ang labo

Welcome to the Jungle

2008-05-29T18:17:00.000+08:00

One of the best things that come out of much traveling is learning about other peoples, cultures, and histories. You get to read about these in school, but it's taken at a whole new level when you get to a place and see, hear, smell and feel for yourself (taste as well, if you're into food tripping). If you're into all that culture thing, I really recommend going to Siem Reap and visiting the Temples of Angkor.

From Singapore, you can get to Siem Reap via Silk Air or Jetstar. the International Airport is remarkably good. The name "Siem Reap", if you haven't Wikipedia-ed it already, means "in your face, Thailand", or more accurately "Siam (Thailand) Defeated". The guidebooks will point out that ironically, this place eventually got overrun by Thais themselves in recent times. You can easily imagine this as a small town IF you take away the hotels that line up the main roads, and the ones being constructed almost everywhere else. Hopefully, it won't get overdeveloped.

We got up early in the morning the day after we arrived to get a head start on The Temples of Angkor which is this big area with ancient temples spread around within the thick jungle/forest. The tour guide wisely recommended that we just go to the more notable ones:

Ta Prohm - the "Tomb Raider" temple
Banteay Srei - the red temple with carvings of great detail
Angkor Wat - the grandest temple, proudly symmetrical in many ways
Angkor Thom - the old capital

You could cover all those in a whole day, even with meal stops back in the city and that's just what we did. It's a very good idea to bring shoes you don't care to be ruined, especially during the rainy season as it can get muddy. It's also helpful to bring or buy a hat (especially if you're feeling a bit Indiana Jones) and put on some sunblock before making your rounds. Sunglasses would be good for the high sun. Lastly, bring extra shirts and/or a hand towel, as you will sweat like a pig. Bringing bottled water is a no-brainer. It doesn't hurt to be a little prepared. There are clean toilets spread around the area, free of charge given that you buy entry tickets to the temples ($20 for a day pass, but we got our along with the tour package)

The following day, we went to Tonle Sap Lake to check out the floating village full of Vietnamese boat people. On the way to the area, you can observe from looking around that except for a hill or two, and a couple of mountains off just near the horizon, that is may be the flattest country you will ever see. In this trip, we learned about a lot of frustrations by the Cambodia. Whether they're geographically surrounded by jerks to the left (Thailand) and to the right (Vietnam), or how their government and monarchy are basically unpopular, it's no wonder they're nostalgic of their great king Jayavarman VII even if his reign was around a thousand years ago. I'll get back to the brutal recent history a bit later.

Other notable places you can go to in and around Siem Reap is the Artisan d'Angkor silk farm, and workshops, which are in two different places. I really, really wanted to buy some silk products, wood carvings and statuettes because I saw how much hard work these people put in them. But nothing really struck me as "a compelling buy", given that it's a bit pricey, despite the excellent quality. There's the old market Psar Chaa in the middle of town which will give you the usual pashminas, artifact replicas, as well as counterfeit junk (like Lonely Planet guidebooks for rock-bottom prices).

Lastly, spread all over the country are memorials about the grim period of 1975-1979 when the Communist Khmer Rouge regime instituted slave-labor, genocide and other human atrocities known as infamous The Killing Fields. Our excellent tour guide, had first hand experiences of how they were forced to work the fields and narrated how in light of everything that's happened, he's one of the lucky ones. Really gives you pause, thinking about what kind of people would do these sorts of things.

So again, I definitely recommend going here at least once in your life. Don't wait until you're old and gray. You wouldn't appreciate the amount of walking that you'll be doing.

100 Random... from Noel/Carla

2008-05-12T17:05:00.000+08:00

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
My 'x' scar on the right side of my face. I got it in 1984, when I ran up the stairs and tripped.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?
Photos of family and friends

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
Snore usually. Talk, seldom.

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
Varied as well. I appreciate all kinds of music.

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
6:31 AM. I've looked at my birth certificate a couple of times already.

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
Serenity

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
Pinoy food, and being a hyper kid and running around (and maybe up the stairs).

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION?
Travel experience

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
5'5 3/4"

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
No.

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
No.

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
Hmmm...

13. WHATS YOUR WORST FEAR?
Terminal illness

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Anything natural, I guess.

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF PROPOSING / BEING PROPOSED TO AT?
Reply hazy, try again.

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
Not a coffee drinker. Energy drink, probably

17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
Meat!

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Mmm...Black Angus Prime Rib...(drools)

19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?
Navy Blue

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?
No.

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
Dictionary! (joke). A ring from my lola.

22. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?
Sure.

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
No.

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
Banana Republic

25. WHO IS THE HOTTEST FEMALE/MALE CELEBRITY?
Jessica Alba before the baby bump

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?
No.

27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
n/a

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
Could work.

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED:
Three (the magic number)

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
Brunettes.

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE USA?
Yes.

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES?
Procrastinator.

36. MET ANYONE FAMOUS?
Not memorable, so maybe not famous. But I do have that picture with Rachel Alejandro.

37. FIRST JOB?
Either Asianware or Iberpacific depending what you consider a job.

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?
Yes.

39. DO YOU THINK EVERYONE OUT THERE HAS A SOULMATE?
It's possible, but I don't think it's necessarily one-is-to-one

40. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED THIS OUT?
Checked office mail. D'oh.

41. HAVE YOU EVER HAD SURGERY?
No major ones.

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
"Makwento ka rin pala", to which I answer, "Sa mga kilala ko lang"

43. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES?
No.

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?
More wisdom

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT?
Two or three

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Mom: Cristina. Dad: Antonio. Me: Christian Anthony. One US immigration officer got a kick out of it.

47. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST TURN OFF OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Keeps changing their minds. Hence the phrase, "para kang babae, pabago-bago ng isip"

48. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU MISS ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?
Barkada

49. WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO DO YOU USE?
Clear or Dove. Doesn't really matter.

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
No.

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Beef

52. ANY BAD HABITS?
Digging myself in a deeper hole when stressed.

53. ARE YOU A JEALOUS PERSON?
In a weird way.

54. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Absolutely.

55. DO YOU AGREE WITH FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS?
Sure. Health benefits, you can't go on working without one ;)

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?
Helps a lot at first.

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
Play video games.

59. WHATS YOUR MAIN GOAL IN LIFE?
Telling interesting stories to my grandchildren and leaving a beautiful corpse.

60. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
Transformers

61. HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR CELL PHONE?
Well, there's 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 aaaand 0. :P

62.WERE YOU A FAN OF BARNEY AS A LITTLE KID?
No. The antichrist wasn't born yet.

63. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
The answer of course is, NoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo..

64. MASHED POTATOES OR MACARONI AND CHEESE?
Mac & Cheese!

65. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?
Matching wits and vibes.

66. WHAT ARE YOUR NAMES?
Christian, Anthony, Tonton

68. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?
The Simpsons, Futurama, Lost

69.WHATS THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES?
Ignore.

70. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Double dutch.

71. DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR FINGERS AND TOES?
Yes.

72. DO YOU HAVE A COMPUTER IN YOUR ROOM?
It's a laptop, it can go wherever I go.

73. PLANS FOR TONIGHT?
Blog, surf the net, chat.

74. WHAT'S THE FASTEST YOU'VE EVER GONE IN A CAR?
155 kph on STAR tollway in Batangas

75. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
It sure would be a fun read if everyone did.

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
The TV.

77. LAST THING YOU DRANK?
Welch's Grape Juice

78. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
The aircon guy. Something's wrong with my aircon.

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Eyes.

80. WHAT DO U LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Surf the net.

81. FAVORITE THING TO HATE?
Other peoples' version of speaking English.

82. FAVORITE MONTH OF THE YEAR?
December.

83. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF CANDY?
Hershey's with Macadamia

84. HAVE YOU EVER REALLY AND TRULY HAD A BEST FRIEND?
Yes.

85. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR?
Black.

86. EYE COLOR?
Black or Dark brown.

88. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Carl's Jr.

89. FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
Teriyaki Boy

90. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI?
Well-prepared ones.

91. LAST THING YOU WATCHED?
Yet another episode of Globe Trekker (episode was about England).

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
I think December 25 just beat out December 1 since I moved out.

93. PLAY ANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?
Guitar (a long, long time ago).

94. REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT?
Since I'm not a caucasian male American, Democrat.

95. KISSES OR HUGS?
Meaningful kisses or long hugs.

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?
Eventually, relationships.

97. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?
Carl's Jr Charbroiled chicken club sandwich for dinner.

98. DO YOU HAVE A LOW SELF ESTEEM OR A HIGH SELF ESTEEM?
Used to be low, but on the way to high.

99. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
The God Delusion.

100. DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE:
I love life!

Havaianas vs. Spartan

2008-05-07T15:39:00.000+08:00

I got this from an e-mail. It's funny 'cause it's true. I've got a pair of Havaianas myself, but I also have two pairs of Planet tsinelas so that evens out somehow. Uhm, somehow.

Pangalan: Havaianas
Lugar na pinanggalingan: São Paulo, Brazil
Pagbigkas:
ah-vai-YAH-nas (Brazilian Portuguese)
hah-vee-ah-naz (American English)
OMG! hah-va-yaH-naZz! (Filipino)
Materyal na ginamit: Malupit na goma (high-quality rubber).
Presyo: Depende. Ganito na lang,
1 pares ng Havaianas = 100 pares ng Spartan.
Mga nagsusuot: Mga konyotik at mga mayayaman (na noong una ay nababaduyan sa
mga naka-de sipit na tsinelas at sasabihing, "Yuck! So baduy naman nila,
naka-slippers lang.")
Malulupit na katangian at kakayahan:
- Masarap isuot.
- Shock-absorbent
- Malambot ngunit matibay
- Makukuha sa sandamakmak na kulay, disenyo at burloloy
- Maaaring isuot sa loob ng Starbucks
- Mainam na pang-japorms
- Mainam i-terno sa I-Pod at Caramel Macchiato
- Mapipilitan kang maglinis ng mga kuko mo sa paa
- Maaari ka nang mag-dikwatro sa loob ng mga pampublikong lugar at sasakyan
- Magiging 'fashionable' ka kapag ikaw ay nagkukuyakoy
Olats na mga katangian:
Mahal!
Mahal!
Mahal!

Pangalan: Spartan
Lugar na Pinanggalingan: Metro Manila, Philippines
Pagbigkas:
spar-tan (American English),
is-par-tan (Filipino).
Materyal na ginamit: Pipitsuging goma (Low-quality rubber).
Presyo: Wala pang 50 pesos.
Isang pares ng Spartan = 20 piraso ng pan de coco.
Mga nagsusuot: ang masa (gaya-gaya lang ang mga sosyal at pasyonista)
Malulupit na katangian at kakayahan:
- Maaring ipampatay sa ipis
- Maaring ipampalo sa mga batang suwail at damuho
- Pwedeng ipanglusong sa baha at putikan
- Pwedeng ipamalengke
- Mainam gamitin sa tumbang-preso
- Mainam gawing 'shield' kapag naglalaro ng espa-espadahan
- Mainam isuot sa siko bilang proteksyon habang naglalaro ng piko
- Mainam na pambato sa picha o shuttlecock na sumabit sa puno
- Mainam na pangkulob sa pumuputok na watusi
- Kapag ginupit-gupit nang pahugis 'cube,' e maaari mo nang
gawing pamato sa larong Bingo na
kadalasang makikita sa mga lamay ng patay.
Olats na mga katangian:
- Madaling magkawalaan kapag hinubad dahil halos pare-pareho lang
ang itsura
- Masakit isuot kapag may mga balahibo ang mga daliri mo sa paa
- Minsan kapag ipinambato mo ito sa picha o shuttlecock na
nakasabit sa puno, e nadadamay pati yung tsinelas

Itch

2008-05-06T04:16:00.000+08:00

I am on the way to recovery from coughs and colds that hounded me last weekend. There's a good chance that I got it sometime from my recent trip to Manila. It could be from the hospital, the airport or in the plane itself. Wherever it came from, it made me feel terrible for those five or so days that I was stuck at home. As I stated a couple of times before, I hate getting sick. Hate, hate, hate.

Yeah, so lesson learned: drink Vitamin C before flying out.

--

One of the worst parts about getting sick and staying home here in Singapore is the lack of televised NBA Playoff games. I accept that basketball is not at all big around these parts, but this is the damn NBA Playoffs!

Sigh.

Anyway, the first round is done and there aren't really any surprises. Even if I had picked wrong teams to advance (in my playoff bracket, I picked Suns and Mavs), those series could have gone either way, especially in the jam-packed Western Conference. What's more important is that the teams I'm rooting for, Lakers and Cavs, are still in.

The thing about the Lakers I really like the most this year is that I'd be fine with them not winning it all, which is a weird way of supporting the team. The point is, that I feel confident about the Lakers in the next couple of years such that if they don't win it this year, they're sure to have a better chance next year. Right now, I'm afraid to jinx it, but they're making it look real easy. There are reports that young Andy Bynum won't make it back into the team this season (or even early next), so that just puts in a bit more load into the superstars. However, soon-to-be-MVP Kobe Bryant, everybody-forgot-how-good-I-really-am Pau Gasol, all-around-good-guy Lamar Odom and the rest of the gang will do just fine for the rest of the playoffs. I just hope they televise the games at convenient times, and often.

For more on what mid-season acquisition Pau does in his spare time, check this article out: http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-spw-gasol4-2008may04,0,6581390.story

Nice to see superstars doing normal people things like going to the grocery.

--

With Iron Man setting the stage for the summer blockbusters, here's to hoping for a good 2008 movie season.

Indiana Jones, you're next!

--

This looks to be a good place to retire: Queenstown, New Zealand.

I've been seeing a lot of ads on the newspapers (or what my boss calls propaganda) about real estate development in this area. If only I had the money...

In any case, if I am incommunicado in thirty or so years, I'm probably fishing for trout around these parts. Give me a visit.

For Their Viewing Pleasure

2008-04-20T17:42:00.000+08:00

SMS from mom:

Nanonood na ng tv si papa. Ganda! Diniliver 30 mins ago. Salamat ulit. Love you!

I did make mention before about buying some things for my parents. No real occasion, but maybe it'll cover the birthday gifts I've failed (and will fail) to give on their birthdays and gift-giving holidays.

For my mom, I bought a brand new Canon Powershot A470 to replace the handed-down Canon IXUS something-something (2.0 megapixel ancient artifact bought in 2001) that I gave her a couple of years back. Of course all good things come with a price:

Mama (4/17/2008 7:52:02 AM): okay. nagamit ko na yung camera dun sa first meeting namin sa reunion. sa ganda ng camera ko, ako ang pinagdadala ng camera sa reunion. ano sila sinuswerte. gawin daw ba akong photograher

For my dad (and the house), I got a good deal on a 32" Panasonic LCD TV from Best Denki. This was part of the IT Show last March. When I went back in Manila last March, true enough, the TV costs a lot more over there even with the shipping and handling I had to pay for to send the TV home from Singapore. I'd say I saved just under 20,000 pesos for that thing. So it was a good feeling.

Should be nice to see them enjoy the TV when I come home on Saturday. I just hope they don't forget to stop watching it to pick me up from the airport.

Quick Bits for April

2008-04-16T19:19:00.000+08:00

This morning I changed my normal breakfast of $2 Sausage McMuffin and bottled water to try out the newly-introduced-in-Singapore McGriddle sandwich. Needless to say, that was the first and last time I'll ever eat that piece of synthetic rubbish. Dreadful.

--

Once again, I have missed the opportunity of watching some excellent films in the Singapore Film Fest. One of our own, 'Tirador', has even won some awards from it. That just made me feel a lot sorrier for not getting to watch any of the films.

There aren't a lot of nice movies being shown in theatres. I'm really looking forward to The Dark Knight, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Indiana Jones. Anything else I'm missing?

--

In the NBA, two of the three teams I'm rooting for are in the playoffs. Real tough luck to the Golden State Warriors, who couldn't squeeze in even with 48 wins in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

So best of luck to the soaring Lakers and the "asa pa" Cleveland Cavaliers.

Playoffs start this weekend!

--

I've finally sold out and registered in Facebook. Who knows for what reason?

--

Don't you hate it when someone tells you that they've got a story to tell you ... but not now.

--

I'll be back in Manila on April 26-28. I don't think I'll have time to meet people. So I'll just see you when I see you.

What do 96-year old nuns do in their spare time?

2008-04-02T16:27:00.000+08:00

Why, they make bread shaped like pigs, of course.

In my short trip to Manila last weekend, Sister Rufina, lovingly known to the family as Lola Madre stopped by the house to give me these. She claimed to have made these. No, actually she claimed to have raised these in the convent. At least her sense of humor lasted longer than her sense of hearing, that's gotta count for something. Also she still has her original set of teeth (not complete, though). And something else that counts is the fact that she is 96 years of age and still traveling to and from the convent, which sits in N. Domingo, in San Juan. I had not realized that she is that old. She's one of those persons who's always been there.

She's the third, I think, of five siblings. The eldest, Lola Piring (aka Lola Champion, because of all the Champion cigarettes she puffed) would have been a hundred this year, had she not succumbed to lung cancer (natch) in 1992. The second, Lola Lucing (aka Lola Banana, from all the bananas she brought from General Santos) was the first to go in 1990. Lola Canding went in 2004. Grampa (Lolo Dioning), the youngest, is still there of course, though all alone in Bulacan, at one point an American citizen overstaying in the Philippines (he might have gotten dual citizenship already, but I'm not sure).

So every now and then, Lola Madre shows up at the house hollering for her apo. I meet her downstairs and she gives me something to give to my "girlfriend" (a concept that stuck after all these years), also reminding me to take it back if "we" broke up. I don't bother to correct her anymore, after years of trying. Otherwise, we might just go back to pre-girlfriend stage of me on the way to becoming a priest. Anyway, she gave different things every time, whether a rosary, a handkerchief, or a hand-me-down gift. This time it's them bread things that she might have gotten from somewhere. She could've made it herself, who knows.

But, wow, 96 years old, and still going. Wala kayo sa lola ko!

Almost literally "galing sa baul"

2008-03-31T20:37:00.000+08:00

I figured that since I was back home for a few days, I could digitize (and potentially preserve) some pictures from prehistoric past. So laugh all you want, but I'm way past getting embarrassed for these pictures. Enjoy! :)

Less than a year old. Sleeping habits remains the same up until now.

Age one, superkid phase

Age 12 with the WTC in the background

Age 17, the stripey-shirt phase, at the Palace of Fine Arts

We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession

2008-03-11T19:11:00.000+08:00

My credit card bill is running to about half the limit. It's just about one of the highest levels it's ever been in. Ever. But I'm not panicking because these things are just due to "bad timing", in the sense that I've clumped up my spending at this time of the year. In contrast, I expect some months ahead to have minimal or no credit card spending (except for the standard electricity bill). Hopefully, that'll happen. On the bright side, I don't delay payment. The reason I swipe or scan (There's that cool pay-by-touch thing here that allows you to charge to your credit card by scanning your index finger, and without the actual card. Evil.) is to harvest the rewards points at some point in the future. Maybe an upgrade to business class on one of my flights every five or so years. Or maybe get me a nice new refrigerator or something.

But I probably don't want you to think that I'm living in the fast lane. (Though I admit I'm guilty of doing that sometimes. Not as often as you may think.) What I bought are mostly necessities (pants, office shoes, shirts), some are gifts (surprise), and few are just unfortunately expensive (2 trips to Manila). I didn't choose to buy an iPod Touch 32GB in Hong Kong because it's one of those nice-to-haves, but I did buy this equally expensive fancy-schmancy messenger bag (read: not Crumpler) which should last me a couple of years. That's not exactly "living simply so that others may simply live", a phrase I heard a couple of times in school (before they rolled out the required Otto shoes). Then again, I don't really care much about how others live their lives. Except when they're in dire need, of course.

So yeah, I could ramble on and on about my spending and consumerism. It could be my monthly or quarterly post (or vent). I guess the point is to do a self-diagnosis every now and then, to see if I'm on the verge of carefree spending. The result, thankfully, is still the same: that level-headed me still generally sticks to the budget. I can spend as well as I can "not-spend". What I don't mention in this blog is that I go for extended periods of time sticking to budget and going for maximum savings. That'd make for a boring blog post, by the way.

Day X: I didn't go out today and scrounged up lunch by eating leftover
food and toasting frozen expired bread. I did my long overdue laundry.
For dinner, yet even more bread.

--

Right, the trip back home.

I'm not really planning to do a lot back home. Just a couple of night outs with friends, a little necessity shopping (need to replace worn out undershirts), family lunch and dinners, and such. It should be enough for a short four day trip. I've a couple of surprises for good old mum and dad, who are probably bored to hell at home. So I got them a few things to make hell a bit more bearable. And no, it's not a new air conditioner.

