La Vita e Bella

"laagan man unta ko"/"tiguwang naman gud ta"

2009-03-27T14:56:45Z

before (a few months ago i think), my whole week would revolve around planning where to go/hang/chill/party (whatever you want to call it) for the weekend. If by Thursday, I'd still have no plans, I'd go on a semi-internal depression/panic mode. i may be exaggerating but judge me anyway.

But now, I'm home on a Friday night. I hardly got out of bed all day. I just ate ice cream (had my chipped tooth pulled out) in front of my TV and/or laptop. and then that kenny roger's takeout. The point is, I'm feeling okay (quite happy actually) about it and i don't have even have the slightest urge to go out. Regardless of the tooth extraction.

Ming and I attribute this to our current mantra: "tiguwang naman gud ta (trans: we're getting old)." I wonder if that's really the reason though.

Maybe, the laagan-ness, playful face (kiat ug nawng)-phase will come back. maybe it won't. either way, i'm not complaining. :)

Oh well.

2009-03-19T08:16:09Z

I was 99% sure I wouldn't make it. Still sucks bad though.

on my present "career"

2009-02-25T06:14:50Z

Most of the time, I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

I don't love it, I don't hate it either. It just feels 'wrong' sometimes, like I'm not supposed to be here.

Pre-quarter life crisis much?

now i don't know where this is coming from

2009-01-13T02:03:50Z

sometimes i feel like i'm just floating through life. not really living it. *insert eye-rolling here*

yeah, get a grip, self.

by far the best parental reaction ever

2008-12-25T07:35:13Z

after showing papa the new tat:

papa: magpa-tattoo sad kaha ko noh (maybe i should also get a tattoo)

meinrado rocks!

Pacman rocks the House (of Representatives, that is)

2008-12-11T10:09:41Z

You would've thought it was God's second coming yesterday when Pacman arrived at the House.

There was a rally against charter change outside and farmers were trooping to the building to discuss CARP with the Congressmen. Of course, these issues were stomped on when the people's champ walked in the session hall.

(Yeah i was too far, hence it's blurred. but this was during the pic taking. you get the picture)

Debate on CARP's approval, Cha cha, and reproductive health bill? forgotten.

Yeah, they actually had a house resolution commending manny for his win. i didn't even know they could do that. maybe they can. i'm still a newborn in learning all things legislative.

but come on, suspending session to have a picture taking session with him? (Nograles: OK, all congressmen from mindanao, let's have an exclusive pic; then worse, ok all lady legislators let's have a picture taken with pacman -- reminds me of those official wedding photo shoots, with the newlyweds' relatives, with the newlyweds friends, stuff like that).

then the one who handed him his resolution was his congressional rival in 2007, darlene custodio. talk about the perfect cheesy set-up. then the gallery erupted into shouts of kiss!kiss! comedic. but then they did kiss, on the cheek.

and then he was also made to sit on the speaker's chair. an omen? hope not. oh God, i hope not.

manny, you know i love you. but your 'kamao' isn't going to eliminate poverty and make our economy better; and im sure your hand will break if you punch 'em corrupt officials one by one. there are simply too many.

i'm proud of the fact though that when you fight, crime rate is zero. too bad we can't make you do it everyday. you could have been dead a long time ago.

but props to you, if you're going to run for president right now, you'll win. all the congressman already have your back.

yeah, i don't have pics with him cause everyone wanted one with him. people were waiting outside during the presscon. for once, i thank the heavens for that press ID.

a guy had the nerve to ask: why do you support the president? (earning a collective murmur). manny, being did the whole generic answer: "because if we don't support our President, our country will never improve." no comment.

because archduke franz ferdinand is a pineapple

2008-12-04T07:03:12Z

It's been a few days since that exam that i always talked about before (yeah it's pretty annoying sometimes but it's that big of a deal to me).

anyway, to rant, i've never experienced near-brain damage as much as in those three days. my friend mina's brain must have died too as well. In the world history exam, she was supposed to write "archduke franz ferdinand" but then her brain shut off for a second and she ended up writing "pineapple". yeah that's how bad it was.

I'll just take comfort in the fact that 1. i can always take it two more times 2. there are other ways to have a career abroad without damaging my brain 3. if the president of the philippines by the time i'm of age is a friend of mine, i can always ask him/her to make me an ambassador to spain or some cool country like that.

for those planning to take it in their lifetime, i can remember some of the questions (well, theyre not word for word but you get the idea):

1. how are world war I and world war II concrete examples of the development of imperialism and colonialism?

2. what did the five civilizations (china, india, persia, rome, greece) leave as a legacy to the present world?

3. discuss the us war on iraq using the international relations theory of realism

4. if you were a protocol officer and the king of spain came for a visit, how would you tell him about rizal's life, work and his place in the emergence of the nation? how would you narrate to him the details of rizal's execution by the spaniards? would you make him apologize?

5. if you were the cultural attache of the philippine embassy in the US and it was your national day, what would you tell the US secretary of state if he asked you why phil. independence day was transferred from july 4 to june 12?

