope to save him but I know sooner I will. I wanna give him the lesson of a curve ball. I can’t just provide him the mitt.

Life. *Sigh.

I commented on a photo done by Ash Castro [a very good photographer and artist I really admire] and as I wait for his response, I felt the need to go to the restroom. For the most part, trips to the bathroom are uneventful. That is, people go in and take care of their personal business and leave, hopefully washing their hands on the way out. Today was a bang up day for restroom weirdness at the office. I observed two uncommon behaviors while taking care of my own business.

I know I should have fully minded my own business but I think this will also help us gain another thought on our day to day lives. Tell me if you feel it offensive though.

As a general rule, there are certain rules of etiquette when you’re standing at a urinal. One of those rules is that you aren’t supposed to pay attention to the gentlemen standing at the other urinals. Under no circumstances are you to speak to them. Acceptable behaviors would include reading [if there’s a newspaper tacked to the wall], spelling your name as if the bowl were full of snow, gazing down at the distorted reflection of your face in the urinal valve, or possibly even whistling. I’ve seen some pretty disturbing feats performed in the restroom before, but today’s incident takes the cake.

Peripheral vision is one of those things that comes naturally to many. Though partially obscured by the urinal dividers, my eyes were privy to a display that I had never seen at set of office urinals before. Without turning to look I probably would have dismissed what I had seen out the corner of my left eye, except I heard something that confirmed what I thought I had seen. I heard a rhythmic sound emanating from the next urinal stall over. It was continuous in nature and almost vicious at times, and it continued for the duration of my standing there.

The man — standing at the urinal — was brushing his teeth with his right hand, no doubt while holding onto his member with the other.

Now I’ve seen people come into the restroom and brush their teeth after lunch. I don’t do it despite what my dentist no doubt recommended at some point, but I see no problem with it. I do have difficulty believing that there are people in the world who lack sufficient time or inclination to dedicate separate periods of time to each activity, especially at the office.

Now, go back to work Al. You still have many things to accomplish.

As I was about to leave the grocery yesterday, I walked past a women with long hair. She was loading groceries into her car’s trunk and talking as if she were in the middle of a conversation. She looked at me as I walked past and kept talking. I was puzzled and all. I even gestured with a question, “me?”. She didn’t care to respond. Not to me, clearly.

A year or two ago I would have said she was crazy, carrying on a conversation with herself in the middle of a parking lot. That would be a reasonable assumption on my part.

Today it isn’t that simple. Thanks to bluetooth headsets, there’s no way to tell. Not only do people look incredibly stupid walking about with a piece of plastic clipped to their ear, I feel that we’re somehow obligated to expand our benefit-of-the-doubt for crazy people. If you encounter someone in a parking lot who’s looking at you and talking, they could be:

• not crazy, talking to me directly
• not crazy, talking to someone on the phone
• crazy, talking to me directly
• crazy, talking to themselves
• crazy, wearing headset but talking to me directly
• crazy, wearing headset but talking to someone on the phone
• crazy, wearing headset but talking to themselves
• crazy, wearing headset but thinking they’re talking to someone on the phone

It makes my head hurt.

Trying to make sense here.

WTF, Powtangina, Funyeta, Fuck, Sheez, etc…

I’ve been making a conscious effort to cut back on the profanity at work, on my blog, at service crews. Impressionable minds don’t need to listen to my foul mouth and it doesn’t add a whole lot to the conversation. I also think it’s about time I come up with some new adjectives and adverbs to use, all while reserving profanity for times when I really want to get my point across or hurt someone’s feelings. While I adjust, I anticipate a lot of prancing about screaming “fu fu fu” at the top of my lungs. It’s a process, I tell you.

So what do I do when I hear someone talking like his a BIG cono who does not know anything but mag-inarte and magma-feeling? Trust me, I heard a lot. “Paano kung…”, “Bakit kailangan mag-ganito…”, “Mahirap ba yon?…”, “Kaya ko ba ‘yon?…”, etc, echosera, puro ka-artehan, puro ka-plastikan…

Pownyeta! I thought matalino ka? and please, you don’t look like you came from the family of the Royals of Brunei who are being carried avoiding earth to touch their pinkish soles, fed on golden plates and bathe on milk and honey.

You were born with the mountains, crowing roosters, sinangag na kanin and poverty surrounding you. I believe you also have a TV or at least read some books right? It’s a simple thing. Doesn’t need a genius to know. So please spare my ears from your kaartehan.

A long lost, long time “friend” just buzzed me earlier. I saw your Baguio pics, ang gaganda! Punta ulit tayo pag balik ko diyan Pinas ha. Miss you!

Scouting out good restaurants in advance is always a smart bet when you’re visiting other cities, even when it’s close to home. And it can be especially tough to ferret out good recommendations for midsize cities, as so much of the food-finding energy is focused on bigger places. That said, I usually just scout around and ask the locals, taxi drivers mostly.

Experiencing Baguio will not be complete without their unique SM Baguio. Experiencing SM Baguio will not be complete without a taste of Balconaje Bistro Cafe. My first time there was with my then bf-Chris. He and I were going to have a late lunch after a tiring walk along Burnham. I wanted to go to a restaurant that is unique to Baguio City – a place I won’t find in Metro Manila. So, we came upon Balconaje and decided to dine there.

