RUNTINTIN

CLOSED FOR GOOD

2009-03-09T11:07:00.003+08:00

today marks the end of this blog.

time for a new face lift!

see you at http://runtintin.wordpress.com

TGIF

2009-03-06T15:10:00.004+08:00

After a looong loong absence from writing, I find myself taking a breather on this lazy Friday, patiently waiting (more like impatiently) for the clock in my room to say 4:15pm.

So what brought me back? Simply because I now made peace with myself and my training schedule, laid all to rest instead of battling the turmoil and guilt of missing a run and not being able to do enough quality runs. Call it tabula rasa, time for a clean slate, and I think it all came about last weekend as I ran on the roads of Bantayan.

Maybe it was the thrill of focusing on the road that will take me to the town proper. The road was very straight-forward...no complexities, just smooth rolling hills with trees and fields all around. Had two reliable friends who ran and upped the pace with me as we did an Indian run, taking turns to lead and to follow at every kilometer. I actually liked the feeling. Had the chance to own up to my kilometer, was pressured to stay on pace with the thought of not lagging behind as someone else was behind me that would lag too if I did, and of course keeping up when it was my turn to be last of the line. The whole exercise taught me a few things. I think running alone most of the time that I've been here made me grow tired, simply because I had only myself to lead, not having a chance to give up the reins and follow someone once in a while. I guess that's the variety that running with a group brought me. Now that I've had my breather, it's time to start again and just do it. No ifs or buts this time.

I liken the feeling to a smoker who is trying to quit smoking and backslides into the habit. It really sucks, you feel like such a wuss for not being able to suck it up and do what you have to do. That's what I felt the few times I wasn't consistent with my training runs and finally succumbed to what we know as tamad-itis. So many excuses and so many other things to do when you know that at a drop of a hat, you could if you really really wanted to. So the second attempt comes, and the third, and the fourth, until you are ale to set out what you need to do.

I still am having difficulty finding a good, car-free, traffic-free, smoke-free and runner friendly place to run in regularly. Before I had BHS, now I'm still searching for a place big enough and feel safe enough for me to say, "this is my regular route". A place I can run in alone, or with friends. Bananarunning introduced me to the MActan Airport-Marcelo Fernan bridge route, which I did again two days back, and I think this is one of those routes I can get used to. It's not as quiet as BHS, definitely more cars as it passes the major roads chockfull of jeepneys, motorcycles and passenger cars. But I do like the road leading to and away from the Mactan Airport, as well as that point from the bridge upto the quiet road going all the way down to the corner you turn to which leads to Save More. Just a few pedestrians, no traffic buildup. A good place to zone out.

And so today marks the first day of my clean slate.

It's 4:15 already...thank God it's Friday... I'm off for a run!!

BLACKHOLE

2008-12-11T15:51:00.003+08:00

A blackhole is simply defined as an object with massive amounts of gravity that sucks anything and everything in its path.

I'm in a blackhole and no matter how hard I resist, it effortlessly zaps all my plans into oblivion. I felt it creeping in the moment I moved here. It ate away my enthusiasm for running... NOOoooooooo. Trying to get my groove back.....

Will channel Yoda and think "Do or do not, there is no try."

KAWASAN FALLS-MOALBOAL WEEKEND PART 1

2008-11-03T09:59:00.004+08:00

Just a week fresh from my diving certification, we couldn't wait to practice some skills and decided to go on a road trip to Kawasan Falls and Moalboal.

Good thing our friend T had some guests over who were also divers so together with the scuba team, minus A and C, we went off on his van one fine Saturday morning.

In record time (2 hours), we reached our first destination, Kawasan Falls.

You had to hike up a few meters to get to the falls, the 1st level being the biggest, the 2nd one mid-sized and the 3rd one being the source (but didn't get this far to see it). The hike up to the 1st falls was okay, the road gently sloped up and some parts were even cemented already. The water was very clean, just had a bit of whitish hue to it, maybe due to lime or minerals. The trees lined the pathways and shaded us from the sun. It was refreshing hearing the water rushing by and seeing birds and trees all around you.

Upon reaching the 1st falls, the first thing that came to mind was "I wonder where that Korean jumped?" as a few months ago, a Korean tourist died because another fellow Korean tourist was drunk and foolishly jumped from the falls and fell onto the other person down below. Morbid thoughts I know, but I can't help it! Haha.

The water was very cold...not cool okay, it was cold, imagine as cold as maybe the water you keep in the refrigerator, and even had fish swimming in it. To fully take part of the Kawasan Falls experience, we rode a bamboo raft that took us all the way to the falls which had a little cave under it, went inside the cave, under it and through the falls! The water pressure was something else and we had to crouch and hold on to our heads while going through.

Then we decided to see the 2nd falls, and the hike going up was way different. You had to watch where you were stepping as it was a bit slippery and you had to hold on to a few roots and rocks for balance. Not for the uncoordinated or elderly. The 2nd falls were smaller, and you could even do a little rock climbing to get to the top, in case you wanted the thrill of jumping into friggin' cold water. I found out that the higher you go, the colder the water is.

We had to reach our dive resort in Moalboal before 2pm so off we went again after spending maybe an hour or son in Kawasan. At least i can say I've been there....and it's a nice place to bring people to when in Cebu.

I'll post pictures in a few days as I'm still waiting for all the files, which K and T are compiling for everybody...

Next post... Moalboal diving.... =)

THE SCUBA TEAM

2008-11-03T08:57:00.003+08:00

Have been quite busy the past few weekends getting my dive certification, hence the lack of any update, but yes, did it, no mishaps or anything, am done with the test, got my temporary card and just waiting for the official one to come in. I'm now as obsessed with scuba the same way I am with running.

It has gotten to the point that I dream about my next dive (in full color ha), all my dreams are about being underwater and am planning my weekends based on the next dive I'll be making... tsk tsk tsk

Our instructor, Mr. Alfred Alesna was very thorough in teaching us the mechanics, trying to answer all the questions we had (being the teachers that we are). He made sure we learned all the skills before moving on to the next one and made sure we were okay all the time. I felt very safe in the water because he kept an eye out for all of us. He regaled us with his dive stories and humbly shared things he's learned from them.

Okay (shhhh don't tell my scuba team mates either) I did study the book, I answered all the quizzes and highlighted the main objectives in every chapter GEEK ALERT! ALERT! but, it did help me understand the reason behind some of the things he taught us.

Cheers to the Scuba Team!

THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE

2008-10-13T11:29:00.006+08:00

Now I know how he felt, going against a mountain waaay bigger than him.

I also went against the mountain yesterday for my 15k run.

It was tough as it was going uphill and it's my first time to run a long distance on that road too. Call it a baptism of fire as I really didn't know what to expect.

When the going gets tough, go sight-seeing! (and take pictures! hahaha)

Some of the scenes in my 15K route:

I wasn't able to take a picture of my 7.5k route marker though, which was a bright electric blue neighborhood water pump which the locals use for their water.

What was nice about the route up was it followed the side of the mountain, which had a mid sized stream running beside it. Since it rained the past couple of days, the stream had more water than usual. There were times I could hear it even if I couldn't see it. At certain parts of the route, if you peeked over the side of the ravine, there would be people down there washing their clothes and making chika. My friend told me that on really rainy days, you can actually go through this stream with a kayak (ala white water adventure).

As I went up, the houses got fewer and fewer until it was just foliage all around me. This was when thoughts of the Blair Witch came to mind and I hightailed back down to civilization.

Finished 15k in 2 hours (which I personally think took too long, but hey c'mon, for someone not used to running up a hill and being my first time in doing this route , it's not bad right?)

Endorphins weren't enough to keep me awake as I crashed and slept the whole day, Maybe waking up for a few hours to eat and work a bit before sleeping again.

Coach B! I did it! And finally broke that dry spell...till the next run!

ITS NOW OR NEVER

2008-10-11T11:16:00.002+08:00

Okay, I have to tell you a secret...shhh don't tell okay?
Coach B, you'll kill me I know but I haven't exactly been faithful to my training runs (eep!)

Let me recall circa 21-k half marathon in Subic, the T2 were at a loss after that because it was like... what's next? Not having a race to train for means not having a goal to reach. Not having a goal to reach means what do I do during training runs? Okay so yes, I've said it countless times that I will do a simulcast in December for that full marathon... but the thing is, it's not real to me... no matter how hard I pretend that it is, it's just not the same. =( I have to get out of this mindset I know, and I have to do it fast or else I might get stuck. It's like quicksand you know? The more I fight it, the more I sink into it...so I need to slowly, ever so slowly ease out of it.

So what do I do? Maybe start with a plan... and carry it through to get me out of this training stump. I hate not being able to finish something I've started, and that includes having a plan and not being able to follow through on it.

I've tried to muster enough courage to venture out to do at least a decent long run to no avail. I have a 15k plan tomorrow, and hope my training buddy doesn't flake on me yet again... but I promised myself this, training buddy or no training buddy, I will run that 15 k. There, I've said it, will do it. IN the event my body is found on a roadside, I have my trusty roadID to ensure I'm not a Jane DOe. Will bring my water, have my Polar strapped on, Phone for emergencies, money (for taho or Gatorade in case I am about to crash) and snacks.

Wish me luck!

JUST RUN

2008-10-09T15:49:00.004+08:00

There are days I just want to run so bad that I will brave stray, rabid, mean dogs and bad weather. Today is one of them.

Attempted to run despite the clouds threatening to pour down water any minute now. And it did. Did the 4 k loop with J but had to backtrack as the route we needed to pass (which meant going under a bridge) was unpassable because of the presence of water, thus currents too. On sunny days, we could easily cross it as it was dry and full of gravel... but not today.

So running/walking under the dark reddish sky, we then did our last kilometer, quietly contemplating our lack of foresight. It started getting dark, the only light coming from a sliver of the setting sun on the horizon. And then darkness. Almost immediately the crickets started to sing, signalling the end of the day. The route back was not well lit, as lamp posts were far in between, and we had yet to reach the cement road that meant we were near civilization aka the village that we had to cross to get back to our starting point.

We got back all right, and I'm glad I didn't have to run alone today.

BRICK WORKOUT

2008-09-25T07:28:00.003+08:00

7:30 am
It's the start of another day, and if I had a remote control like Adam Sandler's in that movie CLick, I'd fast forward to 4:30pm.

Attempting to do a brick later...maybe 10 laps in the pool and then a 5k run...

Believe it, or not! mwahahaha
-----

5:45 pm
Just finished my brick and I'm endorphin high happy I did it. Swam with Coach J and J, and did some extra laps to support J as she was finishing her last lap....todo support diba?

I didn't want to traumatize J into never running again, so asked if she wanted to run with us on the road or stay in the gym...she chose the gym but did promise not to stop and on our end, we promised we'd be back in 30 minutes. So Coach J and I had 30 mins to complete the 5k loop... which we did in 26 minutes! With matching hills and a little trail run pa hahahaha. But it was fuuuun!!! I mean at least I was able to do an impromptu tempo run since I tried to match Coach Js pace....yes he is waaaay faster but was nice enough to slow down a bit being our first brick.

Really looking forward to next Tuesday for the next one.... come December...project BIKE here I come...

Back From A Break

2008-09-22T15:56:00.003+08:00

Getting sick does that to you, you get a break even when you think you don't need one but actually do.

Was down with the flu over the past week which completely threw my schedule off track...literally! I wasn't able to do any run or swims the whole week because I felt like crap. To top it off, I still had to work because I couldn't NOT work... I felt my fever wasn't high enough for me to stay home (something I decided myself mind you) as I could still move around and teach, and i had a gazillion deadlines to meet...so work vs. time off? I chose to work. Besides it's boring staying home when you have no one to talk to except your trusty old cable TV, you live in an apartment the size of a shoebox, and you have to cook your own food in case you get hungry...that is no fun when you're sick hehe.

But am now well, and started my week with a swim. Glad I have my usual routine back... yes I am a creature of habit.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

2008-09-02T11:40:00.003+08:00

Looking back, it was that one uneventful night in Italianni's Fort which marked the day the running bug got me. I was with two friends, sitting on that outside booth by the door and just hanging out, minding my own bread and olive oil-herb mixture when I saw BananaRunning ans MyIronShoes pass by in their running gear.

Curiosity got the better of me so I quickly rang up MyIronshoes and said "Hey I see ya!!! What are you doing in Fort in your running gear?" and she went on to tell me that she had a PLAN and it entailed running. Since she knew I used to be bike, run and swim a lot, she invited me to come and join them on weeknights.

I didn't run that very same day, but that thought was planted, and it germinated and it grew and quickly mushroomed and ballooned into a MARATHON DREAM.

It started innocently enough, with me going to work the next day, running a few days in a week, balancing badminton with running. Then I found more and more running buddies as the days went by, simply because I talk a lot about things I like and if you even show the remotest inkling of interest I would then proceed to coerce you into trying it out. So I coerced people to try running. And then I chose, to focus on running and let badminton lie low for a while...I mean I gave it a few years... why not try soemthing new right?

I found B and revived her passion for running (which waned significantly when her group didn't run regularly anymore) and introduced her to my runner friends My IronShoes and BananaRunning, and also to converted badminton-now-runner friends Keti and Xt. And then H also happens to mention he wants to try it and soon enough, despite being the only token male amidst makukulit and matigas na ulo females, T2 is formed. Then there's A who always manages to disappear in the middle of the run to find herself lounging around in someone's backseat to rest and cheer us on, or take pictures of us during races.

I think everything really gelled together when we went on our 21K in Subic. That cemented T2 and the rest, as they say, is history.

We're setting our sights on doing a full marathon this December (others in Singapore, me doing a simulcast at home).

So you see, it only takes an idea to power a dream, this one being the full marathon. Finding friends to share it with just makes it easier to reach.

BREAKTHROUGH

2008-09-01T15:43:00.003+08:00

I told myself the night before...I will not wimp out, I will run tomorrow, I will run no matter what... AND I DID!

Gathered enough guts to shut out the thought that rabid stray dogs will get the better of me (and believe me, there are a lot around here....stray dogs though....so the rabies comes in a close second I think) and I simply RAN. I got out of the house by 5:30am, ran for an hour and a half, walked a bit, around 3/4ths into my run, some friends who are new to running joined me and also had the guts to run outdoors (their first time ever) and they enjoyed it. Beginnings of a T2 South?? Hopefully =).

The past two months, going out for a run was a real challenge because I wasn't confident and comfortable enough with the surrounding area. You know that feeling when you don't have your bearings yet, and your only reality is work, home, grocery, laundry, atm and mall? I felt so constrained and frustrated which wreaked havoc on my running program. Back to square one. Okay, so I tried going to the gym, but when the traffic going there became unbearable (as there's this huge chunk of the way in which a new flyover is being built) PLUS when the thought of doing another long run on the treadmill seemed unbearable too, I just simply had it.

After 2 months of feeling simply lost, I finally finally had a breakthrough yesterday. I think it was more of mind-over-matter thing in which I have finally accepted that this is home for the next couple of years and I simply had to live with or without the things and routines and schedules I used to have before.

I mean come on, having lived in the city all my life, moving down South is a huge change....everything is slower, less variety in things to do, places to go, reataurants to eat in, people to meet, running events to join...

Imagine, before, I would sleep around 12 to 2 am simply because the way things were, at 2 am you could still go out and have things to do or go to places to eat. Here, everything winds down by 8:30 pm and the mall closes at 9pm. Establishments refuse to entertain you (meaning the actually turn business away) if it means it might interfere with them going home at 9 AM!!!

Before, running events were aplenty and you actually had to choose your races well as there were many that were not in Biscocho-caliber (right Bananarunning?). Now in the land of football, running events are few and far between (I mean hello! For a while the Milo event was even in danger of being cancelled - which is a major race in the country). I actually went to the Mizuno store last Sunday and pressured the sales people into entertaining the thought of doing a Mizuno Run and even jokingly said (well, I actually meant it) that if they had a running event or clinic like the one they do in Fort, I'd actually be one of the first to join.

