To the Owner of Hermes

Do you know that in the morning, I look forward to you? To hearing your sleepy cheery voice when I call to wake you up. And then to seeing your name pop up in my task bar when you get to the office.

Do you know that the whole day, I look forward to you? To having nonsense dialogue and exchanging links, images, sites.

Do you know that in the afternoon, I look forward to you? To talking to you again after you’ve had your long lunches. And then to you telling me that you’re off to pick me up.

And do you know that when the end of the day comes, I still look forward to you? To spending the night with you. Dinner, jogging, or just hanging out. And then to you kissing me good night, which tells me that another day with you is about to come.

I look forward to you. I honestly sometimes hate it. But always, I’m happy.

Just so you know.

Great week ahead

3 big things to look forward to this week:

1. Gin Blossoms live in Manila. We should probably get our tickets already, it’s this Thursday!

 

Gin Blossoms in Manila

2. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1. Need I say more?

 

Can't waittttt!

3. Something entirely better than any song Gin Blossoms has ever written, and something on a completely different level than all Harry Potter books combined.

Looking forward! 🙂

Define VL

11 days of complete nothingness. 11 days of bumming around. 11 days of freedom. 11 days of thinking. 11 days of happiness.

Where did you go? Into the depths of my mind and to the house of the squishy boy.

What did you do? I played. Played with my thoughts, played with things I’ve wanted to do, played with new things and experiences.

How was it? Did you feel it was too short? Definitely. But this one was enough for affirmations and realizations.

* * *

Here are the things I did, in no particular order. All of these I consider highlights of my VL:

1. Another check-up and ultrasound—then was prescribed the Pill
2. Mooncake dice game with the Locos at Somerset, where I won first prize (yeay!)
3. Brought Buttercup to be repaired
4. Applied for a Globe plan
5. Cleaned up Linus
6. Attended a seminar on stock investing
7. Marathon-ed Modern Family and other series
8. First time at Club Manila East
9. 2-hour ML
10. Celebrated Halloween for the first time (Saturday win)

And now, it’s time to do the optimism dance for work. Hope it lasts me the whole week. 😉

Words and Dialogue

Words. The lack thereof, or in excess of. While most of them aren’t meant to be thrown around in such a reckless way, some of them should be.

Dialogue. The lack thereof, or in excess of. While some things aren’t meant to be talked about, most of them should be.

* * *

In a recent tumblr entry, I pasted these words from Thomas Gray:

To each his sufferings: all are men,
Condemn’d alike to groan—
The tender for another’s pain,
Th’ unfeeling for his own.
Yet, ah! why should they know their fate,
Since sorrow never comes too late,
And happiness too swiftly flies?
Thought would destroy their Paradise.
No more;—where ignorance is bliss,
‘Tis folly to be wise.

Not knowing at all, not knowing enough. Basically taking the easy way out. In another life, maybe. But humans are curious beings, most acting upon their curiosity.

We all want wisdom to live, wisdom to lead better lives, wisdom in general.

Knowledge gives us this wisdom.

Words and dialogue give us this knowledge.

Of relationships

History

The truth is often hard to swallow. Like a bitter pill, you force it in your mouth, make your body accept, then realize that it only makes you stronger and more immune to other foreign objects. Sometimes though, there are side effects.

No lies, we agreed. I kept my end of the bargain and I assume you kept(s) yours too.

I am happy that you have a past. That you have a history with all these girls. As insecure as I am of each one of them, I’m happy. Because of them, you found me.

* * *

Commitment

It’s sad how people are freaked out by long-term/commitment talk. By weddings, houses, babies. In an ideal world, excitement should be the predominant emotion when your partner brings this up. (Pre-requisite: happiness and contentment in the relationship)

* * *

Short-term

Wise relationship advice from you, for a friend: (spell check done)

“When it comes to relationships there’s a minimum requirement on how similar you have to be to begin with. When it comes to the differences there’s a minimum requirement also as to how much you actually love versus the ones you despise.”

Amen.

Dear brother

Once upon a time, I looked up to you.

I used to think you were cool, smart, and level-headed. I used to think you were someone I could aspire to be. We got along well and I took in a lot of your interests. It was to you I told most of the stories and experiences of my young life.

Once upon a time.

I can’t help but wonder what happened. Now, I can’t stand to be in the same room as you. Heck, I can’t even take sitting next to you during mass. I question you, I question how you treat us, and I question what you’re doing. I can’t stand your arguments and often get caught  in the middle. I could go on and on and on.

