The GoAT

Earlier, Argel and I had dinner after we went shopping for office clothes for him. I introduced him to Nasi Lemak since he was a bit curious as to why I've been buying this for my dinner often for the past few weeks, but that's another story. This story isn't about the food, but about what we - well he - talked about during dinner.

I don't know how it happened, but it just did. One minute we were talking about normal things like the stock market, how he spent 2k++ on clothes, his work... and the next thing I know, we're - he's talking about basketball, which led to, of course, Michael Jordan.

For 30 minutes, everything that came out of his mouth was about NBA and Michael Jordan. These are snippets of what I remember from his speech. I'll try to put in his exact words as much as possible. (Factual errors below are most probably due to my fault and not Argel's. He's like a walking NBA encyclopedia of some sort so chances are, I forgot the things he said to me or I got them wrong.)

Ang tanga nung Miami. Sa 4th quarter, leading sila by 20 points, pero natalo pa sila! Nag-overtime tapos natalo. Sila kasi yung may big three, pero hindi naman nagmamatch yung roles nila. Di tulad ni Jordan, the greatest of all time. Si Jordan, scorer, tapos the rest ng teammates, may kanya-kanyang roles. Di tulad nung big three sa Miami, lahat gusto scorer, iisa lang ang slot na gusto nila mafill, they don't fit in a puzzle. Kumbaga individually magaling sila, pero combined, di maganda ang match.

Sa sobrang addict ko sa NBA, marami akong alam sa players kahit hindi ko sila gusto. Except kay Lebron James. Pag tatanungin mo ako kung ano ang alam ko kay Lebron, 2 things lang. One, matanda na siya kasi fake ang date sa birth certificate niya, and two, loser siya. Yun.

Sabi nila matatapatan na raw ni Kobe si Jordan kasi lima na yung rings niya, si Jordan, six. Pero alam mo kung bakit hindi mangyayari yun? Kasi si Jordan, acknowledged ng lahat ng basketball players na kasabayan niya na he's the greatest of all time. And marami siyang binago na convention sa basketball. Alam mo ba si Michael Jordan, iniba niya yung concept ng winning a championship game? Kasi sa NBA, nananalo ang team ng championship kung may malupit kang center. Eh nung si Jordan, hindi naman malupit yung center nila eh! Tapos, dati, may nagsabi kay Jordan, magaling ka lang magscore, that's all you can do. Kasi nananalo siya ng scoring champion. Alam mo yun? Kapag end ng season may mga awards kunwari MVP of the year, rookie of the year. So siya, scoring champion. Tapos sabi nga sa kanya, yun lang kaya niyang gawin. The next year, he proved that wrong, and he won the Defensive player of the year AND the scoring champion in the same year! At siya pa lang nakakagawa nun sa history ng basketball na isang player ang manalo nun.

And kung rings lang ang basehan, eh di dapat si Bill Russell na ang GoAT kasi siya, merong 11 rings - eleven championships. Pero, bakit si Jordan na six rings, siya yung sinasabing greatest of all time? At siya rin ang sinasabing nag-angat ng level ng NBA to the whole world. Sabi pa ni (I forgot the name), dapat kung may write-up ng basketball or NBA kunwari, dapat may picture ni Jordan. It's like saying basketball equals Michael Jordan, di ba?

Si Kobe, 24 ang jersey number niya nung high school siya, hanggang ngayon. Alam mo kung bakit? Kasi gusto niya siya raw ang next Michael Jordan. Si Jordan, 23, so ang next sa 23, 24. Pansinin mo kapag nag-e-NBA mga officemates mo. Nasan ang wrist guard ni Kobe? At nasan ang knee pad niya? At pansinin mo rin kung nasan ang wrist guard at knee pad ni Jordan.

Kilala mo si Larry Bird? Si Larry Bird ininterview siya noon. Sabi niya, "I don't know how to guard him. He's like God disguised as Michael Jordan." O, si Kobe ba, sinabihan na 'he's like God disguised as Kobe Bryant.'???

When Jordan was playing for Bulls, they won 72 games out of 82. 10 losses lang sila sa buong season!

Si Jordan din yung nagstart na ang athlete, endorser. Dati naman walang ganun eh. Eh ngayon, kahit retired na, marami pa ring advertisements. Ganun siya kalupit!

This is only a fraction of what he talked about NBA and Jordan. I couldn't remember the stats and other facts he mentioned.

I learned so many things today. Info overload! :))

Boopie

I have a new toy, thanks to my dearie. Argel gave me this Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch for my birthday. Quoting Stip when he bought and used a tablet, I can feel the power when I use it!

Hopefully before the year ends, I can start the mini-project Argel and I have been planning on doing for a long time. ;)

Online!

