Save Ferris on MTV

I just saw Save Ferris' music video for their take on Come On Eileen this morning. I don't know if it's a good thing but at least more people are appreciating this band to whom I was introduced by the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. It may have been a mediocre (albeit loads of fun) movie, but it introduced me to Letters to Cleo and Save Ferris. I thought Letters to Cleo's songs (frontgirl Kaye Hanlon) were edgier, more raw (indie chick bands rule!), but I ended up liking Save Ferris more because they were more fun.

Yes, I admit it, though ska is almost dead, I like a ska band. Come to think of it, I like ska in general. I think it's very uplifting. I liked the Mighty Mighty Boss Tones and the Brownbeat All Stars, I kind of like Jeepney Joyride (although I won't admit it to their lead vocalist who's my officemate), I like No Doubt (although theirs is a fusion of different types of music, but Spiderwebs was a different story). But I think I like Save Ferris the most because they can make a thoroughly nonsensical song (take Spam: "Spam, it's pink and it's oval/Spam, I buy it at the Mobil/Spam, it's made in Chernobyl/Spam") and make it grooohveh babeh! And songs about shitty lovers (take "Lies" and "Goodbye") make you smile and bop around. Cute.

Finally. Maybe I like them the most because of total big-boned babe Monique Powell. Ahhhh. Sweet.

use and abuse

Wife-beating, marital rape, domestic abuse--all forms of violence towards women. Women are constantly perceived as the weaker sex because they are physically weaker, but I believe that in most other aspects, we of the fairer sex can hold our own against men. Take our tolerance for pain and how we can birth 9.9lb babies through normal (non-Caesarian) methods.

In fact, I think it is partly due to this high tolerance for pain that some women can take so much from the men that they love--so much verbal and emotional abuse, even to the point of physical abuse.

I can never imagine being laid a hand upon in anger by a man. I was not brought up that way: my father, though far from perfect, was always a gentleman. My father's temper can flare horribly, but this never boils over to the point of him hurting my mother or any of his daughters. In fact, he has always said that if our husbands would just hurt us, they should just return us to him and Mommy who loved us totally. Kris Aquino also mentioned this in her interview--apparently it's a well-worn line among Filipino families. She has put a face on violence towards women, an unlikely champion, but there are countless more like her who have kept decidedly silent. To put it bluntly, I'm really not concerned about her. She has a powerful and immense support network (double-meaning intended); most women do not.

There are so many stories of battered women leaving their husbands but being so easily won over by renewed courtship and constant promises, only to have their beating at the hands of their husband repeated, if not aggravated. When an incident of this nature hit close to home (too close to home if you ask me), I could not take it. This should not deteriorate into a vicious cycle of hurting and then wooing, which only tends to escalate. Some people are still hoping that things will work out alright for all marriages, and of course I know that marriage is sacred and all that what-God-has-put-together stuff, but there is a line between sacrifice and abuse, and when that line is crossed, I don't think that even God can say that they should still be together.

There are many factors for the prevalence of this problem. It could be genetic, the predisposition to violence. We might blame the parents, for bringing up their sons with a tendency to be violent to women and to treat women like objects or their property. We might blame society for putting a premium on males and coddling them. We might even blame the wives for putting up with their husbands' crap. The main problem, though, in these situations and the aggravation of these situations lie usually in the man not respecting the woman.

Marriage counseling could be suggested, but in these cases, I think that the couples should really live apart for the time being. I don't think a person can change overnight (call me cynical), and if a man's behavior is ingrained enough for him to be able to hurt his wife, then that's definitely going to take some time to undo. For victims in this case, legal and emotional counselling must be undertaken. But more importantly, I think it is the abuser who needs help.

The victims, meanwhile, need someone to run to--they need to have a choice, an alternative to living with their husband, especially if they are non-income earners; and because of this, I'm glad that there are various support groups and crisis centers, because not every daughter can go running back to her parents. But they should be looking at less temporary solutions and more importantly gain confidence in themselves as people, and achieve that level of respect in themselves that their husbands rejected and doused with their abuse.

UNIFEM lists Philippine organizations addressing Violence Against Women here.

---

Posted to riannesravings@yahoogroups.com

Accumulation

Somehow, the emails in my Inbox accumulate to staggering levels. After a long, staggered testing and implementation of one major project, I was shocked to see that my Inbox had ballooned from zero (unfortunate mailbox deletion incident) to 1,300 messages! Where did all these messages come from?! I was stunned. I went about doing some spring cleaning; in three weeks I had the number down to 400. I could breathe easily, somewhat. Yup, somewhat is the operative word there. Of course I stopped doing religious housekeeping and now the number is back up to 900. Fabulous!

2am Sunday at the office

There is something terribly wrong with this picture.

I am selling out to corporate hell.

Something that I have promised I would never do.

Glurrg brrrg hfggg

Sorry, that was me with my foot in my mouth.

six

six minutes to the office again
5:51 to 5:57am
are rushing month-end reports in time for the integration with the "acquired" company

five
The Friday Five. Decided to answer an old Five since Heather didn't have a topic for this week.
1. When was the last time you laughed?
A few minutes ago while talking about Kris and Joey and Estehdies (hehehe). Bisaya man gid!
2. Who was the last person you had an argument with?
My mom. Nothing unusual there.
3. Who was the last person you emailed?
The PinoySlayer mailing list. Specific person? Ms. Vangie of our Agency Accounting.
4. When was the last time you bathed?
This morning. Wow, is this a trick question?
5. What was the last thing you ate?
Becky's Kitchen caramel cake. Yum!

four
four points
La Salle defeats Ateneo by four points to force a rubber match for the right to face FEU for the championship. Even without Mac Cardona. Even if Gerwin Gaco (not to be confused with Gerwin Co, hehe) threw an elbow and LA Tenorio retaliated with a sneaky punch. Even if Ryan Arana and Magnum Membrere were ejected after a rumble that stopped the game for 15 minutes. Read about the game and the ensuing free-for-all here. Great going Joseph Yeo!

three
plus thirty-six equals thirty-nine vehicles
39 vehicles' tires were punctured when pranksters scattered iron spikes across a busy portion of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue in Mandaluyong yesterday. No wonder so many officemates were complaining of the traffic. They were reportedly scattered by two men on a motorcycle a little after 8am. The things people do! And you don't even know why they do them. Is it merely on a whim? Do they deliberately want to cause suffering to their fellow men? Is it part of a plot to overthrow the government? I can't take some people sometimes.

two
two smelly men
I caught a whiff of two smelly men yesterday on different occasions. Am particularly sensitive to vile smells and I get nauseous easily. First smelly man had a bad case of body odor. Okay actually I can take that as long as it's just a whiff, until around 5 seconds' worth. After that I'd have to bring out my cologne to neutralize the odor. Second guy just plain smelled musty. Could have (a) really weird perfume; (b) been stuffed in a closet for a long time; or (c) been actually dead at some point in time. He walked past me by the Claims department smelling weirdly moldy. Not that he was all that spiffy-looking either. [ Am so bad! :( ]

It's not that I'm being all high-and-mighty and everything. Heaven knows I start to emit my own odors after a couple of hours of badminton. Of course I also get disgusted with myself and have to take a heavy-duty bath. It's just... my olfactory nerves are really really sensitive. Although long hours with the dogs might have numbed them a bit to dog-odor and I can enter Tetra pet shop without having to cover my nose. Teehee.

one
one deliciously evil Willow
and one surprise episode ending
Willow was still on the war-path last night, with the much awaited battle between the Slayer and her best friend-turned-evil witch pretty much laying waste to the Magic Box. It was tremendously enjoyable, with some noteworthy parts being (with some commentary):

• The "previously"s showed practically the whole season (in fact, Xander says, "This is what happened this year.") and it's too much to list down here. As in the whole season.
  