The following trip, for April, is supposed to be for a wedding. That's if I got the date right. Hopefully, I got it right because the tickets are non-refundable. Boo-hoo.

If anyone wants me to bring home something for them. It's best to tell me this early.

Making the Jump

2008-02-26T17:49:00.000+08:00

First of all, I'd like to apologize to those I didn't meet up with in Hong Kong. I'll make up for it next time. And there will be a next time, I'm pretty sure.

Ok, so now that that is out of the way, I'd like to share my jampacked Hong Kong and Macau experience and the one "once-in-a-lifetime" activity that made it all the more memorable.

We went to the spanking new Changi Airport Terminal 3 where things are just about squeaky clean, early in the morning to catch a flight to Hong Kong International. The brand new airport looks good and it's got that more wide-open feel, truly world class. Flying Singapore Airlines economy class has always been a treat, and for this flight, I got to watch 90% of the movie 3:10 to Yuma (as I ran out of time, I don't remember why), just short of the climax/resolution. In HKG, immigration lines were a bit long and took quite a while. After we were cleared, we gathered our luggage, got Airport Express Tourist Transport tickets, got money from an ATM and headed towards Hong Kong Island via train. Once on IFC, we took a cab to L'Hotel Causeway Bay, which is a stone's throw away from Tin Hau Station. It was a convenient location for a hotel. The weather was cool and damp at around 12-18C (I'm guessing). I wore a shirt, a sweater and a jacket which I occasionally took off.

The grand tour started at Tsim Sha Tsui, after that short meal in Cafe de Coral. Taking the Star Ferry from the terminal, we got a good look of the harbour despite the fog and smog. Bus 15C took us to the lower Peak terminus, and from there we took the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak. That afternoon, we were blessed with a relatively clear view of Hong Kong and Kowloon. We spent the evening with a long trek to Citygate Outlets way out in Tung Chung. Just before calling it a night, we decided to check out Causeway Bay and curiously watch people looking up at the big screens showing Edison Chen's press conference.

Day Two started in historic Mido Cafe near Yau Ma Tei. It started drizzling while we were walking to Mongkok along "The Golden Mile", Nathan Road. In the area, people were watching replays of Edison Chen's press conference. It really was a big deal to the locals. We continued our trek through Tsim Sha Tsui, looking for bargains, though nothing was really compelling. We spent just about the whole afternoon on the south side of the island to check out Ocean Park. The weather wasn't cooperating, forcing the park to shutdown the rides that we came there for. We managed to watch the dolphin show, go inside the atoll reef, and ride the Abyss. After the cable car ride to the main entrance, we got a chance to see the Giant Panda Habitat, which was a unique experience. Back smack in the middle of the city, we had dinner at Canteen in IFC Mall to watch a muted Symphony of Lights from the HK side. We got dessert at Lucky Desserts near World Trade Centre.

Day Three started with a quick breakfast at Cafe de Coral, after which he headed straight to Sheung Wan. That place of course is where we caught the (Turbojet) ferry to Macau. After enduring the bumpy 1 hour ride, we were at Macau Ferry Terminal. We took a cab to Macau Tower, where my pilgrimage will take place.

--

This probably merits a blog entry of its own, but I'm confident that I can fit the entire experience narrative in a paragraph or two. Here it goes.

The "once-in-a-lifetime" activity was bungy jumping from Macau Tower, the self-proclaimed World's Highest Bungy Jump at 233 meters. We could get into technicalities about how it's not pure bungee what with all the safety equipment, but who really cares. In any case, I got booked something like an hour before the scheduled time, which made me feel like dead man walking. During that time, I didn't think it was a good idea to have lunch even when I eventually did. The feeling is similar to taking the final exam in school, not knowing if you're prepared. You dread the event, and at the same time, you want to get it over with quickly. As the slated time approached, I signed a couple of waivers, got the complimentary shirt, and emptied my pockets of stuff which could potentially kill people at 9.8 meters per second. I was scared shit and excited, but I got a bit more confident when I saw that three Korean girls ages 11-16 were ahead of me. Maybe it's won't be so bad after all.

It started to rain lightly when I was outside the observation deck, which was the 61st floor of the tower (which I assumed to be 233 meters up, as advertised). It was pretty windy as well. After the three young ladies did their jump, I got a good insight of how the components of the contraption work. Each jump took about 5-10 minutes from when they tie up your legs to the time you head back upstairs from the ground. There were three guys operating the jump from the deck, two others to document (still and video camera), and two to pick up your body parts down below (kidding, but there were two at the ground floor). The view from up there wasn't really spectacular, no thanks to the weather and the fog. The scariest part of the experience was walking the plank and into position. I began to realize that there's no way to go but down. I still had the composure to give a thumbs up with a smile to the video team and to follow the instructions on how to jump: arms out, chin up, and try your best to fall over (instead of jumping down). Behind the smile was of course the frozen terrified smile which I held for a couple of seconds.

"Get ready!...5...4...3...2...1..."

The initial sensation was that of panic as I didn't expect the bungy cord to be so heavy as to actually pull my legs down. In fact in the video, you can see me momentarily flailing my arms. I must clarify that wasn't an attempt to fly but rather it was of wanting to fall forward. About a second in, the cords did it for me, and I was looking at the ground from that time on. The wind and rain smashed into my face, but I learned to trust the safety equipment, and eventually just enjoyed the jump. It really was a long way down and I got to look around the landscape on the way. I made it a point not to blink during that time just to milk it for what it's worth. Way short of the landing cushion, I got pulled back by the cord for another (relatively) high drop. After that was a lot of bouncing up and down until of course you settle in a really uncomfortable upside-down position, legs hurting from the strain. I got a chance to look around some more while they were slowly lowering me to the pad. And that was that.

You can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAlPSBS-uic

--

After spending a considerable amount of time in Macau Tower, we hurried to the taxi queue to get to Largo do Senado and Ruinas de São Paulo. The plaza was packed with weekend loafers and tourists as it should be. The neo-classical architecture around this area was a sight to behold and looks good in the pictures I took (again despite the gray and gloomy skies). As in almost anywhere in the colony, The Casino Lisboa looms over the buildings like a giant overlord. Behind the polished tourist attractions were ugly old residential apartments. We trekked through the pedestrian mall and retail stores. Tasty Macau treats were sold on the streets, we got a box of egg tarts and a pastry which looks and tastes like local polvoron and puto-seko (I don't know what it's called). Up the hill was Ruinas de São Paulo, which was basically the facade of the original cathedral. That short journey was the end of our Macau city tour as we rushed back to the ferry terminal to catch the 5:05 back to Hong Kong.

Back in the former British colony, we managed to get seats at the delightful Shanghai Mian in World Trade Centre. We ordered dumplings, pork buns, seafood fried rice, shrimp, and smelly fermented tofu (which I found revolting).

The final day of the trip started with breakfast at a place whose name I can't recall right now. But it had excellent dimsum which was the perfect local experience. We followed that up with another trip to Mongkok to do some last-minute shopping. The next stop was Pacific Place in Admiralty which is an excellent shopping place for branded items. Lunch was near Lan Kwai Fong, serving various rice and noodle dishes. XTC ice cream helped take away the oily taste. One last look in Central and we were off to collect our bags from the hotel. Waiting for our 8pm flight wasn't so exciting but we got to look around SkyPlaza before going through immigrations. The plane was 15 minutes late, but it was OK. I finally managed to finish 3:10 to Yuma on the flight back, a very satisfying film. I tried to watch Bee Movie but I was unable to complete the damn thing. Not that I was entirely sorry, though. I thought the movie was cute and had some funny bits, but overall it was terrible and got a bit preachy as well, not to mention borderline bestiality wasn't far off (you didn't really need to read that). A couple of hours after and I was back in good ol' ever-humid Singapore.

The Bohol Nine Yards

2008-02-16T05:20:00.000+08:00

(Sorry, I ran out of clever titles. But I tried googling the phrase and it turns out nobody in cyberspace is as corny as I am. I should get plus points for originality.)

For Chinese New Year 2008, the troops headed for Bohol and Cebu for sights, sounds and sun.

Day 1: Arrival

We caught the midnight flight to Cebu, direct from Singapore via Cebu Pacific (kudos to one of the great developments in travel in recent history, budget airlines). The flight was relatively smooth, although I absolutely must point that the change in pressure (that causes your ears to pop, among other things) gave me a terrible headache. It's that excruciating feeling of your head about to explode. Anyway this happened just before landing.

We arrived at Mactan International very early in the morning. The officials at immigration provided for some wake-up by dishing out side comments:

Immigrations guy: (looking at my passport) Figueroa!
Guy loafing near immigrations counter: Figueroa ... mga alahero yan.
Me: ?

After clearing immigrations:

Guy: (looking at me pass by) Intsik pala mga Figueroa.
Me: !

So yeah, baggage and customs were pretty smooth. There was a currency exchange counter near the exit, which gave ridiculously unfair rates (as expected). Fortunately, I was able to withdraw some money at the BPI ATM outside, using my Citibank card. I learned afterwards that the rates were much, much better even if it's a different bank. We got cabs that went into the city of Cebu-Mandaue, looking for 24hr Jollibee outlets. Eventually, we settled on the downtown branch. The cab ride was a weird experience as our cab driver perfectly understood Tagalog, but kept replying in Cebuano. I assume it was because most of the entertainment media in the country are in Filipino, which is essentially Tagalog.

Pier 3-Supercat-Tagbilaran

We had about 15-20 minutes for Jollibee breakfast before we went to Pier 3 on the Supercat to Tagbilaran. It was 450 pesos, one-way. In hindsight, we should've gotten a return ticket instead, which costs just as much. The trip took about an hour and forty-five and the movie they played was Night at the Museum, which was mildly entertaining.

We were welcomed by a little drizzle on Tagbilaran port that lasted a few minutes. Gathering our things, we chartered a van that would take us to Panglao Island.

Panglao-Alona-Lunch-Dinner

A good half an hour ride took us from the Port of Tagbilaran through the charmless island capital city to the rolling hills and chalk-white beaches of Panglao Island, where we checked in at Flower Garden Resort.

The resort is a good five minute walk away from Alona beach through Alona Palm Resort. While admiring the spectacular beach views, we found lunch at Trudis Place. We also found out that there was a brownout at the time.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach and had dinner at the iconic Alona Tropical restaurant. Grilled food and lots of rice was served to cap the day. Mixed cocktails and junk food followed soon afterwards.

Day 2: Bohol Tour

The next morning, after an excellent breakfast of one-peso pandesal with ma-ling and scrambled egg, we began our cultural trip of Bohol.

Sandugo-Baclayon Church

We were surprised that the package provided a very informative tour guide for us whose name escapes me right now. The first stop was the Blood Compact or Sandugo Shrine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandugo) in Tagbilaran. The next was Baclayon Church and Museum which really had nothing so special about them other than the fact that they're very-very old.

Tarsiers-Chocolate Hills

Right beside Loboc River, where the nipa trees and kaong reside, was the famous tarsier sanctuary. Inside were a couple of insomniac tarsiers (as they were nocturnal), a flying lemur who doesn't like to move-it-move-it, and a couple of monkeys.

The next point of interest, and a natural wonder in its own right, was the Chocolate Hills in Carmen. On the way, we were able to taste a local delicacy called Alupi, which is made out of coconut, sticky rice and a couple of other things. We were greeted once again with a light drizzle on the way up to the uber-hill where there's a lookout deck to the picturesque view of the hills.

Man-made Forest-Loboc River

Backtracking to the mouth of Loboc river, we had a chance to take excellent photos at the man-made mahogany forest.

By lunchtime, we were able to take the Loboc River Cruise on the boat-restaurant. Halfway into the journey, we stopped by at a local Ati community that caters to tourists, obviously. After a couple of interactions and photo opportunities, we headed back to the boat which deposited us back where we started. The final stop of the tour was the souvenir store where I bought a couple of sando shirts and sweets.

Alona

It was a good tour that's well worth the money we paid for it. We spent the rest of the afternoon at Alona beach, having foot scrubs and body massages. As it was Chinese New Year, some locals put on a fireworks show from shallow waters much to the delight of the dining visitors.

Day 3: Island Hopping

Dolphin Watching

We had to wake up even earlier on the third day to do some dolphin-watching some kilometers off Panglao Island. Here's where my sorry-ass camera didn't get any action. The main reason being I wouldn't be able to enjoy the natural theatrics while trying to capture them in the viewfinder. It was a good thing because for the first time ever, I've seen at least two dolphins put on a show by jumping high up out of the water and spinning like hell. I swear they could have been in one of those water park shows, but these were wild dolphins.

Pamilacan-Alona

After the "show", we went in the direction of Pamilacan Island for snorkeling, sunbathing, and lunch. Lunch consisted of fried native chicken (not so meaty but pretty tasty), sauteed vegetables, grilled fish and tinolang manok.

By mid-afternoon, we were back in Panglao indulging in halo-halo with ice cream. More grilled food for dinner.

Day 4: Cebu

We packed our overstuffed bags and headed for the Port of Tagbilaran. The Supercat ferry ride brought us back to Cebu amidst cackling and annoying student co-passengers. Cebu is of course, the Queen City of the South. I think it's a Manileño term judging from the presence of the word "South" (when it's really situated in Central Philippines).

Ayala-CNT-Gerry's

The cab ride through the city allowed me to get a glimpse of how much different Cebu is from Manila. How much different? Not much. It's a mess of deco style buildings, tangled up power lines, and makeshift stalls, not to mention the crowded streets. Though not entirely charmless, there's not much effort to either modernize deteriorating buildings or restore historical ones. This could be testament on how much development is being focused on Imperial Manila.

At least the private sector isn't doing so bad. Late lunch was at CNT Lechon in Food Choices in the Ayala Mall. Eeeex-cellent Lechon Cebu. Dinner was at Gerry's Grill. We bought groceries in Metro Gaisano to bring back to Singapore and fill our cupboards with Filipino ingredients.

Day 5: Cebu

The final day was marked by a proper walk tour of the city, the definitive cultural immersion.

Cebu Walk Tour-SM City Cebu

From GV Tower downtown, we walked to a national landmark, Magellan's Cross.

A little aside here. Isn't it weird that Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães (or Fernando Magallanes) is best known in names other than his native language? How would he feel? I mean, nobody calls me Kristiyano Antoniyo back home (nor should they ever should).

Anyway, the cross at some point in time symbolized the beginning of the colonial era of the Philippines. Fernão was of course killed by Lapu-lapu's arnis-wielding posse soon after, as recounted by Antonio Pigafetta. They put up a shrine where the event happened. Lapu-lapu, of course, was a one-hit wonder and as far as I can tell, was never heard from again. But if they had wiped out the entire Spanish expedition with none to complete the journey, who knew how different things might have been.

Right beside Magellan's Cross is the Basílica Menor del Santo Niño. Then, a couple of blocks away is the old Cathedral (I don't know what it's called).

The last part of the tour is Fort San Pedro, a small garrison with nice views of the city.

After the field trip, we went back to the hotel, packed our things, and checked out at around noon. Leaving our luggage at the counter, we went for a final gimik at SM City Cebu where we ate at Chikaan sa Cebu.

Late in the afternoon we got cabs to head back to Mactan International to complete our journey.

There were five of us who flew that night and I think we just about exceeded the allotted 100kgs (20kg x 5 passengers) with our bursting checked-in bags.

Back in Singapore, there wasn't any trouble at all with customs and such. A couple of minutes past midnight and we were already home from one of the best beach vacations I've ever experienced.

Flickr photoset: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ton2fig/sets/72157603910088232/

Overdue Quiz about my Ateneo experience

2008-02-05T09:06:00.000+08:00

1. What's your ID number?
970475

2. Passed or wait-listed?
passed

3. How did you know about the ACET results?
Saw the results for myself in Xavier Hall

4. Was Ateneo your first choice?
Absolutely

5. Do you know what your ACET score is?
Who knows?

6. What course was your first choice?
BS Computer Science

7. Second choice?
BS Management Information Systems

8. Anong course mo ngayon?
BS Computer Science

9. Did you have any plans of shifting?
Not really

10. Chinito/chinita ka ba?
Maybe

11. Taga-Ateneo High?
Yeah!

12. Did you have fun in your OrSem?
Meh.

13. Saang gate ka pumasok nung first day?
Gate 3

14. Are you staying/did you stay in a dorm?
Nope

15. Ever had an F in your grade report?
Yeah. A waker-upper.

16. How about an A?
Two, I think.

17. Highest grade?
A

18. Lowest grade?
F

19. Worst experience in ADMU?
I may be exagerrating, but I thought I was on the verge of flunking out.

20. Do you always attend class?
I wouldn't say "always"

21. What are/were your orgs?
CompSUCK...erm...CompSAT and an unsuccessful stint at Ateneo Debate Society (I didn't actually join to debate)

22. How many units have/did you pass/ed?
I passed all of them (eventually)

23. Nangangarap/nangarap ka bang maglaude?
Nah.

24. When will/did you graduate?
March 2001

25. Fave subject?
Amidst all the technical and core courses, Film Theory class stands out.

26. Worst subject/s?
Political Science 102. Teacher sucked.

27. Fave landmark sa ADMU?
Manila Observatory

28. Fave kainan?
Manang's

29. How do/did you get to school?
Brought a car

30. Are/were you always at the lib?
Not always.

31. Ever gone to the infirmary when you were sick?
I don't remember going when I was in college

32. Do/did you have a crush in campus?
Of course!

33. May balak kang mag-MS, PhD?
No more school!

34. Have you ever watched a graduation ceremony?
Other than my own, nope.

35. Do you know the "Song for Mary" by heart?
Hoh yeah.

36. Memorize mo ba ang Fabilioh?
I think I do, but maybe just most of it

37. ...ang Halikinu?
Ye-bo, ye-bo, A-tene-o rah!

38. ...ang Blue Eagle Spelling?
Of course!

39. Are you part of Team Ateneo?
Nope

40. Who's your fave UAAP basketball player?
I'd have to go with Rich Alvarez, as well.

41. Ever had a perfect score in an exam?
Practical exam, yeah.

42. Ano ang ayaw mo sa Hell Week?
That fact that it exists.

43. Dito ka ba natuto uminom ng beer?
Nope. I think high school pa.

44. What do you like about our school?
The open space and the great view of Marikina and Sierra Madre. Oh yeah, and Magis.

45. Ano ang ayaw mo?
Lazy teachers

46. Have you ever bought anything at the A-shop?
Jacket and a couple of shirts.

47. maganda ba ID pic mo?
Quite the opposite.

48. Done anything illegal on campus?
Yeah, set up a MUD in one of the school servers.

49. Bought anything at National Katips?
Just about anything for school.

50. Ever gone to Starbucks Katips?
Yeah, I've gone.

51. May nakaaway ka na ba sa school?
I try to stay away from trouble in any institution I'm affiliated with.

The trouble with the rat-race...

2008-02-05T08:34:00.000+08:00

...is that even if you win, you're still a rat.

The year of the Earth Rat or Wu Zi, carries with it the image of the misty mountain. Thus, the prevailing theme for the year is clouded perceptions, and outcomes that are unexpected. The year will start on a positive note, but then backslide as we edge towards the end of the year, when the element of Water becomes overwhelmingly strong.

Thursday and Friday are holidays here in Singapore. Tomorrow, Wednesday, is also rumoured to be announced a half-day. All of these in anticipation of Chinese New Year.

Though I may look Chinese, I am not headed home to receive hongbaos ("ang paw") from relatives. Instead, I'm going to take a slight turn towards Cebu and Bohol, completely bypassing Manila. I think I long overdue for some UV rays. I actually think my skin is getting lighter, if that's at all possible.

As usual, I won't start packing until the last minute, which is tomorrow night. Our flight is the midnight run direct from Singapore to Cebu. A short Supercat ferry ride, and we're there.

And as usual, it's too late to get rid of the flabs for beach season.

The Grand Duke of the year, the Rat, will not be kind to Goats this year. However, take heart in the knowledge that the challenges of the year primarily are related to matters of the heart. Indeed, it is likely to be a blast from the past, or emotional baggage left over from an old relationship, that will be the primary cause of any misery you will feel this year. So if you can let go and move on, there's no reason why 2008 can't be a good year.

Career and financial prospects will prove to be excellent for Goats this year. Mistakes will somehow turn out to be blessings in disguise and you will have someone looking out for your interests this year. At work, expect your star to be on a rise. It might not be entirely smooth sailing in 2008 for Goats, but as long as you keep your eye on the prize, and stick out the valleys, you'll find you are closer to the peak than you thought.

(http://www.tarot.com/astrology/chinese/predictions.php?sign=goat)

LOST season four has officially begun. It's nice to see the castaways back. I think it's the long lull, but I'm not as intrigued or as excited as before, even after watching the season premiere ("The Beginning of the End"). I just hope it'll pick up soon. Some of the best TV I've seen in recent years comes from this series.

