Kulitan Lang

Christmas party ng airsoft team namin. Kulet nyong lahat!



Eto, mas matinong group pic, pero makulet talaga yung dalawang katabi ko.



Update ko na lang 'tong post pag nakakuha ako ng kopya nung pics galing sa christmas party ng workmates ko dito. =)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Sana next year makulit pa rin kayong lahat!

Sweating the Small Stuff

This is me making a big deal out of a small thing.

On December 23rd, a friend of mine made plans to have a coffee get-together for our small group of 4 (yup, having coffee is the current norm for getting together in the various circle of friends I have, much the same way as the FRIENDS sitcom gang meet up at Central Perk).

As I currently have limited transportation means (read: I crashed my car a couple of weeks ago, and it'll take 5-6 weeks to repair it), I made a plea to have the coffee get-together at Rockwell instead of Fort. I've been hitching rides home since my car accident, and my drop-off point for my Dec 23 hitch is at Rockwell.

Me: Can we have it at Rockwell instead?
Friend: Fort na lang. Baka kasi ma-traffic dun e.
Me: Okay fine.

At 915 pm, after all the Christmas errands at Rockwell, I was finally okay to get going to Fort. So I waited at the mall's taxi stand. I was 7th in line.

Not so lucky number 7. 40 minutes later, I became number 6 in line. Goodness!

Friend, via sms: Alis kami ng 11 dito (Fort) ha?

At 1050 pm, I was still sixth in line. Damn.

So I decided to walk all the way from Powerplant Mall to EDSA (it's a good 20 minute brisk walking) where I was able to get onboard a bus.

Got home a little past midnight.

If the get-together was done at Rockwell, all of us would have been sharing stories and laughs instead of me standing and jigging with a dozen other strangers in a taxi stand outside Powerplant Mall.

And I didn't bother going to the coffee get together anymore. Nor will I attend any coffee get-togethers organized by this friend in the near-future. I realized that my worth as far as my friend is concerned is only as good as a 10-minute traffic inconvenience in Makati.

This is me making a big deal over a small thing.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a naturally good and understanding person. But occasionally, I do have some quirks both negative and positive. But those are what make me lovable and interesting, bwahahahaha.

By the way, belated Christmas greetings to all my readers! =)

Snow"FALL"

Dunno until when will my brother keep this on the web.

The guy in the video is him. He's somewhere in New Jersey. :D

This is proof that clumsiness does run in our family.

http://hostinggenesis.com/snow.html

Rain rain rain

It's been raining non-stop for the last 3 days here at Tabangao.

Masarap matulog, mahirap gumising. Haaaay...
And it makes the December mornings more chilly than the usual. =)
Perfect for hugging someone.

-------

Played in a badminton tournament last night as an 'endurance player' in a Davis Cup tournament format. I played in both the open singles division and in the mixed class division. Got a runner-up finish in both categories.

Then went to a birthday party of one of our lab testers afterwards. Downed 6 shots of Fundador in less than half-an-hour, hahahaha.
Sarap ng tulog ko.
But I woke up with an aching left chest and left quads.
Still raining.

Tagaytay RAaaaArrrR!

We had a funny 'exercise' over tequila, vodka ice, vodka and beer last weekend at the balcony of niks/atsi's house in tagaytay.
Everybody got to participate.
And everyone was spontaneous.

Opener: Sino pa ba na pwedeng i-set-up kay *toot*? Criteria eh single, mas matangkad dapat kay *toot*, mabait at mature.

"he's a Religios Roman catholic."
"Respected."
"Responsible"
"Resourceful."

"let's think of their ideal date."
"do you like flowers? Red Roses?"
"... na naka-wRap!" tawanan.
"for dinner, will you be ordering Ravioli?"
"with Red wine."
"baka masyadong matapang yung Red wine, so they can have Rootbeer instead."
"tapos dessert will be Raspberry icecream."
"or Reese's chocolates."
.... pause ...
"ano bang ideal music?"
"siyempre it has to be something Romantic."
"pwede ring Rap..."
"at pwede ring "RaaR" n B!" [eto panalo 'to, c/o Syo]
"tapos yung sasakyan nya eh dapat Rav4!"
"yeah, para may 'rooom! rooom!' -- engine sound"
"(out of topic) where's RuRik?"
"madali lang 'yan. he's on the Road na." [bwahahahaha... galing!]

... pause uli ...

"so san kaya sila magandang magtravel?"
"siyempre sa Rome!"
"pwede rin sa Romania!"
"bwahahahahahaha!!!!"
"o, why are you turning Red?"
"baka ma-wRestling ka dyan."

... *toot* stands up. papasok uli sa house.

"hey, sa'n ka pupunta? sa RestRoom?"

there's tons more, but I think my brain got dulled from the alcohol. baba ng tolerance ko that night since I'm close to 24 hours up and jsut came from a physically demanding day. :D

yiheeeeee!

That drinking session was brought to you by the letter R.

Other highlights:
1) atsi, for the second time in a row, surprised me. she'll surprise the rest of the team with her news, i think.
2) tequila doesn't agree with niks.
3) syo has a high tolerance for anything alcoholic.
4) tin drank way beyond her tequila limit (i was surprised!) at sinabayan ni syo.
5) the 'chocolate-or-vanilla' question over dinner.
6) "So Dee, kamusta ka na?" scripted dialogue.
7) Someone mistook someone for Sandara Parks at the Duty Free shop.




8) the 1300 Php 'show', by art and syo.
9) tequila+vodka+atsi+dee = 30 minute non-stop laughing and giggling
10) ru in an electric blue jacket with no shirt underneath
11) firecracker at syo's feet
12) tulog, at last = late lunch at Viewsite


:D

To John and Eloi

I wish you happiness.
I wish you joy.
I wish you comfort.
I wish you pleasure.

But I also wish you hardships so that your relationship will be tempered further.
I also wish you trials so that your bond will get stronger.

And for that, I will wish you steadfastness.
I will wish you faith.
I will wish you love.

And here I am to offer both of you, as always, my friendship not only to celebrate with you your joyous moments but also to support you in times of trials.

Congratulations and best wishes on your wedding!

Regards,
Stiff

writer's note: john was the author's classmate in college and his best source of what's new in the videogaming scene. eloi was john's girlfriend for over 4 years and now his happily married wife. eloi has agreed not to take away john's PS2 console, or prevent him from acquiring future game consoles. :D

Wish List

Folks have been asking me recently what I want as gifts for the coming Christmas. Sabi ko, 'spontaneity'. Most of them had puzzled looks, so I had to explain it further to them.

You don't need an occasion to give gifts to someone, nor are you required to give someone gifts just because there's a traditional occasion.

If people were more spontaneous, I think the world will be a happier place. :D

But anyway, here's my Christmas wish list:

+ book: The Dark Tower VII, The Dark Tower by Stephen King (largeprint edition)
+ cd: Chicane
+ clothes: medium-sized collared light-colored plain shirt, gym shorts (adidas), hooded sweater, clamdigger shorts, half-shorts with parachute cord drawstring at the legs (for wall-climbing/gym)
+ iPod: gum/rubber protective sleeve for iPod mini
+ airsoft: new kneepads (Milforce, blackhawk), sansei mask
+ sleepwear: M&S boxers, hanes undershirt
+ electronics: Xbox360! hehehehe... just kidding. a scientific calculator
+ household: dvd rack
+ sports: chalk ball for wall-climbing, shuttlecocks (RSL Official)
+ supplements: ON Whey Protein chocolate flavor, Centrum vitammin

:D

Now and Next

NOW:

Currently reading: "The Zahir", by Paolo Coelho.
Currently listening: "Why Don't You and I" by Santana.
Currently playing: "Romancing Saga" on the PS2, by Squaresoft Enix.
Currently toying: with my new JBL speakers for my iPod mini.
Currently dating: love life is on hold. puro phone calls in the meantime.
Currently saving: for my next furniture purchase.
Currently watching: Desperate Housewives. puro hot mama!
Currently bashing: hehehe... our 'favorite technologist'.
Currently admiring: hmmm... someone far away from me.
Currently wearing: close-gapped brown-hued corduroy jeans.
Currently studying: 3rd-overtone Spectrum Identification and Modelling for my benzene model.
Currently drawing: Calvin and Hobbes.

NEXT:

To read: "The Dark Tower, Dark Tower VII" by Stephen King.
To listen: Michael Buble 3 CD
To play: Indigo Prophecy on PS2
To toy: Dance Dance Revolution with Eyetoy for PS2
To date: not sure... but there's this wedding I'm attending two weeks from now. Weddings provide great opportunities to meet someone interesting.
To save: a new ride? *hopeful*
To watch: The Great Raid.
To bash: nobody in particular.
To admire: hehehe..
To wear: i'm developing this fondness for bold-striped patterns with blue on it.
To study: pass na muna. i don't want to overwork my brain cells.
To draw: Snoopy and friends.

+ Asaan Ka Nung Long Weekend?

Just for a little bit over five thousand pesos, I went on an ADVENTUROUS and HILARIOUS trip to Boracay on the recent long weekend (October 29th - Nov 1st).

UNO: BATANGAS LEG

Chard, Mond, Tin and MJ picked me up from our housing compound at Batangas around 1120p on the 28th. Medyo nilalagnat pa nga ako nun (naulanan kasi ako the previous night) pero sige "FIGHT!" pa rin. The RoRo ferry departs at 12 mn, and we still didn't have tickets.

