Hi guys, here's a shoutout to those of you who want to volunteer about 2-3 hours of your time on a Saturday morning for the kids of White Cross Orphanage (276 Santolan Road, San Juan).
I've been doing this every August for the last 10 years with my former co-worker Cristina Peczon. She moved to the States the last year but her work for the orphanage continues.
So the pledges and money are in. Volunteers are just needed to:
- help feed the kids - play with them / do activities with them
Call time: 9:30 am Saturday 16 August 2008 Activity proper: 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Volunteers so far:
Pirates:
1. Karen Kunawicz (and maybe Vincent) 2. Wawi Navarroza 3. JJ Ortoll 4. Jovan de Ocampo 5. Lynn Montejo 6. Diana Aviado 7. Jon
Cris' Friends
1. Karrots Nazareno and her 2 sons
Maybes
- Lemon - Carl (pending school) - Camy and Teddy
In the form of POSITIVE VIBES
- Romina
The stormtroopers do want to be here, it's just that they'll be in the thick of Clone Wars promotional activities.
So hey, let me know if you can make it. Below is a copy of Cris' letter regarding the activity.
hello everyone!
it's almost august again, and this year, as I have done every other year for more than ten years now, i am
marking my birthday with a little party at the white cross orphanage in san juan.
as many of you already know, i am now based in california, married and expecting our first child --
and an unable to make the journey back to the philippines for this annual event. i am so proud to
say that my dearest friend karen kunawicz has bravely volunteered to spearhead this meaningful
orphanage tradition in my absence.
white cross, home to almost 100 abandoned and orphaned children, is run completely on donations
and support from private donors such as friends like us. these children, aged 0-6, are cared for
on a round the clock basis on the sheer dedication and love of volunteers and a handful of skilled
caregivers.
in the last year, white cross was able to match 22 children to adoptive parents -- one child was
matched to a local couple while 21 were matched to inter-country adoption. white cross ranked
#1 in facilitating inter country adoption for the national capital region.
most of the children are referred to the orphanage but hospitals as babies abandoned by their parents;
local government offices with reports of children in distress; and other child caring agencies.
this last year has been particularly challenging when it comes to coping with the demand of expensive medicines.
many times, the children referred to the orphanage have a wide array of health concerns -- and between balancing
the budgets for food, shelter, clothing and medicine -- you can imagine how trying this has been.
one child brought to white cross by his mother was suspected to have Von Willibrand Disease ( incurable ). his
less fortunate mother brought him to white cross with the belief that her son would be given the best
future and medical intervention at the facility. the product of incest, the child was given a series of expensive
blood transfusions and treatment but to no avail. medical doctors who volunteer at white cross tried their best
but the child did not survive. white cross exhausted almost a million pesos in very precious funds for this one
orphan.
life is not easy for any of us these days. high gas prices; a less than booming economy; we all suffer from our
own trying times and hardships.
but the one thing that we DO have is family. and happy memories to look back at to make our less than cheery
todays still have hope for tomorrow.
my goal now, as it was many years ago, is to put smiles on the faces of these children at least one day this year.
donations are always welcome --- but more than anything, the human touch is requested if you can make time
this August 16 ( Saturday).
we will be providing food and refreshments for the orphans -- but as in the years before -- we welcome any
pledges for ice cream, cake or any other party food. in the past, i was around to make individual goody / grab
bags for the children -- just filled with candies and little toys -- but as mentioned, i am the US now and won't be
around to do so. perhaps someone could volunteer to prepare some goodies for some of the kids?
but the most important thing is volunteers to be there that day -- to play with the kids, talk to them, make them
know that they are just as important as any one else. my wish is that for the day that the kids feel as if it were
THEIR day.
please email me back if you think you can make time for the event. i will be closely coordinating with karen
to make this event a success. we are also looking for volunteers to host kiddie games; face painting;
maybe an animal show; any form of entertainment that would cheer up the kids on this hot august day.
thank you so much, it means so much to me that these kids will continued to be cared for as they have
every august for the last 11 years.... i promise you, if you come to this event, you will bring back with
you memories that will touch your heart!
cris
Hey, you've been looking extra fine the last few nights! Thanks for the story, this one's for you. Can I take a scoop from your jar?
REVENGE BEAUTY CREAM
She looked like a vision, she looked like a dream Was it something she wore? It was REVENGE BEAUTY CREAM
Her eyes were circled in a shimmer of jet her lips turned up wicked a smile you won't forget
You don't buy it in a shop You don't buy it in a store But it announces your entry when you walk through the door
Indeed something was different in her already kick ass air It was REVENGE BEAUTY CREAM don't take any shit and just dare to wear!