I’m angry at you. Not the I’m-angry-at-you-now-but-later-I’ll-forgive-you angry. I’m angry at you.

I may not win the best sister or daughter award, but I know how to respect my parents. I know how to not think of myself all the time. I know how to be concerned about my siblings. I should, I’m already 23.

How about you?

Wonderful mess

I want to write but words have been scarce. My thoughts have been bullet points, phrases, pictures, video clips. I struggle to put words together for this mere entry.

When I feel, I feel more.

When I think, I think less.

I pinch myself just to check. Yep, still me.

The Updated List

I have always tried to avoid different types of food after my endoscopy last 2006. Spicy, fatty and fried food. Coffee, tea, milk, cheese, softdrinks and alcohol. Citrus fruits, instant noodles and canned goods. Name it, it’s on the list. These are said to be the causes of my constant stomach pains.

After undergoing the procedure again last Saturday, I’ve pasted part of the findings below:

…The stomach was empty with good distensibility to air insufflation, there were multiple erosions with hematin stains seen in the antrum…

What? Haha anyway, I have an updated (and shorter!) list of stuff to avoid.

1. Spicy food and instant noodles (Goodbye Yakisoba. For now.)

2. Coffee, tea, and softdrinks (Not a coffee drinker and not fond of softdrinks. But I shall have to say goodbye to tea.)

3. Milk (Or anything that contains milk. Boo.)

4. Citrus fruits and juices (Hooray for mangoes, melons, bananas, papayas and all other delicious non-citrus-y fruits!)

5. Smoking and alcohol (No problem here!)

6. Pain relievers like Alaxan, Ponstan and Flanax (Biogesic and Tylenol are exceptions)

Kinda similar to the one a few years back though. This list just affirms everything and reminds me to pay even more attention to what I eat.

Noooooooooo. This sucks.

Off to Iloilo and Guimaras!

Iloilo has never been on my “must visit places” list, and I never would’ve gone there if not for Gretch. Since she’s been assigned there for work and is only able to go back to Manila around once or twice a month, she misses us badly (haha 😉 ). Good friends that we are, we decided to go to her there and make it as one of our barkada outings.

We decided to visit Iloilo then Guimaras for our 3-day trip. After much planning on both Gretch’s and my part, we were all set.

Places visited in Iloilo:
1. Jaro Church and Bell Tower
2. Arevalo Church
3. Breakthrough restaurant
4. Miag-ao Church
5. Guimbal Church
6. Guimbal City Hall
7. Tigbauan Church
8. Smallville (Ate at Bourbon Street)
9. Ted’s La Paz Batchoy

Day 1

It was an experience to go Church-hopping, since I’ve never done it before. What stood out for me was the Miag-ao Church, picturesque and magnificent both in its exterior and interior designs. Oz mentions though how it’s kind of sad that some of the Churches had to be renovated and stripped of their natural historical beauty, and I have to agree.

In front of Miag-ao Church

After one whole day in Iloilo, we checked in Riverside Inn and left for Guimaras via Jordan Port the next day.

Places visited in Guimaras:
1. Balaan Bukid
2. Trappist Monastery
3. Guisi Lighthouse
4. Turtle Sanctuary
5. Alubihod Beach
6. Fish Sanctuary
7. Ave Maria Island
8. Biscocho Haus

Day 2-3

Guimaras is such a quiet and peaceful town, and it really does boast beautiful beaches. I specifically loved our island hopping experience, where we visited the Turtle Sanctuary and a place where they kept different fishes. (Giant Lapu-lapu!) My only regret is that we were unable to buy mangoes since they weren’t in season. Boo!

Other highlights of the trip:

– Food at Bourbon Street! Mmm.
– Attack of the “Wild Boar” on Oz. Yes, it was indeed a wild boar.
– Trek to Balaan Bukid: 1 km for kuya, 5 km for us.
– Taboo night (Go Ateneo!)
– Walking along the bamboo bridges from cottage to cottage in the middle of the ocean

Thank you for the “shared memories”, friends! 🙂 It was definitely a fun experience.

***

The trip was kind to our wallets–we spent around 5k all in. However, I’ve decided to skip traveling this year to save up money for the places I want to go to next year. Must resist looking at Cebu Pacific promos. GAH. Haha, can’t wait for 2011!

6 months after

Reading through all of my entries again, I’ve realized a few things:

1. A LOT can happen in 6 months. That’s how long I haven’t been updating this blog.

2. I really am emo. Haha.

3. I have a bad memory. There are things which I really can’t remember having written.

I have to start writing again. On a journal, on this blog or a new one…I haven’t decided yet.