Buti na lang I had the foresight to reserve tickets the day before. We arrived at the Batangas Port with about 5 minutes to spare, hehehe. Talk about tight scheduling!

*mental note* Definitely, sasayad yung Sentra ko pag-board ng RoRo. Buti na lang hindi namin dinala. Chard's Corolla just about made it with less than half-an-inch to spare. Otherwise kawawa yung bumpers nya.

The RoRo trip from Batangas to Calapan port took about two and a half hours, including the waiting times. We were on the road again by 3 am.

Also took my first dose of antibiotics. Lakas ng ulan.

---

DOS: CALAPAN-ROXAS LEG

Nanigurado na kami, so before we left Calapan port we made a quick stopover at the booking station of Montenegro shipping line. We booked our return trip for Nov 1st.

Pucharaga... anlakas ng ulan.

The drive from Calapan to Roxas takes about two-and-a-half hours. But with the rain and wind, it took us about 3 hours.

Atsaka baha for the first 15-20 km of the trip. Hindi pala baha. DELUGE! Hanga ako sa driving skills ni Chard and capability nung Corolla nya. If you chanced upon a flooded section of the road which is almost as deep as your sedan's headlights, would you cross it? Well, we managed to do it... although lahat yata kami breathless a

Chard and I had the chance to play Good Samaritan that night. At one portion of the drive, we came across a poor guy trying to get his motorbike back on the road. Naanod kasi siya sa sidebank, and hindi nya maibalik sa kalsada. Tinulungan naman namin ni Chard despite the rain and the floodwater (thigh-deep). May casualty nga lang... tinangay yung isang tsinelas ni Chard. Kawawa naman yung tsinelas... Hollister pa naman yun. Brand-new, fresh from tate.

The rest of the drive was a blank to me. Nakatulog kasi ako. Lakas pa nga daw ng hilik ko. Symphony number 8 daw, according to Mond.

(to be continued)

Letter from Lynn Elsenhans

i think i'm in todash right now. ohmygod... ohmygod... ohmygod... ohmygod...

to everyone who mattered, thanks for the support.

------------------

October 13, 2005

Dear Stephen,

Congratulations!

I am pleased to inform you that you have won a Manufacturing Executive Vice President’s (EVP) Award in the Special category for your accomplishments for Pioneering Near-Infrared Technology for Mogas Product Quality Release, along with your colleagues:

· Brandy Brandares
· Ellen De la Fuente
· Luie DelosReyes
· Roland Guieb

I was very impressed by the quality of the many entries, which demonstrated genuine innovation and determination to deliver “best in class” performance in Manufacturing. Your nomination was exceptional. For me it is the sort of achievement that will enable us to become the global pacesetter in Manufacturing.

I am pleased therefore to invite a representative of your team to the EVP Awards Ceremony to receive the award on behalf of the team at the Manufacturing Leadership Forum in Singapore on November 8, 2005. Additionally, the EVP Award includes a company paid weekend trip for each team member. Details are attached.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you personally for your achievement and express my appreciation for the part you have played in contributing to the success of Manufacturing and Downstream.

I look forward to personally presenting the award to your team in Singapore.


Yours sincerely,

(sgd) Lynn Laverty Elsenhans
Executive Vice President
Global Manufacturing

One-Three-Zero

Weighed myself last night. I'm already 130 pounds. Just 5 pounds more. =)

Five years ago I was a measly 105-lb guy.

It's FRIDAY!

Yahoo, Friday na! Summary report:

1. DLSU lost to FEU last night. Even if the results were disappointing for me, the game was exciting down to the last second. The UAAP season is one of the few times when my La Sallian blood wakes up.

2. Mental note to myself: charge the batteries for my airsoft gun later. Game tomorrow: TMS vs RBG. It'll be a nice change to hunt the RBG boys. Before I joined TMS, most of my airsoft skirmishes were with the RBG squad. This is my first game in two months.

3. Next mental note: itahi na yung TMS patch sa vest ko. Baka mapagsabihan ako ng teammates sa gamesite bukas.

4. "Grand press conference" tonight! Inuman daw, hehehe, at ESL-Fort.

5. Things I've done this week: Completed two new blending models, documented two plant changes, reduced my backlog at ETRACE from 67% to 51%, self-studied the first few parts of REFSIM, turn-around scope challenge. plus my usual day-to-day tasks.

6. Over-activity: I have muscle/joint pain on my left hand's middle finger, a slight sprain on the back side of my right ankle, a twisted muscle/ligament at the side of my left knee, and slight pain on my left shoulder. Sunday was badminton, Monday was gym, Tuesday was badminton+gym, Wednesday was badminton, Thursday was volleyball+gym.

7. Badminton update: meron na kong 3-inch jumpsmash, hehehe. Dati kasi 1-inch lang yung mga talon ko. I've signed up for the Chairman's Badminton Cup. I'm hoping I'm good enough to bring home the trophy in my division.

8. Volleyball update: I'm not sure where my skills are coming from, but I can now finger-toss, dink and jump-spike with good accuracy and timing. Our team is currently in first place in the league with a 5-1 card.

9. Climbing: been on hold for some time now. My schedule and the weather has been very uncooperative.

10. Movie / DVD: CINDERELLA MAN is a great movie. 4.5 out of 5 stars in my personal rating system.

11. PS2. Current games suck. I'm re-playing some of my better, old games.

12. Music: my current LSS is "Simple and Clean".

It's been a long but great week!

Green White Fight!

Game 2 na mamaya of the UAAP Finals, and we're behind 0-1 to FEU.

Animo La Salle!

Break-Up

"I wish I could prove I love you, but does that mean I have to walk on water?"

Last night a very close male friend of mine called me up at around 2 am.

"Stiff?"
"Yeah... A.?"
"Pare, I had to break up with C."

Namaaaaan... not another one. Parang season yata ng break-ups ngayon ah.

"Let me get it clearly. YOU broke up with her, not the other way around."
"Ayt."
"Huy, stop crying! Para kang hindi lalake e!"
".... sniff ..."
"So what do you need from me?"
"Let's meet up."
"A., much as I'm flattered that you resorted to me for comfort, I've work mamaya. And I'm a hundred kilometers away from you! And it's 2 am!"
"Can I ask a favor?"
"Shoot. As long as I don't have to travel so early in the morning."
"You're good at writing.
"What do you need me to write, or is it to compose?"

He explained the circumstances of their relationship, and why he wanted out.

I gave him one line.

And that's what I wrote on top. Told him to write it on a card accompanied by a single white carnation. And I told him,

"A., it's up to you if you want to put 'Good-bye' with the message."

Some girls can be really so demanding or unreasonable.
No offense to all my lady-readers. It's just an observation.

Love Notes

Alam nyo ba yung movie na 'Love Actually'? 'Yung maraming love-slash-heartbreak stories na pinagsama-sama sa isang movie? Haay, feeling ko 'yung mundong ginagalawan ko this last two weeks ay parang nasa shooting ako ng 'Love Actually part 2'.

So far, eto na yung mga nangyari around me:

1) Nagkita na uli si MJE and DGS. And na-realize na ni MJE na andami nyang sinayang na oras, pawis at luha kay DGS para sa wala. Moved on na daw siya. You go girl!

2) Meron akong kilalang mala-Sex-and-the-City group of girls, at napag-usapan nila ang mga private sex videos. Except for one of them, lahat sila merong private videos of themselves with their partners doing "it". Siyempre na-shock 'tong si conservative girl sa group nila. At the end of the day, tinawag naman siyang 'pre-Vatican 2 madre' imbis na 'manang'.

3) Si MOT may nahanap ng potential life partner nya, si LL. Hindi masaya sa paligid nya yung circumstances na pagkakakilala kay LL. But everyone in our group truly wish that he and she will be happy...

4)... kahit na may dalawang taong na-h-hurt, si TRS at si RGB. Pero okay lang sa kanila, pagkaalam ko.

5) Si JLO naman may syoting na din! Hahahaha... 5 days na yata na 'sila'. Di ko pa na-meet yung girl. May mini-press conference kagabi pero di ako makaluwas, so sa formal presscon on Sat na lang ako pupunta.

6) Birthday nga pala ni UG kahapon. Belated happy birthday!

7) ... break na yata si RGB at CS. Sabi sa 'kin ni MJE, hehehehe.

8) At si MJE, still waiting for her prince charming.

9) Ako? One word: "ahihihihihi..."

Mainggit o mamatay kayo sa kilig, bwahahaha. :D dyok.

romantico

This one's contributed by the el jugador. It's a good piece, tis Sonnet 17 of Pablo Neruda's.

-----------------

i do not love you as if you were the salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
i love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

i love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

i love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
i love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so i love you because i know no other way

than this: where i does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as i fall asleep.

----------------

Dedicated to my one.

Eye Popping Jaw Dropping Heart Breaking

1. EYE POPPING: Final Fantasy VII Advent Children movie. I got a DVD copy of it (with perfect English subtitles) last weekend. The movie rocks, the fight scenes are awesome and the soundtrack is superb. And it's an excellent extension (or closure) of the PS1 game (which, by the way, is my first game on the PS1).

I want a ringtone similar to Reno's.

And I want a life-sized Tifa doll, hahahaha.




2. Jaw Dropping: Christian Bale in the movie 'The Machinist'. He's like a walking skeleton! Putris... how did he manage to lose all that weight so fast? He was so buff at Batman Begins.

