I Do

It's not like I'm getting married.

This song just so fits me now.

Like every word there is, is how exactly it is. Kumbaga, SWAK.

I'm starting to ignore you, I've doubted you so long.

I'm tired of over-thinking, I know you don't belong.

Now i'm asking questions - no one pushes me around.

Everybody feels this way sometimes, everybody feels this way -

Siguro nga everybody feels this way sometimes.

Everybody feels this way.

I ♥ The Sphere

Believe it or not, I’m still hyped. My weekend’s quite thickset. And it could count as one of the best weekends I’ve ever had to date.

Finally, The Sphere get-together cropped up!

Now, that’s goose bumps right there.

And surprisingly I wasn’t a tear jerk having seen all my friends arrive at Thed’s place. Siguro I was crying inside. Tears of joy. Oo na. Maarte ako. Now what?

Thed was outstanding in giving out directions to me till I reached the Annex only to fetch me in the end.

“Tetet, nasan ka na? Wag kang gagalaw sa kinatatayuan mo. Puntahan na lang kita diyan.”, Thed was instructing.

DQ Moolatte quenched my lost, literally lost sense of direction. The next thing I know, we’re over Thed’s pad and I was jumping for joy; Tin’s right there in front of Thed’s 42-inch boob tube.

And I knew I was at the right place. I felt good vibes streaming by. Like something contagious and inevitable and indulging. This has got to be GOOD.

CHEF-UP

As far as I remember, Macoy is the sole HRM student to make it to the paper. Well, that’s how far my memory went. But despite that fact, we have been quite competitive kitchen and FOOD advocates! Haha! Go figure.

Tin was busy over her potassium-filled mechado and I was tentative with the Graham cake I was left to do. More to that graham cake story, Tin’s mechado was tasty!

Late lunch was quite sweet. Thed, Tin and me.

COZ IT’S COZY



Roy didn’t show up when he was supposed to. Good thing volleyball’s on tv and I was hooked. And yes, I could be missing it one way or another. Volleyball I mean. Roy, course.

“ Roy, ano ba? Sabi mo 12 andito ka na? Nasan ka na ba? Anong oras na o!? ” ( Hysterical )

“ Kagigising ko lang. Teka, sino to?” ( Bedroom voice )



Sabay pasa ng telepono kay Thed.

Caltex Cagayan.

Yun na.

After Thed’s ‘feeding program,’ we were teleconferencing with Ervin. One word: ARTE. Dami reasons e. Roy called too; ensuring both Tin and I will still be there when he comes by. Course.



But it was terrible migraine’s paying visit. Buti na lang Thed has Biogesic. And there was me and Tin, on Thed’s comfy bed so close to falling asleep.



THE ROLL CALL



All roads lead to Queensland!

Jenvy came around with Krispy Kremes Thed was being greedy on. By that time Mico was already nearby.

We were hitting on the Amazing Race when Kuya Asel and Dadii Jay arrived. Jenvy and I were laughing at this Malay. Paano niya kaya binibilang ang staircase? Sobra-sobra e. 355? 356? Inisa-isa?

272. Ayun ang tamang bilang. Ayan. Dumausdos tuloy pababa. At umiiyak pa. Tapos nalglag pa siya ng asawa niya. Yay. Disastrous.

Athan arrived and joined the rest. Then my cam went bat empty.

I was bombarding Roy as to where he was already. He promised to come around 8:30. And I was worried about him making me indian again from high noon, to 8:30, coming around 9, FINALLY.

I couldn’t believe how it actually felt the same way as Roy and I would usually hang out back in college. I mean parang walang bearing yung almost 5-year wandering. I thought that was a good sign. We just click to begin with.

“ Tuna sandwich parang mas sumingkit ka lalo ngayon.”



Ganon? Over the years lumiit pala ang mata ko? I heard me murmuring.

Then came Ga and Bunso. Oo, si Mark at VJ. I call them pet names. May dalang bucket meal. Ayun din ba ang tawag kapag galing ng Jollibee? Hehe.

Dadii Alex came last. And he was as hefty as usual. I was just so glad to see my mentors for the Sports Section. I just got to love them, him and Kuya Asel.

TANDUAY ICE IS ♥



Notwithstanding liquor ban, we had for ourselves alcohol. Honestly I actually have no intent minding them, until Tanduay Ice.

That’s got to be love right there. Haha.

E ang hilig ko pa naman sa guyabano, e lasang guyabano kaya STRAIGHT UP. I hear Ga say, “Hoy Tet, akin yan..” I started playing deaf though giving Roy a few gulps.



Thed was generous enough giving me another bottle from the fridge. Roy’s far-fetched Mudshake I couldn’t avail of. Sayang.

Step Up 2 had me glued for a while. I could have danced. But I was a little tipsy I just sat down.

We were taking pictures the whole time and it was a lot of fun capturing our silliest moment since eons ago. It was riot. Riot in a good way. It felt as if I was back at The Sphere office alongside colleagues and friends going gaga about the littlest thing there is.