A belated congratulations to parents Frances and Noel, and a "Welcome to the real world" to Elise Madeline Hernandez. Hope to see you guys again soon!

50 More Things You Don't Really Need to Know about Me

2008-01-24T10:07:00.000+08:00

If you opened this, FILL IT OUT! Learn 50 things about your friends, and let them learn 50 things about you!

1* Do you like cheese?
You can't go wrong with baked cheese with any food

2* Have you ever smoked heroin?
Naah.

3* Do you own a gun?
Aside from my Uranium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator, no I don't.

4* Your favorite song?
Off the top of my head, it's Under The Milky Way by The Church

5* Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
Depends on what the appointment is for.

6* What do you think of hotdogs?
Yum-yum

7* Favorite Christmas song?
Pasko Na Naman

8* What do you prefer to drink in the morning.
Water or any type of fruit juice

9* Can you do push ups?
Yeah, I still can.

10* Favorite super-hero?
Haven't been into reading comics for quite a while but the last one I liked was Bishop (http://marvel.com/universe/Bishop_%28Lucas_Bishop%29)

11* What's your favorite piece of jewelry?
I don't wear jewelry

12* Favorite hobby?
PC Games, if it's a hobby at all.

13* Secret weapon to get the opposite sex?
The Gilroy

14* Do you have A.D.D.?
Probably. But it's just all in the head, in my opinion.

15* What's one trait do you hate about yourself?
Dangerously content with mediocrity

16* Middle Name:
De Los Reyes

17* Three thoughts at this exact moment
a.) Why doesn't the id field auto-generate?
b.) What to work on next
c.) What time will I go home later?

18* Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
a.) Bottled water, everyday
b.) Toiletries
c.) Chicken salad for dinner

19* Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?
a.) Water
b.) Season's Iced Lemon Tea
c.) Welch's Grape Juice

20* Current worry right now?
Cash flow and expenditures for the following year

21* Current hate?
That stupid leak in the bathroom which I don't have time to take care of

22* Favorite places?
I like all the places I've been to but Phi-phi Island is superb.

23* How did you bring in the New Year?
With a bang! Celebrating with family in Manila.

24* Where would you like to go?
Japan, Mainland Europe, Bhutan, Tibet, Palawan, Australia

25* Name three people who will complete this and return?
a) Shelley (maybe)
b) Nes (come on, Nes!)
c) Chale ('kaw na lang siguro, wala na eh! :P)

26* Do you own flip flops?
Tsinelas!

27* What shirt are you wearing?
Right now, light blue Banana republic shirt for the office.

28* Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
I just like sleeping.

29* Can you whistle?
Yep

30* Favorite color/s?
blue, green, red, brown, orange, gray, yellow

31* Would you like to be a pirate?
In the 21st century? No thanks.

32* What songs do you sing in the shower room?
Any song I heard last

33* Favorite girl's name?
Catherine (and variations of)

34* Favorite boy's name?
Anthony is fine.

35* What's in your pocket right now?
Disposable facial tissue, and a couple of coins

36* Last thing that made you laugh?
More cowbell! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_cowbell)

37* Best bed sheets as a child?
Blue sheets with nightsky, stars and moon.

38* Worst injury you've ever had?
I'm glad it never got worse than sprain or cramps

39* Do you love where you live?
Singapore is a nice place to work in.

40* How many computers do you have in your house?
2. Nes's and mine.

41* Who is your loudest friend?
I haven't seen Duch in a while, so it should be Chrissie.

42* How many dogs do you have?
We've got one in Manila.

43* Does someone have a crush on you?
It'd be nice if there's at least one.

45* What is your favorite book?
I'm going to count graphic novels as a book, so hands down Alan Moore's Watchmen.

46* What is your favorite candy?
Hershey's with Macadamia (Yum!)

47* Favorite Sports Teams?
Los Angeles Lakers, Barangay Ginebra

48* What song do you want played at your funeral?
Angels by Robbie Williams

49* What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Surfing the Internet.

50* What is the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Shit, late nanaman.

Get to know yourself better (from Noel)

2008-01-17T03:09:00.000+08:00

For one thing, I didn't know myself to be answering such things. But hey, there's a first for everything.

From: http://www.quizbox.com/personality/test82.aspx

--

Get to know yourself better

Your view on yourself:

Other people find you very interesting, but you are really hiding your true self. Your friends love you because you are a good listener. They'll probably still love you if you learn to be yourself with them.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You prefer to get to know a person very well before deciding whether you will commit to the relationship.

The seriousness of your love:

Your have very sensible tactics when approaching the opposite sex. In many ways people find your straightforwardness attractive, so you will find yourself with plenty of dates.

Your views on education

Education is less important than the real world out there, away from the classroom. Deep inside you want to start working, earning money and living on your own.

The right job for you:

You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:

You are afraid of failure and scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you don't succeed. Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous.

What are you most afraid of:

You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.

Who is your true self:

You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.

The Best Laid Plans for 2008

2008-01-15T17:25:00.000+08:00

2007 was a good year for travel

In the office, I had printed out a 2008 Calendar. When I'm finished with it, it should mark all the planned holidays I'm going to take. It's really helpful especially in determining long weekends and sandwich days. I'm sure project managers also appreciate the advance notice.

So this is what I've come up so far (starting March, the new fiscal period). This is a very-very early draft.

March - around Holy Week, originally planned for Japan. Unlikely to happen now, so might go to Cambodia instead.
April - going home to Manila to attend a wedding. Might squeeze in beach plans nearby.
May - one sandwich day and one long weekend. No plans yet.
June, July, August, September - no obvious long weekends. Singapore National Day, August 9, falls on a Saturday.
October - one possible 5-day stretch, and one sandwich day
November/December - going home to Manila to renew drivers license
December/January 2009 - Hopefully, back to the U.S. for Christmas and New Year. 2 weeks or so.
Feb 2009 - No plans yet.

Of course even if I filled in those sandwich days, I'd still have about 5 or so days for anything unexpected. Also things, will probably be much clearer once I sort out my finances. I promised myself that I'd take care of my long-term savings (if any) this year. Although that might mean cutting trips, it might also give me a chance to look after my health instead.

Katamad na magblog

2008-01-03T17:50:00.000+08:00

The days in between holidays

2007-12-26T13:30:00.000+08:00

I've been up to a lot since I arrived back. Generally, it's fleshing out what the rest of the vacation would look like.

There's going to be a lot of family things, friends things and me things.

Family Things:

Spend Christmas Day at home
Visit my grandfather (and Lola Madre) in Bulacan
Go to mass

Friends Things:

Lunches, Dinners, and catchups
Go to Tagaytay
Basketball - not happening this time

Me Things:

Have jeans altered - DONE
Buy shirts
Buy (Filipino) DVDs
Buy OPM albums
Buy toiletries/groceries

Also, I need to be reacquainted with the food I haven't had in almost a year:

Jollibee
KFC
Max's - DONE
Teriyaki Boy
Charlie Wanton Special
North Park - DONE
Dunkin Donuts - DONE
Shakey's
Yellow Cab
Italianni's
Superbowl
Goldilock's/Red Ribbon
Razon's of Guagua
Various other eating places

All these activites could be a permanent "when-I-go-home" list so I'm keeping it somewhere.

--

However, next year might be quite different if plans to spend Christmas in the U.S. push through. It would be the first of its kind, a real winter Christmas.

--

Happy Holidays from our family!

Sa May Bahay

2007-12-21T14:50:00.000+08:00

I just got back here in Manila. I really have to say, it's good to be back home. Not only would I get breakfast every morning, but I also don't need to wash the dishes, do the laundry, or iron clothes.

Two hours before the flight, the check-in queue was already snaking all over the departure area. 21kgs of luggage (all clothes) and I was good to go. Aside from that episode, the flight was relatively smooth. On the plane, I also got to watch perhaps the best blockbuster movie of 2007, The Bourne Ultimatum. [Spoiler] I loved that part at the very end where they reported that they haven't found his body and then the Moby music ("Extreme Ways") kicks in [End Spoiler]. You just knew you watched an excellent movie.

NAIA Terminal 2 surprised me in the sense that I didn't really expect it to be (just about) as orderly as it was. Luggage came out quick. There was no hassle at all at customs. Outside, the wind has that Christmas feel. And the best part was that there weren't a lot of people in the meet and greet area, unlike last year.

Traffic was hell, however. But I did spend a great time gawking at the billboards at EDSA, and looking at what buildings were newly-built.

I'll be using my old Globeline for now, until I have the line cancelled before I leave.

See you when I see you.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Winter Solstice

2007-12-12T03:39:00.000+08:00

Me: that's the thing around here. it's not a Christmas party, it's a last party of the year
Office-mate (from another part of the world): so they decided to do a peter pan theme!?
Me: exactly, who knows for what reason

So much for our ~~Christmas Party~~ Last Party of the Year. I accept that I cannot celebrate a proper office Christmas party while I work in Singapore. The mix of cultures, and sometimes the dominance of some, makes it difficult to pull off such an event. Everybody has to be accommodated.

I didn't like the party too much. In fact some aspects to it are annoying, especially people who can't hold their drink and act downright stupid. Case in point some idiot who took to the stage and demanded that the entire firm wanted to dance to a lot of Indian music. Rightfully, he was booed off the stage. I mean -- shit -- I don't impose Pinoy novelty dances on everyone ["OK, everybody, let's do the ocho-ocho"], much less the tinikling.

In Singapore, you learn about other cultures and share your own. But you have to know you bounds. These people clearly don't.

Fucking ruining Christmas.

Not even Tinkerbell can save Christmas.

--

A too-little-too-late internal announcement that reminded everyone of holiday behaviour in office functions came a day too late.

The worst part is that I haven't heard any outrage regarding behaviour in the party. If anything, I think they want more Indian dancing music next time. Verrrry Christmas-sy.

--

I've seen The Golden Compass and while I believe that the mythology is rich, I didn't feel that I was really amazed by the movie. I don't think it was presented too well. Dakota Blue Richards would make a fine actress. But she has that smug in the movie that says "I've got two more sequels, so you can't kill me".

Anyway, I just felt unprepared for absorbing the entire thing at one go. Maybe subsequent viewings will help? I don't feel like reading the book, so nuts to that.

I've posted a calendar event on Jan 31, 2008 about Switchfoot performing here in Singapore. Should be good. I think SISTIC will begin selling tickets on the 26th. Looking forward to that.

Homecoming

2007-12-04T17:07:00.000+08:00

This weekend, our high school batch of 1997 will have our 10th year homecoming. What can I say about it?

For starters, I was in danger of being sent to Aquinas School. No, this wasn't like when I started school, having a choice between Lourdes School Mandaluyong and Ateneo since I passed the tests for both. In this case, I was wait-listed in Ateneo High School (AHS) and we had to have a backup plan. Recovering from chicken pox, I worked hard to get the necessary grades to be reconsidered for eligibility. Then one day, they published the list of those that have been reconsidered. I was in that list of thirty-something names. Welcome to high school.

High school didn't start off well, academically, an effect of resting on my laurels. Eventually, I picked it up in later years to boost my chances of getting into college in the course I wanted.

There's barely anything I regret about high school. Well, at least nothing that turned out to be important. I mean, I don't regret the amount of effort I put in my studies. I felt that I had the right amount of fun and study. I remember that there is a gauge as to how to differentiate normal students to upperclassmen, measured by the amount of hours of study per day they do. (2 for normal, 3 for upperclassman. I think I was doing one and a half before attention-deficit kicked in.)

All in all, high school was pretty great. Everyday is a learning experience whether inside or outside the classroom.

With that, I leave to you, dear reader, to imagine how we went from pipsqueaks then...

...to fat fucks now.

--

Incidentally, my dad will receive the award for both of us being a Father & Son Jubilarian Pair

Dad: Grade School 1963, High School 1967, College 1971
Me: Grade School 1993, High School 1997, College 2001

Stupendous! It's even better than being valedictorian! (Not that I'd have a clue how that'd feel like)

28

2007-12-02T21:57:00.000+08:00

Northeastern monsoon has arrived. It's been windy in the recent days. For the first time, since I've been here, it's been comfortably cool, without the accompanying rains.

--

I don't know, I guess I just lost it.

The will to blog, that is.

The trip to the U.S. was a big milestone in life, and scratched a big itch, as I mentioned. There's probably nothing that could top it in the near future. So everyday just feels ordinary, events not so blogworthy, and pictures not flickr-worthy.

Nonetheless, I will attempt a post today just because I just celebrated (or not celebrated) my 28th birthday last weekend. This should cover most of the weeks I have missed blogging.

A special mention however to the trip two of my bestest friends took in Singapore. I haven't seen them in almost a year and I was glad to see them.

Jimelle, Me, Kat and gracious host, Dondi

--

It's not out of the ordinary to give yourself a gift on your special day. And for me, by virtue of good timing coinciding with SITEX, it only makes sense that I march off to Singapore Expo and buy something for myself. And that something turned out to be a Seagate FreeAgent Desktop Drive.

Sorry if I can't contain the excitement.

But like I said earlier, I've given as a no-occasion gift to myself that trip to visit my family in the U.S. How can I beat that?

I can't and I won't. Not in a long time.

--

I watched Enchanted this weekend. No spoilers this time. But I just like to say that I've known Amy Adams to be hot since Catch Me If You Can.

Ok, what I'd really like to say was that this movie had the potential to be the fairy tale to end all fairy tales. Unfortunately, it falters a bit at the end, to the cliche it came from. Still, it makes for a pretty entertaining movie, and Manhattan itself is ever enchanting.

--

Looking ahead to 2008, we're in talks to go to either Korea or Japan for a vacation. As it stands, Korea seems to be where we're headed.

I can't seem to get excited about a trip to Korea no matter how much browsing I do on Times (bookstore) or online in wikitravel.

--

God Delusion and The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. These are two of the books I have bought but not read yet.

D'oh.

Buy Then, Pay Now

2007-09-25T23:29:00.000+08:00

<sarcasm>Don't you just love it when the bills arrive</sarcasm>

Bills, bills, bills. Big ones, little ones...

And yet, I just ordered Seasons 2,3, and 4 of Futurama, along with a good deal on Sealab 2021, season one from Amazon. It's scheduled to ship early-mid October, just around the time I need to pay for it.

Spending money you haven't gotten yet. Bad, bad, bad.

--

Current events. I'd like for Myanmar to get rid of their military rulers and try democracy, all for the selfish reason that I want to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda at some point in my life. Almost anybody can actually visit it anytime they want. But I personally don't want to go under this shroud of fear, and the idea of spending my hard-earned cash to support the junta.

--

One of the things that crossed my mind a few days ago, is thinking of the possibility of this life/work setup: Work for nine months of the year, Holiday/Study/Travel for the remaining three months. Sounds interesting, right? I haven't quite figured out how to pull off such a thing. Of course, you'd have to be earning a lot, and work on a contractual basis. The three months doesn't have to be all bumming around and doing nothing. I'd imagine, you can get special training, go back to school to teach and/or learn, set up a business, work a different type of job.

But let me think about it some more.

Aftershocks

2007-09-23T21:16:00.000+08:00

Talking to a friend early in the morning:

Tonton (9/13/2007 7:53:16 AM): sheesh, lumilindol ata
Tonton (9/13/2007 7:57:09 AM): lumilindol nga, tagal din

If some experts are to be believed. There may yet be another big one coming.

--

It's been a lazy weekend that's always almost over too soon. I can't really say I haven't achieved anything this past two days even if I mostly just slept it off.

I got new glasses this week, after thinking it's the solution to my headache problems. Worked well anyway. I bought one with transition lenses, and I collected it a day later. I know I should have my eyes checked every year. This one's more than a half year due. So that's done.

As for the weekend itself, I was able to do way overdue house stuff. Washing/changing the bedsheets is one. Rearranging the bedroom is two. Bringing old stuff out is three.

The second one included printing out a lot of pictures to hang on the wall and to put in albums. Good memories. I'll print some in Manila to leave in an album there somewhere.

On that last one, I plan to send a big ol' box of junk home for them to give away or recycle or whatever. Junk would include clothes and shoes and whatever else I don't need.

---

Speaking of home, I made flight reservations to go home to Manila for Christmas and New Year. As usual, they've jacked up the prices for the holiday season. It's almost twice than what I would normally pay to fly back. Besides, I haven't gone back since January. My mom made me promise to go home, so there. They'll be back from the U.S. in late November, early December. I'll be there from December 21 to early January 2. I'm already planning side trips in Tagaytay and Subic. I hope Greenhills will already have iPod Touch units by that time.

---

Recently, I also realized that not only do I like Futurama, I love it! The problem is I only have season one and there aren't any DVDs of it in Singapore (as of time of writing). I've heard that they show it in Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, but I don't have the schedule.

SO. I'm seriously considering ordering seasons 2,3 and 4 online. Singapore Post has this thing called vPost, that allows you to order from U.S. online shops, have them deliver it at an address in the U.S., then have them ship it here for an extra fee.

As an added incentive, I think Amazon.com dipped down the prices for Futurama to about 40+% off retail prices. Think, think, think...

Sorry, I couldn't resist

2007-09-17T21:23:00.000+08:00

*Disclaimer: I have friends and relatives who are De La Salle University Alumni including my sister.

You know, most of the people out there will never, ever understand the rivalry that exists between Ateneo and La Salle. So, not a lot of people will get why I find this extremely funny. But I just had to share.

It works on so many levels!

Jetlagged, so I might as well post something

2007-09-13T01:20:00.000+08:00

So...

I arrived at two in the morning yesterday with one luggage more than when I left. The flight back was not so uneventful, but not too alarming either. It was bumpy going to and coming from Tokyo-Narita. I think there was also one passenger who fainted or something, which prompted the pilot to ask if there were any doctors on the plane. I just slept them off or ignored them totally while watching Ocean's Thirteen and Surf's Up.

I immediately went back to work a couple of hours later. The people in the office seem to like the 150 pieces of chocolates that I brought. And they have the impression that I just went to Las Vegas. I can't really imagine how you can spend more than a few days there.

--

Dear Ninong,

Thank you so much for flying over to see me and be my ninong.

...

See that? Not even a year old and she can write already. Just kidding. But I am looking forward to see her again next year, Christmas time. We're planning to have a Mickey Mouse Christmas.

This is a picture of me not knowing how to hold a two-month old baby:

--

The US 2007 photo collection is complete. I took pictures almost every day of nothing and everything. I should do a blog post on each set because I've got so much to say. I can do that this weekend, hopefully, unless my lazy old self takes over.

You might see some pictures there which are strange to the eyes, like Jollibee in one set. All will be explained in further detail soon.

Whoa-hoa

2007-09-11T00:18:00.001+08:00

Hey, that was fast!

I'm off to the airport to fly back to Singapore.

I get to sleep a few hours after arriving home before bravely going back to work, jetlag and all.

So see you from Singapore, where I get to post more stuff like the trip to Yosemite Park.

It's been a great three week vacation! :D

Up to Speed

2007-09-03T21:17:00.000+08:00

While I have all the time to go around, buy stuff, and do all the things that I want to do, what I don't have is the time to blog.

You can just about see what my camera sees, though, via flickr.

The last post in this blog was back in San Francisco, the second day I arrived. Since then, I've gone around San Francisco, touring the sights of the city and around it.

I also made a trip to various outlet stores. It's what makes the US so great to shop in, except that you have to travel a long (and expensive) way here to get to them.

And then there was the point of the entire trip, which was to be a ninong.

After that, it was off to scorching Las Vegas for a short two day getaway. I got to watch one of the Cirque du Soleil shows, Mystere in Treasure Island. I could've enjoyed it a lot more without the prevailing jetlag. Nonetheless, it was a trip to remember. And I'd gladly go back, maybe even if just to have fun and win some money. (I didn't get to gamble this time)

I had to shortly go back to San Francisco in order to fly out to New York because that's the way I arranged the trip. Las Vegas being a relatively last-minute decision.

And so, I am here in the Bronx, in the Hernandez household. Since I've been here, I somewhat went around Manhattan and had dinner with friends. The also gone around the uber-excellent American Museum of Natural History. Great stuff.

Another first for me is to be able to drive in this country. I drove some seventy-plus miles to Six Flags in Jackson, New Jersey. Also thanks to Noel for letting me borrow his brand new (just a 600 miler) Toyota Matrix. No problem with driving, just a little more alert with speed limits, stop signs, and merging lanes. That was a fun Six Flags day. We managed to ride on all the major thrill rides and get a sunburn as well.

And for those who see me online in Yahoo Messenger, you've probably seen me showing off my Homer plush toy, which I won in one of those water-shooting games. Woo-hoo!

If you haven't seen it, let me show it off one more time.