6. what are your views on the ASEAN way?

7. explain the relationship between population and the development of the country.

8. and then there was something about jpepa and formulating the country's "national interest".

9. explain the similarities and differences of the 3 edsa revolutions.

and i cant remember anymore. the questions aren't even impossible to answer. but when they stare you in the eye, you get woozy and you just want to curl up and die.

i'm still young anyway, and i've got two more tries.

OR, again, i'll just have to make friends with the president.

yeah, cause i like to rant like that

2008-11-12T16:36:30Z

sometimes (or rarely), i'm so positive about things -- that they'll turn out okay and that all will fall into place.

most of the time though, i just feel screwed.

let's turn that around shall we.

gah. quarter life crisis. and i'm still two years short of 25.

this is how the world should be...

2008-11-07T07:54:59Z

revel in the randomness of this post

2008-11-05T10:59:08Z

I wouldn't call it being in a rut. Cause I don't feel like I don't have direction. As a matter of fact, I pretty much know what I want to be, and every possibility is there to get to that place.

The road to getting there though -- I didn't imagine it to be this difficult. I can't even use the '"cause I'm a working girl" excuse, cause that part of my life isn't even the main cause of the stress. I think it's cause i've been going home to an empty condo unit for the past 3(?) weeks, which depresses me to the core. Sometimes, it takes away the motivation to study. So much for being thankful for the time alone. (and for revelling in the 'independent' feeling). a girl can only take so much independence.

The biggest exam of my life is less than a month away and so far I've read 3/4 of this highschool history book (I'm in the post WWII part already). and as much as i hate to do it, i know i have to proceed to the nosebleed called economics and trade. and then all those international relations theories. Pressure, pressure. I might just crack.

God knows how much I want this. But i still feel that i'm not doing enough.

and so

2008-10-24T10:43:51Z

whoever came up with the cliche(?) your sadness is your own, is so right.

TRANSLATION PLEASE

2008-09-19T02:49:42Z

i think this has been going around for a while now. but it's a riot anyway

1. Black Hawk Down - Ibong Maitim sa Ibaba
2. Dead Man's Chest - Dodo ng Taong Patay
3. I Know What You Did Last Summer - Uyy... Aminin!
4. Love, Actually - Sa Totoo Lang, Pag-ibig
5. Million Dollar Baby - 50 Milyong Pisong Sanggol (depende sa exchange rate)
6. The Blair Witch Project - Ang Proyekto ng Bruhang si Blair
7. Mary Poppins - Si Mariang May Putok
8. Snakes on a Plane - Nag-ahasan sa Ere
9. The Postman Always Rings Twice - Ang Kartero Kapag Dumutdot Laging Dalawang Beses
10. Sum of All Fears - Takot Mo, Takot Ko, Takot Nating Lahat
11. Swordfish - Talakitok
12. Pretty Woman - Ganda ng Lola Mo
13. Robin Hood, Men in Tights - Si Robin Hood at Ang Mga Felix Bakat
14. Four Weddings and a Funeral - Kahit Apat na Beses ka Pang Magpakasal, Mamamatay Ka Rin
15. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Ako, Ikaw, Kayong Lahat
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Adik si Harry, Tumira ng Shabu
17. Click - Isang Pindot Ka Lang
18. Brokeback Mountain - May Nawasak sa Likod ng Bundok ng Tralala/Bumigay sa Bundok
19. The Day of the Dead - Undas
20. Waterworld – Pista ng San Juan
21 . There's Something About Mary - May K'wan sa Ano ni Maria
22. Employee of the Month - Ang Sipsip
23. Resident Evil - Ang Biyenan
24. Kill Bill - Kilitiin sa Bilbil
25. The Grudge - Lintik lang ang Walang Ganti
26. Nightmare Before Christmas - Binangungot sa Noche Buena
27. Never Been Kissed - Pangit Kasi
28. Gone in 60 Seconds - 1 Round Lang, Tulog
29. The Fast and the Furious - Ang Bitin, Galit
30. Too Fast, Too Furious - Kapag Sobrang Bitin, Sobrang Galit
31. Dude, Where's My Car - Dong, Anong Level Ulit Tayo Nag-park?
32. Beauty and the Beast - Ang Asawa ko at ang Nanay Nya
33. The Lord of the Rings - Ang Alahero
34. Die Hard - Hindi Mamatay-matay
35. Die Hard, With A Vengeance - Hindi Na Mamatay-matay, Nag-higanti Pa
36. Lost In Space - Mga Tangang Naligaw sa Kalawakan
37. Paycheck - Sweldo
38. What Lies Beneath - Ang Pagsisinungaling sa Ilalim
39. Superman, The Return - Si Superman Bumalik, Naiwanan Ang Brief
40. Cinderella Man - Bading si Cinderella
41. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Nag-trabaho si Charlie sa Goya
42. Blade Runner - Magnanakaw ng Labaha
43. Schindler's List - Mga May Utang kay Schindler
44. Men In Black - Mga Lalaking Namatayan
45. X-Men, The Last Stand - Mga Dating Lalaki, Huling Tinayuan
46. Wedding Crashers - Mga Bwiset sa Kasal
47. The Day After Tomorrow - Sa Makalawa
48. Three Men and a Baby - Ang Tatlong Yayo
49. Catch Me If You Can - Habulin Mo 'Ko
50. A Bug's Life - Ang Buhay ng Isang Surot
51. Die Another Day - Mamatay Ka Uli Bukas
52. The Rock - Ang Shabu
53. Jaws - Panga
54. Back to the Future - Sa Likod ng Hinaharap
55. In the Line of Fire - Tumulay ka sa Alambreng may Apoy
56. Saturday Night Fever - Sabado ng Gabi, may Trangkaso
57. Stepmom - Tapakan si Inang
58. Brother Bear - Kuya Oso
59. Police Academy - Paaralan ng Mga Buwaya
60. The English Patient - Ang Pasyenteng Inglesera
61. Man on Fire - Nasusunog na Mama
62. The Horse Whisperer - Ang Tsismoso ng mga Kabayo
63. Dante's Peak - Ang Bumbunan ni Dante
64. Legends of the Fall - Ang Kasaysayan ng mga Lampa
65. The Forgotten - Ewan