No, he's my breakfast ex-boyfriend bed warmer pillow fighting instructor lover future ex-boyfriend ex-boyfriend's boyfriend doctor physical therapist dive buddy yoga swami spiritual counsellor business partner assassin apprentice personal pizza chef foot masseuse movie buddy agent cheerleader partner in crime black belt in kama sutra promoter accomplice favorite rockstar homemade pornstar boxing coach whiskey drinking nemesis pet snake cross dressing chocolatier father confessor gypsy caravan driver Kraken handler patient master servant long lost relative from Transylvania lunar real estate agent mudslide mixer Dutch treat French kiss yummy Spartan Disney ride flying fox bungee jump skydiving tandem partner next target bullet with butterfly wings road to nowhere dark demented barber imaginary friend dream nightmare message in a bottle library book devil on the shoulder angel in my pocket anchor at sea dirty little secret
This one's for all the girls who still maintain a sense of humor and a sense of self while wondering if there's anyone out there to run run run with. Because standing still is not an option.
I recently wondered to myself which sort of person I'd prefer: one who is real kaso lang masungit or one who is superficial or fake nice. And all things considered, I figured I might as well take the real person--after having been burned, fooled and mislead by the "fake nices" of the world several times throughout the course of my lifetime. It's easier for me to deal with someone who admits they're not having the best day, that they're feeling sick, that something is wrong, that they've got a hidden agenda, that they're imperfect or scarred somewhere. That they feel strange, alone, manic or depressive. And it may be tough to swallow initially but I'd appreciate it more if you told something I didn't want to hear but at the same time something you genuinely felt. I have a few close friends who are like that and I'm really glad I do. They put me in my place and keep me on my toes in a good way. The fake nices I worry about, the ones who make like you're really close when you're not, the ones who tell you, "I'm doing this for your best interest" when, unlike the people who have stuck with you through your shining moments and down in the gutter moments, they just seem to be close when they need something or want make it appear like everything is fine in the universe between you and them. Many times the world can get superficial, it's all about appearances, we are a generation addicted to media, we need to get our fix. Our lives become little "Reality TV" shows. We often end up playing certain roles, certain types of characters adding to the one dimensional-ness of it all. And how we all must smile for Big Brother's cameras. To have people in your life who MEAN what they SAY or SAY what they MEAN, who you can look in the eye, who you have conversations with for hours on end and feel like you are making a true connection is a wonderful thing. To hear their voice, to see them smile at you while you smile back, to be wrapped in their warm embrace, to be able to pull up a chair next to them and just talk, to know they're not too far away is one of the incredible things life can offer. And while sweet, temporary magical connections can be made on the road, there's really nothing like just being with someone you've slowly developed a great friendship with. Someone who knows what you want or need from the bar, someone who'll just randomly say hi to you in the middle of the day for no special reason, someone who'll make you loko in a good way when you do something funny / stupid / embarrasing, someone who you can share your soul with who'll color it, uplift it and keep your openess with them safe, someone who'll get protective of you, someone who hands you emergency chocolate, someone who understands your strange moods. In a world where I've had to learn to be a bit more guarded, I salute the beautiful men and women I can let my guard down with. Thanks for letting me be myself. You all absolutely rock and yeah, I look forward to making you LAMUTAK when I see you again.
 Because you're so angry, because you're so happy, because you've got his mischievous little itch, because you're barely able to get up with the weight of it, because you want sweet revenge, because you want to shake the contents of the bottle, because you think it's quite funny, because you've lost a bit of your sanity, because someone should know already, because there are some bushes you can hide under after you're done.
You want to post those recent photos, you want to write down the details, you want to mention a name or two.
But because you're so polite, because you'd get half your butt fried if you did, because you're lazy, because you're not impulsive, because you're feeling a bit boring and because you're playing it safe, you don't.
You just sit and pretend you don't know while the rest of the world buys the show.
I'm just in one of those strange moods--take a break from work and the mind tends to explore very impish scenarios, "what would happen if I popped this balloon." You know what they say, an idle mind is the devil's workshop and somewhere sitting on my shoulder is a mini-me telling me to use germicidal soap and get back to my regularly scheduled task. (If Jack Sparrow can have them, so can I).
