Project FEETrail [May 2012]: In between dried leaves + concrete walkway

"But - but the greatest way to witness is by walking that straight and narrow and also realizing that you're going to mess up. That's what grace is for. We're going to fall, but we've got to get back up. And you've got to improve. And that's what I'm all about."

Tim Tebow

In attempt to get back up and go on with my life from what happened last month, I stood at the edge of the concrete and in between cement and the soft soil covered with dried leaves. I could be safe and secure with the concrete cement that I am standing on or check how soft and what’s underneath the covered dried leaves.

Nothing special happened the day this photo was taken. It was just some random day at work where I attended a training and then walked back to my office building. There was nothing special that day, except that I got a call from one of my guy friends offering help in getting the car’s registration renewed and the next thing I knew we already made plans to hit the city in a few days to visit a friend who gave birth and that started the constant “calls to hang out”.

It started the “this is not so bad after all” phase. 

As I have realized that the plans that I have for my self are merely suggestions to the Universe (God) and waiting for His stamp of approval,  I am surrendering my self in the backseat and let Him take the wheel. 

All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Because your 30th Birthday deserves a BBM Patch Birthday Salubong, Henry James...

As I have blogged before here, the month of May is the birthday month of the majority of my guy friends. This year, we had a SURPRISE BANDWAGON for each of the celebrants.

First it was Lyle's Surprise Go Ahead Party, then Ellis' "Wacks-loves-Peachy" Birthday Dinner... and finally this! 

Because Jim's birthday fell on a weekday, I couldn't join my friends in the birthday salubong due to some major commitments, but I promised them I will be there in spirit! So I came up with, not a phone call patch, but a BBM patch and dragged my friends into taking photos of the blow by blow account!

First Birthday requirement: There has to be a classic, all-time-favorite Mer-Nel's Birthday cake.

The message in the cake is always...a private joke. :)

Lyle dropped by the shop to show me the cake for Jim!

Lyle and Jan waiting for the two, late comers: Rogus and Dhoddie

Now, the LATE[ harot comers]  Rogus and Dhoddie! 

Perhaps a more proper photo?

Coordinating with Poch via phone, setting the place for meet up

Now let the BBM-ing begin!

The guys on the way to Mc Kinley to meet Joy, Ellis, Vane and Poch (Thanks for taking the photo Dhoddie!) 

 And of course, in a classic Rogus Fashion: car trouble (over heat)

Best in "Cause of Traffic"

Where are we? Check Billboards!

Mr. Cabby passed by and helped the boys

The guys trying to figure it out ( and in a classic Jan "sister" fashion, he is on the phone again.  I wonder who is he texting? hmmmnn... Kidding sis! )

 By this time, I already got a call from Joy as the traffic reporter giving me the blow by blow account of how the guys are figuring it out while Joy and Vane are inside the car! ( Good job Traffic Angel Jops!)

The guys tried to figure it out

And boy did they try so hard... and then... 

 SUCCESS!!! Finally they reached the no-idea-what's-gonna-happen-I'm-just-playing-Hidden-Chronicles-Jim's condo:

The best friend as the Pizza Guy!

 Again, in a classic Rogus "peeping tom" fashion, he must check the area first:

Waiting for the Birthday Boy:

Happy 30th Birthday Henry James!!!

Congratulations for being the first one in our group to turn THIRTY! :)

Speechless?

 Here's your cake all the way from Laguna...

...Especially delivered by your best friend, Lyle.

And because I said this is a Birthday BBM Patch, All photos are taken and sent(real-time during the event) via BBM (Blackberry Messaging) so excuse the blurry photos.

The gang

 I'm assuming this was taken by Joy? Because I keep bugging everyone to take photos of the blow-by-blow account as early as 8pm!

(L-R: Jan, Ellis, Poch, Vane, Dhodie, Lyle and Rogus)

And again, because this is is a BBM patch Birthday Salubong, I am also in the Birthday Salubong in spirit and in photo via BBM:

Take 1:

 Where's my cake and pizza guys? 

Take 2:

Thank you Apy for taking my photos

Happy Birth Month Friends! 

Cheers to more years of fun friendship and surprises! 

Remember these almost-a-decade-old VHS tapes, @jheynmbuo @imKameeL?

I found these tapes this morning:

While it brought really nice college days memories, it brought que-horror emo-moments during our Mass Comm days.

It’s a good thing digital cameras and camera phones weren’t as common before ( the most high tech phone that time is the good, ol’ Nokia 7650) or else I would be paying for the price of kalurkeyhan during my college years with the presence of youtube and vimeo sites where you can upload videos for the world to see.

Still, one of these days (or months) I might muster up the guts to watch this (but let me find a player first if I can, or else I will have to have it converted to a CD/ DVD...oh no!). 

I worked behind the scenes of the production of these tapes. From the conceptualization, the production, execution, post-production. The happiest moment that I will always look back is when I won as the 2003 Best Scriptwriter for TV Documentary during  The AB Mass Comm Video Festival 2003.

Then I realized that those actresses who comes up on stage to accept their awards while crying, they’re not over acting...oh well it’s true. Especially if you really worked hard for  it.

In my case, I didn’t hear my name being called because I was busy chatting, and counting the trophies that our group already one and I did not know that there is an award for the scripwriter for TV Documentary.

I remember, no matter how hard, it always felt really, really good. Writing and Production fuels me. I remember how extremely good it felt. I remember how I was so focused on my craft. I remember how doing what you love the most makes you feel alive. I remember going home in the wee hours in the morning tired, but really happy. I don’t know how I can perfectly function with just four hours of sleep and still over-deliver.