So now, the huge difference is my life has been simplified, not because I have to, but because I want to. I sleep at 9am and wake up at 6am. I get to run MWF in the afternoons now (well, I started again this week) and I get to cross train and swim in the afternoons every Tues and Thurs. Other than that of course WORK keeps me busy but I have a lot of time to myself too, to just relax, hang out with friends...and RUN AND SWIM.

Ironshoes, my next project is getting a bike. I have a friend here who is training for the Ironman in Manila next March... not that I'll be ready by then but I'll join him in training.....the bike will come soon enough.

So here's to a breakthrough Sunday!

December Singapore Marathon simulcast...here I come!

RUNNING BUDDY JUNKIE

2008-08-22T16:12:00.001+08:00

I cannot run by myself in unfamiliar territory.

I've tried it, wasn't really too happy, especially when you are training for something.

I WANT TO DO A SIMULCAST SINGAPORE MARATHON HERE DOWN SOUTH.
I'M ALL SET.... the only thing missing are training buddies.

It helps when you have a buddy to tell you to run faster, or to simply go on when the long runs are extra long.

That's why I miss my T2 buddies.

I met a few people who said they are running and am trying out a run with them this Wednesday. Let's hope for the best that they're as fun as T2.

One thing that keeps my hopes up is that there's one, J who does triathlons and can teach me Total Immersion AND is looking for a training buddy... me! me! I want! hehe

Off to Dumaguete for the long weekend... Apo Island, here I come!!!

I WOKE UP TO DEATH THIS MORNING

2008-08-22T11:44:00.002+08:00

It was like any other ordinary day.

Upon waking, I would usually just try to get back to sleep and when the inevitable of waking looms heavily over me, then I give up and resign to getting up from bed.

My usual routine would be to gamely wake him up to start the day, but he didn't.

Blink.

I tried again, twice, three times to wake him from his sleep but he wouldn't.

This can't be happening. I frantically called up anyone who might know what to do, but it was too late.

I had to leave for Cagayan De Oro, for a team building weekend, and with a heaviness weighing down on me, I simply left...

Goodbye Blue,

I will miss my Ipod.

*sniff.

PRE RUN CHECKLIST

2008-08-12T16:01:00.002+08:00

Hi, my name is Runtintin and I'm a sucker for running stuff.
(support circle answers "Hi Runtintin!")

I can't help it. I enjoy using my gadgets. I like stuff that I think will make me a better and safer runner.

I have long quelled the addiction to bring my Ipod when I run.

Sometimes I just bring and wear it for props, not to show off mind you, but it wards off would-be conversations from complete strangers when all that I want is time to be ignored and left alone to run without any distraction. So sometimes I wear it but don't even turn it on. I even wear the headphones even if it's off. And besides, not turning it on is safer as it keeps you aware of your surroundings.

I love love love my Polar.

I heart it. I really don't mind it when my heart goes over the said heart rate limit and begins to beeps like crazy. There are days when I feel perfectly fine even if it says my heart is over exerting itself. I trust my body more than the gadget, as sometimes the gym stuff and the Polar do not mix and tends to mess up the heart rate reading. I love it anyway for other reasons. Like helping me keep track of time, and pace, and distance. And I can even use it on the bike to take note of cadence and rpm.

My Road ID comes in at third.

It has all the numbers of people to call in case of an emergency. And it's so lightweight I don't even know it's there. It fits perfectly so it doesn't go around and around my wrist in that irritating way when you wear a gadget that's just too loose, which eventually leads to chaffing which is something you do not ever want to have. Ever.

My Nathan Water Belt is the bomb.

I can now run without worry of getting thirsty. I don't have to rely on the water station which has water that tastes funny. Inside it can fit my phone, Gu, other food like chocolates, granola bars etc etc (yes am afraid of hunger).

If you want to make me happy, giving me running stuff is the way to go.

I'm that easy to please. =)

WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH...I RUN

2008-08-11T17:05:00.002+08:00

Running is keeping me sane....work is insane... but yes, running helps.

I am feeling lost and helpess as a drenched kitty holding on for dear life to a plank of wood in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

This is one kitty that's developing gills and fins as we speak. It's a reality I have to deal with as calling it quits is not an option. I am literally telling myself 24/7 to JUST DO IT as no one else will.

Call me stubborn but I guess that's one thing that the T2 have in common. Hard-headed (matigas lang talaga ang ulo). NEVER SAY NEVER!!!

And this little kitty wants to run and run just so stress doesn't get the better of me.

Anyway, gotta get back to work again....

PS. Anyone, please give me a Cebu race I can join... I need a running goal too so at least taht's one thing I have control over...

SUCCESSFUL NEGATIVE SPLITS

2008-07-28T09:21:00.001+08:00

(Was supposed to post this last Wednesday...or was it Thursday? but forgot...)

Had my first real success in doing negative splits, no cheating this time as I would only be cheating myself and suffer in a future race (who knows when this will be). But so there, mentally, now I know I can really do negative splits if I concentrate hard enough. Decided to up my pace every kilometer in this 5KM workout. I know I know puny distance but hey, you gotta start somewhere right?

Some things that helped me survive:

1. Fool yourself that it will all be over in a few minutes PLUS plenty of self talk.

Whenever I upped the pace a little, the first few minutes were not quite enjoyable as my legs are still getting used to the pounding. So I’d tell myself to hang in there for two minutes and it will all be over (even if based on that pace, I still have like 800 meters to go hahaha). THEN as soon as two minutes are up, I’d check my distance and if I haven’t reached that KM mark yet, I’d do it all over again. I think I’m pretty good at convincing myself of my own lies hahahaha. It helps to have that mini goal in mind, it keeps you focused. Just remember to re-set that goal as soon as you’re done with it till you reach the end of the workout. It doesn’t even have to be based on time, it can be as silly as keeping the pace till you see a red car (if you’re running at the gym and you have no choice but to look at what’s in front of you – my view is a flyover). It gets your mind off the fact that you have a long way to go in your workout.

2. Form, form, form PLUS body sensing.

As each KM got harder and harder, I really really put in a lot of effort to make sure I had the right form. More times than most, I’d be feeling off or get tired easily when my form was off. So I’d make a quick correction here and there, such as letting my left foot land inward more as I have the tendency to let it stray outside, or maybe tell myself to relax and use more of my core instead of tensing up. Know that body and get a feel of when your form is at its best or worst. Then you’ll be able to make that little physical adjustment when needed.

3. Cotton and Steel

Trying to internalize more of Chi Running by Danny Dreyer, I pretended my limbs and all those connected to it (knees, ankles, feet, toes, arms, hands, wrist, fingers) were like cotton – light, airy, close to weightless, no tension there at all. As for my trunk, that was what had to feel like steel, although not in a tense your muscles kind of way but more like keeping it stable and letting it do all the work. Firm yet flexible.

4. Breathe with your mouth open (just a bit so the flies don’t get in)

I finally convinced my mouth to keep itself open just a little and to use it to my advantage when breathing. Not that I’d suck-in-all-the-air-in-a-5 –meter- radius-vacuum-type of breathing mind you, but have it naturally fall open just a little whenever I would take in air. Breathing in enough to fill your diaphragm is very very hard to do if done only through your nose as it takes more time and makes me lose my rhythm. So there, don’t be afraid to open up haha.

If I can do a negative split, you can do it too. Hope some of these things help you through one!

LIFE HAPPENS...AGAIN!

2008-07-28T07:48:00.002+08:00

Today marks the 10th day of work...yes am excited about it and the novelty hasn't worn off yet... but it has been distracting me from my running schedule. Was unable to do a weekend long run because going on a tour of the city (yes this is part of work) seemed more exciting.

But lo and behold, while on tour, I FINALLY FOUND A PLACE OUTDOORS WHERE I CAN DO LONG RUNS yahooooo.... I'm talking about the SRP in Cebu. Yes! Okay T2, we have to run here. It has a pretty nice view of the ocean and is a pretty long stretch...am thinking of going there this Saturday to see just how long it is.... exciting!

HAPPY 5K

2008-07-22T07:28:00.005+08:00

We had a name game yesterday at work, just so we could remember the names of the new ones in the team. You had to pair your name with an adjective and mine was Happy.

Happy relates to my running... I got my groove back!

I no longer dread the gym, in fact it's my escape from the fact that I'm not anywhere near home or it's comforts. So, takbo na lang!

I've been doing my regular 5K runs...literally starting from scratch in my training program... but nevertheless I enjoy it, because my relationship with the 5K is like an old friend you haven't seen in a while, and once you do re-connect, there's something new you learn from the encounter.

From my 5K today, I realized that..
1. I have to focus on maintaing my form ALWAYS (ala Chi Running by Danny Dreyer)no matter what the pace...it really does help make use of your energy more efficiently.

2. Doing negative splits conditions you to have a stronger finish...Im halfway there though as have yet to do a real negative split...I cheated. Did 7.0 for the first KM, 7.5 for the next, 8.0 for the third, down to 7.0 for the 4th and back to 8.0 for the last.

IT'S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE

2008-07-14T22:09:00.004+08:00

One of the things I thought about today was how running totally changes your perspective.

Before, the thought of walking out in the street was enough for me to say "no thanks" and choose to happily stay in my couch-potato-trance-like-state in front of the TV.

Now, an invite to run is always met with the enthusiasm of Road Runner out to beat Wil E Coyote. Gone are the days when I'd dread walking, as I found that it actually is fun being out there, pounding out miles with your trusty shoes and taking in the scenery.

Thanks to H, gone are the days when I'd be wary about running in the rain. Contrary to popular belief, a little bit of rain won't make you sick!! (Well, given that you feel in tip top condition, don't have the sniffles or a cough or something.)

Being out on your feet makes you feel connected with the world outside, which I think is something we need to do once in a while to realize that you're part of something bigger.

How serious!! La lang, felt like being reflective for a change.

GETTING BACK INTO THE GROOVE

2008-07-13T08:02:00.002+08:00

It's not just about running,
which I struggled with for the past months. Many events have conspired to make me miss that early morning run (maybe a heavy dinner the day before?) and even if I wanted to make up for it in the gym or maybe do a late afternoon workout, it just didn't happen. Admittedly, THE PLAN to train wasn't exactly followed to a T but at least, was able to put in a few quality runs here and there. A few is better than none right?

It's also about the other things, like playing the guitar
which for a while was limited to very easy CG chord patterns (like BearClaw and Tiger ala Phoebe Buffay hehehehe) but if I really put my mind to it, I could play decent stuff as long as I practice, practice, practice. It helps though that Guitar Hero is so much fun to play too heeheehee.

It's about sleep
and how I never seem to get that rhythm of when and how much. Today it might be a looong loooong stretch that puts Rip Van Winkle to shame, tomorrow, I might be lucky to sleep peacefully through 15-30 minute naps all throughout the day.

It's also about time,
and how it seems like 24 hours isn't enough for all the things I want to do, meet all the people I want to spend time with, and how the clock is tick-tock-ticking away till I leave yet again.

Getting back that groove is hard
but sometimes you just have to play it as it comes. The more you fight those changes, the harder it is to figure out that it's not that bad to not have that routine.

SO the next time you struggle,

with running...

with playing...

with sleeping...

with time...

don't think, just enjoy it!

RANT: HONDA SHAW SERVICE

2008-07-09T13:27:00.002+08:00

If there's one thing that's sure to piss me off, it's bad service.

Imagine bringing your car to the casa, having it fixed, paying for parts that were promised to arrive in a few weeks which will then be installed too... fast forward to a month and a half later, THE PARTS YOU ALREADY PAID FOR AND WERE PROMISED ARE STILL NOT THERE AND OBVIOUSLY, ARE NOT INSTALLED IN YOUR CAR AS WELL.

This is what happened (err...is still happening as I have yet to see the car fixed)and I am royally pissed about it.

It's bad enough that bringing a car to a casa is expensive...Being accredited as a Service Center of Honda should mean that they get the job done right BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY NOT DOING THEIR JOB!!!!! GRrrrrrrrr....

Sorry for the rant but I just am really really really appalled at how bad their service is... I just hate it how they take the customers for granted...

I had my dear sis call them up (as I am unable to, being far far away) to give them a piece of her mind (which I know she is very good at). Let's see what happens tomorrow.

iPersonic Personality Test

2008-07-07T03:14:00.002+08:00

I saw this in L's blog and decided to try it out for myself...the results are that I am a Sensitive Doer (SD) daw!!!

What does it mean?

Sensitive Doers are gentle, modest and reserved persons. They cope well with everyday life and like their privacy. With their quiet, optimistic nature, they are also good, sought-after listeners and other people feel well in their company. (Okay J, the COUNSELLING HERE sign is really on my forehead) All in all, this type is the most likeable and friendliest of all personality types. Tolerance and their regard for others distinguish their personality. They are very caring, generous and always willing to help. They are open to and interested in everything that is new or unknown to them. (Kaya nga naging try-athlete...try lang ng try hahaha) However, if their inner value system or their sense of justice is hurt, Sensitive Doers can suddenly and surprisingly become forceful and assertive. (Just don't make me angry... or else wehehehe)

Sensitive Doers enjoy the comforts life offers to the full. They are very happy in everyday life. Sensitive Doers are often gifted artists or very good craftsmen. (Tasked to assemble or disassemble stuff...just ask my sis) Creativity, imagination and an especially keen perception are just a few of their strong points. Sensitive Doers are very presence-oriented; long-term planning and preparations do not appeal to them. (Well, not at this age! May plano na kosa wakas!! ) They take life as it comes and react flexibly to daily demands. They do not like too much routine and predictability. Their talents come more to the fore when work processes are variable and there are not so many rules. Sensitive Doers like to work alone; if they are part of a team, they do not get involved in competitive or power games and prefer living and working together harmoniously and openly.

Sensitive Doers are completely satisfied with a small, close circle of friends as their need for social contacts is not very marked. Here, too, they avoid conflicts - quarrels and disputes put considerable strain on them. (NOT-more like kebs na lang kayo hahaha) Sensitive Doers are often very fond of animals and are very good with small children. (See! I'm in the right career path!) As partner, this type is loyal and reliable and is willing to invest a lot in a relationship. Mutual respect and tolerance are very important to Sensitive Doers. Their love of pleasure makes them a pleasant companion with whom one can experience intensive moments. They like to look after their partner with attentiveness and small gifts and are very sensitive to the partner’s needs - often more than to their own. However, should they meet the wrong person, they run the risk of being taken advantage of. They are then deeply disappointed.

Adjectives which describe your type
introverted, practical, emotional, spontaneous, sensitive, peace-loving, reserved, gentle, good-natured, independent, empathetic, friendly, playful, carefree, sympathetic, relaxed, quiet, modest, pleasure-loving, loyal, obliging, caring, helpful, optimistic

These subjects could interest you
art, music, craftwork, garden work, animals, nature, literature, drawing/painting, astrology, spiritual things, meditation, music, handicrafts, writing

FOOD REVIEW: YOKO'S

2008-07-05T08:49:00.005+08:00

Ate in Yoko's in McAllen TX a few weeks back and it was a nice place for chillin' out. They even had this solo artist singing cover songs while playing on his lone guitar (we went dinnertime). It had the ambience of a decent bar and overall cozy with the dimmed lights and the dark colored furniture.

As for the food, it wasn't authentic Japanese but good enough. I mean it's not as authentic as say, Kamameshi, Sugi or Nihonbashitei in Manila but at least, the food was original in its own way. They had various sushi plates with a twist, and their sashimi was fresh but not the best I've tried.

Call me biased but for food, my rule of thumb when eating in places that say they're Japanese or Chinese or whatever country is that they should have at least a resident chef that is from that country. I mean I'd trust the taste and judgment of a local as a mark of authenticity. That makes sense right? In the same way that I know a place is authentic if nationalities from the country the food boasts from eat there.... heehee.

Otherwise, I have no complaints with Yoko's. Ordered a few chicken dishes and some sushi and a sashimi boat but see, I don't even remember what the dishes are called as there are none that really stood out for me. Oh! But I do remember and enjoyed their raspberry iced tea though. They had this sushi which was super spicy and they didn't use wasabi for the spice (I'm guessing its red chilis) so it really lingered in your mouth. It took me a couple of glasses of iced tea before my tongue said it was bearable enough to withstand. And the sashimi was okay too, fresh enough and as it was a boat, the variety made me happy (Salmon, Tuna, Squid, Shrimp and other raw pale fish I don't know the name of).

