Bohol Bohol

Bohol Bohol

Here are some photos from our trip to Bohol.

The weather was awesome when we arrived. It had been raining for a couple of weeks and the forecast was gloomy, but it was all sunshine and cirrus clouds when we arrived.

We had booked a PAL flight to Tagbilaran via this packaged tour promo, and the flight was scheduled really early in the morning. We had to be at the Centennial Airport at 6AM...

The American Elections

I've been trying to follow the US Elections and may I say, it has really been very interesting, thought provoking, and (at the risk of sounding too geeky) really exciting. Haha.

Here's two very different candidates for the US Presidential seat: one old and experienced Caucasian guy called John (you can't get a more common white American name than that!), and the other an African American, black newbie Senator whose name, formerly unknown in the greater US and the rest of the world, but is now one of the most recognizable names in US Presidentiables history: Barack.

So it's John McCain vs Barack Obama. (Osama! ...no relation, just wanted to show how alike their names are, hehe!) I would personally vote for Barack, and apparently, so does majority of Americans (or at least the places where they do their polls). Obama has been leading in almost all the polls, be it online or otherwise. Although someone may argue that McCain's supporters are not exactly the crowd (or the generation?) that goes online and votes on polls. Obviously the younger Americans loves the younger candidate, but it's also Obama's "youth" and inexperience that they take against him.

And then there's the matter of the Vice President. If Obama is a Rockstar, then so Palin. Haha! If they win, she will probably NOT make a good VP in terms of skills and knowhow, but she will definitely capture the attention of the public.

Biden who?

I don't presume to know more than the average American Joe (or John) when I make this shamelessly unqualified prediction, that Barack will win. Despite the immense popularity of Palin, it's just not Palin vs Obama, it's the old guy vs Obama. And with a unique name like that, why wouldn't you vote for him?

Haha!

Bisperas ng Pasko

Yes I know it's only September. :p

I was checking the CCAFI Blog email when I saw a blog entry by UPCC alumnus and composer/arranger extraordinaire Manong Nhick Pacis (now based in the US). He posted a recording of a song called "Bisperas ng Pasko" on his Multiply page. He had this song recorded way back in 2000 (or 2001, not sure) when I was still kinda new with UPCC. Some of the members brought me to that "bara-bara" recording and I actually sang on it! (I sing the first few lines with Mon T.)
Here is the link>>
http://npacis.multiply.com/music/item/6
but you have to sign up with multiply before you can play it. :p hehe.

Enjoy!

I just feel like typing today

I have tons of work to do ... but I just feel like typing today (tonight, to be exact).

"Hey hey hey, are you OK?"
I am now a certified First Aider! I'm hoping I never get to use my new skills, but knowing that you know how to save someone's life is kinda cool. I can imagine how doctors must feel. Hehehe...

I'm off to Singapore (agen) next week for a few days. I'm attending a workshop this time around. Whoever is there, buy me some coffee aight. :D I'm leaving on Wednesday from the Centennial Airport (Terminal 2, the nicer airport). I'll be back in Maynila on Sunday next week. Oh, and I read somewhere that the NAIA 3 Terminal is now open (finally!).

They've formed a choir here in Shell Tabangao, and I'm one of the singers of course. Our conductor is a former Madz who took up Choral Conducting in the UPCMu.

It's a HOLIDAY on MONDAY! yay!

Tatay @ 50

Today, my dad celebrates his 50th Birthday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'TAY!!!


For the moment, my family is in different parts of the world: Tatay in Oman, Nanay & Ate in California, me in Batangas & Jett in Manila, but nevertheless, we will celebrate Tatay's 50th each in our own way. And the BIG parteh will come later. Hehe!


We love you Tatay!

Stupid Silly Poems of Overworked on a Friday

Office Instant Messenger at 6PM on a Friday night...

Officemate 1: Rey, pauwi na ba kayo in a few minutes?
Me: Hmm, how few is few?

a few is just bit
but another thought, just wait!
'coz a bit is less than few
or does that depend on you?
I know a couple is just two
so does few mean more than..., oooh
how about a "teka lang"
is it really short or long-

Officemate 1: huh?
Me: ....

just a pondering on "few"
maybe Tudoy or you knew
is it more than "several",
is it more than 1 at all?

Officemate 1: tudoy pls answer, di ko na nage-gets si rey
Officemate 2: weird na si rey

-end-

Avatar: The Last Airbender

If you're not already a fan, I suggest you go check it out!

It's coming to movie theaters too! (In July 2010 that is...) But still, that's awesome!

http://www.avatarchapters.org/

Random: Balong Malalim, Blood and Batangas

This, of course, is in reverse...

• MONDAY - I went to the clinic today to get a sliver out of my right thumb and get a flu vaccine. The former hurt more coz the nurse had to really dig for it under the skin with a needle. And yes, there was blood.
• SUNDAY - Still On duty in Batangas. Liz has been here since Friday night. Thank God. I had an odd feeling I would go crazy if I was alone that weekend. Blah.
• SATURDAY - My Tatay & my baby sis came back from US of A today. But I can't pick them up from the airport coz imma stuck in Batangas. // Do you know that song: "Gusto kong mag-swimming! Sa balong malalim!"? It's an oldie rock and roll song from Juan dela Cruz. It was awesome, I got to sing it for a Shell event. And even though it felt really weird, posing as a rakista and not being very convincing, I still enjoyed it. haha! Missing singing. We also did "Shadows grow so long (before my eyes!)" and "Surroundings (aka Kapaligiran)".

Gusto pang kumain! Kumain ng kumain! Di naman nabubusog sa kanyang kinain!

• FRIDAY - I thought I had seen the last of this RCA. Oh was I ever wrong...

