chasing liberty

i woke up before my alarm rang... a few minutes before 11am. slept at 2 after some crazy q&as with yongyong... crazy they were!

so i went downstairs, thought of something worth doing.. like ummm... watching tv. not bad, eh!

i happened to scan on hbo and chasing liberty was just starting. my kuya said it was a good one... so chasing liberty it is.

and it was.. hay... medyo impossible ang plot nya pero it made me cry. hehe i'm no president's daughter but i don't why i felt her sorrow. anuvash.

talking with my 2 girlfriends now... michie and thecx. awww... reunion via chat. better than nothing!

drained

i feel so drained today but i can't sleep at 2am 'cause it's not my bed time. darn it.

whatever transpired there that moment? all i know is back then, i wanted to be swallowed wholly by anything that could swallow a caths. it really isn't a big deal, i guess... but i never expected that from anybody with tact. whatever happened to good judgment and discretion and sensitivity?

i tried to fight it for the longest time but they poured down anyway... after a long, long, long time. hey, that's a first. history is made today... a bad history. and when i recall it, awww... it sucks... to the maximum level. i could still hear every word. sucked... sucks.

but it was a nice gesture. you still earn a thousand points for patience and persistence to get things done the right way... to end it all with grace. i know i acted bitchy and stubborn for hours... over something where the cause is a complete mystery to you. well now you know... and it's over.

so it's gone now? i hope...

and off to another draining thing... i hate cold shoulder treatments... darn it. i get affected... every inch of me. but what can i do? it's been going on for a couple of days now and i'm beginning to get bothered by it. i know how you feel... when you think everybody is against you and you limit your every move 'cause you might just have a chance to speak with them... and you don't like that. sucks...

the way i see things, i'm your only "buddy" now. don't isolate yourself. no man is an island. argh. i wish i could tell you that... sucks... drained drained.

bestfriend ni erpat

tito joey was (is still, i guess?) my papa's bestfriend way back their phillips days. he's the exact opposite of my father though... i dunno what made them jive. while my father was this creature ublessed with words, tito joey is the one with the wisest words - and he always shared them. while my father was... ehem, some kinuva mabisyo, tito joey could pass for the father-of-the-year-kahit-na-lifetime awardee. i guess that was his role in my father's life... to be the constant mentor/friend/guardian/reminder. i had very clear memories of his presence way back when we were young... and my papa would get into trouble... and he'll just be there to support him, us in any way - even when his family moved to the states some time in the 90s.

he called mama last friday and told her that he's here in manila and he'd love to see us all. so mama arranged for a poj dinner for last night sana, but he cancelled the last minute and said that he would prefer if we had a simple lunch here at home... so lunch cook-out it is.

i've always found comfort in his mere presence and top it all off with his gentle, wise, wise words. he asked us how we are and gave us updates on his wife, kids, and life as well. he's the type of man you would want to believe and digest his every word 'cause you know he speaks of the truth and the best things in life.

he'll go back to his home tomorrow morning and... wala lang.. it's just wonderful to have people like him around. papa's not around anymore but we're still so blessed to have a friend like him. ingat po lagi. =)

galing galing naman ni pacquaio! mwah!

walang body ang post ko. title lang. kse di na kailangan. bwahaha...i should probably stop talking now, kse nagkakaron na ng body ang supposed to be bodyless post ko. argh... i'm soooo...

the heavens gained an angel

he was a month premature and born without a father. we learned his dad has another family - and didn't give support in any way... financial, moral, emotional... nothing.

since his mom is unemployed as well, he was humbly born in a so-so hospital. doctors had to immediately incubate him so he'll have chances of survival. i heard the 8th month is a bad time to be born. i don't understand why but that's the way it is.

so poor baby was lying there with life support and all. we didn't have a chance to see him for visitors were off-limits in this section. God bless the patients of that hospital. in that condition, you need all the blessings you could get to make it.

we were delighted to see him though. his mom took some pictures of him... with tubes and all. broke our heart to see him in that manner, but we're happy as well to see some flicker of hope in this little bundle of gift. his mom swore she saw him smile... i bet it's a heavenly sight.