First Family Picture in Years

2007-08-23T12:03:00.000+08:00

Hey! So I'm here in San Francisco (after ten years). The flight wasn't so bad, except that it's really long (totalling around 17 hours). And since I'm just borrowing this connection from my sister. I've got to vamoose for now, and just hijack it again later.

For all my contacts around this part of the world, I've got myself a T-Mobile number which you can get on request ;)

Will upload pictures tomorrow.

So...

2007-08-22T00:03:00.000+08:00

Done packing.

I'm finally off to a three week leave, I guess :)

One Night in กรุงเทพมหานคร

2007-08-21T01:00:00.001+08:00

IMG_7758, originally uploaded by ton2fig.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ton2fig/sets/72157601565188256/

Planned back in May, this Bangkok trip was a jampacked two-day getaway that covered a lot of ground. Arriving in Suvarnabhumi (which in Ancient Thai means "big-ass airport"), we headed straight into the heart of Bangkok.

I'll go into detail in future blogposts. For now, just have a look at the flickr album. I'm, uhm, a bit busy.

Get Away From It All

2007-08-07T22:42:00.000+08:00

My sister brought up a most brilliant suggestion to our ever-evolving itinerary:

Kitty Anne Marzan: tapos check mo din online ang yosemite tignan mo picture then let me know kung interesado kang puntahan

She's talking about Yosemite National Park, of course. And I'm very much interested in going. It's one of those places where you'd like to stay after getting tired of the rat race. Probably, like The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. By the way, I haven't read the book, but would like to. If it's any good or bad, someone tell me. I'd like to have a good book to read for while traveling or commuting.

See, now who wouldn't want to gaze on this view? (photo credits from http://wikitravel.org)

Weather permitting.

--

Of course, all over the world, it's wacky weather time. Floods, heatwaves, droughts and typhoons.

Over here, near the equator, we could be thankful in between rain showers. Walking at night is pleasant with the cool breeze. The kids could sport their cool weather clothes outside the chilly shopping centres.

--

And speaking of clothes, I window-shopped today, checking out the general prices of clothes. This way, I'll be sure that I'm getting a good deal when going to the outlet stores in the U.S.

For example, Banana Republic just opened their first store in Singapore. It sits right in fancy-pants Paragon Mall. Boy, is it expensive.

Anyway, here's a list of things I need-slash-want to buy for myself:

Belt - the one I'm wearing is a bit old already. A brown one would be good as well to match shoes (see below)
More long-sleeved shirts - for the office, to go as far away from "common" G2000 office shirts. Also, try to find french-cuffed ones (see next entry).
Cuff links - makes me look more respectable and dignified.
Leather shoes - another pair of black office shoes and brown gimik shoes.
Rubber shoes - for basketball, maybe another for running/all-around
Casual clothes - stuff you can't find anywhere around Singapore (for cheap).

Sorry but buying love or happiness don't make the cut on the grounds that I don't know where to buy them. If I do, I wouldn't buy them on discount.

--

You could say I'm changing wardrobe as well.

Old clothes and things are being put in a box and sent home to Lita, who will gladly distribute it among her relatives. How's that for charity? I've actually learned to let go of old things; especially things that could be better left in somebody else's hands.

In return, I'll have more space around the house for more new things.

--

Less than 10 days to go. I've washed my jackets and sweaters, and I'm ready to pack. I'll run a couple of errands during the week, like paying bills, finishing work, getting money. Pre-trip tasks like printing tickets, vouchers and documents can be done during office break times. At home, I need to clear up SD card memory, charge cameras, iPods, and laptops. I also may need to charge my cellphones. I think I'll bring two. One for the office line, and another for the prepaid card I'd be buying when I get there. I also need to have my aircon with the busted remote receiver pulled-out and fixed while I'm away.

Just to complicate things, I need to parallel-plan going to Bangkok on Saturday and Sunday. It's something that was booked way before the U.S. trip. So I need to figure out what stuff to wear and bring on that weekend. And after that, I need to do one last batch of laundry before leaving.

Then Tuesday night, hours before the flight, I should finish packing and cleaning the room. Get a few hours of sleep. I'll wake up at around 2AM, have a nice bath, pack the toiletries and head for the airport.

At the airport, probably go around and explore the facilities including the massage/spa centres if possible.

Six o' clock, Wednesday morning, I fly out. Next stops, Tokyo-Narita and San Francisco International.

Sweet!

Two Weekends To Go

2007-08-04T12:59:00.000+08:00

Last night, we went to see Kjwan play near the Esplanade for Baybeats 2007. It was just a short set, running a little over half an hour. I thought it was really cool that they took the stage with a flag of the motherland.

A bit after the performance, I got to chat with Kjwan members and old classmates Marc and Kelley down at Glutton's Bay. They're hitting the road (flight) to Iloilo for another gig. So if you're in the area, go catch them.

--

The Summer months usually bring a vacation and you may be ready to make a big splash. With Mercury now moving through your 9th House of Journeys, it may be time to pack up and take that special trip you have been thinking about. Even if you can't get out of town, at least plan some activities over the days ahead that have nothing to do with work so you can enjoy yourself more.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

--

And just now, I gave up on joining the basketball team today and instead opted on staying home and watching TV and playing Wii.

Also, I'd be devoting some time on refining my trip plans for the U.S. Again, particularly, on the budgeting side.

And speaking of...

I still find it hard to believe that I'm going on that trip.

Let's See...

2007-08-02T21:16:00.000+08:00

Well, your run-of-the-mill what's been happening sort of post.

I went to the dentist twice this week (once last week) to get another root canal. I'll be getting the permanent crown in two weeks. And it damn well costs a lot of money. But better to be done with it before the trip. Also, IT HURTS LIKE SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--

And the other things that hurt are my ears from hearing about the Big Ticket Kevin Garnett being traded to Boston. Let's see what happens to this one. I don't really care that much. Season's still faraway in November and my favorite teams (Warriors, Lakers, Cavaliers) are just chillin'. Nothing really exciting going on, except for that Tim Donaghy gambling fiasco. Ho-hum.

Anyway, Garnett is a workhorse but he needs people around him. So let's hope this turns out good for his career, because otherwise he'd have been stuck in that quagmire of a team called the Wolves.

--

The fallout for me from this year's Great Singapore Sale, which ended last July 22 was six pairs of G2000 pants. All bought for at least 30% off. It fits nicely, and makes me look slimmer as well. The shirts, I've resolved to buy in the U.S. if I find good looking ones. The thing with G2000 is that it looks great, except for the fact that everybody else is wearing the same thing in the office. So office pants are no problem, just keep the shirts unique. Here's to hoping I find a good deal on shirts over there.

All these remind me, of course, of how many people own Louis Vuitton bags all over the island. I see them everyday in the trains, malls, offices, parks, etc. It's because there was a big sale a couple of weeks ago. Huge discounts. Now if everybody has LV, how can an owner stand out anymore? I think that was the point of buying LV.

--

Speaking of slim, I've inadvertently managed to get my weight below 150lbs. I say "inadvertently" because I believe this is due to the late nights at work and the stress of the past few weeks. There's still a lot more work to be done but it's much, much lighter and much more manageable. Hey, just like me!

--

This would be another of my "must-see" list for New York City: Angel of The Waters Fountain.

--

I've got less than twenty days to go before the trip. It's getting ever-closer. I need to wash my coldwear clothes. I haven't washed them since London last year.

Today, part four of our series of the agonizing pain in which I live...

2007-07-29T23:06:00.000+08:00

This blog won't be the same without the usual dose of angst.

But before we get to that, I feel it is my duty to tell you what I think about The Simpsons Movie (% on the biiig screeen %). The bottom line is, I like it because it feels like a movie unlike the usual problems that plague TV-to-movie ventures. Of course, you can't please everybody who's watched some of the 400 (and counting) TV episodes, spanning almost two decades. I felt there was a lot lacking, as a matter of fact, but I also thought it was forgivable. Sooooo, quick switch to the lists:

[Here be spoilers]

Things that I like:

The gags
The homage/nods to the fans
The self-referential humour
The pop culture references

Things that were OK:

Plot was OK. Nothing groundbreaking.
Characters who were involved (more on this later)
Using 3D animation ala Futurama, which, I maintain, is the only true logical and underrated successor to the show.
Shallow sight gags

Aaaand, to the Things that were bad/disappointing:

Mr. Burns' cameo-ish role
The story, in my opinion, could have been taken a lot further
Not the Best. Movie. Ever.

Recommendation: Go watch it... in 2-D!

--

Anyway, angst, angst. I'm twenty seven years old and I still have angst attacks. Around this age, my parents had already married and are about to have their first child. My sister had her first kid last month, not counting Christopher Dominic (God rest his soul). And I, I only have angst.

What's the difference between them and me? For one thing, they've got it all figured out, so to speak. While I (still) don't have a clue what to do and what to make of this life. What is it that makes you happy? or successful? or wealthy? or healthy? or content? Is it money? An acronym for a title? Friends? Family? Loved ones? Respect? Dignity? Recognition? Fame? Fortune? Enlightenment? Accumulation of knowledge? Broadening the mind?

The problem, of course, with life, is that it gives you a lot of choices and that sometimes choosing one path effectively seals all others. The worst case being, not being able to decide at all what you want.

Which is where I'm headed at this point.

There's that nagging feeling that I'm not good at what I do, even if that's the only thing I know how to do. Or at least, I won't be the best at what I do. So what now? Change careers? Move countries? Adjust anew? Keep running?

I mean, what's the point? [This is the typical angst question, by the way]

But let's turn this on its head. Who is the happiest person you know (or know of), and why? I'm dying to find out. If possible, none of the religious type people and deities.

--

Postscript:

There's a good chance I've been hit by angst because I've only just recently watched Cars. While this movie is not at all about finding out what you want, it touches on how wrong we usually are in thinking about what matters in life. Just a thought. Good movie, by the way.

Smashing Pumpkins? I love doing that!

2007-07-15T10:38:00.000+08:00

[A little break from trip-planning]

I'm currently listening to the new Smashing Pumpkins album, Zeitgeist, which has some pretty cool tunes in it.

Also, I'm reading a couple of Amazon.com comments of how these are NOT the Smashing Pumpkins, of how it sounds like Zwan, and that people either hate Zwan or love it, etc.

I am not in any way an authority on the Smashing Pumpkins. I got hooked in the uber-excellent early 90s album, Siamese Dream (totally skipped Gish). In my personal opinion, this album should be in every rock/alternative lover's collection. I love each and every song, and so do a lot of people. The song Drown, which is in the Singles [movie] soundtrack (also a great album) was one of my early adolescent favorites. I wasn't into Pisces Iscariot a lot but I probably just need to give it a chance to grow on me, since I don't own a copy. On the other hand, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is a brilliant collection of music that displays how the band makes great music. I don't think a great number of people liked Adore, but I appreciate it a lot. It's a bit somber and mellow, and it totally works for me. After that album, I sort of drifted away from their music but still heard from a couple of their songs like The End is the Beginning is The End (from the Batman and Robin) soundtrack, and One from The Aeroplane Flies High, which I think is another uber-collection of songs. Finally, The Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits - Rotten Apples and Machina, the latter not so bad but still different.

After all that, came the breakup. Then came Billy Corgan's new band, Zwan which, and I share this with a lot of fans, is a good effort and their album Mary Star of the Sea is one of the albums in my iPod that I often listen to. I think Billy Corgan went solo after that, not being able to go away from making music.

Amidst all the debate, I think Zeitgeist is also a good album, but not great. Whether having half the original band makes a difference or if James Iha and D'Arcy Wretsky really count at all, the brand is back. I'll give it a couple more album listens to decide if I like this album or I love it.

In English, "The Meadows"

2007-07-11T22:47:00.000+08:00

Kitty Anne Marzan: sabi taviks, mag-las vegas kayo. sayang naman daw. may $200 per person daw. kasama na hotel accom

True, true. What it costs to get to Las Vegas from San Francisco is just about the same as going to Singapore from Manila, and this is with accomodations.

With proper planning and budgeting, I might just be able to squeeze in a trip like this just before heading for New York. And as long as I'm spending, there's a good chance I'll swing by and do the Star Trek Experience (geeeeeeeek!). I'll just work off the money I will spend (gulp!) for that sidetrip in the next few months.

--

[10:39] mlauno: di ka abot ng 1st week of
september sa NY?
[10:39] mlauno: andun ako e

Talk about good timing.

--

Yo, Ton,

Come in around the same time so we can hitch a ride together at LGA [LaGuardia Airport in NY]. Start practicing cause we are playing ball and eating White castle.

Mark

This is turning out to be a small reunion of sorts. Basketball, eh? In New York? They'll eat me alive! Not only am I out of shape, but I got my ankle injured in a game just last Sunday. And for me, getting injured is the first step to not doing any healthy physical activity. Groan.

Planning Phase

2007-07-08T01:18:00.000+08:00

Anticipating how big of a deal this U.S. trip would be, I've planned as early as last year, procrastinating until last month to push it forward. Getting the visa really got the ball rolling. Now, the real game plan has to be drafted ASAP.

For starters, I needed to book tickets. The original plan would bring me to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, New York, Boston in a four-week triptastic holiday. Of course, the powers that be in the office wouldn't have it. So the longest I can have is three weeks. To add to that, I keep forgetting that I'm very, very far from being a millionaire (maybe in rupees or dongs, but not in pesos, much less dollars) and that going on a spending spree will greatly affect retirement funds. That brings it down to essential travel i.e. San Francisco (because of my newborn niece), and New York (because I want to go to New York). I was also determined to fly Singapore Airlines (SQ). However, after checking the prices, I decided against it. That way, an SQ flight from Singapore to San Francisco would even cost a bit more than what I ultimately got. The final flight plan is roundtrip from Singapore to San Francisco and roundtrip from San Francisco to New York, all the way via Northwest Airlines. Both of these booked through Zuji. And so it was written, so shall it be done -- on the 22nd of August.

--

Here's a draft of the ever-growing list of things to do over there. Now this is aside from most of the touristy stuff that I'll be doing (like going up the Empire State Building and riding the ferry to Liberty Island). Most of the things listed here I won't be able to do or go to. But listing them down allows me to plan the itinerary better.

Here we go:

Great America
Woodbury Common
Six Flags
Eat at Medieval Times - Cable Guy!
Eat at White Castle - Harold and Kumar!
Nathan's - Hot dogs! Hot dogs!
NBA Store - Getting my jersey
Napa Valley - Maybe not. I'm allergic to alcohol, after all.
Vacaville
Eat at Papa Johns - I saw this on TV
Eat at Krispy Kreme
Eat at Arthur's
U.S. Open - asa pa. But after the epic men's final at Wimbledon last night (between Federer and Nadal), who wouldn't want to see them face-off again?

Different States

2007-07-02T16:09:00.000+08:00

[Heads up. Long read/rant]

Just today, a nagging itch in my life finally got scratched.

You see I was stupid enough not to have renewed my U.S. Visa back in 1998, when I was in college. I didn't know what I was thinking at the time but it turned out to be one of the biggest regrets of my life. It came and bit a big chunk of my ass in 2003, when I absotively-posilutely had to be there for my sister's wedding in San Francisco.

--

Way back when we were kids (late eighties), we were denied twice already for a U.S. visa and opted instead for a trip to Hong Kong. It was a good consolation at the time, of course. I didn't know what the fuss is about in the U.S. except for what I see on TV. On the third attempt, it would be the first time we went to the U.S. embassy ourselves and smiled at the consul. I remember he was of Asian descent and not particularly nitpicky. My father did all the talking and me and my sister did all the smiling. And that was it. We were given 5-years, multiple entry.

We went there in 1992, went around in San Francisco, Virginia/Washington D.C., New Jersey/ New York, Florida then finally, Los Angeles. Maybe one of the best trips of my life.

We returned in 1994 for our grandparents' golden wedding anniversary which turned out to be a big success, even if I remembered I lost my coat/blazer before the night started and had to borrow from somebody else. I experienced the great American long drive to New York from Washington D.C. Aside from that, it's mostly lazing around the house in good old Manassas, Virginia where my cousins live. Suburbian living at its finest.

1997, I didn't know, would be the last trip over there. It was a packed three-week vacation, going back to Florida for another run at Disneyworld/EPCOT, MGM, and Universal Studios. At this time, I just renewed and was given a one year, multiple entry visa.

After that, the long exile.

--

My sister planned to get married late 2003; I wanted/needed to go.

I thought I'd still be able to renew my visa via dropbox since I was still just about in the period when I could still do that. But, after September 11, 2001, you know you just can't. In fact, on 9-11, watching TV, I truly thought, 'Now how the fuck are they going to give me a visa now?'

So we set out arranging everything for the interview, gathering requirements, and paying the necessary fees. The only thing missing was (get this), what the consul asked for. The lady had asked for an invitation to the wedding. Being as it was still relatively early, there were no invitations made yet. Bam! Denied.

Ok, so we get it. Try again. With wedding invitations this time.

Another $100 and a couple of weeks later, second try.

Standard questions: What is the purpose of the trip? To attend my sister's wedding (shows invitation). How long have I been working? How much am I earning? Where are my relatives at the moment? etc, etc , etc

"When is your sister's wedding?"
"November 29th"
(types something) "I'm sorry I can't give you a visa"
(me, speechless. then...) "You can't? Why not?"
"I just don't find you qualified"

Bam! Denied. In. My. Face.

I was pissed. My father was pissed. My family was pissed.

So I missed the wedding. I was alone on my birthday and on Christmas 2003. Well, it basically fucked up my life then and there. The whole not being there for the family on a once in a lifetime occasion. The whole thinking I'm not good enough. The whole thinking when will I ever be good enough. For us Pinoys, it's difficult not to take it personally. It wasn't any different.

--

Another thing about Pinoys is the infatuation with the land of opportunity. In some cases, it borders on obssession. Check out this conversation with my cousin:

Luis: lipat ka na ba dito tapos magtatago
Tonton: di ah. iba-blacklist ako sa bangko
Tonton: sabay sa buong banking
Luis: haha

Or this with my mom:

Mama: sabi ni Nanay ( ni Mike) ihahanap ka daw niya ng mapapangasawa dito.

Sigh.

As if being there is everyone's ultimate life goal. But true enough, it's what millions, maybe billions of people risk everything for: a chance to make it in the U.S. To wait decades for the petition to push through, to marry an American citizen, to give birth in the U.S., to unethically beef up the resume, to suffer long periods of unemployment and underemployment, to sneak across the border, to spend life savings, to leave family behind. Just for a chance.

Meanwhile, guys like me, who have honest intentions and earnest reasons get the disappointing and truly disheartening stamp on the passport. "Application received." Denied.

--

This time, however, armed with a new set of personal particulars, a couple of notable stamps on the passport, the glimmering surface of an issued U.K. visa, and the employment pass, things were looking good.

I booked the early morning appointment, wore my best office attire and smile, and waited for my turn. Answered the standard questions.

"You can pick up your visa on Monday, between 2:30 - 3:30, on the receiving window outside."

"Monday, 2:30. Thank you, Ma'am" [Face stapled with a smile that lasted throughout the day]

More than Meets the Expectations.

2007-07-01T20:05:00.000+08:00

I have seen, and I be-lieve, brothers and sisters! Testify! Transformers is one of the coolest movies of recent history.

I don't say that just because I'm admittedly a fanboy; but rather, like Spider-man and X-men, this movie was long overdue and yet it delivers!

[Spoilers start here]

Overall, if I hadn't been too obvious already, I liked the movie a lot. But similar to recent Star Wars installments and The Lord of the Rings, there's just too many humans and not enough fictional beings (robots in this case). Time for the lists!

Things that were good:

Optimus Prime voiced by Peter Cullen. Iconic.
Realism. Oh you'd believe that you're watching robots fighting. And that they change into vehicles.
Oh my, Megan Fox and Rachael Taylor. Droooooool...
Shia LeBouf who's everywhere this year. Fine actor.
Blackout (the chopper), who I don't remember from the canon. But pretty cool entrance as the intro to the story. And good as a secondary character.
Megatron being ruthless.
The score. Good music for action.
Action! Action! Action! Battle! Transform! Boom!
Paid homage to the fans. "One shall stand and one shall fall", "Autobots, roll out", Megatron and Starscream hate each other, etc.
The talk of a sequel. Droooooool...

Things that were OK:

It's a Michael Bay film, so it's OK to have sappy humanoid storylines in between Transformer scenes.
Supporting characters i.e. Transformers not named Optimus Prime or Megatron.
Bumblebee as a Camaro (2008 concept car). Borders on things that were good.
Bumblebee not being able to talk normally.
Megatron as an alien jet fighter. Did you want him as a .38 pistol?
Megatron voiced by Hugo Weaving. I heard the guy who voiced him in the cartoons doesn't have the same voice he had a couple of years earlier.
Humor. Can't live with them, can't live without them.

