Notes From a Blackout

July 14: I type this at 35 mins past one in the morning in a powerless house, using up precious netbook battery power. Just got home a good half-hour before that after driving through intense windy storms. Before that I brought home The Contessa and Lola after we caught the last screening of Toy Story 3(D) at Gateway Mall.

The 3D part was more trouble than it’s worth. Halfway thru the second act the screen goes blank. When the picture came back the 3D wasn’t working properly. Characters in close-up looked fine w/o using the glasses, in plain 2D (w/c wasn’t what I paid for), but foreground characters had ghost images. They “rewound” the film a second time but it also took awhile before the 3D “synched” again. Lola found herself teary-eyed over the ending.

Had the film gone w/o a hitch we would’ve left a good half-hour earlier and not have driven through dark streets and seeing tree branches scattered all over the road. I was taking The Contessa home when we witnessed the street and traffic lights go the same timeas the simulcast radio-tv news on DZBB.

I can now say I’ve driven through a storm in the middle of the night amidst a citywide blackout. Cue Dean Devlin and our disaster-movie of the year.

Spent the afternoon reading. Finished Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds, Mighty Avengers: Assemble and Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 9 collections. (Yes: For the most part my new books only see the light of day when the power's out.)

Escaped the blackout in my neighborhood by going to my 6pm kettlebell exercise class (power in their building returned before lunch), and afterwards hung out at my cousin's house for dinner, a hot shower and a screening of I Love You, Philip Morris. Good times had to end, though, as I went home to a powerless house.

I was about to get into some midnight reading (charged my cellphone and netbook at my cousin's) when The Contessa texted me, saying she was w/ M1, and that the latter said that if I wanted to a "sincere reconciliation" I'd should join them in Greenbelt ASAP. Not bloody likely.

July 15: The power came back around 1:30AM, only to go out again 8 hours later but come back after 4 hours in a "scheduled" brownout rotation. Whee... not.

The Internet Said It, So It MUST BE TRUE

I write like
David Foster Wallace

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Frankly I like this badge better than the last one I was given when it analyzed the previous blog entry and said I wrote like DAN BROWN. Just shoot me.

Bicol Bacation Bideo Brouhaha

Long story short: I made a video of my recent trip to Bicol, and it made some of my fellow travelers upset, either by its content or the way it was edited (the way some pictures were juxtaposed, not from a technical standpoint). Some of them are no longer speaking to me.

Short story long (Names have been "Singularized" out of my possibly misplaced sense of courtesy):

The video took 3 weeks to produce and uploaded to Facebook at an ungodly hour. Minutes later one of the girls in the video, M1, said she didn't like me putting in certain pix in the final product. In my "defense" those pix in question were my harmless way of getting back at her for putting in certain pix in her version of the Bicol vacation video that I didn't like. Requests for edit=1.

Later that morning I received a text from C --asking me to remove certain swimsuit pictures-- and from M2, in a frantic text saying C left me the above message. (Panicky much?) Requests for edit=2. The harried nature of their messages was probably because I uploaded the video for viewing for Friends instead of limiting it to just my fellow travelers, and they hoped they could get me to take it down fix it before it receives any more viewings.

I was more disappointed than mad at their reactions, especially w/ C and M2. C, embarrassed by the video, called it ugly and wanted her pictures taken out of it because she said it was her pictures. I took that to mean she was claiming ownership, w/c I had doubts about, and after checking confirmed those pics in question were shot with my camera. M2 (after calling me an idiot) clarified that C was talking about her being in those pictures, and that she had a right to ask them to be taken down if she didn't want them made public (as least in video form, 'coz she sure as heck didn't object when those same pictures were previously posted on Facebook.) True, she had the right to ask, just as I had to refuse if I thought the request was unreasonable.

And then there's R, who was in the same "objectionable" pictures as M1, on a warpath. R was mad at me (M1 just disappointed, but at least ok w/ it all now) because there was a tacit agreement between us that those pictures would not go online in any form.

Ok, they got me there. My bad. At first I privatized the video, but to avoid any further conflict (and realizing logic will never win over emotion in these kinds of arguments) I just apologized to C, R and M1 and took down the video. (Hell w/ M2, fighting C's fight when C's perfectly capable of doing it.) But nooo, it wasn't enough for R, who wanted all pictures I posted on Facebook w/ them on it taken down.

Mad and disappointed? No. Annoyed? Hell, YES. Sino siya, si Katrina Halili? I can swear on my own grave that the video is cool and unobjectionable to anyone (else) that has or might see it.

The fact that C, R and M2 are taking the same kettle-bell class as me would've made further contact awkward, but fortunately I attend the class scheduled an hour earlier. Other fellow travelers who've seen the video don't see what the fuss and bile is all about.