I give this resto 3 stars because it's not something I'd really crave for when you're looking for real Japanese food, but otherwise it is good enough and wouldn't mind eating here again to try what else they have to offer.

FOOD REVIEW: WINGSTOP

2008-07-05T02:45:00.009+08:00

Admittedly, aside from running, I love food! And one of my latest finds while on vacation is this place that's a chicken wing lovers fantasy! The concept is so simple, they only serve chicken wings in 9 yummy ways. Plus some sidings which I didn't really mind because the wings are well worth your attention.

Out of the 9 flavors which are:

I was able to try three...Cajun, Garlic Parmesan and Lemon Pepper.

The Cajun is spicy...just looking at its reddish sauce will make you think about getting a glass of milk ready (or maybe a whole gallon of water?) before eating it...but its not too spicy as to be too offending for those with more sensitive taste buds.

Lemon Pepper is simply that...tangy yet the pepper is a good contrast which makes this chicken wing my number two choice.

My all time favorite is the Garlic Parmesan...yummmm...I just love cheese...and garlic....so this is a winner combination for me.

Being the Pinoy that I am, the side dishes

are okay... the fries are fresh but last time I tried, were on the salty side.
I just had to cook some white rice to go with the chicken!
Since there is no Andoks, Baliwag or RCBC chicken here, Wingstop is the next alternative for really good chicken.

The wings in Wingstop is something I will put in the comfort food category...uncomplicated, simple, easy to eat, plus of course delicioso (ala Dora)!

COMMERCIAL MUNA

2008-07-05T00:49:00.008+08:00

This is a waaay old clip on youtube but it never fails to make me laugh.
It's a spoof on the movie 300 and I swear ang kenkoy!

Go Bords!

Watch it here!

I Got My ChiRunning Book! Yipee!

2008-07-03T10:28:00.004+08:00

Went to Barnes and Nobles last Monday and got my very own copy of Chi Running by Danny Dreyer.

B was the very first one to introduce me to the book and a day before our fateful Subic Half Marathon (way back in October?) where I had doubts if I could finish pain-free, I gobbled it up to see if there was something, anything in it that could help me through the pain I'd experience everytime I'd hit the 18k mark.

So I finished the book in one sitting, tried to remember as much as I could, ate well, slept well, and did the Subic Half Marathon the day after.

And it worked. I finished all 21 kilometers without any pain in my left knee that day..I was ecstatic and was forever converted.

Call it a bunch of hulabaloo but it worked for me. Imagine how after reading the book I realized my right foot was pronating and a simple adjustment in how my foot landed was all that was needed. Simple!

AND NOW I have my very own copy to reference back to when needed...yahoo... the simple joys in life =).

OFAR

2008-07-03T09:08:00.004+08:00

I got this from K a while back.... which she got from reading Dean Karnazes' blog in which he always signs off with OFAR meaning "off for a run".

How I wish tomorrow, I would honestly wake up and go off for a REAL RUN instead of waking up sleepy-eyed and thinking "there's always tomorrow for another run ZZZzzzz."

Time to stop procrastinating...

I WILL RUN MY 12K TOM.

I WILL WAKE UP AND STAY AWAKE INSTEAD OF HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

I WILL GET UP AND RUN, AND KEEP UP IT REGULAR, WHEREVER I AM, IN ANY TIME ZONE.

I WILL GET OUT OF THIS SLUMP.

I WILL STOP EATING JUNK.

GOODBYE CHEEZ-IT, GOODBYE BEN & JERRYS, GOODBYE HAAGEN DAZ, GOODBYE DREYERS, GOODBYE KRISPY KREME, GOODBYE DORITOS WITH FRENCH ONION DIP, GOODBYE NATHANS, GOODBYE HOTPOCKETS, GOODBYE LIPTON GREEN TEA ICED TEA, GOODBYE COKE....

*wear red shoes and click my heels three times now*

(thanks to http://phr.net/msa/no_junk_food.jpg)

100 DAYS

2008-07-01T07:49:00.003+08:00

I never realized I'd ever reach 100 entries....and I did!! Today!

To celebrate, did a 10k run this morning in the flat roads of Corpus.

Waking up early has been a big challenge for this 10k run. It took me four days of waking up and not going before I finally said to myself to stop making excuses and just do it. Some excuses were...

1. You're not familiar with the roads yet, you might get lost. (The roads in Corpus are more or less in a grid, so that excuse didn't quite stick.)

2. You might get gunned down by a psycho doing a routine driveby shooting on lone runners and bikers. (There was this commercial last night asking for help on catching the psycho and I was thinking despite my RoadID, I didn't want to be roadkill - Yes, this is my paranoid self talking.)

3. You might get into a freak accident.(Yes, paranoia is creeping in that the world is out to kill me. Remember that youtube video of this guy walking down the street and being a victim of two cars that bumped into each other, resulting in both rolling down the street in high speed directly into THIS guy? Flashback of this video going through my head in slooow motion.)

4. Stray animals might think you're food....or the milkman.

Am so glad I didn't listen to that inner paranoid voice and just RAN! What made it perfect was that the weather was just right, there were a few cars on the road, there were a lot of fields in the surrounding area and the pavement was well made (except for that part on Saratoga from Ranger Ave, the sidewalk was sloping! Good thing I had to go back down that same road to even out my feet.

So, the next time you schedule a run and a lot of excuses are running through your head, just think, the best feeling you get is after a run.... endorphin high plus pride that you finished a workout you set out to do. No excuse can ever beat that!

Signs you are addicted

2008-06-18T20:27:00.003+08:00

Here I am in another time zone, jetlagged and unable to sleep.
What do I find myself thinking of?

It's been 7 days, 6 hours and 23 minutes since I last ran and I'm getting antsy. Simply because I want and need to run but have no way of doing so.

Well, that's not entirely true. If I really wanted to run I'd simply put on my running shoes (my trusty pink New Balance shoes which are in dire need of replacement)and go outside. But I don't really know where to go and I'm not feeling as brave yet (being lost is not something I'm comfortable with hehehe). Maybe I can run inside the house (but you see its 5am and everybody's still asleep) or run around the garage (but there are so many boxes and other knick knacks I might as well do an obstacle course too if I do just that). Grrrrr.

My runs have been deteriorating the past month and I am seriously not liking it. AT ALL! waaaaaaah!

I have to come up with a game plan soon...and fast! The Milo Half Marathon is in August and if I don't step up soon I might not be ready for it...nooooooooo!

Okay here goes, once we get to settled in the apartment (i'm giving that a week of work) then I'll find a route and run early mornings when sis, R and A are asleep ...that sounds like a plan right?

Half Marathon Mall Tour

2008-06-12T20:10:00.005+08:00

I survived my long run this morning!

Sent the usual wake up text for B upon request. Good thing the other T2ers did the same too for me as I fell asleep after reading the 1st wake up text by Bds, and woke up when K texted me a second time to wakey wakey.

Dragged myself to my room and dressed up with one eye awake, all the while wishing I fell asleep sooner the day before. Oh well, things you have to deal with. There are times when a good night's sleep is a rare commodity and today was no exception. My sched is all messed up again. Am now used to feeling sleepy by 9 or 10pm but wasn't sleepy enough to fall asleep! Darn it.

Anyway, back to the long run, I survived and our running friend L showed us new running routes in the Metro. How fun!

AS FOR THE HALF MARATHON MALL TOUR...
try going with a sister who is in a shopping frenzy for baby clothes and you end up with..tada! the Half Marathon Mall Tour. The rules are...go on a long run in the morning (14k and above in distance) then in the afternoon, go with sister. Then, go to at least 2-3 malls and walk, plus shop, and do more walking and shopping for 3 FULL HOURS. No sitting allowed. I will give you a medal if your legs don't feel like lead after.

I Need To Sleep

2008-06-11T22:50:00.003+08:00

It's already 10:52 pm and I still can't sleep.

Not that there's anything bad about sleeping late. Heck, my normal sleeping time used to be between 1-2am.

What makes this a bad situation is that I have to be awake by 3:30am to get ready for our 4:30am long run in BHS.

I've tried lying down perfectly still in the dark with my eyes closed...that didn't work.

I tried counting sheep..reached upto 218...still didn't work...

Tried watching a bit of TV to make me fall asleep (finished the movie Double Jeopardy)....still didn't work...

Tried listening to music...with waterfalls and all that... nah not sleepy yet...

Tried surfing and ended up watching stupid things on you tube... nah that didn't work too...

Goodluck to me tom...am still not sleepy....

Running Outdoors

2008-06-10T17:29:00.004+08:00

After weeks of running on the treadmill, which to me feels like being in one of Dante's circles of Hell, was finally able to run outdoors!! Yahooo! With B and H! Plus J and J and Daddy J in BHS one fine Saturday morning.

Running outdoors really picks up my spirits. It's the accomplishment that comes with knowing that you were able to get from point A to point B. The treadmill simply makes me feel like a hamster in a wheel. I mean just try doing a two hour long run on a treadmill and you'll get what I mean. Two freakin hours looking at the same thing!!! Which from my point of view is a little piece of the Ayala Cebu flyover. Whoopeeee.

So when I had the chance to run with some of ye old T2 people plus others in BHS, it simply reminded me how much I love running. I love it because it takes me outdoors. It's my time to stop and smell the...pollution. It's my time to take in the streets before the morning traffic. I break into a smile everytome I drive down a road that I ran on earlier that morning. I mean how many people (aside from them crazy runners) can actually say they traversed the Buendia flyover on foot?!?! Gotta have a picture moment for proof one of these days...

So for those who think runners are crazy, maybe we are, but we're having waaay too much fun to care hehehe =)

Uh Oh!

2008-06-06T21:52:00.006+08:00

It's so weird, I'm already back in Manila but it feels like I'm not really here. It's like I'm observing things from behind a glass wall and even if I am here, I shouldn't really get to much into things as I have to leave everything in a month's time.... and that's the hard part.

This is it. The step towards the change. The moment you realize something is happening and you can't put your finger on it. Things are moving in small increments and one of these days.... I think it will hit me hard, so friends.... I will definitely call or run or basta... you get the picture.

Take for example when I went with sis and bro-in-law to the New Parents Orientation in Ex. I went, was very happy to see my friends and mentors, but after all that, I honestly felt sad that I wasn't a part of it anymore. It felt closer to regret as CIS is not exactly home yet, as it is a bigger pond, more fish to swim with, and I don't even know if it will ever feel like home. *sigh* But I know, I have to go through this, I've already had the chance to work in what I think for me is my "ideal" happy work place. It's time to explore, see what's out there and go outside the safety of my comfort zone. It's the only way I'll grow right? Mama B asked me a question which upto now is running through my head.... "are you in love with the school yet?". And my answer was, a pause. "I could learn to, I guess" was my answer. With Ex, at the very start, my answer was "Yes!".

What did I get myself into!?

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM…

2008-05-29T14:32:00.000+08:00

Once in a while, you get a phone call that jolts you into waking up and getting worried. I had that just a few minutes ago when a friend called me with a dilemma.

It started off innocently enough. Our friendship is not the type that needs constant phone calls or even weekly or monthly meet ups to maintain. Despite age, time and distance, the good thing is that though contact is few and far in between, we know that we can count on the other person to cover our back when needed.

Then, the call progresses. At first it was the usual, hey how are you and what’s keeping you busy and updating each other on how everything is going, and then the real story comes out. B wants me to check out an address here in Cebu as there has been a “person” texting B about having won money and a car.

I can smell a scam a mile away. And this one fits the bill. First and foremost, B was notified through a text, about the SIM card or phone number being especially picked out of a million (gazillion) numbers. (Raise one eyebrow on cue). Hello!?! First and foremost, if this was really a legitimate company giving out money, they wouldn’t just notify you through a text message right?? They would email, snail mail, call your home phone and cell phone and have a DTI representative contact you.

The bad thing about it is, the other person B was in contact with, this person named Mr. Carlos Villegas, after convincing B that they were a legitimate company called Takayama Corporation in Cebu with address 52 Sergio Osmena Boulevard and cell number 09293330933 , also requested and said “Please call us, send us your birth certificate through LBC…..” (Raise other eyebrow on cue here).

I am stupid to even be worried right? Because from the start you know it’s a big scam. I’m just worried that B might do something stupid and send or give out a lot of personal info that might put B in jeopardy. With technology now, I’m not surprised how a lot of records can be accessed with simply one document or detail you reveal about yourself.

So, to the question at hand, what do I do now?

_____________

* As of today, it is a confirmed scam. They started asking for money to be sent. Whew. Thank God the job o convincing B that it is a scam is done.

Anyone know a number or agency we can report these people to?

TICK TOCK TICK TOCK

2008-05-22T14:08:00.005+08:00

My training here in Cebu IS is about to end and I am getting antsy. I am slowly counting the days (hours, minutes, seconds) till I am on that plane back home.

It's not that I'm homesick. It's the fact that I'm feeling the edge of a schoolyear and a summer's worth of work.

Let me explain. The pre-school I used to work in (now that feels weird just typing that) operates within the local schoolyear calendar - from June to March. The Cebu IS schoolyear is different as it starts (officially in August for students) in July for teachers, and ends in May. So coming from the end of the pre-school year and working straight into the end of the CIS schoolyear for training...I'm getting tired.

Teaching is a tiring job, physically, emotionally, mentally. You might not understand why kids (and teachers) need that 2 month break away from school, but there is a reasonable explanation for it. During the start of my teaching career, I even used to volunteer and do teaching jobs during the summer, making me work 12 straight months of teaching. But after those first three years of doing that, I ain't doin' it no more!

I find myself getting cranky, impatient, losing my humor easily and overall not plain effective as a teacher when I don't have those two months away from teaching. The two months are there to re-charge, rejuvenate, a time for me to recoup all that energy spent in being there for the kids. *SIGH* The more I get to go and explore places, discover new things, meet new people, the better I am in bringing "life" into the classroom. Experiences make you grow, learn, change and adapt which is what you want kids to learn in the safety of your room.

I am looking forward to the half marathon (either Milo in August or Adidas in September) and going to the beach at the end of the month.

(Thanks to sandra-fortheloveofcats.blogspot.com for the great jpg)

8 THINGS I MISS ABOUT MANILA

2008-05-15T11:21:00.011+08:00

In no particular order...

1. THE VARIETY OF PLACES TO EAT IN.
Nothing beats Manila for the variety in cuisine, especially for someone like me who loves and enjoys food, the countless restaurants that open and are available any time of the day is something I look forward to. I miss eating in Isshin =(. I've been researching though on places to eat in Cebu and already my list is at 20.... will post a review soon on 2 recent ones I've tried.

2. PEOPLE BEING UP AT MIDNIGHT.
It seems like everything in Cebu slows down by 9pm. By 10pm, almost everyhing shuts down. Being a night owl myself, I'm restless. There are a few places you can go to but they are few and far in between. And currently being carless (as I'll be bringing my trusty transport in July), I wouldn't want to risk being on the headlines of Taliba or People's Tonight - "Babae, Tinapon sa Canal".

3. FASTER PACED LIFE.
The demeanor here is very laidback. From the way the cashiers slowly and congenially banter and chit chat with each other before processing your groceries for checkout, from the relaxed way the waiter saunters to get your order to and from the kitchen. People here are just more relaxed like dut....CHILL.

4. BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHERS SAY.
I don't understand or even know how to speak Cebuano. It's a foreign language to me. I know basic one word stuff that will get me to and from where I want to go, but anything that stretches into a sentence, all I hear is BLAH BLAH BLAH. I'm kinda getting the hang of it as there are some things which you can guess from context (eg. like the driver asking you where you want to go) but overall, I'm still lost.
Now I know how Bill Murray and and Scarlett Johansen felt in the movie "Lost In Translation".

5. THE CONVENIENCE OF KNOWING WHERE TO GO.
Learning how to drive at an early age has its perks, as I know roads in relation to the homes of people I know and places I frequent. For example, I'm familiar with the Paranaque area as I know how to get to B and C's house. I'm familiar with a portion of the QC area as college meant travelling to ADMU and of course, those long breaks in between classes left me bored and made me explore the places around it. I know the Mandaluyong area because E lives there and of course, went to work there too (Hi Explo love you!). I know the Greenhills area as C, V and other friends live there too. I know the Alabang area because sister used to live there.

