Tis The Season to Be Jolly

Fralalalalaaaaaa Lalaaaaa Lah Lah!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Christmas Spirit

Tradition dictates that as Filipinos, we just have to start putting up the lights and setting up the tree as soon as September rolls in. As a kid, I used to really look forward to taking walks with my sister around our village, looking at the neighbors' decorations and just letting the cool Christmas breeze give us goosebumps. Those were the days when we didn't have anything to worry about except teachers and homework.

As the years passed, my enthusiasm for Christmas somehow faded. It got to a point where it's almost Christmas and I'd still feel like it's an ordinary day. I'm not surprised, really. We grow up, we get jaded, and we sometimes forget to feel the happiness that usually comes with the season.

Still, there are some things that get us into the Christmas mood. It could be the endless parties, the overflowing gifts, or the heart-attack-inducing food laid out on the table. For me, it's family. I recently realized that the past few Christmas Days seemed bleh because my family wasn't complete. There was one Christmas when my parents and sister were away in Mindoro. The next year was pretty much the same, but this time my grandmother was in the hospital so my parents had to take care of her. This year, I'm hoping we'll all be together. When my family is complete, then that is when I feel the Christmas spirit.

"Family means too much. Friends are too valuable. Life is too short to put off sharing with people how much they really mean to you, and pursuing whatever it is to make you happy."

Very true.

So what is the point of this post? Nothing much. Just some pre-Christmas musings. I hope that everyone will have a blessed and meaningful Christmas with your families and friends.

Missing Missy No More

Yes! Just when I was about to lose all hope, Jaffe was returned to us! I almost didn't want to put up those posters because I thought it was too late, that Jaffe had been run over by some road maniac (speaking of which, I had my very first roadkill the other day but that's another story to tell), or cat-napped by an old lady who collects stray cats, or just plain lost forever. It was a good idea to post them after all.

So how exactly did we find him?

Last Saturday before I going to the reunion, I asked the guard to put up some posters on the village gates. A couple of days later, our helper has been getting reports from a couple of neighbors about a cat who suspiciously looks like Jaffe prowling the other street at night. This afternoon, the guard called our house and said that Jaffe was hiding in the bushes so our helper went out to get him. According to Ate Gina, the cat ran to her when she called out his name. And voila! He's home!

Jaffe looks okay but he did get really thin. The maid from one of the houses on the other street tried to feed him, but he's just not used to human food. He's limping on his right fore paw, and he reeks of garbage and, uh, kitty stuff. I bet he's got a colony of fleas on him as well. If I could soak him in soap water for three days, I would.

You might think I'm crazy for getting emotional over a cat. You're right. Unfortunately, I don't care what you think. I'm just glad he's home. :)

The Return of the MS Giants

So last Saturday night was my high school reunion. I was having second thoughts about attending because I had grad school the next day, but I'm glad I did. It was great seeing people whom I haven't seen in TEN YEARS, catching up and reminiscing about the good ol' days when we used to tell our teachers to write on the floor when there was no space on the board, or spray the entire room with perfume just to piss off an annoying teacher, or call each other "Daga", "Pato", "Suck The Blood", "Ilong", "Araw", "Unggoy", "Isda", etc. Those were damn good times.

Ze Bespren, whom I haven't seen in the longest time.
Like a week. Hahaha.

Laila, Richelle, Ria, Iton (standing), Juay, Jasmin, and Sarah.

Old classmates who transferred out before we graduated high school were also there. It was interesting how we all interacted with each other - the awkwardness of high school was gone, replaced by something I can't quite put my finger on. I was talking to people whom I never talked to back in high school, and it was, well, refreshing.

Janice, Marj, Otep, Abby, and Tiffy.
I only see these guys on Facebook. Hahaha.

Whee, old busmates! (Some of them, anyway.)

If this is going to be a yearly thing, I will try to make it if my schedule permits it. I guess it won't hurt to get to know some of these people again.

Batch pride.
(Photo snagged from Allan Agena)

Proud to be a part of this batch. MS Giants FTW. And in case you're wondering, I didn't go to class the next day. Ahihi.

Creative Writing: Where The Hell Am I?

Rust. I am surrounded by rust.

It's the first solid thought that meandered its way into my mind as I slowly regained consciousness. I gingerly picked myself up from the floor, trying to ignore the strong smell of iron assaulting my nostrils. The floor felt hard and coarse to the touch, the air was cold and not a sound can be heard except for my own breathing. I tried to open my eyes, and I realized they're already open - it's just too dark to see even my own hands. I honestly don't know how I got here; I remember walking from my apartment to go to work...and that's about it. The rest is all a blur.

Where the hell am I?

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*This is an exercise for my Multimedia Writing class. :) To my students, you already know what to do. When you are finished, click on "shots" and comment on this post with the links to your work. Deadline is on Friday (Dec.10), 12MN.

The Double Down Experience

I've been itching to sample the Double Down ever since my sister posted pictures of the thing swimming in gravy. Every time I go to KFC after work, they'd be sold out and I would leave with my head low and heart crushed (okay, I'm exaggerating.). So when my mother offered to buy me breakfast after waking me up (waaaay before my wake up time, if I may add) to help her with grocery shopping, guess where we went.

A KFC Double Down (for those who have not heard nor seen it) is a thing of beauty (for those who just can't get enough of chicken). Two pieces of chicken breast fillet cooked in the usual KFC style make up the "bun" of this so-called sandwich, and inside are pieces of bacon and cheese, smothered with a healthy glop of mayonnaise. Some call it a glorified cordon bleu not worthy of time or money, while others, a party in their mouths. I got so many different reactions (good and bad) from my friends that it got me curious. I just had to try it myself.

Cholesterol-in-a-wrapper.

I sat down and looked at the items before me - Php135 got me the Double Down, coleslaw, and a glass of Mountain Dew; pretty okay, if you have extra cash to spare. I opened the wax paper and was immediately disappointed with the size. My friends weren't kidding when they said it was small; it was almost the size of my LG Cookie, only thicker. I took a bite and waited for the party to start.

...

...

Okay, no party. There was a burst of flavor because of the cheese and the mayo but other than that, it tasted like the chicken cordon bleu I used to swipe from my best friend back in highschool. The only difference was the distinct KFC chicken flavor. I could already see the "umay" factor, so I ate the Double Down with rice and lots and lots of gravy.

Now I love anything with chicken, cheese, mayo, and bacon, but this kind of fell short even if it had everything I wanted. Bottom line, the Double Down tastes good but it's not something I will crave for nor eat every day, lest I want my cholesterol to shoot through the roof.

Idioms

Facebook conversation between me and my college buddies:

Me: When the cat is away, the mouse is alone.
J: But the mouse becomes a rat...
P: Then the rat becomes a cat...
Me: And the cat is now alone.
C: Ganyan ba tinuturo mo sa mga students mo, Keich?

I miss these people.

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I just had the most tiring TCA class ever. Head-turn animation + Doray Alaskadora + backpack LSS + All By Myself + milky paper = tired and aching facial muscles due to excessive laughing.



Backpack, backpack...wiper, no wiping! XD