• Hehehe. Sarah Michelle Gellar doesn't really look like she can run Slayer-fast.
  
• Willow's tongue-in-cheek threat to turn Dawnie back into a mystical ball of energy (which she was supposed to have been before Season 5, when some elders turned her into Buffy's sister for her to protect).
  
• Anya and Xander's exchange at the Magic Box while trying to decipher some ancient Babylonian protection spell. Anya says that it's all Xander's fault, and Xander goes on about how he should have stopped Warren because he saw he had the gun, and then Tara wouldn't have died and Willow gone all berserk, and then Anya says quietly, "I was talking about us." Hehe.
  
• The Slayer-Wiccan fight was a little weird. Maybe because they're both so thin and kept flying into furniture. Funny taunting though. I relish all of Black Willow's quips, they're so refreshing! And she knows how to insult her fellow Scoobies because she's knows them so much. If only she weren't out to destroy the world, I'd actually be rooting for her a bit.
  
• Jonathan's conscience starting to show. He was always a disturbed, lost child, like a few seasons back when he magically changed the history of Sunnydale so that he was the superhero and the most popular guy on campus. But he was also remorseful about that, and it seems that remorse is also getting the better of him now (including the fact that Warren and Andrew were supposed to turn on him and leave him to face all the blame).
  
• Spike is off in Africa (?) trying to get the chip out of his head, seeking the help of this mystical shaman-like creature. The creature says he has to pass a test, a duel to the death with this guy with flaming fists. Poor Spike gets all battered and burned, including one time when he actually catches one of the flaming fists in his own hand ("Bad move, bad move," he tells himself), but eventually jumps flaming-fists dude and breaks his neck. And then he finds out that it's just the first test. Haha. Poor bugger-ing Spike.
  
• And the surprise ending! Giles is back! His "Special Guest Star" credit was at the end and not in the beginning meaning Joss & Co. really meant to surprise. Black Willow (I really like the sound of that, sounds like Black Widow) has knocked Buffy and Anya to the ground and says, "There's no one in the world with the power to stop me now," when she is suddenly struck in the back with some mystical energy. "I'd like to test that theory," says Giles, standing in the doorway. Woohoo! The G-man is back. He was sorely missed. Looking good too in black and with no glasses.

Am eagerly awaiting next week's last episode.

of mothers, whiners, commentsand little gestures

Got the Kris Aquino TV Patrol transcript. Thrice. All text, that thing's 30kB. One version was sent with pictures. Anyway, despite my growing distaste for all coverages mentioning Joey or Kris, I scanned through it, voracious as I am for information especially in the form of the written word (emails count as written word, right?). I saw a little gem.

Kris Aquino told Korina Sanchez, "Joey used to talk about unconditional love. It's only my mom who has ever given me unconditional love. I have hurt my mother more than any other human being, I disappointed her so many times. And yet nandyan siya para sa 'kin (she's there for me)."

I felt tears welling in my eyes when I read that part of the transcript (I didn't watch the interview, I was fast asleep). This is so true. My mother has always loved me unconditionally, even when I didn't love myself. True, she's disappointed often and always has a bit of constructive criticism (ALWAYS), but as far as unconditional love goes, she's the best. So are my dad and (sometimes) my sisters but my it shows the most in my Mommy.

More so about former President Cory. She has gone through so much--her husband being assassinated, thrust into the Presidency, coup attempts, and, yes, Kris' showbiz career, single parenthood and incorrigibility--and she has been like a rock through all this. After this current fiasco, mother that she is, she has no recourse but to accept her prodigal daughter. It is her task as a mother to do so. She takes it a step further by doing so lovingly and without public reproach, so unlike the approach her youngest daughter has always taken. Be thankful, Kris Aquino.
__________

Shite, I swear I was a total whiner earlier today. It's a slack period for me (been so the past few days because my other major project has been put on hold), and my boss said the other unit in the Tektite building in Ortigas could use some help, since majority of my work will be coming in tomorrow after monthly processing. I had so many comments like, "Aw, I wish I had worn pants... (hard to commute to Ortigas)" "Am I going there alone?" and "It really can't wait?" Haha! Was really bad! I hope she won't take it against me, but Ortigas is really outside my comfort zone, especially when I'm wearing a sissy office uniform and pumps, with no car and a latent phobia of riding alone in Metro Manila taxicabs.

Well, a problem came up with one of our HK-based systems, which I am still handling too, and I gladly had to stay and iron it out first. I sure hope this doesn't affect my Performance Appraisal adversely. Bad timing. I could really have gone if I were prepared for it, but as this was, with hassle this morning because I overslept, I didn't want to subject myself to what I was expecting to be torture. And it's freaking raining! Really good thing I didn't have to go after all. After whining and everything.

Whine whine whine.
__________

Removed HaloScan first. It was taking too much time to load -- compared loading time to chingco a.k.a. Random Thoughts here and this site was lagging big time. Maybe it's not the time for comments yet. Teehee.
__________

One manager on our floor had a hard time getting pregnant, and when she was finally pregnant for the first time at 38, it was a difficult pregnancy. On her birthday this year, which was the same birthday as my sister, I gave her a mass card for thanksgiving and a safe pregnancy. She thanked me through email, saying that although she wasn't Catholic (something I hadn't counted on), she still really appreciated the gesture. She thanked me twice more after that, but that was that. She had this friction with some of the older staff that we hung out with, and I didn't get to talk to her much after that. Funny, I just got invited to her daughter's dedication. And I'm tremendously honored. I know that dedications/baptisms are special events in a parent's life and I'm glad that I was invited to take part in this one, even if I'm not a godparent or anything. It's amazing how a little thing, easily forgotten, can have such an effect.
__________

Sometimes I just really want to go outside because it's so dreary in the office. Even if it's raining, as it is today. At least I'll have access to windows in our new office--one of the few things it has going for it.
__________

On the radio: Runaway again!?! Feck.

casablanca

What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?

The one that best represents mine is:

"You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss". Your romance is Casablanca. A classic story of love in trying times, chock full of both cynicism and hope. You obviously believe in true love, but you're also constantly aware of practicality and societal expectations. That's not always fun, but at least it's realistic. Try not to let the Nazis get you down too much.