Two weeks of not going online... Well not really since I checked my mail twice. But that was it. Just 10 minutes of internet time for the past two weeks (look for important e-mails, if none, select unread, mark as read, archive - i love gmail!) as opposed to my usual being online all day long. Why? As some of you might know, I got sick. Sick for almost two weeks. Yeah, sick. During my aunt's vacation. T_T

It all started with a fever one day. Next day, still had fever. The next day, same thing. Then the next day, fever gone. One day recovery. The next day, rashes appeared, then nosebleeds, then went to hospital, then bam! Low platelet count said I have dengue, and I had to be admitted to the hospital. Stayed there for three days eating hospital food, watching TV, and answering the nurses how many times I peed and pooped, then I got discharged. It wasn't really serious like Ron's dengue - I thank God for that. Thanks also to all who sent me get-well-soon messages. :) And good thing Bevan's case wan't serious also. I got news that he got discharged the same day I got out of the hospital. Pero mas magaling yata si Bevy sa akin, nabalitaan ko rin nagpupuyat na ulit for DotA yun eh. Hehe :p

Got home and still stayed mostly in bed. Checked mail. Finally got the decision I was waiting for. The decision - not the result I was hoping for. Unfortunately, Aussie visa was refused. My English competency proof was apparently late in submission and they wouldn't reconsider. Good thing: Even before the decision, I already decided to look for a job here. As in seriously. Bad thing: 2 companies called while I was sick and I was not able to go to interviews. T_T Haaay... minus ganda points na agad. Wrong timing yung dengue.

Right now, I should be sleeping but I can't. I feel light headed. I woke up at 3:30am and drove my aunt and uncle to the airport. Their vacation is over. I hope they have a safe flight. I'll miss those two.

Nosebleed

Ketang wednesday, minta ku keng Saudi Embassy keng Makati area. Makanyan ing istorya ku.

Mingutang ku keng high school classmate ing way papunta keng Saudi Embassy. Sabi na, sake ku MRT hanggang Buendia station. Kaybat, miglakad ku raw papuntang Taft area, mikit ku na ing Saudi Embassy on the way, malapit mu keng Buendia station.

Ok. So misake kung MRT hanggang Buendia station at linakad papuntang Taft area. Naku. Kapali maski na atin kung payung ampong pamepe! Pero sige, lakad ku mu, malapit mu eh. Lakad lakad lakad lakad. Parang marayu na ing linakad ku? Kayari biglang Ayala MRT station ing mikit ku! Tanaydana! Nokarin ing Saudi Embassy?!

Hmm... so alang choice, kailangan ku mangutang. Mingutang ku keng manong guard keng MRT station. Ing Saudi Embassy raw eh ketang marayu pa. Miglakad daw aku dapat karin at mangutang ulit para ali ku mabating. Ok. Miglakad at mangutang. Lakad ulit! At mingutang ku ulit keng traffic enforcer naman. Sabi na, misake ku Washington jeep hanggang RCBC. Kaybat datang keng RCBC eh miglakad papuntang Saudi Embassy.

So misake ku keng Washington jeep hanggang RCBC. Mingutang ku ulit keng guard keta para directions papunta keng Saudi Embassy. Misake ku raw Guadalupe jeep. Sabyanan ku raw ing manong driver na keng Saudi Embassy ku munta.

So jeep again! Pero pero, sabi ng manong driver at ng pasaheru, ala na ing Saudi Embassy keng lumang address. Bayu na raw ing address na. Munta na mu ku keng Saudi Airlines sabi ng manong driver. So sige! Saudi Airlines!

Keng Saudi Airlines, atin babai at manong guard keng labas. Paintunan din ng atsing malati ing Saudi Embassy. Aba! I manong guard, ena kami sabyanan ng bayung address ng Saudi Embassy! Selfish bastard! So kami ng atsing malati, miglakad mi para mingutang keng ibang tau. Buti atin manong guard na mabait. Tinuru ng manong guard ing directions papunta keng bayung Saudi Embassy, at mikit mi ng atsing malati ing Saudi Embassy sa wakas! Haha!

Yun. Kapagal ing biyahe papuntang Saudi Embassy. Puru pawas ku, basa ing t-shirt ku buung biyahe.

Oita. Babay na. Mignosebleed na ku keng kapampangan na ita. Aintindian mu naman, di ba? di ba? Maski na barok kapampangan. Hahaha Ditak o karakal ing wrong grammar, ok mu!

Sweet!

Di ba nanood kami ni Argel ng UAAP cheering competition? Ehh di na ako nakapagpost about that. May gimik kasi kami sa aming outfit. Check this out.

Coolness! May nagpicture pala sa amin sa Gateway. :p Cute no? Hehehe

Sira raw Ako

Just added my dad in my Friendster account last night because he told me to. Then this afternoon, I received a text message from him, saying "check your email." I was out of the house, and I read the email just now.

Marie,

Pumasok ka ba sa C.R. ng mga lalaki at nagpa-picture? Hehe.. sira ka talaga.

Love, Daddy

Hehehe. :p Hmmm... I haven't checked my Friendster account in quite a while. Nalimutan kong andun yung pic. Haha

Goodlife and More

Malapit Sta. Lucia East Grand mall, may Genie Magic KTV at Good Life Reflex Zone. Tinanong ko kay Argel kung anong meron sa Good Life na yun, sabi niya body massage daw with added service. O-k...

So tuwing magpa-part ways na kami ni Argel from our date sa malapit lang, usually dinner or dinner + movie sa Metro East or Sta. Lucia, makikita namin yun kasi katabi nung building yung sakayan ng trike papunta sa village. Nakaiinis lang kasi, na nakatatawa rin na naloloko ako lagi ni Argel simula nung tanungin ko yung tungkol sa Good Life na yun.

Parang nagkaroon kasi siya ng game. The let's-see-if-i-can-make-loko-elma-again game. Pag nandun na kami malapit sa trike terminal, magkukwento na yan ng kung anong sakit niya sa katawan. Tapos maniniwala akong masakit talaga kung ano man yun tapos magwoworry ako. Tapos sasabihin niyang, "Kelangan ko yatang magpamasahe sa Good Life..."

