Thursday, October 30, 2003 7:03 PM
men in uniform
Swerving (n.) to intentionally or unintentially move into an adjoining lane without any prior notice or warning to other drivers.
Yeah right.
Tell that to my face, Mr. MMDA guy, when I actually do it. The way I see it, that right turn was legal, there was no sign that says no right turn. Furthermore, why did you suddenly retract the ticket when I asked for your name?
And no, it didn't help me one bit when you called me "Miss Beauty" when you asked me to pull over on the side. Although, I do admire your insistence for justice, I insist on getting my license back because I didn't violate any traffic rules. I switched my right turn signal on just like any law-abiding driver. And when you turned your back on me while I was still talking, I bit my tongue to stop myself from letting all hell break loose.
However, I am now at peace with the fact that you took the courtesy to recognize your mistake and not give me a ticket. I guess you thought that I was just taking a vacation here in Manila when you saw the Surigao address on my license. Well, us college students do have semestral breaks... I can't say that you were right about my vacation though, but thanks anyway for letting me off.
I am a bit worried about your sanity, though. I do not agree with the government to let you continue your job when you asked for my name and told me "I love you" before letting me go. I am not sorry to say this, but, I will never requite your momentary confession. Please accept that my word is law at ex cathedra proportions. Now I am thankful that I do have my Surigao address in my license, that way you won't be able to track me down and stalk me. I do hope we won't see each other again.
Wednesday, October 29, 2003 2:20 AM
stick with me, kid
For one week, Soliloquy has been living in my house. And rightfully so because for the past seven days, sleep is just an imaginary world that belongs over the proverbial rainbow. Though, I have been busy, really really busy, there is at some point that I can't remember what I did, except for a few exaggeratedly unusual moments.
As soon as I got good ol' Bembol back, the two of us painted the metro bloody red. Laila joined our escapades right after finishing the last of her exams. And when Lai is around, expect to meet Middle Eastern men, because let's face it, she's a Persian magnet (rrrr!). So we got to meet Hamid, whom I consider my very first Iranian friend --- great sense of humor, adventurous, and is seriously itching to go dancing (I think he picked the wrong people to go out with for that).
Aside from showing Hamid all over town, my other niece, Angel, had her debut last Saturday and instead of having the traditional 18 wishes etc, she wanted 18 presentations. I think it took her two days of pleading for me to say yes because even though I do love to be onstage, I do NOT want to be onstage alone (which is why I joined a chorale). We were almost late for the debut, Bembol had to run at 100 kph down C-5, which probably entertained Lai's three visiting cousins (my nephews) to the point of mentioning that I should have been in 2 Fast 2 Furious. But I digress, we arrived at the debut in one piece. I didn't sing though, Lai and I had a flash presentation made. Good thing the celebrant (and everyone else) loved it. Man, the applause and the compliments were very very overwhelming, I think I have a job now, now if only I could figure out Macromedia Flash without Paul's help.
After the debut, I took Hamid, Soliloquy, and Lai to Intramuros for a late night out --- in fact, too late because when we got there, the bands were already packing up and people were going home. So we decided to try out Malate (another imaginary place for a pol eco student like me) and got lost on the way. Now, this is the thrilling part of this story. As I was slowly driving down this dark street, a police car's siren suddenly went off and this cop was waving his flashlight at my window. Freak. As far as I know, one cannot possibly break any traffice laws at 30 kph at two in the morning! But hello, this is the Philippines, and
Since Hamid just arrived in the Philippines, I suddenly had the responsibility to become his personal
We took Hamid to Libis at around midnight tonight for his first meal for the day, which is where I discovered my need for sleep. Observe:
Hamid & Soliloquy: (goes down car)
Me: (opens door and gets out also... closes door with a very proud wham!)
Hamid: "Hey, aren't you going to turn off the car?!"
I think that incident screams for a much-needed caffeine intake, wouldn't you agree?