I'm impressed with the discipline he had just to lose all that weight for a movie role...

3. Heart Breaking: Actually, I've got three questions.

First, will he sever all ties with us?
Second, will she be all right?
Third, pa'no na 'yung barkada?

Power Chicks

Question: How do you improve your wall-climbing techniques from "somewhat novice" to "almost flawless" in one night?

Answer: Let the country's top-ranked female wall climber belay you on your climbs.

I went wall-climbing again last night at Power-up Pasig with Chie and Mad. They were just warming up with a couple of girls when I arrived there with Jourdy.

Introductions were made. "Stip, si Lissa. Tapos siya si Patty. Dating rank number 1/2 sila sa national climbing team."

Okay, pareho silang hotstuff! Wow! They've got great bodies! And, the two were really friendly. Aba... wala pang 10 minutes kaming magkakilala eh nakikipagbiruan na sa 'kin.

Anyway, when it was my turn to climb, Chie was supposed to belay me kaso Mad dared him to do a lead climb at wall # 7. Chie was hoping to escape from the dare by being my belayer, kaso Lissa volunteered that she'll belay me.

"Yikes! Nakaka-pressure... top female climber is going to belay me. Pretty pa nya. Nakaka-dyahe if I fumble or make an error while climbing," I said to myself.

So, with a 'bahala-na-si-batman' attitude, I proceeded to scale wall #3 for my first climb of the night with Lissa belaying me. I grabbed a hold, put one foot up, took the next hold and boosted myself. I did some twists, change-foot, lay-backs and a rack-over move.

When I finished the wall, Lissa belayed me down so smoothly. Ako sometimes I can't help being jerky when belaying someone else down; I really haven't mastered that skill completely. When my feet were on solid ground again, she gave me a high five. "Nice climb, Stip. Flawless ah. Cool na cool ka sa pag-akyat."

And that made my night, for I received a compliment from Lissa Lesaca, the country's top female wall climber. And she's a really charming person.

My succeeding climbs on wall 4, 5 and 4 (red slash route) were equally flawless, and that is something I haven't accomplished before.

Hehehehe... later in the night over dinner pareho kami ni Chie na nagkasabihan na type namin si Lissa. Unfortunately, both of us don't have the guts (yet). Ahahahahaha.

Bahala na si batman.

Midget

Last night an old acquaintance whom I haven't heard from for 3 years called me up. Obviously, she's bored.

This friend of mine (a hottie, by the way, but she has some lesbian tendencies) was one of my classmates in a SHAMAN1 course I took up back in college. Her favorite course content was the one involving fortune telling.

To pass the time, she decided to tell my fortune. Over the phone. I assume she laid out her tarot deck before her.

Me: Okay, tell me what you see.
Her: Hmmm... you're thinking of changing careers...
Me: Skip that part. Go to the good stuff. Tell me about my lovelife.
Her: You had three exes.
Me: ....
Her: And you're waiting for one of them.
Me: ....
Her: But it won't work out.
Me: Naaakngtokwaaaa!!! I'm waiting in vain?
Her: Wait, I also see a small person in the next 3 years...
Me: Whaaat??! I'm gonna be dating a midget?!
Her: GAGU! You're gonna have a baby.
Me: Ahahahahahaha...

Okay, let's not think about what she just foretold me. I believe in ka.

Joke Time

Heard this on TV last night at a Jay Leno show.

Question: What is the ultimate embarassment for a man?

Answer: Walking into a wall with an erection and hurting his nose.

hahahahar... reminds me of jourdy. [Jourds, if you get to read this, peace. :D]

Part of Jourd's belief system kasi is "it's not the size of the ship, it's the motion of the ocean" that counts. So being the guys that we are, we consider that as a leading statement. Hehehehe...

Random Bits of Reflections

I've been having some occasional periods of random reflections recently of no particular theme.

1. I think that best friends are the siblings that God forgot to give us. Or maybe it's HIS intention not to give us that, and it's up to us to find them. Either that or it's our ka.

2. Last week, I dreamed that I made a marriage proposal to a certain someone *blush*. It was perfect! We were onboard a helicopter touring the New York skyline. Given the noise level, most of the communications between us had to be done using hand gestures or signboards. The gesture for "okay" or "yes" is a thumbs-up sign.

I had a ready-made sign saying "Will you marry me? :D". In the middle of the tour, I flashed it out to her, with a sheepish smile on my face.

And she gave me the thumbs-up sign.

Hugs and kisses followed, to the amusement of the pilot.

3. I currently miss a certain someone. Wish she'd be back soon. :D My LSS is dedicated to you.

4. To close this post, my current LSS is "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse. This is Jackie's fault actually. She gave me a CD copy of it. Hehehe... thanks Jack.

Hanging by a Moment
Lifehouse

desperate for changing
starving for truth
and closer to where i started
well chasing after you.

i'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all i've held onto
i'm standing here until you make me move
i'm hanging by a moment here with you.

forgetting all i'm lacking
completely incomplete
i'll take your invitation
you take all of me.

i'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all i've held onto
i'm standing here until you make me move
i'm hanging by a moment here with you.

i'm living for the only thing i know
i'm running and not quite sure where to go
and i don't know what i'm diving into
just hanging by a moment with you.

Welcome!

1.
Welcome ANIMAX! Yessawakas!! May ANIMAX na rin sa cable subscription namin dito sa Batangas. Matagal na kong nagdadasal na sana magkaroon ng ANIMAX either dito sa pad ko sa batangas, o sa bahay namin sa Cavite, o sa bahay namin sa Baclaran...

Pwede na kong magbabad sa TV kung wala akong mahanap na magawa rito.

Mahilig talaga ako sa anime... wala akong ispesipik na kinahihiligan na anime... ang sa akin e basta maganda yung animation at maganda yung kuwento, sige nood! Marami na nga yung mga nabibili ko na anime para sa koleksyon ko e (hoy! hindi ako bumibili ng hentai ah..... nanghihiram lang ahihihihi...).

Mahilig kasi talaga ako sa role-playing, at yung mga characters na pinapakita sa mga anime cartoons na pinapanood ko eh yung mga gusto kong i-role-play. Angdami ko na ngang sinubukan eh:

Sinubukan kong pumatay ng mga butiki gamit ang reigan;
Sinubukan kong makapasok sa loob ng bar gamit ang dimensional spirit sword. di ako makapasok dahil di ko sinunod yung dress code;
Sinubukan kong mag-summon ng bughaw na dragon;
Sinubukan kong maging imbisibol;
Sinubukan kong itigil ang lahat ng giyera sa mundo gamit si Gundam Justice.

Pero lahat walang epek. Kahit magkulay-asul na yung litid sa leeg ko at umaagos na yung pawis ko, ni mapaurong ng katiting yung lapis na nakalapat sa mesa ko eh hindi gumagalaw.

So the next best thing ay ang manood na lang ako ng anime. Hehehehe. Baka sakaling dun ko mapulot ang aking nakatagong super-powers at ang aking naghihintay na destiny. Hakhakhakhak...

2.
Welcome iTrip!

Yahoo, I finally got my iTrip for my iPod mini.

It's a supercool gadget that allows me to play my iPod mini over a radio station (like in my car) or on a radio-component (like oru home entertainment system).

Kewlness!

3.
Welcome TMS!

... hmmm... inabutan ako ni mad ng patch ng Team Mission Specific nung biyernes. Tapos ang buhay lonewolf ko sa ersop. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Tantya ko (and expectations ko rin), it's for the better. Better for myself as an individual and as an ersop player.

Sabi nga ni jayjay (na nag-alok sa kin na sumali sa RBG squad pero hindi ako nag-commit; ngiti-ngiti lang ako): "Congrats stip! You're with a great team. At least we lost you to TMS." Jayjay, no offense I hope. Anyway sabi ni tinters labs mo naman daw ako.

Ngayong tanghali, may mahigit isang dosena akong text messages sa phone ko, puro "Welcome Stippy!" ang bati. Sweet naman nila... kahit di ko pa ma-identify kung sino-sino sila na bumati sa 'kin, hehehe.

Pero may mga warning din sila sa kin na wag ko daw pupulutin yung sabon pag nasa likod ko daw si mikko. Now that's a bad thing....

Siya, thanks guys for the welcome! See you at the battlefield soon! Saka na yang libre-blowout-press conference. Teka, ilan ba silang lahat para ma-budget ko yan?

Yup, meron akong i-p-press-conference... bwahahahaha! Nope, wala pa kong gelpren ngayon. Ito yung marami ng nagtatanong sa 'kin tungkol kay ... at ... . :D

Happy Monday!

Para sa Mga Tatamaan

hahaha... i was going through a couple of my scrapbook last night and found one of these inserts in it.

it's a poem that we used from our college ENGARTS course. funny and romantic.

I apologize for it's cheesiness. :D

ALL BECAUSE YOU KISSED ME GOODNIGHT
Anonymous

i climbed the door and opened the stairs,
said my pajamas and put my prayers
then turned off the bed and crawled into the light
all because you kissed me goodnight.

next morning i woke and scrambled my shoes,
polished my eggs and toasted the news,
i couldn't tell my left from right
all because you kissed me goodnight.

that evening, at last, i felt normal again,
so i picked up my mother and called the phone,
i spoke to the puppy and threw dad a bone
even at midnight, the sun was still bright
all because you kissed me goodnight!

LLL xxx LLL xxx

Lesson from the Gunslinger

"Say your lesson."

"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.

I aim with my eyes.