Matagal-tagal na rin niyang ginagawa yun, and it never fails. Haha. Ang galing nga niya eh. Nag-iisip pa talaga siya ng "kwento" para lang maisingit yung masahe na yun. Like yung last kwento, ang sabi niya, "Ang sakit ng batok ko... Sa office kasi dalawa yung monitor ko. Yung sa desktop, tapos laptop. Pero isa lang yung mouse. Alam mo naman yung software na yun di ba? Yung macocontrol mo yung dalawa? Ayun. Eh lilingon sa desktop, tapos sa laptop, tapos balik sa desktop... Sumakit tuloy ang batok ko..." And then magsasabi naman ako ng ay kawawa ka naman wag mo na gawin yun blah blah blah... Tapos sasabihin niya, "Kelangan ko yatang mag-Good Life... :D " Ayun. Naloko ako.

Tapos mas nakakainis, remotely niya gagawin. Kahit text message. Like just now. May CNL dinner kasi sila. Tapos nagtext. Sabi, "Napa-ice cream nga ako eh. Sakit ng ulo ko. Tapos kanina habang nagkukwento si barry ubo ako nang ubo.. Sakit sa dibdib..." Eh syempre magworry na naman ako nun. May sipon kasi yun ngayon, and syempre di naman malayong ubuhin na. Tapos pagscroll down ko pa sa message may katuloy pala. "Tingin ko kailangan kong maggoodlife.. Haha. Oil massage para mainit. Haha" ~X(

Naiinis ako na natatawa kasi di ko ineexpect na hihirit lang pala siya about goodlife. Kala ko totoo. Haaaay... Sana may time na hindi ako maloko. Haha

Other stuff
WoT. Book 7 na ako! :D Ganda. Daming times na nagulat ako sa pangyayari. Like pagka-still kina -bleep- and -bleep-. Tapos na-Heal ni -bleep-! Ang galing niya! Haha (Baka may nagbababasa pa kasi. Ayokong macrucify sa pagiging spoiler tulad ni Danes. Haha). Tapos naging Amyrlin si -bleep-! Haha ok tama na. Wala ng makaiintindi.

Eheads reunion concert. Late reaction ko? Haha ganda. Basahin na lang ang blog entry ni Ige, yun na lahat yun (na sulit and buti mabait ang fans walang riot etc etc). Reunion din yun for me kasi nakita ko yung ibang high school classmates ko na wala akong contact. So dun ko lang sila nakita/nakausap sa concert after 7 years. Haha. Sa dami ng tao dun buti nakita ko sila. Tapos nakita ko rin pala si Gian and Maam Joy and Cholle. Hehe :D

UAAP Cheering pila sa tickets. First time kong manonood ng live sa cheering competition sa Sunday. Pumila ako nung Tuesday para makabili ng tickets. Sabi ni Argel agahan ko. Dumating ako 7:30am. My goodness! Nosebleed ang pila! Buti nakita ko sina Rose. :D Ang aga raw nila dun. 6am! And I thought I was early. Tsk. Well since di pa nga ako nakakanood ever, and syempre di pa nakapila sa ticket buying ever, di ko naman alam na ganun. Grabe yun nakakapang-init ng ulo dun, lalo na yung mga guards na di gumagamit ng utak. Tsk. Basta yun, excited kaming manood! :D

Wheel of Time and Other Stuff

Besides playing PSP games and self-studying Java, reading has also been eating a LOT of my time. A month ago, I started reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I'm now burying my nose on the 5th installment of the series, and I must say that I am enjoying every bit of it. I even had a few dreams that I was an Aes Sedai. Hahaha funny. I think those who have the luxury to spend some of their time reading must include the WoT series in their list of books to read.

I also squeezed a Nicholas Sparks novel (Dear John) sometime when I was reading WoT's Book 2. I found it in Kuya's room (he's my source of books to read :D). It seemed interesting, and when I started reading it, I couldn't put it down so I finished it in a night. My eyes were puffy from crying because of that book. It was the first Nicholas Sparks novel that I read... I don't know if I'd want to read another though. I don't want to cry like that again.

On to other things. Last Saturday, Argel and I went out with my high school friends to play badminton somewhere in Marikina. The badminton courts there I think are a lot cheaper compared to the ones located in Quezon City. It was my first time to play badminton with a net. :D I tire easily though, so I was the one who played the least games. Most of the time, I just watched them play doubles. I think Argel was in most of the games (doubles and singles). And I also lost to Argel a number of times. I didn't win even once against him. Huhu

Then Sunday was PBA night. It was my first time to watch a PBA game. The game was between Ginebra and Air 21 at the Big Dome. I'm not a basketball fan, but I really enjoyed watching the game, not just because of the tight game, but also because of watching people get excited with all the shouting and the booing and the trash talking fans. Argel and the other guys were among the fans who were yelling at the top of their lungs (Jeric and Yugs and two other SZ guys were there). Because of the atmosphere at the coliseum, I even found myself also cheering for Ginebra. Hehe :D They won the game last Sunday. Tomorrow is Game 7, we won't be watching it but I hope Ginebra wins. :)

Hmmm... That's it. I will be blogging again when I feel like it. :D

Beso

Paano ba makipag-beso-beso? Hindi ako sanay/marunong makipag-beso-beso. Haha di marunong. Nung high school, konti lang ang girl friends ko na close talaga, and di naman kami nagbe-beso-beso. College, EEE, konti lang din ang babae. And since nakikita ko naman sila halos araw-araw, di naman kami nagbebeso-beso pag nagkikita kami.