Long story short: I was slightly in the wrong, but made peace w/ some, while others are still in the Petty Zone. Hope they enjoy their stay there.

(Taking) Forever

I’m currently seated on a 2-foot tall circular pedestal that's supporting myself, 6 mannequins and fellow customers (or companions, friends, relatives, lovers w/ no cash/credit/inclination to shop with/for) at the Forever21 Shop in SM Megamall. I’m guessing on normal shopping days we’d be asked not to sit on the pedestal and block the view of the shoes that are also on display. But this was only their 3rd day of being Officially Open, so I guess there’s some leeway.

Lola talked into coming here, and obviously I didn’t know what I was getting myself talked into. The current amount of activity in here reminded me of the Las Vegas Comicon, only the comics are replaced by clothes, and geeks in costume by costumed fiberglass statues.

The shopping women outnumber the clueless men (self included) maybe 6:1. Guys would either dutifully follow their ladyfriends one step behind, looking bored or offering rhetorical shopping advice; otherwise they’re like me, opting to wait at one spot inside the store, write then wait to be approached by said ladyfriend for solicited shopping advice. Or perhaps just wait, cellphones or Nintendo DS at hand.

This “event” has been shaped to look like a Big Deal. Our first faux pas upon arriving to the store was following the “LINE FOR FOREVER21 STARTS HERE” sign in the wrong direction. When we got to the end of the non-existent queue we were greeted by a closed entrance and window-view of inside the store, which showed lots of shoppers (natch’) and, to my surprise, big security guys. Not the rent-a-cop kind, but the kind you see in “hot” nightclubs: big bodied w/ SECURITY printed in all-caps yellow in from of their black t-shirts, and sporting either sunglasses or a headset.

Jeez, was the size of the crowd, or the threat of shoplifting expected to be that rampant? It couldn't be the former, as the number of people inside wasn’t enough to merit elbow-rubbing capacity. Can’t be the latter; these are just rtw clothes, for crying out loud. Perhaps they were limiting the numbers of shoppers to X number of people at a time for crowd control? While on the surface it makes the experience sound exclusive, it would probably be illegal.

When we got inside seeing Jane Kingsu (formerly of Chalk magazine) seated by a makeshift booth preparing P100 gift vouchers, it started to make sense. I asked her if she was responsible for the presence of the security guys. She said yes, as she was in charge of marketing and those guys were mostly for show.

The store is ridiculously huge for a boutique shop, almost like the entire floor of the regular SM Department Store clothing section. Getting lost inside is easy, like in a casino (no wall clocks or easily discernable exit. I have to admit I’ve never seen/been to a clothing sale made to appear like a society event. At least they didn’t stamp our wrists and ask for ID. Worse, you can’t pick up chicks here. No booze. Maybe if you offered to buy them a blouse that’d get the ball rolling.

OMG, I Have CP (CatchPhrases)

I think that if I were ever a long-term participant in reality shows like Big Brother or The Amazing Race I'd be easy to parody. This is due to my tendency to use catchphrases, and unoriginal ones, at that.

After some self-examination (mentally, not physically, mind you) I found that I've been using the following a lot lately:

• "Those people are idiots."
• "Ah, no, you don't/you're not ."
• "That may have been a mistake."
• "Omigod, please stop talking!"
• "Apparently."
• "Seriously."
• "Well, this can't be good."
• "Well, that went well."
• "Well, DUH on a stick."

I'm like Reagan in that I say "Well" more often than Dumb Blondes say "like," in every other sentence. Hopefully that'll change in time.

Closure Stings

ME: good morning ****

HER*: hi

ME: i hear congratulations are in order? ;)

HER: huh?

HER: for what?

ME: u got yourself a boyfriend over the weekend?

HER: yes.

HER: ha

ME: Lucky guy

HER: :)

*NOT the ex

Mayonnaise

MAY 30-- Ana G. and her cousin at the Roofdeck Party III (The Return), where I learned my networking "skills" need work.


MAY 31-- Cel and Mela after my an Mel's first ever kettlebell workout. Goofy grins courtesy of endorphins?

JUNE 8-- With Die! and Mela at Coffee Bean Greenhills. It's Die's! last day in Manila (after a week's vacation here) before the flies back to South Korea.

Browned/Bronzed Bicol Biyahe Blog (Bart 3)

SATURDAY, May 22: Lyndon, Mimi and I had our first and only St. Ellis breakfast before the group drove out to Naga, but not before stopping by the Cagsawa ruins by Mayon Volcano for some trick photography shots. I would have enjoyed myself more had I not needed to pee real badly that time, but the only restroom had a locked gate. (Hell with it, piss can pass between iron bars.) One guy assisted us, apparently having done this routine over and over for all kinds of tourists, so he knows all the right low-angle and forced perspective shots to take. (Hmm, still owe Mimi my share of the tip.)