Just when you thought Hawaii was the LAST stop. Fangirl and fanboy alert: I just found out from a very reliable source that THE POLICE will be touring again / more / further this year! A rumor went around that the Police were open to playing here but after much hemming and hawing among the telcos, they ended up going for Justin Timberlake. Apparently JT got too tired from Bringing Sexy Back and had to cancel. Perhaps they should make ligaw again. Dates (subject to change) are as follows: The Police 01 May Scotiabank Place, Ottawa
03 May HSBC Arena, Buffalo NY
04 May Nationwide Arena, Columbus OH
10 May Allstate Arena, Chicago IL
13 May Sprint Center, Kansas City MO
14 May Qwest Center, Omaha NE
16 May Amway Center, Orlando FL
17 May Cruzan Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach FL
20 May Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston TX
21 May Superpages.com Center, Dallas TX
23 May MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas NV
24 May Cricket Wireless Pavilion, Phoenix AZ
26 May Coors Amphitheatre, San Diego CA
27 May The Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles CA
11 Jul Clark County Amphitheatre, Portland OR
12 Jul The Gorge, Seattle WA
14 Jul Shoreline Amphitheatre, San Francisco CA
16 Jul Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord CA
17 Jul Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Sacramento CA
19 Jul USANA Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City UT
21 Jul Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver CO
25 Jul Marcus Amphitheater, Milwaukee WI
26 Jul DTE Energy Music Center, Detroit MI
28 Jul Post Gazette Pavilion, Pittsburgh PA
29 Jul Wachovia Center, Philadelphia PA
31 Jul Tweeter Center, Boston MA
01 Aug Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga NY
03 Aug PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel NJ
04 Aug Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh NY The Hollywood Bowl and Red Rocks dates look mighty attractive...anyone want to take me along as their companion?
The chilly burger. Not a paltry tablespoon of vanilla ice cream between two mass produced cookies.
This is much like those chipwiches they sold in New York in the 80's (I wonder if they still do). Only fatter and more delectable.
The cookies (chocolate cookies and chocolate chip cookies) are home made by a friend of mine from the Philippine Tolkien Society named Rachel. And if they can pass muster with the hobbits who like to eat well and eat hearty and the elves with their high standards, they'll certainly do for me.
The gargantuan slab of ice cream in the middle--vanilla, chocoholics anonymous, chocolate macadamia, cookie dough (?) is by the one and only Sebastian.
The ice cream and cookies are either rolled in crushed nuts, crushed oreos, tiny chocolate chips or candy sprinkles.
Despite being a big fan of dark chocolate, my favorite Chilly Burger flavor is the classic with vanilla ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies rolled in nuts and tiny chocolate chips.
Unfortunately when I walk home from the Ortigas commercial center, I almost always invetibly pass by the Podium. And up there on the fourth floor is where all that evil, delectable, addictive, euphoria inducing ice cream is situated. Oscar Wilde is known for saying "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it... I can resist everything but temptation."
What could I do. The Chilly Burger called to me when it started being sold there last year. And I answered.
It was a pleasure eating that first Chilly Burger. It was so huge I practically made that my lunch. It was so yummy, I knew I was going back for another one and another one and another one and another one...
And I did.
I was addicted to the Chilly Burger. The saleslady already knew who I was and dug her hand into the Chilly Burger stash each time she saw me.
I felt I had to do something about it. I had to overcome the addiction. I could not make meals out of ice cream. So this was my strategy: eat as many Chilly Burgers as I could until I got tired of them. To get to the point of diminishing returns. I don't know if I'm using a proper analogy but I remember this short story from Anais Nin's collection of erotica Delta of Venus. The story was called "Artists and Models" and I think its about this bizarre couple who just locked themselves up in room together for something like a week, until they sort of of "maxed out" each other (to use credit card parlance) until all vestiges of desire were sated and no longer wanting.
I've lost count of the Chilly Burgers I've consumed over the last few months. But I think I'm fine now. I can look a Chilly Burger in the face and resist it.
Next project: overcome the addiction the chocolate chip cookie dough.
 She has that long yellow hair celebrated in the song "Johanna," she dresses in whites and creams and pretty blues, no dark gothic circles under her eyes.
She appears to be the perfect picture of girlish promise and innocence.
Yet such darkness dwells within.
Does Anthony really know what he is getting himself into?
Johanna, taken away from her parents at such a young age, then becoming the ward of the very man who destroyed any hope for happiness for herself and her parents Benjamin and Lucy Barker. Who knows what Judge Turpin did when he said he "offered himself to her" which caused her to show "reluctance?"