Take the quiz!
brought to you by Quizilla

Sept. 21

[shout-out to dear Joelito, who celebrated his 2-th birthday last Sunday, Sept. 21, the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law; well Martial Law had already been declared a *few* years when he was born]

delayed post. i forgot i had saved this as a draft message last Sunday.

Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law 32 years ago today. I wasn't born at that time but there was always a radical streak in me, and when I was in high school, I devoured books like Jose F. Lacaba's "Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage" and Lualhati Bautista's "Dekada '70", recently made into an award-winning movie by Star Cinema. We were young then, and idealistic, myself more than most. We were riding on the tail-end of People Power and everything seemed right in the world.

Sept. 21, although the birthday of a dear friend, always serves as a reminder for me that people can be megalomanic and immoral, that they can visit upon their fellow men indescribable pain and suffering in their own pursuit of power. The Marcos story is the story of a brilliant man gone bad, and it should never be repeated. I had hoped to be a vanguard, a sentinel watching for abuses in government and injustice in the Philippines. Of course, that all went for naught.

I have turned an apathetic leaf and what mostly is a blind eye to what is happening in the country nowadays. I have become more engrossed in eking out a living and losing weight, in Buffy and CSI. But I still watch the pulse of the nation. And what I see, frankly, scares me.

People are forgetful. And it takes so much to break the Filipino people's proverbial camel's back. The Filipino people have become inured to suffering, corruption, and crime. A suspected murderer is gunning to become the next President. Bank robberies and kidnappings are on the rise, chalked up, nonchalantly, to the fact that elections are coming up next year. And the dictator's daughter is making what may very well be a successful bid for a Senate position. People are forgetful.

There are our politicians, more traditional than other, for whom public service is business and public relations. There is Raul Roco, not popular but probably the best candidate for President in the next elections. There is Kiko Pangilinan, senator, husband of the megastar, who may be the next big thing--is he really as non-traditional as he seems? There are Teddy Casino and Argee Guevara, the middle-class leaders of nationalistic left-leaning movements, some of whose battles I find ill-conceived and bordering on quixotic.

And then, there is me. I just write here, comfortable with my higher-than-average(-but-not-high-enough) wages, free internet and SkyCable, telling myself that one more person will not make a difference. Life is good... but for how long, I wonder?

One man with a dream, at pleasure,
Shall go forth and conquer a crown;
And three with a new song's measure
Can trample an empire down.

from Ode by Arthur O'Shaughnessy

---

Sorry, I said that I wouldn't write about Filipino politics anymore, unless it affected me. Well, this affected me.

now playing

on the radio (88.3)
The Corrs' Runaway
an acoustic version

i heard it fully for the first time in a little Kia CD5 with a Sony CD changer.

five and a half years ago i thought it was going to be my wedding song.

oh well. life goes on.

talk of the town

My sister was ready to file for libel/slander last night. The news broke that there was a leakage in the mercantile law section of the bar exams and Ateneo was being singled out. Nins was fuming because she headed the mercantile law bar ops for Ateneo and only two of their tips actually did resemble the questions. She was eagerly awaiting the news last night but the bar leakage coverage (which didn't mention Ateneo in the newscasts--goodbye Nins' planned lawsuit) had to take the backseat to an issue of greater national importance:

Kris Aquino, talk show host, erstwhile First Daughter and toast of tactless mavens everywhere, filed a blotter complaint on her lover, Parañaque mayor Joey Marquez for allegedly hurting her during a violent fight and pointing a loaded and cocked gun at her, allegations that could destroy his supposed bid to run for congressman in the next elections. Read about it at the Philippine Star. It's all over town. The networks had a heyday this morning doing man-on-the-street interviews and getting the people's side.

All in all though, why should we *freaking* care? People at PACER in Camp Crame were right... this is a barangay-level complaint. And -whoa!- Kris already had her lawyers with her. Although Kris is indeed a public figure (one of THE most public figures, baring her private life constantly), I don't think this is a headline-worthy incident. Besides, I could never sympathize with Kris because she was always hooking up with married -albeit separated- men. First, Philip Salvador, with whom she has a lovechild, and because of whom she had a rift with her mother, former President Corazon Aquino. And then the mayor, newly-separated from former sexpot Alma Moreno, a liaison that alienated both her mother and her only brother.

If it's all for show, then shame on her tactless arse! But I don't think that she would go through all of that if it weren't at least partly true. At least, if she really is in a destructive relationship, it's going to end. And of course if this is the way to get back on good terms with her brother (who accompanied her to Camp Crame) and the rest of her family, then something good is indeed going to come out of it.

Headline my a$s. More like fodder for the Filipino rumor-mills. All the better to get the masses' minds off their misery--focus on someone else's.

Yes, we could have another Senate investigation on our hands.

conversation with a five-year-old

earlier today...

Moira (daughter of my boss): Hello...

Ri: Moira Ysabel, ikaw ba yan? Nasa meeting pa si mama eh... May papasabi ka?

Moira: Marami akong paper dito.

Ri: Ano'ng ginagawa mo sa paper? Nagdo-drowing ka?

Moira: Oo.

Ri: Ano'ng huli mong drowing?

Moira: Family namin! Si Papa, si Mama, ako at si Iana.

Ri: Wala nang ibang kasama?

Moira: Eh yun lang family namin eh!

Ri: Ayaw mo nang magka-baby brother?

Moira: Ayoko!

Ri: Bakit naman?

Moira: Eh ano naman magiging itsura nun...?!

happy birthday

happy birthday Kip Pardue, you cutie you... hehehe...


we are the same age for a month and a week... ;p

iwan mo na si Jennifer Love Hewitt...!

on a related note

Visit the Hell Test and find out if you're going straight to hell!

The Passion

Mel Gibson is making The Passion, a movie about Jesus Christ (portrayed by hottie Jim Caviezel, with Mary Magdalene portrayed by Monica Bellucci). A rabbi who was invited to a preview said that the film could "undermine Christian-Jewish dialogue and could turn back the clock on decades of positive progress in interfaith relations," due to its depiction of Jews being responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. Just a few quick questions. Wasn't Jesus Christ, first and foremost, a Jew himself? Weren't they all--Simon Peter, Mary the mother of Christ, Joseph of Arimathea--before Jesus died? Are they portrayed in a harsh light too? Sigh. Why does everything have to be discriminatory?

fangirl

Changed my desktop again.


Am hopeless, aren't I?
Buti na lang wala akong boyfriend.

and over the weekend

• Played badminton for five hours (three hours in Reposo) then 30mins break to go to C5 and two more hours in Shuttle's Best... nice. I was actually up to a few more hours the next morning but I woke up late then I had to go to church. Felt good, although the last few games I was just really panting more than I was running. Badminton rules!
  
