fast fingers, and a close encounter with alex compton

Fast fingers, the blog, is here.

Am jotting this out right before logging out on my way to Makati Med. The mother-unit's bronchitis worsened to pneumonia over the weekend and she's now confined there. Hoping she gets well soon, but am glad that she is at least getting some rest. Workaholic of a mom (after whom I did NOT take) has been working non-stop because of a lot of reorganizations, system implementations, and other changes in their office. This morning, though, she apparently spent an hour on the phone giving orders to her secretary, hoarse voice and everything... this mother of mine!

Another hospital visit over the weekend, to Bespren M's dad. Tito R. had gastrointestinal bleeding, not helped by the fact that he's already undergoing dialysis. Went with good samaritan Carlo, who was willing to donate blood. Once there I saw M's two sisters and little brother (not so little anymore, binata na!). And then Alex Compton arrived. Apparently he's a friend of M's other sister and was also there to donate blood. Unfortunately, Carlo and Alex were rejected as donors because of anti-tetanus shots and an recent operation, respectively. More unfortunately: I was not introduced to Alex Compton! (The time he was there I was visiting Tito R at the ICU.) Grr. Hehe.

The bowling tournament is over, finally. Now we're on to the Christmas party. We are pencil-booked at The Loft, Hard Rock and Tavern. Time to move!

Missed the HS class's equivalent of the society wedding of the year. DnA's wedding remains closest to my heart, though. Too bad I wasn't able to make it, since marental was already in the hospital then.

Last Song Syndrome : Plush - Stone Temple Pilots

anticipation

Movies to watch out for:
Wimbledon - Paul Bettany is a skidding tennis player and Kirsten Dunst plays a tennis golden girl. Set amidst the traditional and well-loved Wimbledon courts and tournament.

Without a Paddle - Seth “love-pa-rin-kita-Oz” Green and Matthew “Shaggy” Lillard on a sometimes distasteful but funny camping trip-cum-journey of discovery.

I Heart Huckabees - Jude Law and Naomi Watts lead a wonderful ensemble ironing out existential issues, including Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Isabelle Huppert, Jason Schwartzman and Mark Wahlberg. Tippi Hedren and Shania Twain have cameos.

Vanity Fair - Reese Witherspoon plays Becky Sharp in the film adaptation of Thackeray’s classic novel, supported by such notables as Jim Broadbent, Bob Hoskins, and Natasha Little (who played Becky in a miniseries adaptation of Vanity Fair a few years back). To watch out for are Rhys Ifans in a serious turn far removed from his usual buffoonery and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, who is just, plain and simple, nice to watch. Teehee.

Last Song Syndrome : Storms in Africa - Enya

oh yeah

I've forgotten that about The Casual Watcher. I've posted about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Traci Lords on Oprah since the last time. On Eternal Sunshine: I absolutely adored this movie. On Traci Lords: this woman rocks! (And I don't mean in a porn-queen sort of way.)

Last Song Syndrome : Love is Strange - Everything But The Girl

i'm a fanatic

Been listening to a lot of Yahoo!LaunchCast lately, since the speakers were transferred to my PC from Maleen's. The little OC strain I have in me prompts me to rate the music as I go along. Which is great because they keep on playing the songs, artists and albums that I rate "Can't Get Enough", including the following artists. I have done more than 1,000 ratings and I am now a "fanatic". Not that I was trying. I guess that sums me up nicely though. The next level is "addict". Hmmmm, interesting.


However, right now it is playing an unrated song, William Hung's Free. Blecch. "Never play again." With exclamation!

Last Song Syndrome : Free - William Hung

laking national

Finally went to National and rummaged through the PhP99 hardbound books. (Paperbacks are cheaper at Powerbooks, 20% off.) Came through with the following:

• Far Horizons - a collection of sci-fi short stories by some of the masters, including editor Robert Silverberg, Orson Scott Card, Anne McCaffrey, and Ursula K. LeGuin. Prized find. Now I have to find a nice matching copy of Legends. Until Legends 3.
  