Johanna, sent to an asylum and then witnessing Sweeney Todd murder the madwoman--in truth her own father kill her mother.
When Anthony tells her you are safe now, she says (I can't remember the right words), "...the nightmares don't go away."
Oh Anthony, you are in for quite a ride with Johanna. May you always have a good therapist's name on your speed dial.
* * * * *
Below are the lyrics to the song, "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" which sounds lilting and tender and melodic but a closer glance at the lyrics reveals so much darkness neuroses and sadness.
Green finch, and linnet bird,
Nightingale, blackbird,
How is it you sing?
How can you jubilate
sitting in cages
never taking wing?
Outside the sky waits
beckoning!
Beckoning!
Just beyond the bars...
How can you remain
staring at the rain
maddened by the stars?
How is it you sing
anything?
How is it you sing?
Green finch. and linnet bird,
nightingale, blackbird
How is it you sing?
Whence comes this melody
constantly floating?
Is it rejoicing or merely aloaming?
Are you discussing?
Or fussing?
Or simply dreaming?
Are you crowing?
Are you screaming?
Ringdove and robinet
is it for wages?
Singing to be sold?
Have you decided it's safer in cages
singing when you're told?
My cage has many rooms
damask and dark...
Nothing there sings,
not even my lark.
Larks never will, you know,
when they're captive.
Teach me to be more
adaptive.
Ah...
Green Finch, and Linnet Bird,
nightingale, blackbird,
teach me how to sing.
If I cannot fly...
Let me sing.
A sequel on her life would be interesting to speculate on. So many ways you could go with it.
Because I went on Lynn's (Vampirate) blog and joined in.
Leave a comment and I'll reply by answering the following.
1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle with you in.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal.
 First you had 007 aka Daniel Craig stripping down and getting wet all over Casino Royale (the chase scene at the airport, the tight trunks scene, the torture scene, the tuxedo in the shower scene, the jumping in the flood scene).
Then the Spartans fought their wars in red Speedos. Their rippling ripping muscles glistening with dirt and art directed sweat scene after scene after scene. We even had a lingering shot of King Leonidas' butt. In the comic of course some Spartans were indeed naked.
Eastern Promises with Viggo Mortensen was released in the US and there supposedly is a four minute fight scene involving Viggo's character au naturel in a Turkish bath house. Can't expect a towel to hang on with all that hustling ey?
And finally we have Beowulf. Beowulf fights Grendel in a state of dishabille as well. It's acrazy fight with a lot of tumbling, flying, jumping, scooting, zooming save that for some reason, a beam, a bottle, a helmet, a body, a piece of furniture just covers the goods.
Will the trend continue in 2008?
Hell, some of us hope so!
It all started out at the beach when the question popped up of which Viggo we liked better--the clean cut History of Violence Viggo or the rough, unkempt Strider / Alatriste Viggo. Monique and I instantly said--the rough, unkempt version without hesitation.
Why? Well my response was so I could obviously scrub him after his adventures.
So we had this running joke about making this film called "Scrubbing Viggo" which is all about bathing Viggo Mortensen. Joke actually runs on a couple of days so it's kind of embedded in my head.
See, I've actually taken the idea that meeting Johnny Depp or Viggo Mortensen is NOT a fantasy. They're both actual human beings on the same planet--so the possibility exists right? But since we're operating on the premise of reality here, my goal is now for Johnny Depp to be Vincent's father in law via Lily Rose...and Viggo, well he and I can listen to music, jam with spoken word experiments, publish books, cook game on road trips taking turns driving his truck and well, find an empty space in his messy house to play Twister. Not to mention I can hang out while he and Wawi talk photography.
Anyway, I realized I left my house keys at home last night and ended up sleeping in an Inn after I visited dad at the hospital. Fell into a deep sleep and dreamt I was travelling in the Southwestern US and stopped at this shop that sold among a few things crystals and jewelry. Viggo Mortensen happens to be there and to cut a long story short, while I'm looking at crystals, he suggests he fashion a necklace for me--so he gets some very bright orange (carnelian) and says they'd suit me for the fire in my soul and then he picks some dark green ones which I reckon were agate saying something about it fitting me being a loyal human being who at the same time enjoys the sensual pleasures of life. So after half an hour he makes me this beautiful necklace and it's too bad I have to buy it for myself because it should come from a man who appreciates me for everything I am.