Pero lately, na-test ang beso-beso skills ko nung 01 bowling day. Hehehe Pagdating ko, ang nandun ay sina Liz, Maam Roma, at Kelly. Pagdating ko, sabi ko "Hello!" sabay upo. Hahaha Sorry, di talaga ako sanay. Tapos dumating si Ralph. Aba, siya ay nakipagbeso sa amin! O, napractice ako nang konti. So hindi lang pala mga babae ang gumagawa nun... Tapos dumating si Onin. Hmmm... Di naman nakibeso. So selected people lang. O baka gusto lang talaga makafeel ng pisngi yung si Ralph? Hmmm... loko. Tapos sina Jim at Ghe ay dumating. Di rin nakipagbeso si Jim, si Ghe lang. So style lang talaga ni Ralph siguro yun. Hehe. Tapos ang next na dumating ay si Ron. Di ko alam kung nakibeso siya, nasa cr kasi ako nung dumating siya.

Nung nagbabay si Ralph, nalimutan ko kung nakibeso siya ulit. Oo yata. Anyway, nung nagbabay din sina Kelly at Ghe, may beso ulit. Nung nagbabay na kami ni Argel, wala, di ako nakibeso-beso. Kaway-kaway lang. Haha Sino ba dapat ang ibebeso? Mga babae lang? O pati lalake? Dapat bang may beso? Kelan dapat?

Anyway, wala lang. Bigla ko lang kasi naisip. :)

My Weekend

Fun weekend for a number of reasons:

1. My brother just downloaded an official psp theme maker. Currently working on an FF7 theme. So hindi ako naglalaro lately, gumagawa lang ng theme. :p

2. Lunch + bowling with the 01s. Talo ang team ko though. Twice. Haha sorry! Di ako magaling (or dapat yata "hindi ako marunong") magbowling eh. Buti na lang walang pustahan yun. :p Pero ngayon ang sakit ng katawan ko, lalo na ang left leg at right arm... Sayang, may badminton pa naman ang IML people this afternoon. Di tuloy ako makasasama...

3. I learned that my father has a Friendster account. :s Ito hindi fun. Funny lang. Tawa ako nang tawa nung makita ko. Paano ka ba hindi tatawa sa isang album na puno ng pics mo tapos ang mga title eh, My daughter Elma busy picture taking in Taiwan, Elma with a friend in Taiwan, Working on a project at UP...? My goodness... T_T

4. Dark Knight. Heath Ledger as Joker - bravo! Ang galing... wala na akong masabi. Basta ang galing niya...

5. Eye of the World. Wheel of Time's first book.

ahhh ano pa ba? anyway, pwede na siguro yan. hehe

Ay ay ay. Kapag sinabi kong hindi maganda ang quality ng picture, hindi talaga maganda ang quality ng picture. Yun lang yun. :D

Tutoring 2

Since na-mention na rin ni Argel yung weird guy na may pet, eto na ang kwento. Gawin ko na lang conversation type post para mas madali. Hehe. Medyo mahaba-haba ito, so basahin niyo na lang kung wala kayong magawa. :D

