Art Tikol

Four consecutive days already that I was going home not later than 8pm. Malaking himala!

*bumukas ang langit at nagtugtugan ang mga anghel*

I dunno what's up with me lately that I was opting to go home early. Wala din naman kasing nag schedule ng basketball this week and our regular tambay nights in Greenbelt is on indefinite suspension. Tinatamad naman ako dumaan kela Tita 9, or tumambay kela Arvs sa Virramall, or sa Shak. Hindi pa natuloy yung golf session namin sa Chilli Peppers.

*golf* *golf* *golf* *buuuuurp!*

Kawawa naman si San Miguel at mga Pulang Kabayo niya. Namuti siguro mga mata nila kakahintay sa amin. We definitely should make it up with them sometimes. And speaking of making up, dahil apat na araw akong nagtimping hindi gumala, iL be on the road once again later tonight! Wooot!

Our team here in the office was able to secure advanced seats for "Transformers" in Greenbelt. Dinner might follow afterwards, kapag may oras pa. Ga-aga kasi ng nakuha naming slot... some time 6:30-ish in the evening. On regular Fridays, lumalabas pa lang ako ng office ng gentong oras. Punta pa ko sa Shak pag medyo maaga-aga pang natapos ang lahat ng kaguluhang ito.

So what have I done during those four days that I stuck my sorry ass early at home?

*kulitan with my sis's twins... goo-goo ga-ga
*assembled miniatures and prepared them for painting
*caught up with reading stuffs
*goofed around, the goofball I am
*hugged the guitar... and played too
*dreamed (sumagot din ang pager ni Iday sa wakas!)
*re-acquainted myself with my housemates (in case they forgot that I still live there)
*ate. lots. pfft.
*flexed some maskels with my dumbbells (a pitiful attempt on compensating with the previous entry)
*couch-potatoed

On another note, I'm currently writing an article about airsoft. This will be the first of three articles that iL be writing for our company's online intranet newsletter - Kalesa Blog. The Philippine general manager wanted to include a hobby and craft section and I outrightly have em choose among several of my hobbies when they picked me to write the article. I brought up two choices that I thought would appeal to our Australian and English counterparts: airsoft and miniature painting - two of my pastimes that are working on the extreme spectrums of hobbying... miniature painting for the geek-side and airsoft for the jock-side. Kitang kita ang schizophrenic tendencies. Hahaha.

They thought that airsoft would be an interesting pick. I thought... yes, at least it won't torment them to boredom as opposed to miniature painting. So ayun, airsoft it is! I'll be posting em here as soon as I'm done. The other two articles will be a song review and a movie review. I've already picked Christina Aguillera's "Candyman" for the song review since it's ranking good on the Australian and English music charts. For the movie, iL most likely do "Transformers" since most of the cool movies lately are all sequels and it's kinda uninteresting on the readers' part if they haven't watched the prequels yet.

*****

Current reads:
God Emperor of Dune (Part 4 of the Dune saga by Frank Herbert)
- This book is one of six in a set that I bought on a garage sale in Milson's Point, New South Wales for cheaps AND take note, this are the original late 70's paperback release of the Dune books!! Okay, for the non-geeks... it simply means that the set I got is a premium, hard-to-find item. I read the first two books in Sydney while I finished the third one here. FYI, the Dune saga is often referred to as the "Lord of the Rings" of sci-fi books... a monicker that put it to greatness way beyond Starwars or Star Trek.

Art of War (Sun Tzu)
- I've alreay finished reading this book back when I was in highschool. It was my dad's copy actually. My kababata whom I lent it too lost it, though. I felt I need to read it again and digest the stuffs in it more intensively so I bought another copy for me-self. It's a pretty popular read these days but for those who are not familiar with it, Sun Tzu is a brilliant military strategist who lived during the dynastic era of China and this book was a transcribed version of his tactical collections and martial texts.

White Dwarf - Canada (April and June issues)
- The monthly magazine for Games Workshop's Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, and Lord of the Rings game system. GW is the official manufacturer of the miniature figures that we are painting and playing with. White Dwarf features upcoming miniature releases, gaming and painting articles, and purty scale models that are supposed to hypnotize us into buying more of their products. I have to thank Jeff for buying me these issues from all the way to Canada!

For Him Magazine (latest issue)
- Joyce Jimenez cover!!! Reprezent! My former ultimate kras is back with a vengeance. Ganda ng photo shoot niya peksman. Di nagbago si Joyce... lupit talaga ng face value. The latest issue has a snippet of their 100's Sexiest Women and Katrina Halili (my current ultimate kras!) is still the reigning number 1 for twice in a row! Reprezent! Wooot! If only I could get these pages signed by my dyosas. Sabay sunggaban ko sila agad... magpipiyansa na lang ako!!! Hahaha.

Mahusay na Apat: Kanin ng Pilak na Thrasher

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

The film started with updates on how did the life of the foursome go since the first film. This time, Reed and Sue were scheduled to get married but for some turn of events, a mysterious entity, Silver Surfer, appeared to wreck havoc to the world and the team was forced to postpone the wedding and work with the US armed forces to subdue the alien. They were not getting much progress as the Surfer proved to be much aware of their every moves.

Enter, Victor Von Doom! *lightning sparks*

He was somehow restored back to life and on a close encounter with the sparkly surf dude, Doctor Doom was able to secure important information that can be used against Silver Surfer. He employed his aid to the US armed forces and an unlikely alliance was formed between him and his old foes, the Fantastic Four. Through the brilliance of Doctor Richards and Silver Surfer's apparent affinity with Sue (I mean c'mon, who's not gonna go gaga over Miss Alba), they were finally able to capture the alien by separating him from his power source - the surfboard. With his twisted schemes, Victor was able to snatch the surfboard from the US military and augment his powers to even greater heights.

With not much time left, as they discovered that a world devourer (Galactus) was about to destroy the world and that Surfer was their only chance to salvation, the Fantastic Four set out to rescue Silver Surfer and capture back the surfboard... which (of course) they were able to do. And they all lived happily ever after.

At least not after the Surfer sacrificed himself to eliminate the Galactus threat.

The film is generally decent: mediocre plot, CG effects, acting, and all. It's just disheartening to take note that despite the hype and all anticipation of a grand battle from watching the previews, there are really not much of an outright combat in the movie. There's this scene of the Torch vs. Surfer or Torch vs. Doom, but they din't have the quality of a fast-paced, "superheroic", cinematic fight as say compared to Spiderman vs. the New Goblin in Spiderman 3. Even the group assault of the Fantastic Four against Doctor Doom in the final scenes of Fantastic Four 1 can outdo all the battle scenes in Fantastic Four 2 (FF2) combined. And that scene on part 1 is just mediocre to start with, unfortunately.

True to it's form, though, the movie kept much in line with the comicbook identity of the team. I personally liked how the continuity of each of the members' personalities still carried on to this sequel. I know many will have quirks on the appearance of Galactus as a gaseous entity of sorts, but I really would have to prefer him as such than his original purple-helmeted giant figure as seen in the comics. Silver Surfer is a great representation too. I really felt his commanding aura and his outlandish impression. Probably, it's Lawrence Fishburne's voice there that made the magic.

Jessica Alba is searing hot, hands up. BUT I will still have to stand by my opinion that she's NOT physically apt for the role. Susan Richards (Invisible Woman) from the comicbooks is a white blonde which is very much in contrast with what Miss Alba is, naturally. I don't even think she is of the right height if memory serves me well, but heck... I'm too lazy to do my research at the moment but I believe there's a lot of discrepancies there. I'm not up for an "up-to-the-last-dot" similarities but they should have at least satisfied the fans' childhood image of the Invisible Woman.

Doctor Doom is more worth to be the evil brain this time. I dig. I don't like how the Fantastic Four fall for such a ploy of his. It looks stupid. But I guess they just have no choice since it's the destruction of the world that is at stake. Still, they could have at least be more vigilant of his schemes. The Thing and Human Torch banter is still a hit for me. I like it when those two clashed with each other with their antics, and there's still a lot of it in this movie although you can feel that their relationship became more of a casual antagonist to each other unlike on the first film where they just plainly loathed each other.

"Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is a so so film, all in all. It's likely that it's not something you'll be remembering as one of your all-time favorites but it won't be on your all-time crap movies either. It's relatively short and is a good popcorn movie for the family. A good way to past time in a mall, definitely. Six gulamans worth.

*****

Added an album on my Multiply site... pics from our company dinner at Dencio's.

Lakwatserong Kalbo

Kwentong Tambay, Da Return

Huwebes
Superbowl - Glorietta

Nagpa-chicha si Chiqui at si Koya Mike M. sa mga Avengers at Survivors ng kumpanya. Despedida nila. Si Chiqui mananatili na sa Sydney at si Mike naman sa Auckland, kasama ang pamilya. Parang (anong tagalog sa "reunion"?) re-unyon (?!?) ang nangyari.

Attendance:
Avengers - Miming, Lizette, Mike M. + wife, Laan, Carlos, Fungi, Chiqui, Kix, Fred, Fitz, Bathalumang Mark
Survivors - Obi, Koya Jeff, Mike L., Myce, Dens, Glenn, Bubung
Guest - Mike Karakter

Ambilis ng aplikasyon nila... si Chiqui, pitong buwan lang. Sila Mike, dalwang taon. May isa akong kilala na sa Australia din ang destinasyon, isang taon naman ang paglalakad niya ng papeles. Kapatid ko at bayaw nakapag pasa na rin ng petisyon papunta sa Lupa sa Kailaliman (Land Down Under). Napapa-isip na tuloy ako kung panahon na para mag ibang bansa. Ayaw ko man kasi, masasabi ko naman talagang wala akong maiiwan bukod sa mga malapit kong kamag-anak.

Andrama ampota.


Biyernes
Virramall, Greenhills

Dating gawi, tambay hanggang magsara ang tindahan ng tropa. Buhay ang Fortress nung araw na yun dahil dinaluhong ng tambay na manlalaro ng baraha ang istante. Inaliw ko ang sarili sa panonood ng laro at pagtanaw sa mga dumadaang konyo.

Matapos ang pagsarado ng gusali, naisipan namin ni Arvs at Marlo na maglaman muna ng tiyan bago tumambay sa Kamias. Ang dapat na Dannylicious ay nagawing In-and-Out, na nagawing Shak Likod, na sa wakas ay napag-isipan na lamang dumayo sa Fairview para lang mag shawarma ulit. Muntik pa kaming ma-aksidente sa Commonwealth dahil sa isang jologs na trak. Bwiset. Di na lang natuloy. Iiyak kaya si Iday.

Matapos ang paglamon, bumalik kami sa kabihasnan at tumambay sa Shak hanggang maubusan ng baterya ang kukote at maubos ang luha kong di naman pumapatak.

Wushus... utot'mo!


Sabado
Rob Galleria, Ortigas

The Exhibit Banner

Lampas tanghalian na ko dumating para tumao sa eksibit na aming ginaganap sa Galleria. Wala pang Shak Boyz. Malamang napasarap sa tulog ang lahat. Maulan pa man din sa labas. Anak ng patola oh.

Buti may katagpuan ako nung araw na yun. Si Jeff, si Mike, at si Paulo. May negosyong unggoy (monkey business) kami na ukol sa mga maliliit na laruang aming pinipinturahan. Sa kalagitnaan ng tambay namin, nagdatingan yung mga kolokoy ng paunti-unti.

Attendance: Arvs, Obi, Mike, Jeff, Paulo, JC, Pork, Jake + 1, Ed + 1, Jason, Fluffy + 1, IPMS Boys

Braille scale tanks of World War 2. Mostly assembled/painted by our very own Jumping Johnny!

Alas kwatro na ng hapon pero nag "agahan" pa din kami sa KFC. Dalwang bucketmeal. Walang pakelaman, gutom kami. Maraming tumitingin sa lamesa namin sa eksibit. Takaw atensyon talaga ang mga hinagupak na tao-tauhan. Daig pa yung mga chicks na rumoronda ng naka shorts. Tambay lang kami magdamag. Ang pesteng lugar, may magkatabing tindahan ng Globe at Smart pero naghihingalong ingkong ang signal ko... kadalasan pa ay wala.

Sobrang lakas na ng ulan sa labas. Pupunta sana kaming "Fete dela Musique" sa Malate pero sa takbo ng pagbuhos ay mukang malabo na talaga. Tumambay na lang ulit kami sa Shak. Dumating sila JP at Joma, habang inabutan namin si Asshole at si Jumping Johnny. Coke party na lang kami. Kalahati ng ispirito ko tuwang tuwang sa paglagok ng cox. Ang kalahati, wala sa sarili sa pangungulila.

Anak ng... yun yun e!


Linggo
Malate Area

Simba kami ni Sponklong sa Simbahan ng Malate. Yung misang tanghali pa din ang puntirya namin. Piyesta nga pala ni San Juan kaya maraming nagbabasaan sa labas. Taxi na kami. Peste kasi kung mabasa yung japorms ko. Muka na nga kong dugyot, padudugyotin pa lalo.

Kasama dapat si Pinsan Idol, kaso napasarap sa paghilik. Pumunta na lang kami sa tirahan nila matapos ang misa. May dala akong password: isang cox at isang kahang Philip Morris. Sinubukan kong mag runung-runungan at kinalikot ko yung kompyuter nila sa bahay. Wala kasing koneksyon sa Internet. Sumuko din ako makalipas ang ilang minutong pamamarunong.

Nagpaturo ako ng direksyon ke Pinsan Idol papuntang SSC (Shawarma Snack Center). Kainan to ng mga Arabo at gusto ko patikimin si Sponklong ng pagkain dito. Liblib ang lugar, pero malapit na siya sa Rob Malate. Umorder kami ng kebab pero ubos na. Ang kinain namin ay beef tikka ang tawag. Wala akong pakelam kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng pangalan niya basta nasarapan ako at si Sponklong. Gamahal nga lang. Tumama ng limandaan ang kinain namin. Partida, hindi pa gaanong mabaho ang hininga namin ng lumabas kami.

Natawa ako sa sarili ko ng makita ko yung mga bumbay at arabong kumakain. Naging pang sanggol ng de oras yung mga balbon ko. Haha. "I belong!"

Pumunta na kaming Rob Malate matapos kumain. Nagliwaliw lang kami ng konti at nang mahilo na kami sa kaka-ikot, nanood na kami ng "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer". Mamwede mwede naman na siya para sa akin. Nag grocery lang kami ni Sponklong matapos manood tapos bumili ako ng damit na vintage na may malaking muka ni Belia Flores sa harap (peksman!). Tapos dumiretso na kami pabalik sa condo ni Tita 9. Di rin kami nagtagal, umuwi din kami agad. Sapat na ang pag aliw sa sariling ginawa ko para sa araw na ito. Bukas naman ulit... o hanggang sa tuluyan nang hindi na ito kailanganin.