for weeks, they battled the hazards of life. it was another miracle that we have a relative in red cross. baby needed blood - a lot - and it was easier that you have contacts inside red cross.

i thought... he'll probably make it. he's been through a lot and yet he fights... he'll live.

yesterday, i had a dream... and in my dream, he was out and alive and strong. this handsome baby, fair-skinned and tangos nose and chinita eyes, was talking! and i was playing with him. i was teaching him how to thumb wrestle. he was a bit grumpy though 'cause he just got out of the hospital. what could you expect? he was so adorable.

and then i woke up. wondered how he and his mom are doing. was about to send them a message but shrugged the thought off for later. and i watched tv. phone rang and it was tita... "wala na baby".

and his mom sent us a message... "nung nawala sya, binuhat ko sya bago sya binalot. first time ko syang nakarga..."

and i thought he'll make it... the heavens probably need another angel.

tapos na ang pista

haha... 3 posts for the fiesta.

hmmm... what happened today? mom and i (talagang sinali ko ang sarili ko. parang totoo) cooked some food just in case may stray visitors na dumating... hawaiian spareribs, spinach something, pochero, potato chicken salad, maja blanca (c/o ate aida. orders? contact me hehe this is the best maja blanca i've tasted!). the lone visitor was aira. lunch lang and videoke pero she never sang. kuya dominated the errrr... entertainment? hehe you'll be entertained pag narinig mo sya kumanta. promise.

then i bought 2 ultraelectromagneticjam albums (which is a nice album, btw) for michie and thecx and dropped by michie's house to just say goodbye and hug and kiss and send her away. i faked some tears... and she just gave away that intoxicating michie laugh. huhu she left at 10pm. the last message she sent me was "Plane na po ko. Bubye" i'll miss this girl... again. and another year or so will pass before we meet again. (i have this thing about saving messages from people whom i won't see for a long time. i have some from harbs, jason, michie, ate elaine. hehe senti freak.)

and then there's the 6pm mass... na wala kong naintindihan. maingay ang kabataan sa likod ko. kse naman late na kami dumating sa simbahan. hay sorry po.

and then dinner and the procession around 9pm. goosebumps. teary-eyed... for the hundreds of enthusiastic devotees. i bet majority of them aren't even from here, but they did join the procession. heart-warming. =)

bisperas ng pista at ang paglisan plus side dish na paghingi ng paumanhin

ayos. noli ba ito o el fili? hehe...

ok. it turned out people are making the feast as festive as it could be... last minute preparations here and there: banderitas put up in an instant (pinintasan ni rico ang banderitas ng street namin... bakit daw sponsored ng globe at kung anu-ano pang produkto... hmp. walang pakialamanan), tita celia's meat shop crowded with dozens of buyers (obviously buying something to grace their dining tables tomorrow), mosikos traversing the streets every hour or so, the traditional (hmmm is 4 years traditional na?) serenata in the parish. sounds good and will look and feel even better tomorrow when the streets will be closed for vehicles and hundreds of people will parade from morning 'til midnight. magpapacute ba hehe.

a strange coincidence that it is also fiesta in mike's neighborhood... hiwalay muna tayo sa weekend na 'to. kanya-kanyang fiesta, bakit ba? hehe. fiesta mo, fiesta mo. fiesta ko, fiesta ko. hehe.

i was supposed to serve at the 9am mass tomorrow... complete with filipiniana costume. when was the last time i wore something like that? elementary? i borrowed denise's "female barong" and it didn't fit. so i backed out and i'll just be an ordinary citizen tomorrow. yey!

bought a ref today. after hmmm... 8 years of service... it's not that bad, huh! our old ref, bought 2nd hand, finally had it and retired. sayang naman ang mumunting salu-salo kung mapapanis lang at hindi mareref... so new ref it is! woohoo!

hmmm... all good things have to end and for michie's case, her good days will have to end tomorrow. end for now, that is. 'cause i'm sure after roughly 500 days (i counted!), every day will be simply perfect, glorious. congratulations and good luck!

