Lazy Baguio weekend

I went up to Baguio during the weekend. The trip was planned weeks ago, but suddenly - no one was going - except me and John.

So, what do you do when the head count = 2? We found the best thing to do was - sleep and eat. Hmmm, come to think of it, I never really knew you could do that much sleeping and eating in Baguio.

The moment we arrived, we slept. I woke up earlier than John, so I took a walk down Session road, took a sniff of the Baguio air, sensed the locals as well as the people on vacation.

I went back to the inn to find John still - asleep. I shook him awake before we start to look pathetic (yeah, considering we just arrived!). We walked to Cafe by the Ruins to have lunch - at 230 pm already.

Realizing we both had to do Number Two, we hurried back to the inn. (Well, we stopped over a travel agency on the way; John had to buy his ticket for Bacolod. Yup, one sensible thing we did!)

And then we slept.

And woke up at 9pm.

Can you imagine anything or anyone so lazy???

We went out to have dinner at Nevada Square. Gasp! Cafe et Biscotti wasn't there anymore. BrewYard was closed. Gaaaaddd. Where are the cool places I used to go to? We had dinner at this new grillery resto. The food sucked.

Right after that horrible dinner, we decided to bar-hop. Well, at least do something significant with our lives. As Maiete suggested, we tried Salud Bistro.

When we got there, no one was there. I looked at my watch. Gasp! It was already 11pm (rolling my eyes). Shyet. This early and no one around.

We went to Legarda St., where Gimbals is. Kids, kids, and more kids. Stuffy room, long line outside. We hopped to Alberto's, where a band was playing. We sat down for a while. I ask John, exasperated: Where are all the beautiful people????

Gaaad.

We left Alberto's and walked around. Finally, we gave up. Nothing to see, nothing to do.

John was already feeling awful. Yep, he was sick.

We went back to the inn. Turned on the TV...ate Oreos and Kornets. Fell asleep. Again.

Woke up late the next day. Auuuggggh!!! Am supposed to meet mom somewhere. Yup, she was in Baguio, too, with friends.

I left John. He really really looked awful. His fever was still burning.

I went around town - met mom, bought pasalubongs and bilins. Muni-muni while walking, as Neil would say.

And John, poor boy, was left at the inn. He only got up when it was time to leave for Manila.

Hmmm. It was a different kinda adventure.

=)

Best wishes, dear friend

It took all of my willpower to stop the tears about to flow down my face.

The moment I saw you in that wedding dress - beautiful, glowing, most of all, peaceful - a mix of emotions came over me. I was seized with sadness, joy, anxiety, security, fear, relief.

I tried to remember the first time I saw you that beautiful, shining. Ah, we were nine then. It was our class Christmas party. You were in this pink two-piece dress. You had on white stockings (yeah, white stockings were in, I had a pair on, too). We were dancing in a circle, laughing, smiling - the simple joys of childhood that made us feel we were on top of the world.

Next. We were 11. It was a formal school affair. We were both in white. Dancing with those boys. Trying hard to look demure; the sides of our lips almost about to break from trying hard not to laugh.

And then we were 14. You had that certain je ne sais quois. Aaah. It was that boy. Made my stomach queasy every time he broke your heart.

At 16, we learned to put on make up (well, lipstick). It was the start of a series of beauty tips and regimens in sleepover sessions.

A blast from the past made our bond stronger. The love you found was that boy who irritated me to no end when I was five. We were 17.

We moved on to the real world. It was a meaningful move. It led us to search...forever going on trips to seek what the world offered us; endless coffee conversations; sleepless sleepovers.

It was there that you found the man you are to marry.

My stomach turns queasy again. It's time for me to walk. The wedding coordinator calls my attention. Walk now, she says. Walk slowly. I nod.

I turn to you. There you are - beautiful, glowing, peaceful.

Before I start to walk, I blow you a kiss.

Surprisingly, the queasiness disappeared. I start to walk down the aisle, towards the altar. As I do, I look up to Him and ask Him to watch over you.