Wow, tinginang yan... sagad na.


Lunes
Chilli Pepper's

Binalak kong umuwi ng maaga ngayon pagkatapos nitong trabaho't sa bahay na lang muli mag mukmok. Pero sadyang matulungin si San Miguel at ang kanyang Pulang Kabayo sa mga taong nangangailangan ng panandaliang ginhawa sa puso. Nag YM si Flash. Inuman daw sa Chilli Pepper's kasama ang Justice League-HP. Magsisimula na sila sa loob ng bente minuto. Kwarenta minuto pa ang imamalagi ko dito bago ako makasunod sa kanila pero tinginang yan, hindi naman nila siguro gagawing Yakult ang serbesa. May aabutan pa ko.

Ang kailangan ko lang ay manalig.


*****

More pictures from the scale modelling exhibit and the Super Bowl night out will follow and hopefully, together with my commentary for the "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" movie. I just need time! Meron bang nabibiling oras sa Quiapo??

Men's White Lies

One day, when a man was sitting close to a river, his wedding ring fell into the river. When he cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, "My dear child, why are you crying?"

The man replied that his wedding ring had fallen into the water.

The Lord dipped His hand into the water and pulled up a platinum wedding ring set with diamonds.

"Is this your wedding ring?" the Lord asked

The man replied, "No."

The Lord again dipped into the river. He held out a silver wedding ring ringed with sapphires. "Is this your wedding ring?" the Lord asked.

Again, the man replied, "No."

The Lord reached down again and came up with a bronze wedding ring. "Is this your wedding ring?" the Lord asked.

The man replied, "Yes."

The Lord was pleased with the man's honesty and gave him all three wedding rings to keep, and the man went home happy.

Some years later, the man was walking with his wife along the riverbank, and his wife fell into the river and disappeared under the water.

When he cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?"

"Oh Lord, my wife has fallen into the river!"

The Lord went down into the water and came up with Jessica Alba.

"Is this your wife?" the Lord asked.

"Yes," cried the man.

The Lord was furious. "You lied! That is an untruth!"

The man replied, "Oh, forgive me, my Lord it is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said 'no' to Jessica Alba, You would have come up with Angelina Jolie. Then if I said 'no' to her, You would have come up with my wife. Had I then said 'yes', You would have given me all three. Lord, I believe in only loving one wife so that's why I said 'yes' to Jessica Alba.

So the man went home with Jessica Alba and the Lord was pleased.

The moral of this story is: Whenever a man lies, it's for a good and honorable reason, and in the best interest of others.

That's our story, and we're sticking to it.

Signed,
All Us Men

[emailed by a friend]

Must be Sporty! Not be Mushy!

We had our regular basketball games last night at the Makati Stock Exchange and my body's oddly not aching as it use to after such exertion. There were three teams including us here in the office and we won the first match against our friends from Check Systems. I wore for the first time this jersey I bought from Virramall last Sunday - a Golden State Warriors, Jason Richardson (23) replica. I so hate the Warriors for defeating my favorite NBA team, Dallas Mavericks, in the first round of the conference finals! But, I just want to kid with my friends that I'm already jumping ship to the Warriors because of the Mav's upset.

The Mavs has the league's best season record this year (I think it's within the Top 20 for NBA's all-time best) and their star player (and my super idol), Dirk Nowitzki (41), is the current MVP of the conference. I've been collecting NBA cards of him lately and I already have three cards which has actual fragments of Dirk's game-used jersey. Too bad, his autographed card is in limited distribution that it actually costs around 24 grand a piece! Aray. Good luck, kung magkaron ako nun. I'm also into imitating his game moves. The 7-footer giant can run and dribble like a guard, and his shooting streak is infamous - just the kind of game style I like. I might be nowhere near his height but at typical Pinoy standards I should be on forward position. Despite that, I often play as a guard when I have the chance (like last night) just to improve my ball-handling skills and is continuously making good progress with my ranged shots (scores majority of my baskets on perimeter most of my games).

Easy gaming lang. No need for those fancy in-the-fly layups. Mababa kasi ako tumalon, in relation to my height. So, I focus more on hanging back for a long-distance kill or a step-fake then clutch jump. That look on your opponent's face after you made a crosshair out of his extended blocking arms is priceless.

Anyway, together with us last night was the Flash, a close friend back in my HP days (the Justice League-HP) and a teammate during my basketball stints there. I invited him for the game and I learned from him that HP's already starting with their inter-company league. Tingina, nakaka-miss maglaro with these guys. I've been playing ball with them since 2002, waaaay back when our office was still in 6750. Kumbaga kahit yung kung kelan kami uutot sa loob ng basketball court alam na naming mga magkakakampi. Ganun namin ka-predicted yung moves ng bawat isa sa tagal na naming magkakasama maglaro. I even remembered playing basketball on the Flash's hometown of Ilocos Sur on bare foot. Haha. By the beach! O-ha.

HP-GRAD Team Days
L-R: Obi@7 (obvious naman di ba), Berns@3, Flash, Pussy

*****

Had an early lunch a couple of hours ago here in my desk and I don't intend to be stuck here for the entire workday, so I wandered around the area again. This time, I ventured on the Barangay Bel-Air side of Salcedo Village, passing by the Makati Sports Complex perimeter. This is in spite of my aching leg muscles due to last night's basketball games. But stretching it up for a walk sort of eased the strain. Kung ganun lang din sana kadali magpagaling ng puso. Ahuhuhuy! Tingina, mushy na oh.

Saw some of my officemates on my way back so I chilled with them for a while. It was a tempting time to light a death stick and contribute to the smog pumped about by the nearby throng of call dudes, but thinking better of it, I just bought a mango juice while on the tambay. Pinaniwala ko na lang ang sarili ko na hindi ako tensiyonado.

Must be Geeky! Not be Mushy!

This has been one of those weekends that I, for any reasons, did not have to venture on the Northernlands where I get wussy mushy inside. Buti naman.

Thus, it goes...

Friday
After work...
The company sponsored a night out at Dencio's - Jupiter with all the employees. It was a night of gluttonous proportions as the food (and alcohol) just kept on flowing regardless of the status of our overworked guts! Sabi nga nung isang waiter with a sarcastic smirk, "Goodluck, Sir. Sana mabusog kayo." Even a deathstick won't appease my grumbling stomach. Much heckling and goofing around ensued. Pictures to follow!

After that, the plan was to go to the Fortress in Virramall OR straight to da Shak for another tambay night session with whoever drops by. But it was Kuneho's birthday and he invited me for an extended night out. He was on Joel Torre's Manukan in Sgt. Esguerra to celebrate. Sabi ko ke Kuneho tatambay lang ako dahil sobrang sagad nako both in food and drinks, and so I rushed up north to meet them. He was with his gf, his gf's younger sis, his younger sister, and some cousins.

Hindi na rin kami nagtagal sa Manukan (syempre, nawala-wala pa muna ako sa paghahanap... ganun ako kagaling maglakwatsa sa QC e). Hinatid lang namin yung sis niya sa Project 8 (?) then we went to Tiendesitas for the Alchemy Bar. Ang kaso mo, yung sister ng gf niya hindi pinayagan makapasok dahil sa slippers. Hindi rin pala auto pass kahit Havaianas pa yan. So we basically just chilled around before hitting home. Next Friday na lang daw ulit.


Saturday
After a long sleep...
Walang sawang tulog until some minutes before noon. Got to play with the twins before prepping up to go to Virramall.

Hinintay lang namin ni Crispy si Marlou, then we headed to Hobby Haven in Katipunan to hang out for the day's miniature tournament. The place was, as usual, jampacked...

Attendance: Tiny, Kei, Dick, Kim, Arvs, Obi, Marlou, Raymund, Chris, Patrick, Clemence, Clarence, Fluffy, Jacob, Benito, Pork, Jake, Doc Lance, Gelo, Fuhrer, Kulyong, SJ, Chico, Jumping Johnny, Little John, parang may nakalimutan pa ko ah...

After the games ended by pass 8 in the evening, me, Mussolini, Crispy, John Liit, and Fluffy headed to In-and-Out Steaks Kamias for dinner. We rode back to Haven after the meal to pick up the guys and the night continued at da Shak... Mayor Tengco, Doc Marco, and Plim, awaiting our arrival. Torotot Boy once again on the background with his broken saxophone tunes on the neighboring room. Wootut! Wootut!

Class dismissed by some minutes past 12 midnight, only to find my cousin JC at home with Sponklong having DVD sessions. Slept at around 3am.


Sunday
After a long sleep...
Was able to goof around with the twins again before packing up for the day's adventure. No gunbang session this time as the boyz of Screaming BB's have domestic tasks to fullfil. Woke up late! And remembered that I was suppose to attend a mass in Malate with the bro and pinsan Idol. Texted her immediately that the plan will not push through. Awk!

Packed up my stuffs for Virramall. Assembled some of my miniature figs there amongst gawking passers by. Was able to finish a squad of Cygnaran Stormguards and they should be ready for basecoating soon.

Geek mode on.

After dinner at Yoshinoya, we headed back to da Shak to check on Pork who was busy working on an Armoured Core scale model which he was finishing in one effin day!!! This has to be in time for the International Plastic Modellers' Society - Bert Anido Chapter (IPMS-BAC) Armoured Core Competition which he should submit at around 10 that night in Robinson's Galleria.

The scale robot is preeeetty, despite being rushed in assembly and painting. Yes, the insanity is infectious that I should learn how to use an airbrush too. Soon.

Joma arrived at the Shak. No cox in tow. Himala! Buti na lang may Coke kami in reserve. Much tox ensued while Koya stayed in focus for his work. Anito Dog, still as smelly as hell. By around 9:30pm, binitbit na namin lahat ng miniature models for display and rushed to Galleria. It was ingress night for the IPMS's week-long exhibit.

Pag dating dun, tumulong kami mag ayos ng lugar. After the glass panels and tables were assembled, inumpisahan na namin ilatag yung mga miniature figs. As usual, pinagkaguluhan yung mga miniatures ng mga IPMS boys. Oo nga naman, isn't it insane to paint models as small as your thumb? Pero tama yung sinasabi ni Arvs na kung tutuusin mas madali yung ginagawa namin kesa sa kanila. Sa amin kapag nagkamali, madaling burahin or linisin yung errors. All we need is a steady hand and a good eye to work on small details. Sa kanilang modellers ng scale tanks and aircrafts, mas maliit ang room for error since kapag nagkamali sila, kitang kita yung diperensya. Still, they think we miniature painters are insane. Baka nga. Hehe.

IPMS's exhibit last 2005 in Megamall

Ed, Jumping Johnny, and Jason were there din pala with all the miniature model craziness in tow. All the setting up ended at around 2am tapos pumunta kami ng Ortigas to look for a place to chow. We ended up at this Japanese resto near the Call Center strip in Strata. It was downtime on that place last night, when on usual weekdays it was crowded up with spunky call center agents and death stick smog.

Class dismissed at some minutes past 3am kanina. And yep, may pasok ako ngayon. Ayun, I'm half Zombie now.

Geek mode off.

Eto na yung shameless plug:
International Plastic Modellers' Society - Bert Anido Chapter (IPMS-BAC) will have an exhibit of scale models and miniature figs from June 18-23 at the Robinsons Galleria. It will showcase plastic model kits from ships, armoured vehicles, to aircrafts. Mecha Pinoy also has their own sci-fi section for the Armoured Core competition, and to bolster their display, our tropa at da Shak, care of Ed, will exhibit sci-fi and fantasy miniature figs from different miniature gaming systems. The exhibit place is near the Galleria Food Court and McDonald on the ground floor of the building (the open space just across Pho Hoa). Our table is the only one table with lotsa cute little miniature armies (infantry, dragons, and cavalries) on display. You can't miss it.

Visit there if you have time. I might drop by this Thursday and Friday night and most likely the whole day of Saturday before going to the Fete dela Musique 2007. See you!

*****

Extrang epal:

New album on my Multiply account...

Lakwatserong Kalbo

These were collated pictures of my airsoft games in Camp Masada, San Mateo, Rizal.

Must be Frenchy! Not be Mushy!

This year, Pulp Magazine will play host to the much anticipated Fete Dela Musique 2007. It's scheduled to be held at June 23, 2007 on various spots in Malate. Here are the line up of the gigs:

UNIVERSAL STAGE (Rajah Sulayman Stage, in front of Roxas Blvd.)
Bands: Orange and Lemons, Stonefree, Salamin, Cynthia Alexander, Radioactive Sago Project, Up Dharma Down, Mayonnaise, The Dawn, Alibata, Mojolfy, Wake Up Your Seatmate, Snakecharmer, Lala, Kadangyan, Slapshock , Bloomfields, etc.

*This should be a good stage. I dunno what they mean of "UNIVERSAL" but rock feats like Slapshock and The Dawn are a bit off to be on this stage. Radioactive Sago, reprezent! A definite must-watch for me. I'm also looking forward for Lougee's piece with Mojofly. She's soooo purtty yet so "rock-y"... me digs. Marry me, Lougee!

Be the Mom of my kids!! I beg you!! Pleeeeaaaaaaseeee!!!

ROCK STAGE (Remedios Circle, Malate)
Bands; Chicosci, Sin, Badburn, Moyg, Intolerant, Hampaslupa, Boyelroy, Severo, Hilera, Greyhoundz, Cog, Valley of Chrome, Kapatid, Join The Club, Ressurected, Typecast, Ambassadors, Check, Analog, End of Man, Mortal Fear, El Mercurio, Pinup Girls, Ducks Entertainment, The Wuds, Vox de Murk, Redd Boy, Eternal Now, Effinboiche, Reklamo, Dirty Stone Yard, Giniling Festival, April Morning Skies, Subscapular, Queso, etc.

*Dito ako malamang tatambay. Might as well bring my gunbang vest and helmet for flying bottles and a day of jumping and slamming. GREYHOUNDZ!!!

WORLD STAGE (Nakpil Street cor. Maria Orosa Street)
Bands: Peryodiko, Taken by Cars, Day Dream Cycle, Drip, Makatha, Cosmic Love, Switch, Salindiwa, Milagros Dance Hall Collective, The Chongkeys, Rinka Collective, Bagetsaf Onik, Paramita, 4MH, Jeepney Joyride, Blue Rats, Space Flower Show, Jerome Rico, Sound, Wahijuar A, Brass Munky, Bembol Rockers, Coffee Break Island, Swissy, Outerhope, Bandang Shirley, Blazing Bulalakaw, Juan Pablo Dream, Musical Orgasm, Pinikpikan, Spy, Skabeche, Johnny Alegre Affinity, Sino Sikat

*So so stage. Drip! Paramita! Juan Pablo! Chillax 'to. But I doubt iL stay long around here.