• One small step for Ri's credit card, one GIANT LEAP towards organization. Bought plastic crates, plastic document cases and a CD wallet at SM. As I've said before and I will say again--my kind of store. Too bad that there's a strike right now. As I've also mentioned before, though, apathy rules. I give little contributions though, kind of like guilt money from having been able to save money by buying from the employers that caused them misery. On the other hand, I have my SM Advantage card already. Furthermore, I realized that a lot of cheap stuff, ends up making one big bill. Hehe. Got raffle tickets, though.
  
• Visited my good friend Angela at the hospital. She had turbinoplasty, an operation where the turbinates (what the heck?!) somewhere around the back of her nose were cleaned because they were really clogged. Which is bad, as the word 'clogged' almost always seems to imply, be it to turbinates, arteries or drains. She had an end of thread (from the stitches) coming out of each nostril and taped to her nose. Looked quite funny, actually. Was also the first time that she had general anesthesia, which my mother blames for her forgetfulness and Jenny agrees that it's nakakabobo.
  
• Visited Ange with Jenny, best friend and neighbor, whom along with myself, Angela and Adele formed our High School group, Ratio. Yes, we were freaking geeks. Jenny, meanwhile, had gone up to Baguio to compete in the San Mig Lite Enduro race, and gutsily reached up to the 12th (of 14) markers before passing out due to dehydration. Five hours of badminton, yes, I can take that, but a grueling race with uphill biking and carrying the mountain bike--hay, that's much much more than what this feeble, sedentary-living body of mine can take! Jenny is my hero, though, always pushing herself to the limits. I just can't take the dehydration, gashes and sprains that come along with it!
  
• When last seen, Rovic was frantically rushing to Eds's bedside because he had signed for his wife's euthanasia, but changed his mind at the last minute after talking to Eds' best friend Badong. If you know that I'm talking about, then that's great! We're all jologs!
  
• Slept for ten hours (from 10pm to 8am) Saturday night. Saraaaap.
  

bigger than my body

Saw John Mayer's video for his new single "Bigger Than My Body" from his new album Heavier Things. He really looks a little weird when he sings but he reminds me of my friend Aldo. Also, is it just me or does anyone else think the video was a bit weird? John Mayer is singing on the sidewalk, but everyone is drawn to a huge set of speakers about 20ft high which is actually just playing his song, and then he draws closer to the speakers but people still don't realize that HE's the one singing, except this one girl with whom he makes a connection. Okay, that's fine, but doesn't FEEDBACK exist anymore? How was he able to move his mike (complete with stand ha!) right in the path of the speakers without getting any feedback and ruining his song? Or am I just really clueless on this techno stuff?

sidebar: John Mayer's album Heavier Things debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts, dislodging the previous #1 -hold your breath- Hilary Duff's Metamorphosis. Oh goody.

exercise of patience

logging on to the net using dialup PLDT vibe and a P2 333MHz when you're used to a P3 550MHz and LAN

i'm spoiled at the office

Friday Five

Happy 2nd birthday to Friday Five!

Thought I'd get a few lines in before I clear the place as Like a Stone is playing in the background.

1. Who is your favorite singer/musician? Why?
Ah, so difficult because I have so many.
Natalie Merchant, the Indigo Girls and Sinead Lohan because I feel for their voices and I can really relate to their songs.
Dave Matthews, Josh Groban and Sting... just because I like how their voices sound.
The Barenaked Ladies and Parokya ni Edgar just because they're fun.

2. What one singer/musician can you not stand? Why?
April Boy Regino. Sorry. I really can't take him.

3. If your favorite singer wasn't in the music business, do you think you would still like him/her as a person?
Natalie? I think so. I think we'd get along.

4. Have you been to any concerts? If yes, who put on the best show?
Best concert I attended was Sting at the Ultra in '96. It rocked! (And he took off his shirt!) But then I'm not really a concert person.

5. What are your thoughts on downloading free music online vs. purchasing albums? Do you feel the RIAA is right in its pursuit to stop people from downloading free music?
I think that record companies make so much money from the artists. The artists are getting small royalties compared to the record companies' marketing machine and profits. And in a country as downtrodden as ours, anything free is a Godsend because our money is worth so little. But I think that the big companies can and should lower prices of albums to make them more accessible. They will probably earn more that way. Add to that the audio CD format is probably on its way out anyway.

Glider Logbook

The Glider Logbook is up and about. Although I'm the only one who's posted so far.

In our early college days (more than a few years ago), a motley bunch of Engineering honors class kids and some friends searched for a common tambayan on the congested DLSU Main campus and found a shed where baseball players usually hung out during afternoon training but which was pretty much free during the rest of the day. Actually battled it out with some Liberal Arts honors class kids for the first few weeks, but only we could withstand the sandstorms, vile odors fomr the College Canteen kitchen, and the baseball team invasions in the afternoons.

Eventually, the baseball team stopped invading and placed their stuff on a row of benches opposite the shed. Bleachers and tables were stored there and became additional space and trump battlegrounds. The vile odors and sandstorms continued but we staunchly defended the shed--the shed that eventually became known as The Glider. It even had a mascot, a scruffy cat that was always scrounging for scraps behind the canteen--Fifi. And so, a shed/booth that could normally seat eight became the home for 27-odd ODD people known as the Glider Friends.

The logbook saga began early in freshman year. We went through around seven notebooks, none of which I am able to locate as of now. I forget what was in it except for DaMike's ever-memorable "Uses of a Glider Friend". But I know that it was a treasure trove of information and insight into a crazy bunch of almost-nerds, sometimes-snooty, often-weird, simply wonderful gifted children. Gifted with each other's friendship.

[Anakanaman Anaximenes!]

The Glider is:
Adele * DJie * Rianne * Paul * Jojo * Andrew * Joan * Andre * Darwin
Garry * Mandy * Mike * Maita * Bryan * RonMac * Tennee * Edwin
Denise * Boogie * Manel * GeeAnn * Norman * Aldo * Louie * Via * Chep
(Phyllis * Cheryl * Roy * Jenny * Pia)

Hayy cute...

Wonderful Gary Dourdan CSI episode: Table Stakes.
Scene: Gary strips off his shirt to dive into a pool where a dead woman was found to retrieve evidence.

Is there a 12-step program for fangirls? Sigh.

am not alone...! they were footsteps indeed...!

Brian's. (Computer operator running the daily run for our client system)

Scared the bejeezus out of me!

Takte, duwag ko talaga.

end of day

Long day of training on the agency compensation system. Actually I kinda bluffed my way through most of it.

Brought Becky's Kitchen cakes this morning to celebrate my third year in the company. I don't know why I celebrate this. One cake was a thank-you for Joel.

See my LoTR desktop on Ger's blog. Ewan, don't want to post it here. Hehehe. Baduy eh. Masyadong fangirl. Good thing nga it isn't Spike/James Marsters anymore. My fantasy bloke's 41 years old na pala! -And we have the same favorite Buffy episode, "Once More, With Feeling", the musical ep!

Am the only one left in the office. Cute. And me such a scaredy-cat sometimes. Goodness... are those footsteps I hear...?