And this is why I am blogging at 3 am and watching Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Hamid and Soliloquy are probably in dreamland, while I am trying to wait out the caffeine in my bloodstream. I can't explain how depressing that is. It's simply not fair...
Oh well, at least Monk is now on Star TV. I'm thinking of opening that bottle of red wine Soliloquy's mom gave me. Maybe it might convince my body to finally succumb to a most desired night of sweet, sweet slumber. So,here's to the next adventure!
Thursday, October 23, 2003 10:39 PM
all those who love Becky's Kitchen, raise your hand
Soliloquy and I went to the Ermita area to drop off documents for my insurance company and we decided to look for Becky's Kitchen and taste their scrumptious, mouthwatering, out-of-this-world desserts.
For two hours (and a screaming bladder), we asked people where Becky's was located, and often they gave wrong directions. In fact, whoever changed the street's name from Vito Cruz to Pablo Ocampo, may the wrath of Vito Cruz himself be upon you! May you never taste another piece of Becky's lemon squares for the rest of your life! My God! The pain and horror of going in and out of that traffic hellhole just to look for a street that does not exist until we discovered that the damn thing's name was only changed recently. Grrrrrrrr... I wondered how many times we passed by Becky's in that two hours just looking for Vito Cruz when the whole time we meant to look for Pablo Ocampo. So like I said, whoever changed the name, may your teeth fall out once you take a mouthful of Becky's Swiss Chocolate Cake. I swear, her Food for the Gods concoction is definitely not meant for a lower being like you. After driving around through traffic jam after traffic jam, I was beginning to question (gasp!) if Becky's stuff was worth all this gas (can we say 1/4 a tank?) and time consumption.
It was. It sooooooo was.
Oh can I just say that for the moments I was eating that melt-in-your-mouth blueberry cheesecake, it was one of the best in my life? I will gladly go through Manila traffic (okay maybe that's pushing it) to get another slice. Aside from that, I got a bottle of her gourmet tuyo (hehehe, I really am Filipino).
Mmmm... so whoever's got a craving for Becky's? Please be informed (unless you know it already) that the address is Bautista cor. Pablo Ocampo. And if you know this piece of information already, please be so kind NOT to tell me that it was Pablo Ocampo all along and not Vito Cruz, thank you.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003 1:08 AM
guess who’s back?
Bembol’s back!! Mah sweet hunny bebe is back!
When the people at Signet delivered him today, I was gleeful! Yep, gleeful! I never understood the essence of the word until I drove Bembol today! You see, my baby had to go to Signet to smooth out that ugly dent on the left rear door. My sense of freedom was curtailed for more than a week. I missed him so much, I’ve never been so attached to a material thing before. I may not understand why men are so into cars and dressing them up (I guess cars are men’s Barbie dolls), but now I can sympathize with how they can get really attached.
Okay, back to being gleeful. Yes, I was so happy today, I just had to spread good cheer this morning when I got him out of the basement parking. In fact, I was so perky, I think I scared my neighbor when I talked to him in the elevator. I was so happy while driving Bembol down Exchange Road that I didn’t yell at the MMDA guy who told me to go ahead by mistake that I had to stop in the middle of the road or else I’ll go straight into four motorcycles and a truck. He apologized and I gave him a full smile, in fact he and I
Unfortunately, Signet did something to his door lock system and this affected my gleeful mood slightly. My baby’s automatic locking mechanism is somehow broken that at some point tonight I was almost locked inside. Plus I discovered that all my coins in the change dish have disappeared, and the beautiful glass Mother Mary icon that Soliloquy gave me as a gift is also gone. But since I’m happy that I got my sweetie back, I’ll go easy on Signet tomorrow when I call them up.
Did I mention I'm happy today?
12:46 AM
and when bembol's around, who loses her beauty sleep?