Aaaaand, here's where the fanboy in me is brought out. Things that were bad:

Exclusion of important characters in the cartoon (which will be completely unforgivable if they're not at all in the sequel), which deserves a list of it's own:

Soundwave
Laserbeak, Rumble and Ravage
Wheeljack
Perceptor
Skywarp and other jets
Constructicons and Devastator (a big Oops for the movie, since they named Brawl as "Devastator")
Omega Supreme
Dinobots!

Optimus Prime does not say things like "my bad", ever.
Optimus Prime does not need the fiery custom paint job.
Where's Optimus's gun?
Where's Megatron's gun?
Not calling them Spike and Sparkplug.
Why oh why did you kill Jazz? Was easily one of the coolest in the film.
Frenzy was an annoying robot Ewok.
Action scenes were usually dizzying and too zoomed in.
The climax/resolution. Huh? Sige na nga.

Anyway, go watch it! I want to watch it again and again until 2009, when the sequel is released.

It's Not All Bad

2007-06-26T01:26:00.000+08:00

There's bound to be some good things in the world.

First of all, if you haven't seen Surf's Up, GO SEE IT! It's a bright spot in this year's awful movie season. Totally entertaining. Visually spectacular. Heartwarmingly funny. Any more cliches to add to the rave? Anyway, I can safely say that I love this film.

Also later this week, Transformers.

Harry Potter also looks promising.

And, like all fanatics, I have doubts on The Simpsons Movie. I just hope it's not too bad.

Give Me A Break

2007-06-26T01:18:00.000+08:00

I'm tired.

We moved to the new apartment this weekend. It involved wrapping, packing, disassembling, carrying, pushing, pulling, placing, assembling, unpacking, and throwing away the junk. It also cost a lot of money, mind you. To add to that, we had to clean the old apartment; everything including the kitchen sink.

We're a bit more settled in already, two days after. I have two boxes of reject clothes for the Salvation Army or to send home.

Commute feels different, of course. It requires more walking under the humid weather and the morning sun. Serangoon MRT Station is just around 10 minutes leisure walk away. We can see it from good old twelfth floor.

I'm tired.

Two of my colleagues have decided to move on. That makes me the most experienced one in the team. Unfortunately, that event created a big hole in terms of system knowledge, and we have a big release coming up. One of the proposed solutions to mitigate that problem involved me possibly going somewhere again. But it's not likely to happen. Weirdly enough, I sense both disappointment and relief. Now the deadlines are inching forward, and the load ever increasing.

I'm tired.

I joined this basketball team in a tournament for Filipino IT people here in the country. I can't even join them in practice because I'm busy with work. Now, the tournament starts on Sunday. I haven't even paid my fees yet. The worst part, really, is that I'm not in shape to compete with younger, taller, stronger, faster, more driven and more talented opponents.

I'm tired. It's past 1am. It's raining hard. Please redirect all shit elsewhere.

Not just crap. It's Craptastic!

2007-06-18T22:32:00.000+08:00

Just came from watching Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which is anything but fantastic. Two cents from a comic book fan coming up next.

[Here be spoilers]

For non-comic afficionados, Galactus was one of the more interesting characters in the entire Marvel Universe. He was introduced to the comic world not unlike in the movie, through his herald, the Silver Surfer. It was a bit goofy at first (in the 60s, when the first comics about Galactus were published). In fact, Galactus was this giant humanoid with a helmet with antlers, who wore shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. Anyway, he's eternally hungry and needs to eat planets to survive. Then the writers and eggheads figured out that he can be more interesting than just a planet-destroyer. So they kept bringing him back, giving him backstories and involving him in the great Marvel crossovers. What is intriguing about him is that despite being a demigod with no apparent care for lower life forms, there's something really human about him. Quite possibly, he is the focal point of the entire universe.

On to the movie. A complete travesty, with storm cloud Galactus (or Gah Lak Tus, whatever) and Silver Oblation, with an ending that just doesn't make sense. It's a movie satisfied by its star power and shallow jokes, plus wooden acting.

Ioan Gruffudd as Mr. Fantastic - is OK but still doesn't quite capture the dignified genius of the character in the comics.

Chris Evans as the Human Torch - might as well be Luke from The O.C. The resident hunk.

Michael Chiklis as The Thing - who is known to be a great actor, is forced to suffer bad jokes and easy laughs.

Jessica Alba as The Invisible Woman - the consensus hottest chick in the planet (in the movie and in real life). Couldn't act to save her life, which is a pity because it's probably something you can improve on without cosmetic surgery. Even with over-tanned skin, over-bleached hair, you can't stop being hot, Jessica.

The Silver Surfer, voiced by Laurence Fishburne - which does NOT work. Laurence Fishburne equals Morpheus!

Dr. Doom, hot army chick, Alicia Masters, etc, etc...

I actually had hopes for this movie. But it all went up in smoke -- hey, just like movie-Galactus!

One more thing. The subtitle, Rise of the Silver Surfer, absolutely does not make sense. Unless of course he's an anatomically correct Silver Surfer.

Everybody who reads comic books knows that the Kirby Silver Surfer is the only true Silver Surfer. Now am I right or wrong?

Guess where that last line came from? Google it up.

[END SPOILERS]

Meanwhile, back at the swamp...

2007-06-13T22:36:00.000+08:00

Cavaliers suck. At least I still get a jersey from my bet with Noel.

They are just getting creamed from all sides and Lebron just looks lost. Like somebody reminded him that he's just a kid.

Anyway, big things are bound to happen for the Cavs this offseason just because they made it to the Finals, but weren't able to put up a fight.

It's at least something to look forward to.

--

We're due to move to the new apartment on June 23. I've arranged with the movers and now just need to secure the permits.

As for the old apartment, we need to dry clean the curtains, do some general cleaning, and basically pretend that it looks as it was before (yeah, right).

--

I'm fat, I need to exercise.

Good News Everyone!

2007-06-13T22:05:00.000+08:00

My sister gave birth to baby girl Mia of 7 pounds and 20 inches at 4:45PM June 11, 2007 (US Pacific Time). I really hope to see them all soon in San Francisco. I'll post some pictures when I get them.

--

Of course, Nes has news of his own. Congratulations! Same to another friend who's yet to tell us last-to-know people.

--

Babies, babies, babies! Noel and Franny will have their own due in January. Congrats, congrats!

--

Old friends from work, Ryan and Juli are getting married this July. Congratulations!

--

Happy-happy, joy-joy!

One Year Later

2007-06-03T12:12:00.000+08:00

By some weird chance, I spent the one year anniversary of my arrival in Singapore, by arriving once more in Singapore (from Hanoi). I've grown a lot; there's no doubt to that. I've covered most of 2006 in my January posts, so I won't rehash any of them. 2007 is about looking and moving forward, and going places I've never gone before. Being at home with the world and looking at whatever it has to offer. To never forget my friends and loved ones, to meet more people and connect with them, learn from them. Accept that people get left behind and some move on.

Sorry for the rambling post. But it helps that every once in a while I reflect and refocus. It's good exercise for the soul.

Now on to the quickies...

--

Cleveland Cavaliers: Eastern Conference Champions. Somehow in the back of our heads, we knew. The Playoffs/Finals have gotten a bit more interesting. I just wish they show the damn games here in Singapore at a CONVENIENT time.

--

Three big things I purchased from the Hanoi trip: an Esprit shirt, a wallet from the Singapore Airlines Duty Free Krisshop, and a 100ml perfume from Singapore Changi Airport. If you didn't notice, nothing really Hanoi-ish.

Watched Casino Royale on the flight to Hanoi, Children of Men on the way back. Both are excellent.

--

I didn't get to go to the PC show. How a-bout that.

--

Called up a couple of friends who were celebrating their birthdays this past week. I miss them and it was nice to hear from them again.

--

"New" blog design. One year overdue, and better than nothing.

--

Pray for me and my U.S. visa application.

A Pen to Write the Blog With

2007-06-03T10:51:00.001+08:00

IMG_7300, originally uploaded by ton2fig.

The OK-OK trip to Hanoi, a city that keeps taking and taking...

Off to Hanoi

2007-05-31T09:20:00.000+08:00

Be back on Saturday...

Satisfied

2007-05-26T08:42:00.000+08:00

Two days ago, we handed over a cheque that would allow us to rent a two-bedroom apartment for two years. The condo is in Serangoon, some five minutes walk from Serangoon MRT Station, and is named Sunglade. It's got this funky resort-type pool that's really novel. Gym, sauna, tennis court. The station is about five stops away from the office (excluding the unopened cemetery stop, Woodleigh). Twenty-minutes tops, and I heard it's less crowded. The trip is an improvement of three stops from where I am currently. It's smaller than the one we're residing in now, Astoria Park. I'd like to think that there's less extra space instead.

Condo or resort? You decide.

For those I've invited over to Singapore and stay at my place, I'm afraid I haven't got a lot of room for visitors for the next two years. You may have to sleep on the couch. And if we're really close, you can sleep on my bed (and me on the couch, natch).

--

The other day as well, I got a hold of the final two season three episodes of LOST. Season three has been widely criticised as being the creative mind's idea of mailing it in. It got dangerously uninteresting and unengaging in the middle, especially during that hiatus they took last January.

BUT, without spoiling it for you. I'd just like to share this personal opinion: The last three episodes (four if you split the finale two-hour ep into two) were classic LOST. "The Man Behind the Curtain" added yet even more buzz and theories to the entire LOST mythology. "Greatest Hits" was heartwarming and redeemed one of the most boring characters on the show and made him likable. The finale, "Through the Looking Glass" is two superb hours of great TV that singlehandedly restored the viewer's -- dare I say it -- faith in the series and franchise.

Apparently, after surviving a plane crash, Jack is now rooting for Baron Davis and the Warriors

See you and Jack's beard in seven months for season four.

--

Finally, the Great Singapore Sale has officially started yesterday and runs through July 22.

I've struck first blood by buying two pairs of office pants from G2000 that are marked down 30% WITH an additional 20% for using a DBS card.

There's a festive mood here since shopping is one of the national sports in the little red dot.

Not only that, next week we'll have the PC Show in Suntec, yet even more gadgets! May 31 to June 3.

So, come on over.

It's About Time

2007-05-20T08:24:00.000+08:00

Blizzard has announced Starcraft 2. It should be done in a few months or so.

Brings me back to the old days around 1998 or so when Starcraft arrived on the scene. Great gameplay, great sounds, great visuals. Great game, maybe one of the greatest ever released for the PC. Consistently in the list of Greatest Ever (Gamespot, IGN). The strategy was excellent. You had a choice between quantity and quality. You try out build orders like you were wine-tasting or trying out shoes. It works much like a chess game you lose when you make a few wrong moves, and yet until the very end, you still had a chance. And of course, a hallmark of a classic, you won't really get tired playing even until now.

And this thing is a phenomenon in Korea (South, naturally. They're only allowed to build workers in the North.). They cover tournaments like they do with football or basketball. So it is appropriate that they in fact announced SC2 in Worldwide Invitational (WWI) in South Korea.

I wasn't too bad a player myself. I play Zerg and you'll be sure that I will swarm all over your Terran or Protoss ass using various sentient insects.

--

The Simpsons reach 400 episodes.

I must confess I probably haven't seen much after 300. So do I turn in my fan badge and slingshot?

According to this, they've yet to jump the shark. I just don't have time to watch it regularly. I don't even think they show new episodes regularly here.

--

Last two payments for my laptop.

Sweet.

In Return

2007-05-14T23:04:00.000+08:00

I got a letter today from Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), informing me that I am eligible to apply for permanent residence (PR or SPR) status.

I've been thinking about this since before I came here. And this is what I cooked up so far:

Pros:

Central Provident Fund (pension plan)
No need to be employed to stay in the country (no need for work passes or visas)
Able to set up business
Fewer restrictions on purchasing property
etc, etc...

Cons:

National Service Liability (male children of PR will have to take part in National Service from age 16 to 40(!))
Tropical, humid weather 365 days a year
Cable TV is boring
Cost of living is rising
etc, etc...

What do you think?

--

Also, I've received my tax assessment for the year 2006. It's oh, oh, oh-so-low compared to other countries I've heard of. Philippines and India hovers to 30%, UK and Canada around 40%. In Singapore? Let's just say that they are fewer digits in the percentage, depending of course on the tax bracket.

--

I honestly don't know how long I plan to stay here, or if it's for good. Anyway, I don't have to decide yet. But the sooner the better. I kind of hate plans as of now.

Happy Mum's Day

2007-05-13T22:16:00.000+08:00

Got a microSD card for my cellphone (which originally came with a lame 128 MB card). The official, retail store price hovers around $34.00 for 1GB (Challenger in VivoCity). I had to check Lucky Plaza for some better deals. In my opinion, Lucky Plaza is one of the most ruthless shopping places for clueless people. They WILL give you bad deals if you have not done your homework. Sim Lim Square is similar to a lesser extent, but has more choices.

Anyway, it hovered from $28 to 60-something dollars, depending on who you talk to. I had to scour almost the entire building. The idea, was simply to get something lower than the retail store $34. In the end, I got a $30 Kingston (the $28 one was Sandisk). Being patient pays off.

--

Got back to playing basketball last Wednesday. Two quick sprints at the start of the game, and I've already lost breath. Shame, shame, shame. Thank God for second wind.

Shooting's terrible.
Ballhandling's novice.
Stealing's still there.
Passing's not bad.

Need a lot of work to do. But I think the jersey I wore was excellent, which should count for something.

3 small injuries, and an almost-cramp from that session.

--

Speaking of jersey, Noel and I made a bet on the Eastern semi-finals series of New Jersey vs Cleveland. He goes with Nets, I go Cavs. The non-winning party gets to buy the winner an NBA swingman jersey. Simple enough. Right now, it's 2-1 Cavs.

Go Cavs!
Go Warriors!

--

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is much, much better than Blades of Glory. But Jenna Fischer is a bit more girl-next-door than Leslie Bibb. Jon Heder, while funny, is no Sacha Baron Cohen.

--

Finally, Happy Mother's Day to my mom!

I hope the monthly remittance will more than make up for carrying me for nine months. (Just kidding!) I love you, ma!

Out with the old, in with the Nokia 6300

2007-05-08T23:37:00.000+08:00

My almost one year love affair with the O2 XDA Atom ended last Sunday. It was the first big purchase for me in Singapore, ringing up to around S$1200, if I recall correctly. I got tired with it around December and has rarely been used since. First and foremost reason is that it's quite a brick to keep in the pocket. (Makes for good conversation, "why yes, that IS an XDA in my pocket"). Second important reason is that PDA/XDAs allow you only around a day or a day and a half of battery life before you have to charge it again.

Anyway, I like to keep it simple. So I chose to trade it in with a Nokia 6300.

It's quite a basic phone with FM Radio, MicroSD memory, bluetooth, 2MP camera. Nothing really fancy by today's standards. After the $300 value of my XDA, I just added $98 for it and $8 more for a screen protector.

I've been using it for a few days now. I like it a lot.

--

I'm reading this fascinating book, The Tipping Point. I'm halfway through it. Really good stuff.

Spider-Man 3: The Rant

2007-05-04T00:49:00.000+08:00

It's around one AM and I just got home from a 9:45 PM screening of one of the big 2007 summer blockbusters, Spider-Man 3.

I'm trying to write this blog entry before I read any reviews. I tend to read a couple of critic reviews after I watch a film, just to see if I've missed something. It turns out that sometimes, it affects my recall of the experience in such a way that it may alter my opinion in some way. So just to keep me honest, this rant/review is all me.

I'll try to keep this spoiler-free.

OK. First thing's first. Spider-Man was good, Spider-Man 2 was excellent, Spider-Man 3 was not bad, but not very good either.

[Here be spoilers (what just after one paragraph?!)]

Things I like about it:

Bryce Dallas Howard - I've seen The Village and The Lady in the Water (unfortunately) and just who turned this lady into a hotchick?!?! Good lord, was she smokin' in this one. I didn't really know that she'd play Gwen Stacy. I might have seen that somewhere, but not really remembered. So when I saw her name on the credits, I thought, "ok, how will that work out?" Well, it DID work out. And sure as this movie blew the box-office wide open, she'll be back in the next installment.
James Cromwell - Not a big role here, but I just plain like this actor from Farmer Hoggett to Zephram Cochran. Should lend his talents to future installments.

Oh god, off the top of my head, those were the things I liked. Dismal, really. Let's get to...

Things which are pretty much OK:

Characters/Actors doing their thing - Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, Miss Brant, The professor guy, Uncle Ben, etc.
The Black suit - In the comic books, the suit was plain black, with white eyes and a white Spider-Man logo on the chest and that was good minimalism. This movie version was just his costume on monochrome, as you may have seen on the promo materials. Makes sense. Ive got nothing on the detailed suit.
The Sandman/ Flint Marko - OK, not bad. Loved the actor in Sideways, by the way.
The opening credits - You knew, watching the opening credits of Spider-Man 2 that that movie was going to be special. Alex Ross painted scenes from the first movie, brilliant. It was like looking at the first movie with a new set of eyes. In this one, actual clips from the previous two movies, it's more of like cheating. Not bad, but obviously somebody ran out of ideas.
The length of the movie - clocking in at two and a quarter hours, pretty much expected from a high-budget blockbuster. Wouldn't really have expected any less.

Things I hate about it (in no particular order):

Topher Grace/Eddie Brock/Eric Forman/Venom - I've got nothing against this guy. I like him in That 70s Show, Traffic, even cameos in Ocean's Eleven and Twelve. But he is simply not what I had in mind when I thought of Eddie Brock and Venom. I might be thinking of bulked-up Eddie Brock on steroids like in the comics, but certainly not this pimply-faced retro kid (dumbass!). In retrospect, it may have been better to cast this guy as Carnage instead if ever that comes along.
The drama - Where the hell is the action? Keep the drama brief except when it makes sense.
The comedy - The first two installments have bits of comedy. But this is just a mess. Plain idiotic at times. And the dancing, ugh.
The Evil Peter Parker look - Star Trek's Spock character revolutionized the way good and evil were depicted on screen. Good Spock: normal-looking. Evil Spock: normal-looking with goatee. In this movie, Good Peter Parker: normal-looking. Evil Peter Parker: crazy-eyed looking with bangs.
The Green Goblin II / New Goblin (as he is called in IMDB) - the change of heart, the acting, the costume, the amnesia, the steal-your-girlfriend angle. Doesn't work really.
The story. Black Spiderman? Venom? Sandman? Gwen Stacy? How could you go wrong? Oh wait.

[END SPOILERS]

Anyway, this is just me. I've gotta go read some reviews.

Oh, and go watch Spider-Man 3. It's probably not as bad as I think it is. ;)

Transience

2007-05-01T22:11:00.000+08:00

It's almost been a year for me over here. It also means that our yearlong contract in this apartment we're renting is just about over. We recently learned that the owner is selling the apartment. So we may have to move out in two months.

Might be what the last day would look like; same as what the first day looked

To where? Who knows. Way up north? Way out west? Further East?

Rents are skyrocketing. Either we fork up more rental money or move to a more affordable nesting spot. So we've got around eight weeks to look again. But this time, we've got furniture to haul as well.

We might not be in any shape to accept visitors until then. The owner's agent frequently asks for time during the night for a potential buyer to view the apartment. That's been happening for the past week. Imagine me sitting, watching TV. And strangers go inside your room, peek at your cabinets, bathroom, bedroom, walking back and forth talking and whispering. At one time, the grandfather of one of the viewing families asked me if the sun shines straight inside or in a slant.

In a slant; the windows face southwest towards the city. Armed with feng shui compasses, they examine the unit. It takes all fifteen minutes but they usually come twice or thrice in a given night. Anyway, soon it'll be our turn to view other's apartments.

Let's hope the next one is as good as this one, which was superb to begin with.

--

~~Kuala Lumpur~~
~~Siem Reap~~

Hanoi's still on, as far as I know.

Yesterday, I've been handed out an invitation to go to Hong Kong by a friend this weekend(!) After considering for a while, I decided that while it's tempting and just about within a stretched budget, it wouldn't be practical. Sorry, dear. Saving up for a big trip later this year.

--

Met up with the Kid today. Welcome to Singapore! Have a good career!

Told me of an old friend that I failed to inform of by move to Singapore. I'll find a way to reconnect with him. We go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back. As in first day of (prep) school way back. I shit you not.

Went to Courts Megastore today. Will it be the Nintendo Wii, The Xbox 360 or the PS3?

--

Golden State Warriors up 3-1 against the best of the regular season, The Dallas Mavericks. High energy, very emotional games. ALL HEART. Go Warriors! I believe!

Guess who's also rootin' for the Warriors. You can-NOT go wrong with this fan around.

These are the Voyages...

2007-04-18T23:46:00.000+08:00

Wow.