As I reach the podium and wait for you, I look at you. Silently I wish you the best. With all the love I have for you.

Spacing out

Yeah. For an hour now just staring off space thinking about nothing oh something the dots on the ceiling what are those?

God. Wouldn't it be nice to just do nothing think nothing feel nothing but something feels like something like exhaustion and something like dread and i don't like it at all.

Now. Have to go back to work no go back to studying no go back to staring off space oh shit i can't make a bright decision help me God.

Am one lucky git, did you know that?

Amid all the crisis and stress going on in my life, I have the thing I needed most, and the person I need most.

Neil, and his understanding.

Salamat, mahal.

Thank you... =)

John, for the bits of wisdom you share.

Death Be Not Proud!

I feel I'm going to die this week.

Try having these in one week:

1. Three major major major papers for school.
   
2. Study for MA finals (Saturday, October 19th).
   
3. Work.
   
   
   
   • Multitask (servicing three business units and the company e-zine ain't a joke)
     
   • Think fast and be creative (writing has never been this stressful)
     
   
   
   
4. Prepare for Ginny's shower.
   
5. Look for a place for Neil.
   
6. Figure out what's up with Rex and Melvin.
   
7. Have underarms waxed, eyebrows threaded, and a facial (hey, all necessary! all for Ginny's wedding.)
   
8. Finals on Saturday.
   
9. Ginny's wedding on Sunday.
   
10. Live.
    
    

Aaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

I cannot die this week.

I will try not to.

Death, be not proud.

The quarter-life crisis

Read on...and relate. =)

They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis." It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now. You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you do not realize is that they are realizing that too and are not really cold or catty or mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you are.

You look at your job. It is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for one, and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and are scared.

You miss the comforts of college, of groups, of socializing with the same people on a constant basis. But then you realize that maybe they weren't so great after all. You are beginning to understand yourself and what you want and do not want. Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging a bit more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and add things to your list of what is acceptable and what is not. You are insecure and then secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused.

Suddenly change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. You love someone but maybe love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you are not a bad person. One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap and getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic.

You go through the same emotions and questions over and over and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about loans and money and the future and making a life for yourself and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out. We are making a lot of mistakes, but helping one another learn from them and reaching out to pull one another up. We are not the shiniest group of people, but we are very much a circle. We are there for one another and will listen and grow for the rest of our lives. We will piss one another off, but we will also heal one another's hearts. We are the group who sometimes doesn't need words but will laugh at the end of a conversation that started with angry words.

I don't know where this came from, but when I read it, I was awed.

It spoke about me.

Neil

Thank you, love.

Neil

You know the first signs of daybreak, when the sun starts to peep? And you take comfort knowing that darkness will soon be light?

That's what you do to me.

Neil

My reason.

Stop the world!

Yeah, I wish! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Have so much to do.

Hmm, can't get enough of these quizzes. I am also...

I am...

Which Disney Princess are you?

Dozo

This was one Japanese word I appreciated so much during my trip to Japan last week (or was it two weeks ago already? Ack! This shows how much time I can spare for myself after that trip). It means "please". As in, "please have a seat", "please enjoy the tour", "please take your time", and my favorite - "please have some more!" (of sushi and beer).

Weeks before the trip, I was forever being nagged by mom. Have you done this and that, have you bought this and that, have you prepared your stuff, etc etc. Days before the trip I was literally being harassed by mom already. You can just imagine my stress, all the way to the airport where she saw me off. Good thing Neil was there, too; he somehow calmed my nerves. So there I was, in the airport, trying to calm myself down from all the mudra stress. And then suddenly, I learn that somehow we've been bumped off from economy to business class. Yay! Things were looking up.