• Jeffrey Archer's To Cut A Long Story Short - admittedly his career is in the doldrums, but I bought this for old times' sake. I want to see if he's still the master storyteller he used to be. Somewhat prized find, if only to add to the Archer collection on my bookshelf. Will probably not compare to A Twist in The Tale, though.
  
• Miss Wyoming by Douglas Coupland - one of my favorite authors. Been meaning to get a copy of Miss Wyoming for the longest time (one of the few of his works that I don't have). Apparently this is a sign. Another prized find. (However, someone seems to be selling this at $0.05 used at Amazon. Oh well.)
  
• Storyteller's Collection - a collection of Christian short stories. Will read through it to see if I can give it to my ninang, who is in remission from cancer. (After reading the amazon.com reviews, though, I think this is better off with my pastor-officemate.)
  
• What Looks Like Crazy on An Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage - a stirring story involving AIDS. Okay, so it's on Oprah's book club. A good book will surpass any cheesy plugging. Teehee.
  
• The Nanny Diaries - for a little fun on my end. Promises to be quite juicy. Perfect for being stuck in lines.
  
• The Shadow of Albion by Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill - Book 1 of Carolus Rex. Seems like interesting historical fantasy. Who knows, I might start to love this series.
  
• Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell - adding to my small but growing collection about old Britain and that ring of stones.
  
• Children Are From Heaven by John Gray - a gift for DnA. (Seems to be quite a while before I will be needing this.)
  

Last Song Syndrome : I'm Sensitive - Jewel

I have this theory that if we're told we're bad
Then that's the only idea we'll ever have
But maybe if we are surrounded in beauty
Someday we will become what we see

something i've known all along

Take the What High School
Stereotype Are You? quiz.

Last Song Syndrome : If I Am - Nine Days

we should never let the sun set on tomorrow
before the sun rises

deer caught in the headlights

Chill Babe is this pretty girl I know. Yeah, I guess I consider her a friend. She's the right blend of pretty and disarming that both girls and guys like her and aren't threatened by her. Anyway, Chill Babe and Co-conspirator (conspiratorial story was previously blogged here) seem to be an item now.

I guess I was expecting it, but when I received pseudo-confirmation from Chill Babe I sensed my reaction was that of a deer caught in the headlights of a fast approaching car. Maybe I wanted to justify that Co-conspirator wasn't ready to commit to another person--resulting in the conspiracy. I know it wasn't anything deeper, but it was quite a letdown to be faced pointblank with the fact that it really wasn't anything. I realize that he probably wanted Chill Babe all along and when Chill Babe suddenly became single, he saw the opportunity.

I'm not hurt, just particularly perplexed. And crossing my fingers that Chill Babe will be the one to tame the Co-conspirator. Am glad that I get to close that short insane episode.

-oOo-

Meanwhile, it seems that a security camera has been installed on our floor. It's supposed to prevent unsavory characters from doing anything, well, unsavory on our floor, but it seems to be portents of Big Brother. Am more concerned about Spyware though, because the camera (if it is indeed a camera and not a fire alarm) cannot pick up my monitor. Malay ba nilang nagba-blog ako.

Last Song Syndrome : Upside Down - Fra Lippo Lippi/2 Minds Crack

my inner child

Got this from Patty.

My inner child is ten years old!

The adult world is pretty irrelevant to me. Whether
I'm off on my bicycle (or pony) exploring, lost
in a good book, or giggling with my best
friend, I live in a world apart, one full of
adventure and wonder and other stuff adults
don't understand.