When we arrived in Naga we spent the whole day at the Camsur Watersports Complex, and boy what a HOT day it was. Our whole afternoon comprised of WiFi web-browsing, IPodding, fruit-molesting, fake lesbian kissing, photo-pimping and chillaxing w/ laing or plain-cheese pizza, either by the pool or by the shaded area facing the artificial lake, w/ some us waiting for our name to be called informing us that it's our turn at the wakeboard area. Unfortunately we arrived on the first day of a week-long Kaogma festival and preparations for the 5h Philippine Wakeboard Nationals, so our chances of skimming the waters were slim-to-none. Luckily I managed to sneak a dip into the pool. Since its use limited to paid green wristband wearers and wakeboarders), when the anal "lifeguard" asked me where my wristband was, I said I was just waiting for my name to be called for the wakeboarding. (Snuck out of the pool area afterwards.)

Fernand fell on his butt trying out the skateboard rails. Mae managed to get herself tipsy after 4 beers. I called 3-Ku to tell him we were in town. He initially invited us to dinner, but when I told him there were 9 of us he had to rescind the offer. :P

Later that evening we checked in at NagaLand Hotel, but after freshening up we had dinner at Avenue Plaza Hotel, as per Xeng's recommendation. After dinner Mimi "treated" us to her song stylings, belting out a couple of ballads accompanied by piano and violin. Afterwards we all tucked in early (after some minor roughhousing on our 2nd-floor hotel corridor). "Anyway, cheers!"

Browned/Bronzed Bicol Biyahe Blog (Bart 2)

FRIDAY, MAY 21: We woke up and began w/ a not-so-great-breakfast before we headed off to our island-hopping tour in Matnog. First stop was Tikling Island, where not much was happening. We saw a treehouse, but didn't climb up.

A little swimming and it was off to the marine sanctuary, w/c seemed more like a euphemism for "fish pens." The fishermen/caretakers gave us a fish-feeding demonstration, w/c was fascinating because it looked as if the fish were able to predict where the food would land, and they'd rush to that exact spot before the bait even hit the water and fed in a frenzy.

We jumped in from one enclosed area to another, looking at fishes and a sea cucumber (and on an unrelated matter I found a toy submachine gun in the water), but the highlight was seeing a sea turtle. It reminded me of that tortoise in South Africa, only was wetter, more likely to snap my nose off if I got too close, and it swam away faster than expected when we let it go after some exploitative picture-taking. At another fish pen I saw live and swimming bangus and lapu-lapu, which was new for me since I usually see them frozen, cooked or de-boned. Nothing different when I saw the lobsters, though: caged and in the water.

We later hopped 0ff to Subic Beach (not related to the more popular Subic Bay) for lunch, and swam some more while our guides grilled the pork-chops (everything else-- shrimp, chop suey, sweet & sour fish, beverages-- was ready). Speaking of w/c, the shrimp was a little dry but the pork-chops were awesome. After lunch the others talked about life and love, while Cel and I talked about her workout routine, w/c at present was composed of krav maga and kettle-bell exercises.

Our final stop was Calintaan Island, but we really just went around it instead of coming to shore because we wanted to check out the caves. The ocean floor was filled w/ corals, anemones and fields of sea grapes, a few of w/c were picked and fed to us by our dive-guide Sadam. There was near-scare encounter w/ a sea snake, but it turned to be near-dead, so naturally some of played w/ the carcass for picture purposes.

(This would never happen w/ roadkill.) During one last group shot in the caves Wena shoved me and my left 4th toe ended up being pierced by 5 sea urchin nettles. Hurt like hell, but I wasn't able to pull out the splinters so I immediately swam back to the boat. Even onboard I couldn't get them out, so I had to endure this minor agony on the boat ride back to Bantigui Beach Resort. No luck w/ tweezers, as the nettles were so brittle some of them practically crumbled in my toe by the time I got to them. Hmm, doesn't feel poisonous....

One shower and failed nettle extraction later, we late-checked out and drove back to Legazpi to meet up w/ Fernds and Xeng for dinner at Small Talk Cafe, where I had my first taste of Bicol Express pasta and Laing. Fernd's driver had called it a night (seeing as he was w/ since Matnog it's understandable), so chauffeur duties fell unto me and I drove us in the Imperial Hi-Ace (that handled like an L300) to St. Ellis for our last night in Legazpi. Again sleep was delayed for me owing to an overseas argument between my roommate and beau via celphone, and I desperately looked for my earphones to no avail. Fortunately calmer heads prevailed and the phone-call ended peacefully.

Boy, this mattress is really comfy...