for the side dish:
i'm really sorry for being bitchy sometimes... i have an excuse... i'm a girl and i'm licensed to be bitchy and sumpungin once a month (minimun lang yan)... *bats lashes... despite being sungit and unreasonable and all, i'm thankful for "just" constantly hearing the gentle voice "bat ka ba nang-aaway?", "tumawag ka lang ata para awayin ako.", "may sumpong ka na naman?", "inaaway mo na naman ako.", "pasalamat ka love kita", "ako ba, walang karapatang magtampo?", "tampo ka na naman?"...

thank you. so much... =) bawal magsawa ha! love naman kita eh hihi...

pista na naman

five days to go and it's sto. nino fiesta na naman. a couple of festive activities happen on the feast day.

the main street is closed for the countless mosiko bands that pass by every 15 minutes. thousands of people from anywhere and everywhere walk along this main street to visit their friends' houses 'cause almost every home has handa to "feed" hehe the visitors.

there's also a banderitas contest where, obviously, the most colorful and original and tipid banderitas will bag the gold prize.

the procession in the late evening, where the people carry their nino statues and dance their hearts out. gives me goosebumps everytime i see this... like some divine force has taken over each participant when they dance.

when i was in grade 6, we had visitors during fiesta and my mom "forced" me hehe to play the piano for the visitors... duh! parang i'm a people person e no! parang i'm a performer! duh!

oh there's the perya along daangbukid.. kung saan may ferris wheel, roller coaster, merry-go-round (na most probably matetetano ka pag sumakay ka), at ang mga saklaan, bilihan ng poor colored sisiws, kwintas na may ilaw-ilaw at kung anu-ano pang mga bagay-bagay na mahirap maipaliwanag.

that was how it was through the years...

this year though, things are a bit different.. the streets aren't lined with colorful banderitas yet and it doesn't look like the people are excited for sunday. =( dahil ba walang pera ang mga tao? di bale na sigurong walang banderitas, walang handa, basta thank the little child and give him a little wink for giving us countless blessings through the years...

what's wrong with this pic?

we were browsing a wedding photographer's site, looking for good ideas for the motif of donna's wedding. and we were checking out if the photographer was able to capture the kilig moments for the couples in his gallery. yes, for some... made us mutter "awww" and "oooh". well, for the others, nah... walang kilig factor eh haha...

for the picture below (ya, i covered the eyes, dyahe naman. i don't know the couple e baka magalit sakin haha), medyo may moment. medyo kilig. pero something's definitely wrong. hehe... may ummm... sumingit sa gitna ng moment? hihi funny. at least she looks thrilled... it would be a big SOMETHING ELSE if she's making irap or tirik her mata haha! funny lang.

N4 reunited

before the HS reunion was n4 reunion muna pala last friday. patsy said we should get together for merienda/reunion/despedida before she heads off to ohio... so friday came and with only 2 hours of sleep, i once again walked through the halls of spi to meet the n4 kids... yeah kids talga e no!

pizza and chicken and maja. what else could count for a perfect merienda? top it all off with a bunch of great people with great stories and updates. nakakamiss sila hihi... patsy (though lalayo k papa nick, hmmm 6 hours is not that bad! kaya yan! go tiger! haha), anabelle, jowa, ben (malapit na nga bang ikasal si jowa at ben? hihi), jz, jay, denver, david, edz (uy crush pala ni edz si ano?), thomas (na nalipatan na ang lahat ng team hehe astig!)... did i miss a name? i guess that's it!

btw, merong perfect hirit si roy nung nagkita kami sa canteen...

roy: uy! kelan ka pa dumating?
caths: ah... ehh.. dumating? ngayon lang? [puzzled to the highest level]

at hindi pala nya alam na wala na ako sa spi. hehe way to go, roy!

tapos i dropped by the spi coop office na rin to get my check... that's it? ang liit naman... =( kala ko marami akong pera... awww...

and then, a little chika with joy and rocel. hay kakamiss. hmm... i heard a couple of "pumayat ka!" comments... and i thought i was gaining weight... ilusyunada! haha!

pic pic...