I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.

I shoot with my mind.

I do not kill with my hand; he who kills with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.

I kill with my heart."


So is the lesson I learned from Roland of Gilead from "The Dark Tower" series by Stephen King.

And the lesson looks applicable to most of my encounters in life.

Life is So Unfair

Why is it that those fast food giants only offer Happy Kiddie Meals, those overpriced meals that comes in a nice goodie bag along with a toy that's made in China? Why isn't there a variant for adults, i.e., a Happy Adult Meal?

If there's a Happy Adult Meal, it should come with an adult toy!

Working adults account for 62% of their customer base. There's a huge marketing potential on this.

Life is so unfair. For us adults. There are times when I wish I was a kid again.

Harharharharhar... all because of a Happy Meal.

.........

*groan*....

My whole body hurts all over when I woke up this morning. Stiff muscles at my neck, thighs, shoulders and arms. I think I overdid it last weekend.

Okay lang, enjoy naman e. It's been a while since I last did it.

Naka-apat nga lang ako e. Di na yata ako ganun ka-flexible nor is my endurace the same as before. I think my performance is dipping. And I didn't bother with protection that time. And the place was so hot. Di pa kami nag-u-umpisa tagaktak na pawis ko. After one round, smoke muna pang-relax. Then a few minutes later, banat uli!

I'm leaving it to your imagination to guess what I did last weekend.

Bwahahahahaha...

Dodging the Bullet

In 5 years of being exposed to corporate life, I discovered that having a bulletproof demeanor is a necessity.

If not, then you get shot at no matter how skillful you are at dodging the bullets. Sooner or later, one of those bullets will zero in on you.

Even if you had the Matrix-like skills to pull it off.

Because the people at your workplace carry their own fireams of choice: some go for shotgun remarks while others settle for the grab-and-point pistol tactic. But the one that every employee should be wary of are those sniper-type persons who just wait and wait and wait... and when you're caught unaware, BAM! You just got shot at the head.

This is just a reminder for myself to always be on guard. Corporate life is becoming more and more dangerous, I think.

Corporate life isn't for dummies.

HAFi

HAFi - (adj) a description of a feeling characterized by elation, stress-free living, fun and frequent guffaws; (acronym) stands for High Altitude Fishyfishy.




That's us under a blanket.

Originally planned for a 4 day weekend of Baguio-Banaue, we settled to a 2-night getaway to Baguio instead. And at the height of typhoon Huaning!

Craziest Moment: how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew.



Funniest Moment: the "...I can't feel my feet... please tell my parents I love them if I don't make it..." SMS we received from Chard because he locked himself out at the balcony, and all of us were out shopping.

Funniest Pic: me looking stupid for the camera



What's next for the HAFi group? Wellll... we're planning for a Mt. Pulag climb soon. That'll be the ultimate High-Altitude adventure that a group of fishy-fishies can do!

Ongapala, this is to formally endorse mad as a member of the fishy-fishy group, officially replacing doogs.

Haaay... sarap magbakasyon! Okay, back to my reality that we call "work".

GLENNSTER

It would be unfair if I didn't blog an exclusive post for you.

Happy birthday, dude!

One more year, and you're off the 'yuppies group'. Hehehe. You'll be re-assigned to the 'old timers' group'. You are no longer a Padawan, so to speak. Jedi, you now are. Did Tjan Gouw handed you your light saber already for keeps?

All of us age; the creases may come out, some white hairs may show, some body aches may now be persistent, your fashion sense gets left behind and you start pondering on getting your own house, planning your dream wedding, imagining your future family. But do not forget that even when we grow older, it is to everyone's advantage to feel young at heart and body.

- Weekend Wreck

So many things happened this last weekend that I don't know how to organize this blog post. Bahala na... labo-labo na lang ang pagsulat.

1. G.T.-TRIP at the REFINERY [FRI 1830 - 2130]

Putris... the refinery I work in experienced a total power failure on Friday because our gas turbines tripped. Me, Jackie and Jourdy are at the gym, 30 minutes into our respective work-outs, when it happened. Because Jackie's on duty and she just hitched a ride with me going to the gym, we had to drop whatever we're lifting and drive back to the refinery.

Total power failure nga... the refinery's all dark except for the flare.

Impact on me: my blending system eventually shut down. Putting it back online is a big pain... *groan* It'll be a stressful Monday for me.

Power was restored yesterday early morning but the refinery hasn't normalized yet.

2. INUMAN with Shift C [FRI 2230 - 0130]

A few hours later (around 930 pm Friday), power was restored momentarily when the refinery was able to tap into the NPC grid. Since the diagnostics for my system would take some time and practically worthless without the I.T. guys, I agreed to go have a one-or-two with Emerson at VIVO.

A few minutes after we arrived at VIVO some of the outgoing operators from Shift C chanced upon us. Later on, they invited us to join them at TOTEM. We talked about the shutdown, the Pinoy-wants-to-secure-future mentality vs job security vs job hunting, the new hires, the capability of present technologists, the CBA, dieting and health ailments.

Emer and myself received invites for their next shift outing. Yung 1-or-2 namin ni Emer, naging 5-or-6 bottles tuloy...

3. SBTM Maintenance [SAT, 0430 - ????]

Lost track of time on this one. I was intermittently called by Oil Movements for SBTM. The problem with this system is that it's like the human body: so many vital organs have to be monitored to ensure that the whole system is working well. I was playing the role of the doctor-on-call then, with minimal sleep.

Then the power tripped again at around 2 pm. Back to square one. Pucharaga!

4. that LEFT BEHIND feeling [SAT, 1730 H]

I received this SMS: "Pssst... are you going to xxxx surprise birthday party?"
My reply: "I'm sorry. I didn't receive an invite. Baka galit sa kin yung organizer?"
Reply to my reply: "Si yyyyyy? But I think she asked zzzzz to invite the refinery people..."
My reply: "Then I guess galit sa 'kin si zzzzzz. Oh well... out na naman ako."

The thing that made this mind-wrecking is that the celebrant is (or WAS? i'm not sure now) who I consider to be my most-'kasundo' male colleague here at the workplace. I gave the thought two minutes tops. My decision: bahala na, I won't act on it. Go with the flow. Win some, lose some.

Taking a cue from the wisdom of el jugador, I think I've been pushed out of their circle of trust.

5. MARKET MARKET [1915 H]

Braving the persistent rain, road hazards and potential traffic jams, I left Batangas around 530 pm to shop for three items from Market! Market!: (1) an iTrip for my iPod mini; (2) an Xbox shirt for the birthday celebrant and (3) more PS2 games for myself.

Results: (1) That electronics store who told me they had an iTrip was referring to an iGriffin. Hello??? There's a big difference between the two items. Sheeeeshh... excited pa naman akong magkaroon ng iTrip. (2) the XBox shirts were already sold out, so I had to settle for an MGS3 shirt instead as my gift. (3) Glorioskiii.... no copies yet of Doom3 for the PS2. Drat!

6. CAVITE DINNER [2030 H]

Dinner was at our house in Cavite; attendance among us siblings were required by my parents. Sheessh... drayber ako buong hapon ahh.

We had my dad's adobo, my mom's menudo, my Tito Pip's fried bangus, my Tita Letty's tahong and my kid brother's leche flan. Plus spagetti care of my brother. All of them home-cooked. Contribution ko was ice for the softdrinks hehehe.

7. GILLIGAN's ISLAND, [2330 H]

Left Cavite at 1030pm for a get-together gimik called by my HS batchmates at Gilligan's Island in G2.

There wuz 4 of us only. Me, Maloy, Ipe and Pao.

Pao delivered a 'press conference'.

In tears over beers (for them) and vodka (for myself; nakakalaki kasi ng tyan ang beer), Pao told us that Weng is getting married next Friday.

That caught me by surprise... Pao and Weng have been together for 11 years, went a bit blurry last February, and now all of a sudden that Weng is getting married next week. And not to Pao.

She's getting married to some officemate.

Honestly Weng, I hope that despite your decision and actions, you'll experience happiness and peace of mind. Pao may not be the most affluent guy you've met, but he's the most caring guy I've known. Plus he's my cousin.

By the way, my mom says it's still okay with her if you want to get her as your ninang. And yes, okay pa rin sa 'kin na gawin mo kong ninong for your baby soon. Let's not sever connections because of this unplanned event. We (me, my parents, our barkada) will still be there to support you if you need it.

Press conference and counselling session ended at 0430H the next day. My liquor count: 2 beers and 7 vodka shots.

8. SBTM na NAMAN! [SUN, 0745 H]

Drat... I got a call from the refinery Duty Officer General that SBTM is still having problems. "Hello!??! Naturally, it wouldn't work because the refinery had another power failure the day before, remember?"

Of course that's just the alcohol talking in my head. I muttered a "I'll look into it, sir."

After that, I snoozed for another two hours. Bwahahahaha... Masama nga lang gising ko kasi it was only after snoozing did I realize that the refinery is waiting for my call and arrival, so harassed ako. With a hangover.

My action: two hours on the phone with my panelman operator to get a grasp of the possible system problems. Then it's a 5-minute phone call to discuss with the Engineering guy what actions need to be done, which I'll check upon my arrival.

Arrived at Batangas at 1730 H. Engineer got some of it right, some of it wrong. Had to arrange for a re-work.