6. RUNNING OUTDOORS.
I miss High Street. I miss Ultra. I miss going around Fort. I miss our long runs in Alabang. I miss our long runs in Corinthians. I miss knowing that I can run outside because I know where I am. Here it's simple...gym,gym gym... B-O-R-I-N-G!

7. THE COMFORTS OF HOME
Living away from home has its own pros and cons. Now I'm realizing the value of going home and having a meal at the table. Sometimes you're just too tired and want to just eat and sleep but since you have to do EVERYTHING yourself, that goes for feeding yourself too. I mean sure, you have your own time in your hands, nobody to answer to, you can spend as much (or as little) as you want, but at the end of the day, having your family around you whether it's been a good or bad day is comforting. Now I have to make do with emails, phone calls and texts. It's just not the same.

8. FRIENDS! FRIENDS! FRIENDS!
Having been in Manila all my life, you develop a lot of circles of friends. Friends from grade school or high school. Friends from college. Friends from work. Gimik friends. Running friends. You know who your real friends are when despite the distance, they still somehow make you feel they are just right there. (Yes thats you T2,and all my other multiply and gmail chat mates hehehehe)

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

2008-05-06T15:23:00.004+08:00

HOME FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

I’ve finally put my money where my mouth is. For the first time, I’m using my own money and renting a studio which I will be calling “home” for the next 12 months.

Let me change the word “studio” right there….in the truest sense it is one, since when you enter, it simply is just a room where the dining room, kitchen, living room and bedroom all meet hehehe. It’s not even a room….it’s a shoebox! My real room (in Manila) to those who’ve been there, is even bigger. Shoebox! Thus today, the Cebu studio will be named SHOEBOX.

The good thing about the Shoebox is that it’s brand new. Good thing my friend T and J texted me as soon as they got word from their landlord that there are studio units available for rent, which is just a block away from where they live! Happiness!!

The Shoebox is rectangular in shape, only 14 by 11 feet…and is in an L-shaped compound, with just 2 perpendicular rows of units, totaling around 4 per row. The place is in a pretty quiet neighborhood, and there’s just a makeshift wooden hand painted sign that says “to Tigbao road” which is where it’s at. It’s not inside a village but looks relatively safe and quiet. I’d expect to hear roosters in the morning as there’s a huge field behind the compound and houses are few and far between. Rumor has it that the Lhuilliers had plans for that quiet neighborhood, buying tracts of land and wanting to put up a mall in the area, but due to land squabbles within the family (daw), it didn’t push through. The result of that is that our road is paved, thank you, with real cement (not asphalt) though once you get to the main road…it’s like patchwork…part cement and part dirt. But don’t worry, there is hope for the neighborhood as there are quite a few swanky looking developments in the horizon.

Anyway, the best part is that its just 15 minutes away from school! I have the choice of either A. driving to school or B. walking around 2 blocks to get to the corner of the main road where the school bus passes…and to answer your question, the school bus isn’t a tamaraw/hi-ace/fiera converted into a schoolbus but an honest to goodness airconditioned tourist bus for free. How convenient right?

And if I need to go to the mall, like Ayala, or to Fitness First or to the nearest grocery (which is either Robinsons grocery in Banilad Town Center aka BTC mall or the grocery in Gaisano Country Mall), or maybe just buy RCBC chicken which tastes like Rex’s chicken, or simply just eat out in Pancit Malabon, Jollibee, Tapa King, Rai Rai Ken, Yellow Cab, Dimsum Break, La Marea, etc etc everything is just one jeep ride away. How’s that for convenience!?!?! And I do know how to ride the jeep now, and say “palihug” when passing my change to the barker or driver, and “lugar lang!” to make him stop. Anything else they say I don’t understand. It’s funny how hearing someone speaking tagalog is like music to my ears. Otherwise, I’m okay in my own little bubble.

So there. Home for the next 12 months. It might not be big, but it’s my home away from home. So guys, you’re welcome to stay in the shoebox when you’re in this side of the country okay? Provided that you don’t mind being squished.=).

THE HELL HOLE CALLED PRC

2008-03-18T10:20:00.005+08:00

Being a professional, dealing with PRC is a real bane for me. Every three years, I have to go back to this government office to renew my license. And everytime, I question myself why I need to go through it. WHY do I need a plastic card to affirm my existence as a teacher!?! WHY!?!?! (Yes we all know the real answer but every PRC experience brings out the existentialist in me hahahaha).

Heaving and sighing and relenting and resigning -- I went yesterday to renew my license.

*backtrack. My license then, which was ready by 2005, I only went back to PRC to get it in 2007. I was THAT traumatized to go back to THAT place. *

The first thing you notice when you enter the place is the order - it's non-existent! Nobody knows where to go and you have to ask to have a general idea of what to do to accomplish your task. Now IF ONLY someone realizes this, streamlines the process and posts it on the walls or on the website, the PRC will not be full of headless chickens/professionals running around the place. Haven't they ever heard of the word TECHNOLOGY? There is such a a thing as having a paper-less office and doing transactions online..which they are slowly attempting to do but the operative word here is SLOWLY. But no, you have to run up to the third floor to get a form, run to the cashier to pay, run up the third floor again because the imbecile at assessment wrote the wrong amount, go back to cashier again and assert that the assessment and the amount is correct as I dont need to pay for a penalty....grrrrrrrr WHY DO I EVEN NEED TO DEFEND THAT PERSON IN ASSESSMENT TO THE PERSON AT THE CASHIER THAT SHE DID HER JOB AND IN THE PROCESS I'M DOING ALL THE RUNNING AND EXPLAINING IN BETWEEN!?!?!?!?!

LOOK AT THE LTO! My favorite government office...you can learn a thing or two from them! Their concept of EXPRESS RENEWAL is getting your ID in an hour. PRC's concept of EXPRESS RENEWAL is getting your ID within the day....that means within a 12 hour period. Tama ba yun Lord?!?!?!

And this GIRL, let us call her OGRE, at the document stamps area had the nerve to be very rude and say "O bakit pa kayo naka-pila e mag-lu-lunch break na kami?" WHAT RESPECTABLE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE SAYS THAT!?!?! The thought bubble in my head is "just do your damn job and stop your bitchin!". I mean all respectable companies dont even have a lunch break. They have what you call "shifting" so the office is still up and running throughout the day and people just take shifts on their breaks. Sigh.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I'm hoping that in three years (that's 2011 for you) things will not be this bad still.

BUT the highlight of my day is that I got to test the comfort of wearing crocs. Got a pair the other day as I need to start learning how to wear closed shoes to work(being the dress code in that other school) as am used to working in an environment that has no dress codes hehe (imagine working for 8 years in schools without a uniform! this is a big change for me hahaha).

I must say crocs are really comfy. I found my current favorite work shoes... goodbye Ipanemas, you'll only see the light of day after school =)

AND THE PACMAN WINS AGAIN!!

2008-03-18T09:41:00.006+08:00

I've always been a Manny Pacquiao Fan, not just because he wins all he time, but because he got to where he is now because of hard work and perseverance... even before the big paychecks started coming in, the commercials, the cars, the mansions, the controversy, at the heart of it all he still is and will be an athlete, and that I respect.

Being an athlete is no joke, as it takes a huge toll and difference in how you live your life. You train, you're away from family most of the time, you put yourself on the line everytime you compete, and the money doesn't come until your famous.

Being a recreational athlete, I understand what it means to be committed, to schedule your life around your training days, the mindset in following and executing a training plan, the pain of training, having bad or OFF days which make you want to walk away, the excitement of competing, the humbling experience of admitting when to quit, choosing your battles (in this case, battling with your own mind and body - like talking to your feet and knees telling them not to give up on you when they so want to) and simply just doing the work because in the end you only have yourself to blame.

Back to Pacquiao, he put up a huge fight. He tried his best and came close when we all thought he was about to knock Marquez out. I jumped with joy inside the movie house because I thought that was the end of it. I also noticed Marquez too seeing how he became a better fighter, being very smart inside the ring, and showing just how good he is too. Seeing that last round, there was a fine line between who was the better boxer. They were both exceptional.

In the end, with Pacquiao winning and Marquez losing his title, the one thing that remains are these athletes are still at the top of their game. They earned the right to be in that ring, competing with only the best. And that I respect more than anything else.

MIZUNO INFINITY RUN 2008

2008-03-15T21:37:00.003+08:00

MIZUNO INFINITY RUN O8
Never stop

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win
something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a
marathon."
Emil Zatopek

Mizuno is challenging you to push yourself to the limit! Push your
mind and body. If you think you have the endurance and the power to
drive yourself to maximum performance, take the challenge. Brave the
Infinity Run.

The first MIZUNO INFINITY RUN, this will be a 5, 10, 15 kilometer fun
run open to all runners. More than 70,000 pesos in cash and Mizuno
items to be won!

The Mizuno Infinity Run would not have been possible without the help
of RUSH Fitness Water, Mail and More, McDonald's Mckinley, Heritage
Park, Mckinley Hill Village, Citgo Lubricants, BMG Solar and Beeline
Helicopters.

What: MIZUNO INFINITY RUN
Registration Fees:
5k - P150
10k - P200
15k – P250

When: March 30, 2008 (Sunday)
4:00am – start of registration
6:00am – start of race
6:00am – 15k
6:30am – 5k and 10k

Where: Global City, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Starting point: Federacion Drive
(the street near NBC drive and The
Fort Strip)

- Registration will start on March 11, 2008 in any Mizuno store and
Mail & More branches in NCR.

- Race packs can be claimed starting March 15, 2008 in any Mizuno
store. Race pack includes race number, map of the route and race
information.

*runners can claim their packs on the day of the race but it is
strongly advised to claim it before the 30th.

IMPORTANT:

1. Upon registration, runners will be given an ACKNOWLEDGMENT RECEIPT.
They will need this to claim their race packs. *NO A/R NO RACE PACK.

2. Do not forget your race number on the day of the race. RUNNERS
WITHOUT RACE NUMBERS WILL BE CONSIDERED UNREGISTERED.

3. Start of race is 6:00 am. Please come early.

For inquiries please contact 757.31.60 local 520 and 517, Mizuno marketing dept.

NEVER STOP TESTING YOURSELF. BRAVE THE INFINITY RUN!

5/F BMG Centre
San Antonio St. Paseo de Magallanes
Commercial Center,
Makati City, 1232 Philippines

T: +632.757.3160
F: +632.757.3161
M: +63922.857.3161

PINAY IN ACTION 2008

2008-03-15T21:22:00.006+08:00

One of the reasons why I got into running was because it's personally very challenging, but I never imagined it would challenge me in an entirely different way.

* enter Beni *

We were having one of our easy runs one day when she mentions how she used to run with Wawel and his wife Mila. She had an embolism during childbirth how many years ago, thus rendering her unable to walk, talk, and care for herself and her family. But her husband Wawel and friends stuck by her side and decided that IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING.

Thus Team Mila was born, and they would take turns in pushing Mila on her baby jogger in running events, with hubby and friends behind her all the way.... to include everyone in everything....

cut to 2008...

* enter Team T2 *

So Beni invites us to push for a cause and yes why not!?!? Of course we had to have a practice run with the stroller which we did in Corinthians since we didn't want to have any untoward accidents with Mila.

One the day of the Pinay in Action Run, I was a bit nervous because, heck, I've never tried anything like this before.... but as we were pushing and cheering each other on, it felt very different. This time I wasn't running for me, I was running for someone else...and that's where the difference lies.

Come and run with us someday, you'll know what I'm talking about =)

THOUGHTS ON LIMBO...

2008-03-08T10:24:00.004+08:00

Limbo is a very real place to be in. I felt it, was in it, and now I'm out.

Haven't you ever felt that way in your life at some point or another? It could be that moment after a test and waiting for the results. Or the time after a big fight but before the talk-after-the-fight. It can also be as simple as the time you were hungry-enough-to-eat-a-horse and ordered fast food but it wasn't fast enough (especially when you order that double cheeseburger which strangely takes a little longer to prepare).

My limbo felt like I was suspended in time, trying not to mind the tick-tock-tick-tock of seconds passing by, all the while having truckloads of what-ifs and whys rampaging through your head. But there were times when I felt like everything was going fast forward (like in those MTVs) and you were the only one left standing still. Funny but true.

Now everything feels like that old school Bugs Bunny cartoon, with Bugs in the forest, lounging around with his carrot and *insert classical music here. Things are right on track even with Elmer Fudd just around the corner. Even if you know he's looking for that "widdle wabbit", this Wabbit is having the time of her life.

Everyone has been through their own Limbo and I just survived mine.
I'm dwelling in the moment =).

Will see a lot of you guys down south very very soon!

WEIRD PHONE CALLS

2008-03-05T20:03:00.003+08:00

I am forever fated with getting the weirdest phone calls... like this morning for example, I was just about to start my early morning Parent-Teacher Conference (2 more parents to go yahooooo!) when I get a phone call with the 032 code... and for those who know what I've been waiting for this past month...this made my hear a-flutter and go ba-bump ba-bump. As I gingerly said "Hello?!?" a lot of thoughts were racing through my head...is this finally it? But then all that the person asked on the other end of line was...

"Were you wearing a yellow dress during the interview?"

HUWAAAT!?!?

Were they too enamored with the person wearing the yellow dress that it was the only thing they remembered?? Never mind the beautiful smile, the pretty face, the smart and witty answers to their questions?!?!?! hahahahaha

But I digress, I answeresd "Sorry no, I was actually wearing a dark blue striped suit". Curiosity killed the cat and I just had to ask "Why are you looking for that person in the yellow dress?" and the only reply was "I know it might seem strange but were trying to look for this person as we need to get in touch with her." VERY PREGNANT PAUSE HERE.

After saying goodbye, it got me thinking.... Hmmm maybe L was wearing a yellow dress???? I love a good mystery. So after the PTC (which I did in autopilot mode because while talking about Physical Development, Socio-Emotional Development, Cognitive skills blah blah blah my brain was thinking....it might be L in the yellow dress!!!!) I texted L asking if it was her and she was wearing yellow only it was a blouse. Close enough eh? So I send an email to the person behind the 032 number saying, "I might have solved your mystery...."

Apparently, they called her too and it was her they were looking for and they will get in touch with her within the week, which is the same news for me.....

*insert twilight zone music here

*enter Voice Over "Believe it, or NOT!"

*** Thanks to bluefly.com for the wonderful picture.

ROYCE POTATOCHIP CHOCOLATE

2008-03-03T19:08:00.004+08:00

Two of my most favorite things.... chips and chocolate.

And Royce came up with a product combining both... winner!

It sounds strange but the outcome is quite yummy, a little salty yet sweet at the same time, crunchy and creamy and chocolate-y. YUMMM. I remember a few months back my friend bought something similar in the Salcedo (or was that Legaspi?) Market but Royce Potatochip chocolate is at a whole different level...the difference is really in the chocolate.

For those who are still un-initiated in Royce, personally I like this chocolate because of the quality, always very smooth and high in cacao content, never too sweet (as with all Japanese chocolates like Meiji, another favorite of mine).

So if ever your in Hongkong, or Japan, or I heard in the Singapore airport (which has a store that sells Royce), give it a try....my motto with food has always been "Come to Mama!!" hahahaha.

2008 CONDURA RACE FOR TUBBATAHA

2008-03-02T23:07:00.009+08:00

This I wrote yesterday as soon as I got home...but being DEAD tired, I failed to post it hehe.... here's what happened yesterday...

Thanks to A for the pic!

********************

Have been awake for close to 20 hours already and badly need sleep, but can't let the day pass without writing about it because I really want to capture today's events and more importantly, how it felt... so here goes...

