Greetings from Nueva Ecija!

This has been a really bad week. Aside from my laptop's demise, work has been a real challenge (can't expound on that. Let's just say it's only the second week and I feel like I was thrown under a bus 14 times). This weekend is just what I need to cap things off.

It's my Lola's birthday today! Since she's here in Nueva Ecija, the whole clan decided to hold the reunion here so she won't have to travel far. I'd like to say that the travel time was long, but I really didn't notice since I practically crashed as soon as I got in the car at 5AM (went out the night before and came home sabog at 2AM, hehe). Anyway, it's my first time to visit my Tita Susan's house and I'm having a chill time so far - stuffed myself senseless, sang a couple of songs (I think that's why it rained pretty hard), stuffed myself senseless, wrote on my Uncle Nel's dusty Alterra (mwehehehehe), took pictures of people and cats sleeping on tires, and listened to my cousin's friends tire-out the videoke machine. Oh, and I stuffed myself senseless.

Happy 85th birthday, Nanay Rubing! I heartyouberimeni!

Miwa, Lola and I. <3

Crash

My laptop crashed last Saturday.

It started with the OS acting up, and then boom! There goes the hard drive.

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. That laptop's been with my family since I was still an ignorant college freshman in UPLB, and I'm honestly surprised (and impressed) that it lasted this long. I've been meaning to make backups of my files but kept putting it off, so now...you know what they say, "nasa huli ang pagsisisi."

Everything's gone. :( My school stuff, my video and audio files, and my pictures. The last one's the real kicker; these are things I cannot recreate nor download (in high-resolution, because FB compresses photos like a steam roller), unlike all my other documents and files.

I just remembered that my portfolio was in there. ARGH.

Moral of the story: MAKE DOZENS OF BACKUPS.

So now I'm laptop-hunting. I need one that can handle Sims 3 and Adobe Photoshop (not at the same time, of course). Any suggestions?

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

I have heard so many references to Strangers on a Train in movies and TV shows that I finally got curious and sought out the book with much anticipation. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations.

On a train back to Metcalf, architect Guy Haines meets Charles Bruno, who makes an interesting proposition - he will kill Guy's wife Miriam (whom Guy is planning to divorce) in exchange for Guy killing his father. Guy, thoroughly disturbed by the offer, dismisses the encounter until Bruno goes through with his part of the "deal".

The concept in itself is quite interesting. It's supposed to be the perfect murder; there were no apparent connections between the two men except for that meeting on the train, and they had no motive to kill their targets. I was intrigued to see how Miriam's murder was going to affect Guy, especially since he had a potentially bright future ahead of him.

The only thing I didn't quite like was how the book was written. Sentences were choppy. Some ideas were suddenly cut off that I felt like I was hung out to dry. It was like reading a book written by a kid in 6th grade, and it left me a bit frustrated. If the story hadn't been intriguing, I would've put this book down and leave it in a shelf to gather a considerable amount of dust.

Here's to hoping that the movie is better than the book.

Day 15 (Shades)

Something you don't leave home without.

I've been wearing sunglasses for as long as I can remember. The first pair I owned were these hipster-style shades we got from McDonalds when I was a kid. Back in college (SISC), my friends were amused because I'd wear a different pair everyday, which eventually became my trademark. You'd never see me go out (during the day) without wearing shades.

I used to have a lot more, but they got lost or broken.

I didn't start collecting sunglasses just for the heck of it. When I studied in UPLB, I started getting frequent headaches. I didn't know what was causing it until I went to have my eyes checked. The doctor told me that my eyes could be too sensitive to light, and that I should try wearing sunglasses (with anti-UV lenses) to see if the pain would subside. What do you know, it worked. Good thing, because if it didn't...I don't want to think about all the other possible causes of my headaches.

And that's my story. Anybody know where I can buy a shades rack?

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

I borrowed this book a couple of years ago from KC, but it's only now that I got to finish it. Why? Let me digress for a moment to tell you how much I hate it when people clean my room. The helper thought it was a bible and placed it with, uh, all our other bibles, which they kept in a box when we had to move some stuff. I found the book just last month. Sheesh.