At first, I thought they served local dishes, because of the furnishings and decor that have Baguio City written all over it – the wooden chairs and tables, the bamboo adornments, etc. I was surprised that they offer international dishes, instead. Still, we went ahead and tried their “specialties”.

It has always been an exciting experience to dine out and ask for the place’s best sellers. I have always been tagged as makulit when it comes to asking such. I would usually get away by saying, I’m just trying to get my money’s worth.

Remembering Mami Chus Chicken Cordon Bleu, I decided to give it a try. Chicken Cordon Bleu - which is a big roll of breaded and fried chicken breast filled with ham and cheese and smothered with creamy sauce. Chris picked their Hunter’s Chicken, which is chicken breast with some kind of tomato sauce with mushrooms and onions.

After our orders were served, the sound of utensils touching our plates, glasses being filled with water were the ones left to my hearing. Both dishes were great! The Cordon Bleu, can feed two people. I love the breading that they used – perfectly fried, not burnt. The smooth cheese sauce had just the right amount of salt and the dried basil cut the creaminess of the sauce and gave the whole dish a good sprinkle of spice. The sauce of the Hunter’s Chicken did it for the dish. With that hint of red wine [if I’m not mistaken], the sweetness of the onion, and the big mushroom buttons, just the sauce itself and the rice can be a complete meal for me.

Pictures below show us with Carla [our Baguio based friend] and her friend chismissed as her partner [hahaha].

I would definitely recommend this for you and your family or friends. The food here is inexpensive and delicious. A really great discovery for me, my then-bf, and our tummies!

I want Chinese food. I’m just in the area, can you join me for a quick bite? Mwah! *H_Hon_Sungit - via SMS

That made me jump to my feet. Finding authentic Chinese cuisine in Manila is not necessarily a dificult task. with the fairly large population of Chinese Filipinos in the country, there are many places to go for food that is comfortably familiar. I remembered Jc, Kiko, Ralf, Jay, Agatha and I having a great time at Mr. Choi. I then suggested the same. It’s an updated looking Chinese restaurant. The clean lines, paneled walls, and warm yellow lighting set the ambiance. The place uses black and red for the interiors. Service is brisk. Food always prepared upon ordering.

The cliche restaurant name aside, this is a good place to go to for a casual dinner.

On the Table

• Chips with sesame seed and seaweed [priceless- nice pica pica to nibble on while waiting for the things you ordered].
• Though the tables were a bit small, the setting was neat and tidy.
• We ordered our regulars when eating out at Chinese restaurants… the Yang Chow fried rice, steamed fish, the fried chicken, the crispy squid, and of course, the house pancit!
• We tried some interesting items on the menu like their spinach soup and their mushrooms with tofu.
• The ambiance and the service were good. The price was even better. As for the food, it wasn’t bad. But we had better gustatory experiences elsewhere.

I personally enjoyed their eggplant with ground pork and palm sauce. Soft peeled eggplant… ground pork nicely marinated… flavored by the sauce made from palm sugar… with the right amount of heat. Now I’m missing OJ’s restaurant at Libis. Sigh. I miss Mami Cez, Dian, Joanne, Denden, Gen, Inay G, Mikee, Len, Bernie, and all my friends from WSI.

All the dishes are meant for sharing.. good for 3 to 4 persons. Good thing he invited 3 of his girl friends to comeover so we didn’t have to be burdened by eating them all. What I like about this place is that service is quick. Food is hot. Prices are affordale. This place will always be an option when looking for a place to eat in Robinsons Mall.

“Sa Robinson’s lang ba meron nito? Para siyang imitation ng Gloria Maris ‘no?”, I agreed.

Earlier, Z YM-d me about a post Benjay made. Makaka-relate daw ako. It was about “Love is lovelier the second time around” or “would you still accept your ex if he/she comes back?”

Im in a shaky relationship now and another one would like to get back [haba hair]. The post really hit me straight that I decided to make a response comment.

SERIOUSLY? :
To me, most break ups are for a reason, right? You don’t just break up because it’s cloudy outside one day, and sunny the next? You have a legitimate reason for the break ups.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you can reconcile your differences and get back together, but most of the time you should move on with your life. You had some good times, and now either one or both of you has moved on.

LANDI-LY? :
I’ll give it an FB chance… = )

I was watching a show at my sister’s last month called “The Ex Factor”, and it was all about creating drama in seeing if two exs should get back together. All the while, their current boyfriend or girlfriend is watching the entire thing. This is a show, seriously? While I admit that I had a hard time changing the channel, most of the time it was purely the drama of it all that I enjoyed watching. As many of us do.

If You Really Do Want to Rethink Your Break Up

Here are some things to think about when you are thinking about rekindling an old flame:

• Why did you break up in the first place? [This is the main factor, did he/she cheat on you? did you fight all the time? you didn't communicate well? All of these are good reasons NOT to get back together]
• Do you only want them because you can’t have them?
• Do you think that they are the best person for you?
• What did your friends think of him/her? While your friends don’t have the end all be all opinion, they know you well and have your best interests at heart, so you should probably hear their opinion too.
• Why do you really want to get back together?

Be reasonable when you think about these questions. Let your head catch up with your heart. You will make the right decision for you.