4:30am
Woke up to the sound of my phone alarm as I had to get ready for the Condura Tubbataha Race in Fort Bonifacio. Didn't really sleep well I was (as usual) excited and still wired up the night before, which made it all the more harder to sleep early. First order of business was to text Team T2 for a wake up call. I actually prepared all my stuff the night before, what to wear (check), gear and change of clothes (check), race number (check), water belt and Gatorade (check), Polar and Road ID (check) and I'm ready to go. Went to pick up KR a little earlier than promised although it was good too as we had a senior moment that entailed going back for a race number and was well on our way to the B1 meeting area by 5:20am.

5:40am
At the B1 parking area, met up with BA, and M and V came shortly after. BE and H we met at the starting line, which was kinda packed and it helped that there was a band that added to the festive mood. A little before we had ourselves checked in, BA was talking about setting a goal that day, with the condition of rewarding herself with a Timex watch if she broke her the 1 hour and 5 minute barrier. With all of us being game about it, I decided I wanted in on this cause and steeled myself to keep up the pace no matter what.

6:00 am
Race starts promptly (thank God). Started off with BE close to the starting line and this is where it gets interesting. My first km was a haze as the pack was tempting and had to hold myself back to not get carried away by the pace of those around me. Good thing M, V and BA caught up with me and as we reached the Benz showroom, we were all shoulder to shoulder in going up the flyover. I really felt good as we were going up the Buendia flyover and actually stayed strong throughout the rolling hills. Had a lot of fun too with what I call falling forward running when we reached the downward slopes.

6:30 am
Reached the turnaround point (Malugay street) without any incident although was feeling the strain but could still keep up. Was breathing a bit heavier than usual but my heart rate wasn't maxxed out, which meant I could still handle the pace. Saw A as we approached the flyover and was glad to final have a flyover picture (hopefully) as I think we surprised her as we almost passed her before she recognized us.

6:55 am
Now to the home stretch. After we went down the flyover, BA began to go on overdrive and I was like "uh oh" crunch time. As I reached the long stretch of road going back to the NBC tent, I was basically thinking "what else have I got to lose!?!?" and decided to up the pace. At the last few meters it was all or nothing. Seeing the clock turn 1:00 was disappointing as I really wanted to do a sub hour, and so this was my defining moment. Went on an all out sprint and mentally held on and scolded myself for slacking off earlier. The seconds were ticking by and all I could think about was reaching the finish line before 1 hour and 1 minute. 40 secs, 50 secs, at 1 hour and 55 seconds I had to do something! So digging down I ran as fast as I could and reached the line at exactly 1 hour and 1 minute flat! A new PR record!!!! YAHOOOOOO! I was ecstatic! Now I know what the phrase "runners high" really feels like...

I can't wait for our next run.

(We all set a new Personal Record today! Woohoo!)

*edit

V sent the race results!!! My time for the run was actually 1 hour and 58 seconds!!
271st place out of 478 runners.

Good race everyone!

PS. RACE REVIEW

The Condura Run for Tubbataha (I felt) was very well organized. My only comment is for them to enlarge the race check in area as it really was a squeeze being there. But otherwise, the water was a-plenty and in plastic bottles (!!! so different from the plastic cups I'm used to hahaha)and the security and marshalls were really looking out for the runners. With the designated lane for the runners and enough police at the busy intersections, it really made a difference in making runners feel safe being out in the street. And the swag!!! =) It was nice getting a re-usable bag with the cute sea turtle on it, 1 small can of Corned Beef, 2 juice boxes, and more water. The t-shirt was cute although as usual, free size, which means one more shirt to add to my sleep wear (yes it's that big). And they came out with race results the day after the race!!! Winner ka talaga Mr. Biscocho! I give 5 out of 5 stars to the Condura Race for Tubbataha.

AN ONGOING LOVE AFFAIR

2008-02-22T23:03:00.005+08:00

I'm in love!!!! Dwelling in the moment, can't wait for the next event, head over heels, blindly falling into the spiral... committed....dedicated...

Everytime I give time and make an effort, the deeper I fall.

But it's not what you think.

For those who know me, mushy-ness is not in my vocabulary.

I just can't help but be mushy about.... running.

I *heart* it. Haha.

It's like going on a date, the anticipation is there (I wonder how my run will go?), the excitement even (dodging cars or keeping pace and trying to beat a personal best is exciting) , the letdown when runs go bad (real bad, like crashing on your 19th kilometer and limping back to base for 2kms)... but I still do it, and go back and try and try again.

I wish everyday was a Long-Run-Sunday Day. I love the feeling of long runs, as it makes your mind wander with questions like "if 7-11 is open 24 hours, why do they have padlocks?". Sometimes I play the game "what is that house having for breakfast?" whenever we run in a residential area (like Urdaneta or Corinthians). And it's not a mindless physical activity. You actually focus and concentrate on form, so aside from thinking about random things, there is a certain seriousness in it for me.

Today ran a 14k. Next week we up it to 16k.... we're really trying to train for a 42k by this year. The most I've done is a 21k (in the Subic Marathon) and as we had a break right after that race, we decided to go back to the basics and start with a 10k which we did last week. Can't wait for next Sunday!!!!

For those who have never run outdoors, its a very grounding experience. Time flies, your feet fly, your mind flies, you see poop and flies (sometimes) hehe. Call me crazy but running for me is like Yoga for others, or maybe Tai Chi. It centers you, makes you strong mentally and physically too.

Running has made me a friendlier person. I smile and say "Hi" to complete strangers now. Which leads to "It's you again!" when you see them a second time around, to more meaningful exchanges as chance encounters become more frequent. I think it made me more confident too, as it has prepared me steel myself when needed, but become flexible at the same time too in how I deal with people. I've learned to not take things too seriously, to laugh and relax more, to not be as guarded as I used to be.

And the people you run with, for some reason the sweat, time and effort is bonding in itself. Basta. Aside from talking about running, you get to talk and talk about many many things not because you have to fill the silence but because, well, you have time to spare and share what's really on your mind.

*SIGH*

CRAP

2008-02-22T01:33:00.002+08:00

I think today was my unluckiest day of the year.

*sigh*

I feel like hanging a BIG L on my forehead and kicking myself in the *behind* with anvil loaded boots.

WHY DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN TO ME!?!?!?!? waaah

BUT, as The Secret says.....do away with negative energy
so inhale, exhale....
I'm so glad today is over.

Sorry! =( I didn't really mean it and didn't want it to happen!
If I could only turn back time and replay that part super slowly then maybe it wouldn't have happened...

Now I really have to run tom...

Don't ask.

(thanks to http://happybunny.orbitearthstores.com/images/loserLarge.jpg)

Waiting In Vain

2008-02-14T20:53:00.005+08:00

I dont wanna wait in vain...(for the results of the interview)

And you thought this was about that Bob Marley song...heck no!

This is about me ranting and being impatient.

This is about me having sleepless nights because I want to know what's going to happen next.

This is about me wanting to run but can't because traffic is hell (screw commercialism!)

This is about me counting the days and feeling like I'm waiting for gifts in December and it's only January.

This is about me and dreaming about what to do next if things don't go as planned... actually I have back up plans even for my back ups... haha of course! I'm not that stupid.

This is about me wanting to have superpowers like Hiro Nakamura and able to jump in and out of the time-space continuum.

Notice all the me me me in this entry.... stop right here if you think its verbal diarrhea...I just need to let off steam....

Blame it on not being able to run today. That explains my godawful mood.

YEEAAAAARGH. Sports + Endorphins = Happy Juju

ADVENTURES IN ZOOBIC

2008-02-01T23:08:00.000+08:00

We woke up bright and early last Saturday to get to Subic in time for M's Bday which we celebrated by having lunch and playing around in Camayan Beach. Yummy barbecue, fresh prawns and crabs. Of course it wouldn't be complete without going to Ocean's Adventure but I opted to go to Zoobic instead.

It was entertaining (in a way) although I am not too much a fan of zoos as the animals look kawawa. There was this kenkoy animal show at the start with dogs balancing on balls, dancing the cha cha and going through an obstacle course. Then there was also a monkey shooting basketball and playing dead, as well as a pot bellied pig for the intermission. Of course I had to volunteer to hold the snake! Was waiting for the part where you can feed milk to a tiger cub but only had time for the first part of the tour, which included that kenkoy show, the Tiger encounter where you ride a jeep and the tigers come really close to feed on a dressed chicken tied to a rope, and walking through the mini zoo that had a lot of birds, camels, sheep, pigs, goats, ostriches and horses.

And so my adventure begins. At the start they ask if you want to feed animals (and of course being the sucker that I am say yes!) and so they give you this basket with veggies and fruits. So I'm there happily feeding the miniature horses, camels and pigs when out of nowhere a full grown sheep starts following me. And so I feed it a carrot, but being the insistent bugger that he is, wants more and proceeds to follow me some more. I felt like Mary as in "Mary had a little lamb" only I had an adult sheep. We walk a good few meters and he was still following me! Being good natured about it I feed the sheep some more as he was really gentle and cute although a bit on the stinky side. And then, out of nowhere, this huge ram suddenly realizes I am the bearer of good things and decides to follow me too. You should've seen this ram, I mean the sheep was huge (reached up to my waist) but the ram was bigger and had these HUGE curvy horns! I played it cool until the ram started getting impatient and began to chase me around with its horns! WAAAH! Help..got butted in the process...it was funny but getting butted actually hurts.. good thing the ram wasn't in a full out run or I'd be hystierical now than laughing about it. The guide with his megaphone seeing this happening shouts "Ma'am, bitawan niyo na yung basket!" and I'm like screaming, throwing bananas, carrots and cucumbers left and right in an effort to have the ram go for the food. Smart though (duh), as the ram targets the one holding the basket instead...me! And the ram goes at me again a few more times hahahaha. Sigh. This can only happen to me.
Kulit kasi e. Pa-feed-feed pa hahahaha.

The Results Are In: Subic 2008 Marathon

2008-01-29T19:41:00.000+08:00

It was around 11:00am when Bards texted me saying "the race results are in!!!"

Finally!

RANK RACE NUMBER TIME NAME DISTANCE
1516 2084 2:49:34 Cornejo Christine 21k

We start training for the Mizuno 15K on Wednesday. I can't wait!

Friends have been sending me articles on race recovery and health concerns for athletes (or people crazy enough to believe they are one), and to sum it all up, here are some things I have to do to continue on with the things I've been doing...

1. DRINK MY VITAMINS.

I've never been a fan of pills (I hate it) but if I want to last longer and injury free, then this I have to put up with). Bring on that Multivitamin caplet, Vitamin D, Calcium, Vitamin C etc.

2. REST.

Fine. Point taken. Respect the rest day.

3. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.

Pain is NOT weakness leaving the body.. it means something's wrong and its either you change technique, strengthen muscles, or REST.

4. EAT MORE and EAT SMART.

This I learned the hard way after nearly crashing in one of my long runs. Never underestimate the power of food. It has come to the point that I force myself to down that plate of pasta for dinner, because I know that if I don't, I'm going to pay for it during my run the next day. Gatorade is your friend. Make water your best friend. Bananas too.

5. CROSS TRAIN

Guilty here... time to pick up that badminton racket again. Thinking about taking Total Immersion classes (which H says they offer in CSA). Get into something that increases flexibility as it will help prevent injuries.

Subic Marathon 2008

2008-01-25T08:52:00.000+08:00

So we went to the "international" Subic Marathon which officially marked my foray into the half-marathon category. 21k of flat terrain mixed with rolling hills.

DAY 1

B and I decided to drive up Friday afternoon just so we could have a head start and avoid the traffic, settle down and be familiar with the terrain. As soon as we got to Subic, our first order of business wasn't to go to the house to settle in and rest... we started retracing the race route by car, which starts at Remy field. We wanted to see what the 42k route was so we ended up going all the way to Ocean Adventure which was the turn around point. Of course the nerds that we are, we took note of markers for the turnaround point for the 21k which I figured was a little bit after Triboa. Dusk was approaching and it was a nice ending to our route-mania as it kinda simulated the 530am start we were anticipating for Sunday. That night, due to the insistence of B who wanted to wake those muscles up, we did a quick loop around the East Kalayaan hills....quick, yes (40 minutes) but hill-wise, they were a plenty. Then off to the grocery to buy much needed bananas and water. Carbo-loaded Pasta and Salad in Extremely Espresso for dinner. Have to try their nachos! They looked so yummy seeing them from the other tables hehehe.

DAY 2
Woke up to the phone ringing. Good news for me as job hunt is progressing as I expected. Ate a healthy lunch in Aresi and ordered a Ceasars salad, Chicken and Cheese dip with Bread and Seafood Pasta. After that, shopping na! Went around the various groceries basically looking for junk haha. I know I shouldn't eat high sodium stuff the day before race but it was too good to resist. Must say the new Pringles line is superb...the Parmesan flavor and the Sundried Tomato chips are really good. And only in SUbic will you find an assortment of Gatorade variants! Gatorade regular, Gatorade Fierce, Gatorade Rain....

Waited for K, K and H to arrive from Manila..they got there just in time for dinner, which we again had in Extremely Espresso. Their pizza as actually good and very LARGE. But then again carbo-loading time so it wasn't a problem. ALso met up with M, B and the other runners so it was a welcome break since I think we all had one thing in common, WE LOVE TO EAT.

DAY 3 RACE DAY
Woke up at 4:00am to get ready. I don't really like eating before a race but dutifully downed a bottle of Gatorade and a banana just so I'd have enough energy. GOod thing K and H will be running at a later time so they're actually going to be our support team. Taray! Naka CLK pa! That's what you call water with style hahaha.

When we got to Remy Field it was still dark but there was no wind and I somehow felt that it was going to be a hot day. Then DULCE came on and sang "Ako ang Nag-wagi". Winner! hahahaha. And of course they announced that they will be moving the 21k start to 6am instead of 5:30am, together with the 5K and 10k runners. Bummer! What a waste of cover. That 30 mins would've saved a lot of people from the Subic heat. Oh well.

Around 15 minutes before the race I downed my prefunctory Gu and as the race started, I felt fairly optimistic that I wouldn't crash, as I also read the CHI running book the day before and somehow got tips from that. I mean, my last long run was a disaster, with me limping by km 19 and walking all the way to km 22. But when I reached the halfway mark which was waaaay after Triboa, I still felt pretty strong. And so the battle goes on.

What made the run memorable was I met a lot of nice people along the way. Like these two PNP guys who paced with me for km 6 to 9, they were actually very nice and kept my mind off the heat. By km 10 I left them already and I was alone again. By km 15 these two oldies but really strong runners became my pacers. It was entertaining as they regaled me with stories of their glory days, of the marathons they've been to here and in other countries. I actually learned a lot from them. They told me about their experiences in the NY marathon and how challenging it was as there were a lot of competitive runners there. Galing!

At around km 17 the support team arrived. Actually hard to miss with the red car and I was okay with the water supply and just dumped my empty bottles with them.
My God!! My Polar started to register that we were going over 21k! They even moved the finish line inside the track oval which really didn't make sense to me. B had friends who measured the race route again after the race and it really registered as 24k. So now I know how 24km feels like...it's not really so bad after all.

Right after the race, I noticed M and the others were at the bleachers and finally took a nice pic of me crossin the finish line. See! It pays not to be the first, you end up with great pictures.

And that ends my first ever 21k. I can't wait to train for the full marathon. It's officially an off week for me so I can afford to bum around and not train. But next week it will be a different story...

Job Hunt Blues

2008-01-24T23:31:00.000+08:00

Hunting around for a new job is a humbling experience... because you have to look yourself squarely in the eye and ask the question "Is it all worth it?"

I'm thinking YES. Worth it because at least you know how much your job market value is, re-evaluate your career and where it's going, as well as get to know what other options are out there for you.

The past few weeks have been filled with days waiting for that ONE phone call to come and hear the magic words "We're interested in meeting you..." *insert music here* plus *dance of joy*.

And it did come last week, made my day really. It was the day before the Subic Race and I was in B's house, half-awake but still in bed. I was still mulling over the 5am race start the next day, running through scenarios in my head with stories about the dreaded baboy damo and mischevious monkeys that can/might steal your bananas. And then the phone rings and I wonder why the number wasn't familiar.... then realize OH MY GOD gotta answer it quick! And so they said "We'd like to meet you next week..." *handels hallelujah enter here*

Had the interview today.... in two weeks or so they'll call again to say either
A. "You're not what we're looking for" or
B. "We want to see you in the classroom so when can you fly over?"