Wednesday five

Just got to do this now since I was sick last Friday:

1. Is the name you have now the same name that's on your birth certificate? If not, what's changed?
Yes, it's the same long one.

2. If you could change your name (first, middle and/or last), what would it be?
I'd drop all three first names and stick with Rianne.

3. Why were you named what you were? (Is there a story behind it? Who specifically was responsible for naming you?)
Regina - because I was Mommy and Dad's little "queen". My mom's responsible for everything, even my nickname!

4. Are there any names you really hate or love? What are they and why?
None that I really hate, but I particularly like the name Alessandro. I dunno why.

5. Is the analysis of your name at kabalarians.com / triggur.org / astroexpert accurate? How or how isn't it?
Here's the kabalarians.com analysis:

Your first name of Rianne has given you a rather quiet, reserved, serious, studious nature. You have sensitivity and appreciation for the finer and deeper things of life, the beauties of nature, music, art, and literature.[Ri: haha! wouldn't you agree with that?!] The people who mean the most to you are those who can offer you intellectual companionship. It is only when you are among those who understand your deeper nature that you can really be yourself. The experience of having your remarks taken lightly or belittled, particularly during the early years of your life, has caused you to keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself.[Ri: perhaps, perhaps] You do not express yourself spontaneously when conversing with others; hence other people may often regard you as being aloof, and even unfriendly. Your difficulty in putting your deeper thoughts and feelings into words can lead to problems in more intimate associations.[Ri: This I disagree with...] This name has caused you to live much within yourself. You are rather easily hurt or offended. At such times you can withdraw into a mood, and may not even speak to others.[Ri: aak, how true!] Aside from these points, this name contains many fine qualities. You are a thoughtful, analytical person, and you know your own mind, even though you may not speak it. You are very conscientious and competent in all that you do. You take seriously any responsibilities that you have--in the home, in the community, or at the job.[Ri: moi, serious with the job? mwahahahaha!]

Given that I didn't think it was going to be even close, this is really quite near the mark, albeit quite general, with a few glaring errors. (see comments above)

Photo ops, andShooting the doggies

Ger-ber has his photo blogs! Now I have faces (er, backs) to the names Pao and Ejay. Hehheh.

Inggit ako. I've decided to at least post the pictures of our babies at home. Here goes:

Paavo: our old carpenter gave him to us, he said he was half-dalmatian. Probably got it mixed up because he looks almost Labrador-ish. The most docile and house-trained of the bunch. Also the most spoiled because he got really sick when he was a baby and got to sleep in Nins' room. Looks like a black version of Falkor in The Never-Ending Story.


Chichi: named such because our cousin said she was part-chihuahua. Boy! It was a really small part. Quite tall nowadays. Our "queen". Under the saya si Paavo.


Spike: named after-wouldn't you know!-one of my favorite characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The youngest, but growing fast! A gift from someone who used to play a significant part in my life. Our only pure-breed is also the naughtiest!


I never really liked dogs but when we got Paavo we suddenly became such doting dog-owners to the point of letting him stay in our homes for long stretches at a time. He's quite properly housebroken and is very sensitive to strange scents (including strange bodily gases, hehe). So we've quite overcome our distaste for the smell of dog fur and sweat. And because of them, our parents aren't looking for grandchildren!

---

To Kai: hey I know I've a long ways to go in the field of photography. ;p

99 days

99 days until Christmas, or so they said on TV and the radio this morning. Have I mentioned that I'm a total sucker for Christmas?

Christmas Day and my birthday always fall exactly eight weeks apart each year, and the approach of both occasions always fills me with eager anticipation, albeit also with a few financial concerns. I'll talk about my birthday some other time but Christmas--let's just say that I'm already halfway through my Christmas list. I don't know why I really like Christmas! I really enjoy giving gifts, figuring out whom to give what, picking out wrappers, checking names on my list.

I've tried to attach spiritual significance to it, but I've never been an overly spiritual person: regular Catholic rituals, daily prayer and all, but never catechism, much less parish activities. But I do have a thing for the birthday of the risen Lord. Maybe it has to do with my being a shopaholic. I thoroughly enjoy finding stuff.

So, 99 days before Christmas I already have 70% of gifts for the office, 25% of godchildren's and relatives' gifts, and a wrapping paper color scheme. Perhaps that's where my obsessive-compulsive aspect lies--and I thought I didn't have one!

finally

finished the discussion on the functional definitions for system support of our new product

finished the next Cosmo article... wrote it under a pseudonym though...

started to fix stuff for our move to Ayala Ave.

Betchay gave birth to Justine Grace Reyes at 2am Sunday morning. Congratulations on the honeymoon baby!

had time to blog!

but now I have to go pick up my mom.

six minutes to the office

I love driving at 6am. Everything seems so clear and good in the world. Until you hear about a bus who runs into a post at EDSA at 5:30am. Sigh. Jolts you back to reality.

If I ever do leave this office, I'll miss being able to get to work in 6 minutes.

Happy Birthday

Birthday greetings to one classy lady. Dunno what you're doing with that geek. Hehe! Joke joke joke! <--I finally saw where that expression came from last Saturday afternoon!

Moving

The office will be transferring to swankier digs on Ayala Avenue: no more back road of Salcedo Vill for us! We're in the big leagues now!

Ah, of course, here I go again: resisting change. The office is really nice and new; but I will definitely miss this little seven-story building that's been my second home for the past three years.

Will miss the Batcave. Will miss lunch sessions in the Batcave. Will miss having cube-mates. Will miss being able to take the stairs all the way up to my office. Will miss Ellen the nice janitress. Will miss Mr. Donut being a block away (Food Odyssey has Country-Style donuts instead). Will miss PhP75 daily parking.

But there are still a lot of things that I'm not going to miss; and since this change is indeed inevitable, aside from just grinning and bearing it, hey, I'm welcoming it.

A day without the internet

...was like watching Pirates of the Carribean without Johnny Depp; having Black Forest cake without the cherry; playing badminton for three hours without water breaks. Ok so that last one was overboard, but my websurfing is pretty much the icing on my work-day cake: good enough without it, great with it...

Apparently I just needed to change my proxy settings because they were moving the servers around... ah, poor me, am not tech support so am not privy to these things. Poor tech guys (just three) are so swamped with work what with our relocating office and integrating new systems that they're rarely seen in the office anymore. I think they're bordering on cranky, spread really thin. And here I am complaining that I don't have internet... my lifeline to the rest of the world! Here I am pouting about not having internet access today and they're on the verge of breakdown. At least Kim KS sent us chocolates. Nice picker-upper.

Which fantasy/sci-fi character are you?

I'm Obi-wan!

Check it out here.
Although with two answers changed I become--tadan!--Boromir. Unpleasant.

Apathy Rules

The Philippine government is going to the dogs.

Lacson is accusing Arroyo, everyone is denying or pointing fingers, it's a regular circus.

As I've said before and will say over and over again: our wonderful lawmakers are wasting their time on this matter when there are more pressing issues at hand.