HIPHOP STAGE (Nakpil Street cor. Adriatico)
Bands: Sinag, Nimbus 9, Krazykyl E, Slick 'n Sly Kane/Mista Blaze, Corporate Lo-fies, Audible, Syke, Pamilia Dimagiba, Chilitees, Out of Body Special, Mobbstarr, Jay Flava, Miscellaneous, Stick Figgaz, The Expansion Team, Urban Outlaws, Artstrong, Dash & Esp, Monique with Metagrove, Ill-J, 2tay, People's Future, Flipballz, Aero, Ampon, Los Indios Bravoz, Diwata, Mike Apartment, Dcoy/The Franchize/Sunny Blaze, Nathan J, Cirkulo Pugantes, Mhcrew, etc.

*Hehe... not much of a hoppa. Nuff said.

There will be at least 120 local bands and artists and the festivities will begin at around 2 in the afternoon. Pero mainit init pa yung gentong oras. Medyo maliit ang venue ngayon compared to the last year's (Mall of Asia) so better anticipate that by noon there'll be no space to park as far as Buendia-Taft or Pedro Gil.

Magplano plano na! 'slam-an na!

Must be Sydney! Not be Mushy!

Exactly a month more and it will be a year since our Sydney trip last 2006. Feeling nostalgic, I dug into my photo cache and uploaded some pics from that trip on my Multiply account.

Lakwatserong Kalbo

I'm really missing my mates there and all the stuffs we did within those thirteen weeks of stay. Saya talaga. However, most of them were not with the company anymore so their chance of dropping by here in Phils is so so slim. Sana magkita pa kami ulit in the future. I can't see myself establishing in OZ-land for good, though. At least, not now. The place is so flawlessly organized and the way of life is pretty simple but sometimes those things will also be the reasons why you'll long for the chaos that is Manila. Peksman!

Dumating sa point na I could ought to work there for this job opportunity. But just mentally browsing over the faces of those people that are close to my heart, parang dito na lang ako sa Pinas! Haha. The compensation package would sure be tempting pero di pa naman kami sobrang naghihirap to consider leaving everything behind just for that reason or just because Phils is degenerating into an uninhabitable crib.

Maybe iL reconsider in the future. Gusto ko lang naman ay if ever titira na ko dun (or in any other country), sana may kasama akong mahal sa buhay: my mom, or my sibs, or a life partner (preferrably a fiancè/wife), or my own family! Basta, yung alam ko na at least I got a piece of my heart with me. Ahuhuy!

Delilah

Langya, na-miss ko magsagot ng ganito! When I was on the graveyard shift back in HP, these things kept me up and busy all night (and CS's triple choco!).

1. Who were you with last night?
-Idol Pinsan at Techy Friend

2. What time did you woke up this morning?
-unang gising o yung pangalwang gising?

3. Where are you?
-sopa (jologs sa "sofa")

4. Is tomorrow going to be a good day?
-tanong ko muna ke Madame Auring

5. Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
-molestiya meron

6. When was the last time you cried?
-psh!

7. Ever thrown up in public?
-guilty

8. Passed out because of alcohol?
-nakatulog. iba yun sa "passed out" di ba?

9. What's on your mind RIGHT NOW?
-some idle brain cells

10. Would you take a bullet for anyone?
-wag na lang. iiwan lang din naman ako. psh!

11. Where would you like to live?
-sa tabing dagat

13. What do you want to be when you
grow up?
-i want to be a daddy

15. Who is number one on your top?
-walang nasa top ko ngayon, bawal dito sa office. sexual harrasment.

16. Have you kissed your number one?
-huh?

17. Who was the last person that left
you a comment?
-Mary daw ang pangalan e

19. Do you like candy necklaces?
-psh!

20. When was the last time you fell
over or ran into something?
-sumabit ulo ko sa punong kahoy sa airsoft last sunday. tatanga tanga e.

21. Do you listen to music every day?
-dapat lang no

22. What was the last thing you ate?
-biskwit na libre sa pantry

23. Are you a fast typer?
-above average, kahit no look partida. astig no.

24. About how many people have you
liked?
-wala men, anti social ako e.

26. What did you do this weekend?
-nakow. subrang dami. ang highlight e pumuntang Fairview para lang mag shawarma.

27. Whats your favorite type of soda?
-sarsaparilla

29. Have you ever won an award?
-psh! sandamakmak! itanong mo pa sa nanay ko!

30. What do you want to do right now?
-mag cartwheel

31. Are you listening to music right
now?
-"Fuck the Police" by Rage Against the Machine... reprezent!

34. How long 'til your birthday?
-pakompyut. march 7 next year.

35. When were you the saddest in your
whole life?
-yung mga ganyan kinakalimutan na yan, men. tingina naman e, di naman kita inaano, nang-aano ka.

36. What time is it?
-5:27pm, bili ka na ng relo mo!

37. Do you use EBay to buy or sell?
-hindi pa.

38. What makes you mad?
-Madame Auring

39. Have you ever had a song written
about you?
-i have one for myself it goes like this: "bagay daw sakin ang kulot... bagay daw sakin ang kulot...lalala"

40. What song makes you cry?
-"Jumbo Hotdog" by Masculados

41. What song makes you happy?
-"Jumbo Hotdog" by Masculados

42. What do you like to listen to
before you go to bed?
-kahol ng aso ng kapitbahay

43. Do you have a job?
-wala. tambay lang.

44. fav song?
-"Somebody" by Depeche Mode

45. If you were a crayon what color
would u be?
-tae brown

46. What makes you happy?
-isang text lang sana. naman. naman.

47. Whats the next CD you're gonna get?
-blank

[Height:] 5'7

[Hair:] black

[Eye Color:] dark black

[Piercings] ears, dalwa

[Wearing right now?] jacket, shirts, carpenters, sneakers, medyas na lawgar (lawlaw garter), stringed bracelet, earphone, brief, ngiti

[What taste is in your mouth?] panis na laway

A word to describe 2007?
2006+1

*****

Eto pang isa! Galing ke Guing...

My favorite song to sing:
-"Delilah" by Tom Jones

My worst habit is:
-natutulog ng dilat

My all time favorite idol contestant is:
-Katharine Mcphee! represent!

I wish i could stop eating:
-nothing

On a random saturday I can be found:
-everywhere (from one end of EDSA to the other!)

Don't get between me and my:
-unan baho

The feature I get the most compliments
on is my:
-tongue

my favorite show is:
-That's Entertainment

i always love my:
-self

miss my:
-psh!

if i could turn back time i would:
-organize a Guy & Pip Fan's Club in our village

I cant live without my:
-food. trick question 'to?

I always think of:
-psh! isip isip, buti kung iniisip ka din! *grumble* *grumble*

Love or hate:
-hate, not. it leads to the dark side of the Force.

I always get annoyed by:
-Madame Auring

I always forget my:
-presence of mind

If i could speak my mind i'll say:
-"my mind". trick question ulit?

Must Be Hungry! Not Be Mushy!

Friday
Fortress, Virramall
After work...

Friday night goof offs with da boyz. After store closing, we drove to Kamias to grab Pork and Phatboi before charging it up to Fairview! Yeps, Far-view... that far-a-place that was just once a pigment of my comprehension. Some 20 minutes drive just to chug at this shawarma place that Crispy and Mayor discovered in Lagro... "Tri Mo Shawarma Co".

Pangalan pa lang, panalo na. They have this Sizzling Shawarma served like sisig that is so cheap yet so delectable. It only costs 75 bucks for a sizzling plate full of ground beef mixed with tomatoes (yuck), cucumber, pita bread, and raw egg! Saraaaap. Na-iimagine ko pa yung lasa. I mean, c'mon, 75 bucks is still a couple of peso short for a Quarter Pounder meal and even when you ground it, it won't even fill a "platito"... but imagine a sizzling plate jampacked of ground beef!! Wootut! Wootut!

Ang layo lang talaga at amoy usok ka na pag labas mo ng lugar nila... (not to mention, the trademark shawarma hininga!). We went there a couple of minutes before midnight already and the customers were still lots! At hindi lang sila panay lasing at tambay sa kanto ha... may mga mamwede mwedeng bebots din, actually. Walang chinita. Boink.

Peborit spot ko sa Shak... sa tabi ni Katrina Halili. Ahahay!

We were barely standing up after finishing 5-plates of it! Sa likod na ko ng pickup sumakay pabalik ng Shak with Pork para mas maka-stretch ang tiyan. Araguy! Passed by Mount Convergys going to Tandang Sora and I could only wonder if all's well with Pouty. Definitely, not on me. But if she's good, then I guess I should be too. Wootut! Wootut!

Emo aside, I was soooo stuffed that night kaya sinulit ko ang inom ng Cox sa Shak pagbalik namin. Ayun, kamusta naman... tigas tae! Haha. Pasintabi. Tumambay lang kami konti, nagkulitan, tas umuwi na din (lahat matapos ang isang mahabang sesyon ni Torotot Boy sa kabilang bahay.... wootut! Wootut!)


Saturday
Couch
After waking up... late...

Eto na lang ulit ang araw na nagising ako ng hindi dahil sa alarm clock o dahil may lakad ako, kaya up to sawa ako nakatulog. F#$% basketball, mas masarap matulog. Hehe. Laro na lang ako sa ibang araw. Woke up before lunch and was able to bugger the twins some more before prepping up to go to Virramall. Sarado daw ang UP-CFA so napag tripan na sa Fortress na lang ulit tumambay.

Arrived there by 3pm...

Attendance: Emp, Arvs, Joan, Obi, John Liit, Fluffy, Pork, Pantyman, Mayor, sino pa nga ba?? argh... sa kaka-"cox light" natin 'to e!

Stayed there until store closing, as usual. Emp rushed home to pick Jaycee up for another ride to Shawarmaland, after the boyz tickled his palate with stories from last night's adventure. Dumating kami ng Shak, andun na lahat. Handa na ang mga tiyan at hininga... to Far-view we go!!! Again.

Gumagapang na naman kami pauwi. Joma was in the Shak when we came back, his new laptop in tow for Mayor to tinker. Jason off to fix my airsoft gun (the SAR Offizier M41) for the next day's gunbang actions. My old rifle (G3A3) was there too! I missed plinking with it. I promised iL restore it next when my budget slackened para dalwa yung ginagamit kong baril or pwede ko ipahiram sa gusto sumama mag-try sa airsoft.

"Color Me Badd" on the Shak player. Classic. Torotot Boy's sax on the background again. Wootut! Wootut!

Class dismissed at around 2am.


Sunday
Camp Masada, San Mateo, Rizal
After Shak...

Met the Garrboy at da Shak. My rifle's working cool now. Thanks to da Phatboi mekanik! He was working on Carlo's AK47 when I arrived at the tambayan. Off to Masada we go!

Tinginingineng kulangot yan, ayaw pakuha!

Along Mount Convergys, Garrkid jokingly asked if are we going to pass by Istarbuko like we did when I meet the Batgurl there one time. For the first time after several months of going through that road to Masada with quite a few teasing and emo tox, I was not compelled to smile. A much appreciated icebreaker, Jubay and his ubiquitous High Ace appeared from behind us, da rest of da boyz in tow!

Attendance: Jubay, Garr, Obi, Kuneho, Munggo, Gudz, Wuttdahell, Kornpleks, Storm, Team Apocalypse, Team AIM, Team MFR, the Radiation Boys

The games were fun, as usual. I say, the upgrades Phatboi did paid off well. I sacked a lot of opponents early on the day's battles. Nakakita pa ko ng ahas during the last game. Watdapak! Buti na lang palayo na siya. Anlaki pa man din. Have to watch out where I'm crawling next time in Masada.

Going home, we had dinner at Nato's in Kamuning... na nauwi sa inuman. Plano ko pa naman sana magpa edit ng 2x2 picture kay Idol Pinsan. Kaso si Val (ulit) humakot ng maraming pagkain... and who am I to refuse?? "Yung mga bata nga sa riles walang makain e"... ika nga ng Mami ko. Hehe, kaya ayun... lamon! Sinabayan pa ng inom... but verily my alcohol toleration is disappointingly getting worse. Ilan lang nainom kong Kabayo pero barag barag nako, and even a death stick can't fix it. Dati, isang death stick lang tanggal na lasing at busog combined. Ngayon olats na. Walang inda.

Typical Shak Nights
L-R: Le Croissant, Fluffy, Asshole, Hairybelly, Mayor, Joma, Kinkytops, Pookiemonster

Ayun, I backflipped home barely in sanity sabay yakap ng mahigpit sa tulugan kong sofa (di ako natutulog sa kwarto ko). Woke up at 2am just to text Gelo that I won't be able to go to the next day's event early, tas tulog na ulit! Wootut! Wootut!


Monday
RHGC HQ, Rolling Hills, New Manila
After Shak...

Since di ako nakasabay kay Gelo (as planned), sa Shak na lang ako dumiretso. The day was effing scorching hot. Kaya naka topless ako sa tambayan. Inabutan ko dun si Pork, tas bumili muna ko ng cox to cool things off. Dumating din eventually si Arvs with Fluffy, then we headed to New Manila for the day's event.

The big kahuna, Litoman, summoned the boyz from all over the metro for a day of gaming, grub chugging, and barley grogging! Wasn't able to keep track of the attendance but we were approximately at least twenty on the HQ that day (plus or minus). The feast is overflowing! Tignan mo pa lang busog ka na. We had so much fun that day. Chillax lang, inom, kain, laro, kain, inom, nasabi ko na ba kain?? Ayun, tas kain ulit! The banquet was like magical... hindi nauubos ang lamang pagkain! Wootut! Wootut!

OO, Jacob... ako nga ang kakalbo sa 'yo!

Dun na kami inabot ng gabi as the peeps trickled out one by one to attend to "reality". Kami naman, bumalik sa Shak nang unti unting tinutubuan ng pakpak at palong sa dami ng nakaing manok. Gagawin dapat naming mohawk yung buhok ni Jacob (matagal nang plano), kaso gabi na at malas yata sa Chinese maggupit ng buhok sa gabi kaya ayaw ni Litoman.

May araw din yang bunbunan na yan ni Jacob.

Must be Busy! Not be Mushy!

Did another lap of walking around the perimeter of this side of Ayala just a couple of minutes ago. I think I found another way to detox in the middle of a gruelling workday. Mas mahaba-haba nilakad ko this time pero sakto lang yung tagal niya na nakabalik ako ng office bago mamasa ang kilikili ko sa init sa labas. Haha. Sayang japorms.

Before that, though, I passed by Juliebee to try out their latest Mango Caramel sundae. Caramel! Yub yub! Kinakain ko na siya ngayon.