I left the interview feeling pretty confident about myself and hearing from them that they liked what they have heard so far and if I am of the same mold as my friends who are already there (and are apparently are making waves there *applause to friends) then I have a pretty good chance. That sounds pretty positive right?

Its not what I initially wanted but I'm thinking, at least it's a lateral move and I get to get that IB experience which will unlock more doors for me in two years or so.
So am pretty excited about that...just hate the waiting....two weeks!?!?! Torture really.

Abangan...

How do you respond to the phrase "I Wanna Die!!"

2008-01-23T20:58:00.000+08:00

The other day, E got all emo on me for some strange reason. When he's good he's really really good, but when the shit hits the fan, goodluck to whoever gets sprayed with his emo-ness.

He just had a really bad day I guess, but it still makes me wonder where he gets it. Or maybe he didn't really "get" or hear it from someone but its the only way he can express how much of a shit-mood he was in.

Notice the peppering of SH-- words above. It was that bad. To the point it really just ruined his day. He didn't get to do anything else because he was wallowing in his mood.

So how do you respond to a four year old saying "I wanna die!!!!"

Sige nga....

Obsessed with Running

2008-01-23T19:54:00.000+08:00

I haven't really written anything in a while because..... life happens =)

I guess it's time to break the silence... and what better way than to talk about something I've been really obsessed with lately...Running.

Call me crazy but Running has kept me sane. I love to run. In fact just as I am about to finish a run, I can't help but think about when my next one will be. It's that bad. Or if I can's sleep at night, I spend my time looking through running websites or my ever favorite Runnersworld.com just reading, browsing, internalizing things about running.

I now find myself running more than playing badminton, which I used to do three to four times a week. Now running occupies most of my off time, as I often run at night during weekends and during the wee hours of the morning on Sundays.

My favorite part of the run is during early mornings, when people are fast asleep and you know you (and your runner friends) are the only ones crazy enough to wake up early to do what other people think is a form of torture. In fact many times already, I see people just about to pack up from a gimik night out, and I'm there stretching and ready to run. I like running just as the sun is about to come out, the air still cool and chilly, with everything totally quiet and you just have yourself to deal with. Time when I center my thoughts on anything and everything, where I get to re-think, solve, ponder, troubleshoot on things that happened to me during the week. Let's just say its like my own personal TIVO time, but in this case everything is replayed in my head.

Believe me, long runs are quite therapeutic (nay on torture). Once you've been running long enough, distance is just a number. Imagine I used to be able to run for maybe just 15 minutes at a time. Now, my long runs reach 3 hours or longer and I don't feel the hours dragging by at all. Long runs are like weekly massages for those into that, or maybe parlor days for the more kikay ones. It's my alone time. And I love it!

I read this article on Runnersworld.com and it inspired me....
hope it inspires you too.

I AM NOT A JOGGER

I may waddle when I run, but I'm running all the same

By John Bingham
Photographs by Tim Bower

PUBLISHED 09/19/2007

The late Dr. George Sheehan, beloved Runner's World columnist and arguably the first running boom's premier philosopher, once wrote that the difference between a runner and a jogger was a signature on a race application. (For the youngsters out there, there was a time before online registration when you actually filled out a paper application, signed it, attached a check, and mailed it in. Quaint, I know.) As succinct as Dr. Sheehan's definition was, it made the point. If you were motivated enough to train for and participate in an organized running event, then you were a runner. Anyone willing to risk public failure in order to be a part of the running community--no matter what his or her pace per mile might be--was a runner. Period. Kind of hard for anyone to argue with that logic.

But a few months ago, an ad ran in this magazine that drew a very hard line between runners and joggers. I immediately heard from tons of readers who were upset by the distinction. To me, however, such definitions are meaningless, since those of us who call ourselves runners already know why we call ourselves runners. Your reasons may be different from mine, but here's why I know I am a runner:

I AM A RUNNER because my runs have names. I do tempo runs and threshold runs and fartlek runs. I do long, slow runs and track workouts. My runs are defined, even if my abs are not.

I AM A RUNNER because my shoes are training equipment, not a fashion statement. The best shoe for me is the one that makes me a better runner. I choose the shoe that goes with my running mechanics, not my running outfit.

I AM A RUNNER because I don't have running outfits. I have technical shirts and shorts and socks. I have apparel that enhances the experience of running by allowing me to run comfortably. I can say "Coolmax" and "Gore-Tex" in the same sentence and know which does what.

I AM A RUNNER because I know what effort feels like, and I embrace it. I know when I'm pushing the limits of my comfort and why I'm doing it. I know that heavy breathing and an accelerated heart rate--things I once avoided--are necessary if I want to be a better runner.

I AM A RUNNER because I value and respect my body. It will whisper to me when I've done too much. And if I choose to listen to that whisper, my body won't have to scream in pain later on.

I AM A RUNNER because I am willing to lay it all on the line. I know that every finish line has the potential to lift my spirits to new highs or devastate me, yet I line up anyway.

I AM A RUNNER because I know that despite my best efforts, I will always want more from myself. I will always want to know my limits so that I can exceed them.

I AM A RUNNER because I run. Not because I run fast. Not because I run far.

I AM A RUNNER because I say I am. And no one can tell me I'm not.

Waddle on, friends.

MOVIE REVIEW: DOUBLE FEATURE

2007-08-16T21:14:00.000+08:00

THank God I had a game a while ago or else I'd really really be in trouble with all the junk I've been eating (Tostitos lime with french onion dip, microwaved pocorn, freshly boiled corn, junk from parents bacolod trip-butterscotch bars, mango tarts, squid rings, hopia, fishballs, torte de los reyes, meiji, baci, three musketeers, yummy pasta, calamares, picadillo, mushroom soup.........it never ends!)

But the other thing I've been doing the past three days is go watch movies in the Powerplant, which is so near and am blessed that the horrendous traffic jam in Central Makati did not reach my side of the Metro.

I have seen Bourne Ultimatum and A Love Story already. Tomorrow we plan on watching Rush Hour 3 (which I've seen already but don't mind watching again). But I really really want to watch the Simpsons..... anyone?!?!?

About Bourne Ultimatum, all I can say is that Matt Damon really pulled his international spy persona quite beautifully. I mean you even forget his dorky portrayal in the Oceans Eleven-THirteen trilogy as you see him do all those cool action sequences which makes you go....WOW. Go watch it. NOW. He will make your heart go thipitty-thump even if he isn't as cute as Brad Pitt... he grows on you. Basta! Go figure my attraction for so-called alpha males. HAaaaaay.

A Love Story on the other hand.... interesting take on infidelity. It really really tried to make itself interesting with switcheroo but all in all, I was more impressed by the acting than the storyline. Maricel being THE Maricel Soriano is really really a stellar actress as she looks like she could be your very own OB GYNE (with a deep dark secret) hahahaha. And Aga, well he used to be cuter heehee. As for Angelica Panganiban, now this here movie is the start of bigger things for her. Goes to show how she can be a character actress as she has the chops to get out of the sexy starlet race and on to more serious and challenging roles. (AND YES, for friends who know me, me watching this?!?! I didn't actually have say on this - mother and sister chose movie for the day - but surprisingly it wasn't a waste of time after all)

Movie again tomorrow???? What else is there to watch???

MY 6 DAY WEEKEND

2007-08-16T20:50:00.000+08:00

And YES! It is official! There is no school tomorrow (Friday) as it is expected that there will be heavy rain which equals to traffic borne floods all over the city.

Thus I am now halfway through my 6 day weekend, with MOnday being a declared holiday (Whoever thought about moving holidays to the nearest monday is a genius! Kudos to you!)

So far, my usual day goes like this:

8 am: wake up to check phone for fated text

9am: receive text on cancellation of classes (insert dance of joy here)

9:0am: mass text all parents about no school day

9:03am: back to lala land zzzzzzzzzz

1130am: wake up.....watch tv, wait for lunch

12:30pm: LUNCH TIME

1:30pm:watch tv then fall asleep

3:00pm: attempt at being productive part 1 (but end up chatting in YM anyway)

4:00pm: attempt at being productive part 2 (figuring out if I should work on Explo stuff or DLSU stuff)

5:00pm: merienda time (forage ref, or better yet have food delivered)

6:00pm: decide on what to do after dilly dallying for two hours, surfing the net, finding funny things to email to friends, etc etc

7:30pm: oooh almost dinner time, schmooze some morein front of the TV

8:30om: dinner

9:30-12:00pm: waste more time

1:00am fall asleep

*waaaaah!

I'm enjoying myself too much here....... see what no school does to me?!?!

I'm turning into a couch potato tsk tsk

TOP 10 REASONS I LIKE BEING A PRE SCHOOL TEACHER

2007-08-15T17:08:00.000+08:00

(in no particular order)

1. I get to laugh everyday with my students antics (ask me about the Gabby and the phone number story sometime)

2. I get the exercise I need from work (try running around with 5 year olds for 15 minutes and lets see how you fare!?!?)

3. I get unlimited supply of hugs, kisses and I Love Yous.

4. Working with kids makes me feel "young" too

5. I get to exercise my creativity (try planning a culminating program sometime, im sure the anxiety matches a PR person in charge of a big product launch)

6. I get to practice my multi-tasking skills (try being a mommy, daddy, yaya, cook, emotion coach, doctor, sports trainer, facilitator, researcher, psychologist, family therapist etc ALL IN ONE DAY)

7. I still have a life outside work! (YES, that means you! you workaholic! it is possible!)

8. Teaching is very unpredictable, and I now know and accept the real meaning of Murphy's Law.

9. I get to live longer (laughter is the best medicine right? (refer to reason 1)

10. Signal number 1 means no work for me! YAHOOOOO 2 days in a row and counting....

The Heroic Imagination

2007-08-09T19:18:00.000+08:00

Read this http://edge.org/3rd_culture/zimbardo07/zimbardo07_index.html before reading any further (warning: lengthy but interesting)

I recently came upon this website which features "dangerous thinking"... in which every era has one. Remember that famous person (his name escapes me now...was it Isaac Newton?) who was considered a heretic during his day and age. He was imprisoned because he proved the science behind a rainbow when the acceptable "answer" in his era was that rainbows are miracles of God.

Anyway, what's interesting about the article above is that it talks about how social situations can be transformative, making really good, normal people into so-called monsters, as we get too used to seeing what is normally not acceptable, and accepting them as "normal".

Then again, doesn't the definition of acceptable or normal, or even what's right or wrong change too? Scary dont you think? Makes me wonder how the things we consider acceptable might not really be.

Prime example, like seeing the daily corruption going on in the streets, agreeing to pay off cops for simple traffic infarctions and saying its just normal because that's what we're used to seeing and doing.

Or say the simple freight forwarder who regularly deals with customs to bring in shipments, which then means he agrees to paying off customs brokers regularly because he needs to, as it's part of his job and it's the only way he can bring in his shipments or else he loses them because paying people off "is just the way things are done".

So till when can you compromise? Or should you at all? It's not that I'm taking the high road and saying I've never bribed a cop. I did once. And never again. Because the first and only cop I ever tried to bribe had the heroic imagination to say "Ma'am, masama po yan kasi kung ganyan na lang ang lahat ng pulis e wala pong mangyayari sa atin."

I mean bribing is like peanuts compared to the people who condemned thousands to die in Auschwitz, but still, you know.... am I just thinking too much?

This is what two days of having classes called of does to me.... think think think.....

printed wellingtons!!!

2007-08-08T05:56:00.000+08:00

these are so cute!!! and you can buy them here already!!!!!

just let me know if you are interested, a pair of plueys cost php 1, 600.

a friend is a distributor here.... so it will be easy to order.

perfect now that its raining!!!! and yes! second time in a row this week...no school!!!!

*insert rain dance sequence here*

but now i have the perfect excuse to go out even if it rains hahahahahaha

I like this one

PUPPY LOVE

but im thinking this is cute too...

GO FISH

or maybe this?

SUGAR PLUM

there's also...

LOTSA DOTS

and....

ORIGAMI

or this...

SUBLIME

???? what to get?!?!?!?!?!

Life in Books PART 1

2007-07-09T17:37:00.000+08:00

I came across this line while I was re-reading my brother's old copy of "The Sparrow" written by Maria Doria Russel...

"In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom..."

- quoted from Aeschylus -

RESURRECTED

2007-06-28T00:30:00.000+08:00

It happened in slow motion.

And the funny thing was I had a feeling that something bad was gonna happen, and it did.... talk about premonitions....

I was so tired from work that day that as soon as I got home, I crashed in my parents room and decided to do some work on my laptop before flopping in sleepy stupor on the bed. Before my internal battery ran out, I turned off my laptop and decided to keep it plugged, placed it on the side table just beside the bed which was within arms reach. I was so sleepy that even with the two boys rough housing, I was dead to everything...unless you count the few times Santino decided to play games with his sleepy Ninang and amused himself by waking me up hahahaha.

And then it happened.

I finally woke up and thought "Hmmmm, I'd better unplug my laptop and placed it inside the bag in case one of the boys accidentally bumps into the table" But alas, after packing away, I didn't close tha bag and left it right beside the table, which had a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice on top.

It was like a horror movie. Matt suddenly thinks that pushing is actually quite fun and decides to experiment. On the table. With the glass of fruit juice on top. *PUSH*

!?!gasp!%! (insert SLOW MO here with matching VoiceOver in my head "NOOOOOoooooooo"

And the table flips over, the glass of juice falls, right into my laptop bag.

It wasn't too drenched, but with all electronics....anything liquid is B-A-D for its health.

So I flip it over, shake off the excess juice and take out the battery. From previous experience (with another electrical appliance), if you dry it and don't even attempt to open it until the internals are completely dry, it WILL still be alive.

This all happened on MOnday. It's Wednesday evening and I attempt to resurrect my laptop from the dead.

IT'S A MIRACLE. At first it would'nt boot up, which made my heart stop, but after re-booting again with Ron a few meters away (who has Heroes powers - I'M A BELEIVER! as in anything electronic, his mere presence will scare it back to life) it shakes off remnants of that fruit juice and am back in circulation.

THUS, this blog. heehee. I missed my computer!!! I heart my laptop

my lakbay grade

2007-06-23T08:51:00.000+08:00

thanks to janie for the link

relized i have yet to go to mindanao...

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out atLakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

SAVE THE CHEERLEADER, SAVE THE WORLD!

2007-06-19T00:40:00.000+08:00

How time flies. I remember like it was yesterday. While we were working on some things for MultiCenter in the now defunct Powerbooks that used to be on Pasay Road, Jo casually mentions to me "Hey you might wanna try working in a preschool". And that moment was when it all started.... not just a career but (dare I say it??) a calling.

If you are a regular Heroes viewer, you'd understand the title right away. If not, sorry I don't have time to explain now, but just ask your friendly neighborhood Heroes fan to tell you the significance of saving the cheerleader. This was exactly that, my save the cheerleader moment. Imagine, at that particular point in time I said yes.... it changed EVERYTHING.

Fast forward to 2007. It's been SEVEN, yes SEVEN years and counting and these are the people who were there to witness the beginnings of the start of my so-called career. And we're all still at it (well except Anna who I think, still secretly wants to get back to teaching someday hehe) albeit in different settings now, in different parts of the world, but I can still sense the very same enthusiasm when I met them in 2000.

I'm just amazed actually with how far we've all gone. And what's nice is that when we talk about our kids, its like we have our own secret language you know? The way our eyes light up at the funny stories as well as the challenging and harassing moments of being a teacher. Even if we see each other every few months/years or so, its like not a day has passed and we still can talk as easily as when we were still in ELC.

And we're definitely not "square" that all we ever talk about is work.... if you knew all the secret back stories that I know....I'd have to kill you. We all have very interesting lives OUTSIDE of work, mind you hahahaha. BELIEVE ME.

The question "name a person you know who really really loves their job" applies to all in the picture above. I've been asked many countless times why I like teaching and being in a pre school... call me naive but I'd like to think I'm doing something worthwhile even in my own little space in the world. And somehow I think my friends think the same too.