Other random thoughts:

1. It's freakin raining again?!?!?
2. My thumb hurts. And I have scratched all over my arms and legs. I'm never gardening again.
3. David Cook won AI7 last week. And now he has 11 songs in the Billiboard Hot 100! Holy crup!
4. Hot and Spicy Nagaraya. Yum. What's for dinner. I'm hungry!!!
5. Who cares?

Suddenly Taller

I feel suddenly taller.

But my head also feels suddenly heavier.

Like it's harder to balance when I walk...

I do miss that

You're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna' miss this

Friday

Venerdi!
Wow-wowi!
Pauwi
Na kami!

Manila
Pupunta!
Miss ko na
Pamilya

At Gelpren.
Bukas den
Dalawen,
Kakaen

Sa labash.
Ampaw cash,
Need car wash.
New Year Bash

Kong Hei Fat
Year of Rat!
Choi forgot!
Ay lagot.

Of spiders, cars & choirs, and being a lazy blogger

Crap.

I've been going through some of my friends' blogs and, not surprisingly, they have been updating regularly for the past few weeks...gah... and I haven't.

I had actually planned to blog about the giant (giant!) spider I confronted (and eventually vanquished!) in my bathroom in Batangas on that fateful night when I arrived late and tired...

I was also going to blog about my new car (MY new car! still brings a smile to my face to say that! haha!) which I picked up from Honda just last week. It's a 2007 Honda Civic 1.8 S Automatic. I hope the license plate will arrive by Christmas (please make it my Christmas gift!) so I can drive it to Batangas on the 26th...

I also wanted to blog about the UPCC, some exciting news about a Switzerland tour and a competition, American shows putting choirs on the forefront and into the mainstream (google Clash of the Choirs and MTV Show Choir), and some less than exciting news about losing momentum and losing members...

Of course I also wanted to blog a Christmas wishlist (a 2-seater reading couch please :D)...
...and about our visit to Eastridge to visit our future resthouse...
...and about my horrendous 5-hour trip to Batangas...
...and about my first visit to Lola Oreng's grave...
...and so many other things.

I want to blog, but...
...sigh...

maybe later.

Boracay 2007

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Boracay Vacation

Liz and I went to Boracay (my second time, and her first!) during that long Holiday weekend of Nov 1 (Thursday) to 4 (Sunday). We stayed at the 357 Hotel at Station 3. It was a beach front and was a nice, clean place. The beach was nice enough, quiet and clean. It would be great place to just relax, bake under the sun, maybe read a book, or get a nice massage on the beach.

We had dinner at 357 Hotel on our first night, and the food was okay too. But the best meal we had, I think, was our Greek lunch at Zuzuni Restaurant (or it could be because we walked from Station 3 to Station 2, past D-mall, and almost to the border of Station 1, and we were damn hungry! Rawr!)

Boracay Activities

On Day 1, Nov 1, we arrived at the hotel at around 1pm. Walked from Station 3 to Station 2, looking for a place to eat...blah blah blah...walked around D-mall some more then went back to Station 3. Swam in the uber awesome (yes, if you haven't gone yet, you have to go) waters of Boracay, then lounged around in front of our hotel in our swimsuits, taking in the sights, the sounds of the waves... :sigh: sinusulat ko lang, nami-miss ko na ulit... haha! We had dinner at the hotel that night, on the beach. :D

Day 2 was our activity day: First went on a day-long Island hopping/Snorkeling/Spelunking trip. The spelunking part consisted of a 2-minute half walk-half crawl inside a narrow and low ceiling passage to see Cave 2 of the Crystal Cove (and you have to pay a hundred bucks to get in!). We went to the famous Crocodile Island for our final snorkeling dip. We brought a small bread loaf to feed to the fishies, and were they ever hungry! It was really great fun to see and feel them "biting" your fingers. Liz said she also "Found Nemo". :D

Boracay Food and Transportation

Lunch was included in the tour package. We had a fill of seafood and bbq on stick, Boracay style (whatever that means). Naalala ko lang, on the tour with us was this Taiwanese lady who was by herself. She kept complaining about everything from the dead corals (coz she couldn't see anything daw), to the food, to the lunch venue... panira ng mood. Haha.

After that, we went back to the hotel and showered. We walked to D-mall again and had dinner there, shopped for souvenirs and pasalubong, & got our (cliche) Henna tattoos. We wanted to go to the Reggae party at Summer Place but still had our purchases with us, so we went to the other end of D-mall to look for a ride. Apparently, the trikes cost P100 each, one way, AND they won't take you up to the beach (so you have to walk). Then they suggested we take a (gasp!) a single motorcycle for only (tanan!) P20 each one way! It took us a while, but we eventually decided to take the motorcycle (gasp! no helmets!), with me reminding the driver over and over again (and over and over again) to drive slow. Needless to say, we got to the hotel and back to D-mall in 1 piece. :D yay!

The party was great! We had a couple of drinks, just enough so that we could dance without feeling silly. ;) I still can't remember the name of the band that played though. Maybe you can help me out, one of their songs goes like, "Marami ang namamatay-haayy...sa maling akala, ooh yeah!"

Boracay Photos

Day 3 was more swimming :sigh:, more shopping, more lazy walks on the beach, we attempted to make a sand castle to no avail, had lunch at a Thai resto and had ice cream in D-mall, we got a massage on the beach, and we watched firedancers perform. :D

On our last day, we swam in the Boracay waters one last time, we shopped around for last minute souvenirs and pasalubong, then we were off to Kalibo airport for our flight back to the real world. :sigh:

For more photos from our Boracay trip check out my Multiply page here - Boracay Photos!

Liz and I had a WONDERFUL TIME in Boracay! :D It was really worth all the trouble we went through to push through with the trip. Next year ulit! Hahaha!