Me: Good evening! My name is Elma, and I'm Computer Engineering graduate from the University of the Philippines. :D
Guy: Hello. My name is Blank.
M: Really? Is that your real name?
G: Yes.
M: Ok... Do you have a last name?
G: Yes, I have a last name. It is Obama.
M: Obama. That's interesting...
G: And my middle name is mumble-mumble.
(I didn't understand what he said. It sounded like Green or Girini. something like that).
M: I'm sorry. Will you repeat that please? I couldn't quite understand what you said.
G: Girini.
(I still didn't understand. T_T)
M: So your name is Blank Girini Obama...
G: Yes that is right.
M: O-k... So... what is your work Blank?
G: Ahhhh... It is a secret. I cannot tell.
M: But why?
G: Because it is a secret.
M: O-k... What about your previous job? Can you tell me about that?
G: Oh yes. Before, I was a sumo wrestler.
M: Wow that's great! I've always wanted to talk about sumo wrestling, but I don't think the other students are interested in sumo wrestling.
G: Oh really?
M: Yes! So you must be a big guy since you were a sumo wrestler before...
G: Not really...
M: Really? But aren't sumo wrestlers usually big, big people?
G: Yes, but not me. I'm different.
M: Oh really? Hmm... Did you win in your sumo bouts?
G: No...
M: Awww... That's sad... Maybe because you're not a big guy.
G: I don't know...
M: Is sumo wrestling still popular in Japan?
G: Yes, it still is.
M: I see... Hmm... Why don't you tell me more about sumo wrestling?
G: Well... The referee wears colorful costumes.
M: Colorful costumes?
G: Yes. And then there are two players inside a circle.
M: How does one win in sumo wrestling?
G: You have to force the other player out of the circle.
M: Ohhh... And can you use your feet in the game? I mean, can you kick the other player out?
G: No no no. You use hands only.
M: And how big is the circle?
G: About... 5 meters across.
M: Oh... Ok. Uhh... What do you call the underwear that sumo wrestlers use?
G: Oh! Those are called mawashi.
M: Mawashi...
G: Yes. Mawashi. I'm actually wearing one right now.
M: Really?
G: Yes.
M: Why? Do you have a sumo fight today?
G: No. I wear it because it is comfortable.
M: O-k...
G: Actually, a lot of Japanese wear mawashi because it is so comfortable.
M: I didn't know that...
G: So now you know.
M: Yeah... Hmmm... So you were a sumo wrestler before... What do you do now?
G: Now I'm a mumble-mumble player.
M: A what?
G: mumble-mumble player.
M: I'm sorry, I don't understand. Will you type that for me please?
(Guy types. I receive "gateball player")
M: Oh! Gateball! I see... What is gateball?
G: I will show you.
(Guy gives me a link to a pic. The picture is of a group of people playing gateball. The game looks very similar to croquet. The people in the picture wore shirts with numbers, and they also wore hats.)
M: Ohhhh... so this is a gateball game.
G: Yes. I am number 7 in the picture.
M: Number 7?
(I look at the person wearing the 7 shirt, and it is a small, old woman.)
M: So this is what you look like! Is this really you?
G: Yes. I am not liar.
M: You are not a liar...
G: Yes. I am not a liar.
M: Ohhhh... So this is why you didn't win any sumo bouts! Because you are so thin!
G: No no no. I was bigger. That was after my diet.
M: After your diet?
G: Yes. I went on a diet. I ate only grasshoppers.
M: Grasshoppers? are they delicious?
G: Yes. Very much. Actually right now, I'm in a restaurant.
M: Oh really?
G: Yes. And I ordered mumble-mumble.
M: I'm sorry. Will you type that again for me please? I don't think I know the food you are talking about.
G: Ok.
(Guy types again. I receive "crocket")
M: Crocket? What's a crocket?
G: You don't know crocket?
M: No...
G: I will show you.
(Guy gives me another link. I open it and it is a picture of an insect much like a grasshopper I think. I didn't look at it very long because it is ewwwwwy. Hahaha maarte ba?)
M: Ewww! You eat this?
G: Yes. It is for my diet.
M: Ewwwwww! Really? Is it delicious?
G: Yes.
M: How is this cooked? Is it fried or do you eat it raw?
G: Uhh... fried?
M: O-k... Why? Why in the world would you want to eat that thing?
G: For my diet. It is very healthy.
M: O-k...
G: What about you? are you on a diet?
M: Me? No! Actually, I'm trying to gain weight.
G: Gain weight? Why? Are fat girls popular in the Philippines?
M: Hahahaha. Uhhhh... I don't think so... I think the male population here prefer slim girls to the not-so-slim girls.
G: Then why are you trying to get fat?
M: Not really get fat. I just want to put on some weight because I think I'm too thin for my height.
G: Oh... You are thin?
M: Yes, I think I'm thin.
G: Oh, I can hear a dog bark.
M: Yes, that's our neighbor's dog. Maybe a car passed by their house, that's why the dog barked.
G: I have pets too.
M: Really? What kind of pets?
G: Cockroaches.
M: Cockroaches?!
G: Yes, I have 3 cockroaches.
M: Why cockroaches?
G: I just found them in my house and I decided to take them as pets.
M: I see... what are their names?
G: Strawberry, Mango, and... Eruma.
M: Those are pretty names. Why did you name one Strawberry?
G: Well, when I saw her, I was eating a strawberry.
M: Ohhh... I see. So you named the other one Mango because you were eating a mango when you saw the cockroach?
G: Yes.
M: And why did you name the other one Eruma?
G: Because when I saw Eruma, I was watching Sesame Street.
M: Ohhhh... and Elmo was there so you named her after him.
G: Yes.
M: How did you know the cockroach was a girl? Why didn't you name the cockroach Erumo?
G: I thought the cockroach was a lesbian, that's why I named her Eruma, not Erumo.
M: How did you know she was a lesbian?
G: She was touching the other cockroaches.
M: O-k... Well... Those are pretty names for cockroaches...
G: Yes... Do you know what watermelons are?
M: Yes, of course!
G: Have you seen a cubic watermelon?
M: No, I haven't seen one.
G: I will show you.
(Guy gives me yet another link. Picture shows cubic watermelons.)
M: Wow... cubic watermelons. Do these watermelons taste the same as the spherical ones?
G: Yes. Same taste. But they are grown differently. People put them in boxes to give the shape.
(Then I notice that the time is almost up.)
M: Oh... Look at the time! It's almost time to say goodbye.
G: Oh yeah.
M: Well... I enjoyed our weird conversation tonight. I think you have heard this from your other tutors as well.
G: Oh yeah... But I'm not liar.
M: No, you are not a liar.
G: Yes, I'm not.
M: Ok Blank, I hope to talk to you again sometime!
G: Yeah, me too.
M: Goodnight, and bye!
G: Thank you and byebye!
M: Thank you too! Bye!

Tutoring

Ok so I'm a tutor! Yay! I never imagined that I could be a tutor. Pag kasi nagpapaturo yung kapatid ko ng math or physics, mabilis uminit ang ulo ko pag di niya nakukuha agad. Hahaha!

Well siguro kasi hindi naman talaga ako "nagtuturo." Most of the students just need practice speaking in English, so usually kwento-kwento lang about life. Interesting naman kausap yung iba, lalo na yung mga madadaldal. Yung shy types, medyo boring kausap so kelangan ako yung nagdadaldal, ako yung nagtatanong. Eh hindi pa naman ako ganun, so ngayon napipilitan akong maging madaldal. Hehe.

