Transition.

Change has been my most constant companion. I'm still going through a lot, but I think things are getting better.

Yes, prayers work. Sometimes. Heh heh.

The work keeps me grounded. Friends keep me sane. It's a good thing I didn't lose a very good friend despite all the changes that has been happening.

I'm not too lost in transition anymore.

*****

The reason we suffer is not because love has ended, but because it still goes on, even after the love is over.

- from Il Mare

*****

I have finally gotten around to watching Cinema Paradiso. It was part of last year's midyear dibidi purchases, most of which remain un-watched. Movies have been incentive rewards for me lately, and I thought I deserved a reward last night.

All the jovan-nightmares of theatre decorum happened at the Paradiso. Annoying but funny. The movie very much captures the kind of nostalgia childhood memories bring me.

And the guy who played the teenaged Toto is a hottie. Hee. (n_n)

Extra nice.

I've just been to the Chillitees' album launch, and I'm listening to Extra Rice now.

Uela sings so effortlessly, like she's only breathing. Galing. At nakakainggit. Heheh.

P250 in exchange for 15 tracks and really nice album packaging. Sulit. (n_n) Buy the new Chillitees album!!! Go! Now!

*****

You Are 64% Evil

You are very evil. And you're too evil to care. Those who love you probably also fear you. A lot.

How Evil Are You?

sez this test. Believe it or don't. I don't. Hehe.

Far east.

Looong and tiring day today. The heat made commuting next to impossible, and therefore most of my money went into cab fares. Yarrr.

I didn't get any sleep last night because I knew I had to get up really early for my workshop (c/o Mango JAM school tours) at School of St. Anthony, Far-far-farview, and I was afraid I won't wake up on time.

I started my morning sluggishly, and dragged myself to Lagro. I had to keep awake because I had absolutely no idea how to get there via commute. Thankfully Terry the JAM driver picked me up part of the way.

I switched to a pseudo-caffeinated workshop facilitator as soon as I stepped into the jampacked classroom. It was fun. And the kids had fun. (They told me so. How sweet.) :-)

Über-ngarag souvenir pic from today's school tour. (Ey Annette! This is the new hair. I know it doesn't look so different from the old hairstyle, but it's several inches shorter now. The braid is still there, hidden underneath the layers. Yakky 'yung hair ko sa old skul pics noh. Hehe.)

*****

I finally did what I have been putting off all week and finalized some documents for a finished project. There was some sort of confusion at the office with the billing and withholding taxes and all, but that will be cleared soon.

*****

My next appointment was at Greenhills. Most of the time was spent waiting, but I think my meeting with a potential client went well. Then I killed a couple of hours in Ortigas reading a comic book compilation and checking out toy stores. Then it was a JAM editorial and writing staff meet at the Podium.

I was incoherently blabbing most of the time (blame it on the lack of sleep), but I think we nailed down a lot of potential content for the next two issues. Yay.

*****

*yawn*...

Ilang araw nang ngarag. Makatulog na nga. :-Þ

Change of plans.

I put off a work-related appointment thrice already this week, and now that I think about it I'm glad I didn't go today (or rather, yesterday, 'cause it's already Thursday as I type).

(There wasn't enough time for me to make it to my client's office last Monday as I was informed late in the afternoon, and I had to finish a lot of work on Tuesday.)

Well, I'm not exactly ecstatic about not going. It was, after all, something I needed to do this week. I just happened to be where I was most needed, which was here at home.

Just as I was about to leave for my evening rendezvous with a friend, my mom rushed into the house holding a huge block of ice to her forehead. She immediately ran to the sink, washed her face and asked us to assist her. She was bleeding from a huge gash on her forehead and she had several bruises on her face and knees. She told us she tripped on broken slabs of concrete and fell flat on her face. My knees almost gave way right there and then.

(Yes, I faint at the sight of blood. I found that out the hard way, a few years ago.)

Last night was the second time I've been to an emergency room this year. How unnerving, I swear. I made several phone calls, to friends, to doctor friends, to my brother whom I asked for help.

After a bunch of x-rays, allergy tests and tetanus shots, Mother went into surgery to have that hole in her forehead fixed. I asked the surgeon if I could watch the entire procedure and he gladly agreed. Feeling matapang daw ako. Now, I'm kind of regretting I did. The memory still makes me sick in the stomach. :-(

Surgery was done in less than 20 minutes. I was relieved to find out the x-rays didn't show anything bad. But I was told to watch out for symptoms for possible internal hemmorrhage and/or hematoma. I took my mom home, had my nephew take charge, and I went on my way.

I made it to my scheduled movie rendezvous a few minutes late. I couldn't make myself stay home, despite the circumstances. I needed a change of environment, a temporary distraction, and good company. Besides, I had to meet up with my brother afterwards anyway.