9. PS2 MILESTONE [MON, 0045H]

I finished my 50th game (finish as in got the ending) on the PS2 last night. And the honors go to Square Enix' Full Metal Alchemist 2. Nice game, but it was too short for me. It took me just 7 hours to finish the game.

Next game to finish: Haunting Grounds

wowww... haba ng post ko ngayon ah. mind-wrecking weekend talaga. i need a vacation. next week.

Injured

Yesterday afternoon I got my results for an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan of my left knee.

Findings: I have a short tear at my knee's posterior ligament.

Cause: most likely from badminton. The doc says it's usually common for people who often do lunging and/or backing motions.

Action: I'll have to wear a knee/thigh compression thingies whenever I indulge in activities that involves a lot of kneeling, lunging or backing. so that's basically every sport that I play. [Pilyo si doc, sabi rin n'ya I'll have to consider my 'labing-labing' positions. 'Tadu yun ah....]

Buti na lang it's only minor daw, so surgery is not needed. And at least, it'll heal by itself in 3 months if I don't play or 6 months if I continue with my usual activities.

And I have to do this every morning when I wake up: as soon as I get off my bed, I have to stand on my left leg only for about 30 seconds. If I can't do that because of pain in my knee area, then I'll have to visit the doc again and most probably I'll require surgery daw.

Feeling ko tuloy ngayon ang galing ko na sa badminton because I have a sport injury from it hehehe...

Parinig

A certain lady (itago na lang natin siya sa pangalang 'Apple') whom I've been going out with recently sent me this message to my email this morning:

"Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, wait for the only one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you. Wait for the guy who's willing to sacrifice for you. Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, "...that's her." ".

Period.

Haaaay life talaga. Why is it that the women I like have to be complicated thinkers?

Rigor Mortis

I learned something new today.

Rigor mortis, that stiff feeling the dead people always get, is caused by the decrease of ATP molecules in the blood which is needed to relax muscle contractions.

Muscle contractions are triggered by calcium ions when it comes to contact with muscle fiber.

When people stop breathing (or die), there is little oxygen available to produce ATP, hence the ATP concentration drops. Likewise, with no blood circulation, there is continuous migration of calcium from the skeleton out to the blood and eventually to the muscles.

Because the calcium will contract the muscles and there's a shortage of ATP to relax them, dead bodies end up stiff.

Seems like I can become a CSI soon.

++ Guess What I'm So Excited About?

(ipod mini ipod mini ipod mini ipod mini IPod Mini IPod Mini IPod Mini IPod Mini IPod Mini IPod Mini IPod Mini Green ITunes IPod Mini Green Green ITunes MP3 IPod Mini Belt Clip IPod Mini MP3 IPod Mini Car Tuner IPod Mini IPod Mini Green IPod Mini Wrist Strap IPod Mini IPod Mini IPod Mini IPod Mini JBL OnStage for IPods IPod Mini Green! Ipod Mini IPod Mini IPOD MINI IPOD MINI IPOD MINI IPOD MINI...



Eight and a half hours to go... (ipod mini ipod mini ipod mini ipod mini ipod mini...)

Thanks to Chie and Carmela!

! Mushy Moment

minsan lang akong magpaka-mushy. :D

got this one from one of the discussion boards i occasionally visit.

--------------------

When you look for it, why can you not find it?
When you stop looking, why does it find you?
When you search for it, why do you do it in all the wrong places?
When you give up, why do you run into it in the most unlikely of places?

When you let go, is it because you love too much or because you don't love enough?
What brings more pain -- loving or leaving?
Is the realization that you no longer pine for anyone a liberating or lonely feeling?

When romantic relationships spark no interest, is it because you love yourself too much or because you love others too little?
When you leave,should you feel dispirited? Or should you feel invigorated?
When you are left behind, should you feel lost? Or should you feel emancipated?

When you stop loving, is it the end or the beginning?

When you cling to it, you lose it. When you avoid it, it tracks you down.
Defining it will confound you.

Coveting it will destroy you. But if you can just let it be, it can be a gift that can be appreciated for what it is and all that it can bring you.

When you love no matter what, are you brave or are you mad?
When you fall in love, are you blessed or are you cursed?
When you refuse to fall out of love, are you determined or deranged?
Does love inspire? Or does it drain?

When you are resolute, are you romantic or are you rabid?

Why do people say they love when they don't?
And why do they say they don't when they do?
Why is a declaration of love the hardest of statements to make when it is real?
And the easiest to make when it is false?

Why can a child declare with certainty and without fear, that she is loved?
No matter how many times she has been berated?
Because against conflicting words and actions, repeated denials and numerous contradictions, love shows itself when it is there. And even when no words are spoken, much is said.

Why do people love even when they are not loved back?
Why do people love a little, love a lot, love deeply, love foolishly, love forever, love again?
Why do people love at all? Does love empower? Or does it enfeeble?

Why do we see something in someone that others don't?
Why do our hearts beat faster for one person against the rest?
Why can we forgive someone for sins we cannot forgive others?
Why do we love someone and not someone else?

As Pascal put it, "The heart has its reasons which reason cannot know."

+ Power Up!

>>> Create character: STIP
>>> Assign race: Amateur wall climber
>>> Distribute skill points
>> Strength: 6 / 10
>> Flexibility: 9 / 10
>> Endurance: 5 / 10
>> Agility: 4 / 10

>>> Equip item: NEW V10 Climbing Shoes
>> Item effects:
(+) Agility +5
(+) Strength +1
(+) Confidence +10%
(+) Audience impact - high
(-) Color = yellow
(-) Initially drains endurance due to tight shoe fit; can potentially kill the user's toenail or two if precautions are not taken
(-) Causes Crissy to hide shoes when unequipped.

Hahaha... I was finally able to break-in my new climbing shoes. Climbed at Power-up Pasig last night with the regulars. :D

+ Weekend Bs!

Naaah... the title doesn't mean "Weekend Bullsh*t". Actually, it's the contrary. :D

----------------------

B1: Badminton

I competed in a company-sponsored badminton tournament last Saturday. Me and my partner played 4 matches and we were vying actually for a slot in the championships.

With the exception of a few mishits on my backcourt dropshots, I'd say my game was better than decent last Saturday. The tournament organizers decided to partner me with a novice female player. Hahaha... Part of me was glad (that means the organizers think that my badminton skills are good enough to compensate for my partner's lack of skill and still provide decent competition against our opponents) while a part of me was disappointed (out of the 4 teams we played against, there were two teams which were men's doubles).

Anyway, I was literally Superman on the playing court during our matches because I had to lunge, hop, run and smash at majority of the playing area. But I guess my performance wasn't good enough. We were short of one set-win to qualify for the finals. Out of 8 sets played, we managed to win only 5.

But a lot of spectators commented that we had a great chance of winning the finals match if we made it through. The occasional "Nice one, Stip!", "Good one!" and the "Ooooohhh!!!" cheers from the crowd after a long rally or a spectacular save/attack was rewarding in a way.

Oh well, those are the breaks. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Chairman's Cup in September.

Oh, and my butt and thighs were sore the next day when I woke up. Too much lunging from chasing the shuttlecock all over the court, I suppose.

---------------------

B2: Bookworming Harry Potter 6

Okay this is a new record for me. I finished a Harry Potter book in less than 24 hours. It took me a about 15 hours to read through the whole thing, all in one day.

I got HP6: The Half-Blood Prince at lunchtime last Saturday (yep, I ran off to the mall in-between my matches to claim my book reservation). I read the first chapter in-between my last two matches, another two chapters before I slept that night, about 20 chapters as soon as I woke up at 7:30 am on Sunday until lunch time, left our house in Manila and began my drive back to Batangas. I made a stop-over at Petrol SLEX for Starbucks. Hehehe... I finished the last four chapters there.

My insights: HP6 lacks climax and conflict, but I suppose JK Rowling is preparing the stage for a grand finale for HP7. And there are two major twists in the story which left me guessing and made my expectations for HP7 exceedingly high. I wonder how JK Rowling will conclude the series...

But still, it's a good read. Not as good as HP3 or HP4 but still a worthwhile read. If you ask me, I paid 1299 Php for the book but I think I'll place readership value at 899 Php tops.

-----------------------

B3: Bidyo Games (sic)

Finally, after two months of scrounging pirated PS2 game retailers, I managed to find a copy of Digital Devil Saga and Arc the Lad. That'll take care of my PS2 lull for a few weeks. Already started playing DDS last night.

And those are my weekend Bs.

Bwahahahahaha. Baliw. :D

+ I Have an Airsoft Dilemna

Last Saturday I played airsoft as usual. Wahoo! Two weekends in a row!

But I encountered a "slight" dilemna.

No, it's not about my gun, although my SIG 552 has been misfiring a bit too often. One of my hi-capacity magazines has been misfeeding and I'll have to disassemble and repair it this week.

No, it's not about my gameplay. Last weekend's game was one of my best games. I happened to "hit" Bushmaster finally! Bwahahahaha... And I hit him at his armpit! I was the last man surviving on our team versus four others (BM included) so I layed prone in a sniping position, using the shadows and glare from the ambient light to my best advantage.

I finally completed my airsoft hitlist of four persons (all of whom I have high regard for their gameplay): BM, Lac, SlagX and Lord_Tyler.

My dilemna isn't related to my relationship with other players. Oftentimes I would prefer to be the quiet and silent type (mostly because of heat exhaustion). I play cleanly and honestly. In case of zombies, I always keep my cool. I don't think I have a problem with that.