Tapos, meron akong nakausap. Creepy. Syempre pag first time mo nakausap, introductions muna di ba? So I introduced myself, and then I asked the guy to introduce himself also. And then silence. Tapos biglang sinabi, "No. You again." Aba. So sige, nagsalita na naman ako. Tapos sabi ulit, "Say more." Naku naman di pa nakuntento. So daldal ulit. Tapos sabi ko siya na talaga dapat magsalita, di na ako magdadagdag ng tungkol sa akin. Tapos biglang ang tanong niya eh, "What is the scariest experience you had in your life?" Like hello? Creepy kaya. Parang may masamang balak.

Anyway, sinagot ko naman, sabi ko yung car accident nung high school ako. And then I asked him what was his. Eto weird. He said, "I saw a fireball." I asked him where and when, he said, "When I was up in my roof one night, not so long ago." I asked him what he did when he saw it, and why was he scared of it. "I ran inside my house. It scared me because here in Japan, fireballs are said to be spirits of the dead." O-k... And he said these without any emotions. Monotone. Creepy.

And then after that, may bagong tanong, "What is the most disgusting thing you've ever seen?" Another weird question... Wala akong maisip nun and naalala ko si Argel kapag may nakikitang dead cats sa daan, so sabi ko yung mga road kills sa daan sa pinas kadiri. Siya naman daw, "The most disgusting thing I think are the Filipinos who eat dogs." Alright! Basta creepy siya. Hahaha

Ayun. Enjoy naman most of the time. Sana lang wala na akong ma-encounter na creepy people. :D

Sa Ortigas

Nung naglalakad ako sa Ortigas nung nagregister ako for the IELTS exam, may lumapit sa akin na lalaki, tinanong kung saan ako mag-aapply. Lumingon-lingon muna ako sa paligid, tiningnan ko kung ako nga yung kausap, saka tumingin na rin kung may mga taong nakakakita para kung may masamang budhi yun eh may mahihingan ako ng tulong. May mga tao naman so sinagot ko yung tanong, sabi ko di ako mag-aapply, magreregister lang for an english exam. Tapos tinanong niya kung anong natapos kong course, sabi ko CoE. Saan daw. Sabi ko UP. Saang UP? Sabi ko Diliman. Sa Diliman?! Magagaling yung mga taga-Diliman ah. Yan ang sagot. Tapos lakad lakad, kwento kwento siya (di ako masyadong nakikinig eh). Tapos mayamaya tinanong ang pangalan ko. Sabi ko elma. Sabi niya siya si JP.

Finally nung liliko na ako sa kanto, (buti naman) ang way niya ay sa kabila, so sabi ko, Sige dito nako babay! Ang sabi naman niya, Ay ganun? Pwedeng pahingi na lang ng favor? Pahingi naman ng number mo. Sabi ko Ay wag na lang. Sabi niya, Sige na baka sakaling makita pa kita kung saan. Eh umuulan at gusto ko nang makarating sa tuyo na lugar so sabi ko, Sige. Eto ang number ko. 0917999XXXX. So nagbabay na rin siya.

Pagdating sa British Council office, eh di nagregister na ako. Pagkatapos magregister, tumambay muna ako dun para tingnan yung review materials. Tapos may pcs din dun. Ok naman at may internet connection, at least pwede makipagchat (iniiwan kasi ang cellphones sa guard, at least pwede akong maggmail text). Tapos tinanong ko kay argel kung may nagtext sa kanya na di niya kilala. Sabi niya meron, JP raw ang pangalan. Hahaha Number kasi ni argel yung binigay ko. Hehehe Ang text pa yata ay muztah? Hahaha

Yun lang ang kwento. :D

Hahaha Sorry!!! :p

Una, sorry sa pagflood sa emails ng mga naka-email update. Kasi naman, di ko alam na pati yang pag-import eh may update pa. Lumang entries eh, bakit may update? Haha Sorry. :p

Eto lang dapat talaga yung entry ko, pero nakita ko yung import thing kaya ginawa ko na rin, and flooded emails ang result. Hehe. Sorry ulit. :D

Anyway, the real new post:
Wow. My longest blog leave ever. So, what have I been doing all this time?

First, let me tell you that I am currently on leave from my graduate studies. Ok... maybe you're thinking, o sayang naman... di ba thesis ka na lang? or a di ba 1 sem ka na lang? or a ngek di mo pa tatapusin eh malapit mo na matapos... or ha? di ka pa ba graduate?! dapat 2 years lang ah! Well... yeah supposedly. But, I dunno... the drive to finish my grad studies went poof! due to combined reasons like lack of funds... class disappointments... and plain ang tagal ko nang nag-aaral, sawa na ako... etc etc etc.

Mababaw ba? Haha... it may seem so. But, one thing I definitely know is that I was not enjoying it anymore, and for me, one of the most important things in life is to love what I'm doing. Well I'm not saying that I've given up already. Maybe someday, be it in UP again or someplace else, I'll have the heart to continue my grad studies.