It's a simple equation: Me + Bembol = disorienting Soliloquy from normal sleeping time
You see, my dear friend Soliloquy is an owl. She's wide awake at night and sleeps during the mornings. Ever since I learned to drive and she taught me the route to her house, I've been showing up at her doorstep at 8 am every day. And for one week that Bembol was being serviced, she had one week of catching up with her beauty sleep.
Today, I woke her up again and let me just share that the gesture was not appreciated at all. In fact she wrote me a note telling me her displeasure:
Dear Albs,
You are so dead! I don't want to see your MMDA boyfriend ever again. He's all yours! I have no penchant for men in uniform like you have.
See ya!
Tuesday, October 21, 2003 9:34 PM
book titles to watch out for
Ladies and gentleman, presenting the soon-to-be-written books of Alba:
For the problematic political economist who is dying to solve the underdevelopment problems of the Philippines (and get rid of those abusive motorcyclists once and for all), make sure your library has a space for "Alba's Guide to Development in the Philippines: The Benefits of Legislating Taxes on Motorcycle Ownership and Use". And since the political economist has a very non-existent love life, the following are recommended: "The Political Economy of Love: The Application of Nash's Game Theory" and "Love in the Eyes of a Political Economist: What Happens When You Lose the Game?"
For clueless lovesick no-longer-girls-not-yet-women, here's "From a Girl to a Woman in One Year: How Scoliosis can Lead You to think He's the One".
And of course to get a share in the "For Dummies" and "Idiot's Guide" market, here's Alba's very own "How To Not Fall" Series. First volumes address the very common problems of women in the 21st century. "How To Not Fall For Your Physical Therapist", "How To Not Fall For Your Body Guard", "How To Not Fall For Your Best Friend". Alba assures that after reading these guides, women will have well-guarded minds and intact hearts in the long run.
To empower the modern female student, the following will be great graduation gifts! "What Doesn't Kill Me Will Make Me Strong: Finally Finishing Your Thesis", "There is Life Beyond Thesis and Passing", and "Relationships and Men: Spearing the Bubble Economy."
And Alba's personal favorite, "Who Moved My Cheese? He Better Put It Back!". Order now and receive a fifty per cent discount on a second copy! And if you order in the next fifteen minutes, Alba will throw in the Limited Edition copy of "Big No-no's in Driving: When Actions Speak Louder than Words".
Monday, October 20, 2003 5:01 PM
the tide has turned
Well, maybe it's temporary, but I've never been so obsessive-compulsive and so organized in my life! Even though I am now on my semestral break, a week ahead everybody else, I'm still busy finishing and editing essays that would finally end my first semester requirements. By busy, I refer to my inability to re-enroll myself in the gym on the first floor of my building for the next few days.
On being so organized (correction: obsessive-compulsive), I actually printed out a checklist on what I should do the whole day today, and before I decided to blog, I finished up listing down tasks I need to do for the next two days. It is actually so nerdy of me to put boxes where I could tick the stuff I accomplish and to label each task whether it was low, medium, or high priority. Actually, low priority doesn't exist, either the task is medium or high. Talk about psyching myself into doing them. Furthermore, I feel sad if ever I don't get to do the task because of some factor beyond my control. Who am I and what have I done to me?!?
But you know what? This is the first time this semester I felt so in control of my life. Maybe this is the effect sleeping in the mornings for the past few days. Or the aftermath of the monthly hormonal overload. Or maybe the final resolution to listen to that nagging guilty feeling of living such a (tiring) chaotic life. Or probably the fear or paranoia born out of the most horrible thesis defense. Whatever caused it, I'm glad to feel accomplished for once.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to tick the allotted box for blogging today.
Sunday, October 19, 2003 11:15 PM
bridging gaps
I have learned that my high school friends who are now staying in Manila are moving out again. Because of my busy schedule, I failed to keep up with the news and I'm just lucky that I decided to call all three of them tonight to catch up. Christine is moving to a new job in Cebu. Trinie is going to a two-month training in the US. Kathy is going home to Surigao for the break. Me? I'm stuck here since I decided not to go home just because. And now, I'm trying to get everybody's confirmation for a dinner date on Tuesday. *thwacks herself in the head* Dammit, I just remembered I have art class on Tuesday. Aaaaack!