By this point, I'm feeling all, how do we say this? "Slidy."
Anyway what happens is I buy the necklace, I say thank you and I look into his eyes. After buying dinner in the town, I pass by the shop again and see him. So what happens is we end up talking on his couch, horsing around and next thing you know we are lying down and my hands reach for his gorgeous and sturdy chest and our lips meet and we start kissing. And the kissing is mad, crazy and slidy.
So of course we graduate from the kissing to making pleasure pretzels out of our bodies. The horrible thing is that the dream seemed so real. Like this was really really happening to me. It was luscious, creamy, dreamy, hard, soft, dark, light, delicious, heavenly and REAL. That when I woke up and found out I was alone, I wanted to cry. Viggo, you disappeared on me.
I'm such a goner. If anyone reading this blog wishes on stars and such, help me find my Viggo :-) my hombre, my ranger, my star.
(Love you Johnny but you and Vanessa rock! Let's double date, bro.)
 
Vannie Karen Isabelle Hank Patton Josh Thor Wawi Sonja congregate for CHOCOLATE at Xocolat Serendra. Actually this month, they have this incredible promo--all you can drink chocolate martinis for P300 from 6-9pm. Except there's a liquor ban! Xocolat Serendra, because it has this nice al fresco people watching ambience and because they serve the chocolate mixers has been a favorite stomping ground of late for me, Isabelle, Katrina, Vannie, Wawi and Anabel. We just go there to talk, celebrate birthdays, have intimate one on ones, exchange dreamy ideas, pour our hearts out...Tonight we just decided to trick or treat early and swim in chocolate--so we had the Xocolat Lava, the Xocolat Frenzy, the Xocolate Vanilla Mudslide and several other drinks whose names I forgot, we also had the the Dark Belgian Xocolat Fondue, unfortunately the flourless xocolat cake wasn't available that night. Xocolat--we go here to lift our spirits when we're a bit down and we go here to celebrate when we're marking a milestone (career moves, birthdays). God bless the Aztecs for inventing chocolate, and to the owners of Xocolat, could you put a branch outside my apartment? :-D
I got this suggestion to watch the desert (not dessert) scene in "Fear and Loathing is Las Vegas" as a transition from my chocolate high to sleep. So I'm doing that just now.
Just how much dark chocolate and Depp can a girl take?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I don't know, I can take MORE!!!! Katrina...next time!!!   
I'll just make this a really a quick quick quick blog entry as I'm off like a bullet into the day before Ramadan. Just to say I'm really kilig and really excited. Maybe because it's October and LOVE is in the air? I know it's not Christmas or Valentines but October has always conspired to make me happy. Unexpected phone calls, poetry at odd hours, voices from beyond, guitars from beyond, free breakfasts, tender gestures, surprise encounters, MAGIC and Stardust.
October October October my odes to you shall begin and this blog entry will be under construction as I do have to leave the house, it will be beautiful it will be blessed.
Hello ulit mga apo! Did you miss me? Alam mo naman on vacation kase yung male nurse ko na si Rodrigo, so I've had to do eeeeeeverything myself. Didn't have much time to dish out my nuggets of wisdom. I must say a lot of this list is lifted from the site http://naughtygirl.typepad.com I'm posting it here as Naughtygirl may be working on a book and the site might be rearranged or unavailable for a certain period. I do not claim originality for these, ha? Nasa internet iyan lahat mga apo. So ayun let me run through the INCOMPLETE (? siguro may dadagdag dito) list. And in the meantime as I recall the times I had eyes for the EOM I want to say, Rodrigo, I miss you, no one mixes my 6:00 pm cocktails quite like you do. Come home soon! Here it is: NaughtyGirl.Typepad Dot Com's Partial List of RED FLAGS for Unavailable Men (With some comments from Lola, siyempre may na experience din si Lola na ibang items dito...sometimes the Lola stumbles, buti nalang ngayon may male nurse na akoh!!! ) Number One: HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND Naku this is a stiiiiiiiiiiiiickiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. Maybe you can look but Yaya may say "Dont tats dat!"Ayan may debate pa tayo sa previous post. But let Lola also add another red flag here: HE HAS A BOYFRIEND. Lalo na divah? Ay naku, na experience na ni Lola yung HE HAS A BOYFRIEND. Seloso pa! Oh my! Labs ko pa naman si "He has a boyfriend" pero di kame nag prosper. Biglang disappear siya after we had a dinner of duck. Became always busy all of a sudden. Ayun na. Number Two: HE'S IN A WORKING MARRIAGE Ayun pang discussion at debate din ito. Especially in da Pilipins kase mahirap kumuha ng canalment. Di katulad sa ibang bansa eh to