Speaking of japorms, ang saya talaga ng hindi kelangang pormal sa office. May pros and cons (and I think I'll have to write about it someday) pero tingin ko, mas madaming advantages over the other. Kanina kasi madaming nag aabot ng flyers tsaka credit card offers sa labas (as usual). Back when I was in HP and have to wear a more formal outfit, these guys would literally chase you down to offer their stuffs. Pero kanina, wala lang. Parang utot lang ako na dumaan. Hindi man lang ako inabutan ng kapiraso nilang flyer na kinakalat lang din naman ng mga nakakatanggap sa kalsada ng Ayala. I was in my typical scruffy look... jeans, chains, sneakers, vintage shirt (as in, worn out vintage... I've been a sucker for em lately), goatee, earrings, cap. Kung ako man yung nag aabot ng mga flyers at makita ko si Obi na naglalakad, baka panlimusan ko pa siya ng isang stick ng yosi sa itsura niya. Hahaha.

Anyway, I finally uploaded the pics from our Systems Testing seminar last week. Camera's courtesy of Kring. Check the album at my Multiply account...

Lakwatserong Kalbo

L-R: Obi, Jane, John (si Kring kumuha)

The entire training has been very beneficial to me. Aside from adding another chevron on my list of achievements and certifications, it was an eye-opener that there's actually more to "testing" than what I used to believe. I've been exposed to a customized environment back in HP-P&G so I'm kinda short when it comes to the general industry standards and now, as a team lead of an independent testing team, knowing more about the jargons and details of the trade is invaluable.

Ang masaya nito, napaka chillax ng environment! We stayed in this room on the 23rd floor of Richmonde Hotel just accross the University of Asia and the Pacific, and the view up there was exquisite. Yung tamang pag antok ka na sa lecture tingin ka lang sa labas at hindi ka na aantukin! Kasi mahihilo ka na! Haha. I still can't believe until now that I rappelled a cliff face that high back in Sydney.

Attendees came from across various companies and there were even two participants who hailed from Cebu (first timers in Manila, actually). Galing ng company nila noh, pinadala pa sila dito. Hindi rin purely software QA practitioners ang mga nag-attend, merong System Designs at may hardware-based. Dahil bibo ang kumpanya namin, apat kaming pinadala: ako, si Kring (co-team lead from the same project as I do), Jane, at si John (both are teammates for a separate project).

Tambay tambay lang muna, maaga pa.

Palakihing baboy kami dun. Meaning, kain kain kain! In a span of 8 hours, there were at least three lavish meals na punong puno ng carbo at ambigat sa tiyan. Araguy ang pagpapapayat ni Obi. Pero ang minahal ko sa lahat ay ang kape. Siyang kakampi ko pag pilit nang kinakatok ng antok ang aking tuktok. Astig sa rhyme! Medyo di ko talaga kinalakihang nagtitimpla ng kape kaya sablay ako sa tantsahan. Buti tinuruan ako ni Jane, ginaya ko na lang yung mga sukat niya sa pag timpla ng kape niya. Swakto.

Ayun si Master Elyn, yung naka-puti sa background. Panginoon ng QA Testing.

Photo ops started on the second day when Kring brought her hi-tech camera. Panalo talaga. Gusto ko na din tuloy bumili at ituloy ang naunsiyami kong kahibangan sa potograpiya.

Anyway, I just did a written evaluation of the training for our company yesterday, and hopefully if they reckon that it would benefit my teammates as it did to me, they'll be sending them for the training too in the future. For now, me and Kring were scheduled to give echo lectures of what we've learned to our teammates. Good luck sakin kung may natandaan ako! Hahaha.

*****

Schedule for the long weekend...
Fortress, Virramall (tambay) - later
Shak (tambay) - later
Protacio Park (basketball) - tomorrow
UP-Fine Arts (modelling sessions) - tomorrow
Tita 9's (tambay) - tomorrow
Camp Masada (airsoft) - Sunday
Shak (tambay) - Sunday
RHGC HQ, New Manila (games day) - Monday
Shak (tambay) - Monday

Have a good long weekend, mga kapanalig!!

Omnipotence of an Emotional State

Just came back from a walk. I don't usually do aimless wandering and refrained from doing it alone but I think it's cool sometimes to snatch a couple of minutes away from everything else... anyone else, but myself. Carry naman. Sana lang may camera ako!

Nga pala, hindi siya for mushy reasons ah (defensive kabig manoeuvre, hehe)... gusto ko lang talaga maglakad-lakad dahil:
a) Sobrag galamig dito sa opisina kanina. Ang settings niya e parang hindi na kami makakatikim ng lamig ulit magpakaylanman sa aming buhay.
b) Nabusog ang tiyan ko. Naparami ata nilagay ni Mami na kanin sa baon ko or hindi lang na sanay ang tiyan ko bumitbit ng madami.
c) Ang haba pa ng break ko. Wala naman talaga kaming pormal na limit sa break, pero gatagal pa talaga e. Sayang naman tumitig lang sa ballpen sa lamesa ko o makipag harutan sa mga ka-grupo.
e) Hinahanap ko pa din yung Persian Grill ni Kian sa "Paseo Center" DAW. Tinginingineng yan! Stir ata yun e. Kagagaling ko lang dun, wala naman. Kebab na kebab na ang hininga ko e.
f) Tignan mo walang letter "d".

Siguro may half a kilometer din yung napag-lakwatsahan ko in all. Dito lang naman ako sa area sa paligid namin nagliwaliw, then i went straight to Sedeño to buy me a salad! Kaka-miss din kasi ang salad na gawa ng iba. Hehe. May bagong crew na sila Manang Yula. Progress! Parang nababasa ko nga yung nasa isip niya kanina e... "Eto yung kumag na gumaya ng Antipasto recipe natin ah... duraan ang order! Duraan, dali!".

Dinobol check ko yung salad ko. Mabuti naman, walang dura. Hahaha. Salamat, Manang Yula! Kinakain ko na siya ngayon. Yub yub! Yung ginaya kong Seafood Antipasto sa kanila will be a significant juju in my life since i promised to serve it to those close to my heart only. O-ha! May ganung factor.

Hindi halata sa muka namin ni Kring pero gahirap ng training... pramis!

Anyway highway, I got the photos from our training last week at Richmonde Hotel in Mandaluyong. I was just sorting em this morning and prolly will upload soon on my Multiply account. Masaya naman yung training. Pantanggal din kasi ng mga kung ano anong iniisip at dinadamdam. Ayan na, oh... nagiging mushy na!

Ayawan na to. Upload na lang ako pics.

Intelligent Discussion of Meaningless Crap

Been out of sleep for at least four days now. I'd always went straight to Arvs and Little Jon in Fortress Hobby Shop in Virramall after my trainings at the Richmonde Hotel. After the mall closes, tambay na kami automatically at da Shak to mob up with the other gits.


Saturday...
Woke up early again after some 3-4 hours of sleep.

Played with my sister's twins for a while then prepared my stuffs for Katipunan. There had been another tournament for this miniature game called "Warmachine" and our friends slash owners of Hobby Haven hosted the event (which was on its third leg of four) kaya suporta muna ako sa local promotors of the hobby. I fared better this time than the last two legs (actually, my game results were progressively improving). Nothing biggie though. These were all just another good excuse for me to basically have some "fun" to distract me from the "not-fun" that day.

Total War Tournament

Attendance: Tiny, Kei, Jun, Chris, Clarence, Clemence, Kim, Patrick, Ronald, Pookiemonster, Pork, Mussolini, Obi Doo, Carlos, Wolf, Arvs, Raymund, Dadang, Fluffy, Teng, Fuhrer, Kulyong, SJ, Chico, Zig, Marlu, may nakalimutan pa ko for sure... belat na lang!

The tourney ended at around 9pm and we (Arvs, me, Fluffman, F. Teng, Great Maw) left the guys in Haven to have a sidetrip chowdown at In-and-Out Steak House near Teacher's Village. I din't like their sisig, pero panalo yung beef cuisines nila for cheaps! We drove back to Ateneo Gate 2.5 to pick-up Pork and disperse to their own rides and headed back to da Shak. Punong puno ang tiyan naming lahat!

It was a good day for tambay!

Shak Attendance: Asshole, Asshole's Brother, Jumping Johnny, Phatboi Jason, Chilli Arvin's, Doc Komax, Joma, Jake "The Great Maw" Pookiemonster, Obi Hairybelly, Jacob Le Croissant, Fluffy Thai Boy, Little John, Mayor Teng, Kuneho, Topher, Anito the Nurgle Dog... featuring Torotot Boy

Grub: lotsa liters of the Holy Liniment - Coke!, pandesal, giant E-Aji's, other giant chips

Jampacked at the Shak as Brothers 2 and 3 were busy with their scale model projects while the rest were busy chugging their cox! Anito still stinky.

Joma in the house with lotsa Call Center stories in tow! He works for this Call Center in Ortigas and sa Call Centers daw everybody's liberally talking about sex... maybe the chief reason why relationships come and go in an eye blink in those environment. Kaya yun, napag-tripan NILA (hugas kamay, haha) si Frenchie Boy na kung gusto magka GF or "experience", he should try a stint in a Call Center firm kahit ilang months lang. Haha. Nag-umpisa lahat when Joma started relating this na minsang pauwi na daw siya, he stepped into a lift with two gay agents talking (loudly) about their sexcapades (complete with konyo accents and gestures). Haha! Haven't seen Joma literally cringing like that before. Everyone's unanimous at suggesting "ba't di mo pinag mumura" haha but he told us one of em's like Jake's height... Jake's a huge 6'1"-ish guy! Sabay hirit ni Arvs, "buti hindi ka na-'tetrapack', pre!" Hahaha. I don't wanna be visual but just imagine how liquids in tetrapacks were consumed to get the point. Hahaha. Everyone burst out laughing as they tried to act out the "tetrapacking".

No offense with the "third kind" but to openly discuss something taboo in a public place where some people that might take offense are within earshot deserves more than just to be sweared upon. Kung andun ako tadyakan ko pa ng buhay yung dalwang yun. And why not... kung kaming mga lalake would discuss the same subject matter at the same scenario, don't we deserve to be hit in the face too by an offended female? Yang libog may tamang lugar yan. Haha.

The night is young and nobody wanted to go home just yet. Andami pang napag-usapan. Verily, the Shak needs a 24/7 camera installed there somewhere for such tambay nights. It could be a hit if there's a Shak 24/7 ala Pinoy Big Bro... hirit nga ni Crispy (that sent Joe in fits of bursting laughter), "What we're talking about is not brainless. It's an intelligent discussion of meaningless crap!". Haha!

Oks talaga sa Shak. It has been an "another dimension" for me for the last two (or was it three??) years. Pag andun ako para tumambay, it was as if I'm on a bubble. Wala akong naiisip masyado na iba, which is a welcome feeling for me. That day, I was sort of troubled for some reason but nobody would reckon that dahil sa walang humpay naming kulitan... and it felt cool. Biglang patugtog ni Torotot Guy ng kanyang saxophone na sabog. Eto yung teenager dun sa katabing bahay ng Shak na sa lakas mantrip ay sa kalaliman ng gabi tumitira ng ensayo sa saxophone niya. Woootut! Woootut! Kung inabutan niyo na tumugtog ng sax si Maggie sa Simpsons, ganun siya kasabog. Haha! Sabay sabay pa kami sa pag sabi ng "seeexy time!".

Class dismissed at around 2:30-ish in the morning.


Sunday...
Woke up early again after some 3-4 hours of sleep.

Packed up my airsoft gears and went straight to Ortigas to meet up with Garr for some gunbang action. We're back in Masada, and boy I missed the place! But moreso, I missed the Batgurl when we passed by this Starbucks in Convergys Commonwealth. Decided against texting her if she's still around the premise. iL prolly won't get any replies anyway, haha. So after dreaming of a banana java choco chip (which the guys told me sounded like a Swahili word when I pronounced it) to counter my somnolence, we rode to San Mateo in an unfamiliar silence.

Wala pa masyadong tao nung dumating kami. Titig ulit kami ni Garrik sa malayo. Si Defcon pa lang ng Team Apo at si Manong Mananabas ng Damo ang nandun. The guys started to trickle in by early noon already.

Attendance: Garrboy, Obi, Jubay, Jeng, Inggo in Dreadlocks, Val, Kornpleks, Solo, Sir Jamir, Ate Gina, Team Apocalypse, Team AIM

It was a good day for battle. The weather was a bit too hot than average but at least the jungle breeze was constant. The Persian Army composed of Kuneho and his cousins din't show up and so did the invited team from Ambergris Call Center. The games were pretty much typical and I've had some good hits for the day. Di ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako or hindi dahil hindi sumakit ang katawan ko tas wala din akong masakit na tama ng bala. Physical pain was at least more tolerable. Nakakapagod, yes... but t'was not enough to contain my glitches...

...kaya siguro inimbento ng may-ari nito ang "Nato's", para masolusyunan ang ikina-lalaki ng butas ng ilong ko!

After the game, we planned on chowing down at "Tapsihan ni Vivian" but it was too far for Jun's ride which by then was literally squeaking of exertion from our combined weights plus those of our guns. We just settled in the nearer "Nato's Grille" in Kamuning for some grubtime slash alcohol drive manouever.

Grub: chicken sisig lots!, puwet ng manok, gizzards, barbeque, sabaw sandamakmak, pork sisig!, isaaaaw, Pulang Kabayo na nakangiti't naninipa!

Atat si Val uminom kaya nagpakasasa kami sa alcohol. Malamang closet problematic din? Haha! Post battle tox about the gunbang sessions in Masada. Baka next week hindi kami dun maglaro. Oks lang, ang mahalaga may laro! After that, Jun dropped me at da Shak. Downtime at the HQ as everyone's busy with their modelling works.

Shak Attendance: Pork, Ian, Jason, Johnny, Jon Jon, Jeff, Obi, Arvs, Doc Marco, Carlo, Anito, Torotot Boy

"Sexy time!" as Torotot Boy resumed his saxophone stints, still as sabog as ever! Someone's asking me if Torotot Boy is actually a "Torotot Girl" since he saw the reedblower from a nearby window sporting a long hair?!? I dunno, so I asked Jason for a confirmation but the Phatman confirmed that he is a "HE", unless he prefers to be something else. Haha! Sexy tiiime.

Same o, same o fun at the Shak that night. Arv's brought a bag of Korean Ramen and seafood tofu! The guys munched at it with much gusto after Jumping Johnny cooked it in haste while Jeff lamented with his crappy 3G connection for his laptop. Inarbor ko yung isang miniature tank ni Johnny for my Ork Battlewagon project. The third Ork god, Pork, planned of a trip up north to Hundred Islands this Friday. Will it push through??

Abangan!

Anito still stinky. Will it ever get a bath??

Abangan!!!

Class dismissed at around 1:30-ish in the morning.