Irashaimase

Welcome, it says. That's the small poster Komiko (we didn't know her then) was holding up. Nanao (an official; and soon my foster father) was there, shaking hands with all of us "Ah, it's you again!" and nodding and bowing. We were led to the Nanbu bus (we had the whole bus to ourselves - party of nine, plus about five Japanese guys). Immediately Nanao began offering us food and drinks. The first thing he offered me was Asahi. What's that? I say. Ah, it's Asahi, he replies. Just like your San(g) Miguer beer!

All right! I've just landed and they offer me beer. Hmmm. Things were definitely looking up.

Remember me?

Arrived in Gonohe, Aomori the next day (yeah, ten-hour bus trip from Tokyo to Aomori. Unfortunately, bullet train under construction.). As soon as we got off the bus, Yonenuma-san surprises me with a hug and says, "Remember me?" And I nod profusely and say, "Hai...hai!" Yes I definitely remember this woman. She was this overly courteous woman who'd cry over the simplest things that touched her heart. She is Kazumi's (exchange student) mom.

We were led to our rooms. While settling down, Yukiko-san, wife of Nanao, knocked on our door. She introduced herself. Ah, she was still forever polite (being the wife of a respected man, perhaps, and the daughter-in-law of the former mayor). You will stay with us tomorrow night, she says to me. Hai, hai! I say, and smile and bow.

The Wercome Party

Wow. They definitely prepared for the welcome party. All municipal officials were there. The party was full of speeches, but they also filled us up with food. Yonenuma-san (this is her family name; I have forgotten her first name!) and Yukiko were at the buffet table, pointing the food to us and identifying which ones were which.

A group of string performers serenaded us. It was an interesting group; it covered all ages! I'm betting the youngest was around 4 or 5, and the maestro, who did a solo, was around 65.

The official beside me offered me sake, and I gratefully accepted. Whoa! Tastes like Tequila, but better. We were making small talk. Suddenly he asks, you're a writer? Hai, hai, I reply (as I always do). And then he says, what is your genre? Whoa! I didn't expect that. Hehe!

The only thing that ruined the night was the presence of this sleazy Americain. He claims he's an interpreter. Duh! He flirts like crazy. As if he was overly gorgeous?! And he had a (Japanese) wife, a three-year-old daughter, and a four-month-old in his wife's belly. He was disgusting.

Barbecue Party

Hmmm. This entry is starting to have too many "party" words in it.

The Kawasakis (Nanao and Yukiko) hosted a barbecue party at their garden house (sort of a resthouse, with lotsa trees and a small pond at the back). It was still early in the evening, and I was already juggling three drinks: asahi, red wine, and something like Cali (from Kazumi) which they called a lady's drink.

The feast was fantastic. We had fish, ika, katsu, beef, scallops, shiitake, onions barbecued...and yaki soba stir fried - all right in front of us.

I thought it would never end! The barbecue went on for hours. The men were getting drunk, and I could see my tito taking off his longsleeves (gasp! the undershirt), and rolling up his pants (gasp! magsasaka na sya).

The Festival

We were fortunate enough to have visited the town during its festival (that's fiesta for us). We were dressed in (ordinary) kimonos, and we helped pull the majestic floats. By the end of the afternoon I was so tired, I wanted to drink beer again.

After the festival, our foster parents took us home. My oba-san (grandmother) was very excited when we arrived; she wanted to dress us up in formal kimono wear. After dinner (dinner was at the local bazaar/fair, where tiangges stood), we went home, where oba-san was waiting.

Kimono beauties

One gruelling hour of dressing us up. Layers and layers of kimono clothing! I was dressed in a green kimono robe.

After taking pictures of moi in kimono wear, the whole family posed for a portrait. Oba-san was one with the biggest smile, of course.

Pity I wasn't given the kimono. So regal. Sigh.

Lake Towada

A one and a half-hour ride from Gonohe brings us to Towada City, where Lake Towada is located. A beautiful and peaceful lake, where shops, restaurants, and a Shinto Temple can be found on one end, and on the other end, more shops.