Anyway, I am actually in a very, very unusual stage of my life right now. I am totally clueless on what to do (which explains the silence in this blog). I am having a very early quarter life crisis. How sad. Oh well, the only thing I could think of to cure myself for the next sem is to enroll in Asian Literature just for the heck of it. Might as well do something that I really love in the meantime. I should have fun for a change.
Friday, October 17, 2003 9:28 PM
danke schon
That was the title of the chorale concert a week ago today. Danke Schon--- to thank the people that have made the chorale reach a momentous tenth concert in its 8th year, to thank the two choirmasters that shaped its sound and journey, and of course, to thank the new choirmaster for taking us under his wing and making our sound more and more energetic and promising. I think it was the best chorale concert in terms of sound, harmony, dynamics, and passion. We touched the audience's faith by singing the most solemn Our Father by Malotte (the hardest song to sing in the repertoire), Ave Maria, and Hear Our Prayer. We reached out and strummed the heartstrings in Dahil sa Iyo and Minsang Lang. We tickled their funny bone in Ilesh, Paru-parung Bukid, and Rosas Pandan. We made them proud with Shiru Ladonai (my favorite) and Tagumpay and a whole lot of songs.
Of course, being project head of the concert made me one proud soprano, but I never expected someone asking for my autograph (actually they were two kids, but still... :) hehehe).
The whole production was memorable. The energy from the chorale was definitely showing on both concert nights. An hour before the shows, we were all passing Pei Pa Koa like it was water and fooled around with make-up and our costumes. It was nerve-racking but seeing a 6-foot tall Bass putting my concealer and foundation on the other basses and tenors eased our nervousness. Imagine a big guy with the lowest and biggest voice in the whole chorale and not a tinge of femininity on him talking to me about stage make-up. In the first night of the concert, the girls wore the gold shoes we bought the day before. I cannot tell you how much we loathe them. Although they looked really nice with our costumes, we were all swearing under our breath because of the pain measly three-inched stilettos could impose on our poor feet. On gala night, we begged the choirmaster to let us perform without wearing them. After socializing with the guests and practically drooling on the cocktails (that were hands-off to us) they were serving, we took them off as soon as we learned the audience were tucked in their seats. Hahaha... I never sang barefoot in public before.
So here are some pix. I hope to upload the songs as soon as I get a CD of the performance. This one's a pre-concert shot. That's me on the leftmost side.
Here's half the chorale performing... with choirmaster Arwin Tan. Hope our performance convinced the school's president to send us to Germany!
And while I'm at it, I'd like to reminisce the P.O.P. concert a year ago. Oh... we were so young then... hahaha... Germany wasn't on our minds yet. :)
Sunday, October 12, 2003 9:23 AM
let's get it over and done with
For the next two days, I will once again push myself over the limit. I've got a dichotomized final exam and a five-hour comprehensive exam on monday. My thesis defense was moved on Tuesday. Aside from this infernal academic predicament, I am to submit five 2000-word essays early Monday morning.
Maybe by Wednesday, I'll blog about the chorale concert, the defense, and Bembol being carnapped (not really, he's getting his left rear door replaced) for a week. I'm sure I'll still be alive by Wednesday. Contrary to some die-hard sadist institute directors, pol eco is not really worth dying over.
Tuesday, October 07, 2003 10:29 PM
pei pa koa
Thanks to Keng's suggestion for getting my voice back, I am now a Pei Pa Koa addict. I bought a huge bottle of it the other day. For something partly made with snake bile, it tastes really, really good.
Mmmmm...