Here's my problem:

In 18 months of playing this addicting weekend sport, my official status as a player has always been "lonewolf". No formal team affiliations. My reason is plain and simple: the nature of my work makes my schedule unpredictable. Also factor in my mom's sudden ideas of having a family get-together, my badminton invitations, various events and gimmicks organized by my high school and college friends, the occasional dates... Regular attendance to games will not be a simple matter for me.

Recently I've been playing under the umbrella of the RBG Mercs (because I acquired their team uniform sans their team patch --- their uniform is really great for jungle games) but occasionally I would team up with Team Zero (for my Sunday games) or SOE (by loose affiliation with the RBG Mercs). On several occassions other players will ask me if I'm an RBG Merc or an SOE player or a Zero player. I just tell them that I'm a friendly lonewolf.

Last Saturday I played with Team Mission Specific. And it so happens that their game that I attended was an OP UNITY game. Strictly for members only, AND potential recruits according to Mad. Several times last Saturday I was asked if I'll be finally joining a team.

And that's my dilemna.

Pros/Cons of Remaining a Lonewolf:
+ Flexible schedule
+ No team affiliation
+ No uniform requirement; I can wear what I feel like wearing
+ No hard feelings
(-) No team affiliation = no team identity
(-) Difficulty in signing up for team events such as bivys
(-) Possible handicap on some gamesites

Pros/Cons of Joining TMS:
+ Good crowd (I know about 40% of them at least)
+ Identification
+ I'll admit it, their current BDU is according to my taste (hahaha)
+ In terms of rapport, I'm most comfortable with their group
(--) Potentially hard feelings, lalo na sa ibang matagal ng nag-r-recruit sa 'kin
? the initiation (i hope they're pulling my leg)
? the 25k membership fee (i seriously hope they're pulling my leg, or that it's negotiable at least; pambili ko na yan ng upgraded na G36C eh)
? my attendance (but the way I gather it, a lot of them are missing-in-action)

I've a full week to think about this.

So what will it be? Drop the 'lonewolf' status and check out team membership?

If I didn't have so much fun in last Saturday's game, then making the decision will be an easy one.

Almost 4 pm. I think I'll hit the gym to clear my head.

Birthday Greeting

Kits = big guy, jock stereotype. Me = small, nerdy-looking guy. That was 10 years ago.

In the last ten years we've known and hang out together:

1. We've argued major-time over a card game of "1-2-3 Pass".

2. The first time we both got drunk and wasted was at Tia Maria's in Malate, after downing 5 pitchers of those margaritas after a month into the 1st trimester of our first school year. The next day I had an allergy attack.

3. We went head-to-head at soccer during our PE, and it's the only sport that I managed to beat you at school. It turned out that I'm a better dribbler than you hahaha. Later on, we'd be reassigned to other playing positions: you as striker for your team and me as the goalie for our team. Hahaha... remember the time that you kicked the ball so hard for a penalty and i managed to block it with my head and i ended up with a nose bleed?

4. We've done the whole bit of interviewing hospitality girls at Malate, Taft, Roxas Boulevard and asking their 'rates'.

5. You almost drowned me by dragging me out to the sea on one of our term break escapades, knowing that I don't know how to swim at that time. Damn you. Hehehe...

6. Not once I offered you help on your courses, and not once you asked for mine. We both respected our own and other's academic abilities.

7. That my first drag of jutes was at your car just outside Power Plant mall.

8. That my second drag of jutes was with your mom at your house, and we ended up laughing and hungry the whole night. Food trip! (and your mom is cool by the way)

9. Sleepovers, mostly often because we end up drinking too much at your house and you and your mom wouldn't allow me to drink and drive.
9.1. and for that, your mom refers to me as her "second son". touchy but mushy.
9.2. and because of that, you started calling me your "kid brother".


10. Being the mediator between you and your wife whenever you argue. The funniest one was when you were arguing about your preferred sex position hahahaha.

11. In our bar drinking sessions, how we'd try to best each other in getting to be acquainted with some "lonely ladies". Winning formula: send them a free drink c/o the bartender.

12. And again on sex life, how you kept track of mine and you kept on updating me about yours.

13. Us witnessing each other's careers, and being the other's career advisor.

14. You leaving bachelorhood, and making me as your best man and eventually the godparent of your first son.

15. Most embarassing moment in you presence: the time we had dinner at Italianni's with your mom, and she asked me to touch her boobs and check if it's firm or not.

I'll add on to this list as I remember them along.

Now, Kits = big guy sporting a daddy look (belly and all, hahaha). Me = still the same guy but 20 pounds bulkier.

Happy birthday, bespren! Here's to another year of keeping the friendship alive!

Music for the Realist

When I get my iPod mini (yes, I'm getting one from Australia thru my good friends Chie and Carmela... it's 3K pesos cheaper there), this will be the first song I'll put in.

I love this song because it strikes me as "realistic". Not fancy, not cheesy, not too convenient, not legendary, not romantic.

Oh, and the intro theme is very catchy.

Blurry
by Puddle of Mudd

Everything's so blurry
and everyone's so fake
and everybody's empty
and everything is so messed up
pre-occupied without you
I cannot live at all
My whole world surrounds you
I stumble then I crawl.

You could be my someone
You could be my sea
You know that I'll protect you
From all of the obscene
I wonder what you're doing
Imagine where you are
There's oceans in-between us
But that's not very far.

Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
Well ya shoved it in my face
This pain you gave to me.
Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
Well you shoved it in my face.

Everyone is changing
There's no one left that's real
To make up your own ending
and let me know just how you feel
'Cause I am lost without you
I cannot live at all
My whole world surrounds you
I stumble then I crawl.

You could be my someone
You could be my sea
You know that I will save you
From all of the unclean
I wonder what you're doing
I wonder where you are
There's oceans in-between us
but that's not very far.

Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
Well ya shoved it in my face
This pain you gave to me.
Can you take it all away
Can you take it all away
Well you shoved it in my face.

Nobody told me what you thought
Nobody told me what to say
Everyone showed you where to turn
Told you when to run away
nobody told you where to hide
nobody told you what to say
everyone showed you where to turn
showed you when to runaway.

Done With Hell

It's been a hell of a month so far this June. Two of my system applications at my work area halted (approximate cost to the business: 125K USD), I had two bouts of the flu, a terrible performance in badminton (haven't been playing regularly since May), 74 hours of overtime work for the month of June, and two large pimples just under my nose.

For the first time this month, I was able to sleep soundly and comfortably last night.

Thank goodness all these have been resolved. The pimples though left some scarring on my face (because they broke out at the same time as my sneezing bout care of Mr. Flu).

So come this weekend, I'm getting ready for an all-out gimik! Hehehehehehe...

Influenza BLOGinitis

TINTOOT passed on this infection to my blogsite. So let's get this over with.

instructions:

things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play.
what lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level?
make a list, post it to your journal...
and then tag 5 friends and ask them to post it to theirs.

-----------

1. Playstation2
2. Read, preferably a Stephen King novel (awooooooo!!!!)
3. Look at my vacation photos
4. Doing a few laps at the pool, or go to the gym and sweat it out.
5. Cook
6. Play the piano

Okay, I don't know who else to tag. I guess I'm a terminal carrier for this infection. It ends with me. Hahahahaha!

Under the Rain, On the Roof

Last Sunday noon I experienced my first "heavy" rain for this year's rainy season.

I spent it on our roof declogging a drainage line. Water was seeping through our kitchen walls and I volunteered to check the roof drainage.

As I climbed the wooden ladder that I braced against a wall, I got an excited feeling that I haven't felt in a long time.

It's the feeling of being able to do about one's business carefree in the rain.

There I was, humming the battle theme of Gundam Seed while removing dead leaves from our rain gutter. I didn't had a raincoat on --- just a shirt, shorts and slippers. Even when the rain kept on pouring, I didn't mind it one bit.

I was at peace. Man, I haven't felt that in a long time.

Another great feeling: even though it was cold working in the rain, I felt warm inside.

Next time it rains heavily (as long as there's no lightning storm) and I'm indoors bumming around, I think I'll go outside and soak myself under the rain.

Iconism and Batman Begins

Okay, okay, I'll admit it. I'm writing this blog entry because I'm all excited on the upcoming movie "Batman Begins."

Batman has been my "superhero" icon ever since I learned how to read and raid my eldest brother's comic book collection. Why? Because he's 100% human. No mutant enhancements, no cosmic ray endowment, no alien technology, no paranormal abilities. His status is, let's say, realistic and attainable enough now.

Batman was such an icon to me that at the age of 5, I had my own Batman costume (I pestered my uncle to buy me one from Canada hahahaha).

All Bruce Wayne has is his body and mind to work with. And of course a motivation to excel and be an expert in his chosen craft (that's where the death of his parents come in). Bruce Wayne didn't become Batman overnight --- he spent a good number of years training for it. It's NOT common knowledge for the average fan to know how and where and with whom Bruce Wayne spent those years in his transformation to becoming The Batman.

But I'm not your average fan.

And that's why I am so excited for "Batman Begins".

Because from the moment I saw the title, I knew that this will be the story of Bruce Wayne's hidden years.

Because from the moment I saw the 30 second trailer, I knew that Ra's Al Ghul will be the primary villain. Did you know that Ra's Al Ghul admires Batman's mental capability so much that he fondly calls him "The Detective"? And it is only Ra's Al Ghul who knows that Batman and Bruce Wayne are one and the same, yet he doesn't attack Bruce Wayne but fights against only the Batman?

