Squirrel Collecting Nuts

Nuts!

Just nuts.

Travel-crazy….

Wander -

…Lust.

This is what characterized 2005. Imagine: in just the first half alone, I was able to go to Bora twice, Mactan once, and Tagaytay a gazillion times. The second half of oh-five was marked by THE US trip where my folks and I hit 8 cities on 6 states within 17 days. Talk about hectic. Frenetic. Epileptic.

…But — I made sure that despite the sprint pace of last year, I jogged / strolled / crawled slow enough to take some pictures. I’ve picked out my favorites for the year and I would have loved to include some more for all of you to view but given space constraints, I had to pick out my tru-tru faves. You can check out my multiply site to access some of the albums where these photos came from (as I started posting scanned pictures late last year). Just go to: http://monsterbot69.multiply.com/ and click on the albums for the individual pictures…

Finally: Happy New Year (Chinese & otherwise). And here are some nuggets of wisdom that I always try to live by (New Year & otherwise):

Take time out to truly enjoy what is important to you.

Be fair, be balanced, and remember that everyday is always an opportunity to reinvent yourself.

Be good to others, but more importantly - be good to yourself.

Always pray and be thankful (to whoever you think gave you all your blessings: could be God / Buddha / Odin / Mohammed / sheesh - the Devil - if you sold your soul)

For the record, my top 3 (S.M.A.R.T.) New Year’s Resolutions are:

a) Quit smoking within February 2006 (cccccccold turkey as of February 3)

b) Start taking normal photos by March 2006 (i.e. minimize ccccccccolor-splashed photos in favor of more traditional pichoor-taking)

c) Lose 15 pounds by April 2006 (um… the diet starts tomorrow…)

Check up on me by April and we’ll see how far I’ve gone…

To my travel / life companions — stay in touch!

To my US-based relatives: thank you very much for your hospitality and for showing this yokel how to have a good time over there. And oh-yes, I’ve finally scanned and posted our pics: check out the multiply site, specifically the ones about the US trip… These are: Leg 1: Ali-Shonak (Arizona); Leg 2: Vegas Las Viva; Leg 3: Digital New York; Leg 4a: Taking A Bite Out Of The Big Apple; Leg 4b: Virgin, Yah!; Cross-Country Cross-Processing; The Lost Days; Blacks & Whites In America

I’ve been vewy vewy quiet lately…

I bought a 30Gb iPod with Video in the US and I have been calmly, patiently, sleeplessly importing my entire CD collection the past week.  Hence, the silence and lack of sleep and coherence.

At this point, I’m at 1469 songs, clocking in at 6.50Gb.  I’ve gone through about 300 CDs (where I picked the songs I particularly liked from each CD) and I have about 300 CDs to go.  After this, I’ll start borrowing CDs from my friends, downloading from the ‘Net & the Music Store, and hooking up to strangers’ iTunes.  Just to get that obscure song I liked by Classix Nouveau which I last heard in 1984.

While I write and import at the same time, I’m trying to research how to convert and import my collection of LPs — just so I can say, "Hey, wanna listen to Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass —complete with popcorn and hiss?  How about James Last and His Music for Sagittarius?"  At least, they’ve recently re-released Tito, Vic, and Joey’s "Tough Hits" on CD so I don’t have to try to import my cassette tape collection as well…

After that, I’ll import my favorite pictures and vacation pictures.  And, I WILL show them all to YOU, don’t worry.

…And thus I’ve turned into iBore…  See y’all in about 5 more days!

Goodbye:

With a heavy heart, let me say goodbye to Fuji in Eastwood, Libis — where film magic was done and magic prints were born.  I suppose due to escalating costs and dwindling revenues (well, I think I was one out of the 6.3 regular customers they had), YKL Management decided to close shop there and transfer to (sniff-sniff) Broadway Centrum.  Being a "valued" customer (I say "friend"), I always enjoyed dealing with the staff (I say again, "my friends").  They were very open to my ideas and (eventually) were not surprised with the type of psycho shots that I made with my camera.  They would originally correct my colorsplashed, off-centered, cross-processed pictures and ditch entire rolls of dark, blurry negatives — saying "labo" & "panget" — and they were just talking about the photographer (what more the pix).  In time, they learned to leave my pictures alone and attend to me better — the service was so great that they allowed me to stand side by side their machine operator (aka Jerwin) and run the machine with him…  Sigh — for their great service and (for me) the best color processing, "Cheers and Adios!"