See? It looks like a bible. And yes, it also has that red ribbon bookmark attached to the book's spine.

Back to the book. The bible tells us all about Christ's childhood and the teachings and miracles he performed after his 30th birthday, leaving a huge gap in between. Nobody really knows what happened except for Levi (better known as Biff), his bestfriend, who was brought back to life to fill in the blanks. He takes us through his divine (and hilarious) journey with Joshua (Jesus' "normal" name) filled with adventure, magic, martial arts, Abominable Snowmen, demons, and uh, hot women (Biff's pasttime, LOL). Their travels took them as far as India and China, where they met all sorts of people, saw all kinds of rituals, and where Biff (who is Josh's total opposite) kinda hooked up with a lot of girls. They met one named Feminine Keeper of the Three Tunnels of Excessive Friendliness. No, I'm not kidding.

Now before you even attempt to read this, you have to have an open mind. This is fiction; I doubt Moore intended to change someone's faith with this book, and readers have to remember that. I'm Catholic (not a super devout Catholic, but I know my faith) and I will admit that there were some weird parts in the book, but I never saw my religion in a different light afterwards and I don't think I'm going to preach about the Gospel of Biff ever.

Lamb was probably one of the funniest books I've ever read, with Biff's mishaps and Josh's naivete. I wouldn't mind reading it again.

Day 14 (Couch Patatas)

My last entry was four months ago. Yes, work has taken over my life. O_o

But after this particularly hellish semester, I think it's about time I step back and take a day off. It's kind of a challenge for me not to think about work, but I'll try my best not to let it disrupt my "petix" day today. Gotta find ways to distract myself, like continuing the 30-Day Blog Challenge I started last August. :))

A TV show you're currently addicted to.

Before work and the Internet took over my life, I was a couch potato. Or a bed potato, to be precise. I used to have my own television and I'd stay in my room and watch whatever is on for most of the day especially after I discovered the crime show channels. Yes, I love crime/police/forensic procedurals. Ever since I first laid eyes on CSI, I was hooked. I remember spending every waking moment in front of the TV, watching and discovering all those shows like Law and Order, Cold Case, CSI, etc., and even going as far as downloading all of the episodes of all the seasons (which really killed our bandwidth). I don't get to watch that much anymore and I am really left behind with what's going on with my favorite shows, so now I'm trying to make up for lost time.

My staples are Law and Order SVU, CSI New York, and Bones. But because I don't want this entry to be too long, I'm going to talk about two shows I recently discovered instead - Castle and Game of Thrones.

Castle - The show has a common theme - a cop and a civilian partner up and take down the bad guys. Richard Castle (Firefly's Nathan Fillion) is a critically-acclaimed murder mystery author who found his inspiration for his next story in Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), a no-nonsense homicide detective. It's the classic partnership - he's charming, she's hot, and their dynamic has us all asking "will they or won't they", especially since the tension between them is pretty obvious. Like Bones, I love how humor is peppered throughout an episode despite the show's serious nature - kinda shows that there's always a silver lining to everything. It's informative, it's witty and funny, and it teaches us a thing or two about people. And of course, who could resist Castle and Beckett's swordplay?

Game of Thrones - Based on a series of novels by Georgre R. R. Martin, the show is set in a medieval era and is filled with lies, deception, death, sex, and a whole lot of naked people. It's dark and heavy, and though it does have some funny moments, even those tend to be sardonic. The story also relies heavily on dialogue, which means you have to really pay attention or you won't understand what the hell is going on. This is a bit of a problem for me, since I admit I sometimes have the attention span of a 12-year-old. Still, the drama surrounding the characters (and there are A LOT of characters) is intriguing enough for me to finish an episode and start the next one. And the sword fighting and archery are really cool.

Oh, and did I mention that there were a lot of naked people in this show?