So sometimes I don't care anymore. Okay, so there's an underlying current of despair and helplessness, but what the heck. The next time I will write about the political situation in my country is when it actually affects me. Other than that, I fall back on my current mantra: Apathy Rules!

Great Buffy sites

Ah, to continue chronicling my fascination with the slayer:

BuffyWorld

and a great Christian article on Buffy: Don't Let Your Kids Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer

---

Buffy: You know me, not much with the damseling.

Cleaning out the Junk Drawers

I must confess: my sister and I have inherited my parent's pack rat habits. My mom still has clothes that she wore when she was pregnant with my sister (who is now twenty). My dad has a cabinet full of stuff, from a whole range of H to B pencils to various sizes of batteries and lightbulbs. When I was clearing out a cabinet of mine yesterday I came to terms with my being somewhat of a pack rat myself.

I unearthed stuff that I hadn't seen in ages (from before I started working at this company, which was the last time that I had "organized" those cabinets)--exam booklets from my teaching stint, cassette tapes of Ricky Martin's "Vuelve" and Barenaked Ladies' "Stunt", even a grad picture proof of my ex with his "big hair" which I am giving to his fiancee. Some people have junk drawers: I actually have junk cabinets. There was so much trash which just ended up stashed there if I didn't find a better place to put it: I should realize that if I don't have a better place to put something, then I have no business with that something in the first place.

And then my friend sends me an email with a series of wisecracks including "Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it." Haha! That got me thinking. What if I suddenly would need all that stuff soon? But I doubt. Don't get me wrong, I didn't throw out everything in that cabinet: it wasn't all worthless. I still spent a couple of hours combing through the stuff, found my transcript of records and some old recipes, and decided to junk "Vuelve", keep "Stunt" and Merill Bainbridge, toss out most of the stuff related to teaching except empty booklets that could be used for scratch, and actually found a box of heart-shaped vinyl-coated paperclips for kikay use in the office.

We continuously accumulate stuff, be it physical stuff or emotional baggage, stuff that may have actually held some meaning for us at some point in time, but as we all know, we will eventually have to let go of a lot of this stuff even if there was a previous use for it. It's just a matter of being able to determine which stuff to let go and which stuff to keep. My junk cabinet could be a manifestation of my psyche, then: before I could integrate more stuff in it, I had to let go of a lot of clutter; and now it's holding stuff that are truly more sentimental and worthing holding on to, as well as items that actually have a future use.

Much like the proverbial thorn pulled out, I felt a certain degree of calm and even relief that I was able to undertake this daunting task. There will always be doubts on the miniscule probability that something I considered as junk will suddenly prove useful, but there should be no regrets. I truly hope I can discipline myself to acquire only stuff that I actually need and for which there really is a place. There's a lighter feeling now that all the junk's been carted away, and although there's still a pack rat streak in me, I think this is all going to work out for the best.

---

Posted to riannesravings@yahoogroups.com

Buffyverse - postscript, orLet's continue with Slayer-day at the blog

Neglected to mention that I joined the PinoySlayer mailing list a few days ago. I don't really know what to expect, but so far the messages have been a series of posts on meeting up for the screening of Spy Kids and on a certain guest appearance: Although Buffy the series has already ended in the states, I'm particulatly keen on a sexily brooding undead person and other members of the Scooby gang appearing on the Buffy spinoff Angel. Angel's current season with his son making an appearance wasn't particularly appealing to me; I was more into the show when Gunn wasn't in love with Fred and Lindsey (cute Christian Kane, who reminds me of my good friend Melvin) was still around.

Sigh. I don't daresay that Buffy keeps me sane, but it's much better than most other pedestrian fare (although I know about Catindig and Gonzales, Yuri and Katrina, Helaena and Annilov, or Christian and Arabella). Buffy just plain rocks!

It's like my fascination with The Princess Bride or Law and Order: SVU. You know it's not *the* best movie or *the* best TV show, but you get it.

Awry in the Buffyverse

I have not yet tackled one great guilty pleasure of mine: watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV series). For this I'm thankful for Star World because they replay the day's primetime shows later in the evening. On Studio 23, I would not get to see the show because it was regularly shown at 8pm, at which time I would most probably be still at the office.

You can read more about the show at the official site but suffice to say it's not your Kristy Swanson cult flick anymore. Buffy's been dead twice, battled a god, been given the key to hell as a sister, encountered a rogue slayer, been under Dracula's trance, fallen for a vampire with a soul, shacked up with a vigilante demon-hunter, and had a torrid affair with a former arch-enemy who also happens to be a vampire. Xander, with whom there used to be a love-triangle angle with Buffy and Angel, fell in love with reformed vengeance demon Anya but got cold feet and left her at the altar.

Last night's episode showed Buffy's dumpee Spike (archnemesis-turned-lover) and Xander's dumpee Anya getting it on after emptying a bottle of Jack Daniels (? or was it Johnny Walker) and the rest of the Scooby gang (Buffy, Xander, comp-whiz-and-powerful-witch Willow, and Buffy's mystical-key sister Dawn) happening to witness it because they were tapping into an elaborate system of cameras wired by this season's archnemeses, a trio of nerds whom Buffy has encountered at one time or another. Meanwhile Buffy's best friend Willow got addicted to magic (stupid storyline), lost her lesbian lover but on the plus side in this episode (since everyone's all dumped, betrayed and confused) got back together with her. Get it? Yep, you're not in Kansas anymore.

I realize I can't do a review of an episode or anything because that belongs on a "real" Buffy episode site, but I just have a few general observations:

1. There are no happy endings in the Buffyverse, at least in the romantic sense. There is always a tragedy, or an un-coupling. The happy ending in each case is that everyone is still alive, and even that is going to change because, yes, people die, like Buffy's mother, and people leave, like Angel (Buffy's ex, vampire with a soul--as opposed to vample with soul that would make him, what, James Brown?), Oz (Willow's ex, werewolf), Riley (Buffy's ex, demon hunter) and Giles (Buffy's Watcher). So if things seem to be going well, something is bound to happen...
   
2. Star World does more than a little snipping. There was supposed to be an entire scene last night after Willow and Tara got back together when the lovers were in bed together--guess that's still unacceptable. I wonder what's going to happen next episode because as per recon on the fansites, there's going to be a whole lot of lesbian loving in the next ep. And since that seems to be going well, see #1--something is bound to happen...
   
3. I see my fascination with Spike as a manifestation of my soft spot for the "bad boy"--not Robin Padilla, though. Bleach-blond vampire with British accent who gambles with kittens and dabbles in the black market and twice tried to take over Sunnydale--ah that's my idea of a bad boy.
   
4. I smirk when my friend says that he's in Sunnyvale, CA. Hehe. There a hellmouth there somewhere?
   
5. Okay, so it's pure escapism. Maybe I'm glad because Buffy's problems seem to be much greater than my own and I'm glad that there's an additional fantasy-demon aspect to it as opposed to, say, Felicity or Dawson's Creek. I definitely don't see myself in Buffy, except for the failed relationships. But it works for me. And I know I'm going to miss it because it already ended last May in the States.
   