Which takes me back to what I’ve been obsessing about lately. As Jenni Epperson said when I attended her book signing, “When you operate from within, it will really transcend outwards.”

Haaay... Why do I have this constant nagging feeling that I’m waiting for my whole life to happen? 

Tuesday Thoughts: Feed your Faith, and your fears will starve to death.

I was told yesterday that I was given a gift of fortitude. 

Why not a "TGIS-love-team" themed Birthday Banner?

Last week I got BBM’d again about another Birthday surprise that’s cooking, I got excited again. But actually, I am more excited about the crazy DIY Banner that I’ve been cooking in my head.

The plan:

It's supposed to be just about the birthday celebrant, Ellis Torres.

Ellis Carlo "Joaquin Wacks" Torres

And because I love this couple, and it was his beloved lady love's idea to throw a surprise, intimate birthday dinner, and because we've all been good friends since high school.. I got into thinking: why not a “former-TGIS-love-team” themed banner?

TGIS (Thank God It’s Sabado) is a Filipino youth-oriented drama series aired on GMA Network from August 12, 1995 to November 27, 1999. The series aired every Saturday. It was produced by GMA Network, and VIVA Television. The title is derived from the popular expression "TGIF." - Wikipedia

The most popular love team of the group is the "Wacks-Peachy" tandem:

(Photos from google)

Bobby "Joaquin 'wacks' Torres III" Andrews and Angelu "Ma. Patrice 'Peachy' Real" de Leon

Now, our very own version:

Meet Ellis "Joaquin" Torres and Joy "Peachy Real" Jarumayan! (Super children of the 90's! Lahvet!)

Literal CUT and PASTE :)

The finished product:

I love the surprised look on Ellis' fez! Gulat-much? :)

Thank you Joy and Ate Mia for lending me the photos and for the wonderful dinner!

Happy 29th Birthday, Ellis "Joaquin 'wacks"" Torres! <3 

Reminiscing Braving Singapura in 2010

After browsing through my sister's computer, I saw these photos from our Singapore trip two years ago:

Waiting at the airport



Our first stop  is Universal studios:

 The Esplanade

Geylang street

Taste of "affordable" food in Singapore

The Singapore Flyer

Singapore National Musuem

Some random Street art

This is my first trip with no parents, just us cousins. My aunt who also came with her single friends joined us in the trip but we were mostly in separate groups so it feels like we're all adults.

I enjoyed this trip despite the heat and some "cultural-smell-preference". It just doesn't feel very different because it is very much like Manila. I am glad that I was able to see some of my friends who are based in Singapore when I was there.

My friends were telling me how convenient it is to commute given their organized trains and bus route, but I complete entrusted all the navigation to my sister and crime rate review to my cousin Stew, because I am so trying hard not to pass out when I get tired.

I have photos but not for public viewing, I was still on my "sabbatical writing break" so I did not really have intentions of blogging about the experience until I came across the photos we took.

When will I see you again, Singapore?

Cute Feminist Cards

I got these last weekend. I love getting cute stuff like this. 

It comes in a cigarette box-like thingy and it's in black and hot pink! :)

It actually reminds me of "Give the bitch her chocolate", (the one that I wrote about here )that I gave to one of my good feminist friends, Faye.  

Let me share with you some of my favorite cards:

  Card 01:
I showed these to my friend Paully, and she asked: " Is there a female ship captain?" ( Oo nga no?, the captain is the last one to leave a sinking ship, I wonder if there is a female ship captain.)

Card 07:
My friend Faye who is a mom to 9 yr old Cheska, shared before that she was feeding baby cheska while typing on her laptop trying to meet a report.

Card 08:
Statistically, this is true.

Card 11:
My guy friends in their late twenties never get tired and still gets super excited over video games, while girls already graduated from Barbie dolls since hitting two digits of age.

Card 13:
This is cliche, because this is often true. :)

Card 15:
I don't know why, but I can tell a lot by looking at the choice of footwear. It need not be signature or branded. But I remember telling a friend that I am attracted to guys wearing loafers/top siders.

Card 16:
To keep this blog in the "General Patronage" category, I will not discuss this. But all I can say is: "BWAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Card 18:
Since I'm doing all the driving lately, I can relate to this one. While my guy friends nag when I drive, my motto on the road is: "In a hurry? Go ahead and fly!"

Card 26:
When I saw this card, I remembered my friend Claire, who mastered the art to welling up tears and batting her pretty eyes to talk her way out of a ticket. Claire is boyish in some sense when you meet her in person, but turns all girly, sensitive and delicate when she turn the tears on. I know it's something I cannot pull off. (Claire, teach me! haha!)

Card 27:
My friend Faye can probably swear on this one, not on her, but based from me. Last year I was upset and worried during class that I had to take out and apply my full bright red lippies that I gave her a mild cardiac arrest about how fast I was able to transform my mood via lipstick.

Card 32:
I don't think I need to elaborate on this one, but it doesn't feel like we're having our genitals cut off when we admit that we are wrong.

Card 35:
This is true. Women monitors their period and hormones that's why that Jerry Springer show and the one with the DNA test is more often unreal.

Card 36:
I dated a Momma's Boy, and all I can say is: "Whew!"

Card 43:
Why waste all energy when I can ask?

Card 45:
It may be because of the patriarchal upbringing but this is true. I cannot count how may stories of cheating husbands I've heard and learned that traces back to the bottom line of power imbalance in the household (read: wife earns more money than husband, so they cheat to feel good about themselves).

Card 46:
As I have said, why go through all the hassle?

Card 47:
I admire women, most especially moms. Because they are the most likely the one described in this card.

Card 48:
This is why females/women are good at negotiation and haggling. :)


I wonder if the makers (of this card) have the Male version... I really would love to read that! :)