What if this happens to you...

2008-09-08T03:34:23Z

OH SHITE.

2008-08-31T12:28:22Z

This photo's too hot to keep for myself

2008-08-28T03:39:44Z

Spain's (and England's) finest:

From L-R: my future husband, my ex-husband, my tennis instructor/lover, the one who got away, lover of ming

The Gorm Scandal

2008-08-26T03:31:36Z

Haha kidding. Thanks to cousin charlie for posting the pic on facebook.

Oh God. People get scary when they're bored

2008-08-20T12:52:05Z

Model: Maria Jane C. Paredes

Model: Julian Arriola

Oh God. People get scary when they get bored..\

2008-08-20T12:48:35Z

Man, if priests looked this good...

2008-08-20T03:31:24Z

People would flock to church every single day. Okay, that didn't sound right.

Let's go to church in Italy now!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE WEIRDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD!!!!

2008-08-19T16:10:11Z

i loff yew <3

Kung pwede palang

2008-08-07T03:36:34Z

Kung pwede palang malibang ug kwarta, wala na akong dagway niining nasura.

Gorgeous poem (thanks Cha)

2008-08-06T17:06:24Z

this anonymous Indian poet didn't need to say much to sum it all up:

Behold the skill
of the bowman, Love,
that leaving the body whole,
he breaks the heart within.

my thoughts exactly

2008-07-31T03:06:47Z

The Sona experience

2008-07-29T05:25:26Z

Being the only representative from my newspaper, and since I could not tear my body in half, I spent the whole morning at the rallies and the Batasan in the afternoon.

Even if I smelled like last week's garbage after everything, for once, I felt proud of myself. I did not wish for this 'career' -- haha i have to use that word (and it was more of my mom who 'pushed' me to be a 'journalist'), I decided to give it a shot.

It's not bad at all -- the running around to chase politicians, having that split second of getting star(?)struck but you realize that you have to talk to them just to come up with a story.

There's also the fact that being new in this 'career' (there it goes again), I don't really know half of the issues surrounding those people. hell, i don't even know half of their names. so what i did was squeeze and force myself into the throng of reporters and under the huge cameras (and cameramen) of the biggest television stations. I would strain to hear what they were saying and stretch my hand out to direct my recorder to the person's mouth. that was the only time i knew what their issues were.

too bad i couldn't get into the plenary hall. I was there already but the security person saw that my ID had no sticker on it so we were forced out. darn.

i don't want to share my opinions on what the president had to say. but after listening to everything, i didn't feel that i missed much by not being able to go inside the hall. most of the action happened outside.

what frustrated me was the whole arrivals part -- it was like the oscars red carpet. i mean yeah, you had to dress appropriately for the event but posing for more than a few seconds for the camera? come on. people outside can't even afford clothes and shoes. i'm sure Filipinos -- especially those who are having a hard time surviving -- will be even angrier because of all the pretension:

then there was my stupidity --not noticing that the president was already arriving right behind me. i think it was because people didn't really cheer loudly, or at all. manny pacquiao, on the other hand, received applause and chanting from the people.

and i'm sorry i just had to have this picture taken:

and this:

'till the next one!

You know you're not yourself when...

2008-06-17T23:40:26Z

you accidentally pour vinegar into your pancakes. Yeah it happened to me just this morning.

Damn, Mcdo, why don't you have labels on your sauce containers? and damn me cause i didn't even check if i really got the pancake syrup. But damn you Mcdo, why do u put the vinegar and pancake syrup on one tray?

thats not the worst part. the worst part was i ate it. and no, it wasn't because it tasted good. dami kasing batang hindi nakakakain ng 3 beses sa isang araw.

now that gave me a major morning jolt.