As it stands, I may be going to the following places in the near future:

April

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hanoi, Vietnam

June

Siem Reap, Cambodia

July

Siberia

Kidding on the last entry. Anyway, it looks as if I'm going on the great Indochina trip so soon after coming back from Thailand. A lot of it is still up in the air (so to speak). But it's fun to plan especially if a lot of people want to go (and seem intent to go, a big difference). Oh hell yeah, it costs a lot of money but I can't be doing this when I'm sixty and retired.

When I'm sixty and retired, you'd probably find me seeking enlightenment instead of material wealth. Probably somewhere in Tibet.

Before that, maybe stop by Bangkok, Laos and various other places. While we're young, while we're young...

Thailand: Phuket & Phi Phi Islands Photoset

2007-04-14T15:11:00.001+08:00

IMG_7004, originally uploaded by ton2fig.

http://flickr.com/photos/ton2fig/sets/72157600074985598/

More than five-hundred snaps for your viewing pleasure.

Descriptions and notes to follow.

หมู่เกาะพีพี (Phi-Phi Islands): Prelude

2007-04-10T13:24:00.000+08:00

Fresh off the Bintan trip, we thought of another opportunity for a holiday. And so it started as a question of where to go and what to do over the Easter weekend. Around here, Holy Week is not as observed as it is back home. It means that at most, we only get Good Friday off (in fact a radio DJ mentioned that it was Easter Friday). Now for the past twenty-six or so years, the Easter weekend to me means going to Bulacan and participating in the salubong on early Easter morn. Obviously, I wasn't planning to be anywhere near home for this year. Instead, a couple of people in the office and I decided to go Krabi, one of the many beach towns in Thailand. To short-circuit the [even more] boring story of correspondence with the travel agent, we ended up going to nearby Phuket and the much-hyped "most beautiful island in Thailand" Phi-Phi. Besides, there's a general consensus around here that you're never really on holiday unless you get out of the city-state. Away from the urban jungle and back to nature.

Fast-forward to the present.

It was a great holiday that left me rejuvenated and recharged. Once I get my flickr account sorted out, I'll post the two-something gigabyte collection of snaps I've taken during the trip, and put descriptions to boot. Tune in next time.

Pregame Shootaround

2007-04-05T21:15:00.000+08:00

For this weekend in the beaches of Thailand, I imagined myself lounging under the sun, getting some rays, listening to music, and maybe having a drink.

One thing is missing in that pleasant scene, though: a good book.

In preparation for the trip, I set out to find a good book to read that's not too heavy, not too light, not too dark, not too serious and definitely one that I would enjoy reading. So no Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things, no Lonely Planet travel guides, no 1492: How China discovered the U.S., no The Little Book on Investing, and definitely no books on Agile Methodology.

After a bit of looking around in Borders out on Orchard road, I came upon the sports section. This was a good idea. I haven't read a good book on sports as far as I can remember, and there are a lot of good ones on the shelf.

I took some time browsing through wrestling titles. And by wrestling, I mean professional wrestling. By professional wrestling, I mean the WWE, which is professional, yes, but hardly competitive (oh, you didn't know? ;) ). Rowdy Roddy Piper's book, Hulk Hogan's book (incidentally, there's a reality show called Hogan Knows Best, shown here on cable), Terry Funk's book, Mick Foley's book, etc.

And then there are the books about basketball. Unauthorized biography of Bobby Knight, Coach K's book, Michael Jordan's (hardly-a-book-more-of-promo) book, Charles Barkley's book.

In the end, I picked the book which I thought was a bit dated even if it was very recent.

Yes, I finally picked up Phil Jackson's book on the season the Los Angeles Lakers had four future Hall of Famers and lost.

I read the first few chapters on the train ride home and I was hooked! I bought the perfect book for me.

In the immortal words of Samuel L. Jackson, "goooood motherfuckin' choice, motherfucker!"*

*actually it was Dave Chappelle as Samuel Jackson, but you get the point. Or maybe you need to see it yourself.

--

The ESPN Truehoops blogs mentions the best NBA commercials E-ver. And boy did it bring back the memories.

The List itself.

#45: 100 Foot Rim, was simple but memorable.

#37: Tastefully Done is pretty funny.

#17: That's a 90-footer. It made the rounds over the Internet rumoured to be actual footage.

#14 Coulda Dunk, Shoulda Dunk was pretty amusing as well.

#10 Nasty Dunk. Don't fake a funk on a nasty dunk!

#9 Freestyle. A marvel to watch!

#6 Like Mike. Gotta be like Mike.

#2 The Showdown. Nothin' but net.

And the number one entry, I have never seen before. But it is definitely one of the best ever.

Why? Because it touches the heart of every basketball fan like me. Non-bball fans won't get it.

Ladies and gentlemen, the commercial: XXI: Let Your Game Speak

--

One last thing. Gen-Xers, have a look at this.

I'm outta here.

Be back on regular programming after Easter Sunday

2007-04-04T00:16:00.000+08:00

They pulled the plug on using webmail in the office. Along with it, Gmail chat. Sigh.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

--

Been glued to the TV watching the new Bobby Chinn show on Discovery Travel and Living: World Cafe Asia. It's generally about different kinds of food all over Asia. He's been to Vietnam eating Pho Bo and having a barbecue out on the rice paddies. He had a curious trip to Tokyo taking a slice of fresh tuna and a bowl of Chanku Nabe, the same thing sumo wrestlers eat. Today's episode was about delicious Hong Kong food, which I like myself. It's a bit short for half an hour. I guess it's less of a travel show than it is a food show; however, I prefer the former.

There's never a bad time for food tripping.

--

This is what it looks like outside our balcony window.

Not bad, eh? I should make a blog design out of it. That blog redesign's about one year past due, anyway.

--

Finally, finally got to watch High Fidelity on DVD. There was this lone copy for rent in Gramophone inside Centrepoint mall (not to be confused with SM Centerpoint). $3 was all it took. I'm supposed to return it tomorrow, and I will, since now I have a copy.

Honestly, while the music is good, and Jack Black's funny here, I need to watch it one more time. It's hard for me to keep from comparing it with the book (which was much, much better on first viewing).

--

Have a good Holy Week everyone! I'll be back from Thailand on Monday B-)

20th Singapore International Film Festival, 18th-30th April, 2007

2007-03-24T02:12:00.000+08:00

I caught an interesting programme for the upcoming film festival here in Singapore. I still remember trekking out to Greenbelt to catch excellent films in Cinemanila. Those films were my aids for cultural immersion, and gave us all a taste of world cinema without having to look very hard for it. I've discovered a couple all-time favorite films in these film festivals: The Ring, In the Mood For Love, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, etc.

There are quite a number of films which I would like to see, if schedule permits. In fact, I'd like to see all Filipino entries to start with. They're showing Kubrador and Imahe Nasyon among others and I might just catch them after work.

Tickets normally cost $8.40 plus $1 booking fee through SISTIC. It's priced much like a normal movie around here.

6 - 9, Patong, Phuket, Phi Phi.

2007-03-23T00:22:00.000+08:00

We're 100% going to Phi Phi Islands on April 6 - 9. The plan however had to be adjusted since we weren't able to get a morning flight. Now, we spend a night in Phuket near Patong Beach before transferring to Ko Phi Phi Don the morning after. Not bad, eh?

That area was about decimated by the 2004 Tsunami but the businesses sprang back up after some time. They're even repeating the same development mistakes as before. But it should still be a good experience, nonetheless. In fact, I'm really looking forward to this trip

'Tis the season of course, for sun, surf and sand. At least, around this part of the Earth.

--

Places to Go Before I Die

Palawan
New York (revisit)
Rome, Italy
Vatican City
Greece
Paris, France
Egypt
Madrid, Spain
Beijing, China
Lhasa, Tibet
Japan
Australia
New Zealand
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Salzburg, Austria

--

Still not a Flickr Pro :(

--

Cough going away, but still there.

Homesick

2007-03-15T21:28:00.000+08:00

It finally happened. I feel like shit having this sore throat, which prevented me form going to work today. I might not go tomorrow either to have a check up at one of the clinics.

It's times like these when you miss being home and taken cared of. Again, I don't regret my choice of going away from home and duking it out myself. Still, it feels nice to be taken cared of.

Something has stolen my voice, and I need the doctor to tell me what to do. I sincerely HOPE, they don't give me just painkillers. They usually do. At least give me antibiotics.

And give me another weekend to waste at home.

--

I blame the weather, though. I believe it was that sudden downpour last Tuesday which got me. By Wednesday, I was coughing throughout the day until it became uncontrollable. Must've caught something.

--

What a bad time to be sick. I was bent on starting on the get-to-300 shape (you know what I mean) for the next couple of weeks. This is in preparation for the Phi Phi trip during the Easter weekend. Less than a month away. The arrangements for the trip just got confirmed today, so we're all set.

Last Wednesday, an email was sent out inviting participation on the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. It's a 5.6Km run just around central Singapore. I wanted to join just to prove something to myself. Alas, it's in jeopardy with this condition of mine. I should've started training days ago.

I'm such a weakling. Whatever the hell happened to my immune system?

Used to be, back in high school, I'd go just one day absent in an entire school year. And if I had gotten sick, I wasn't filled with self-pity like now.

--

In lighter news, I managed to buy Fa Yeung nin wa, also known as In the Mood for Love on DVD, however. Good for my collection. A Wong Kar-wai classic.

--

Did I mention that I feel like shit?

March On

2007-03-12T08:16:00.000+08:00

I recently survived a financial diagnostic test of sorts, covering topics in investment banking. With luck and effort, I managed to pass the 32-item exam with a not-so-pathetic grade of 24 (75%). Passing is 60%. I'm quite proud, considering there are questions like "What's the minimum tick size of a DAX 30 futures contract?" or "the differences between futures and forward rate agreements". Enough to drive you N.U.T.S.

It's all good education nonetheless. The thousand-page information that I've squeezed in my brain should leak out in the next few weeks to come. It's never to be heard of or seen again. Except perhaps in my resume.

So what now?

We'll I've managed to save myself a couple more training sessions and tests because of this. And I'll be able to concentrate more on the real work that pays me every month.

--

Work hard and play hard. We're also set on going to Phi Phi Island on the Easter weekend. It's where the movie, The Beach was shot. It should be fun. I haven't been to any part of Thailand before. Thank God for the visa-free entry for ASEAN members.

We were thinking of either Krabi, Phuket, Langkawi or Cebu at the beginning. However, might as well go the distance, so to speak. It's not cheap whatever our British expats say about it. It makes quite a dent, in fact to savings. So let's hope it's all worth it.

--

So to immerse myself in the memory that will be the Phi Phi Island trip, I've trekked to the IT Show in Suntec and found myself a couple of good buys. How about a 2GB Kingston SD card for my battered and bruised camera for $25 (around P750.00)? Not bad eh?

Anywho, I'm not rich or dedicated enough to buy a "wasteful-for-me" DSLR, running upwards of a thousand dollars at least. I know a people who did, though. (And she has my full support, as long as she includes me sometimes in her pictures). So good luck with that.

--

Now, let's move onward with the abs-tastic movie 300. What can I say, it's another spectacular film WORTH watching. It's visually stunning, very creative, and the girls seem to like the Spartans so much. Incidentally, I hope those washboard abs will be nominated for best supporting cast on an awards event somewhere. Go see it!

The Men on Film sketch of In Living Color would have loved this one.

I'm thinking of buying the graphic novel. Still thinking...

--

I have such a headache today. Almost done with laundry. It's probably the Indian food that I ate this lunch. OK, I got carried away. Anyway, for dinner, I made a sandwich with breakfast ham, cheese, some greens and butter on toast. I had nonfat yoghurt for dessert.

Gotta have chiseled abs for Phi Phi. The clock is ticking.

--

It's a good week for friends last week. Hope to see them more often.

The Thing with Vacations

2007-02-26T01:17:00.000+08:00

...is that most of the time, you go back to reality like you were never away.

My three-day week happened to be as stressful as an 80-hour work week. Even though:

1) I just came from a vacation,
2) I spent time with good friends,
3) I ate delicious food and,
4) I got paid this week.

Thursday, I was already so down that I had to buy something. Yeah, shop-theraphy works for me as a temporary solution. I had to pick wisely even at this state. The choices include Appleseed DVD (don't know if it's worth it), Dishwalla - Greetings From the Flow State (wasn't there when I went back for it), Better Than Ezra - Before The Robots CD ($47.95, highway robbery), David Lynch's Blue Velvet DVD (pricey as well), High Fidelity DVD (not available) and other miscellaneous CDs and/or DVDs, or another good book.

In the end, I got a copy of Damien Rice's first album, O. It's good music, and mellow enough to fit my current mood, which is down, but not out. Not yet suicidal down as in The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight (which I bought the Chinese version weeks before for a bargain $9.99), though.

--

Pau dropped the suggestion of a retreat for this Lenten season. (It's perhaps the only season that Singapore hasn't capitalised on yet). I think I need to go to one.

--

I am required to take an exam on investment banking financial concepts. 1000+ pages in a week or so, on top of actual productive work.

--

Flickr account is expiring. Paging Noel ;)

--

Housemate Nes, hope you had a nice vacation. And don't mind what I said about vacations :D

--

I managed to avoid using my credit card this month. Credit cards are evil! Letting you spend money you have not earned yet is dangerous for financial stability. So I'm quite proud that I was able to achieve such resistance to temptation. It's all about control.

--

You know there are just no slow news days on Philippine politics and showbiz.

--

How do you get into a state when you are really ready to take a vacation? You know, like in school, you take summer vacations, and not worry about old things when you come back.

How's that for an axiom: The thing I miss most about school is summer vacations.

Bintan Resorts

2007-02-20T14:59:00.000+08:00

Anticipating the absolute boredom that envelopes Singapore for the duration of the Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations, we had to go somewhere else to get some R & R. A lot of expats, who choose not to go home for the holidays (Feb 17-20, this year) go the same way as a couple of officemates and I did: head for Bintan Resorts.

Lagoi, as it is originally called is a Singapore colony off one of the closest Indonesian islands from here, Pulau Bintan. It takes around an hour or so travel from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The weather was a bit unfavourable at the beginning; but we were still hopeful of a good stay at the resort we chose, Nirwana Gardens Resort Hotel.

It's good news for me as well to know that my "old" waterproof case still works. Some wear and tear cracks but normal, really. The beach at low tide is full of sea stuff and you could see that the coast is hardly on an incline.

Instead, I just made the best out of the waterproof case in the swimming pool/s.

There are quite a number of novelty things to do there. One of which was to ride an elephant for S$10 (P310.00).

But the beach wasn't so bad/gross during high tide. The sun was out, and the waves were alive.

Not bad, not bad at all. Beats the heck out of any beach in Singapore. Except for the inflated food prices (S$15-30 per head), it was all worth it. Travel is hardly a problem from here. I'll be back some other boring long weekend.

Off to Bintan

2007-02-17T01:06:00.000+08:00

... for the Chinese New Year Holidays.

Singapore is closed for the time being. Time to get out!

Be back on Tuesday. Hope to take great pictures of the place!

It's That Time of the Year

2007-02-13T08:00:00.000+08:00

Tax time!

I've just been handed a blank tax form to be filled up in the near future. They don't withhold taxes here like they do back home; they give you the entire thing to spend away. Good thing I set money aside every month for taxes and miscellaneous expenses. Aaand, I'm planning on paying for last year's taxes on installment throughout this year through auto-debit (GIRO). It's a considerable ease on finances.

--

I'm getting to like Indian food a lot. It's very much like Filipino dishes (served with rice and all). Roti Prata/Naan breads dipped in curry, the spicier, the better. In Manila, I've only really tasted Indian food in Queen's Crystal Garden Restaurant. Paneer, Tandoori, Samosa...

--

Chinatown is busy this time of the year, in preparation for Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations. People are hawking abalone, dried food, candies and selling Hong Bao ("ang paw" in Hokkien) envelopes. I've heard that Singapore stores and restaurants will generally be closed during the time, February 16-20. So if you're planning on visiting Singapore that time of the year. You might not get to do much in the city-state.

--

Sometimes, rummaging through sale racks and bins, you find some gems that not a lot of people care about. For example, in one of the shopping centres in Chinatown, I got myself a copy of Birth of A Nation for a good $5 (P150.00). It's a really old (1915) movie regarded as a pioneer in the industry, paving the way for beyond-an-hour long pictures. I'm no movie expert, but I never pass up on a chance to watch a classic, even if it's just to see what the fuss is all about. Yeah, I'm a poser.

I'll view it during one of my lonely laundry days.

--

One of the rare finds I found in London was this Japanese movie, Battle Royale, which I only was able to watch recently. It has very highly illogical, insane, yet fascinating premise. It involves Japanese schoolgirls, guns, and violence galore. It's also got Chiaki Kuriyama, more known worldwide as Go-Go Yubari in Kill Bill. What more do you want? (Oh yeah, sex. Well it depends. The film doesn't really need it.)

--

Tried out kickboxing with a free intro course. Interesting but expensive at $20 (P600.00) per class. And you're supposed to take four or eight in a month. I'll stick to the free workouts for a while.

--

And so while Singapore sleeps over the Chinese New Year. A couple of friends and I are headed towards Bintan, Indonesia. A nice coastal resort-town some forty-five minutes away by ferry. Time to take out and test the ol' waterproof case that hasn't been used since Fontana last year. I just hope it still works and my camera doesn't get wet... and broken...and I won't have to replace it...with maybe a DSLR...during March IT Show...if ever I'll have money to buy...which I won't have...Nope...I don't need it...don't spend...don't spend...Nnngh!

--

I've finished reading High Fidelity. (Hey, I'm on a roll on reading books!) I like it a lot and I can't wait until I get my hands on a DVD copy of the movie. The ending is not for me though, not at this point in my life. Nonetheless, go read this one, if you haven't.

--

And now, what should I read next? Anyone?

Quickies

2007-01-29T07:37:00.000+08:00

My mom showed me pictures of the work being done to my room in Manila. They're cementing most of as termites were infesting a good portion of it. That part of the house was just an extension to the original design of the house.

It's way overdue. Termites destroyed my precious comic collection some months ago and prompted me to get a blog just to vent. Since then I've been venting out on other things.

--

A couple of interesting reads went around through email: Jim Paredes' blog post and John Gokongwei's Commencement Exercises speech. (The latter I can email to you from work, if you want)

It's interesting how you can effect change just through experience and words.

--

Phoenix Suns are unstoppable! And fun to watch as well. Now THAT is how basketball is played.

--

I've finished reading Good Omens recently. It took me quite a couple of train rides and sit-down sessions (you know) to finally be done with it. It's quite funny in a twisted blasphemous sense.

So now I'm off to another book, High Fidelity, as recommended by my lovely friend, who thought I'd like it a lot. I'm enjoying it so far. I haven't seen the movie, so I've really got no idea how this one plays out.

--

Ok, I've got the consumer sales in Singapore all figured out. All the other people here probably know about these quarterly events already. But it goes:

March: IT Show
June: PC Show
Aug/Sept: Comex
Nov/Dec: Sitex

Additionally,
May - July: The Great Singapore Sale

So plan your visits and let's meet up ;)

--

I'm planning my trips this year:

Feb: Bintan
Dec: Manila

If I get a U.S. visa,
June: San Francisco, Las Vegas, Houston, New York

Or else,
March: Hong Kong
2Q/3Q: Australia

And scattered trips around Southeast-Asia if finances allow (but it probably won't be)

I hope it happens for me this year. It's nice to plan, then life would get in the way but you keep trying anyway.

--

I recently signed up for Last.fm. To check what sort of junk I'm listening to, click here.

Tell me if you've signed up already and let's connect.

--

Yesterday, we took a free introductory course to kickboxing. It's an active aerobic exercise, and I got easily winded (because I'm out of shape and overweight!). I'm thinking about continuing, which will cost me a good $20 per session. I mean, I just got a bike for $100 already.

Microsoft Money, tell me what to do!

A Liking to Biking

2007-01-23T07:41:00.000+08:00

I've found another anti-spending measure, and not to mention, it's quite healthy too.

The bike taking a break from my ass at Bedok Jetty.

Last Saturday, we went to the East Coast Park, rented a couple of bikes, $5 for two hours and biked away on the trail. It's good exercise and nice to do every now and then. In fact I'm getting a bike myself (wait, what about that thing on not spending?). The apartment is just two kilometers from the East Coast Park and there are park connectors to and fro, made for pedestrians, joggers, skaters and bikers.

--

Today is the day I start to anal-retentively track ALL my spending. Let's see how this one goes.

Or it will consume you

2007-01-13T18:20:00.000+08:00

I was walking inside Ngee Ann City and Wisma Atria earlier. Both establishments sit atop Orchard Rd. The commercial stretch frequented by tourists and casual shoppers alike and where it is very apparent that Singapore equals shopping.