Enter the Dragon

So much for my 30-Day Blog Challenge. LOL. I was consumed by work (as I expected), but I will not make excuses. I will finish this challenge eventually. xD But for now...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2011 was interesting, to say the least. It showered me with blessings of friendship and family, but it also came with challenges that tested my strength and character. I think it's safe to say that I'm ready to take on whatever this year throws my way, after everything that happened last year. But before I talk about my plans for 2012, there are a couple of things I'm thankful for.


1. My family's health. Last year was so stressful - my grandmothers on both sides, my mom, and my grandfather. I'm just so happy that we got through everything, that we're still in one piece. It made me appreciate them more, and not take them for granted just because we see each other everyday.

2. Friendships, old and new. I love my highschool friends. We've been solid for years and years, and I honestly can't see myself without our usual pig-out sessions. I hope our bond lasts until we start comparing disabilities. xD Forever na to, guys! And let's make our last year in our 20's count. More foodtrips and out-of-towns! :))

I'm also thankful for my newfound friends. I'm glad circumstances led us to meet and to get to know each other, because I honestly think I've found people who are worth keeping.

3. My "kiddies". They're one of the reasons why I'm not yet insane. Work can be stressful at times, but I think I manage to keep myself together because I know I'm doing this for them. And I've recently seen and felt how they show their appreciation, and it really warms the heart. Their kind words will take me far. :) So to you, my dear kiddies, thank you so much for everything, and for teaching me lessons in life that I don't think I will learn anywhere else.

4. The band. Whenever work becomes too much that not even my kiddies can do anything, I turn to music. I am very lucky to have my bandmates who are very talented and very, uh, crazy. I will never get tired of spending time with these people, and I hope we get to make more music in the future. Full length album na to, mga panget!

There. Now that that's done, what are my plans for the Year of the Dragon?


1. Watch 60 movies. It felt great when I finished my target (50) last year, even if I watched the last one on the last day of the year (photo finish!). This year, I'm going to add more, and I will try my very best not to cram like hell. Watching around 20 movies in a week almost turned my brain to mush. :))

2. Read 3 books. Unfortunately, I only managed to read 3 last year. I was halfway through the 4th book, but I ran out of time. :( I'm lowering my target because I don't want to fail again. :))

3. Watch what I eat. No, this doesn't mean I'm going on a diet. I mean, I've said that a thousand time but I don't always pull through. So instead of going on a diet, I'm going to be more careful with what I eat. Less sweets and fatty stuff, and no softdrinks. Now you may think it's still dieting. In a way, I guess it is but the difference is, I won't be minimizing my food intake. Lamon parin kung lamon, but I will be more careful with my food choices. :)

4. Relearn the piano. It's been ages since I sat behind the piano and I've forgotten almost all of my pieces. Must relearn them, and I also wanna learn new songs. I never had any formal training and I have a hell of a hard time reading notes, but I know I can do this. Targets - relearn ALL of my old pieces (which is a grand total of...4) and learn new songs (5). Challenge accepted!

5. Expand my wardrobe. I recently realized that I've been wearing the same stuff for, uh, two years I think. Gotta shop more often. Plus I gotta find a rack for my shades. :))

6. Travel with family and/or friends. I want to see more of the Philippines this year. Gotta start saving money and robbing banks.

And just in case someone takes me seriously, I was just kidding about the robbing banks thing.

First trip of the year - Baguio with HS girlies. Whee!

I guess that's it. Let's do this, 2012! I will transform into a dragon this year! *roar, hagis-mesa, buga-apoy*

Day 13 (After Two Days)

Your favorite musician and why.

I remember seeing Only When I Sleep on MTV and wondering how the hell did these people manage to hoard all the beauty genes in the world. Unfortunately, the video looked a little too old-fashioned for me so I used to change channels whenever it came on.

And then my sister bought a copy of their CD, Talk on Corners. I heard Intimacy and No Good For Me, and I was hooked for life.