Unfortunately I finished up all my films, so I had to buy there. A whopping Y830 (that's about P350 here) for a 36-shot film. Aaarrgggh.

Sayonara

The sayonara party was more formal than the welcome party. Speeches, speeches and more speeches...and of course, gifts exchange. More beer and hot sake for us, of course.

When it was time to say goodbye, our friends assured us they'd be sending us off the next day anyway, so we'll be seeing each other.

The night was still early, and we had nothing to do. The girls took a walk (at 930pm). We reached Mini Stop, the nearest establishment (5kms from the International Center where we came from). We walked another 5km home. When we reached the center, the elders were friggin mad at us for having wandered. Whatever!

Tokyo, Tokyo

Our friends were in the center very early in the morning to send us off. Fighting the urge to break down, as I hugged my oka-san and the other peeps who made our stay great.

Called Neil on the highway to Tokyo (lunch break).

Arrived in Tokyo late afternoon. Visited temples. Dinner (food again?!). Didn't have time to shop for electronics anymore (my biggest frustration; was in a very bad mood the rest of the night).

Surprise

What do you know - while fixing my stuff for the flight back home, I found an envelope in one of the gifts I got - an additional Y5000 from my oto-san (father). It said on the envelope: "for Tokyo". Sniff. Such generous souls.

Before I left Gonohe, my oka-san said to me, teary-eyed, "I hope someday you will write about Gonohe and Japan"...and I promised her I would. This is not it. There is too much to tell! =)

Yup. That was one great week.

I'm baaaacccckkk!!!!

Whew! One whole week of sushi and sake and kirin. I swear I gained a hundred pounds more!

That was one great week I spent. =)

[More entries later. Work mode!]

Lazy Weekend

Oh, yes it is! Was just lounging around the whole day. Except when I went out with Neil to purchase his 128MB memory stick, and dinner at Congo Grille, where we lazily watched people.

Yeah, people-watching. The long table beside us was filled with pretty girls and boys. They were in pairs. The girls thin and beautiful, the boys lean and cute. Neil and I were amused just watching them. The table behind me seated four women. Friends catching up on each others' lives - this I could tell from their endless, excited chatter. And the other long table on Neil's right. Yeah, that was interesting. I was transfixed on this girl who I thought would pair great with Neil. The girl had on a feminine floral yellow top, a nice reserved smile, perfect eyebrows. She had a small, humble-looking face. And she had a hanky in front of her. I told Neil, and he just laughed it off. He didn't think I was sincere. He didn't believe me.

Tomorrow (no, that's today) is kikay day. Been dying to get a manicure (and pedicure) for two weeks now. Yay! Finally.

Aaah. I wish it were a three-day weekend.

CONGRATULATIONS, RUTH!!!

Yeah!!! OT girl!!!! See, told you you'd make it. =) Am soo proud of you [I am - tears stung my eyes when I read about the news...so much like your momma, huh. Hehe]

Now get your butt over here so we can celebrate.

[Ruth is one of my best friends. She has just passed the OT board exams. Smart, sexy, pretty, and nice woman she is - for those who want to date her...Hehehehe (she'll kill me; am doing a shameless plug of her, hehehe)!]

Finis!

The two-week long stress over work, school...my whole life, actually - it's over!!! Yay!

[Yeah, and it'll start again next week. ;p]

Seriously. The past two weeks have unbelievably been stressful. Seems I've been losing my organizational skills. What with a pda, a phone with a calendar, an actual calendar sitting right in front of me on my office desk - and I couldn't seem to schedule my tasks properly! [And couldn't even get myself to blog, even just to rant...]

Today is the day I've been looking forward all week - supposed to have finished everything that needs to be done.

And I did!

And though I can feel the fatigue seeping in, I just have to blog to let out my relief. =)

Intense as hell

Yup. This week, and last week. I don't know how work, school, and my personal life can hit me all at the same time.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

And though I'm about to break [down], I don't want to whine. I got myself into this anyway.

Okay. Give me at least space to *sigh*.