I had been drawn a couple of times out of my way to check out good deals on some products

G2000 long-sleeved shirts: $19 (~P603.00) each
Giordano grey shirt (just the way I like it): $39 (~P1240.00)
Empire Magazine Feb 2007, Optimus Prime cover: $16.50 (~P525.00)

Sale here, sale there. "End of Season sale", "Final Sale"...

It's very difficult to resist some bargains or just plain good products. And it's very easy to pull out the plastic, and sign away the purchase into the next statement date.

--

Well, you've dreamed about this since when you were a kid and you couldn't buy that toy that you've always wanted.

At least I did.

And now after a couple of hours a week, sitting down and "applying" myself, I get paid every month. With that, I get to buy whatever the heck I want. The trick, of course, is not to get crazy with the spending. Because the more money you have, the easier it is to get carried away.

Starting next pay day, every expense is going into this nifty Microsoft Money program installed in my laptop. That way I can track spending and forecast cashflow (or so the program says). I also need to set up another account, maybe a time deposit or a unit trust just to have a place for my money to sit in. I've been advised to look into more long-term investments next year probably. Property and such. But that's still too far ahead.

Don't work for money; make money work for you.

Resolutions Reminders for 2007

2007-01-10T21:43:00.000+08:00

Track spending / budget
Plan trainings
Work hard
Leave credit card at home every once in a while
Invest savings
Get a hobby
Exercise regularly /Bulk up
Look after health
Avoid alcohol
Make more friends
Travel
Enjoy life
Blog :)

I should put this permanently somewhere in this blog.

2006: The Year of Change (Part Two)

2007-01-10T20:34:00.000+08:00

Career started to take off. Made a lot of new friends. Reconnected with old ones. Strengthened existing ones.

The trip to London was extremely memorable. A lot of firsts. First business trip. First time in Europe. First time to miss a flight. It proved even more that I was capable of a lot of things, and in many aspects.

Singapore was a blast. For the first time in my life, I was able to do whatever I wanted provided I just take care of myself. And with this newfound freedom, I was able to focus more on myself and what I can do.

[I don't usually spills my guts out here, but anyway...]

And so that has been the theme for 2006: The change in me. It's not where I am, where I go, how much I'm making, what I am spending it on... but rather, what I make of myself, where I'm headed, and how I get myself there. How melodramatic. But that doesn't make it less true.

I've been through a lot last year. A LOT. Goods things and bad things. Of careers, friends and loves. One of the lessons I've learned was that you should take all these things, swallow them, and become better. Never try to forget or escape. Always be thankful for everything.

I've been given a blank slate for 2007. It's all up to me.

2006: The Year of Change (Part One)

2007-01-08T18:00:00.000+08:00

The year started with angst and ended with optimism.

Travel: Was it more of going away or going back home?

After months of staring into my then blank passport, I was able to save up for a trip to Hong Kong. It was a foreshadowing perhaps, of the travelling I would be doing for the next couple of months.

But first, a I made few trips to appreciate how naturally beautiful the mother land is. First off, the wonderful and oh-so-near to Manila, tropical paradise of Puerto Galera.

Subic...Zambales...Fontana...Batangas...

And then there was the BIG move to Singapore in the middle of the year.

Coming up next...

2007-01-01T21:38:00.000+08:00

Because Internet connection here is so slow...

Future posts:

Manila Trip
2006: The Year in Review
2007: What's Next
Resolutions
Pictures!
and many, many more...

Happy New Year! :D

Home for the Holidays

2006-12-28T10:25:00.000+08:00

A pretty quiet Christmas celebration passed by over Singapore. I had spent time with officemates and friends, having a little party to celebrate the event as best as we can. After eating a nice Filipino-inspired dinner, Love Actually was being played on free-to-air TV as the Christmas movie. And just to make it a bit more religious, we watched another movie. You know, it's one of those cheesy movies about a person being sent to this world to save us. He suffered before making the ultimate sacrifice. And after the world thought he was dead, he mysteriously disappears. I believe the title was Superman Returns.

That was basically it for Christmas eve/day. Before and after, it's just rain, shopping, rain, malling, rain, and more rain.

--

I had to squeeze one more day at work just because there was nothing better left to do. So I breezed through that and managed to do everything I needed to do at the time. Pretty quiet as well in the office, in terms of festivities. Understandable for such a diverse population.

--

After work, I packed old clothes and gifts into my luggage and personal belongings in preparation for flight PR 502 to Manila the following day.

I had a bit of luck finding a cab and getting to the airport since it wasn't raining at the time. And oh, the long lines of Pinoys at the check-in counter. Took about fifteen minutes to check in my baggage (clocking at 23kg). After some last-minute duty-free shopping, I headed for the gate. There was also this debacle about changing gates 30 minutes before the actual departure time. So, minus points for you, Changi Airport.

Three or so hours later, and after the Step It Up showing, we're back home in Manila, polluted skyline and all.

--

Immigrations was smooth, baggage took a while, and customs was a breeze. But let me just express my disgust at "well-wishers" in the arrival area. The fucking place was PACKED with people who do NOT need to be there. You know, kids, inaanaks, lolas, and babies. There was even this one family who had a van packed with people -- "O, hindi na kasya. San natin ilalagay yung yung mga bagahe?". Idiots. You nitwits deserve it.

Anyway, after a few calls, I managed to find good ol' mum and dad, with my good ol' car (2 years more before I complete payment).

--

Even after I was determined not to go home this holiday season, it still feels good to be back, and be pampered and all.

The room with the termites.

The noisy neighbors with their loud mini-components and videoke machine.

The terribly soft mattress.

The road rage-inducing traffic.

...

--

I still know how to drive, which is a good thing. And the newspapers are ever-entertaining (this morning they captured a shot of a normal house gate with a sign "WALA DITO ANG NINONG NIYO!!! [Your godfather is not here!!!]". Priceless.

Internet is a bit slow, which people say is because of the recent Taiwan earthquake. This affects most of Southeast-Asia.

Cable TV is great, basketball and other American shows.

Weather is great. It's comfortably-cool, especially during the evenings.

People-watching is also very satisfying ;)

And food? I ticked one of my checklist: Teriyaki Boy. Yum, yum.

--

So if you're in Manila, see you around. I'll be here for a week and a half, leaving on the 8th.

When It Rains...

2006-12-19T07:54:00.000+08:00

Terrible, terrible weather these days. Rains and winds. We got stuck on the bus stop last Sunday, in the midst of strong, almost horizontal downpour. I still haven't quite gotten sick when I normally do after getting wet with rains and cold winds. Air is clean and has few germs.

On the other hand, it's not so hot outside. So that's gotta count for something.

--

Wow, one week before Christmas.

I want Christmas ham.

--

And also one week before going to Manila. Wow, as well.

Haven't set my sched yet. Not as tight as I wanted it to be. Lots of free time.

I mean lots and lots.

I should only spend a small amount of time lazing around.

Should get exercise as well.

The Hours

2006-12-16T01:45:00.000+08:00

Last night, I did something I never did before at work. Stay in the office overnight, awake, and on the phone.

I had to work from 5 PM onwards to do a code release, and ended up going home at 7 AM. In-sanity. Going on London time like that without actually being in London, well, has its obvious disadvantage. One of which is the whacked up sleeping/waking hours. Instant simulated jetlag.

Anyway, sparing you the details, I got through, and still managed to report to work seven-odd hours later. Maybe also just to prove to myself that I can commit to work like that.

--

Singapore will be having its island-wide free Wi-Fi soon. Free as in beer. Just whip up your Smartphones and laptops, and you'll be downloading your podcasts and RSS feeds whenever, and wherever.

I'm also starting to get tired of my O2 XDA so I might put it up on eBay someday. It's still using the first SIM card/number that I had when I went here, which I rarely use nowadays. There's no sense for me to keep bringing it along. But I guess I just don't know what to do with it anymore.

My Globe SIM is at home in Manila, unused. I might use it for one last hurrah when I come back in a few weeks, then rightfully have the line disconnected, and the number retired. Or recycled. Whatever it is carriers do with their disconnected phone line numbers.

--

Tomorrow, with the guys and gals at the office, we'll be having our holiday season BBQ party somewhere. Should be fun. I hope the weather cooperates.

--

Today I am rich. Next week, it's back to normal. Yes, the company has reimbursed me for the expenses using the corporate card I brought with me to London. American Express will get the full amount in a week. Do I still have time to put it on mutual funds for a week? Nah. Too close. Would be nice though to earn some interest off of it ;)

--

And speaking of mutual funds. I'm a bit proud of myself with knowing these things about the business/industry I'm in. It's in investment banking, in case you didn't know. I may find this knowledge useful for, we'll let's face it, getting even more mo-nay. I mean, it's not your normal paluwagan (the mechanics of which had just been explained to me a few days ago). I hope to learn yet even more from this.

--

A good habit developing this late in life: reading books while travelling or commuting.

Just bought a nice black cover edition of Good Omens.

--

Was done with Neverwhere. I liked it a lot, especially after going to and experiencing London itself. Good idea for me to pick it up from Waterstone's.

--

Wow, one week away from Christmas. Hardly felt it here. Although I feel I can ride it out otherwise, I can't wait to go home and see my friends and party and such.

--

Note to self: Don't go crazy on spending in the next few weeks.

Now if American Express suddenly forgot about me...

Merry Christmas. Seasons Greetings.

2006-12-14T00:39:00.000+08:00

The decors are up, the lights are on, the music is playing -- but the spirit is not there.

The Christmas season, of course, is quite consistent in feeling a bit less fun year after year. It could be because year after year, you realize more and more that Santa really isn't coming. Or maybe it's just that we're getting older and older and Christmas is for kids.

I also miss the Pinoy X-mas songs. Especially the traditional ones (or at least the ones I usually heard when I was a wee boy).

But I do miss most of all is the foooooooood. Majestic ham. Fruit Salad. Puto-bumbong. Bibingka w/ salted egg. Mmmm....

--

Now I'm trying to make the most out of 27th of December until 8th of January. Meet a couple of special friends. Go to some parties and catchups. Eat, eat, eat (see below). Spend time with family. Maybe do a little shopping and going around. Buy back issues of FHM, Maxim and UNO... :P

--

Foooooood....

Mmm...

... Teriyaki Boy
... Jollibee
... KFC (w/ proper gravy this time)
... Chowking
... Chicken Bacolod
... Max's
... Gonuts Donuts (aaaaand Krispy Kreme)
... Brother's Burger
... Gerry's Grill
... Yellow Cab
... California maki w/ mango (instead of avocado)
... Superbowl
... North Park
... Eng Bee Tin
... Italianni's
... Chili's
... and good old home-cooking

:9

27

2006-12-05T02:52:00.000+08:00

In the drafts section of blog is a half-finished melodramatic potential "essay" on how depressing or at least how different it is to be celebrating a birthday away from family and home. That post is never going to see light after what happened last weekend.

I'll elaborate some other time but at least let me say that I'm happy with how my birthday celebration turned out to be. I was treated to a surprise party (surprised party!), a couple of sweet greetings and phone calls from my friends, snail-mail from home, gifts galore and Pinoy home-cooking (with the traditional pancit for long life).

Some of my new toys: a Canon photo-printer (thanks Nes!), and 120GB External Backup drive from myself.

--

I'm also set to go to Manila this Dec 27 - Jan 8. Tickets were a lot more expensive than normal. PAL has return tickets for $900, Singapore Airlines for $700, and the low cost fliers, Cebu Pacific, JetstarAsia hovering at around $500. Thank God for agencies and their group bookings, I got a ticket home for $395 flying PAL.

I'm planning to meet a lot of people when I'm there. So if you're reading this, I hope we get to see each other in a couple of weeks. Please don't mention that I've gained weight :P

The Last Word on London: A Day Too Much

2006-11-24T06:14:00.000+08:00

It's been a couple of days since I left London. But not a lot of people knew what sort of nerve-wracking experience the journey home was.

The day started off great. Nice, sunny and cold. Almost everything I did that day was documented in my previous post, and the picture set is here. What happened after, well, listen up.

I was set to be picked up by the airport shuttle my company had arranged for me at seven o' clock at the apartment I was staying in. A couple of minutes before seven, I had turned off my laptop, sat in the lobby (luggage and all) and tried to read my Neverwhere book. Seven came, no one was around yet, save for the receptionist. Five minutes went by, I thought it a bit unusual for the driver to be late. Seven-fifteen, I had resolved to take it up with the travel agent, the company uses. The contact at the other line was puzzled as well, and tried to contact the shuttle service. It was already around forty past the hour when she told me that the driver is already there and they tried to contact me using my mobile. My phone of course, is fully charged and has full service (signal) but no call came. The receptionist went outside and saw nobody. The contact finally said that they didn't know what happened and that it would be twenty minutes before someone can pick me up. They said that if I can find my own way to the airport, it would be so much better. I still had the sanity not to take it out on the travel agent contact, so I just politely thanked her for the help.

I hauled my ass out of the apartment near Westferry Circus to flag down a couple of cabs. Not being totally prepared for this disaster, I had no money (or at least I was afraid it wasn't enough) and was only armed with my credit cards and debit card. After attempting to flag down around five cabs, I realized that none of them take credit cards at the time, much less American Express. I went back to the apartment and tried to book cabs over the phone.

No such luck. All units with credit card-swiping machines have all been dispatched already.

At that point, almost eight-o-clock, I had to take things into my hands. I lugged my stuff from the apartment all the way to Citibank in Canary Wharf, which took me a good fifteen minutes, in single-digit temperatures, with (I soon learned) thirty kilograms of luggage plus handcarried bags.

Quarter past eight, I was able to flag down a cab. The driver, aware that I'm running late, suggested that I go to Paddington Station and take a fifteen minute ride on the Heathrow Express to the airport, instead of going all the way by car. I took the suggestion and he was on his way. The cab ride, took a good thirty minutes. Before I alighted the cab, Qantas (the codeshare partner of British Airways) had called me up and asked me if I will be joining them tonight. He suggested that from the look of things, and judging from where I am, I might not make it, since I needed to be at the check-in counter at quarter past nine. It was already 8:50pm. I thanked the cab driver for the 35 pound trip, asked for the receipt and ran the platform towards the ticket counter.

One way to Heathrow Airport, fourteen pounds-fifty. Luck was still teasing me, the train will be leaving in around four-minutes just giving me enough time to catch my breath inside.

I asked the ticket-inspector, Ben, who is also Filipino (I learned because he had a flag of the R.P. on his name tag) how long it would take to get to the airport. He said fifteen minutes, I'll make it.

The clincher I think was that it stopped first at terminals 1,2, and 3, waited for four minutes (it was already 9:14PM) before it went on the four-minute ride to terminal four, where I should be.
The train arrived at terminal four at 9:18PM, then I ran til my veins pumped battery acid. I had not eaten dinner yet, my mouth was dry because I had no water to drink, and my body ached from pulling that weight of luggage. I took the lift up to the check-in counters.

At 9:20 PM, the lady at the check-in counter told me they already closed the boarding for the flight to Singapore and that I am not able to get on that flight, no matter what I do.

--

Tired, hungry and thirsty, I knew I had to take a later flight. I asked the ticket sales what time the next flight was, there was a morning flight at eleven, and an evening flight at nine. Both only had economy class seats. At that point, I knew that I had stayed in London long enough, and opted to replace my business class ticket with a sure-economy ticket on the morning flight, and just have myself waitlisted for business class.

Once I settled that, I had to spend the night somewhere. The Hilton Hotel at Heathrow was the closest, a ten-minute walk through the tunnel. I didn't even care how much it cost or if I will be able to reimburse the company for it.

At the check-in counter, the lady told me of a £159++ room which I can stay for the night. I had given her the corporate credit card, which was, for unexplanable reasons, declined to be charged. What it meant was that I had to shell out some money first, which I didn't really have to since I got my personal credit card with me. At least I'd earn some rewards points for this, I thought.

At Room 423, I watched TV and called room service to order a Hilton burger which cost around a bit less than £30. The order arrived some twenty or thirty minutes after. It had a decent taste and I tried hard not to gobble it up so quickly to avoid getting indigestion.

Eleven-something, adrenaline pumping, heart still beating fast, I tried to get some sleep and wake up the following day, feeling refreshed and relaxed from the events of the day before.

--

You know in the movies where the character reaches some sort of breaking point after enduring trial after trial? Almost happened.

I woke up at around seven thirty, peeked out the window, and looked at the heavy fog and rain outside. I was afraid my flight will get cancelled. Nonetheless, I thought I'd take a nice bath with the beautifully laid out Crabtree and Evelyn products in the bathroom before heading out to the terminal.

After taking a bath, here was the moment. I was cleaning my glasses when the right lens fell out because the screws on the frame, slipped out for some reason. It was almost impossible to screw it in because it was so tiny.

There were no tears, I only let out a sigh.

I pressed the part together forcibly making the screw tight and just hoped it wouldn't fall out until I get some jeweller screwdrivers.

--

The check-in went well. I was told by the Qantas/BA crew that from the look of things, I might just get that business seat; but I couldn't find out until before boarding. I still was able to get into the British Airways Lounge and grab some breakfast and snacks, and surf the Internet while waiting for the flight to start boarding.

Blood pressure went to normal once the receptionist at the lounge told me that they are able to accomodate me at business class after all. Big smile on my face. At least a few things went my way.

--

The flight was relatively uneventful. I met my first single-serving friend, Philippe, on his way to Australia (after it stops at Singapore). I watched World Trade Center, a bit of You, Me And Dupree and Lucky Number Slevin. I only got a few hours sleep, got hungry, ordered a lamb sandwich before breakfast.

Twelve or so hours later, Monday morning, I was at Changi Airport feeling the tropical heat, and relieved to get back home.

Lon-done!

2006-11-19T01:12:00.001+08:00

It's 4:28 PM GMT, Saturday. I've checked out of the apartment and I'm just surfing (if the network allows me to) until the shuttle picks me up at 7 and brings me to London-Heathrow Airport, terminal 4.

It was a very productive last day for me. I set the alarm for 7:30 AM and snoozed until 8. Did my last attempt at packing after I took a bath. Checked out early, left my baggage and set out to the last pasyal I'm going to make.

That last trip started from this apartment to Columbia Courtyard to Cabot Square, Canary Wharf Station then rode my last Tube ride to Westminster Station. Once I alighted from the station, I found that it was a very bright and sunny day, in contrast with the wet and windy night before. Walked from Parliament Hall to Westminster Bridge (where I got extorted for £5 "for the children") to the London Eye to Charing Cross Bridge to Victoria Garden, then back to Parliament Hall. I noted the time the Royal Thames River Services departs for Greenwich (12:45PM). Since I had an hour to spare, I walked to Westminster Abbey (saw the long line going in) and took pictures from outside and walked back to Westminster Pier where I boarded the River Cruise boat. After waiting for about three-quarters of an hour, we were ready to go. The commentary the captain did on the cruise was very funny, and he just kept going and going about the factoids and the funny aspects of the sights of River Thames. About half a kilometer past Tower Bridge, he ended his commentary since there was nothing else to see until we get to Canary Wharf and Greenwich.

Once we docked, I got off the boat and looked for some place to eat lunch, and I chanced upon this small restaurant serving roast beef. The reason for that is that I was freezing my ass off already with just my normal clothes and a jacket. I brought this upon myself, I wanted to savor the cold. After lunch, I took one last stroll on Greenwich Park and took pictures of the autumn landscape. I didn't go up the hill anymore to the Royal Observatory since, again, I was numb from the cold. My little Greenwich trek ended with a DLR ride back to Canary Wharf Station. I headed underground to Cabot Place and went up to ground level where the ice skating rink in Canada Place Park is. Took some uninteresting pictures then finally went "home" back to Circus Apartments. It was around four in the evening. Yes, that's right, the sun began to set minutes before. Well, that's the temperate zone for you.

So now, I'm bumming around, ready to go, waiting for my shuttle with my intermittent wifi connection, drafting this blog post on notepad. If you're reading this, then I successfully found an opening with this crappy Internet service.

Next stop: Singapore!

It's A Nice Place, But Not Really Home

2006-11-17T03:59:00.000+08:00

Those words were spoken by a colleague of mine who was also sent here to London for a month. I have the same feeling. I'd like to stay but...

The Bath trip last weekend probably capped the entire trip to the U.K. I'm done visiting, and I'm ready to go home.

Home for me is Singapore. I'm flying from Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 on Saturday, 11PM GMT, and ETA at Changi is 6:30 PM Sunday, +0800. I'm taking a cab home, get my night's sleep and report back to our beautiful office down at Orchard Road.

So what did I think of London?

London has the history and culture that welcomes visitors and immigrants from around the globe. True enough, it was once the center of the world, and it still is, if we're talking about time zones. Old world charm juxtaposed with 21st century progress. London is the result of many ideas, almost two millenia worth. In contrast, Singapore has generally one idea, which could be a good thing or a bad thing.