---

In the Phils., Buffy airs regularly on Star-World Thursdays 8pm with a replay at 11:30pm.

Perils of aging, er, growing up

CNN cites Beloit College's annual Mindset List (article here), saying that "For this year's college freshmen, computers have always fit in a backpack and ... Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie are old enough to be their parents." Aaaak! I grew up with Bert and Ernie (annoying indeed, I always went for Barkley), and I remember my first computer, which ran on an 80286/8088 processor and you had to use the 5.25" floppies (you know, the ones that were really actually "floppy"). I figure I'm getting old. My sisters always shoot me a glance when something refers to the 80s--although I was in grade school then, they, meanwhile, were infants at the time.

College freshmen in the US are now younger than my youngest sister, who is 20 and has a hard time accepting that she is no longer a "teen". More so college freshmen in the Philippines, where my niece started school early and got accelerated, and she will be starting college when she is fifteen. It was mentioned that "even those in their 20s feel old reading the list, since the pace of cultural change is swift these days." If that study had been conducted in the Philippines, it would have uncovered that today's teens don't really have much to say about Ninoy Aquino, whose death and the consequent People Power revolution happened in their infancy or even earlier. A few years' difference gives you different clothes, different icons, different drugs of choice.

The professors who put this Mindset List together have a good thing going: they recognize that for teachers to teach effectively, there must still be some level of relating, especially if the subjects to be taught deal with communication and the arts. I remember when I used to teach: I was one of the youngest teachers at the university then. I figure I was able to relate to my students and brought in some analogies that the Dean Emeritus would not have bothered to think about.

I'm glad for trends in entertainment, lifestyle and technology that still have mass appeal. It's not that I'm trying to be younger than I actually am, although my sisters and I do watch the Disney Channel and the PowerPuff Girls. It makes me hopeful that later, my children (or nephews and nieces) and I will still have more than a few things to talk about. Maybe we do have to retain some degree of wonder and frivolity.

Teens, meanwhile, would do well to look to the past, although this is already evident in that there was a resurgence of Beatlemania a few years back (with my sister as proof) and the whole flared pants updated trend. But not just in these aspects--entertainment and fashion. I think that teens today should also know who John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King were, not just in the interests of history, but in the interest of humanity; much in the same manner that even if I was not aware of the brutality of Martial Law, I was able to encounter it through various accounts and literature.

I also figure it's a teen thing; because now that I'm a bit past my teen years, I find that I actually relate more with my parents and have begun talking to them a lot more than when I was a teenager. Maybe if they had had access to a Mindset List when I was a teenager, we wouldn't have been as distant from each other. But I doubt. I really think it's innate in that adolescent phase to be quite distant and rebellious--some sort of Way of the Teenager.
__________

On a related note, I also came across another article citing a study that says CDs may soon go the way of the vinyl. CD sales are down, while legal, paid downloads are gaining ground on them. It wasn't just the vinyl--it was followed by the eight-track, cassette tapes, betamax, laser discs. It's ever-changing, this technology of ours. Sometimes it can be scary. But as long as people keep a mainframe where Beatles, Janis Joplin, and Carpenters songs are stored, along with a recording of Natalie Merchant's live cover of The Gulf of Araby, I think it won't hurt. Just making sure that, as was the case earlier, we should be able to look back to what came before.

---

Posted to riannesravings@yahoogroups.com.

Telemarketers: Worse than Teletubbies...?

circa Aug. 12

HSBC Telemarketer #1:
Ma'am, you have been pre-approved for an HSBC card.

Not-so-busy me:
I'm really not interested, I already have two credit cards.

HSBC Telemarketer #1:
Ma'am, we have a really good program and it's very convenient. We'll just need your name and address so that we can send the card and then you don't need to activate.

Not-so-busy me:
Ok. [Gives name and address, just to be done with the conversation]

HSBC Telemarketer #1:
And Ma'am I will also need your mother's maiden name, your TIN, etc., etc., etc.

A-little-peeved-and-suspicious me:
Why do you need all this information?! On second thought, never mind about sending me the card.

__________

circa Aug. 20

HSBC Telemarketer #2:
Ma'am, would you be interested in getting an HSBC card. All employees of [our company] have been pre-approved.

Busy me:
Sorry, I'm really not interested.

HSBC Telemarketer #2:
Ma'am, we have a good card, and there's are many conveniences and discounts...

Busy me:
Can I forward your call to someone who might be interested?
[Forwards call to operator.]

__________

circa 1:30pm today

HSBC Telemarketer #3:
Hi Ma'am, I would like to offer the new HSBC card.

Quite-busy me:
Is there someone in particular you would like to speak to?

HSBC Telemarketer #3:
Actually Ma'am, anyone from this local who is a regular employee of your company. You're all pre-approved for HSBC credit cards.

Lying-through-the-teeth me:
Sorry I'm just a temp.
[Hangs up.]

Yes, I'm a bitch.

I know that they're only doing their job and that most of their income is commission-based but now I understand the aversion felt by people towards salesmen, phone or otherwise, especially when you're rushing an audit report for your boss's meeting and a persistent telemarketer with a cloying voice and an annoying accent is on the other line.

I did get my Citibank clear card through a telemarketer forwarded by my friend, so there must be an upside. At the time I desperately needed to transfer the balance of my other credit card. But this time, two cards are enough for me, and I would think that the HSBC telemarketers shouldn't do the rounds of our company every two weeks! Talk about hard-sell.

I just feel sometimes that if you say no firmly, okay, twice, then that's it. Enough already.

Matrix Imploded

Got the following from The Editing Room. Rod Hilton does a take on The Matrix Reloaded.

INT. WELL-LIT, NON-NOIR WHITE ROOM

KEANU enters a white room, the walls of which are covered
in monitors. A chair spins around to reveal THE EXPLAINER.

KEANU REEVES
Who are you?

THE EXPLAINER
I am The Explainer. I designed the
matrix screenplay. Unable to
decently explain the convoluted plot
well, I have resorted to putting
myself here in the final act and
having you ask all of the questions
the audience wants to ask.
(dramatic pause)
You must begin by asking your own
questions then gradually switch to
asking those of the audience, in
order to not make this scene any
more awkward than it already is.
Concordantly, while your first
question may be the most pertinent,
you may or may not realize it is
also the most irrelevant.

KEANU REEVES
Why am I here?

THE EXPLAINER
Many years ago, shortly before the
success of Speed, you sold your soul
to the devil in exchange for a
promise of notoriety that your
piss-poor acting skills do not
deserve. This series is the
actualization of this promise.

KEANU REEVES
What was the Osiris? And who was
that kid in zion who kept pestering
me?

THE EXPLAINER
You will find the answers to these
questions by purchasing The
Animatrix, a collection of nine
animated shorts from some of Anime's
top directors.