Art Tikol

Four consecutive days already that I was going home not later than 8pm. Malaking himala!

*bumukas ang langit at nagtugtugan ang mga anghel*

I dunno what's up with me lately that I was opting to go home early. Wala din naman kasing nag schedule ng basketball this week and our regular tambay nights in Greenbelt is on indefinite suspension. Tinatamad naman ako dumaan kela Tita 9, or tumambay kela Arvs sa Virramall, or sa Shak. Hindi pa natuloy yung golf session namin sa Chilli Peppers.

*golf* *golf* *golf* *buuuuurp!*

Kawawa naman si San Miguel at mga Pulang Kabayo niya. Namuti siguro mga mata nila kakahintay sa amin. We definitely should make it up with them sometimes. And speaking of making up, dahil apat na araw akong nagtimping hindi gumala, iL be on the road once again later tonight! Wooot!

Our team here in the office was able to secure advanced seats for "Transformers" in Greenbelt. Dinner might follow afterwards, kapag may oras pa. Ga-aga kasi ng nakuha naming slot... some time 6:30-ish in the evening. On regular Fridays, lumalabas pa lang ako ng office ng gentong oras. Punta pa ko sa Shak pag medyo maaga-aga pang natapos ang lahat ng kaguluhang ito.

So what have I done during those four days that I stuck my sorry ass early at home?

*kulitan with my sis's twins... goo-goo ga-ga
*assembled miniatures and prepared them for painting
*caught up with reading stuffs
*goofed around, the goofball I am
*hugged the guitar... and played too
*dreamed (sumagot din ang pager ni Iday sa wakas!)
*re-acquainted myself with my housemates (in case they forgot that I still live there)
*ate. lots. pfft.
*flexed some maskels with my dumbbells (a pitiful attempt on compensating with the previous entry)
*couch-potatoed

On another note, I'm currently writing an article about airsoft. This will be the first of three articles that iL be writing for our company's online intranet newsletter - Kalesa Blog. The Philippine general manager wanted to include a hobby and craft section and I outrightly have em choose among several of my hobbies when they picked me to write the article. I brought up two choices that I thought would appeal to our Australian and English counterparts: airsoft and miniature painting - two of my pastimes that are working on the extreme spectrums of hobbying... miniature painting for the geek-side and airsoft for the jock-side. Kitang kita ang schizophrenic tendencies. Hahaha.

They thought that airsoft would be an interesting pick. I thought... yes, at least it won't torment them to boredom as opposed to miniature painting. So ayun, airsoft it is! I'll be posting em here as soon as I'm done. The other two articles will be a song review and a movie review. I've already picked Christina Aguillera's "Candyman" for the song review since it's ranking good on the Australian and English music charts. For the movie, iL most likely do "Transformers" since most of the cool movies lately are all sequels and it's kinda uninteresting on the readers' part if they haven't watched the prequels yet.

*****

Current reads:
God Emperor of Dune (Part 4 of the Dune saga by Frank Herbert)
- This book is one of six in a set that I bought on a garage sale in Milson's Point, New South Wales for cheaps AND take note, this are the original late 70's paperback release of the Dune books!! Okay, for the non-geeks... it simply means that the set I got is a premium, hard-to-find item. I read the first two books in Sydney while I finished the third one here. FYI, the Dune saga is often referred to as the "Lord of the Rings" of sci-fi books... a monicker that put it to greatness way beyond Starwars or Star Trek.

Art of War (Sun Tzu)
- I've alreay finished reading this book back when I was in highschool. It was my dad's copy actually. My kababata whom I lent it too lost it, though. I felt I need to read it again and digest the stuffs in it more intensively so I bought another copy for me-self. It's a pretty popular read these days but for those who are not familiar with it, Sun Tzu is a brilliant military strategist who lived during the dynastic era of China and this book was a transcribed version of his tactical collections and martial texts.

White Dwarf - Canada (April and June issues)
- The monthly magazine for Games Workshop's Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, and Lord of the Rings game system. GW is the official manufacturer of the miniature figures that we are painting and playing with. White Dwarf features upcoming miniature releases, gaming and painting articles, and purty scale models that are supposed to hypnotize us into buying more of their products. I have to thank Jeff for buying me these issues from all the way to Canada!

For Him Magazine (latest issue)
- Joyce Jimenez cover!!! Reprezent! My former ultimate kras is back with a vengeance. Ganda ng photo shoot niya peksman. Di nagbago si Joyce... lupit talaga ng face value. The latest issue has a snippet of their 100's Sexiest Women and Katrina Halili (my current ultimate kras!) is still the reigning number 1 for twice in a row! Reprezent! Wooot! If only I could get these pages signed by my dyosas. Sabay sunggaban ko sila agad... magpipiyansa na lang ako!!! Hahaha.

Mahusay na Apat: Kanin ng Pilak na Thrasher

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

The film started with updates on how did the life of the foursome go since the first film. This time, Reed and Sue were scheduled to get married but for some turn of events, a mysterious entity, Silver Surfer, appeared to wreck havoc to the world and the team was forced to postpone the wedding and work with the US armed forces to subdue the alien. They were not getting much progress as the Surfer proved to be much aware of their every moves.

Enter, Victor Von Doom! *lightning sparks*

He was somehow restored back to life and on a close encounter with the sparkly surf dude, Doctor Doom was able to secure important information that can be used against Silver Surfer. He employed his aid to the US armed forces and an unlikely alliance was formed between him and his old foes, the Fantastic Four. Through the brilliance of Doctor Richards and Silver Surfer's apparent affinity with Sue (I mean c'mon, who's not gonna go gaga over Miss Alba), they were finally able to capture the alien by separating him from his power source - the surfboard. With his twisted schemes, Victor was able to snatch the surfboard from the US military and augment his powers to even greater heights.

With not much time left, as they discovered that a world devourer (Galactus) was about to destroy the world and that Surfer was their only chance to salvation, the Fantastic Four set out to rescue Silver Surfer and capture back the surfboard... which (of course) they were able to do. And they all lived happily ever after.

At least not after the Surfer sacrificed himself to eliminate the Galactus threat.

The film is generally decent: mediocre plot, CG effects, acting, and all. It's just disheartening to take note that despite the hype and all anticipation of a grand battle from watching the previews, there are really not much of an outright combat in the movie. There's this scene of the Torch vs. Surfer or Torch vs. Doom, but they din't have the quality of a fast-paced, "superheroic", cinematic fight as say compared to Spiderman vs. the New Goblin in Spiderman 3. Even the group assault of the Fantastic Four against Doctor Doom in the final scenes of Fantastic Four 1 can outdo all the battle scenes in Fantastic Four 2 (FF2) combined. And that scene on part 1 is just mediocre to start with, unfortunately.

True to it's form, though, the movie kept much in line with the comicbook identity of the team. I personally liked how the continuity of each of the members' personalities still carried on to this sequel. I know many will have quirks on the appearance of Galactus as a gaseous entity of sorts, but I really would have to prefer him as such than his original purple-helmeted giant figure as seen in the comics. Silver Surfer is a great representation too. I really felt his commanding aura and his outlandish impression. Probably, it's Lawrence Fishburne's voice there that made the magic.

Jessica Alba is searing hot, hands up. BUT I will still have to stand by my opinion that she's NOT physically apt for the role. Susan Richards (Invisible Woman) from the comicbooks is a white blonde which is very much in contrast with what Miss Alba is, naturally. I don't even think she is of the right height if memory serves me well, but heck... I'm too lazy to do my research at the moment but I believe there's a lot of discrepancies there. I'm not up for an "up-to-the-last-dot" similarities but they should have at least satisfied the fans' childhood image of the Invisible Woman.

Doctor Doom is more worth to be the evil brain this time. I dig. I don't like how the Fantastic Four fall for such a ploy of his. It looks stupid. But I guess they just have no choice since it's the destruction of the world that is at stake. Still, they could have at least be more vigilant of his schemes. The Thing and Human Torch banter is still a hit for me. I like it when those two clashed with each other with their antics, and there's still a lot of it in this movie although you can feel that their relationship became more of a casual antagonist to each other unlike on the first film where they just plainly loathed each other.

"Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is a so so film, all in all. It's likely that it's not something you'll be remembering as one of your all-time favorites but it won't be on your all-time crap movies either. It's relatively short and is a good popcorn movie for the family. A good way to past time in a mall, definitely. Six gulamans worth.

*****

Added an album on my Multiply site... pics from our company dinner at Dencio's.

Lakwatserong Kalbo

Kwentong Tambay, Da Return

Huwebes
Superbowl - Glorietta

Nagpa-chicha si Chiqui at si Koya Mike M. sa mga Avengers at Survivors ng kumpanya. Despedida nila. Si Chiqui mananatili na sa Sydney at si Mike naman sa Auckland, kasama ang pamilya. Parang (anong tagalog sa "reunion"?) re-unyon (?!?) ang nangyari.

Attendance:
Avengers - Miming, Lizette, Mike M. + wife, Laan, Carlos, Fungi, Chiqui, Kix, Fred, Fitz, Bathalumang Mark
Survivors - Obi, Koya Jeff, Mike L., Myce, Dens, Glenn, Bubung
Guest - Mike Karakter

Ambilis ng aplikasyon nila... si Chiqui, pitong buwan lang. Sila Mike, dalwang taon. May isa akong kilala na sa Australia din ang destinasyon, isang taon naman ang paglalakad niya ng papeles. Kapatid ko at bayaw nakapag pasa na rin ng petisyon papunta sa Lupa sa Kailaliman (Land Down Under). Napapa-isip na tuloy ako kung panahon na para mag ibang bansa. Ayaw ko man kasi, masasabi ko naman talagang wala akong maiiwan bukod sa mga malapit kong kamag-anak.

Andrama ampota.


Biyernes
Virramall, Greenhills

Dating gawi, tambay hanggang magsara ang tindahan ng tropa. Buhay ang Fortress nung araw na yun dahil dinaluhong ng tambay na manlalaro ng baraha ang istante. Inaliw ko ang sarili sa panonood ng laro at pagtanaw sa mga dumadaang konyo.

Matapos ang pagsarado ng gusali, naisipan namin ni Arvs at Marlo na maglaman muna ng tiyan bago tumambay sa Kamias. Ang dapat na Dannylicious ay nagawing In-and-Out, na nagawing Shak Likod, na sa wakas ay napag-isipan na lamang dumayo sa Fairview para lang mag shawarma ulit. Muntik pa kaming ma-aksidente sa Commonwealth dahil sa isang jologs na trak. Bwiset. Di na lang natuloy. Iiyak kaya si Iday.

Matapos ang paglamon, bumalik kami sa kabihasnan at tumambay sa Shak hanggang maubusan ng baterya ang kukote at maubos ang luha kong di naman pumapatak.

Wushus... utot'mo!


Sabado
Rob Galleria, Ortigas

The Exhibit Banner

Lampas tanghalian na ko dumating para tumao sa eksibit na aming ginaganap sa Galleria. Wala pang Shak Boyz. Malamang napasarap sa tulog ang lahat. Maulan pa man din sa labas. Anak ng patola oh.

Buti may katagpuan ako nung araw na yun. Si Jeff, si Mike, at si Paulo. May negosyong unggoy (monkey business) kami na ukol sa mga maliliit na laruang aming pinipinturahan. Sa kalagitnaan ng tambay namin, nagdatingan yung mga kolokoy ng paunti-unti.

Attendance: Arvs, Obi, Mike, Jeff, Paulo, JC, Pork, Jake + 1, Ed + 1, Jason, Fluffy + 1, IPMS Boys

Braille scale tanks of World War 2. Mostly assembled/painted by our very own Jumping Johnny!

Alas kwatro na ng hapon pero nag "agahan" pa din kami sa KFC. Dalwang bucketmeal. Walang pakelaman, gutom kami. Maraming tumitingin sa lamesa namin sa eksibit. Takaw atensyon talaga ang mga hinagupak na tao-tauhan. Daig pa yung mga chicks na rumoronda ng naka shorts. Tambay lang kami magdamag. Ang pesteng lugar, may magkatabing tindahan ng Globe at Smart pero naghihingalong ingkong ang signal ko... kadalasan pa ay wala.

Sobrang lakas na ng ulan sa labas. Pupunta sana kaming "Fete dela Musique" sa Malate pero sa takbo ng pagbuhos ay mukang malabo na talaga. Tumambay na lang ulit kami sa Shak. Dumating sila JP at Joma, habang inabutan namin si Asshole at si Jumping Johnny. Coke party na lang kami. Kalahati ng ispirito ko tuwang tuwang sa paglagok ng cox. Ang kalahati, wala sa sarili sa pangungulila.

Anak ng... yun yun e!


Linggo
Malate Area

Simba kami ni Sponklong sa Simbahan ng Malate. Yung misang tanghali pa din ang puntirya namin. Piyesta nga pala ni San Juan kaya maraming nagbabasaan sa labas. Taxi na kami. Peste kasi kung mabasa yung japorms ko. Muka na nga kong dugyot, padudugyotin pa lalo.

Kasama dapat si Pinsan Idol, kaso napasarap sa paghilik. Pumunta na lang kami sa tirahan nila matapos ang misa. May dala akong password: isang cox at isang kahang Philip Morris. Sinubukan kong mag runung-runungan at kinalikot ko yung kompyuter nila sa bahay. Wala kasing koneksyon sa Internet. Sumuko din ako makalipas ang ilang minutong pamamarunong.

Nagpaturo ako ng direksyon ke Pinsan Idol papuntang SSC (Shawarma Snack Center). Kainan to ng mga Arabo at gusto ko patikimin si Sponklong ng pagkain dito. Liblib ang lugar, pero malapit na siya sa Rob Malate. Umorder kami ng kebab pero ubos na. Ang kinain namin ay beef tikka ang tawag. Wala akong pakelam kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng pangalan niya basta nasarapan ako at si Sponklong. Gamahal nga lang. Tumama ng limandaan ang kinain namin. Partida, hindi pa gaanong mabaho ang hininga namin ng lumabas kami.

Natawa ako sa sarili ko ng makita ko yung mga bumbay at arabong kumakain. Naging pang sanggol ng de oras yung mga balbon ko. Haha. "I belong!"

Pumunta na kaming Rob Malate matapos kumain. Nagliwaliw lang kami ng konti at nang mahilo na kami sa kaka-ikot, nanood na kami ng "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer". Mamwede mwede naman na siya para sa akin. Nag grocery lang kami ni Sponklong matapos manood tapos bumili ako ng damit na vintage na may malaking muka ni Belia Flores sa harap (peksman!). Tapos dumiretso na kami pabalik sa condo ni Tita 9. Di rin kami nagtagal, umuwi din kami agad. Sapat na ang pag aliw sa sariling ginawa ko para sa araw na ito. Bukas naman ulit... o hanggang sa tuluyan nang hindi na ito kailanganin.