It can't be said enough that London is an expensive place to live in, even more expensive to visit. Transportation, food, and entertainment. The general and practical setup for work probably is to get a nice apartment outside the city, and commute at least an hour to the office. I just learned that London Underground trains are NOT airconditioned, which must be hell during the summer. I personally don't like what I hear of my colleagues commuting experiences such as bad train services, weird commuters, drunk people sleeping on the platform...

If given a chance to live and work in London, I might give it a try, but it'll be a challenge.

I am going to miss London. I hope they send me back again in the future. For now, it's back to the predictable efficiency of the Lion City, my home.

Bath and Beyond

2006-11-15T06:20:00.000+08:00

One of my goals while I'm here in the U.K., is to take one serious excursion outside of London. I had a couple of choices for places to go to. There's Oxford, Cambridge, Windsor, Liverpool, Stratford-Upon-Avon...

In the end, we decided to go and hour and a half by Great Western, west of London-Paddington, a city called Bath Spa.

It's founded on hot springs, famously associated with the Roman Empire, since they put up temples and buildings around it. A few thousand years after the fall of Rome, it's been preserved quite well.

So have a check on the pictures I took of the Roman Baths, The Jane Austen Centre, and as I mentioned on a previous post, Croydon.

Flight patterns

2006-11-15T05:49:00.000+08:00

If there's one thing you notice from seldom cloudless London skies is that commercial planes are zipping and zooming across. I've noticed it since I arrived and I can't help but take the picture I posted above. Not a perfectly composed picture, obviously, but it should illustrate my point.

Croydon Foster Home

2006-11-12T06:59:00.000+08:00

I'm here right now in Croydon, around less than half an hour train ride south from Victoria station. I went home with my foster parents Gay and Wood who I also went with today to Bath Spa, or simply Bath. They extended an impromptu invitation to their home, I happily accepted without missing a beat.

Since I don't have my laptop with me, I can't post pictures to flickr yet. I took some really nice pictures of the Roman Bath and Bath Abbey. And though I had no interest whatsoever with Jane Austen, I found the tour at the Jane Austen Museum about her short stay in Bath, very intriguing.

Night fell quickly and early on the U.K, my last Saturday weekend excursion here.

Small Steps

2006-11-06T06:11:00.000+08:00

I managed to catch the Game On Exhibition in the Science Museum in South Kensington. This exhibit focuses on the history of video games. I'd say 90% of the people who shelled out £8.50 (adults, at least) weren't so much interested in the history, as opposed to playing the demo units, hands-on. I was able to take a trip down memory lane with the Donkey Kong arcade game, Atari 2600's Pitfall and Indy 500. There's also Prince of Persia, various Sonic and Mario games, Dance Dance Revolution, The Sims, and scores of handheld games. I did two matches of Street Fighter II Turbo Edition with some other guy. Naturally, I creamed his E. Honda with my Blanka, and later, his Ryu with my Ken. I rule!

After I visited the area taking pictures of Victoria and Albert Hall and the Natural History Museum, I went straight to Covent Garden. After watching a couple of street performers, I headed for the majestic St. Paul's Cathedral.

I was only able to look inside for a short while, as Sunday mass was being held. (No taking of photos allowed, unfortunately). Then I walked towards Bank and the 'Gherkin' at 30 St. Mary Axe.

Finally, I went up Monument, which is a memorial to the Great Fire of London in 1666. I went up the viewing deck, climbing 311 steps (and going down the same 311 steps).

I took this picture inside, going up the steps. Right before leaving, I was handed a certificate, saying that I was able to climb three hundred and eleven steps up the monument. Priceless and well-deserved.

Jagshemash!

2006-11-05T06:16:00.000+08:00

I watched Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan last night, a film notoriously known for its offensive comedy. Most of the time, it works. I was laughing like crazy throughout the film. Here in London, I get to watch a couple of episodes of Da Ali G show which includes segments of Borat. Sacha Baron Cohen, of course, is my new current favorite comedian following his performance as Jean Girard in Talladega Nights. Have a go at Borat. Chances are you'll have a great time laughing and unable to look away, even when you should. Mark my words.

--

I've done almost all of the items in my to-do list. Rode the London Eye (even if I lament the fact that I should have ridden when the skies were clearer). Watched Avenue Q and Spam-a-lot. Borat was a London Film Festival Film, so that counts. Went out of London, to Bicester. Currently still taking account of all my meal expenses.

Tomorrow, is the fifth of November, Guy Fawkes Night. In honor of the foiling of the plot to blow up the house of Parliament. There are already some residents here trying out their fireworks for tomorrow. There isn't really any one celebration. Just a few scattered drinking and lighting up fireworks parties here and there. I probably can get a good view from going to some park.

--

I went to Camden Town today and walked the entire length of Camden High St and Chalk Farm road. A lot of stores selling clothes in various markets, it reminds me of Greenhills and its various tiangge stalls. Camden, I learned, used to be the place where the hippest fashions are created. Or word to that extent. Anyway, I didn't find anything clever enough which was worth buying (since it's expensive even here, £12 for a shirt, or 2 for £20). And I was briefly reminded of how, even in Singapore, there were a lot of clothes I wanted to buy. The problem was that I'd rarely get the chance to wear them. Now if they were nice office clothes...

I also walked from Tottenham Court Station to Oxford Circus, traversing Oxford St. A stretch comparable to Singapore's own Orchard Road in number of commercial and retail establishments. Walked inside Marks and Spencer and bought a beanie and a pair of thermal long johns. Again, I stopped myself from overspending. Especially on autumn/winter wear.

After the little stroll along Oxford, I went to the National Gallery and even witnessed an environmentalist/political rally right on Trafalgar Square. Inside the National Gallery, I viewed works of Van Gogh, Manet, Monet, Picasso, Renoir and various others. I particularly noted the works of Canaletto, whose pieces on Venice had remarkable detail on Venetian architecture.

I walked from Charing(!) Cross to Westminster Station and took a chance on catching the right riverboat schedule. True enough, I was right on time. I took the river cruise from Westminster Pier to Tower Millenium Pier. It cost six quid, one way. DLR-ed my way to Canary Wharf, ate at Chili's in Cabot Square, then walked home and applied ointment to my legs and feet.

--

Next weekend will mark my final weekend in the United Kingdom for this trip. I fly out the weeked after that. Better make the most of it.

Sharp Frossssst Tonight

2006-11-03T05:55:00.000+08:00

I can't stop thinking and talking about the weather and the temperature.

I had a conversation earlier this evening about the advantages and disadvantages of cold weather and warm weather. Most of my teammates were surprised that I prefer this cold weather than warm comfy weather. One of my teammates pointed out that one thing he liked about consistently warm weather is how light he can dress for anywhere. Fair enough. For my part, I don't experience cold weather often enough in my life in the places I have settled, whereas in the temperate zones, they have these four seasons to speak of.

Anyway, indoor heating is almost always on, up to a level where I can still wear a pull-over sweater over my shirt. I just found out though that even just wearing the down part of my parka can make my body extremely warm even if the air outside is very chilly. I also found out how helpful a scarf is in keeping warm. I managed to walk about a couple of hundred meters in just my business clothes, a sweater and a scarf. So after much apparel-tweaking, the right clothes for me for this type of weather is my normal long-sleeved shirt, trousers, sweater, gloves (if I can't put my hands in my pocket) and the outer jacket of my parka. I'm thinking of getting a bonnet, but I might not need one at all. (And besides, it's going to mess my hair :P)

--

I'm expected to fly back to Singapore at 18th of November, 11:00PM. I already have an idea on what to do on the day of departure itself. Canary Wharf is going to open an ice skating rink near Canada Square that day. I might just check it out.

You know the sunlight always shines, behind the clouds of London skies

2006-11-01T22:16:00.000+08:00

Today was the first time I had to go to work on the first of November. Ever.

And let me say that the temperature here in London has dropped a couple of degrees down and that the wind chill brings it down even further. Forecast tomorrow is a high of 9°C/48°F and a low of 3°C/37°F. Brrr...

Walking home, my face, and fingers were numb from the cold and wind. I did want to experience this. I brought this upon myself.

Anyway for the first time in my life, I get to dress up for autumn weather. Heavy jacket, sweater, scarf, gloves. I don't even know how to wear a scarf. I just wrap it in such a way that when one of the ends get caught in something, it'll surely crush my larynx. Anyway, by tomorrow, I'll know how to wear it. Thanks again to google.

--

I've experienced body overheating as well, if that's what it's called. The disadvantage of course, for wearing cold weather clothes, is that when you get inside buildings (or in the Tube) where there's indoor heating, you'd have to take them off. Or at least, I'd have to take them off. I'm very sensitive to temperature changes. When it gets hot, I sweat profusely. So what happened was that I was still wearing that thick jacket while in the shopping centre. And then when I thought I forgot something, blood pressure rose and body heated up. And let me tell you that jacket is a good insulator. Keeps the cold out and the heat in.

--

I think I also need thermal underpants. Brrr...

--

Yesterday, I managed to catch the evening showing of the West End play Spam-A-Lot, starring Tim Curry up at the Palace Theatre right on Cambridge Circus. It's very entertaining and very funny. It's "lovingly ripped off" from the movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, with a few revisions here and there and a new major character in The Lady of the Lake.

I got the (not-so) restricted view seats for £35. E2, which is five rows from the front, the rightmost seat.

The songs were very interesting and catchy. A lot of metahumour and breaking the fourth wall. True to the spirit of Monty Python comedy. At one point, one of the actors couldn't help but snicker uncontrollably at what he came up with improvising a bit of dialogue. There's also the ever-reliable audience participation which could have been me (since the guy picked was sitting in front of me).

All-in-all, I would say that it was a very enriching theatre experience for now. I'm done with it for this trip. Indeed, it costs a lot but every pence piece is worth it.

Turning back the Hands of Time

2006-10-31T04:05:00.000+08:00

The last Sunday of October marks the end of British Summer Time, and all clocks in the U.K. reverts back to Greenwich Meridian Time.

So to cap an eventful Sunday which took me to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Bond St., Buckingham Palace, and Borough Market (for some Hog Roll), I went to where all the vertical lines of the globe originate.

The Royal Observatory at Greenwich. (That strip of metal on the ground is 0º 0' 0" E/W. Ooooo...)

The complex stands atop a hill overlooking Docklands and Canary Wharf. The admission to the museum is free and from Cutty Sark Station (Dockland Light Railway, or DLR), you get to go through Greenwich Park with the vast green grass mixed with autumn yellow-orange.

There are a lot of places of interest nearby including the National Maritime Museum, The Cutty Sark a clipper ship, and Queen's House, which is a completely symmetrical set of two buildings. And there's Greenwich itself, with its street markets and its various eating places.

I got almost 1GB worth of pictures just for this day. I didn't need the extra hour because it seemed like a day well-spent, anyway.

The Essentials

2006-10-31T02:47:00.000+08:00

Things you are most likely to see me with these days

Nike Diver Bag, Columbia parka/jacket, Nokia 6070, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere

Trooping to the Outlet Stores: Bicester Village

2006-10-30T05:04:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, me, my friend Gay and her husband Wood went and did a little shopping at some outlet villages. The choice was either Freeport Braintree or Bicester Village and we picked the latter because of the more frequent train schedules.

Bicester Village is in the town of Bicester (sounds like bees-tuh) an hour or so away from London, or more specifically London - Marylebone Station.

There are a lot of choice brand names here. I wouldn't honestly say that they are inexpensive enough. Certainly there are good selections and some good deals (discount on second pairs). I lament the fact that most of the selections are from the autumn/winter collections of their respective labels. Nonetheless, I managed to get buy a shirt from Tommy Hilfiger and another one from Reebok. It was very tempting to buy some nice long-sleeved shirts. But I'll be out of here after three weeks. Back to Singapore, where I rarely wear any less lighter than shorts a shirt and sandals.

The Internet Is For Porn (and other Avenue Q songs)

2006-10-26T06:22:00.000+08:00

I just came home from watching Avenue Q in Noël Coward Theatre near Leicester Square (West End, natch). It's pretty entertaining with all those catchy songs, smart quips and even graphic puppet-on-puppet action. The show is a little bit over two hours including the 15-minute inter~~mission~~-val in which Häagen-Dazs sponsors the snacks. I got a Royal Circle seat for £37.50 (not on discount), which is second level, second row, center. The U.K. is the first country this is shown outside the U.S.

As one of the songs here say, there's a fine, fine line between love and a waste of time. I love this show.

--

I got a new favorite drink: Krispy Kreme Hot Chocolate.

I got a new favorite snack: Krispy Kreme Cinnamon Apple filled Doughnut.

I got a new favorite breakfast item: Bagel Factory Sausage Eggworks on Cheese Bagel

Mmm...foooood....

--

One of my colleagues today (who's in London from Singapore as well) told a story of how he got startled that someone entered his room at 5Am and almost gave him a heart attack. It turns out that a lady from room 24 had the guy from reception check something in her room. She mistakenly said she was in room 25 (where my colleague was).

So you people out there. If you're somewhere else, don't sleep in the nude.

--

I won't be able to catch Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan in the London Film Fest. BUT! Regular showing is on November 2. Cool!

--

This week is Star Wars week on cable. Today, I think, Star Wars IV: A New Hope is showing.

--

Next up, Spam-A-Lot! Ni!

Don't you Shiver?

2006-10-24T14:22:00.000+08:00

I remembered a conversation a I had with a couple of people on my first day at work in Singapore. We were talking about each other's backgrounds and I learned that they come from various non-tropical countries. Places like Canada, Australia, New Zealand. And so I quipped that I've experienced spring, summer and I've yet to experience autumn and winter. Also that I haven't seen snowfall.

They said winter/snow overrated.

What the fuck? Way to burst my bubble.

Anyway, I realize that the proper response to someone saying "oh, I haven't experienced something-something" is "you should see for yourself and knock yourself out."

I was talking to a colleague who was originally from Liverpool who works with me in Singapore and now is currently on business trip to London. I told how I love this weather and that I can't get enough of it. He said it's a novelty that will wear off after a few days. I said that I didn't think so especially when I remember the boring humidity in Singapore and that I have been living in the tropics all my life.

So I love this weather, hovering around 9°-15°C because of the intermittent showers. I like the way that mist comes out of your mouth everytime you exhale. I like how you constantly walk around like you were wearing a blanket. I like how you breathe in the cold air that fills your lungs. And of course, I like how I get to wear these things that I don't normally wear.

Nice and chilly. It's getting colder and colder by the day.

No work for Manila and Singapore. In London, a normal cold work day.

Week One: God Save My Money

2006-10-23T02:22:00.000+08:00

I did my first week receipt accounting using Google Docs and Spreadsheets. I was cheap enough not to buy Microsoft Office when I bought my laptop and instead tried to be content with Microsoft Works.

Anyway, more or less (not to mention I forgot to ask for receipts) I spent £179.12 on meals this week. Try to resist the temptation to convert in Singapore dollars or (shudders) Philippine pesos. It's no secret that the cost of living here is fifth in the world and second in Europe only to Moscow, Russia. Everything costs about an arm and two legs. Singapore is 17th and Manila is at 141st.

I rode the London Eye on a rainy Sunday morning, at £13.50. Yikes.

I also went to Oxford Circus to that three-floor Niketown store and bought a small messenger/diver bag and three pairs of socks. Cost me £27.00. Ouch. I also bought Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere (£7.99) and Battle Royale DVD (£9.99) at the five-floored Waterstone's at Piccadilly Circus. Great shopping selection here, except (I'll say it again) it's so damn expensive. You better really (financially) prepare for a trip to London to sustain yourself.

I better leave shopping to when I'm in Singapore and just to absorb the culture while I'm here going on trips and tours around the area.

Transportation is also as expensive as it can get. A one way ticket can set you back around £3-4. A conversation between me and a colleague:

Me: ...transportation is also expensive...
Mike: Expensive AND rubbish!

The Tube or London Underground, as it is called, is pretty old and cramped in some areas. I can't imagine claustrophobes using it. They're bomb-shelter deep and sometimes unreliable on weekends (as some parts are being serviced, and stuff like this doesn't help). You're going to do a lot of walking down there especially when transferring lines. A good side, though, is that it has good coverage of the city. But then again, that's what it's supposed to do.

Train stations have a lot of history, which is good. Paddington Station, aside from servicing a lot of suburban and countryside towns and cities is also known for, what else...

...the Paddington Bear.

I haven't really scratched the surface of what's in London.

Appendix A: Things To Do While I'm Here (Part One)

2006-10-18T13:44:00.000+08:00

Ride the London Eye
Watch Avenue Q
Watch Spam-A-Lot
Watch London Film Fest films
Go out of London
Museum-hopping
Take account all expenses (!!!)
Remember, remember the fifth of November
...

First Days in Greenwich Meridien Time (DST): Part Two

2006-10-18T05:24:00.000+08:00

Heathrow Airport is, well, unimpressive. But maybe it's unfair to look at it with respect to our own NAIA Centennial, Hong Kong Lantau, and Singapore's Changi Airport which are relatively new and better planned.

Halfway out of the arrival area and I'm already gathering as much tourist leaflets and brochures as possible. London walks, maps, theatre guides, and what-have-yous. Flying business class on British Airways allowed me to go on the fast track lane for immigrations so I didn't have to line up long. The immigrations officer asked about my trip here, the purpose, what sort of formal training I'm getting, how long, and what company I work for. After that last question, he stamped the page my UK visa was on and I was on my way. Heathrow Airport public address system reports a fire on another building. A good ten minutes waiting on luggage belt three and I'm on my way out. I had to look for the guy holding a sign with my name in it. The guy looked like Alfred Hitchcock and stood in front of the Hertz counter. Once I signalled him a greeting, we were on our way.

Out past the sliding door, I was greeted by an old friend, the cold climate, which I have missed for almost a decade now. The service was, I think, a BMW. I told the driver (who I later knew as Tommy) to guide me through the places we were passing.

Heathrow was a good 15-30 minutes from the interesting part of the city. I found the row brick apartments very appealing. Soon, the driver was pointing me to museums and parks, Buckingham Palace, the Thames, the London Eye, Tate Modern and various government buildings. We headed straight to Docklands and Canary Wharf, where he pointed out where I'll be for the duration of my stay, Circus Apartments.

(More on the apartment on a separate post)

It was already past seven in the morning and I was itching to squeeze out a walk to explore the city. It doesn't get any more touristy than the South Bank Walk.

First Days in Greenwich Meridien Time (DST): Part One

2006-10-17T13:48:00.000+08:00

My boss had tipped me about a possible London trip a few weeks back and asked me for my availability. I told him, I'm just about free until Christmas. A few days after, he told those of us who would be going to prepare requirements for the trip, but wait for approval. I had the tightest of schedules for preparation. I still needed to apply for a UK Business Visit visa, which takes about a week. The day I started was a Friday. I was supposed to leave a week and a day after, and I've yet to finish my visa requirements. The following Thursday (the 12th), I was supposed to get an answer for my visa application. No news. I had worried that they might need more requirements from me since I ticked the "Have you ever been denied visa to another country?" checkbox. Of course, I have, pinoy ako eh! Too many times I've been denied a US visa, I might add.

Friday, I haven't packed yet. No word on the approval at work. And no word about the visa. 1PM, I had an appointment for crowning the root canalled tooth the previous day.

You know how it went anyway. I'm here in London, after all. Friday morning, my line manager said to assume that I'm going. The company's travel agency said that the UK visa has been approved and ready for collection. Needed to do some last-minute cold weather shopping and I'm off.

One last thing I didn't do to prepare was to get a haircut. Bummer.

I had to fly Saturday night on British Airways. Business class, natch! I'd have picked Singapore Airlines to rack up the miles but anyway, it wasn't meant to be. The flight is for 14 hours long. It'd be the first time I'd be in this part of the world. I would be away from Singapore, my foster home, for a month.

The flight was Saturday, 11:25PM Singapore time. I'd arrive in Heathrow Airport in London, 5:45AM Sunday, British Standard Time.

--

The flight was great and not as long as it seemed. But then again, that's what you get with free flights on business class.

At first, I slept for about five hours. I woke up while we were hovering above India, Pakistan then Afghanistan. Mission:Impossible 3 was showing in one of the channels. Next time I woke up, we were somewhere above Slovakia, Austria, and finally Germany. The plane was on-time. When we landed at Heathrow airport, the pilot was pretty pissed that some of the guiding runway taxi lights weren't on as expected. So he announced that he will do something about that on our behalf. Looking around, it looked like I was the only Asian on the upper deck of the plane. I'm itching to get out into the city and step into the United Kingdom.

London Calling

2006-10-13T20:22:00.000+08:00

After a mad scramble for requirements, I'm finally headed for the United Kingdom. I'll be staying for a month.

And you can bet your ass that I'm going to start blogging again, with pictures!