A November to Remember

What a way to end November!

This country had a lot to face with in just one week. The week started off with aftermaths of 2 strong typhoons. Last Tueday, the metro was rocked by an intensity 4 earthquake. Today, there was a stand-off at the Manila Peninsula & at exactly 12 midnight, a metrowide curfew will be implemented.

Natural calamities are inevitable. That we cannot question. But with what happened today, there are so many questions waiting to be answered. And at the same time, what happened today could have been avoided or it should have not come to a point that a tank forced its way to a hotel lobby and God knows how many armed men trooped the venue.

I have to admit I voted Major Trillanes for senator. I read and studied his profile before the May elections. I was pretty impressed with his achievements and principles. A man brave enough to defy his superiors. A soldier who was disgruntled with the corruption in the military division and wanted reform in the service. He became the voice of the lower-ranking soldiers. Because of these, he got the vote of the nation even if he was behind bars and with minimal campaign funds. I was glad that he won and not some actor-showbiz talkshow host who was oozing with arrogance (pikon pa!). He had to perform his duties as a senator in jail. He had an on-going trial because of the mutiny that he started back in July of 2003. But he said he was okay with that.

Whatever happened today?! He said over an interview that it wasn't planned. How come his fellow soldiers had the red armband? the speech was well-delivered? the media was all over? He said that the trial was going nowhere and he'll be convicted anyway. He cannot get justice at all. He then walked out and took over the Manila Penn. And again, a mutiny was initiated in the Makati Business District.

I believe in the Law of Action and Reaction. For every action, there is a corresponding reaction. In this kind of action, what reactions are we expecting? It had definitely made an impact to our economy. I'm not staying that we have the best economic situation today but I think we are on the right track. I bet the anti-GMA are clapping their hands with this move and are just waiting for their few minutes of exposure on tv. The fact that their behind Trillanes would be good publicity for them (Did you see the olden politician who can barely walk?!). It was almost an opportunity for them to take over and prove that this government is useless. Are we expecting to reinstate the newly-pardoned, drunkard president? Or still insist that the dead actor should have been the president of this country?

Who was ever satisfied in every regime? There's always something bad to say about every government. There would always be people who would go in a different direction. That's democracy for you! That's the spice in every regime. It makes life in this country more exciting. Every day, our elected officials would always find fault in each other and banter in every way possible.

Am I pro-GMA? Definitely not! Believe me, I curse when there's a weekly oil price hike. My brows meet when there's unbelievable traffic and the traffic enforcers are standing in one corner. I get upset with the numerous potholes in every major road in this country. I am frustrated every time an innocent life becomes a victim of senseless killing. I question where my taxes go!!!! Was it inside the paper bags given to governors or was it part of the ZTE scandal? I could rant forever about every major and minor complaint I have for this country but there's so much I can do.

As I've said, we have democracy and I am happy that there are people who speak up in my/our behalf. But do we always have to result to massive action?! Say, gather again at EDSA Shrine? I am proud to say that I was at EDSA DOS. It was a different experience. There's such a thing called saturation point that's why people had assembled at that time. But gather there again after a few months and calling it EDSA TRES?! C'mon who are we kidding?! We can't always take out everything in the streets everytime we have a problem with our government. One thing that I also believe in is compromise, meeting halfway. Will we ever see that in this country? All I can do is hope.

I'm sure there's much more that this government is going to go through in the coming days now that the issue has been deviated to the arrest of media people after the mutiny (that's gonna be another story) and the implementation of curfew starting this midnight.

Again, let's hope for the best.

Driving on Saturday Mornings

Lately I've been enjoying my early Saturday morning driving. I bring Tepeee with me to work on Saturdays. Actually, I look forward to driving on the wee hours because it gives me the time to reflect about what's going on with me and around me. Of course, there's the occasional singing and tapping of fingers on the steering wheel when there's a cool song playing on the radio. But the calmness and silence of the morning just gives me a natural high. I know I should enjoy the roads and drive much faster because there are lesser vehicles. But no. I do take my time while I'm driving because I'm saving my gas and I am relishing the moment that I'm alone and there's just enough silence.

I still love driving on Friday nights because of Friday Magic Madness. In fact I miss driving on Fridays since lately I am usually asleep in the evening and I have somehow stopped tuning in to Friday Magic Madness. But for now, I just love Saturday mornings.

Unforgettable Quotes

My end of the month blog usually has unforgettable quotes but I suddenly stopped posting them. The unforgettable quotes of the past months were too personal (or too painful) that I'd like to just keep them in my head. But through these past months as well, I have heard several one-liners or so from other people that I find very striking. If you said any of the quotes that follow emphatically or whatever, I just want you to know natuto, naaliw at nalito ako.

"My bad!"

Pampalit sa "I'm sorry" or "Oo na mali ako!"

"Fight the fights worth fighting for. "
Ipaglaban mo lang yung alam mong di masasayang pagod mo.

"Choose your battles."
Pag di kaya, kebs na.