I dropped by the local 24-hour drugstore for some antibiotics. I wanted some time to think. I walked part of the way home.

How long can I keep at this?

*****

Aeon Flux is an okay movie. (It was a good temporary distraction for me.) It's weird, but I guess watching the Liquid TV series made me get used to the weirdness. I'm not sure if I really like the movie just yet. But definitely I like the animated series better. I like the fact that characters can change alignment as they please. There are no lines defining good against evil. Peter Chung kicks ass. Shit I miss my Aeon Flux tapes.

*****

Long day later. Dear God, please help me pull through. Thank you.

Asianovela-ness!

The new Asian flick starring Kathy G. and Tony Leung (not in pic). Hehe.

Kathy, don't kill me. This one's for you:

(Oy di sa akin galing ang title ha. Hehe.)

Early bird.

I woke up at 7 a.m. today. I can't figure out why I've been getting up early despite the fact that I've been sleeping late.

I started working at 8 a.m., which is very unusual of me to say the least. (And my nephew told me so this morning.) On most days, the reason I'm up and working at this hour is because I haven't slept from the night before. Lately it's been very different.

And I've been turning out a lot of work for the past few weeks, too. I guess that's a good thing. Maybe I can finally get rid of more than half the Post-Its on my desktop? Maybe. Maybe not. Heheh.

Just this morning I finished an illustration (a study for the up and coming InK book) which I'm more or less happy with. It's actually almost ready for printing (done at 600dpi!), I just hope it gets approved without too many changes.

*****

I was supposed to leave today, but I decided to put it off for tomorrow.

I'm on a roll. This kind of momentum is such a rare thing, it's too precious to ignore.

Ah basta.

Happy new year!

Hehe.

Kurrant7 is heaven.

Sana'y huwag mo 'kong sisihin
Kung di ko kayang pigilin
Sabi mo na mahal mo 'ko
Ngunit di naman seryoso...

- Love Team (Itchyworms)

*****

Despite my weary disposition, I went out and attended two exhibit openings yesterday.

I first went to Between the Lines, Bernie's second solo show at The Chocolate Kiss, Roces Avenue. Galing-galing! And it looked like business was good! I also got a sneak peek at the new Chillitees album. Ang ganda ng packaging! (Congrats, Bru!)

Then I met up with Joey at the grocery and helped him identify some vegetables. We grabbed a quick bite at Tiendesitas then we headed to Fast Food, CD's two-floor oil and charcoal exhibit at the Cubicle.

Fun! At nakaka-inspire. :-)

There's one more reason why I like to go to friends' exhibits: because when I do have my own exhibit, I want people to go. ;-P

*****

I tagged along with Joey to AdmitOne. Daming tao! Lots of long-time-no-see moments. (n_n) And a lot of people noticed/liked my new hair. Hee. (n_n)

I loved Worms' set. There seemed to be a common theme in their set, but I didn't mind. Ganda talaga ng mga kanta nila.

I missed gigging. Lots. But it got too claustrophobic for me, so I experienced the rest of the gig outside SaGuijo with the usual suspects.

1 a.m. called for a change of venue. Running on empty, Jazz and I freewheeled along EDSA and joined up with the others in Ortigas. Chopsuey talk about life, porn (haha), wrestling (I cannot relate!), impossible scenarios, cockroaches and silence. Fleetwoodmac and Wilson Phillips on the way home. :-)

*****

M, G and I agree and declare February 20, 2006 as the official start of the new year. Monday, here we come.

Like what?

I like that work's keeping me busy.

I like my new hair.

I can't think of anything else. Hohum.

Nostalgia.

No this wasn't from three years ago.

But it did feel like three years ago.

Mula patawa hanggang seryosong usapan. Hay grabe nakakamiss.

It was truly a fun evening! Thank you fwends. (n_n)

[Photos courtesy of Zarah and her trusty phone cam.]

Four.

Tagged by KK.

4 jobs I had in my life
* web developer
* mural artist
* art director
* production designer

4 movies I could watch over and over again
* High Fidelity
* Ten Things I Hate About You
* Before Sunrise
* Before Sunset

4 places I've lived
* Marikina
* Quezon City
* Cainta
* Makati

4 TV Shows/Channels I love to watch
* Jewel in the Palace
* Full House (wala na eh)
* Wildboyz (when I chance upon it)
* (any random t.v. show)

4 places I've been on vacation
* Sagada
* Puerto Galera
* Pampanga
* Bataan

4 of my favorite foods
* pizza
* ice cream
* popcorn
* ginataang alimango ng nanay ko

4 places I'd rather be by now
* anywhere in Europe
* a nice beach
* Palawan
* somewhere I'd rather not mention

4 bloggers I'm tagging
* Aw heck. Lahat kayo! I wanna read yours.