What are you doing now? you may ask. Bum? Kind of. But I'm actually doing something. Waiting. For what? For my Australian visa. :D I already applied for a visa a few months ago, and I'm hoping and praying fervently that it's going to be approved. In line with this, I'm gonna have my IELTS exam in three weeks. It's an exam designed to determine my english language abilities in reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Basically, they wanna know if I can survive living in a place where English is the main language used. So, while waiting, I am reviewing for that exam. Why the need to review? To get high scores of course. Aim for a score of 9 in all 4 modules! It's a good thing the British Council office in Ortigas allows registered IELTS exam takers to use their facilities free of charge. Sweet. :D

If ever for some reason my visa is denied (yes, there are instances where visas are denied of approval), if ever and I hope it doesn't happen, what am I going to do? Well... seek local employment of course. I'm taking the visa thing as trying my luck in venturing out of the country. Why Australia? The reason: I have an aunt living there, and it's going to make my stay there easier compared to going someplace else all by myself. This australia plan is actually an old thing. She (my aunt) was telling me to live with her years ago, as early as my 3rd year in college (sabi pa niya dati wag ko na tapusin ang CoE sa UP. Haha :p). So please, please, please, pray for me. :D

Of course I'm not just studying all the time. The usual stuff eats my time also, reading novels, watching TV, chatting online, and playing video games (FF Crisis Core!). :D Oh and, I'm helping my groupmates to complete those INC subjects too. I'm also an errand girl, magbayad ka nito, bumili ka niyan, ipagdrive mo kami... blah blah blah.

Eh paano yan, wala ka namang pera? Sadly, yeah. Haha :p But just very recently, I applied as an online english tutor to at least have some money to spend, particularly date moolah when I see my baby love dearie argel (he hates it when I call him that. hahaha). If you know of a techie job with no contract/bond, tell me so I can try to apply. :D

So there. I don't think my 2 years in MS is a complete waste. After all, that's when I got to be with my baby love dearie argel. And buti naman, he's supportive of whatever decisions I make in life. Susunod nga yan sa aussie kung sakali eh, di ba? Di ba? (oy baby love dearie sabihin mo oo, kundi lagot ka sa akin!) :p

Another thing, I was able to get our undergraduate student project be published internationally, and I presented it in Taiwan! O di ba? Ayos! Buti nga malapit lang eh. Konti ang expenses. :D

Ayun lang. Sorry ulit sa naflood na emails. :p

Shingles

My cousin has chicken pox. We've isolated her to the room downstairs which was supposed to be the "music room" but now serves the purpose of being a "guest room" with guests pertaining to relatives.

I've read chicken pox is highly contagious. My brother has now a fever... He's never had that child's disease before. Tsk tsk. Nahawa na yata siya.

My big brother and I had chicken pox when we were kids. With the help of google, I now know that those who had the disease before could very well have it again, but will now be called Shingles, the reactivation of the virus that causes chicken pox. Yikes. :s

Campus FM

Yes, Campus Radio has finally returned, albeit in a new home frequency, 99.5, and a new name, Campus FM.

Almost everything's gonna be the same, I think they're retaining the same program schedules, and the same DJs. I don't know who'd do Top 20 @12 though. I read in some forum that Triggerman won't be with them anymore.

Anyway... That's about it. I'm so glad Campus is back.

Lock

Nag MoA kami nina Argel saka ng kapatid kong si Patrick kanina. Nagpunta kami dun sa Science Discovery thing. Uhm... for us ah... parang hindi sulit yung bayad. Anyway... Hindi tungkol sa MoA experience yung ikukwento ko...

So pag-uwi namin... Nood muna ng Shippuuden 50, naglaro si Argel ng konting FF7... tapos eto na... Naisip ni Argel paganahin yung front speakers ng ESI. Eh di sige... Binuksan ko naman yung pinto ng ESI at tinanggal ang interior panel. Lakas ng loob ko na tanggalin eh, kasi nagawa ko na yun dati, at naibalik ko naman nang tama. So sige...

Inuna namin ang left speaker (sa may driver's side). Nadiscover ni Argel na kailangan lang ikabit yung mga wires dun sa speaker. So kinabit... ayun, ok na, tumutunog na naman! Eh di ibabalik na yung interior panel... Eto na ang problema...

Naibalik naman ang panel... pero ayaw na magwork ng lock ng pinto. Eh syempre ang laking problema nun. So tanggal ulit ng panel... isip-isip kung bakit di na gumagana ang lock... Kalikot-kalikot ng kung anu-ano... Trial and error method kung baga. So maya-maya sabi ni Argel, "Ahhh... kelangan taut itong bakal na to para gumana yung lock!" Yung bakal na sinasabi niya is connected dun sa may bukasan ng pinto sa loob ng door.

So kelangan taut daw... Paano magiging taut yung bakal? Hmm... Hila-hila... twist-twist whatever... Ang tagal din namin dun... Eh may napansin ako nung hinila niya yung bakal. So sabi ko, "Ahhh... eh di kelangan bukas ito!" meaning... dapat parang binubuksan mo yung pinto para maging taut yung bakal para magwork yung lock. So akala namin solved na yung problema. Ibinalik na ang panel... At ni-try i-lock ang pinto... Eh ayaw pa rin... Huhuhu na...

Eh wala kaming magagawa, di naman pwedeng iwan yun ng ganun. So tanggal ulit ng panel. Tapos isip-isip na naman. Itong si Argel, umupo na sa upsidedown timba at nag-isip. Tapos sa upo niya na yun, may napansin siya. Nakita niya yung kung saan nagla-lock yung pinto. Tapos sabi niya, "Ahhh! Onga naman. Di mo naman kasi pwedeng i-lock ang pintong bukas." So ni-manual lock niya yung thing, tapos kahit hindi na taut yung bakal, ok na! Hahaha So binalik na naman namin yung panel. And ok na! :D

Well... di masyadong nakakapagod sa kwento, pero nakakapagod yun. Kasi meron pa yung lamok factor sa garahe, meron din yung pawis factor, yung mabigat na panel dahil sa mabigat na speaker, and most importantly, yung chewing gum factor. Yung chewing gum factor yung nakakainis, kasi merong pandikit sa loob ng door (yung makikita pag tinanggal yung panel) na super sticky na di mo alam nahahawakan mo na pala tapos didikit sa kamay mo at sa paa mo at sa damit mo na mahirap tanggalin na yuck kadiri na tinanggal namin gamit ang alcohol dahil wala kaming kerosene or paint thinner kaya eto meron pa rin konti...

