Saturday, September 27, 2008

Number 1, Baby!

Well this was certainly a pleasant surprise. Spread the word, tell your friends, add a link to your blog, post a Friendster bulletin, anything! Let's make this happen. Yes, we can. ;-)

Friday, September 26, 2008

Checking Back In

Alas! I have returned to this island and I feel reaaaallllly good. So good in fact I'm even singing along to this BSB crack song on the radio now. "As long as you love me...yeah-eh-eh.."

Yeah, I feel quite great actually. Incidentally, one way to tell when I'm extremely giddy is when my eyes well up. Not weeping, just watery. That's how you know I feel really happy. =D

I slipped out to KL this week and got back about a couple hours ago. I feel a very long post with photos and anecdotes straight from my Malaysian escapade coming so hang on for that. Meanwhile, I'm wishing everyone a great weekend and hope y'all's's F1 investment pays off big time. That way you can repay the environment for the unnecessary energy spent operating this 3-day flash-boom-bang. But I digress.

Okay! Gotta do my laundry first and catch up with the buddies.

God bless you all, folks!

Friday, September 19, 2008

BABELFISH ::: Call Your Parents

So I get on the PDI website like I've done since who knows how long ago and I immediately notice "UniOil to cut diesel by P3/liter". Great news, right? I call my father to check the facts. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Da, magkano na ba isang litro dyan?
Dada: Ah...48.
Me: Ha? Kala ko ba nagbaba na? Tatlong piso daw.
Dada: Hinde, piso lang. Sa isang linggo pa yon.
Me: Magkano na ba isang barel ngayon?
Dada: 88.
Me: A talaga? E dapat magbabaan na nga lahat yan.
Dada: Oo nga. Nirereserba nga nila yon para sa isang linggo.

After a few exchanges about the rest of the family, we finally get to talking about me.

Dada: Kung wala kang mahanap dyan, mas mabuti pa umuwi ka na lang. Nag-aalala ako sa 'yo. Pero ikaw bahala, diskartehan mo na lang.
Me: Oo, alam ko yon. Nandito na ko e, di ko naman basta-basta sasayangin 'to.
Dada: Oo nga e sinayang mo kase yung---di bale, wag na lang pag-usapan 'yon. Basta kung okey naman lagay mo dyan e wag mo kami intindihin dito.

You can tell he's trying to be careful with what to say to me but if I were to be sensitive, I'd say he blew it anyway. Haha! But I have to acknowledge his effort. The man's doing his best to choose his words, perhaps out of fear that he would push me over the edge, me being away from them and all.

Ohh my father. He tries. He really tries. Hahahaha! If I were to pick a TV dad most like my own, I would say Red from That 70s Show. Tough talking, always grouchy, whiny, no emotion. This is why we, his children, find it too funny when he's showing his sensitive side. It just doesn't compute, Dada! Just drop it.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

BLACKLIGHTING ::: Waves Rockin' The Boat

17Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

19GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (English Standard Version)
I have no clue about Habakkuk. I know he's a prophet, that's about it. Nonetheless, these verses he wrote speak so strongly to me these days.

Okay, here's the deal: it's one thing to put our trust in God when things in our lives are spiraling, it's a whole other scenario to be expected to rejoice in the midst of it. One tall order for a society who loves to wallow in self-pity! But guess what? It's not impossible. Primarily, it's a command but God, knowing how feeble I am, has blessed me with the resources to be able to praise. The first one is prayer which I can't stress enough; the second is his word. I never realized how present my bible is going to be in my life. (Thank you, Ninang.)

The question that follows is why? Well, I can only share what's been revealed to me. It's because true joy is the spark we need to be able to take full advantage of the deliverance God promises each of us.

Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
And when I stumble into darkness
I will call your name by night

Friday, September 12, 2008

Slow News Day

Kerouac wrote On The Road as one long paragraph on sheets of paper he'd taped together forming a scroll. I wish I could do that sometimes, write in one continuous purge. This (the wishing, not the writing) usually happens when I'm at Books Actually, that lovely little shop on Ann Siang Road, and staring intently at things to add to my Christmas list. Things like that Muji book, CDs, paper, toys, vintage cameras, nifty trinkets, that Muji book.

I pose this question to Tom Chaplin: what the heck did you do?! Dude, you lost a lot. Hey if I had money to burn I'll check myself into The Priory, too, sans drug-drink issues. But I guess that's a prereq. Anyway, Tom is looking great and the new single is Spiraling which I think is pretty tongue-in-cheek for a Keane song. I like it though.

Everybody's Changing (Keane)

You say you wander your own land
But when I think about it
I don't see how you can

You're aching, you're breaking
And I can see the pain in your eyes
Since everybody's changing
And I don't know why

So little time
Try to understand that I'm
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game
I try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody's changing
And I don't feel the same

You're gone from here
Soon you will disappear
Fading into beautiful light
'cause everybody's changing
And I don't feel right

I've been drowning myself in mindless pop since U2 have been taking their sweet time with the new album. I downloaded NKOTB's reunion album and I have to say it's not bad at all. The reviews have been predictably unkind but, really now, how can you take those seriously when they came out in the same publications raving over the new Jonas brothers movie. Yeah, really credible the lot of them. Tigilan nyo nga ako.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

RIGHT BRAIN ::: Ways To Disparage Your Mother



Hahaha! I can't not (Yes, double negative. Arrgh!!) share this video I found on YouTube. It's Rufus Wainwright and sister Martha Wainwright in a mockumentary for their mother Kate and aunt Anna. It's hilarious, I tell you, HILARIOUS!

Monday, September 08, 2008

RIGHT BRAIN ::: My Dear Machine



This post is long overdue since they've been back together for a good six months or so now. But I am quite glad my second favorite band is once again churning out new material. So so very glad.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

U2 ::: Another Testament

Here is Bono showing up in my work load. I was flipping through this snotty magazine and there's his mugshot. This ties in quite well with the latest Achtoon Baby over at ATU2.com, eh?


RIGHT BRAIN ::: Guess What I'm Feeling Now



Hi, folks. Found this one the other night while in the midst of wishing to be home for Christmas. It's a nine-minute video of someone's flight from Manila to Baguio. Quite boring to watch for the majority of y'all but I sat through it to see the landscape/topography change. Also interesting to realize how short the Loakan runway looks (not that I know about whatever regulations they have for them) and you have to be amazed with the precision pilots have for landing--more like perching--on that precipice. By the way, Manila to Baguio is only 45 minutes by plane says his blurb. Good thing to note but how can you pass up on the manicured NLEX lawns?

Monday, September 01, 2008

RIGHT BRAIN ::: Incomparably Noypi Quality

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high, 
Singing sweetly through the night, 
And the mountains in reply 
Echoing their brave delight. 
Gloria in excelsis Deo 
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Shepherds, why this jubilee? 
Why these songs of happy cheer? 
What great brightness did you see? 
What glad tiding did you hear?
Come to Bethlehem and see 
Him whose birth the angels sing; 
Come, adore on bended knee 
Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.
See him in a manger laid 
Whom the angels praise above; 
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, 
While we raise our hearts in love