Dog wisdom.

Hayyy Snoopy, I love you.

Happiness is--

--a brand new scanner AND printer! WOOHOO! :-D

(And I got a surprise gift, too! A Narnia jacket! Wheee!)

Nakakaganang magtrabaho kapag bago ang gamit. At mas nakakaganang magtrabaho kasi kelangang mabawi ang gastos! Hehe.

Gadsh. I'm sooo poor na. :-/

Broke(n).

Aaargh!!!

Last night I found out after a few tries with Photoshop that my scanner conked out. The colors are sooo off, and the lines aren't as crisp anymore. (Actually, the supposedly crisp lines are heavily pixellated, even at 600dpi.)

I know I've weeded my scanner for more than its worth and it just died a natural death. Nakakainis lang kasi na may kailangan akong i-submit na final art for a book this Saturday. Hayyy. My eyes are getting tired from browsing for new scanners online. :-/

Is a 2006 an unlucky year for me??? It's only fucken February!!! Argh.

Look! Up in the sky!

It's a pied fantail!

I took time off to do something else for the first time: birdwatching.

I accepted Kuya Robert's invitation to go birdwatching and met up with the Wild Birds Club and other first-timers like me at the NIGS parking lot this afternoon. We were given a brief orientation on some species of birds we might be able to see on our walking tour, and I was handed a pair of binoculars for me to get acquainted with (I rented them because I don't have my own pair).

Na-info overload ako! We were told that there are more than 90 different species of birds in UP alone. I can't remember the names of most of the birds we saw behind NIGS and CS and at the rice fields near C.P.Garcia (except for the bittern, the shrike, a bunch of swallows and the pied fantail-- I finally found out the name of the pretty birds we see in our backyard!), but I was definitely thrilled every time I spotted one that's not a maya. Hehe.

Ang saya. :-)

Rocketing rabbit.

That's what I am, according to this quick-response test I got from Earnest.

Not bad at 4:00 a.m. eh?

Actually, it's the annoying bleating that kind of woke me up. Heh heh.

Happy-sad-confused.

I saw the movie Proof today. (It stars Gwyneth Paltrow, that Jake guy whose surname I can't spell without checking Google, Sir Anthony Hopkins.) Twenty minutes into the movie I was in tears. It's depressingly good (kahit hindi ko naintindihan 'yung Math geekspeak).

Ayan tuloy, nalungkot ako. :-/

*****

A few minutes ago, I was pondering on a lot of advocacy stuff (animal rights, in particular).

(I'll spare you the details for ethical reasons.)

Let me ask you guys something: Knowing that I am not and am very far from being a vegetarian, would you say I'm a hypocrite if I said I was against trafficking/exploitation of wild animals? That I believe in the humane treatment of pets? That I do not tolerate the killing of dogs to make asucena? That I am totally against the idea of paying P200 to see live (and half-dead) chickens being dragged behind a moving vehicle to attract lions and tigers? That I think animals in captivity should not be made to do stupid tricks in exchange for food (mostly in the guise of being 'tourist attractions')?

I am so confused.

Snap.

I'm sooo tired! This is the most stressful lagare Friday ever.

If it weren't for the heart-warming response I got from several cute, eager-to-learn girls from Poveda, I'd probably let myself bleed to death.

*****

Long ago, after surfacing from years of teenage angst, I came to realize that being nice or considerate to other people wasn't as hard as I led myself to believe.

(Yes, teenage angst will do that to you. Haha. Eventually. I just hope the realization comes sooner for some.)

Okay, I know I'm not nice or considerate all of the time. But I do try. (It just gets difficult with special cases and some who think they're exceptions to the rules.)

Now I just don't get why some people choose asshole (or in some cases fuckwit) as their default mode.

Ano ba.

*****

Haha isa pang consuelo de bobo ngayong araw na ito: papunta ako ng c.r. tas nakita ko 'yung teaser commercial ng Bubble Gang sa t.v. Ni-spoof nila ang video ng isang popular na banda. (Naaalala ko pa rin 'yung spoof nila ng 'Wag na Wag Mong Sasabihin'! Haha...) Pinakita 'yung isang maikling clip ng 'Ulam' by Douche (doo-shay). Hahahahahaha... Funny lang.

*****

Oh, special thanks to Karen. 'Yun lang.

Top 5.

Since there's absolutely nothing for me to talk about at the moment, lemme do a Top 5 list for you. (I swiped this from Kathy who swiped it from someone else. Heh heh.)

Post a topic, list, category, whatever, in the comments, and I'll reply with the top 5 according to me. Then post this offer in your own journal if you want.

Go, kiddies! Post away. Give me something to do (other than work hehe).