November 30, 2007
posted by Nk. at 10:15 PM
Today, exactly a year ago was one of the darkest days ever here in my hometown. Typhoon Reming brought Bicol to its knees, claiming hundreds of lives and laying to waste millions worth of properties. Our house still bears on its walls the marks of the flash flood that sent my parents, my sister and her boyfriend, and me evacuating to my aunt's neighboring two-story house -- and I can still remember how we struggled against the raging flood, wind, and rain to get to safer ground.Reming was one of the most frightening experiences I've ever had -- the first time that a flash flood ever occurred in the place I lived. I remember being so devastated that my pet dogs were left locked inside the house, fearing the moment that we go back to check on them and finding them dead amidst the soaked furniture and other personal belongings. My dad was able to go back for one of our two dogs later that day, but wasn't able to find the other. We all thought that Bambi had drowned in the flood (which was chest-high, by the way) -- but miracle of miracles, we found her atop the kitchen cabinet the next day, as happy to see us as we were to find her.
We spent the whole of December and half of January without electricity, running water in our homes, or internet connection. There were no Christmas and New Year parties, no gifts, no drinking until everyone was wasted and invoking all the saints. It was a long, sad December.
But a year later and Bicol has recovered. The streets are bright once again, the people are happy and smiling, and parties are being planned. We have overcome, and we are alive.
And yes my friends (I'm talking to you Edri, Jo, Cata, Bhok, Freddy, Mafe, Gracey, everyone!), it's back to getting wasted at my house to welcome the new year!
Labels: lucid intervals, Reming, typhoon
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November 29, 2007
posted by Nk. at 8:50 PM
So what the fuck was that all about?I was at the office , nursing a cold (currently now a fever) and busy
Apparently The Senator Elect and his party of hotel-loving officers walked out of their own trial this morning, went for a "symbolic" little walk in the streets of Makati and holed themselves up cozy in the Peninsula Manila -- all for the ouster of The Small But Terrible President of the Republic, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
While walking the strangely deserted streets of Makati Trillanes called on the people to join them in "the only opportunity for change". The media of course, followed him like mad dogs (only to be teargassed later). Some people waved gleefully at him and the cameras, the rest of us, well, went on with our daily lives.
After six hours and a wrecked Manila Penn lobby later, Trillanes and his gang surrenders.
"We're going out for the sake of the safety of everybody, for your sake because we cannot live with our conscience if some of you get hurt or get killed in the crossfire," said Trillanes, addressing the media.
Award?
Your dear heart bleeds for concern for the people yet you went straight to a hotel in the country's busy business capital? With armed guards?
What a punk, this Trillanes guy is.
*cues Tina Turner's We Don't Need Another Hero*
Because it's cheesy like that.
Labels: coup, Manila Peninsula, politics, punks, Trillanes
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November 24, 2007
posted by Nk. at 11:27 PM
Last Sunday, while waiting for my friends for a little rendezvous inside Greenbelt's Coffee Bean, a middle-aged guy approached me and greeted me by my name and asked if I was waiting for someone. For the first three seconds I just looked at him blankly, clawing at my brains as to who this guy was. I managed what hopefully was a smile and to mumble a "yes, I'm meeting some friends" to his smiling face - but I still could not, for the life of me, remember where or when I met the guy. The guy didn't look like he enjoyed his free time molesting girls in some underground room in Makati so I chose to be nice even while alternating between thoughts of Robin Williams in One Hour Photo and praying Mister Coffee Bean wasn't one of my mom's kakilalas who'll one day tell my ma-PR mother just how nice her daughter was but how come she doesn't remember her Ninong though? (Magki-Christmas pa naman.)I'm usually good with memorizing people's faces instead of their names (and the guy called me by my name) so it really puzzled me long after he left and even while my friends and I were already downing beers and bursting our blood vessels and each other's ear drums videoke-ing at Providence (was my first time there, anywhere with good friends is perfect!). Whoever that guy was well, I guess, sorry if I was supposed to know you but didn't...
omiiigaaahhzz!!the (fake) poinsettias are so preeettaaayyy!!!
let's take a pichur!!! *pose*
Anyway (even if this week was hell) I did have a great (last) weekend with my friends in Tagaytay and in Manila.
It had me thinking if I should move back in the city I already ran away from and start anew, or, stay here and overcome.
Labels: Coffee Bean, friends, lucid intervals
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November 21, 2007
posted by Nk. at 1:31 PM
Back in college I was one of those people who knew exactly what to do with my life. I was going to take up a master's degree in Development Communication (or anything related to my journalistic inclinations) and have a career that will involve research, documentation, interaction with people from all walks of life, and lots of travel. If time (and finances) allowed, I was also going to take up Film, and because writing is my first love, maybe produce a screenplay or write a book someday. Sure it wasn't as specific as some OC life-planners would have it, but it was a direction, and it looked pretty promising.Now seven years later I'm wondering what sort of shit hit me that I now sit here in my personal hellhole, just a stupid remark's away from reaching my trigger point, underpaid and supposedly should be thankful for a six percent annual increase in what is known to most people as salary. After slaving for more than two years I'm left second-guessing myself -- if all the stress, bitching, hits and misses, reached targets, sacrificing, and "accomplishments" mattered, if my staying in this place is the stupidest decision I've made so far.
Am I just throwing a bitchy fit? Am I just being envious that my increase is a mere five hundred bucks while somebody else's is a thousand bucks or more? Am I just being the self-righteous, arrogant elitist? Am I just being whiny? Am I just over-reacting?
Should I just shut up and be thankful that at least, I have a job?
******
I've always been told that dreams mattered. I'm not sure if I can still afford it, not with reality breathing heavily down my neck.
Maybe in the future, I'll read this post again and laugh at my childish emotional breakdowns. Maybe I'll do an Ala. But right now, I'm very, very pissed.
Labels: anger mismanagement
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November 16, 2007
posted by Nk. at 11:52 AM
Because I'm such a vacation whore, I shall be having my weekend traipsing in Tagaytay (and getting my healthy dose of alcohol).I need a break...before I break.
Labels: the voices in my head
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November 8, 2007
posted by Nk. at 8:59 AM
Can I just say that Rom smokes it best?When it comes to politics in the Philippines I can only think of about four words, three of them invectives. But if you're going to ask me if I want another impeachment today, the answer is no. Why? Because of what is waiting in the wings, as what Rom so clearheadedly and bestestly (inventing words much? lolz) talks about in her post today.
The other day I saw Jinggoy Estrada being interviewed in ANC (which seem to harbor a secret fanity for anything related to Erap these days). Erap's mini-me was cheekily answering reporters' questions about the possibility of him running for president in 2010, likening himself to his daddy ("nag-artista sya, nag-artista din ako; nagMayor sya, nagMayor din ako; nagpakulong sya, nagpakulong din ako; malaki tiyan nya, malaki din tiyan ko...")
Now that - is scary.
Labels: fangirl posts, politics
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November 5, 2007
posted by Nk. at 1:17 AM
all souls' day.
boy, we sure hope our gramparents are happy(with my cousins paul, lindy and rey-ann)
is partying...over dead people's bodies?
ah. nevermind the party atmosphere. what's actually nice about visiting the dead during all souls' day is that -- you get to bond with the living. =)
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November 2, 2007
posted by Nk. at 3:26 PM
I don't want an employee's stable life. I want a fucking adventure.Maybe I'll be a waitress.
In a kickass beach near you.
Labels: the voices in my head
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