My favorite Batman comic book happens to have Ra's Al Ghul as the featured villain. The fights are the same. It's the mental-political dialogue between the two. You see, both of them have sharp minds. What do you expect? Batman was an excellent student (hint).

I hated the other Batman movies for two things: [1] the choice for villains (both the actor and the character, with the exception of Danny de Vito as The Penguin) did not agree well with me and [2] the portrayal of Batman was too "glittery" --- the previous Batmans were not cold or dark enough.

I hope this one turns out to be finally good.

I wonder if I can still find my old Batman costume. If I do so, all I need now is Bruce Wayne's playboy demeanor and oodles of cash so I can live my fantasy. Hahahaha!

+ Gay Whales and Lesbian Frogs

Two jokes:

One: How do you know if a whale is bading?
............ it bites the tip of the submarine and sucks out all the seamen!

Two: What did the lesbian palaka say to the other lesbian palaka?
............ "you know what, we really do taste like chicken!"

Harharharharhar... I have a shallow sense of humor. :D

Pre-occupations

What's on my mind recently?

1. Doing two consecutive laps on wall 3 at Power-up.
2. Weight/mass gain.
3. Finishing Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory on my PS2.
4. Finishing the scope and cost estimate for the Fuel Oil Export Pump project by this week.
5. Deciding on whether to bum at Batangas or Manila over the weekend.
6. Why I don't have telekinesis.
7. Getting those Phuket pictures printed and organized in an album.
8. Whether to buy a new airsoft gun or an IPod mini.
9. What I would do for the country if I were president. Set up a dictatorship!
10. Why people change.

The Alchemist's Interpretation on my Midday Nightmare

ALCHEMIST is my co-moderator at the Dream Section discussion board of Team Zero (a bunch of great guys and girl whom I play airsoft with occasionally). Both of us have interests in dream interpretation and occult knowledge.

Following is her interpretation on my Nightmare entry two topics below. She was able to rationalize my nightmare, as opposed to my knee-jerk reaction of thinking that it was a supernatural/paranormal omen. Ahihihihi...

Ma'am A, consider this as a testimonial to your talent! Thanks again!

-----------------------------------

Basically, to start with..two interpretations..

first, the teen girl waving at you from a distance could represent a connection with your innocent and childlke nature that could probably be asking to be acknowledged.

or, when related to other symbols in your dream, such as the forest village and treehouses, is telling you about an unresolved issue from your childhood that has somehow shown you certain harsh realities of life at quite an early age. nevertheless, there is a part of you right now in your waking life, that is longing for the past. this is symbolized by the children in your dream, as well as the characters from your childhood nightmares.

a sum of all your fears...

1. costumes in dreams could represent a facade that others have shown you,

2. fangs are hurtful words spoken towards you or at an extreme..a scandal,

3. an ax in a dream serves as an outlet for hostilities that are safer expressed in dreams,

4. rust and blood on the shirts could represent false friends as well as past misbehaviour coming to haunt you.

and more fears...

1. darkness and shadow, fear of the unknown or the inablity to make decisions with insufficient information.

2. halloween, fear of death

3. vampire, someone in your life who has charmed you in some way but may prove to be harmful.

now, the good part..the sage represents the wise man in you where he disproves all the above fears. he tells you also..by letting you experince your own death, to brace yourself for big changes ahead. therefore tells you to leave behind your hurt in the past. the massive tree branches represent your present life where you can fulfill dreams set aside. it tells you to go back to the roots and trace from your childhood what you have always wanted to fulfill, that somehow was set aside because of what you are occupied with at the moment. dreaming of children is also interpreted in the same manner.

WAP Blog

Stupid me. I forgot that my badminton group is meeting to play at 630 and here I am at the courts at 530 pm. Boooorreeedom. Aaargs.

Haaachoooo!!!

Drat, I had my worst sneezing bout early this morning. It went non-stop for about 15 minutes when I woke up at 6:30, then resumed a few minutes later. This went on until past eight.

I spent the whole morning at bed.

I've consumed two rolls of tissue paper, 2 cans of juice, 1 liter of water, 2 doses of Decolgen, and must have produced enough decibels from the sneezing to power the TV, Playstation and airconditioning.

And I've got a major headache. If I sneezed some more, I'm afraid that I may have blown my head off.

Body temperature's okay, but I'm still experiencing body chills now and then.

Thank goodness it's Friday. I'll be able to rest a bit, and hopefully be fully recovered after the weekend.

++ A Mindwreck's Noon Nightmare

Yesterday noon, I had a surreal dream and possibly an out-of-body experience.

For four days I’ve been experiencing body chills occasionally, a prelude to a flu attack. At lunch hour I’d travel back to my apartment and sneak under the comforter to rest my body and give my immune system a better chance at keeping the flu symptoms at bay. I would doze off for about 45 minutes, just enough rest to sustain myself until five pm when my workday officially ends.

I dreamed that I was walking along a golf course. It was high noon, and I was in my workclothes.

A teen girl was waving at me from a distance, trying to catch my attention.

Eventually, I was at her location. She gestured towards her side. My eyes looked at the direction to which she is pointing. A forest village. Several treehouses resting on massive tree branches. But the forest had a dark shadow to it. It wasn’t a bright, lush forest. It looked like a somber one.

“Follow me,” the girl’s eyes told me.

Mesmerized by the forest village, I followed the girl to the biggest treehouse. While walking down the path to the treehouse, I noticed several village children scampering about carrying macabre costumes and props. I saw a child lug an ax. A boy no older than ten was lifting a bundle of clothes stained with rust and blood. I saw a girl tossing a pair of dentures with hideous fangs as she skipped down the path. “There’s a special event later,” said the girl. “Something similar to your Halloween. The children dress up in clothes.”

“You mean costumes?”

“No, I meant clothes. Those things you saw were the actual items used by the person they took it from.”

“Explain.”

“You saw the child with the axe? That axe belonged to an axe murderer. Those teeth with fangs? It belonged to a vampire.”

We eventually arrived at the treehouse. Inside was an old man. “A sage,” I thought.

“How would you like to experience death?” the old man asked me.

“As long as I am able to come back to life I have nothing against your proposal,” I answered.

“Good. We are right in choosing you. Take off your shoes and your shirt, and lie down.”

I did as the old man said. I took off my shoes and my shirt. Then I lay down on a mat. The old man knelt beside me. He placed dabs of cream on my fingertips and toes. And then he chanted.

The girl who escorted me also placed some cream on her hands.

“Are you ready?” the old man asked me.

“Yes I am.”

“Then it shall be done.”

The old man placed his palms on my chest. I felt my breathe leaving my body. I felt the cream at my fingertips and toes hardening like cement. I felt light-headed all of a sudden, and then I was calm.

All ambient noise was immediately gone. I could not hear anything. My eyes were still open, but I could not blink nor move my eyeball. I could see the old man and the girl talking above me. I could see the roof of his treehouse. I could see the kids gathered around me, dressed up in their halloween costumes. And that’s when I panicked.

The kids were dressed up as characters from my childhood nightmares. One was dressed as the Lord of the Vampires. Another was dressed as The Axe Serial Killer. Another dressed like Freddie Krueger. A small female child came as the Singing Witch.

I tried to stand up, but I could not move. And I realized that I was not breathing. But I felt that there was still a little breath inside of me.

Then the girl pressed her palm on my chest, and the last of my breath escaped from my body.

Immediately after that my point of view changed. My view was now from the window outside the old man’s treehouse looking in. There I could see my body lying down on a mat, the old man and the girl and the horror kids standing around me.

I tried to scream, and found out that I can pass through the walls easily. I made a dive for my body to protect it.

And that’s when I woke up.

My breathing was very shallow, and my pulse rate was very low.

Scary, isn’t it?

I still don’t know what it means.

+ Random Thoughts on my Vacation

"The first thing that I did when I got home after an 8-day vacation abroad was get a one-hour nap followed by a very hearty dinner of pork sinigang."

"Huh? Where did I went on vacation?"

"Singapore, Phuket and Bangkok. Yep, went to all those places in eight days."

"So was it good?"

"Good? Hell, it wasn't good. It was GREAT!"

"Sige nga, kwento ka!"

----------------------

The PLANE RIDE. Trying the budget airline TIGER AIRWAYS for the first time, we departed from Clark International Airport to Changi International Airport in Singapore. The same airline will eventually take us to Phuket, then from Bangkok back to Singapore and finally back in Clark this afternoon.

TIGER AIRWAYS wasn't bad. The planes are brand new A-320s. You can actually smell the newness of the aircraft. Everything is spic and span. The flight attendants were pleasing and charming. But being a budget airline, there were no in-flight entertainment (not even cabin music) nor food. If you get thirsty or hungry, you can BUY it onboard the flight at ridiculous prices. Like a small styro cup of coffee costs 4 SGD (that's about 120 pesos for hot water, a styro cup, and a 3-in-1 sachet) and a can of coke costs 5 SGD. But since the flights were all less than 3 hours, the no-entertainment and no-food/drinks conditions make the flight bearable.

Oh, and another thing: there's no seat assignment for the budget airline. Seats are first-come-first-served, or if you're a true PINOY, you'd reserve seats for all your friends/relatives travelling with you.

Corny Mushy Tidbit

Overheard this exchange of words at a party I attended two weeks ago between a guy and a girl. Girl's about to leave the bar.

Guy: Favor?
Girl: Yes...?
Guy: Take care.