10:19 PM
hopping
I have never been to so many embassies and shell stations in my life. This morning Soliloquy and I went from embassy to embassy delivering invitations for the VIP concert on Friday. In the afternoon, we went from shell station to shell station with my dad to give Bembol a full tune-up. Ooohh... after that, it was smooth cruising. I just love the way Bembol's engine purrs right now.
Monday, October 06, 2003 10:29 PM
tenth UA&P chorale concert
I'd like to invite everyone to watch the tenth UA&P University Chorale Concert entitled Danke Schon.
October 9, 2003 7:30 pm
Li Seng Giap Auditorium
2nd flr APEC Communications Bldg
University of Asia & the Pacific
Pearl Drive Ortigas Center Pasig
Free admission for UA&P students (and for people who could pass for UA&P students). But if you'd like to help fund the chorale's trip to Germany next year, tickets are at Php 200 --- a bit expensive but trust me, it will be worth it. Just leave a tag if you guys want to come! :)
9:41 PM
search me
I never really explained why this blog is entitled the tao of alba. The title is not original, and to many it can be considered as boring and unimaginative. But it's really like this: the initial intention was to relay the glimpses of "wisdom" I have garnered through the past months. I was wrong though, immature even to think about sharing whatever wise things I have possibly learned through the course of my blogging life. It is called the "tao" to connote "everything and anything", I always thought it referred to "enlightenment", and how perfect it is to pair it with the name "alba", which literally means "dawn" in Spanish. "Amanecer" is just another Spanish word for "dawn" but it's also the verb that translates "to enlighten".
So I reiterate, I was wrong to think I could teach the world with whatever I have learned. I am not the wise blogger as I (shamelessly) claimed to be. I am but a smudge of the truth, which led to a clear realization: it's really not so much about teaching (or preaching even) about what I know. The tao of alba has taken on a different meaning for me. It is really the journey rather than the destination. At some point I will have something to teach about, this weblog is just an account to how I shall get there.
And just to share, I do believe in the Hegelian dialectics: there is always an anti-thesis waiting to be synthesized.
Sunday, October 05, 2003 2:24 PM
what to blog?
I disappeared for a week from the blogging world. A lot happened and now I am in a major dilemma of what to blog first... or what to blog, period.
Could it be my thesis? The one reason that has kept my online life at a standstill? The most crucial document of my entire academic career that has kept me from understanding the simplest concept of Friendster? The thing that detached me from real life even and got me immensely acquainted with Soliloquy's computer? Well, I don't really want to talk about it. I'd like to spare myself (and everyone) from the depressing details... for now...
Or my driving? A lot has happened about that too. One of these days, I might get arrested for reckless driving because whenever I want to just "let it all out", I sing (and dance) in the driver's seat... to the point that counterflow drivers are looking (and laughing) at me strangely. I picked my parents up from the airport and my dad was telling me to stop wiggling to Micheal Buble or Moulin Rouge. And recently, I was so unmindful of my singing that I practically changed the lyrics to a very popular broadway song... girls in white dress that melt (?!) into spring, these are a few of my favorite things.
I don't want to elaborate so much about the upcoming chorale concert. I'm nervous about it for two reasons: (1) my voice hasn't gone back to normal and I wouldn't be surprised if one rehearsal the choirmaster will put me in the bass section, and (2) I am heading the production too. The posters are all over campus and the funny thing is, my picture looks like I am giving the finger. It's a long story on how this came about and I'm not in the mood to tell. All I can tell is that it wasn't my intention to be so graphic on a promotions poster, the photographer just caught me in a really akward pose. :) And besides, it wasn't my middle finger, it just looked like it at first glance.
And about such obscene reactions, my father gave a taxi driver, a tricycle driver and his passenger the finger after mass this morning. Now I know where I got the driving etiquette from.
Oh and about the insurance guy? He still rings my cell phone and I refuse to answer it every time. Bembol has two new tires after the shell attendant discovered that the two rear tires were on the verge of exploding (yes, I was shocked myself). Oh and did you know that after a week of not sleeping, you begin to hallucinate about your bed?