And for that, Hiro Nakamura and I are really on the same wavelength.... YATTAAAA!

For Better OR For Worse

2007-06-12T19:12:00.000+08:00

There's always a certain finality at the start of every schoolyear because it feels like I'm getting married....to my team in Explo. Even if it is just a year...(more like 10 months) it still feels like a marriage to me. For 5 days a week, around 6-8 hours in a day, these are the people I'd be talking to, eating lunch with, laughing with, fighting with, sharing problems and successes with... you get the picture?

The past two years, I' ve been blessed with great partners who, come hell or high water, still gave their 150 percent in making thing work. Just like what I expect a marriage would be. But those great two years weren't always a bed of roses. We had moments when we were dead tired, cranky, hungry, at wits end, frantic, frustrated, sick, and without hope BUT what made it so great was we got through those times with our friendship (and sanity) still intact. Surprisingly, it was these trying moments that made us realize how much each one was worth, how much each one was willing to shell out and put on the table even when emotionally and physically, we didn't even have an ounce left.

I'm speaking about marriage hypothetically though, as I've never been married and don't see that even happening in the next XXXX years or so... but teaching, I feel is like one, as its also a marriage of minds, AND work ethic AND dedication AND priorities AND hard work AND sacrifice AND emotional attachments as well.

So here's to a great marriage to my EXPLO team this year! CHEERS!

ANGELINA daw!?!?!

2007-06-07T23:50:00.001+08:00

You Are More Like Angelina Jolie

Bad girl with a heart of gold.
You are smart, sexy, and strong willed.
You aren't against stealing another girl's man...
If he's better off with you!

Are You More Like Jennifer or Angelina?

I AM HIRO NAKAMURA....and i will save the world!

2007-06-07T23:40:00.000+08:00

Your Score: Hiro Nakamura

You scored 50 Idealism, 70 Nonconformity, 41 Nerdiness

YATTA!Congratulations, you're Hiro Nakamura! You're a high-minded idealist, a huge nerd, and you enjoy being a unique and special person. Your combination of positive personality traits makes you impossibly lovable, and your energy and enthusiasm are absolutely infectious. Your dedication to any mission you take on, in addition to your cheerful sense of humor, are qualities anyone should be proud to have. Your best quality: Spunk Your worst quality: You are too cute. Some people may not be able to handle it.

Link: The Heroes Personality Test written by freedomdegrees on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

2007-05-20T23:12:00.000+08:00

A few months ago, as I was going through a series of major changes in life, a friend told me about the book entitled "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.

I just read it today and let me tell you what the Secret is all about.

The Secret is.... that it's not really a secret (hehe) and is something that has been around for ages although we never put too much thought into it. That's the thing, there is power in our thoughts. Everything starts with the mind. The law of attraction states that like attracts like. So think positive, visualize, and everything will simply fall in place.

Honestly, I partly agree and partly disagree. WHy? A part of me still believes that aside from just thinking, action plays a very vital role in everything that we do. SO does it follow that if you believe in something so much, you'll eventually get it without doing anything?

The book says things will fall into place, you still have to take action but you simply have to pay attention since your mind and being make things happen without you even knowing it.

The book talks about a whole lot of other things, relating the Secret to wealth, relationships, fulfillment in life and etc.... DOES IT SOUND LIKE A BUNCH OF JUJU TO YOU?

Anyway, it was an enlightening read. The type you can read again on another lazy day and find new meaning into.

What I got from it was... you can do Jedi Mind tricks! hahaha just kidding.

Seriously, lets put more thought into the things we think of. You might just be surprised how far a little positive thinking can get you...

*thanks to tracyhabron.com for the photo

IPOD MINI facelift

2007-05-18T17:37:00.001+08:00

I love my Ipod.

oOkay so it's just a mini,

it's just 4 gb,

it's not even a 4th gen so entirely not hi-tech

(if you know what I mean)

but it has served me very verrrry well.

I Heart my Ipod.

It's been with me everywhere...

plane rides to far off places,

beaches,

when I can't seem to sleep,

when I'm Emo all of a sudden,

when I have to pound out a lot of anger, frustration (insert emotion here) on the treadmill,

when I am not feeling friendly and need space between me and the next person,

when I'm waiting for people who are constantly late,

when I'm just zoning out,

when I'm in need of music to soothe the savage beast...

my mini Ipod has come to my rescue.

And now, I think it deserves a reward for loyalty...it needs a facelift!

saw these skins on www.gelaskins.com and its pretty neat....

SKIN 1

SKIN 2

SKIN 3

SKIN 4

SKIN 5

SKIN 6

which one do you like best?

these are the ones I like best but can't seem to decide which one to get....

it only costs $12.95 and if you buy three, they throw you an extra 1 free!

cool huh?

Blast Ople in Mag:Net

2007-05-18T17:32:00.000+08:00

ninja style shots of the band

(j and J, i am still a FAN at heart hahahahaha)

so glad i got to see them after a long looong loooooong time)

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-13T12:57:00.000+08:00

Oscar Wilde said...

"All women become like their mothers.

That is their tragedy.

No man does.

That is his."

So here's to remembering all the mother's out there!

Happy Mother's Day!

Rock Da Vote

2007-05-12T00:44:00.000+08:00

I've always been interested in watching plays, but haven't had the time (as well as found anyone really) who would want to go. The last play I watched was about a year ago pa, when Atlantis Productions decided to stage the Broadway play DOubt which starred Cherie Gil and Niccolo Manahan.

Moving along now....

By default because somebody got sick, I got to watch the comedy Rock Da Vote in Music Museum today, starring:

Jon Santos (as Ate Vi, shErap, and Hope - of the Kris-James blowjob scandal),

John Lapus (as Cory, Kris and Madame Auring),

Candy Pangilinan (as Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Jinky Pacquiao and a wacky teacher),

Tessie Tomas (as Imeldific, Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Miriam Defensor Santiago)

and Manny Pooh (as Manny Pacquiao and Bro. Mike Velarde).

All tickets as of today are sold out but so many people are still trying to get tickets for tomorrow (May 12) which is the last play date.... I tell ya its sooo worth every single 1,200 pesos. So if you missed out.....sorry na lang. Let's hope they re-extend the play dates!

The show was hilarious! OH MY GOD! It lasted for about 3 hours and I was laughing so hard the whole time. All the spoofs were so funny that I'd watch again if I had the chance. In fact my mom liked it so much that she did watch it twice! hahaha

Manny Pooh is hilarious... he had a segment with Candy (as Jinky) and winner!!! ANg galing galing nila (to the nth degree). Jon Santos as Erap.... priceless!!!! and John Lapuz as Kris... an exact copy...nakakaloka. Tessie as Imelda, Miraim and Tessie... kakaiba.

Grabe talaga these comedians are something else...walang sina-Santo if you know what I mean... even audience members who were makulit became fodder (but in good taste) for jokes. Like when Candy was playing GMA and in came some latecomers.... hahaha classic GMA moment!
I really believe that to be a comedian, you have to be really smart and quick... because without the smarts you wouldnt be able to think of all those witty jokes, as well as seamlessly and effortlessly have that comedic timing in delivering the punch lines.

Jon Santos, Candy Pangilinan, John Lapuz, Tessie Tomas and Manny Pooh

- I AM NOW A FAN!

professionalized... finally!!!

2007-05-08T01:10:00.000+08:00

Anyone who has ever gone to PRC (the Philippine Regulatory Commission) to apply for a licensure test or register/claim a professional license KNOWS that going there is a dreadful experience. It's that bad that the thought forever imprinted in my brain and associated with PRC is that if I ever am in that place again, and a fire or earthquake (insert calamity here) happens, NO ONE WILL GET OUT OF THAT PLACE ALIVE.

After a month of bumming and 2 years of procrastinating, I gathered the courage to go back and claim my teacher's license which has been there since 2005. Good thing my bro-in-law R had to go there as well to claim his license so I figured, there is safety in numbers hahahaha. So off we went today a little bit after lunch time, and lo and behold, same as the last time I was there, the line to just enter the PRC compound is horrible....maybe 2 blocks down the street, but moving nonetheless. I guess that was an improvement since the last time I was in PRC, the lined went around the entire freakin compound!!!!

Anyway, good thing I had the common sense to go straight to the information area and ask where the claim area was, and the info-guy tells me "ay dun lang yan sa third floor sa window 23!" And so off I go to battle the hordes of people lining up by different windows, saying "excuse me" every 10 seconds or so for people to either step aside or be stepped on, go up three flights of stairs and YES, finally find window 23. Miracle of all miracles...nobody was lining up in front of window 23, MY WINDOW 23(!!!!!) and in 5 seconds flat...I finally had my PRC ID. It took me longer lining up outside the compund and battling through the Cubao-like throng of people to get ot the third floor.

In times like these, I am grateful and happy.

I am now a "professional teacher".... so the ID says (since 2005 pa nga e).

THE bad thing is I have to renew it in 2008. bummer.

Spiderman 3

2007-05-08T01:08:00.000+08:00

its a looong movie..... i liked it, even if it was waaay long. watched in rockwell, 1040pm show during opening day.

most of the time, the movie is spent on discovering the ins and outs of spidermans persona, and how he battles with his own humanity in his quest for revenge, complicated by gooey symbiotic black stuff from space.

i am glad that Harry made a comeback and decided to become a super hero too.

mary jane is full of EMO but you can see a classic case of emotional disconnect between her and parker who became too full of himself after a few runs with the black stuff...YESSS POWER....FEELS GOOD...tastes even better hehehe

*thanks to the spiderman3 website for the pic

life in song lyrics again

2007-05-08T01:04:00.000+08:00

*thanks to 9 days for this one hit wonder...
and yes....life in song lyrics strikes again!!!!!!!
____________________________________________________________

This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looks so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her
When she smiles

Now how many days in a year
She woke up with hope
But she only found tears
And I can be so insincere
Making her promises never for real
As long as she stands there waiting
Wearing the holes in the soles of her shoes
Now how many days disappear
When you look in the mirror
So how do you choose
Your clothes never wear as well the next day
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
You never seem to run out of things to say
This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looks so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her
When she smiles
Now how many lovers would stay
Just to put up with this shit
Day after day
Now how did we wind up this way
Watching our mouths for the words that we say
As long as we stand here waiting
Wearing the clothes or the soles that we choose
Now how do we get there today
When we're walkin too far for the price of our shoes
Your clothes never wear as well the next day
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
You never seem to run out of things to say
This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looks so sad in photographs
I absolutely love herWhen she smiles
Well your clothes never wear as well the next day
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
You never seem to run out of things to say
This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looks so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her
This is the story of a girl
Her pretty face she hid from the world
And while she looks so sad and lonely there
I absolutely love her
This is the story of a - girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looks so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her
When she smiles
When she smiles!

bad dreams

2007-04-29T16:40:00.000+08:00

There used to be a time when bad dreams meant monsters in closets, ghosts making you cringe in fear, devils scaring the bejeezus outta you with their freaky-ness... things that are not really real (peace to the believers out there). That's why I love watching horror movies, I might cringe at the gore a bit and look through my fingers while watching but I don't get really scared. I don't go home and sleep with the lights open after the movie or wake up in a cold sweat screaming... I'm immune to the horror in horror movies.

Now that I'm a bit older (does that mean I'm wiser too?), jaded, cynical.... my dreams are made of scarier stuff. Not monster-scary mind you, but real-people-scary, which is enough to keep me awake till early morning and I can't take it and have to sleep. If I'd really wanted to, toothpicks in eyelids type of remedy might be one option to take hahaha. Not that I have ever killed anyone, but I'm guessing the feeling of fear when I wake up after a bad dream is more or less similar to those who already have killed someone... get what I mean? (maybe. maybe not) .... Okay, the fear is like what soldiers experience after a war, as they come home and dream about faceless people haunting them in their sleep... creepy I know! I'm just attempting to describe what it is I go through so bear with it... besides, it might just be therapeutic writing about it.

Anyway, some of my dreams are that bad.... I guess it has to do with all the bad juju happening, plus an overload of watching too much Crime and Suspense. The freaky thing is, the "supposedly" scary characters in my dreams are people I know but end up like Hannibal Lecter. My mind is just that f!@# up right now hahaha.

Yes, now I laugh, but tonight it will be a different story...

So any remedies?

cross posting problems

2007-04-28T20:42:00.000+08:00

cross posting really sucks......bigtime!!!! sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesnt.... which means i have to manually check everytime! arrggghhhhhhhhhhhh

THAILAND 24 hour endurance karting again (part 2)

2007-04-23T20:43:00.000+08:00

FEBRUARY 11, 2007 (Sunday early morning)

2:45 am
D: I am so stressed!!!! Im such a disgrace to the team! The kart broke down when I was driving...were down to P6! SHIT TALAGA! :(

T: Relax it happens. Why did it break in the first place?

D: Naputol yung accelerator cable!! LECHE TALAGA!

T: Its not your fault it broke. Ok lang yan its not over yet. Who's driving now?

D: A

T: So its fixed na? How many laps to P1?

A: Mga 10? Imposible na.

T:Well think if it this way, it could have happened on A's run or on Js's run diba? It can't be your fault. How did the cable break ba?

A: Wear and tear.

T: Exactly. So its not your fault it happened. It's part of racing and nobody's to blame. You rest muna and get focused till your next run. Stay hopeful.

A: Thanks!

A: 11 hours and 5 minutes
Just finished 45 minute stint. Had to chase back as throttle cable broke while D was out. He crawled it to pit using the choke! We're P6 - 13 laps!!

T: Yeah D texted he was so stressed over that cable thing breaking. Its not over yet, stay hopeful.

4:39 am
A: 9 hours 29 minutes
V out and D in. They have gained us 1 lap. We're now just 12 laps down and up to P5.
Am going to bed na as Al and I alternate when the sun rises. Yummy.

9:32 am
A: 4 hours 35 minutes
We fought through night and are still 11 laps down in P5, but just 1 lap from P4.
Everyone has finished minimum driving time, so Al and I alternate til flag.

11:58 am
D: We are currently P5 with only 2 hours to go!

T: Kaya yan! There is hope.

D: Sana. If we didn't have mech problem P2 pa rin kami.

T: There might be traffic or an oil spill or something hahaha or someone else might have mechanical problems. How many laps away from P3?

D: 6 laps!
It aint over till its over!

12:33 noon
A: 1 hour and 33 minutes
Al just came out with full fuel load, I just came in - we've fought back to 4th from P7, now holding P4 by 17 secs. One more for me, Al till finish.

T: I can pray for traffic hahah. Not bad P4 and holding. How far away from P3?

A: 4 laps to P3. 11 laps to P1. If we didnt suffer the mechanical failure during D's stint, we'd be fighting for the lead! Grrrrrr! We're not giving up P4!!!

T: That sucks. Argh!!! Pero galing ha. Kanina you were 6 laps away from P3 now its only 4 laps na lang. Hang in there! :)

1:35 pm
A: 35 minutes
Did my last stint well and kept the gap to our rivals for P4 static at 20 seconds. Al now in til finish. Not over yet but am so proud of V and D as they did quick times in the evening to bring us to P4. Everyone else on the team is a racer, and they both matched the times on their fastest laps. Galing!

2:09 pm
A: 0.0 minutes RACE OVER
We're P4. Extended our gap to competitor vying for our spot by 1 lap. We also have the fastest lap. Thanks for all your support. It kept the team going.

A: Thank you! I hope there is a reconciliation so we can go racing as a team again in the future.

T: Im touched hehehe. =) on that note, though I'd want to be hopeful, I'd rather not set myself up for disappointment. Enjoy the rest of your stay there!

_over and out_

Domino Harvey

2007-04-23T00:15:00.000+08:00

DOMINO HARVEY (played by Keira Knightley)

THE REAL DOMINO HARVEY

Came speeding home from Alabang because I wanted to watch the movie on Domino Harvey shown in Star Movies. Whew. Made it just in time.

Domino Harvey is a true to life story of a female bounty hunter and is directed by Tony Scott. You can actually find her on Wikipedia. Born to an actor and a Vogue model, she chose the life of a bounty hunter..... you'll see in the movie how she became one. Reading up on the real Domino Harvey, some details about her and her life in the movie are actually incorrect...that's Hollywood for you!