How Old is Your Inner Child?
brought to you by Quizilla

Last Song Syndrome : Miss Jackson - OutKast

blogger's block

It's so easy to say that being in charge of the office bowling tournament and getting quite sick (first with dysmenorrhea and then with a nasty case of the flu) prevented me from blogging. But I know better. I could have written down a couple of lines from time to time but I just really didn't feel like doing so. Anyway, I seem to be back. Seem is the imperative word.

not paavo's replacement
A few days before Paavo left, the father-unit brought this little kiddie home for want of a foster home. She's not Paavo's replacement but still cute nonetheless. Her capers are a welcome reprieve from stress-filled days and she's still cute enough to get away with them. Meet Mocha.


Last Song Syndrome : Let's Get Retarded - Black Eyed Peas

some template changes

Made some changes to the template to get out of the blogger rut I've been in the past week. I've removed the Pic of the Week (not much time to go out and shoot pictures anyway); added the links to Soloflite and Zane's blogs; and added icons for Ina's Filipino Blogs listing as well as Fast Fingers--a PinoySlayer blog. I've also changed the Tag-Board into a Chatterbox/Flooble thingy because the blog wasn't loading with the Tag-Board.

Last Song Syndrome : Where Is The Love? - Black Eyed Peas

isolated rainshowers

I woke up early yesterday morning to have a head start on what was going to be a hectic day, what with the company audit, new projects, and some sidelines are kicking in from an unlikely place (ok, it's definitely not Cosmo). I was deep in thought in the middle of shampooing when the rain started suddenly. It pelted the hard plastic roof of my so-called flat with what sounded like really heavy raindrops, pounding on the roof like drumbeats, quite disconcerting when it's early on a Wednesday morning.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, the rain stopped. No tapering off, just an abrupt halt. It was an "isolated rain shower" in the strictest sense.

Some people come into our lives like isolated rain showers. They make their presence felt to such an extreme, and then, in the proverbial flash—which may take anywhere from three days to a year—they are gone. And we never hear from them again. They are phenomena that give us a taste of something new only to hurriedly take it back—with or without consequences, which may or may not affect us.

There seem to have been a lot of isolated rain showers in my life. There was Maite, this girl I met in Grade 3 who made the most marvelous drawings (to my Grade 3 eyes) and let me read her Elfquest books. Her family moved and she transferred to another school but I never forgot her. There was Jing, sometime friend and pen pal, from a time when I used to go to Ateneo for the summers. There was Neil, for whom I risked everything I had with A., a long time ago when there was something to risk and I was straining at the bit. It was a good thing I had to go back to Manila before I could do anything stupid, but he made me feel very special. Then there was Benjie, he who was my “second father” in high school, who encouraged me to dream and write. Then he was gone. Or maybe I was.

Sometimes what hits you though is an isolated rain shower and thunderstorm, the sort that just might cut a swath of destruction in its wake. In my case, it was Carl, that sweet-talking little man who seemed perfect to sweep me off my feet--totally sweet, wide vocabulary, loved Everything But the Girl, but a shame-faced liar and in a relationship. The warning signs were all there—you know how the air feels different when it’s just about to rain? Isn’t that just like knowing that someone isn’t right for you, but you still rush headlong into it anyway because there’s nothing to lose—which is like sometimes when it feels good just to walk in the rain even if you know that you’re going to get sick afterwards.

There’s a time when you try to get it back—that friendship, that feeling—but it’s not going to happen. The time for that was done; consequently you are the better for it, but it’s not something to which you should go back. I’m thankful for having known Maite, and Jing, and Neil, and Benjie, and even Carl—because I learned a lot from them that I probably would have never been able to unravel myself.

Ultimately, it’s up to us whether to allow ourselves to get affected by the isolated rain showers. Things aren’t going get flooded. You might get wet, but only momentarily. And after that, the sun comes out. It’s up to you to let it ruin your day—or see it as a little gift and reminder that the ways of the world are mysterious, and more importantly, you’re alive to see them unfold. Sometimes, just sometimes, it’s good to rush pell-mell into the pouring rain.