Ayun... yun lang naman. Masaya, learning process. Hehehe Bukas, try namin paganahin yung speaker sa right side. :p

Not an Update

Neglected blog. Kawawa naman. Hehehe Not that my life is uneventful... I just went on a swimming trip with the Quince minus 4 with Axis (Argel and his officemates) after all... then there's this giant LCD screen I'm using right now... then I just tightened the screw of ESI's right signal light... and I tried cooking adobong manok (I did not follow the white guy's recipe of adobong manak though)... then... what else... well maybe my life really is uneventful. Hahaha!

Tatlong Kwento

Long overdue post... :p

Loverage 2: Outloud!
Ok... another backstage concert, thanks to whoever thought of giving the alumni backstage passes. For the nth time, I saw band members up close... although I didn't really know know any of them... but what the heck, I saw Bamboo again, and that's what counts the most. :D

And I finally saw Cholle! My goodness! She's super thin! Hehe :D

Enjoy naman yung night... Pero... hmm... May tao yata na mas nag-enjoy dun. Yung lalaking papicture ng papicture sa mga band members. Tapos video pa ng video, wala tuloy akong hug. Huhuhu Tapos tapos biglang sabi niya, "Shit... shit... shit!" Tapos kumanta na nang kumanta kasabay ni Bamboo sa isang song ng RATM. Boohoo. Pero ok lang. Masaya rin naman makitang nag-enjoy yung lalaking yun. :D

Rock Meets Romance
Valentine's date. Morning. Meeting time, 9am. Dumating ako? around 9:50. :s Oh no... oh no... I'm screwed. I woke up late because I woke up early. Gets ba? I had a dream that I wasn't able to meet Argel on time, then nagising kasi ako ng mga 4:30am because of my brother's alarm clock, tapos di na ako makatulog dahil natatakot ako na baka mangyari nga yung nasa dream ko. And tadaaa! Gising ko, 8:19am. T_T Nakaalis ako ng bahay 9am, and traffic papunta sa Libis so... :s Haaay... Oh well... Sino ba namang hindi maiinis nun? Buti na lang di siya nagalit ng todo todo... :s Sorry again dearie...

Anyway, punta na kami to Makati to meet Lizzy, then punta na sa MoA. Lakad lakad, then nood ng Spiderwick Chronicles. Ok naman yung movie, anti-climactic nga lang yung ending. And then, kain sa Don Hen. :D Tapos tapos music na naman!

Start na ng Rock Meets Romance Concert. Isay Alvarez and Robert Cena sing broadway songs! Yeah! Kinanta pa nila yung isa sa mga paborito ko, Sun and Moon from Miss Saigon. Yeah! And then, after nila, Bamboo naman! Woohoo! Ang gwapo ni Bamboo dun. Super clean tingnan, as in. Ayun, tapos syempre, galing niya magperform, as always. :D

And then uwian na! Yay! Ang saya. Nagleave pa siya from work for the date. :D I feel so special. Hehe :*

JS Prom
JS Prom ng kapatid ko kagabi. Eh ano naman? Wala lang, gusto ko lang i-share kasi ako driver niya. Hehe Hatid and sundo. Sa school lang naman, not in some fancy hotel or whatever. Pero kasi madaling araw yung sundo eh. 4am. Ok lang naman. Haha

Ayun lang. Marami pa sanang kwento kaya lang kinukulit na ako ni kuya, patayin ko na raw laptop ko dahil he needs uninterrupted internet connection. Oh well... Pakwento na lang kayo kay Argel, lalo na dun sa misbehaving niya over drinking. Tsk tsk.

Ali!

Today, I went to Pampanga with Argel for a fiesta. The difference from the first time I went there? Hmm... It's definitely less scary going there (but still scary nonetheless), and... we drove to Pampanga! Hah! I cruised the NLEX... I'm so happy. :D And and and... I remember just now that I saw this commercial a while back, saying that sa NLEX, tipid sa gas or something to that effect. I didn't believe it then, but now I totally do. :D So there... I drove... Argel did too, by the way... :D for a while. Hah! It won't be long now before we trade places... Him behind the wheel and me in the passenger's seat. :D

Ay ay ay... we also went to mass pala sa Pampanga. Too bad for me though... the mass was conducted in Kapampangan. T_T Argel tried to translate what was being said... But it proved to be a difficult task considering he'd have to listen and talk at the same time. :s

Then there was the food. And the food... and the food again. Until now, I am so full. There was just so much food. Really. And everything just tasted good. No, not good. Great. :D And pinagbalot pa kami. Kami meaning Jeric, Aga (they arrived around noon), and I (and Argel). Aga is one of Argel's officemates. Jeric? Need I introduce Jeric here? Hehe

And then back to Manila again! Long day, but definitely a great day. :D That's all for kwento, gotta watch House! :p