The footage and flow reminds me of MTV, quick cuts, dark segues plus the gritty feel. I''ve never really been a fan of cutesy patootsie movies, much less those with themes that go along the lines of drama or love. It's not just interesting for me but I do love action flicks, comedy even if really inane, and yes, horror flicks... call me strange but these things I watch because they amuse me... and hey, what better thing to waste time on than on something that makes me happy .... *cough (for those in the know, you may read between the lines).

Back to Domino Harvey, she's played by Keira Knightly, and her team of Bounty Hunters consist of Mickey Rourke and a dark brooding Edgar Ramirez.

Soo much tension between Domino (Keira Knightley) and Choco (Edgar Ramirez). TENSION! hahaha okay fine there's a love angle here but it's not cheesy...more tragic really...and Choco is the mysterious brooding bad boy type *flutter flutter keep still my beating heart* The love angle isn't the center of the whole movie...just a side comment to the more interesting dynamics of the team and the different personas which make the movie exciting. They are like the Charlie's Angels to Claremont Williams played by Delroy Lindo, who is their bailbondsman and gives them their jobs. And the twist is in a certain "job" they had to do which involves them with the FBI, a Mafia Boss and a crooked Business Tycoon.

Athough Keira looks fragile, she put a lot of ooomph in her role as she played her character to the hilt, which I personally think she pulled off quite well. Mickey Rourke is okay I mean he has that natural aura of a basagulero while that latino/hispanic Edgar is soooo... sexy in his own quiet way. I mean his face isn't all that pretty but his body is in such good shape.... reminds me of those warriors in 300. drool. AND the movie is funny too as they mix into the picture those boys from Beverly Hills 90210 (Brian Austin Green and Steve Ziering), cameos by Lucy Liu, Christopher Walken, Mena Suvari, and Jerry Springer.

Now I remember why I like this movie! It reminds me a lot of The Assassin then played by a young Natalie Portman. I'm into the whole dark and alternative underbelly of society... maybe my life is just sooo.....normal which is why I like movies like this. hahaha Escapist? Projection?? Maybe....what the hell right??? I don't even have to justify why I like it. I just do. And you might just like it too.

ps. thanks to imdb, wikipedia and the dominoharvey movie website for the pics.

this is so funny

2007-04-20T16:53:00.000+08:00

for those who watched the movie 300, you are so gonna love this...

click this link and enjoy! http://community.livejournal.com/randompictures/2209617.html

this is how i spend my day, looking for inane things on the net hahahahaha

make sure you go through all the pages.....

this is sooo funny

2007-04-20T12:51:00.000+08:00

for those who watched the movie 300, you are so gonna love this...

click this link and enjoy! http://community.livejournal.com/randompictures/2209617.html

this is how i spend my day, looking for inane things on the net hahahahaha

the end

2007-04-19T00:24:00.000+08:00

sometimes, we get so engrossed with events or things in our lives and end up with blinders on our eyes. you know, like the ones the kutseros use on their horses. and we get so focused on just one single thing, seeing it all day, everyday...and it can be tiring.

it's not quite a pretty good feeling when you're always looking down... which is basically how i started the year...

last sunday was one of those days, just like all those other days during the past three months.

i didn't think sunday was going to be different. but it snuck up on me and surprised me as it ended just great. great because i had the courage to face something i thought i couldn't.

and it was super.

between 11 pm and 2 am i finally heaved a sigh of relief and let go of all the emo+drama.

*details omitted here* but all i can tell you is that i made my peace.

and it feels pretty darn good.

and to think i would've missed seeing this if i kept my blinders on.

ps.

for the smokers and insomniacs out there, here's one place to chill out with your trusty ipod music, even at the oddest hours...

life in song lyrics

2007-04-15T11:57:00.000+08:00

coming home from a night out is my most favorite time of the day.

the streets are empty, its dark out and driving alone, just listening to the radio or current ipod playlist is very therapeutic. i could do this for hours on end... there's nothing better than engaging in something mindless, like i'm on autopilot and just cruisin' along...

... i'm never gonna survive, unless, i get a little crazy

heard this on the radio, exactly at the intersection of Ayala Ave. and Makati Ave.

i'm not gonna bore you with all the S!*T and drama goin' through my mind, but the funny thing is, i found the most meaning in some random song playing at 2:43 am.

and i think it's true.

HEAT edsa shang

2007-03-25T01:38:00.001+08:00

HEAT edsa shang

meeting up with old friends AND Pathfinder movie

2007-03-24T15:05:00.000+08:00

meeting up with old friends and Pathfinder (the movie)

buying online

2007-03-24T15:03:00.000+08:00

buying online

MOVIE: 300

2007-03-12T22:19:00.003+08:00

watched 300 with my friend A in greenbeelt 3 and ooooh... the scene where you see all of the 300 spartans with that battle hungry look in their eyes plus...sigh, lovely, lovely abs...

*enter soundtrack here* its raining men..hallelujah! its raining men...oooh yeah! hahaha

i personally think it was well made, even though there weren't any big-named actors, they all gave a pretty solid performance playing their character roles. the wife of leonidas made me think "my god! i wanna be her!" she's so....STRONG! and the plunging neckline! ganda ng wardrobe. now when will i ever get a body like that?!?! and she is so full of...TENSION...just like king leonidas.

and speaking of king leonidas, now that's a REAL king. i mean he's right there in the frontline with his men. plus the fact he's so devoted to his wife. the scene where he says goodbye...ay heartbreaking talaga!!! if A wasn't there i would've bawled my eyes out.

and of course, Xerxes, the Golden Gay god hahaha winner portrayal!

i felt so bad for the oracle with her cursed beauty and was so revolted by the yucky yucky keepers of the oracle ugh.

It was like i could see the director Frank Miller envisioning all the blood and gore scenes with matching S-L-O-W motion effects to emphasize a point (but maybe a little less of the slow mo because i could somehow kinda predict when it would come hehe yesss i am dramatic too in that way)

the movie really really painted pretty pretty pictures, and well casted too. i wouldnt even mind watching it again. in fact i think i want to get a copy of it too...

ps. thanks to canmag.com for the pics

House of Soul - Tortured Soul Event

2007-03-10T19:32:00.000+08:00

House of Soul - Tortured Soul Event

success! the seminar went great!

2007-02-26T00:59:00.001+08:00

after spending countless days and nights preparing for this positive discipline seminar,

ITS FINALLY OVER!

thank God the team I worked with (meaning Anj, Giselle and Monique) did such a great job as we welcomed each others ideas and really put in a lot of effort for the things we were assigned to do. Im am soo soooo soooooooooooo happy.

it was quite well attended too. we were expecting around 40+ people and around 30+ came.

the open forum, which we were all dreading, went by without any glitches and the powerpoint plus the videos and everything else was well done....

challenging it was, AND i was thankful for the momentary distraction haha

PLUGGING! SPREAD THE WORD

2007-02-19T00:51:00.001+08:00

Please take a look at the wonderful poster!!!

And join the seminar too okay?

If you're not a parent yet,

pass the word to someone who is!

Ciao!

Terry's Gourmet and Frozen Brazo by Sweet Life

2007-02-17T21:58:00.000+08:00

Just came from my pre-birthday dinner in Terry's Gourmet in Pasong Tamo extension.

Actually, we weren't supposed to eat there. I've always wanted to eat in Cyma but never had the chance to. Having read reviews about it in other food blogs that I frequent, I was convinced just looking at the pictures! But sadly, they were fully booked for tonight (as it is the eve of the Chinese New Year)!!!!! Argh! FOiled again!

And so my next choice was Kimpura. Actually, have been missing the food in Kimpura but for some strange reason, whenever they would ask about were I wanted to eat, I would say Kamameshi instead of Kimpura hahahaha. They both start with K and both serve japanese food so sue me!

Then C suggested Terry's!! Good thing as it's also one of those restaurants I always see and have always wanted to try. Let me just tell you, as of today it is now one of my favorite restaurants. Their food is very, very good and the price is quite reasonable. YOU HAVE TO TRY IT!

We had the chicken croquettes, a meat and cheese plattter, Paella negra, the Shrimp Risotto with truffle oil, Sole Medallions with lemon butter and caper sauce, Lengua..... everything was soooo goood. Can't wait for the next event to eat here again.

And for dessert, we went home and ate the Frozen Brazo with Ice Cream from Sweet Life by Ange in San Lo. This is also very, very good!

God, I've been eating the whole day and it's all been good =) *oink *oink

Thailand 24 hour endurance karting AGAIN (part 2)

2007-02-11T11:13:00.000+08:00

YOU are NOT INVITED!

2007-02-11T00:49:00.000+08:00

I just remembered something that happened the other day.
It was funny but also sad (in a way). But I digress...

We were having dinner (or was it lunch) and the usual suspects were there, and the topic veered towards the kids, eventually towards discipline and parenting and stuff like that.

So then I remember that I had a seminar coming up and proceed to invite the bro-in-laws and basically everyone to come as I was going to be one of the speakers for it and it was going to be very informative and interesting. It was going to be about Positive Discipline, so we got to talk about what it was, how its done and etc.

And then M says "anu ba alam mo diyan, mas may alam sila diyan no kasi may anak na sila" to which I reply "Ang kapal mo talaga! You are not invited!" and proceed to laugh. And then C and the others say, "M, teacher yan no! She knows what she's doing, I've seen her around S and he actually listens to her, not like our weakest link N hehehe"

Yun lang. Food for thought.... I feel M thinks my work isn't "REAL" in a way and its all just play, a common misconception for most pre-school teachers I think. Oh well. No offense taken, I'm used to it.

And the sound bite in my head is
"Ill give you 4 hours with 16 kids and let's see how you last!"

I think its really time to push for Hongkong. Will see in November.

Thailand 24 hour endurance karting AGAIN

2007-02-10T23:49:00.000+08:00

(thanks to the website for this wonderful AD www.thailand24h.com)

NAMES HAVE BEEN OMITTED TO PROTECT PRIVACY

This time i wasn't able to go because of ...... BASTA many things :(
But of course, that won't stop me from getting text updates from friends who are there.

The enduro race is a four day event in the Birakart Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand which showcases on the last two days, a 24 hour enduro karting race. Since their very first one last 2006 (which I went to when the skies were still bright and sunnY), I heard improvements have been made (so far, I'm not there remember?!) and the event organizers are learning (thank God).

Like the fact that they actually have tents (with doors) for the teams but the problem now is not the non stop rain or poor-excuse-for-living-space which was what made the 2006 event quite unforgettable, but the hundreds of BUGS (non lethal)!!!

The ff. is a text account of events from pre race day to race day (in progress) which ends on Sunday, February 11.

FEBRUARY 8, 2007

A: Such an irony that last year D and V were struggling in the wet with minimum laps. Today, V was 3rd quickest in his stint while D was fastest of them ALL - a full 2 secs quicker than J! It is great as their confidence is up. Very important more strong teams this year.

T: Wow! So there is hope for the team to place in the top 3?

A: There is hope. In a race like this, though, I want them to have the right frame of mind. It will be a long race pa, but they started it right.

T: Good to hear that. :) Will be rooting for all of you here in Manila. Thanks for the update.

FEBRUARY 10, 2007 (early morning, race day)

T: This is it! Good luck to all you! I know you guys will do well. Dont forget to bring Shout hahahaha. VERY IMPORTANT!

A: Thank you! packed a secret stash of Shout, but the bugs will be our biggest nightmare. There are hundreds of them. They don't bite but they're just there!

T: Then Baygon katol and a lighter will be your best friend, or Citronella candles too. I can just imagine sleeping then having them crawling on you. Ugh.

A: Of course the "experts" that we are, we bought katol and imitation OFF lotion. We really should do candles. I'll update you as soon as we get on. Should start by 1 pm.

2:44 pm
A: Race started 12nn.
We qualified 7th and took the lead in traffic at 30 minute mark.
Gap is 1 second 23 hours and 15 minutes to go!

3:46 pm
A: 22 hours 20 minutes. V maintains pace. Al in. P1, 5 second lead

A: Some problems as driver change computerized with swipe card - Al forget to swipe on first stint. We almost got a penalty. Then on this change, Al didn't stop at fuel and went straight to driver box. Asked V to sit Al down and clear his mind. J in after 40 mins. Js and and V in charge now.

T: It's good to se you guys working as a team. go go go!

7:32 pm
A: 18 hours 38 minutes.
A did 45 minutes, J did 30 minutes.
Gap static at 1 lap to leaders.
We're in P2. Al out now (setting fastest laps), then P (our 80kilo Canadian)

T: How are the bugs? Which team is in P1 and P3?

A: Octopus in P1, Benefica in P3, French 1 in 5th. Benefica and French 1 won Le Mans 24 hour karting!

9:41 pm
A: 16 hours 27 minutes.
P7, 11 laps down as we did compulsory 8 minute maintenace stop.
Other teams must do maintenance also.
We must drive 0.5 seconds quicker than others now

T: Any chance of rain tonight?

A: No rain tonight. Besides D quick in the rain.
We really miss you - C just arrived and before that, we were struggling with duties.
It cant be done by 7 racers alone as 3 are always in rotation, 1 boss/strategist,
1 laptop/notebook encoder. And am always out as pics needed for sponsors.

T: Wish I was there, but....... Good thing C is there at least you guys have 1 den mother around.

T: You guys are 2/3rds away from the finish! konti na lang

D: Still P2!

T: Galing! Nahabol from P7.

11:12 pm
A: 14 ours and 55 minutes
Just outside 1 lap deficit but we are setting fastest times.
Js, D and I alternate till early morning. If you want updates past 12am, reply by SMS.

T: Okay, will apreciate the updates even after 12. Good luck to the three of you!

TO BE CONTINUED
_over and out_

re-connecting

2007-02-09T22:00:00.000+08:00

It's nice seeing old friends again! Good thing Jo decided to visit from HK, which gave us all the more reason to get together. I haven't seen these guys in ages!

What's funny was how we remembered the trivial things we used to do way back in MultiCenter...

such as....

- ordering lunch from Thai in a Box

- eating Cable Car rice and sneaking a wee bit amount of alcohol FOR LUNCH as well hehe

- having a break in the balcony and suddenly realizing we had to hide from neighbors as we found ourselves magically in San Lo territory

- breaking the wall blocks

- Pamudi

- playing Counter Strike or Hearts on the LAN when the kiddies were gone

- what ever happened to.... (insert former officemate here)

- 5 thirsty na!!

or maybe i look like...

2007-02-02T23:55:00.000+08:00

i look like.....

2007-02-02T23:43:00.000+08:00

A New Baby Yet Again!

2006-12-09T21:22:00.000+08:00

a day after my sis-in-law gave birth, it was my sisters turn!

please give a warm round of applause to Alexa Marie

Baby boom season... coming soon in April....

St. Scho 100 year reunion

2006-12-04T00:08:00.000+08:00

Last week, my friend B called me up and said "You need to go with me! Please? MY mom wants me to go and its going to be full of oldies!" Apparently it was the the St. Scho 100year reunion and frankly, I really had no plans of going. First, because it was going to be a looong event (starting at 3pm and ending at God-knows-what) and it was going to be full of oldies who I didnt even know hahaha.

But because of B's convincing power, I just had to go being the good friend that I am heehee. I wasn't to keen about the whole thing but what the heck right? I had free tickets anyway. And only went for dinner (catered by Via Mare).

So when we got there I got the shock of my life upon seeing Gate 1 and how much its changed since I was last there. After I graduated from high school i've never been back so it really was a shock.

The head of security now, which I saw at the gate was Ms. Manila (I wonder if she still is a Ms.?) who used to be my old P.E teacher in grade school. Weird!!!

It just felt really strange being in a place I used to be so familiar with. So and I went around the place just reminiscing about where we used to hang out hehe.

So for the kulasas out there, guess where these pics are:

new baby

2006-12-04T00:03:00.000+08:00

congratulations to bro and sis-in-law!!! grandchild number 3 is officially here!
6 lbs of cute-ness in a blue bundle.
say helllo to the world mikhail!
hmmm now thinking of nicknames to call him....