-oOo-

Speaking of isolated rain showers, we had a long one, and it was called Paavo. That was some of the best rain ever.


Last Song Syndrome : Why Can't I? - Liz Phair

out is through

Last Song Syndrome : Out Is Through - Alanis Morissette

We could just walk away and hide our hands in the sand
We could just call it quits, only to start over again
With somebody else

The only way out is through
The faster we're in the better
The only way out is through ultimately
The only way out is through
The only way we'll feel better
The only way out is through ultimately

last weekend i was thankful for...

...bosses’ children
...a 100 score in bowling
...people with birthdays
...umbrellas
...the rain
...new godchildren
...Nike sales
...credit cards
...marked-down calendars
...Masses at Greenbelt
...microwave popcorn
...classical music
...old friends
...memories of Paavo
and McDonald’s Banana-Strawberry McFlurry

Last Song Syndrome : Everything - Alanis Morissette

fare thee well, our little boy

Paavo finally succeeded in his attempt to slip through the gate grilles early Tuesday morning and we haven't found him since then. We chalk it all up to his impending manhood -er- dogpuberty. Apparently this is a common occurrence in "adolescent" males especially those of certain breeds (Paavo's mix being a mystery to us till this day).

Paavo was never an extraordinary dog--he couldn't do tricks for the life of him, and I wouldn't depend on him to get help. He did have a knack for sniffing out intruders though, and was so malambing (hence our theory that he is a lab mix, aside, of course, from his looks). But like any other member of the family, however imperfect, however strange he was sometimes, he was accepted with total unconditional love. Despite the tantrums when we had a new puppy for a while, or making it a point to jump up on the beds only when there were new bedsheets. That's our little boy!

Nins was crying almost non-stop the whole of Tuesday. We've scoured an area of 10 blocks from our house but apparently he had too much lead time. We've visited the dog pounds. We're putting up posters today but I don't think it's going to help much. We can only hope that he's safe somewhere and hasn't gotten run over; we can only hope that he gets enough to eat.

It isn't too much to hope, is it? In the two-hour season finale of Charmed, there were mirror worlds that were the exact opposite (the Charmed ones were evil, and demons were good). Barbas, the demon who sowed fear and was a constant adversary of the Charmed ones, was, in the alternate dimension, the demon of hope. Hope seems to be the antithesis of all evil--going all the way back to Pandora's Box. We're hoping to get Paavo back someday. Much like we're hoping that something good will actually happen to the Philippines.

Last Song Syndrome : Mr. Clay - Bamboo

the eating of the posts

Have just experienced "the eating of the post" as described by LibrarianJessie. Longish post was posted but 'Publish Post' button resulted in an error. Fie upon you ISP of StingyCo!

meanwhile...

cheers for the bespren!
Bespren J. is one of the members of the Philippine contingent for the international Marlboro Adventure Race. She was one of the Top 5 from a field of 25 finalists, cut from a field of more than 100,000 applicants. Brilliant, this friend of mine. She is the most athletic person I know, perfect foil to my sedentary self--among the sports she's tried out and excelled in are swimming, basketball, fencing and dragonboat rowing. For the race she went through driving a 4x4 and an ATV, orienteering, rapelling, swimming, and a boat race that included tipping an overturned boat. It's an inspiring story that showcases how good things come out of doing something with spirit and spunk.

sweet, syrupy short-term memory loss
Finally watched 50 First Dates. Comments here at The Casual Watcher. Teared up a little and was generally ready to turn in for a peaceful night's sleep until...

paavo went missing
Son of a b!tch (literally) slipped out the gate momentarily left open and ended up ten blocks away near the covered court. Thank you, thank you, barangay tanods. Nins' eyes were now swollen from both 50 First Dates and Paavo's Night Out. Sigh. Wasted gasoline looking for him, and then at midnight, prices went up. Brilliant.

Last Song Syndrome : Flood - Jars of Clay

slowly i become one with the mud