Hello Again!

Because of Fuji Eastwood’s closure, I was forced to go to the nearest Fuji Digital Center.  This is in the old Fiesta Carnival complex in Cubao — and two Sundays ago, I went.  And while I have a lot of gripes with the service of Fuji Cubao, I was delighted in visiting Cubao once more. (NOTE: To those who regularly, visit / go through / commute from Cubao — do not read this part.  I am sure you are SICKSICKSICK of Cubao and you probably think I am out of my mind — or sicksicksick as well.)

Anyway…  I have a lot of fond childhood memories of Cubao and (for those: with short attention spans / yawn - easily bored people / emotionless hard-hearted robots - please skip this mawkish part) let me run some of them by you:

1. My maternal grandfather and I would ride the Marikina Transit Line off of Concepcion Market then get a haircut in Cubao.  I loved it when he would command his favorite barber to shave my sideburns and back with a labaha — my mom always begged him to not do this — and I enjoyed the subversiveness of it all.

2. My very first ever National Book Store visit was the (then) flagship branch in Ali Mall which had two full storeys (ano, two stories? hinde, two STOREYS) of books books books.  Each weekend, I had to buy a book (or rather my Dad would need to cough up money for at least one book) — the first ones ever being "The Book Of Lists" and the book adaptation of the Walt Disney Film, "The Rescuers".   This was one of the milestones on my road to collecting useless trivia and watching cartoons about clever rodents.

3. Every Christmas, my family would troop to COD and watch the Christmas showcase displayed on the roof(?), mezzanine(?), eh? — of COD — in all its dancing, musical, moving glory.

4. Who can forget Choo-Choo Junction, Fiesta Carnival (which has hence moved to another location), Marikina Shoe Expo (where I bought my school shoes), Araneta Colisuem (pronounced Colishum by my dad in jest), Farmers Market (then the only source of fresh produce and seafood), and the office of Jingle Magazine?

A lot of good memories and I thought that maybe I was feeling this way because I was a kid back then and didn’t know any better…  But you know what?  My visit to Cubao two Sundays ago showed me that Cubao is still very much alive and kicking.  I relished walking from Ali Mall to Fiesta Carnival (now Shopwise) to Araneta Colisuem (now with Gateway) and just marveled at how many people are still packed in a single square foot in Cubao.  And while some of the Cubao places I remember were gone, the magic that the place holds for me still linger.  (NOTE:  Regular commuters and Cubao Bashers can now resume reading)

I Was Los!

Rather, I was IN Los.  Los Angeles.  Long Beach to be exact.  Since it was a temporary stop in my current US trip, I really was not supposed to stay long in LA.  I was expecting just a little bit of sun during this trip and I wanted to see and feel some sand between my toes.  Unfortunately, Thor had other plans and decided to send a thunder storm on the the day that I arrived.  So while I am honored and flattered that the Norse god put on a light and sound show just for me, I would have preferred seeing a bikini and bush extravaganza instead.  It was wet, gusty, and cool — perfect attributes for females but sucky attributes for the weather which I liken to Baguio in December.

Oh well — I am currently in Arizona right now.  And like the mythical bird of fire — of which the city I am currently typing this thing in is named after — I will rise from the ashes.  Since this is the desert, I am expecting some sun in these parts.  I hope. I hope…

Good news is always great to receive (even if you don’t know who or what it’s about) — There’s that overall air of goodwill, neat-o-ness, and excitement whenever someone’s passing on a piece of interesting information. This may be a bit late in coming (dammit I was busy) — but passing on and receiving positive vibes is always a good thing regardless of the timing. Plus I wanted to bunch together the happy happy tidings in threes (they say blessings - and ok, deaths, come in threes - but I digress) so here goes:

1. Sabine = (Turns) Three:

Last September 4, Sabine Alexa (my daughter) celebrated her 3rd birthday with the requisite Goldilock’s birthday cake, barbecue, Kentucky Fried Chicken, ice cream, pansit, and my mom’s (world-famous) tuna casserole. Aside from hyperactivity brought about by all the sugar pumped into the kids, the day went without incident — well, unless you count the Great Barbie Doll As Devil’s Tool Designed To Impose Unrealistic Body Image Debate (GBDADTDTIUBID) between Pau and myself. Uh, and the resulting food-flinging, verbal abuse, and fisticuffs after our, uh "debate"… (And of course, round 1 goes to Pau — as she always seems to win over me in pointless debate)