andito ulit si michie

hay... parang kailan lang. andito si michie nung sept 2004 michie's uwi last sept 2004. and now, she's here again... only this time, she's engaged! woohoo! the better part is, the wedding's gonna be here sa pinas! yey!

so ayun semi-reunion ang mga lola... i informed the girls about the dinner and the following creatures showed up:

michie - same old michie... yun nga engaged na sya and will tie the knots with tom on june 2007 woohoo! HS sweethearts sila.

tom - ang special someone ni michie. good to finally meet him again. kse last kita ko sa kanya HS pa e. at lagi na lang stories ang naririnig ko about him.

jana - sikat na sikat si jana dahil sa pagkakapanalo nya sa game ka na ba. hihi! sosyal!

racks - si racks, ganun pa rin! grabe the same girl way back HS... pati mga hirit, panalo pa rin!

abbie - si abbie, tumaba na! woohoo! sa intel sya work... with josh. sya ang nag suggest na sa temple bar kami.

fraulie - vet na sya! o diba! natatawa raw sya kse everytime she says na vet sya, ang kasunod agad, "uy may aso ako, tingnan mo naman libre ah!"

densya - ay teacher sa spcp... at sawa na rin sya hearing people ask her what's new in st. paul... at si denise na lang ata (plus me) ang hindi tumataba sa group =(

sj - 3 yrs na sila ng special someone nya. and i'm happy she's happy. si sj makulit pa rin! masaya pa rin kasama!

shella - humabol lang si shella. kasama ang special someone (?) nya. si shella, mahinhin pa rin tulad ko (question mark yung tulad ko)

js - ang special someone ni shella na tahimik. nasa IT field din pala sya and was almost hired sa spi.

mikay - nahihiya raw sya sumama... pero sumama rin eventually tapos derecho na sa poker session nila (aww... nakita nya si gabby ulit).

dinner at superbowl... and then off to temple bar... mausok, pare! high na ko... feeling ko pde na ko lumaban sa sabungan! hehe... tapos coffee na sa coffee bean... where everybody was subjected to a hot seat session.. walang nakalagpas. haha! ayos ang reunion !!!

ano ito horror?


one more time, with flash

i'm on drugs

hihi... this is my third day taking in the hopeful cure to my so-called "allergy cough". doc said that's the reason my cough stays on for the longest time... and i've been having 2-minute throat kati attacks every now aind then.

i was supposed to have myself checked last tuesday. when i got there (this is a nearby clinic where the doctors are a husband-wife team... and other people say they're a great pair of doctors), i was given a number card. ok number 34. i checked and they're currently processing number 9. darn it. at the rate they're going, i'll be checked in about 1.5 hours pa. so i was willing to wait... until i heard the receptionist whisper something to an irate patient, "ok lang naman po kay doktora sumingit eh, basta dodoblehin nyo yung bayad na P150, bale P300 na." watda... to hell with singit. i was tempted to get the bait pero i said why would i pay double? na-turn-off ako sa tandem na yun. i thought they were a compassionate pair... and they would tolerate this? to earn more? so that was it. i stood up, returned the number, and decided to come back the next day - the earliest time possible.. hehe kala ni doktora mauutakan nya ko.

so the next day came, i came in early. number 9 ako! yey! now who would want to singit! yey! so in i went to the room. i told doc that i have this cough for more than 3 weeks now.

doc: "nagpa x-ray ka na ba?"
caths: "opo. mga 2 months ago lang." [kala mo, magpapa x-ray pa ko sa clinic mo ah!wala akong tb at hindi ako magpapa x-ray]
doc: "e bakit ganun? hindi gumaling sa dati mong gamot?" [habang pinapakinggan nya ang tibok ng puso ko]
caths: gumaling na po ako. umulit lang nung lumamig.
doc: "kumakati ba?"
caths: "opo. most of the time mga 3 minutes sobrang kati"
doc: "naku allergy cough yan! may trabaho ka ba?" [dollar dollar ang mata]
caths: "opo"
doc: "o tiisin mo na lang muna ang presyo ha. magaling naman itong gamot na to. bibigyan kita ng antibiotic at anti-allergy"
caths: "sige po"
doc: "bumalik ka sa 9 at pag di gumaling, bibigyan kita ng [makes a higop action] sinisinghot para sa allergy mo. mga 1 month un"

pagdating ko sa pharmacy (na pagmamay-ari din nina doktora), kwenta kwenta si ate. ok 954 ang gamot.. argh ang mahal magkasakit. that's why i'm strictly sticking to the sched of the meds. don't wanna miss a thing. i might go over the whole process again. dollar dollar ang mata... argh...