"Don't spoil the natives. "
To be honest, I like hearing this. It's like saying don't give in to the whims of people who would never change and would forever stick to their beliefs even if it's no longer valid. Tama ba Tin?

"It's not my/our story to tell."
Hirit ng mga taong ayaw magsimula ng chismis at ayaw madamay sa gulo.

"Have you ever thought if he was being there for you or was he being there for himself?"
I never really thought about it. Ahahaha! Seriously, tagos!

"Balang araw, pagtatawanan na lang natin lahat ng 'to."

Hirit ng taong hopeful na matatapos at malalampasan din lahat ng problemang kinakaharap nya.

"I need to be okay so I can do the right thing. It's not easy. It's painful. But not everything that makes us happy is right. But everything that's right, even thoughpainful in the beginning will eventually turn out fine. Maybe there will come a time when that right choice will make us happy."

Woohoo winner na hirit!

"It's not about how you feel towards a person. It's about how this person makes you feel about yourself."

I agree. If the person makes you feel good about yourself, then it's a good thing. But if a person instills in you that you are not good enough and you start thinking/feeling that way about yourself, parang mali na!

"Pare umiyak ka na. Don't be so hard on yourself. More than anything else, you need to forgive yourself."

Di nga ako maiyak e.

To the Girl I refer to as B1

The first time I saw you, you struck me as someone whom I'll never get along with. I told myself that you are so uptight & I don't wanna get close to you. But to my surprise we had lunch together on the second day?! That was the start of what I now treasure as one of the greatest friendships I've ever built!

I know that 2 months is such a short time to actually know a person. But somewhere along the way I know we connected. You have made those two months very light and you somehow pulled me out of my depression. I thank you for being with me almost all the time. The age gap did not make any difference (aminin mo yan!) since we both set that factor aside. Because more often than not, you have more mature suggestions and opinions. Of course, the others matter to me but it was you whom I've shared a lot of times with. I guess it's all about the personality. We both enjoy laughing, as in laughing like there's no tomorrow. We like to blog. We talk endlessly. sometimes we forget that you have to get off the bus stop in Kamuning. Ahahaha! We love our moms so much. We are so fond of our nieces and nephew. We can talk about Monica, Chandler, Phoebe, Rachel, Ross and Joey forever. We both lacked judgment when it comes to relationships. In fact we compete for the throne of most vulnerable & most gullible when it comes to love. We can make fun of each other without hurting one's feelings. WE JUST CLICKED!

You never took me seriously when I said that I'm sad that our batch is splitting up. A big factor of that sadness is facing the fact that I won't be spending so much time with you. Who's gonna laugh at my jokes? Who's gonna listen to my rants? Who's gonna keep me awake when I take the bus? Who's gonna walk with me from the office to the MRT station? Who's gonna understand why I'm a juice tirador? Who's gonna be B2's B1? I just got so used to having you around.

It's not the end. We'll still see each other. We'll find time to hang out. We'll still laugh at the littlest, corniest thing. I can't wait to see the outcome of your so-called "surpise". But for now, expect that when I see you I'll say:

"Hmph, tse!"

 

14th Flr Philam LIfe Tower BEDSPACER

One of the adjustments that I had to do with my new work is the schedule. It's a bit complicated but I have to deal with it. Actually I wasn't expecting that it would be this different. That's why I was shocked when I learned about the schedule on the second day of induction.

I knew that coming to work in the wee hours of the morning is going to be a struggle. One thing, I live very far from work. Second, my vicinity is not very safe. But I want to keep this job. So I had to make plans and options.

I considered looking for a place somewhere near the office. In that way, my travel time from the office to the place where I'll be staying will be shorter and I guess much safer as compared to my hometown of San Mateo. This option will also teach me to be independent from my family. Also, I can have my sweet, continuous sleep. To add to that, the mallrat in me will enjoy Glorietta and Greenbelt. Actually, an officemate recommended a place in Makati. I wanted to talk to the house manager so that I can checkout the place but she was always out everytime I call. I had to scrap this option.

After much pondering, I have eventually come to a decision. I'll still come home to San Mateo after work. I can never live in a place where I'll be sharing a bathroom with a lot of people. I can never let go of the comforts that I have in my room. Most of all, I can't miss my Nanay's cooking and all the Goldilocks baons that she buys for me. San ka pa?!

Our work schedule now is from 4am to 12 noon. I get home around 1:30pm and doze to sleep around 3 or 4pm. Then I wake up at around 7:30pm, leave the house at 9pm and be at the Philam Life Tower Building at 10pm. I lie on one of the bunk beds at the sleeping area and wake up at 3:30am to get ready for work.

This has been my routine for about a week and a half now and I can say I have pretty much adapted to it. Imagine four nights in a week I'm there! A certified bedspacer! The sleep I get prior to work is the best. For someone who is fond of sleeping like me, I can totally live with what the bunk beds can offer. The bunk bed that I target every night is at its most strategic spot in the sleeping room - away from too much light and too much noise. And I don't even mind if someone in the room is snoring like a worn-out tractor or the person on top of the bunk bed where I'm at is such a wriggler, I still get my blissful sleep.