Wow, tinginang yan... sagad na.


Lunes
Chilli Pepper's

Binalak kong umuwi ng maaga ngayon pagkatapos nitong trabaho't sa bahay na lang muli mag mukmok. Pero sadyang matulungin si San Miguel at ang kanyang Pulang Kabayo sa mga taong nangangailangan ng panandaliang ginhawa sa puso. Nag YM si Flash. Inuman daw sa Chilli Pepper's kasama ang Justice League-HP. Magsisimula na sila sa loob ng bente minuto. Kwarenta minuto pa ang imamalagi ko dito bago ako makasunod sa kanila pero tinginang yan, hindi naman nila siguro gagawing Yakult ang serbesa. May aabutan pa ko.

Ang kailangan ko lang ay manalig.


*****

More pictures from the scale modelling exhibit and the Super Bowl night out will follow and hopefully, together with my commentary for the "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" movie. I just need time! Meron bang nabibiling oras sa Quiapo??

Men's White Lies

One day, when a man was sitting close to a river, his wedding ring fell into the river. When he cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, "My dear child, why are you crying?"

The man replied that his wedding ring had fallen into the water.

The Lord dipped His hand into the water and pulled up a platinum wedding ring set with diamonds.

"Is this your wedding ring?" the Lord asked

The man replied, "No."

The Lord again dipped into the river. He held out a silver wedding ring ringed with sapphires. "Is this your wedding ring?" the Lord asked.

Again, the man replied, "No."

The Lord reached down again and came up with a bronze wedding ring. "Is this your wedding ring?" the Lord asked.

The man replied, "Yes."

The Lord was pleased with the man's honesty and gave him all three wedding rings to keep, and the man went home happy.

Some years later, the man was walking with his wife along the riverbank, and his wife fell into the river and disappeared under the water.

When he cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked him, "Why are you crying?"

"Oh Lord, my wife has fallen into the river!"

The Lord went down into the water and came up with Jessica Alba.

"Is this your wife?" the Lord asked.

"Yes," cried the man.

The Lord was furious. "You lied! That is an untruth!"

The man replied, "Oh, forgive me, my Lord it is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said 'no' to Jessica Alba, You would have come up with Angelina Jolie. Then if I said 'no' to her, You would have come up with my wife. Had I then said 'yes', You would have given me all three. Lord, I believe in only loving one wife so that's why I said 'yes' to Jessica Alba.

So the man went home with Jessica Alba and the Lord was pleased.

The moral of this story is: Whenever a man lies, it's for a good and honorable reason, and in the best interest of others.

That's our story, and we're sticking to it.

Signed,
All Us Men

[emailed by a friend]

Must be Sporty! Not be Mushy!

We had our regular basketball games last night at the Makati Stock Exchange and my body's oddly not aching as it use to after such exertion. There were three teams including us here in the office and we won the first match against our friends from Check Systems. I wore for the first time this jersey I bought from Virramall last Sunday - a Golden State Warriors, Jason Richardson (23) replica. I so hate the Warriors for defeating my favorite NBA team, Dallas Mavericks, in the first round of the conference finals! But, I just want to kid with my friends that I'm already jumping ship to the Warriors because of the Mav's upset.

The Mavs has the league's best season record this year (I think it's within the Top 20 for NBA's all-time best) and their star player (and my super idol), Dirk Nowitzki (41), is the current MVP of the conference. I've been collecting NBA cards of him lately and I already have three cards which has actual fragments of Dirk's game-used jersey. Too bad, his autographed card is in limited distribution that it actually costs around 24 grand a piece! Aray. Good luck, kung magkaron ako nun. I'm also into imitating his game moves. The 7-footer giant can run and dribble like a guard, and his shooting streak is infamous - just the kind of game style I like. I might be nowhere near his height but at typical Pinoy standards I should be on forward position. Despite that, I often play as a guard when I have the chance (like last night) just to improve my ball-handling skills and is continuously making good progress with my ranged shots (scores majority of my baskets on perimeter most of my games).

Easy gaming lang. No need for those fancy in-the-fly layups. Mababa kasi ako tumalon, in relation to my height. So, I focus more on hanging back for a long-distance kill or a step-fake then clutch jump. That look on your opponent's face after you made a crosshair out of his extended blocking arms is priceless.

Anyway, together with us last night was the Flash, a close friend back in my HP days (the Justice League-HP) and a teammate during my basketball stints there. I invited him for the game and I learned from him that HP's already starting with their inter-company league. Tingina, nakaka-miss maglaro with these guys. I've been playing ball with them since 2002, waaaay back when our office was still in 6750. Kumbaga kahit yung kung kelan kami uutot sa loob ng basketball court alam na naming mga magkakakampi. Ganun namin ka-predicted yung moves ng bawat isa sa tagal na naming magkakasama maglaro. I even remembered playing basketball on the Flash's hometown of Ilocos Sur on bare foot. Haha. By the beach! O-ha.

HP-GRAD Team Days
L-R: Obi@7 (obvious naman di ba), Berns@3, Flash, Pussy

*****

Had an early lunch a couple of hours ago here in my desk and I don't intend to be stuck here for the entire workday, so I wandered around the area again. This time, I ventured on the Barangay Bel-Air side of Salcedo Village, passing by the Makati Sports Complex perimeter. This is in spite of my aching leg muscles due to last night's basketball games. But stretching it up for a walk sort of eased the strain. Kung ganun lang din sana kadali magpagaling ng puso. Ahuhuhuy! Tingina, mushy na oh.

Saw some of my officemates on my way back so I chilled with them for a while. It was a tempting time to light a death stick and contribute to the smog pumped about by the nearby throng of call dudes, but thinking better of it, I just bought a mango juice while on the tambay. Pinaniwala ko na lang ang sarili ko na hindi ako tensiyonado.

Must be Geeky! Not be Mushy!

This has been one of those weekends that I, for any reasons, did not have to venture on the Northernlands where I get wussy mushy inside. Buti naman.

Thus, it goes...

Friday
After work...
The company sponsored a night out at Dencio's - Jupiter with all the employees. It was a night of gluttonous proportions as the food (and alcohol) just kept on flowing regardless of the status of our overworked guts! Sabi nga nung isang waiter with a sarcastic smirk, "Goodluck, Sir. Sana mabusog kayo." Even a deathstick won't appease my grumbling stomach. Much heckling and goofing around ensued. Pictures to follow!

After that, the plan was to go to the Fortress in Virramall OR straight to da Shak for another tambay night session with whoever drops by. But it was Kuneho's birthday and he invited me for an extended night out. He was on Joel Torre's Manukan in Sgt. Esguerra to celebrate. Sabi ko ke Kuneho tatambay lang ako dahil sobrang sagad nako both in food and drinks, and so I rushed up north to meet them. He was with his gf, his gf's younger sis, his younger sister, and some cousins.

Hindi na rin kami nagtagal sa Manukan (syempre, nawala-wala pa muna ako sa paghahanap... ganun ako kagaling maglakwatsa sa QC e). Hinatid lang namin yung sis niya sa Project 8 (?) then we went to Tiendesitas for the Alchemy Bar. Ang kaso mo, yung sister ng gf niya hindi pinayagan makapasok dahil sa slippers. Hindi rin pala auto pass kahit Havaianas pa yan. So we basically just chilled around before hitting home. Next Friday na lang daw ulit.


Saturday
After a long sleep...
Walang sawang tulog until some minutes before noon. Got to play with the twins before prepping up to go to Virramall.

Hinintay lang namin ni Crispy si Marlou, then we headed to Hobby Haven in Katipunan to hang out for the day's miniature tournament. The place was, as usual, jampacked...

Attendance: Tiny, Kei, Dick, Kim, Arvs, Obi, Marlou, Raymund, Chris, Patrick, Clemence, Clarence, Fluffy, Jacob, Benito, Pork, Jake, Doc Lance, Gelo, Fuhrer, Kulyong, SJ, Chico, Jumping Johnny, Little John, parang may nakalimutan pa ko ah...

After the games ended by pass 8 in the evening, me, Mussolini, Crispy, John Liit, and Fluffy headed to In-and-Out Steaks Kamias for dinner. We rode back to Haven after the meal to pick up the guys and the night continued at da Shak... Mayor Tengco, Doc Marco, and Plim, awaiting our arrival. Torotot Boy once again on the background with his broken saxophone tunes on the neighboring room. Wootut! Wootut!

Class dismissed by some minutes past 12 midnight, only to find my cousin JC at home with Sponklong having DVD sessions. Slept at around 3am.


Sunday
After a long sleep...
Was able to goof around with the twins again before packing up for the day's adventure. No gunbang session this time as the boyz of Screaming BB's have domestic tasks to fullfil. Woke up late! And remembered that I was suppose to attend a mass in Malate with the bro and pinsan Idol. Texted her immediately that the plan will not push through. Awk!

Packed up my stuffs for Virramall. Assembled some of my miniature figs there amongst gawking passers by. Was able to finish a squad of Cygnaran Stormguards and they should be ready for basecoating soon.

Geek mode on.

After dinner at Yoshinoya, we headed back to da Shak to check on Pork who was busy working on an Armoured Core scale model which he was finishing in one effin day!!! This has to be in time for the International Plastic Modellers' Society - Bert Anido Chapter (IPMS-BAC) Armoured Core Competition which he should submit at around 10 that night in Robinson's Galleria.

The scale robot is preeeetty, despite being rushed in assembly and painting. Yes, the insanity is infectious that I should learn how to use an airbrush too. Soon.

Joma arrived at the Shak. No cox in tow. Himala! Buti na lang may Coke kami in reserve. Much tox ensued while Koya stayed in focus for his work. Anito Dog, still as smelly as hell. By around 9:30pm, binitbit na namin lahat ng miniature models for display and rushed to Galleria. It was ingress night for the IPMS's week-long exhibit.

Pag dating dun, tumulong kami mag ayos ng lugar. After the glass panels and tables were assembled, inumpisahan na namin ilatag yung mga miniature figs. As usual, pinagkaguluhan yung mga miniatures ng mga IPMS boys. Oo nga naman, isn't it insane to paint models as small as your thumb? Pero tama yung sinasabi ni Arvs na kung tutuusin mas madali yung ginagawa namin kesa sa kanila. Sa amin kapag nagkamali, madaling burahin or linisin yung errors. All we need is a steady hand and a good eye to work on small details. Sa kanilang modellers ng scale tanks and aircrafts, mas maliit ang room for error since kapag nagkamali sila, kitang kita yung diperensya. Still, they think we miniature painters are insane. Baka nga. Hehe.

IPMS's exhibit last 2005 in Megamall

Ed, Jumping Johnny, and Jason were there din pala with all the miniature model craziness in tow. All the setting up ended at around 2am tapos pumunta kami ng Ortigas to look for a place to chow. We ended up at this Japanese resto near the Call Center strip in Strata. It was downtime on that place last night, when on usual weekdays it was crowded up with spunky call center agents and death stick smog.

Class dismissed at some minutes past 3am kanina. And yep, may pasok ako ngayon. Ayun, I'm half Zombie now.

Geek mode off.

Eto na yung shameless plug:
International Plastic Modellers' Society - Bert Anido Chapter (IPMS-BAC) will have an exhibit of scale models and miniature figs from June 18-23 at the Robinsons Galleria. It will showcase plastic model kits from ships, armoured vehicles, to aircrafts. Mecha Pinoy also has their own sci-fi section for the Armoured Core competition, and to bolster their display, our tropa at da Shak, care of Ed, will exhibit sci-fi and fantasy miniature figs from different miniature gaming systems. The exhibit place is near the Galleria Food Court and McDonald on the ground floor of the building (the open space just across Pho Hoa). Our table is the only one table with lotsa cute little miniature armies (infantry, dragons, and cavalries) on display. You can't miss it.

Visit there if you have time. I might drop by this Thursday and Friday night and most likely the whole day of Saturday before going to the Fete dela Musique 2007. See you!

*****

Extrang epal:

New album on my Multiply account...

Lakwatserong Kalbo

These were collated pictures of my airsoft games in Camp Masada, San Mateo, Rizal.

Must be Frenchy! Not be Mushy!

This year, Pulp Magazine will play host to the much anticipated Fete Dela Musique 2007. It's scheduled to be held at June 23, 2007 on various spots in Malate. Here are the line up of the gigs:

UNIVERSAL STAGE (Rajah Sulayman Stage, in front of Roxas Blvd.)
Bands: Orange and Lemons, Stonefree, Salamin, Cynthia Alexander, Radioactive Sago Project, Up Dharma Down, Mayonnaise, The Dawn, Alibata, Mojolfy, Wake Up Your Seatmate, Snakecharmer, Lala, Kadangyan, Slapshock , Bloomfields, etc.

*This should be a good stage. I dunno what they mean of "UNIVERSAL" but rock feats like Slapshock and The Dawn are a bit off to be on this stage. Radioactive Sago, reprezent! A definite must-watch for me. I'm also looking forward for Lougee's piece with Mojofly. She's soooo purtty yet so "rock-y"... me digs. Marry me, Lougee!

Be the Mom of my kids!! I beg you!! Pleeeeaaaaaaseeee!!!

ROCK STAGE (Remedios Circle, Malate)
Bands; Chicosci, Sin, Badburn, Moyg, Intolerant, Hampaslupa, Boyelroy, Severo, Hilera, Greyhoundz, Cog, Valley of Chrome, Kapatid, Join The Club, Ressurected, Typecast, Ambassadors, Check, Analog, End of Man, Mortal Fear, El Mercurio, Pinup Girls, Ducks Entertainment, The Wuds, Vox de Murk, Redd Boy, Eternal Now, Effinboiche, Reklamo, Dirty Stone Yard, Giniling Festival, April Morning Skies, Subscapular, Queso, etc.

*Dito ako malamang tatambay. Might as well bring my gunbang vest and helmet for flying bottles and a day of jumping and slamming. GREYHOUNDZ!!!

WORLD STAGE (Nakpil Street cor. Maria Orosa Street)
Bands: Peryodiko, Taken by Cars, Day Dream Cycle, Drip, Makatha, Cosmic Love, Switch, Salindiwa, Milagros Dance Hall Collective, The Chongkeys, Rinka Collective, Bagetsaf Onik, Paramita, 4MH, Jeepney Joyride, Blue Rats, Space Flower Show, Jerome Rico, Sound, Wahijuar A, Brass Munky, Bembol Rockers, Coffee Break Island, Swissy, Outerhope, Bandang Shirley, Blazing Bulalakaw, Juan Pablo Dream, Musical Orgasm, Pinikpikan, Spy, Skabeche, Johnny Alegre Affinity, Sino Sikat

*So so stage. Drip! Paramita! Juan Pablo! Chillax 'to. But I doubt iL stay long around here.