2. Paula = (Cancer) Free:

Last August 19, I accompanied Paula Rosario (my sister) to the doctor to get the results of her latest scan. If you’ve been reading the lengthy pap that I’ve been sending then you’d know that we sorta kinda hada cancer-recurrence scare recently. Of course, initial tests showed nothing alarming but the radioactive scan would have confirmed and put the matter to rest. During the period that Pau will be scanned, she was asked to get off her thyroid medication, so as not to distort the readings. And to be honest, aside from the lazy / sleepy responses from her over the phone, she was not really that unbearable (well not more then the usual). Anyways, after a 3 hour wait in Makati Med where we gabbed about her work, movies, books, and the general deterioration of everyone’s language skills - we stepped into the office of her endocrinologist. And you know the rest — (read the heading and you will know, too)…

[Side story: I have never been afraid of doctors or dentists. I have never been scared of undergoing surgery. Hospitals delight, not frighten me. Despite the sickness, ill-health, relative squalor floating about --- my personal experience of hospitals and anyone connected with the medical field has been pleasant and comforting. Chalk it up (probably) to the roster of talented, caring, and soft-spoken doctors my mother exposed me to. BUT --- Paula's endocrinologist --- man, she is just a beeeyotch. I sat in her office with my sister and I just couldn't take her talking down and questioning my sister's motives. Maybe it was her tone, or maybe it was just too early for me, but she just fricking annoyed and pissed me off. What made it worse was that my strong strong STRONG willed sister who will not take crap sitting down just sat and took it. Maybe it was an effect of being off her meds, or maybe it was just too early for her, but... she just took it... with a goofy smile.]

3. Maqui = (Busy) Bee:

Ten days after landing in Newark, Maria Christina (my other sister) in uncharacteristically good time, was able to land a job in the birthplace of the 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson! Smack dab in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley, accessible only by horse, wagon, or Amtrak — Staunton Virginia (pop. 24,000) now has a pre-school teacher inspiring (or corrupting) young minds. All this sans a proper working visa!

Maqui is now a US statistic:

a. Staunton’s population is now 24,001

b. She occupies about 0.00005% of Staunton’s 20 square miles

c. She just shifted the male-female ratio to 54% in favor of females

d. She just brought down the median age of the city from 39.8 years old to 38.3

In any case, she is happy and thankful that the beautiful (unwitting) people of Staunton have taken her in and accepted her as their own (much like sheep accepting a wolf to sleep with them). It will just be a matter of time until her working visa is processed and her stay documented. In the meantime, join me in wishing her well (she started teaching a few days ago and so far no riots or devil cults have been reported as cropping up. Well none yet).

Haaaaay.

God is good. You guys better believe that!

One last update on my sisters:

As of August 1, 2005 - Paula is off her thyroid medication thyrax so that when she gets her body scan, the results will not be distorted.  Thyrax acts like the thyroid (which was removed from Paula last year) which manages metabolism and moods.  So things to look out for or avoid when you get a chance to see her during this period:

1.  Do not compliment her on her trim figure (she will say you are a liar).
2.  Do not tell her she’s fat (she will cry and/or claw your eyes out).
3.  No cat jokes (she will ask her cat to claw your eyes out).
4.  Ignore the weepiness.
5.  Ignore the sleepiness.
6.  Expect alternating bouts of lethargy and mania.
7.  Expect bad decisions from her ("I WILL feed my cat and eat a sundae while driving my brother’s car).

Oh, please please pray for her — because she will be absolutely insane for the next few weeks.
In her own words she will be like a "depressed, despairing, lethargic pregnant woman on bad crack."

And oh (almost forgot) please pray so that her body scan is completely and utterly clean, which means she will finally be cancer free.

As of July 30, 2005 - Maqui is off.  Off to the United States to try her luck on various scams.  We wish her well.  Once more, please say a prayer for her good health and good fortune (of course, backed by good old-fashioned hard work).

The season of autumn always evokes images of lifelessness and goodbyes, where all you see are dry, brown leaves and soft, wet earth. People covered up. Preparing for their eventual winter (here in the Philippines, uh - fat season?) hibernation. Dead trees. Rot and disintegration…

Death and Goodbyes equate Autumn and some people dread this season and these ideas.