just say I dibors you three times in front of a mirror at midnight and it is done. Time to legalize divorce? Number Three: HE'S RECENTLY SEPARATED Number Four: HE HAS A LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP Ala eh. He may be physically having a chat and some coffee with you but his heart beats to a sound on distant shores. He may be there but not really THERE. Number Five: HE'S VERY RELIANT ON TEXT MESSAGES, YM AND EMAIL FOR MAJORITY OF HIS CONTACT. Number Six: HE'S AMBIGUOUS ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE RELATIONSHIP Parang di niya masabi GIRLFRIEND o MAGSYOTA pag tinanong mo, ano ba talaga tayo? Or what should I call you? How should I introduce you? Or pag tinanong ng iba kung sino ka, FRIEND ka or DENY siya na may STATUS na kayo. Or, status niya sa Friendster is not "In a Relationship" but "It's Complicated" or even "Single" kahit medyo matagal na kayo nagdedate. Naughtygirl puts this as a separate red flag but I thought it fits under this category: "When you try to tackle the status of your relationship or any issues, he either tells you what you want to hear and then returns to his normal behaviour or he just skirts the issue. One way or the other, you wind up back at square one." And this as well: "He never refers to you as a girlfriend, partner or any form of significant other." Number Seven: YOU THINK YOU'RE IN A RELATIONSHIP BUT ITS' CLOSER TO BOOTY CALL. Unless di ka rin naghahanap ng emotional intimacy and can get it from your loving pets. Number Eight: HE LIVES WITH HIS EX Ayyyyyy Caramba! Ang saya ng mga dinners at home! I know naman someone who is the EX in this situation. Yung line niya: "Don't expect me to cook for her also, ha?" Number Nine: HE SHARES A BED WITH A WOMAN HE CLAIMS IS HIS FRIEND Ding ding ding. Warning bells. Ay naku! Si Lola was in a situation like this. I was the "friend" ala eh nakow!!!! Naku nasaan ang paypay ko, yung may feathers...yung hot peenk? Walang naniwala sa akin nung sinabi ko na: "Hinde hinde, ang dame kaseng kalat sa bahay, yung kama lang yung available space for playing GIN RUMMY!" Naku Rodrigo, kelangan ko ata ng chocolate cocktail habang sinusulat ko ang mga payo na ito. Uwi ka na! Number Ten: HE ADMITS HE IS SEEING MORE THAN JUST YOU NaughtyGirl also mentions this corollary in another item: "He pushes for an ‘open’ relationship." Number Eleven: HE'S NOT OVER HIS EX--OPENLY Well parang tatlo kayo sa relationship kasama na rin yung ex na halos araw araw pag uusapan. Alam no kung saan nagtatrabaho, kung sino yung bagong Jowa, kung saan nagtatrabaho yung bagong Jowa, alam mo na rin itsura...lahat lahat na. Gusto mo na rin bigyan ng fruitcake sa Pasko kase parang kilala mo na, naging part of the family mo na. And NaughtyGirl also considers these next two as separate category but I decided to put both under the same umbrella: "He says he’s over his ex but he’s quietly still trying to cope with the end of the relationship." and "He mentions his ex or things that happened between the two of them often." Number Twelve: MOMMY ALERT: HE'S AN OVERT MOTHER LOVER--MUMMY'S BOY or HE'S A MOTHER HATER--HAS AN OVERTLY NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOTHER. Mga manash, listen closely nalang pag topic si dear old Mum. At please lang, if he works at a place called THE BATES MOTEL??? RUN. NOW. Cause Lola said so. Number Thirteen: HE ACTUALLY SAYS "I'M NOT READY FOR A RELATIONSHIP" BUT IS STILL WITH YOU. Most of the time, if he says "I can't commit." NEWSFLASH: It means, "I can't commit." Na experience na din ito ni Lola. Pinalinis ko tenga ko after many years, ala eh yung nga pala talaga sinabi :-) Yes, of course the Lola stumbles. I could use one of Rodrigo's Daquiris right now. (May katunog din ito na flag kay NaughtyGirl: "He tells you that he has a lot of issues that he needs to deal with." At least umamin divah?) Number Fifteen: THERE ARE POCKETS OF TIME WHEN HE SEEMS TO JUST DISAPPEAR, AND THEN RESURFACES WITH LITTLE OR NO EXPLANATION. Now you see him now you don't. Naku baka pag ginawa niya ulit, pag sulpot again, may bago ka na ring Jowa. Surprise! Number Sixteen: HE'S QUICK OTU THE GATE IN PURSUING YOU, GETS YOUR ATTENTION THEN GOES INTO A SLOW CANTER. Here are some of the runners up from NaugtyGirl. Tinamad na si Lola... You feel empty after you sleep with him. He creeps out after sleeping with you even though you’ve been together for a while He doesn’t come around to your place until late He is resistant to involving himself in your life He talks about his problems, his successes, his life – it’s me, me, me all the way He uses sex as his way of demonstrating his so-called ‘emotion.’ O ayan, enjoy!!! Lovingly yours, LOLA DALMA