funny sign #1 - wanted security guard's

where: a certain building along buendia

okray: ok... possessive form itu... wanted security guard's what? security guard's batuta? pito? bwahaha! wala lang.

usapang ina-anak

caths: ma, pag nabuntis ba ko, papalayasin mo ko?
ma: oo... bahala ka sa buhay mo!
caths: e pano kung walang ama? di mo ba ko kukupkupin?
ma: may bahay ka, dun ka tumira!
caths: pano kung walang magdadala sakin sa ospital? papabayaan mo ko?!?
ma: ay bahala ka sa buhay mo!
caths: si [certain girl] nga tutulungan mo pag nanganak na eh! ako pang anak mo!!! papabayaan mo ko?
ma: [ngiti lang]
caths: kita mo na! nasasabi mo lang yan para 'di ako magpabuntis! pero di mo naman ako matitiis! bwahaha!
ma: [ngiti ulit sabay tawa...]

bwahaha!

holiday pics

waiting for the pyro olympics to start... strike a pose... uy maganda ang background! let's go outside and take pics!


a walk in the clouds...


uy nainggit si echo and tintin... hihi sige na na strike a pose na rin!


but where's wawin! ooooh! wawin's sleeping in the car pala bwahahah!


nice... tranquil...


with wawin... gising na yey!


pisting flash... hihi sakit sa mata!


birit kuya! and he's going to kill me for this...


the new year feast... =)


now and the consumers of the feast...


familia del buena del sol dela viu camacho... watda...

buti na lang andun si gabi

heck... i don't even know if her nick's spelled that way... i guess i'm intoxicated with this little angel. lost in a herd of unfamiliar crowd, i was worried how i'll survive the afternoon/night. i know i could stay quiet if i have to but i haven't been that sober for a long time now. i guess i've been used to just blurting out my whatevers.

so we went in the house and there she was... gabi, the 3-year old angel... with her short wavy hair all oily and messed up, her feet dirty, and maybe it was choco stuff smudged on her chin and cheeks. she definitely needed a bath... but heck she was cute and adorable and i so wanted to hug her. she was playing with her toys and she was constantly flashing that adorable smile. she was too friendly even with a stranger like me... that could be dangerous at times.

i asked her what her name is and she answered shyly, "gabriel" awww... english speaking si gabi. sosyal... and if you ask her, and the answer is yes, she'll say "yaah" with a twang... sosyal hihi...

so the boys were doing their stuff. and i couldn't fit in so i played with gabi. we were making a necklace out of heart beads. we took turns in putting the piece together. "it's your turn! what color do you like?" she would ask... and i'd say "red!" and she would hand me the red heart bead and clap "yey!" when i've done my part. and she would say, "it's my turn!" and do her thing na. she sometimes had a hard time putting in the bead and she would shout "it's tooo haaard!" hihi so arte! but so cute. i sooo wanted to bite her cheeks hihi.

she was a good girl in every sense... koko put on her santa hat and she saw it. other kids might have cried "give me back my santa hat!!!" or "that's mine!" but she just smiled and said... "he's borrowing my santa hat..." awww love ko na sya. "there's salad in the ref if you want, huh" maybe her mom asked her to tell me that... but awww... awww... awww... she's so sweet. and didn't run out of smiles... and awww... basta...

i learned she has 4 kuyas so medyo glad to play with a girl sya. hehe parang ako. glad to play with a girl. i always wondered how things would be if i had an ate or a little sister.

1 lang talaga masasabi ko... buti na lang andun si gabi.