BUT — autumn IS a season, a part of the ongoing cycle of change — much like our experiences of goodbyes and eventual deaths.

So, while some folks try to cling to their memories of summers and relationships past, let me share and celebrate a few goodbyes that are scheduled to happen this autumn. Remember, goodbyes for the people left behind always bring a promise of future hellos and reconnection — and for the people leaving (or those shedding some unwanted baggage) there is that destination and end-state that they will hopefully attain…

For Paula: Goodbye Cancer!

Unbeknownst to most of you, the family experienced another mild scare two weeks ago. During a routine physical exam (actually Paula was complaining of intermittent hearing loss - I suspected it was, you know, too much "you know", but I digress), the doctor examining her found a couple of lumps near her left shoulder. Given her recent bout with the Big C, the doctor could not and would not discount it as a possible recurrence of her cancer.

And of course, we all figured it was nothing but a bad boil (ahhh, denial is such a useful thing!). Last Thursday (July 14), Paula underwent a endoscopy to check her ear, nose, and throat area and the doctor saw nothing alarming.

Last Monday (July 18), Paula underwent a biopsy to check what the tissue growth was all about. The result (after all the fear and anguish) was zip. Apparently, it is some muscle that developed in a funny way and does not pose any risk to my sister. So we are thankful. Paula needs to just undergo a body scan to ensure that she is completely cancer-free - and if so (god-willing, fingers-crossed), she would be cancer-free for almost a year.

So please silently say a prayer of wellness for Paula — this is one goodbye that will hopefully not have any more hellos…

For Maqui: Goodbye Manila!

Unbeknownst to most of you, my baby sister Maqui (or as we lovingly call her, "the other one") will be leaving the country at the end of the month to try her luck with finding employment abroad. Hers is a simple plan: fly to the United States (New York? San Francisco? Toronto? Virginia? Carmel?) and peddle her many talents to the highest bidder. While that may sound dubious (and now that I read it, smacks strongly of "you know"), Maqui always had the habit of always landing on her feet no matter what happens (once though, she landed on her wrist which altered the course of her then-thriving rock-climbing career, but I digress). We are hopeful that in this case, she lands and ends up doing something she will truly and utterly love.

So please silently say a prayer of safe passage and success for Maqui — that in finding her way, she finds herself as well…

For Me: Goodbye Cruel World!

And by that, I mean the cruel world of longing and helplessness — what better way to end this message slash update than by sharing with you MY daily prayer of hello (with the hope that I don’t kill you with cheese):

Dear God:

Thank you for another beautiful day.

Everything I do today I offer up to you.

Amen.

The results are in — and the final tally is: POSITIVE !

After months of careful planning*, campaigning, lobbying, (and begging) - helped judiciously by 6 shakers of Ponticello Kamikazes** - we are proud to announce that Sabine will have a younger sibling sometime around February 2006.

We hope it’ll be a boy*** but we’ll be glad to have whatever God will eventually bless us with.

Since it is still kind of early and we don’t want to jinx it — please say a prayer (and raise a beer) for the baby.

Footnotes Which Will Understandably Not Be Understood By Everyone:

* I guess quality IS better than quantity… Tiffy, this is after Day 223…

** I am not kidding about the Kamikazes. Uh, thanks Paul & Vincent…

*** If it’s a boy, we will NOT name him Griffin, you cheesy bastards…

**** Given the Cebu odds of 100 to 1, anyone who bet on us should be millionaires by now, right Vic?

***** Guess it was all hormones, eh?

There is nothing like 37 degree weather to make your underwear stick to your most intimate parts.

That and statements made under the influence of alcohol with no seeming consideration of the possible implications of these utterances…

Hot weather = armpits sweat
Hot words = blood boil

Put ‘em all together and what you get is a pool of perspiration, blood, and piss…

I’ve had it with this weather…
You’re giving me a migraine…

Sigh.

Our last night in Bora consisted of:

Pigging out in Gasthof;

Cigging up in Cocomangas;

Wigging out in Club Paraw.

And now am back.

Since it was hot and sunny today, I tried taking my shirt off in the mall (not D’ Mall by the way) but the mall rent-a-cops asked me nicely to dress appropriately.

Oh well.

Oh hell.

I miss the beach na…