Or maybe it was just the alcohol taking its toll, or Missy Elliot on the background.

Oh, I wouldn’t know. Not at that time.

GRAHAM CAKE, ANYONE?



“ Tetet, huhusgahan na nila yung ginawa mo!”, Thed was shouting.

And parang bumalik ang ulirat ko. OMG. Ang work of art ko mahuhusgahan na.



Yes, oo. I failed. Kulang sa cream. Sabi ni Roy refrigerated graham crackers lang daw pala yun. Aw. Pero, because he’s a true friend and he loves everything na ginagawa ko, he ate it. Sus. Nakadalawang round pa ata.

Choosy ka pa.



Choosy pa kayo.

Haha. Paghandaan niyo ang pagbabalik ng graham cake ko!

E ano ba naman kasing ginagawa ng cakes ng Cara Mia!



Nonetheless, that cake is made out of love for y’all.



NIGHT’S ADRIFT

I sealed a place in Thed’s bed. I was sleepy already to be staying up with the rest sa sala. VJ and Mark were with me. We were chit-chatting like we used to sa ilalim ng hagdan sa office.

I was checking on Roy once in a while, that he wouldn’t leave while I was asleep. I feel we have a lot of catching up to do. And there was so little time to do that.

Guess what, we managed.

It still amazes me how well Roy was reading between the lines. Or maybe I was the predictable me. A, ewan. Kung ano pa man, I know you got the gist Roy. Kahit tanga ka paminsan-minsan, you got me right there. And I miss having spent time with people with whom I barely need to talk to get things thru. Parang si Thed. Just in time din yan. Salamat. Si Tin, ibang level naman. Basta, girls just know it. Emsterdem.

Roy left around 3:30am and I was back to sleep after me and Thed walked him out the door.

KANGKUNGKERNITZ BREAKFAST



Tin prepared breakfast for us. Sunny side up na eggs, kernitz whatever hotdogs at siksik, liglig at umaapaw na kanin. Haha.

Salamat Thed for mixing coffee for me.

With last night’s hang-over, may energy pa din ang lahat sa photo shoot that we had. These couldn’t be enough proofs! I just love being with each and every one of them! For real!

THE WRAP UP






By 11:30 we all were headed for the wrap up. Walking the streets of I don’t know where, the crew hit LRT Balintawak.




Gees, first time ko mag-LRT. Nakaka-high.

Like how new things bring us to such excitement. But never have I thought that old faces would bring me to certain state of highness.

Ano, adik?





Nah. I mean to a certain level of anticipation. Ang nostalgic ng feeling. Aw. Eats me up e. Well, the good eats me up a.

Consuming and contagious, that’s how all you’ve been to me.

This really calls for a repeat.

Totoong buhay.

Can I like cry na?

32 Flavors

Squint your eyes and look closer

I'm not between you and your ambition


I am a poster girl with no poster,

I am 32 flavors and then some.

Alana Davis ringing back to my ears the entire weekend. You can only imagine how my mind's been racing all the while. This squeezing up thing

I was thinking of going adjective picking til I come around 32 of them. But then I guess that was way too cumbersome; plus I might only end up having hasty synonyms and do not get the thought across.

Yes. Get something across, the most obscure way possible.

It was quite a restful weekend. We got someone to the laundry; Sai and I have been pretty prente it got Mama pika. More than Fr. Noel's homily is her version of a shut-your-mouth-up-Sunday morning. Manay Po 2 was quite a sidetrack. I could only go on laughing.

Saturday's special though. I thought it was a good head start. Well, if that could actually qualify as that. I mean head start- its context alone.

How many times could one actually say it's some kind of a head start when there's no end, nor a pause for that matter?

Oh well, that's a downplay right there.

Nonetheless, it doesn't change a thing. Ever.

Now that's a risk right here. Having spilled myself all over again.

Or have I been such a gimme? A gimme with the right motivation at that.

I'm beyond your peripheral vision so you might turn your head.

Cause someday you're going to be starving and eating all the words that you just said.

I'm taking my chances as they come.

32 flavors and then some.

(Singing my heart out. As always.)

Third Time's A Charm

It has been a while since Thed and I spoke. Even chat for that matter.

Guess what? Parehas kami ng reason why we opted not to.

Productivity reasons. TAMA.

And this afternoon, finally, we broke into something which I felt I really missed.

'Time passes by like lightning. Before you know it you're struck down.' could have started it all.

With burning curiosity, Thed was calling in the middle of my PPE schedule preparation.

It was a mini catch up that went about 30 minutes almost, with mga kalokohang hirit as always.

Keanna Reeves, Thed, alam mo na?

Pero I was struck with the most applicable metaphor there is.

Comatose.

And I was still thinking. Hanggang mamaya. Bukas. Sa isang araw. Sa isang linggo. Sa isang buwan. Sana lang nakakapayat.