I swear I would have seen a smiley pasted on the guy's face if it wasn't so dim at the bar.

A corny, mushy tidbit. Hahaha.

+ Commendations for my 26th

A couple of days ago I turned 26 years old, but I only realized it now. Hey, I'm not suffering from oldienitis where old people tend to forget their age. I know I am twenty six years old, but I don't feel like it yet. I feel like... twenty two years old hahaha.

So what it is I do that makes me feel four years younger?

Well, it's no secret. I eat healthily. I exercise regularly. I play a lot. I read a lot. I love to travel. I pray. I mingle.

Commendations are due to the following:

My mom and dad, who have been very tolerant and supportive of me: my 9 a.m. daily phone calls just to catch up on the latest news with my family and relatives, my 2 a.m. arrivals after partying almost every weekend, providing me with groceries and lutong-bahay so I won't develop cancer from eating take-out food the whole work-week. Thanks mom/pops.

My kuya Ricky, who's currently based on Jersey, for providing me the replies to tell my parents and siblings whenever there's a family conflict that I need to mediate.

My ate-doktora-Chichay, for giving me the necessary advice for all of my medical predicaments in the last two years, no matter how odd the hour is.

Quito, party dude and bestfriend, and his mom Mrs S, for treating me as part of their family and giving me the necessary occasional reality check. And of course for the late night outs, drinking sessions and parties.

Maqui, my favorite godson, dealing me the necessary dose of innocent happiness (mababaw na kaligayan hahaha).

Marijo, Tintin and Chard, my Manila partners-in-crime, for the shopping trips, gimik plans, weeklong vacations, photo-ops, late-night coffee, and sharing their romance problems with me (always makes for an interesting discussion over coffee).

John, for his tireless attempts to invite me to join our college gang, despite the fact that my schedule's a bit tight, and also his tireless attempt to set-me up with his friends (sablay lang talaga mag-set-up 'tong kaibigan kong 'to) and labelling me as the most eligible bachelor in our group. And also for the frequent tips on what's the latest and hottest game for the PS2 and making the necessary game copy reservation at the retailer.

My airsoft friends for welcoming me in the airsoft community: Jayjay, RG, Papa Gabs, Alex and Roroy (Team RBG), Sid (Team SOE), Mad, Rhichie, Bettina, Nikko, Tin (TMS), the whole of Batangas Airsoft (BATAS) and Mark, Glenn, Jack (Team Zero). Playing with you guys and girls has really been fun.

Again, Mad and Chie for the power-up nights. Wall climbing is my new addiction.

Kaye and Glenn, my buddies at work, for making the exile at our workplace more bearable. Hahahaha... Kaye for my fitness aspect (badminton, yoga, swimming, balanced eating) and Glenn for the passive activities (smoking, drinking, video games, movies).

Chito, for the badminton training, particularly my backhand. From class D to class B/C player, thanks to you.

Ube for the sisterly advice throughout of 2004, even if we were continents apart hahaha.

Hannah, Pin and Carmi, my inspirations in the last two years. =) And Carissa. Sayang talaga... ohwell. Na-torpe kasi ako dati.

Pao and Weng, distant cousin and high school friends, for keeping me in the loop on the wherabouts and what's-up with our high school batch.

Hideo Kojima, for developing and producing Metal Gear Solid 3... the most fantastic game I have ever played in my entire life. Ahihihihihi...

My black and white dwarves. =)

and of course, the Eternal Supreme Being, for giving me the free will to live my life as I see it.

Hope everyone of you will still be with me in the next 364 days.

Friends

My best friend is currently on a 3-month long business trip to Singapore and Hongkong.

My favorite lady-friend is currently in Singapore on vacation with her family.

My next favorite lady-friend is on a tour of Europe.

My preferred video game buddy is on a diving tour in some exotic Pacific island whose name I can't recall.

My first ex-girlfriend, who just got back from Australia, is in Davao tending to her father's business.

My favorite comic-punchline kind of friend is currently addicted over photography, and he's been taking photography lessons. He's currently busy with his new hobby and is unreachable at the moment.

My airsoft friends can only play Saturdays, while I can only play on Sundays.

My male officemate-slash-friend has been a bit anti-social recently, and I'm not really sure why and how long he'll be like that.

My female officemate-slash-friend is currently enjoying the sea, sand and sun of the glorious beaches of Boracay.

Drat... it's getting a bit lonely suddenly. Good thing my PS2 can keep me company anytime. Can't wait for everybody to get back.

Read, Listen, Play

READ:

Most awesome read in the last 30 days --- Dragons of Summer Flame. The team-up between the descendants of my favorite characters in the Dragonlance Chronicles, white mage Palin Majere (son of Camaron, nephew of Raistlin) and dark knight Steel Brightblade (son of Sturm Brightblade), is definitely the best that I've read in any fantasy book. The book is a great follow-up on the combined stories of the Dragonlance Legends Trilogy and Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy. The gripping plot, fantastic storytelling and powerful imagery used in this 350+ page book allowed me to finish it in less than 36 hours.

Current read --- Quicksilver, by Neal Stephenson. I picked up this book last weekend while browsing through a local bookstore. I'm a sucker for a bookstore's "featured book", and I usually buy them after being satisfied with the critic reviews on the book cover and flyleaf.

Quicksilver is the first book in an epic trilogy set in 1600-1700s. I'm only into the first 90 pages or so, I've no idea of what the book is all about yet (I'm guessing it's related to alchemy), but I've already met Isaac Newton. What's holding my interest at the moment is that I get to read (and imagine) the human side of famous brains like Newton, Euclid (geometry), Leibniz (calculus) --- people termed as Natural Philosophers.

Okay, okay... it's a bit of high-interest-material for nerds as of the moment. I'm hoping that there'll be some development later on in the book to make it qualify for general patronage. Otherwise, I wasted 1200 pesos on it.

LISTEN:

Maroon5 - Songs for Jane. Two songs on my last-song-syndrome playlist: (1) Harder to Breathe and (2) This Love.

PLAY:

Badminton thrice a week. My backhand cross-court drop shot is definitely improving. Wall-climbing once a week. Gonna buy climbing shoes by next week. I believe that I'll get a +5 rating for my agility and dexterity, and a +2 rating on my form (hahahaha!). Playstation2 every night. Just finished Growlanser Generations 2, and I'll move on to Generations3 next week for my PS2 gaming.

It's Friday, wahooo!

Laugh a Little

Need a laugh? This might do it.

http://www.funpic.hu/swf/numanuma.html

Ma-ia-hiii... Ma-ia-huu... Ma-ia-hoo... Ma-ia-ha ha!

+ Friday Hilarity

Officially, January 7th was the first hilarious day of my life for 2005.

I was having a nightcap with some of my airsoft friends at Starbucks in Metrowalk. It took me some time to decide what to have. By the time I was ready to order, everybody else were seated at our table outside sipping on their drinks while exchanging stories and jokes.

I was telling the barrista that my hot chocolate will be a size "Tall" when I felt a hand squeeze my ass. Hard. "What the...?" I jumped in surprise!

I turned around quickly to blabber something like "Did you just do that?", with a matching stern look on my face, to the person behind me. Lo! The person behind me was a girl. Pretty cute one if I admit so myself.

Silent mental talk to myself: "Okay. She's cute. If she did it, I'd be flattered." "If she did it though, it's still an inappropriate thing to do." "Should I say, 'Did you just do that?'" or "'What the hell...'".

Then my peripheral vision caught sight of a familiar shine from a bald head. Now there's the culprit: Rhichie Brown. And he's got that unmistakable smile of someone who just did a naughty thing.

Being the good (but mischievous/funny) person he is, he readily admitted that he pulled the joke on me. Afterwards, he introduced me to the lady behind me. (Yikes! Good thing I didn't try to get fresh on her.) She turned out to be Rhichie's friend and guest for that night. After getting our drinks, we made a beeline back outside to join the rest of the group.

He made a fool of me once that night, but it could have been worse. He could have made a fool of me three time over that night.

Nevertheless, it was a hilarious incident.

Ninety six thousand two hundred twelve...

... that's how much I spent in pesos in 2004 on gasoline, lubricants and periodic car maintenance.

Drat... I've been on the road too much. But I've no regrets. It means I travelled a lot in the past year. I've a lot of pictures and souvenirs to prove it. Best proof of all: I gained a lot of acquaintances.

Funny thing is... I work for an oil company and here I am complaining of high fuel prices.

Battling New Year's Resolutions

A lot of people undergo the practice of creating new year's resolutions for themselves. We hear the usual litany of going on a diet, quitting smoking, drinking less, being a one man/woman person, excelling in their studies or jobs, spending less on shopping --- the resolutions are focused on being a better person than they were in the year that has passed. Some seem to write it on water, for no sooner than a few days they have managed to demote their self-esteem to low levels by breaking their resolutions. Others have a determination with a glow of a burning candle and trace their resolves on sand, but they can only hold out for a certain length of time until the wind blows and snuffs the candle out and shifts the sand. A select few manage to cast their resolutions on stone with great effort and determination. If they don't die in the process (I know one person who died of a diabetic shock because she went on a diet and she didn't know she was a diabetic), they emerge triumphant.

Making and accomplishing New Year's resolutions is a war in itself. It's like a fortified medieval superpower where individuals who make resolutions are the battlefield tacticians and generals. It is not an easy conquest: many have tried, but few have succeeded.

And I am not among those who make New Year's resolutions. I'm no war general.