Hello mga Apo. Welcome to the first installment of MGA PAYO NI LOLA DALMA! Ayun mano po kay Lola bago tayo magsimula. Bagamat masmainam kung gagamitin ko ang wikang Tagalog, pasensya nalang po kayo at Taglish nalang tayo ha? O, heto na ang leksyon para sa araw na ito. Yes kids there is a site devoted to boyfriend stealing and pretty much maintains, all boyfriends can be stolen! And they even have a HOW TO portion - http://www.boyfriendstealers.com/how.htm di ba? Say nyo! Now there are two ways of looking at this HOW TO portion. Either you take them as tips and tricks of the trade--apparently there is some universal coherence to the methods--OR you can take them as warning signs. In Tagalog: BABALA. OK so let's go through the tips prescribed in the site (I'll paraphrase a little for entertainment value). STEP ONE: "Spot your prey" Of course it all starts with a TARGET. Once the target is in your sites, time to zoom in. Get close and all that jazz. Dito magsisimula ang lahat. I want ______. Yun, in the words of Mommy Beauregarde to her daughter in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Eyes on the prize, Violet :-)." STEP TWO : "Dress to impress" Be it costume or nyeknyek nyorts or palda na walang panty sa ilalim. Choose the one that goes for the jugular ika nga. STEP THREE: "Keep in touch" The author of the site has many suggestion on how to keep in touch. At 298 years of age, I have also spotted a few "stroks" and "styles" which again you might want to try or if you are on the other side of the fence, stuff you might want to see as the proverbial red flags. O, these are what the author proposes: Make more contact with with him but you mustn't make it obvious (Siyempre, "kuning" muna.) Yung pa-simple lang. For example, I shall quote the site, "Call him asking for someone else's number, then make small talk. (Keep this first conversation relatively short, you don't want to make it noticeable that you are interested.)" Galeng no? Excited na? Don't worry, may karugtong ito sa STEP FIVE. Other ways of small talk, ask help on a project or work on the same project together, find something in common like the music of Clannad, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Click Five or Ray Conniff. STEP FOUR: "Investigate" Again I shall quote the website author: "After you make light contact with him, familiarize yourself with his life. Learn his hang outs, interests, hobbies, etc. This makes it easier to lure him in." If you know his girlfriend / psuedo girlfriend / girlet / girltoy / babe, you can go the extra mile and get close to her and use her to get close to him! Di ba? Hasten the process. Tienes! STEP FIVE: "Make friends" "Now that you know a little more about him, take it a little further. Call him more frequently. Become "friends" with him. Ask him advice on guys so that it isn't obvious you want to be with him." O naku po mga apo. How many times have I seen this happen? This is such a favorite technique of a lot of girls na kunwari you want to talk about how things are not going well with their current boyfriend, or how they're being stalked, or how they're getting over this break up, or how their ex boyfriend keeps bugging them or how they're being "courted" or "kinukulit" by someone they don't like. AMININ may nakagawa at may nakatikim na ng formula na 'to. IMHO, they can really always go to their friends, cousins, siblings, barkada, family members pero siyempre...punta sila sa...TARGET. Apir! Beri gud! STEP SIX: "Instigate fights" Quoting from the source material again: "Instigate fights between the boyfriend and girlfriend...You can say things to the boyfriend like "does she always do that?" You can also say similar things to the girlfriend as well. Chances are she will start a fight not him...If you cause fights or arguments often, you will cause a space in their relationship. This is where you come in. OH DI BA??? Other things to look out for: Your lover / man / boytoy / boyfriend / psuedo boyfriend / babe gets a call at midnight on CHRISTMAS / NEW YEARS or their BIRTHDAY. This is also a pattern. As in aaminin ko, ONE TIME, your LOLA did try this ONE Christmas, but THANKFULLY the guy shut off the phone. And three hours later said, "Sorry, I was at mass with my girlfriend. Merry Christmas to you and your family." Man, SANTA CLAUS PUT LOLA DALMA in her place and WOKE HER UP FROM HER STUPIDITY! The powers that be saved me from doing something dumb. The angels watched me. Thank God. So there it is ladies. There IS a formula. I'm sure those of you who have done it are eerily familiar with the steps and well the rest of you on the other side of the fence--ayan, yung mga hingi hingi ng payo dyan about guys, yung mga tatawag tawag dyan, mag te-text text, YM YM sa kelots ninyo. Yun senyas na yan. BEWARE, kids. So be alert, be aware. This world is not full of Polyannas and Heidis and Gingerbread Men. I hope I was able to help raise awareness and if you have SENSIBLE questions for your 298 year old Lola Dalma. Fire away :-) More "Payo ni Lola Dalma" coming up in the coming days. Cheers children.