For I while I couldn't tell apart if I was detaching or denying the very fact that is slamming right at me. Yan, kailangan ko yan himayin. To the littlest bit possible.

Hay. Analysis. Paralysis.

Lightning does not strike the same place twice.

But could third time be a charm?

Terms and conditions apply

Kala ko sa mga promos lang yan applicable.

Di pala.

Promo period valid until blah-blah-blah.

Per DTI Permit No. blah-blah-blah.

How naive can this get?

Is this some kind of isolated case lang or nangyayari talaga to?

I'm trying to find sense somewhere.

Teka san ba ko magsisimula?

Yun lang.

Ayy, Kate, pambihira.

Jef's 23rd

It was a lousy Saturday so to speak. But it was all too special not to get anything going at all.

It's Jef's 23rd birthday, for goodness sake. I was thinking I couldn't let this

I couldn't just miss it for the world.

Not this time.

Or anymore I guess.

The next best thing right there was to capture the moment and enjoy while it lasts.




[caption id="attachment_295" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Jef and I while waiting for dinner to be served. That's from one table to another! :)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_297" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Random shots before dinner was served. Anlamig! "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_301" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="23: a very significant number alongside a very significant person. :)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_299" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Both Jef and my family has history of diabetes. We shouldn't be taking so much of that Beb! Pero dahil birthday mo ngayon: INDULGE. "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_302" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Ayy, Beb. I think this picture reveals a lot of your PANGA. Aw. PAMBIHIRA. :)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_303" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Beb, sabi ko pout! Haha! No worries, cute pa din naman!"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_304" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Us. Like. Always."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_305" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Jef flashing a shy smile for me on his day. * Insert kilig here. *"][/caption]

And yes ours isn't ordinary, oftentimes uncharacteristic. But then, maybe that's how it's going to be. It's a stern bond right here. Like unbreakable.

Just me and Jef.

Us. Like. Always.

Attraversiamo

Sara Bareilles, my able company as I get this going.

The warmth of vodka still running through my system recognizing what unfamiliar territory it has been, at least for quite a while. Nonetheless it was tolerable. In fact I missed it.

Having spent the latter part of the week feeling under the weather, I wasn’t sure if I was feeling any better since I woke up from slumber past one in the afternoon. Cough’s been cruel the past instances last night. The worst that it has gone since I can’t remember.

It was a sun shiny morning walking the streets down to hear mass. It gave me a good feel  about how this day’s going to go. I was off to a good start, I thought, indeed I was. My heart’s kind of bursting out with thanksgiving. I could only kneel down in awe of how gracious God has been to me. Like always.

Greetings flooded me. And I was all smiles reading each and every message there has been. There was no crying and stuff, well, almost. THANK YOU, y’all.

Papa’s quite a lift having assisted me with the things I needed and Gabriel too. The three of us has played tag team a lot of times already. Say familiarity now, no doubt. In time, everything’s ready.

Dinner’s quite a nice time to catch up alongside modest drizzles. Like I love it.

Gene just made a come-backing appearance. Marvin and Edison on a debut, Ervin via phone-patch and Dex on a buzzer beater of an emergence. Jef, on his third I think, missing out the last time. Ariane, solely from my all-girl clan made it tonight alongside my baby, Rincy. You gonna grow up real pretty baby.

I took a lot of pictures as possible, the one’s I was drooling over before I got this one started. Me laughing’s generally echoing back to my ears. Something I really missed. I mean genuinely. I think I was so near forgetting how that works and what feeling it leaves one. Aw.

It was an early wrap up. The guys got to go. It was kind of uncanny there because even Jef made an early exit. L

But I got to squeeze out something good about this packing-up-early scheme. I couldn’t end this day feeling bad. It’s my birthday for goodness sake!

And my head’s quite oozing with thoughts, it was messed up, dying to get organized.  But I’ve got dishes to tend to. It had to loiter there for a while.

Cleaning up has always been therapeutic to me. I feel a certain kind of relief; a pleasurable outlet of I’m not sure. It just sort of eases me out. And  in minutes, I cleared everything out.

That including my head.

I recognized the presence of too much, too many emotions all at the same time; I couldn’t tell apart, that I had to tear them down into pieces. Just so that I can dig in.

I know you’re there. I recognize you. It’s good that you’re there but I couldn’t dwell so much on you. I got to be going.

Very Eat, Pray, Love. But the idea itself really got me. And I was trying on it. So far so good.

Like how recollective birthdays seem, this one’s my version of it. If there’s one thing my twenty three year’s have actually taught me, it’s finding and recognizing happiness within yourself. And not having to depend upon anyone or anything in particular. It’s a choice we have to dig on; I had to munch on myself.

And guess what, I’m choosing to be happy than anything else when I wake up tomorrow.

And the day after that.

Hopefully all the days of my life.

It’s some kind of hefty cross-over you know.