HIPHOP STAGE (Nakpil Street cor. Adriatico)
Bands: Sinag, Nimbus 9, Krazykyl E, Slick 'n Sly Kane/Mista Blaze, Corporate Lo-fies, Audible, Syke, Pamilia Dimagiba, Chilitees, Out of Body Special, Mobbstarr, Jay Flava, Miscellaneous, Stick Figgaz, The Expansion Team, Urban Outlaws, Artstrong, Dash & Esp, Monique with Metagrove, Ill-J, 2tay, People's Future, Flipballz, Aero, Ampon, Los Indios Bravoz, Diwata, Mike Apartment, Dcoy/The Franchize/Sunny Blaze, Nathan J, Cirkulo Pugantes, Mhcrew, etc.

*Hehe... not much of a hoppa. Nuff said.

There will be at least 120 local bands and artists and the festivities will begin at around 2 in the afternoon. Pero mainit init pa yung gentong oras. Medyo maliit ang venue ngayon compared to the last year's (Mall of Asia) so better anticipate that by noon there'll be no space to park as far as Buendia-Taft or Pedro Gil.

Magplano plano na! 'slam-an na!

Must be Sydney! Not be Mushy!

Exactly a month more and it will be a year since our Sydney trip last 2006. Feeling nostalgic, I dug into my photo cache and uploaded some pics from that trip on my Multiply account.

Lakwatserong Kalbo

I'm really missing my mates there and all the stuffs we did within those thirteen weeks of stay. Saya talaga. However, most of them were not with the company anymore so their chance of dropping by here in Phils is so so slim. Sana magkita pa kami ulit in the future. I can't see myself establishing in OZ-land for good, though. At least, not now. The place is so flawlessly organized and the way of life is pretty simple but sometimes those things will also be the reasons why you'll long for the chaos that is Manila. Peksman!

Dumating sa point na I could ought to work there for this job opportunity. But just mentally browsing over the faces of those people that are close to my heart, parang dito na lang ako sa Pinas! Haha. The compensation package would sure be tempting pero di pa naman kami sobrang naghihirap to consider leaving everything behind just for that reason or just because Phils is degenerating into an uninhabitable crib.

Maybe iL reconsider in the future. Gusto ko lang naman ay if ever titira na ko dun (or in any other country), sana may kasama akong mahal sa buhay: my mom, or my sibs, or a life partner (preferrably a fiancè/wife), or my own family! Basta, yung alam ko na at least I got a piece of my heart with me. Ahuhuy!

Delilah

Langya, na-miss ko magsagot ng ganito! When I was on the graveyard shift back in HP, these things kept me up and busy all night (and CS's triple choco!).

1. Who were you with last night?
-Idol Pinsan at Techy Friend

2. What time did you woke up this morning?
-unang gising o yung pangalwang gising?

3. Where are you?
-sopa (jologs sa "sofa")

4. Is tomorrow going to be a good day?
-tanong ko muna ke Madame Auring

5. Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
-molestiya meron

6. When was the last time you cried?
-psh!

7. Ever thrown up in public?
-guilty

8. Passed out because of alcohol?
-nakatulog. iba yun sa "passed out" di ba?

9. What's on your mind RIGHT NOW?
-some idle brain cells

10. Would you take a bullet for anyone?
-wag na lang. iiwan lang din naman ako. psh!

11. Where would you like to live?
-sa tabing dagat

13. What do you want to be when you
grow up?
-i want to be a daddy

15. Who is number one on your top?
-walang nasa top ko ngayon, bawal dito sa office. sexual harrasment.

16. Have you kissed your number one?
-huh?

17. Who was the last person that left
you a comment?
-Mary daw ang pangalan e

19. Do you like candy necklaces?
-psh!

20. When was the last time you fell
over or ran into something?
-sumabit ulo ko sa punong kahoy sa airsoft last sunday. tatanga tanga e.

21. Do you listen to music every day?
-dapat lang no

22. What was the last thing you ate?
-biskwit na libre sa pantry

23. Are you a fast typer?
-above average, kahit no look partida. astig no.

24. About how many people have you
liked?
-wala men, anti social ako e.

26. What did you do this weekend?
-nakow. subrang dami. ang highlight e pumuntang Fairview para lang mag shawarma.

27. Whats your favorite type of soda?
-sarsaparilla

29. Have you ever won an award?
-psh! sandamakmak! itanong mo pa sa nanay ko!

30. What do you want to do right now?
-mag cartwheel

31. Are you listening to music right
now?
-"Fuck the Police" by Rage Against the Machine... reprezent!

34. How long 'til your birthday?
-pakompyut. march 7 next year.

35. When were you the saddest in your
whole life?
-yung mga ganyan kinakalimutan na yan, men. tingina naman e, di naman kita inaano, nang-aano ka.

36. What time is it?
-5:27pm, bili ka na ng relo mo!

37. Do you use EBay to buy or sell?
-hindi pa.

38. What makes you mad?
-Madame Auring

39. Have you ever had a song written
about you?
-i have one for myself it goes like this: "bagay daw sakin ang kulot... bagay daw sakin ang kulot...lalala"

40. What song makes you cry?
-"Jumbo Hotdog" by Masculados

41. What song makes you happy?
-"Jumbo Hotdog" by Masculados

42. What do you like to listen to
before you go to bed?
-kahol ng aso ng kapitbahay

43. Do you have a job?
-wala. tambay lang.

44. fav song?
-"Somebody" by Depeche Mode

45. If you were a crayon what color
would u be?
-tae brown

46. What makes you happy?
-isang text lang sana. naman. naman.

47. Whats the next CD you're gonna get?
-blank

[Height:] 5'7

[Hair:] black

[Eye Color:] dark black

[Piercings] ears, dalwa

[Wearing right now?] jacket, shirts, carpenters, sneakers, medyas na lawgar (lawlaw garter), stringed bracelet, earphone, brief, ngiti

[What taste is in your mouth?] panis na laway

A word to describe 2007?
2006+1

*****

Eto pang isa! Galing ke Guing...

My favorite song to sing:
-"Delilah" by Tom Jones

My worst habit is:
-natutulog ng dilat

My all time favorite idol contestant is:
-Katharine Mcphee! represent!

I wish i could stop eating:
-nothing

On a random saturday I can be found:
-everywhere (from one end of EDSA to the other!)

Don't get between me and my:
-unan baho

The feature I get the most compliments
on is my:
-tongue

my favorite show is:
-That's Entertainment

i always love my:
-self

miss my:
-psh!

if i could turn back time i would:
-organize a Guy & Pip Fan's Club in our village

I cant live without my:
-food. trick question 'to?

I always think of:
-psh! isip isip, buti kung iniisip ka din! *grumble* *grumble*

Love or hate:
-hate, not. it leads to the dark side of the Force.

I always get annoyed by:
-Madame Auring

I always forget my:
-presence of mind

If i could speak my mind i'll say:
-"my mind". trick question ulit?

Must Be Hungry! Not Be Mushy!

Friday
Fortress, Virramall
After work...

Friday night goof offs with da boyz. After store closing, we drove to Kamias to grab Pork and Phatboi before charging it up to Fairview! Yeps, Far-view... that far-a-place that was just once a pigment of my comprehension. Some 20 minutes drive just to chug at this shawarma place that Crispy and Mayor discovered in Lagro... "Tri Mo Shawarma Co".

Pangalan pa lang, panalo na. They have this Sizzling Shawarma served like sisig that is so cheap yet so delectable. It only costs 75 bucks for a sizzling plate full of ground beef mixed with tomatoes (yuck), cucumber, pita bread, and raw egg! Saraaaap. Na-iimagine ko pa yung lasa. I mean, c'mon, 75 bucks is still a couple of peso short for a Quarter Pounder meal and even when you ground it, it won't even fill a "platito"... but imagine a sizzling plate jampacked of ground beef!! Wootut! Wootut!

Ang layo lang talaga at amoy usok ka na pag labas mo ng lugar nila... (not to mention, the trademark shawarma hininga!). We went there a couple of minutes before midnight already and the customers were still lots! At hindi lang sila panay lasing at tambay sa kanto ha... may mga mamwede mwedeng bebots din, actually. Walang chinita. Boink.

Peborit spot ko sa Shak... sa tabi ni Katrina Halili. Ahahay!

We were barely standing up after finishing 5-plates of it! Sa likod na ko ng pickup sumakay pabalik ng Shak with Pork para mas maka-stretch ang tiyan. Araguy! Passed by Mount Convergys going to Tandang Sora and I could only wonder if all's well with Pouty. Definitely, not on me. But if she's good, then I guess I should be too. Wootut! Wootut!

Emo aside, I was soooo stuffed that night kaya sinulit ko ang inom ng Cox sa Shak pagbalik namin. Ayun, kamusta naman... tigas tae! Haha. Pasintabi. Tumambay lang kami konti, nagkulitan, tas umuwi na din (lahat matapos ang isang mahabang sesyon ni Torotot Boy sa kabilang bahay.... wootut! Wootut!)


Saturday
Couch
After waking up... late...

Eto na lang ulit ang araw na nagising ako ng hindi dahil sa alarm clock o dahil may lakad ako, kaya up to sawa ako nakatulog. F#$% basketball, mas masarap matulog. Hehe. Laro na lang ako sa ibang araw. Woke up before lunch and was able to bugger the twins some more before prepping up to go to Virramall. Sarado daw ang UP-CFA so napag tripan na sa Fortress na lang ulit tumambay.

Arrived there by 3pm...

Attendance: Emp, Arvs, Joan, Obi, John Liit, Fluffy, Pork, Pantyman, Mayor, sino pa nga ba?? argh... sa kaka-"cox light" natin 'to e!

Stayed there until store closing, as usual. Emp rushed home to pick Jaycee up for another ride to Shawarmaland, after the boyz tickled his palate with stories from last night's adventure. Dumating kami ng Shak, andun na lahat. Handa na ang mga tiyan at hininga... to Far-view we go!!! Again.

Gumagapang na naman kami pauwi. Joma was in the Shak when we came back, his new laptop in tow for Mayor to tinker. Jason off to fix my airsoft gun (the SAR Offizier M41) for the next day's gunbang actions. My old rifle (G3A3) was there too! I missed plinking with it. I promised iL restore it next when my budget slackened para dalwa yung ginagamit kong baril or pwede ko ipahiram sa gusto sumama mag-try sa airsoft.

"Color Me Badd" on the Shak player. Classic. Torotot Boy's sax on the background again. Wootut! Wootut!

Class dismissed at around 2am.


Sunday
Camp Masada, San Mateo, Rizal
After Shak...

Met the Garrboy at da Shak. My rifle's working cool now. Thanks to da Phatboi mekanik! He was working on Carlo's AK47 when I arrived at the tambayan. Off to Masada we go!

Tinginingineng kulangot yan, ayaw pakuha!

Along Mount Convergys, Garrkid jokingly asked if are we going to pass by Istarbuko like we did when I meet the Batgurl there one time. For the first time after several months of going through that road to Masada with quite a few teasing and emo tox, I was not compelled to smile. A much appreciated icebreaker, Jubay and his ubiquitous High Ace appeared from behind us, da rest of da boyz in tow!

Attendance: Jubay, Garr, Obi, Kuneho, Munggo, Gudz, Wuttdahell, Kornpleks, Storm, Team Apocalypse, Team AIM, Team MFR, the Radiation Boys

The games were fun, as usual. I say, the upgrades Phatboi did paid off well. I sacked a lot of opponents early on the day's battles. Nakakita pa ko ng ahas during the last game. Watdapak! Buti na lang palayo na siya. Anlaki pa man din. Have to watch out where I'm crawling next time in Masada.

Going home, we had dinner at Nato's in Kamuning... na nauwi sa inuman. Plano ko pa naman sana magpa edit ng 2x2 picture kay Idol Pinsan. Kaso si Val (ulit) humakot ng maraming pagkain... and who am I to refuse?? "Yung mga bata nga sa riles walang makain e"... ika nga ng Mami ko. Hehe, kaya ayun... lamon! Sinabayan pa ng inom... but verily my alcohol toleration is disappointingly getting worse. Ilan lang nainom kong Kabayo pero barag barag nako, and even a death stick can't fix it. Dati, isang death stick lang tanggal na lasing at busog combined. Ngayon olats na. Walang inda.

Typical Shak Nights
L-R: Le Croissant, Fluffy, Asshole, Hairybelly, Mayor, Joma, Kinkytops, Pookiemonster

Ayun, I backflipped home barely in sanity sabay yakap ng mahigpit sa tulugan kong sofa (di ako natutulog sa kwarto ko). Woke up at 2am just to text Gelo that I won't be able to go to the next day's event early, tas tulog na ulit! Wootut! Wootut!


Monday
RHGC HQ, Rolling Hills, New Manila
After Shak...

Since di ako nakasabay kay Gelo (as planned), sa Shak na lang ako dumiretso. The day was effing scorching hot. Kaya naka topless ako sa tambayan. Inabutan ko dun si Pork, tas bumili muna ko ng cox to cool things off. Dumating din eventually si Arvs with Fluffy, then we headed to New Manila for the day's event.

The big kahuna, Litoman, summoned the boyz from all over the metro for a day of gaming, grub chugging, and barley grogging! Wasn't able to keep track of the attendance but we were approximately at least twenty on the HQ that day (plus or minus). The feast is overflowing! Tignan mo pa lang busog ka na. We had so much fun that day. Chillax lang, inom, kain, laro, kain, inom, nasabi ko na ba kain?? Ayun, tas kain ulit! The banquet was like magical... hindi nauubos ang lamang pagkain! Wootut! Wootut!

OO, Jacob... ako nga ang kakalbo sa 'yo!

Dun na kami inabot ng gabi as the peeps trickled out one by one to attend to "reality". Kami naman, bumalik sa Shak nang unti unting tinutubuan ng pakpak at palong sa dami ng nakaing manok. Gagawin dapat naming mohawk yung buhok ni Jacob (matagal nang plano), kaso gabi na at malas yata sa Chinese maggupit ng buhok sa gabi kaya ayaw ni Litoman.

May araw din yang bunbunan na yan ni Jacob.

Must be Busy! Not be Mushy!

Did another lap of walking around the perimeter of this side of Ayala just a couple of minutes ago. I think I found another way to detox in the middle of a gruelling workday. Mas mahaba-haba nilakad ko this time pero sakto lang yung tagal niya na nakabalik ako ng office bago mamasa ang kilikili ko sa init sa labas. Haha. Sayang japorms.

Before that, though, I passed by Juliebee to try out their latest Mango Caramel sundae. Caramel! Yub yub! Kinakain ko na siya ngayon.