Browned/Bronzed Bicol Biyahe Blog (Bart 1)

Even if my parents grew up in Bicol (specifically my mom in Pasacao), and I understand Bicolano when it's spoken around the house, and I've been to Naga City so many times it's a second home to me, I've never really gone around the region, much less Naga's sister city Legazpi.

Good thing Melanie and Fernand decided to get some of the Beijinoy Boracay Buds back together for a 4-5 day trip around Legazpi, Sorsogon and Naga. So there's Me, Lyndon, Mimi, Mela, Mae, Fernand, w/ new additions Wena Lim, Celirma Tan and Xeng Zulueta. Since I joined the game late I booked separate flights, flying into Legazpi via ZestAir and out from Naga via AirPhilExpress.

WEDNESDAY, May 19: Joanne picked me up at the airport, and afterwards we joined the rest of the group at Axel Saw's family restaurant for lunch. Xeng caught up w/ us for halo-halo, while Lyndon and Mimi were flying in tomorrow morning. We rested up a bit (the other girls checking in at St. Ellis hotel, Xeng and I at Fernd's bedroom at his office in PFL Homes, Inc.) before driving out to Padang Beach to Fernand's old beach-house in Porta Azure.

While a typhoon stripped the house and subsequent salvaging made it uninhabitable, the pool was still in working order. Fernand knew the locals and they got us some horses for trot along the black-sanded seashore. The last time I rode a horse was back in 2004 in Inner Mongolia, so I was hesitant to take the reins solo, much to the disdain of my guide who had to at either pull the horse are try to jog alongside it. Joanne joined us again, this time w/ her husband Henry and son AJ. Afterwards we had dinner at Cena Una, where I cheaply treated myself to some spaghetti bolognese, while Axel had the priciest steak.

THURSDAY, May 20: As Fernand's driver picked up Lyndon and Mimi, we got up early (ok, 9-ish) to begin our drive out to Sorsogon, specifically Donsol, for a chance to swim w/ whale sharks. After signing in and renting our snorkeling gear, we were joined by Julian, a Frenchman (by way of Switzerland) who decided to use his 3-week vacation to backpack around the country, starting w/ Legazpi. We split into 2 groups, taking separate boats, w/ Fernd's boat holding the beverages

We did a total of 6 dives, sighting whale-sharks in 5 of them. It's almost the same routine w/ every dive: We sit on the moving boat while our guides checks for huge moving shadows underwater. Once one's spotted we rush to the edge of the boat and jump in like Navy SEALS, sans poise or training. On my second dive, once the bubble mist cleared from my goggles I found myself facing the butanding as it drifted underneath me. I would've screeched in surprise had my snorkel not been giving me trouble. I was preoccupied spitting out saltwater through the spout than actually breathing through my mouth. Despite constant reminders for us not to touch the creatures, at one point I was about to collide into one. What the hell; one brush of the dorsal fin won't hurt (felt like a wet leather wallet). Notch that off my non-existent bucket list.

Back on land we had lunch, rested up again, then headed off for some ATV riding along one of Mayon Volcano's many lava trails. While in Boracay we had a cheaper bike rental fee, optional dune buggy, helmet and goggles, this time it was the Anti-Boracay. The ATVs were bigger to carry an optional passenger, no dune buggies, and our lungs and eyes were left to the mercy of the huge dust-clouds revved up by the ATVs. I think we all developed premature emphysema.

We stopped at the foot of a small rocky hill, having to climb the rest of the way up. To our surprise there was a helipad on top. And a picnic table. (Talk about being inadequately prepared. I didn't bring snacks or a chopper.) Exploring the sharp-edged rocky area proved risky as some of the rocks weren't firmly planted on the ground, and a misstep could prove very painful. Still, photo-ops are photo-ops. Rather than climb our way back down, all but two from the group rode a zipline, something that must have tasked the "H&H boys," because they only had 2 zipline hooks and harnesses, and every time the boys have to run back-and-forth, returning hooks and harnesses up to those still waiting their turn on the zipline. We ATV'd back via a shortcut, w/c was just as well, as the original path had too many dips and bodies of water to run over. I'm already covered in several layers of dust; I don't need to get muddy feet, either.

But the road trip ain't over yet, because after we bid farewell to Julian and had our Japanese dinner, we still had a 2-hour drive to Matnog. After 2 pit-stops (Mae by the road, the rest of us at one of Fernand's real-estate properties), we made a late-night check-in at Bantigui Beach Resort, where we were met by Tita Raquel, a shower w/ next-to-no water pressure and a starry night accentuated w/ a couple of fireflies, w/c cheered Mimi up to no end. (Hell, she was excited enough about the starry night.) Due to a brewing domestic problem on Lyndon's end (and my e-mailing of Yan of some of my pix), I wasn't able to sleep til past 3 AM.