KEANU REEVES
Alright. Well, what was that crap
Glora said about vampires and
werewolves? And how did Jada Pinkett
Smith get to Laurence Fishburne
during the car chase? And what the
hell happened during the power plant
takeover climax that-wasn't?

THE EXPLAINER
You will find the answers to those
questions by purchasing the Enter
The Matrix game, available for
Windows, Playstation2, Xbox, and
Gamecube. Enter the Matrix features
awesome gunplay and spectacular
martial arts that bend the rules of
the Matrix. This game isn't just
set in the Matrix universe--it's an
integral part of the experience,
with a story that weaves in and out
of The Matrix Reloaded. Enter the
Matrix is the story behind the
story.

KEANU REEVES
Fine! Then tell me this, what the
hell is with Hugo Weaving saying he
and I have some special connection?
And how come I can control machines
in the real world? And will we win
the war if I don't choose the door
to my right?

THE EXPLAINER
You will find the answers to these
questions when you watch The Matrix
Revolutions, coming later in 2003.

KEANU REEVES
I hate you.

THE EXPLAINER
Perhaps you should drink more
Powerade.

KEANU REEVES
Just answer me one question. We're
not going to find out that the real
world is in another matrix, are we?

THE EXPLAINER
Christ I hope not.

Copyright 2003 Rod Hilton. All Rights Reserved. This document may be reproduced verbatim (allowing censorship and translation) as long as the author's name is preserved and this notice is either preserved or referenced.

Sigh. Why am I here?

To procrastinate is abso-effing-lutely divine.

Ping vs. Mike vs. the Filipino people

Ah, an epic battle begins, between Ping Lacson and the First Gentleman. The nation's antennae are tuned to the storm of controversy, mud-slinging and Senate hearings. So many people are concerned with the outcome of the events but, personally? I’m quite apathetic when it comes to this. It seems to be the same thing all over again, different protagonists, same warzone.

The Senator is a suspected mastermind behind a rash of killings and kidnappings; the First Gentleman—well let’s just say that he doesn’t seem that trustworthy either. And all this hoopla, which could have been directed towards more significant matters. Not that this isn’t important; but its seems to have taken precedence over items of more consequence for the Filipino people—items such as education, welfare, national security, rising criminality.

I’m not going all holier-than-thou—heaven knows I can’t throw the first stone. But I feel that my head’s in the right place, and right now I don’t particularly care who gets ahead: because I feel that neither of them is in the right. The right being the common good.

New leaf, turned over

Thought I would go with a new title, the title of my column when I used to write for my high school paper, the Blue Flame. I was, and still am, a proud Scholastican.

Come, loyal Benedictine children
O come and let us sing
Our voices raised with youthful hearts
With useful hearts aflame

Deeper Shade of Soul: Inspired by a funk-fusion song that was ahead of its time.

Mutual advertising society

[Returning the favor]

Visit Ger's blog, random thoughts.

He's the one who got me hooked on this so you can either thank him or stone him...! Hahaha!

Rain, rain on my face

Yes, it was flooded when I woke up. I didn't even want to try getting out of the house--you don't do that when the water goes past your car doors. So I got the morning off against my vacation leaves and proceeded to

1. sleep another two hours [so wonderful in rainy weather];
   
2. give Paavo [our mutt] a trim, which turned out uneven because he was so malikot;
   
3. organize all the manicure-oriented items my sister stashes in the most unlikely places in my room [on either side of the divider, on top of the ref, near the TV] and place them all in one container which I bought at the SM sale...
   and finally right before I left,
   
4. watch the replay of That 70's Show where Donna is sent to a Catholic school and Hyde and Jackie do a whole lot of smooching with Eric and Donna finding out ["And still you continue with this abomination!"]--this show is totally hilarious!

Then I had to go to work because... yes, I have to earn my keep... oh well... :)

---

Downpour on my soul
Splashing in the ocean, I'm losing control
Dark sky all around
I can't feel my feet touching the ground

I'm glad the storms are raging on the outside and not in my soul, for the moment.

More joys of Monday

Ahh Vanilla Coke. So strange. It doesn't know whether it's a softdrink or medicine. Funny though because Coca-Cola used to be marketer as an elixir of sorts. I don't know if I have my facts straight though. You can check the Coke site if you want.
__________

Quite disappointing when your company scrimps on employees' benefits and the powers that be in your firm are behind on approving salary increases and other movements. Sigh. Am just wondering how the non-officers here who have families make ends meet, since this singleton's kinda at the end of her rope sometimes. Anyway, what to do about it? Why, blog during your downtime of course.
__________

My temporary cube-mate is checking a sample notice from our developers in 2-point font size. Brilliant. Good thing there's up to 1600% zoom in Adobe Acrobat.
__________

All my bookmarks and old settings are gone; they upgraded my PC's OS to Windows 2000 NT over the weekend. I can't even access the Display Properties. Wonderful. What to do? Why, blog during your downtime of course. Teehee.
__________

"We need time to dream, time to remember, and time to reach the infinite. We need time to be." -Gladys Taber

This is time you do not have when you're working till 10pm on weekdays and then eight more hours on Saturday. I'm glad that I'm on a respite from that right now but a new project is beginning soon and I might be looking at 70-hour workweeks again. Would that we could always make time to nurture the spirit. Like spend an afternoon browsing at Powerbooks. But then that could also be brought about by a lack of funds to buy all the books I want. Whatever the reason, it's something I've missed doing for quite a while. Better be off and get started again.

Ah, the joys of Monday

First work-related email I got was a denial from my client department that they had ever received the testing results from me. Wonderful. So now I have to answer for 300k worth of refunds? Hahaha! You must be kidding me. Although my horoscope says that I mustn't sign any major paperwork this week, it doesn't mean that I can't make a decision to leave, right? Sigh.
__________

Body's still a bit sore since I had my first shiatsu in four years. I remember the first time I had a shiatsu massage four years ago, I was still a bit limber, and not to mention within my ideal weight. Well Saturday's massage, which came on the heels of a raid on the DVD pirates of Makati Cinema Square, was a bit painful in some parts, since I've just been sitting at work most of the time and haven't had much exercise except for the weekly badminton. Felt good after, though, but there were some sore spots which actually bruised. Or maybe the bruises are just my imagination because there's no discoloration anyway.
__________

It's funny that you find out that you cared for a person in a sort-of different way when you find out that that person's now seriously involved with somebody. Hey, but then it was all in your head. Live with it.
__________

Payday was last Friday. Paid my bills and went shopping (sale at Powerbooks and SM, couldn't pass it up) and did groceries. Money in bank account today: Ps.11.

Funny. I didn't buy anything for myself at Powerbooks and I spent 2.5k? Sigh.
__________

It's the first day of September! I realized that because on Breakfast this morning, they asked what people were most looking forward to at Christmas. So I guess I wasn't too early when I went shopping for some Christmas gifts at the Powerbooks sale. As to what I'm most looking forward to this Christmas? Maybe a freer feeling at Christmas. :)
__________

And so it's back to work... Do I have to?