Speaking of japorms, ang saya talaga ng hindi kelangang pormal sa office. May pros and cons (and I think I'll have to write about it someday) pero tingin ko, mas madaming advantages over the other. Kanina kasi madaming nag aabot ng flyers tsaka credit card offers sa labas (as usual). Back when I was in HP and have to wear a more formal outfit, these guys would literally chase you down to offer their stuffs. Pero kanina, wala lang. Parang utot lang ako na dumaan. Hindi man lang ako inabutan ng kapiraso nilang flyer na kinakalat lang din naman ng mga nakakatanggap sa kalsada ng Ayala. I was in my typical scruffy look... jeans, chains, sneakers, vintage shirt (as in, worn out vintage... I've been a sucker for em lately), goatee, earrings, cap. Kung ako man yung nag aabot ng mga flyers at makita ko si Obi na naglalakad, baka panlimusan ko pa siya ng isang stick ng yosi sa itsura niya. Hahaha.

Anyway, I finally uploaded the pics from our Systems Testing seminar last week. Camera's courtesy of Kring. Check the album at my Multiply account...

Lakwatserong Kalbo

L-R: Obi, Jane, John (si Kring kumuha)

The entire training has been very beneficial to me. Aside from adding another chevron on my list of achievements and certifications, it was an eye-opener that there's actually more to "testing" than what I used to believe. I've been exposed to a customized environment back in HP-P&G so I'm kinda short when it comes to the general industry standards and now, as a team lead of an independent testing team, knowing more about the jargons and details of the trade is invaluable.

Ang masaya nito, napaka chillax ng environment! We stayed in this room on the 23rd floor of Richmonde Hotel just accross the University of Asia and the Pacific, and the view up there was exquisite. Yung tamang pag antok ka na sa lecture tingin ka lang sa labas at hindi ka na aantukin! Kasi mahihilo ka na! Haha. I still can't believe until now that I rappelled a cliff face that high back in Sydney.

Attendees came from across various companies and there were even two participants who hailed from Cebu (first timers in Manila, actually). Galing ng company nila noh, pinadala pa sila dito. Hindi rin purely software QA practitioners ang mga nag-attend, merong System Designs at may hardware-based. Dahil bibo ang kumpanya namin, apat kaming pinadala: ako, si Kring (co-team lead from the same project as I do), Jane, at si John (both are teammates for a separate project).

Tambay tambay lang muna, maaga pa.

Palakihing baboy kami dun. Meaning, kain kain kain! In a span of 8 hours, there were at least three lavish meals na punong puno ng carbo at ambigat sa tiyan. Araguy ang pagpapapayat ni Obi. Pero ang minahal ko sa lahat ay ang kape. Siyang kakampi ko pag pilit nang kinakatok ng antok ang aking tuktok. Astig sa rhyme! Medyo di ko talaga kinalakihang nagtitimpla ng kape kaya sablay ako sa tantsahan. Buti tinuruan ako ni Jane, ginaya ko na lang yung mga sukat niya sa pag timpla ng kape niya. Swakto.

Ayun si Master Elyn, yung naka-puti sa background. Panginoon ng QA Testing.

Photo ops started on the second day when Kring brought her hi-tech camera. Panalo talaga. Gusto ko na din tuloy bumili at ituloy ang naunsiyami kong kahibangan sa potograpiya.

Anyway, I just did a written evaluation of the training for our company yesterday, and hopefully if they reckon that it would benefit my teammates as it did to me, they'll be sending them for the training too in the future. For now, me and Kring were scheduled to give echo lectures of what we've learned to our teammates. Good luck sakin kung may natandaan ako! Hahaha.

*****

Schedule for the long weekend...
Fortress, Virramall (tambay) - later
Shak (tambay) - later
Protacio Park (basketball) - tomorrow
UP-Fine Arts (modelling sessions) - tomorrow
Tita 9's (tambay) - tomorrow
Camp Masada (airsoft) - Sunday
Shak (tambay) - Sunday
RHGC HQ, New Manila (games day) - Monday
Shak (tambay) - Monday

Have a good long weekend, mga kapanalig!!

Omnipotence of an Emotional State

Just came back from a walk. I don't usually do aimless wandering and refrained from doing it alone but I think it's cool sometimes to snatch a couple of minutes away from everything else... anyone else, but myself. Carry naman. Sana lang may camera ako!

Nga pala, hindi siya for mushy reasons ah (defensive kabig manoeuvre, hehe)... gusto ko lang talaga maglakad-lakad dahil:
a) Sobrag galamig dito sa opisina kanina. Ang settings niya e parang hindi na kami makakatikim ng lamig ulit magpakaylanman sa aming buhay.
b) Nabusog ang tiyan ko. Naparami ata nilagay ni Mami na kanin sa baon ko or hindi lang na sanay ang tiyan ko bumitbit ng madami.
c) Ang haba pa ng break ko. Wala naman talaga kaming pormal na limit sa break, pero gatagal pa talaga e. Sayang naman tumitig lang sa ballpen sa lamesa ko o makipag harutan sa mga ka-grupo.
e) Hinahanap ko pa din yung Persian Grill ni Kian sa "Paseo Center" DAW. Tinginingineng yan! Stir ata yun e. Kagagaling ko lang dun, wala naman. Kebab na kebab na ang hininga ko e.
f) Tignan mo walang letter "d".

Siguro may half a kilometer din yung napag-lakwatsahan ko in all. Dito lang naman ako sa area sa paligid namin nagliwaliw, then i went straight to Sedeño to buy me a salad! Kaka-miss din kasi ang salad na gawa ng iba. Hehe. May bagong crew na sila Manang Yula. Progress! Parang nababasa ko nga yung nasa isip niya kanina e... "Eto yung kumag na gumaya ng Antipasto recipe natin ah... duraan ang order! Duraan, dali!".

Dinobol check ko yung salad ko. Mabuti naman, walang dura. Hahaha. Salamat, Manang Yula! Kinakain ko na siya ngayon. Yub yub! Yung ginaya kong Seafood Antipasto sa kanila will be a significant juju in my life since i promised to serve it to those close to my heart only. O-ha! May ganung factor.

Hindi halata sa muka namin ni Kring pero gahirap ng training... pramis!

Anyway highway, I got the photos from our training last week at Richmonde Hotel in Mandaluyong. I was just sorting em this morning and prolly will upload soon on my Multiply account. Masaya naman yung training. Pantanggal din kasi ng mga kung ano anong iniisip at dinadamdam. Ayan na, oh... nagiging mushy na!

Ayawan na to. Upload na lang ako pics.

Intelligent Discussion of Meaningless Crap

Been out of sleep for at least four days now. I'd always went straight to Arvs and Little Jon in Fortress Hobby Shop in Virramall after my trainings at the Richmonde Hotel. After the mall closes, tambay na kami automatically at da Shak to mob up with the other gits.


Saturday...
Woke up early again after some 3-4 hours of sleep.

Played with my sister's twins for a while then prepared my stuffs for Katipunan. There had been another tournament for this miniature game called "Warmachine" and our friends slash owners of Hobby Haven hosted the event (which was on its third leg of four) kaya suporta muna ako sa local promotors of the hobby. I fared better this time than the last two legs (actually, my game results were progressively improving). Nothing biggie though. These were all just another good excuse for me to basically have some "fun" to distract me from the "not-fun" that day.

Total War Tournament

Attendance: Tiny, Kei, Jun, Chris, Clarence, Clemence, Kim, Patrick, Ronald, Pookiemonster, Pork, Mussolini, Obi Doo, Carlos, Wolf, Arvs, Raymund, Dadang, Fluffy, Teng, Fuhrer, Kulyong, SJ, Chico, Zig, Marlu, may nakalimutan pa ko for sure... belat na lang!

The tourney ended at around 9pm and we (Arvs, me, Fluffman, F. Teng, Great Maw) left the guys in Haven to have a sidetrip chowdown at In-and-Out Steak House near Teacher's Village. I din't like their sisig, pero panalo yung beef cuisines nila for cheaps! We drove back to Ateneo Gate 2.5 to pick-up Pork and disperse to their own rides and headed back to da Shak. Punong puno ang tiyan naming lahat!

It was a good day for tambay!

Shak Attendance: Asshole, Asshole's Brother, Jumping Johnny, Phatboi Jason, Chilli Arvin's, Doc Komax, Joma, Jake "The Great Maw" Pookiemonster, Obi Hairybelly, Jacob Le Croissant, Fluffy Thai Boy, Little John, Mayor Teng, Kuneho, Topher, Anito the Nurgle Dog... featuring Torotot Boy

Grub: lotsa liters of the Holy Liniment - Coke!, pandesal, giant E-Aji's, other giant chips

Jampacked at the Shak as Brothers 2 and 3 were busy with their scale model projects while the rest were busy chugging their cox! Anito still stinky.

Joma in the house with lotsa Call Center stories in tow! He works for this Call Center in Ortigas and sa Call Centers daw everybody's liberally talking about sex... maybe the chief reason why relationships come and go in an eye blink in those environment. Kaya yun, napag-tripan NILA (hugas kamay, haha) si Frenchie Boy na kung gusto magka GF or "experience", he should try a stint in a Call Center firm kahit ilang months lang. Haha. Nag-umpisa lahat when Joma started relating this na minsang pauwi na daw siya, he stepped into a lift with two gay agents talking (loudly) about their sexcapades (complete with konyo accents and gestures). Haha! Haven't seen Joma literally cringing like that before. Everyone's unanimous at suggesting "ba't di mo pinag mumura" haha but he told us one of em's like Jake's height... Jake's a huge 6'1"-ish guy! Sabay hirit ni Arvs, "buti hindi ka na-'tetrapack', pre!" Hahaha. I don't wanna be visual but just imagine how liquids in tetrapacks were consumed to get the point. Hahaha. Everyone burst out laughing as they tried to act out the "tetrapacking".

No offense with the "third kind" but to openly discuss something taboo in a public place where some people that might take offense are within earshot deserves more than just to be sweared upon. Kung andun ako tadyakan ko pa ng buhay yung dalwang yun. And why not... kung kaming mga lalake would discuss the same subject matter at the same scenario, don't we deserve to be hit in the face too by an offended female? Yang libog may tamang lugar yan. Haha.

The night is young and nobody wanted to go home just yet. Andami pang napag-usapan. Verily, the Shak needs a 24/7 camera installed there somewhere for such tambay nights. It could be a hit if there's a Shak 24/7 ala Pinoy Big Bro... hirit nga ni Crispy (that sent Joe in fits of bursting laughter), "What we're talking about is not brainless. It's an intelligent discussion of meaningless crap!". Haha!

Oks talaga sa Shak. It has been an "another dimension" for me for the last two (or was it three??) years. Pag andun ako para tumambay, it was as if I'm on a bubble. Wala akong naiisip masyado na iba, which is a welcome feeling for me. That day, I was sort of troubled for some reason but nobody would reckon that dahil sa walang humpay naming kulitan... and it felt cool. Biglang patugtog ni Torotot Guy ng kanyang saxophone na sabog. Eto yung teenager dun sa katabing bahay ng Shak na sa lakas mantrip ay sa kalaliman ng gabi tumitira ng ensayo sa saxophone niya. Woootut! Woootut! Kung inabutan niyo na tumugtog ng sax si Maggie sa Simpsons, ganun siya kasabog. Haha! Sabay sabay pa kami sa pag sabi ng "seeexy time!".

Class dismissed at around 2:30-ish in the morning.


Sunday...
Woke up early again after some 3-4 hours of sleep.

Packed up my airsoft gears and went straight to Ortigas to meet up with Garr for some gunbang action. We're back in Masada, and boy I missed the place! But moreso, I missed the Batgurl when we passed by this Starbucks in Convergys Commonwealth. Decided against texting her if she's still around the premise. iL prolly won't get any replies anyway, haha. So after dreaming of a banana java choco chip (which the guys told me sounded like a Swahili word when I pronounced it) to counter my somnolence, we rode to San Mateo in an unfamiliar silence.

Wala pa masyadong tao nung dumating kami. Titig ulit kami ni Garrik sa malayo. Si Defcon pa lang ng Team Apo at si Manong Mananabas ng Damo ang nandun. The guys started to trickle in by early noon already.

Attendance: Garrboy, Obi, Jubay, Jeng, Inggo in Dreadlocks, Val, Kornpleks, Solo, Sir Jamir, Ate Gina, Team Apocalypse, Team AIM

It was a good day for battle. The weather was a bit too hot than average but at least the jungle breeze was constant. The Persian Army composed of Kuneho and his cousins din't show up and so did the invited team from Ambergris Call Center. The games were pretty much typical and I've had some good hits for the day. Di ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako or hindi dahil hindi sumakit ang katawan ko tas wala din akong masakit na tama ng bala. Physical pain was at least more tolerable. Nakakapagod, yes... but t'was not enough to contain my glitches...

...kaya siguro inimbento ng may-ari nito ang "Nato's", para masolusyunan ang ikina-lalaki ng butas ng ilong ko!

After the game, we planned on chowing down at "Tapsihan ni Vivian" but it was too far for Jun's ride which by then was literally squeaking of exertion from our combined weights plus those of our guns. We just settled in the nearer "Nato's Grille" in Kamuning for some grubtime slash alcohol drive manouever.

Grub: chicken sisig lots!, puwet ng manok, gizzards, barbeque, sabaw sandamakmak, pork sisig!, isaaaaw, Pulang Kabayo na nakangiti't naninipa!

Atat si Val uminom kaya nagpakasasa kami sa alcohol. Malamang closet problematic din? Haha! Post battle tox about the gunbang sessions in Masada. Baka next week hindi kami dun maglaro. Oks lang, ang mahalaga may laro! After that, Jun dropped me at da Shak. Downtime at the HQ as everyone's busy with their modelling works.

Shak Attendance: Pork, Ian, Jason, Johnny, Jon Jon, Jeff, Obi, Arvs, Doc Marco, Carlo, Anito, Torotot Boy

"Sexy time!" as Torotot Boy resumed his saxophone stints, still as sabog as ever! Someone's asking me if Torotot Boy is actually a "Torotot Girl" since he saw the reedblower from a nearby window sporting a long hair?!? I dunno, so I asked Jason for a confirmation but the Phatman confirmed that he is a "HE", unless he prefers to be something else. Haha! Sexy tiiime.

Same o, same o fun at the Shak that night. Arv's brought a bag of Korean Ramen and seafood tofu! The guys munched at it with much gusto after Jumping Johnny cooked it in haste while Jeff lamented with his crappy 3G connection for his laptop. Inarbor ko yung isang miniature tank ni Johnny for my Ork Battlewagon project. The third Ork god, Pork, planned of a trip up north to Hundred Islands this Friday. Will it push through??

Abangan!

Anito still stinky. Will it ever get a bath??

Abangan!!!

Class dismissed at around 1:30-ish in the morning.