I love The Corrs for a number of reasons. Andrea's voice is pure and powerful without being too exaggerated. The violin parts are hypnotic. The lyrics cut through the heart. And basically, they're very easy to listen to. Of course, the number one reason why I love these Irish siblings - I met my own band mates/life partners because of them. If it weren't for their music, KAZE would never have existed.

Here's one of my favorite songs from The Corrs. Enjoy!

===

I wasn't able to post for the past two days. So much for the challenge. Still, I will complete the thirty days no matter what happens, although I can already see the gaps between my posts when September comes in. Gahd. Kerigofight! 

Day 12 (BF)

A photograph of the town you live in.

We moved here two days after I had my first birthday back in19xx (paki-kaskas nalang yung mga 'x' para makita niyo yung year). I can vaguely remember what our house used to look like - large front lawn, black grilled gates, white walls, red roof. Since then, our house was renovated twice, broken into, attacked by termites, flooded inside (not outside, galing no?), and attacked by cockroaches (something I will never ever forget). Still, I love it here. So many memories to keep and share.

The street where I live. I was bored then so I brought out my tripod and camera to do night shots.

Sometimes I can't help but think about how much BF Homes has changed since we came here. Back then we had to go to Southmall or as far as Megamall to buy stuff. Now, you can just drive along the Aguirre Ave. stretch for anything - food, school supplies, appliances, groceries, even car and motorcycle parts. Restaurants and bars have lined up the main street, repair shops have sprouted everywhere, and mini-malls are being built one after the other. If someone were to build a cinema and an airport in here, we can shut ourselves off, stay here forever and call ourselves a country. The Republic of BF. Naks.

I just hope we don't get too commercialized. It'll really suck if they tore down the Tropical Hotel Ruins and all the other scenic, forest-y places so they can make more houses and buildings.

Day 11 (Makeup? Haller.)

What's in your makeup bag?

So I'm sure you guys understand why I crossed out the word "makeup". I mean, HALLER. Me? Makeup? Nuh-uh.

I remember one of my students peeking inside my bag and said something like "a glimpse into the life of Ms. K!" It actually made me wonder what was inside my bag that would give her a glimpse of my life, so I guess it's great timing that I get to write about this today and see if she's right.

So without further ado, I present to you my very messy bag.

1. House Keys - I don't leave home without it. Sometimes I don't know if I'll get home late (I let my workaholic self take control or I get bouts of spontaneity and end up having dinner with friends) and since they usually lock the main door, I have to have these with me so I can get in without waking up people.

2. Perfume - I have two Bvlgari bottles, which I use sparingly. These were just given to me, but I heard they were a bit expensive.

3. Cellphones - I'm using my dad's old Nokia E71 China phone (Smart) and an LG Cookie (Globe). I use the former for personal stuff, and the latter for work.

4. School supplies - I always have to have a pen and a whiteboard marker for my classes. Sure, we have e-classrooms now but there's something about writing on a glass board that makes me feel like I'm a teacher. LOL. As for the highlighter, it was just there in the bag.

5. iPod and charger - I take this with me everywhere I go so I can drown myself in music when necessary. Bought this from a co-worker last Christmas as a gift to myself.

6. Earplugs - I use this in gigs, when I have to do backup vocals. My hearing kinda sucks, so I can't quite hear my voice coming from the monitor speakers. I need these so I can hear myself and try to sing in key.

7. Brush - I think this is self-explanatory. LOL.

8. Medicine - I just recovered from a bad asthma attack a couple of weeks ago so I have to bring with me my trusty Ventolin inhaler. Having asthma sucks; no matter how deep you try to breathe, it's like there's an elephant sitting on your chest, with a cat trapped in there with all the wheezing going on. I take this with me everywhere I go (like my iPod haha) because I never really know when and where it'll attack.

9. Flashlight and matches - your basic emergency stuff. But to be honest, I really don't know what a box of matches is doing in my bag.

10. Alcohol - I gotta keep my hands clean, right?

Okay, now what do these things say about me? I really don't know, but I guess it does tell people a bit about me when they do get to peek inside my bag, assuming they can see anything through the mess. LOL.