I wish I had time to write it all down so I'm grateful to those who did--Nick, Gabe, Mika, Ava Sharra. Here's Mika's photo blog. Officially it was the Emergency Parley that kicked off the week but here's the first of the madness. http://mikafabs.multiply.com/photos/album/19Cheers. Will send other links too. By the way, um...Hank's still in character, long after we've slipped out of our costumes.
Every once in a while a camera crew comes to my humble abode to shoot the bookshelf that is shaped like a coffin (thank you Wawi), and to shoot my modest collection of comics, ringwraiths, Jack Skellingtons, black velvet attire, top hat, cloak, etc. and to ask me about the Manila Goth scene, Goth philosophy, etc. etc.
Summer is really the least goth of all seasons. And after years of being pale and opting to slather obscene amounts of the highest level of sun block sold here (most recently Hawaiian Tropic 75) thie summer I decide to bake myself into a nice golden brown waffle. Of course right after doing that, a camera crew did ask to come over.
Dracula would not be proud. But that's OK, he's not my daddy.
Fortunately, they threw a black bed sheet over my window and art directed my small and messy TV Room (read: remove the dinosaurs, and plastic sea creatures but leave behind the Pirates of the Caribbean Megablocks with skulls).
What could I tell them except that being goth goes beyond wearing a "uniform." Though wearing a uniform and costume is part of the fun of it. I understand it is very unpractical to walk out in March or April in a long black Morticia Addams dress and take a trike, jeep or the MRT. Why torture your feet in lace up black leather boots in the middle of noon? Why sweat while covered up in velvet in the 36 degree heat? We get enough torture by reading the news.
And that some of us love gothic things and gothic art but are not exactly purists. And sometimes I think there is room in the world for a Gothic Lolita who will get up and dance to a reggae band under the fool--oops--full moon (and laugh at herself and her dance buddies after). And maybe somewhere in the world there is a Buffalo Soldier dreadlocked rasta humming "Bela Lugosi's Dead" to a reggae rhythm.
In the meantime, greetings to the Toasting Nosferatu. You can still get your shorts, sarongs, swimsuits, bikinis and flip flops in black. Bonus points nalang pag may skull.
The last four days or so, I've been feeling like a robot. Pretty much performing at a certain level that just sort of gets you a passing grade at life. When what I really want is an A+ with stars all around. You want to feel like you're living in every moment and not just snatches of moments in the past or the vision of a dream moment in the future.
Right now, I'm pretty much just functioning. Managing that smile when needed, getting into conversations when the social situation calls for it, showing up when I'm supposed to (because I still don't want a failing mark and I do believe in the adage "showing up is half the battle.")
I'm just like everybody else on this planet. We all need our load of ROCKET FUEL to get us through not just the challenges and milestones but the every day little things that happen in the course of our sometimes ordinary and sometimes extraordindary lives. The tricky part is where do we get that rocket fuel from? We get it from doing something we truly love and feel at home with, we get it when we see or hear something inspiring, we also get it from other people. Sometimes this is easy, other times we have to search, dig and drill. Yet we all need to find our sources, it's not fun being a robot. The chocolate always tastes better when you've got rocket fuel in you.
So, I trudge on in a heavy set of boots. Search, dig, drill.
Here's to a full tank for alll of us, for the long road ahead.
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