friendship and sunsets

For so long in my life, I have taken people for granted. Seldom have I been really there for my friends when they have a problem. Seldom do I really keep in touch for the sake of preserving that bond. Seldom have I sincerely listened. And one by one, they're leaving the country. I was born and raised as a transient. And so I have the very little ability to develop deep relationships. But this does not discount me from being a true friend. How little have I given back for the beautiful moments that my friends have given me. The sound of my friends' laughter, cheers, tears, interesting remarks, corny remarks, hi-decibel screams and the rythm of conversations resounded inside me somehow, this morning. As I kept my heart and mind silent for a while, I heard the symphony it played in my soul. I feel regret for all those friendships I have allowed to slip into the shadowed corners of my memory. And at the same time I feel renewed strength to preserve what I have now.

Now I realize why sunsets are beautiful. As the sun slips away beneath the vast horizon, we realize how beautiful the day is. Our last glimpse of that amber light all at once brings the memories of days past. At the same time, as it hides beyond our sight, we appreciate it more because it is bound to disappear.

The dreadful night fills us. And makes us ache for the day.

And then there's the sunrise...

unbearably "konyotic"

Been out the whole day, went to Quiapo to check on the digicam I had repaired(which was not yet fixed), paid the credit card bill and renewed my NBI clearance.

It was just another urban adventure day, really. Another pleasing and fulfilling day, when...

I was on my way home: tired, but happy, riding the FX. Then there's this guy (im assuming he's male but not necessary masculine) who paid his fare and asked something in this fashion:

"Manong, magkano po papuntang junk-shun, chooweny, oh choowenyfayv?" (20 or 25)

Gimme a fkn break! Wasn't he supposed to say "junkshon, tuwenty, o tuwenty fayb?" or say, "twenty, or twenty five?" What's the deal with that? Why try so hard to sound sophisticated and end up sounding utterly ridiculous.

I seem to be some monstrous, trying-hard social critic, but c'mon, who's not pissed off by these socialites who speak some hybrid english-filipino pseudo-dialect, be it rich, filthy rich, or pretending to be rich? Sure, we comprehend, that's no problem. But why speak that way? See, there's no such thing as taglish. It's just plain irritating how they pronounce these words intentionally. And the way they speak Filipino as if there tounges were tagged with "Made in the USA." But then again, maybe its not there fault, maybe it's their parents who were under the illusion that when their kids spoke in such a manner, the children'll sound, sosyal. Total crap.

So there, I just needed to release that tension eating me. And to that guy, whomever you are, I'm sorry, I've just been keeping this issue inside me long enough. And try to speak proper Filipino, because seriously, you'll get nowhere pronouncing numbers like that, and neither will you get anywhere speaking the vernacular like that. Wait, maybe you'll get admittance into the Filipino United Club Konyo .

Sometimes I feel evil.

dies familiae

Official family day. All seven of us drove up to QC to have lunch at my grandma's home. The whole Crazy Bunch.

We got there and we ate, pronto.

For me, the highlight of our visit was our grandmother.



And there she is. My grandma. Why did I post her picture up here? Why is there a water cooler at the right side? Is that the kitchen? what are these questions for?

She thinks I'm still in the seminary. I went up to her and I did that 'mano' thing, which i haven't done in a long time, and she whispered to me, "Pagkatapos ng apat na taon ako ng magmamano sayo."

I was chilled to the marrow. In order to keep her happy, some of my kin convinced me to keep her from the fact that I have gone out of the seminary. Hell, I've been out for almost three years now. My conscience bites me like a rabid dog! But what of her tender and fragile heart? Everyday she goes to pray that I'd be priest someday, since her three ex-seminarian sons went off and had lots of kids. I'd be her only hope, in some way. That me being the priest might uplift our hazy clan to salvation. I'm just speculating.

Today's easter sunday. And I felt God knocking at my soul... i sat for a few minutes and pondered... I fell into some serious deep-thinking spiritual hole. I felt a spiritual reawakening of sorts... If there were only more space in a blog that it would be bearable to read.

And to the lighter side of things! :) and there we were, at grandma's home. Did I mention they have a sunroof at the dining room? suhh-weet!

And there was food. lots of it. I didn't have my monstrous appetite with me though... I wonder why.

Here are my two little sisters(andee and alex)! Two mischievious, spoiled, bratty, and totally adorable little sisters!


I think the younger one(alex) is still watching nickelodeon at this hour. Insomniac, just like kuya.

And there they are, posing wide mouthed and ready to gorge on a luscious chunk of kuchinta, is that how it's spelled? Maybe that's kutsinta. or Koochinta. or whatever.

HEY! is that my father sleeping in the background? Yup, that's papa. It ruins the moment a little bit. But hey, that's my father, I can't just photoshop him out at my whim!



There...now don't forget to chew those hideous-looking treats, alex! hehe.
(I should have asked papa to move a bit. hehe.)



And that's me!! goofing off! alex does appear to be annoyed... Well, she is! (hehe)


And that's my younger bro. goofing off with alex! Aren't we one big bunch of goofballs?

And so we goofed off a little bit more. Us grown-ups also had a little chitchat about certain affairs about the family, religion, government, career prospects abroad, and a couple more interesting blah-blahs. When the time came when 6 out 7 Arugay family members were yawning, we knew it was time to hit the road.

On the way home, we decided to hit the supermarket. Boy, the two little girls and I made such a racket!





"I think we need more tequila, and some salt."


















It's sad how the media influences kids these days. Look at that, my sister's thinking of eating ice cream through her eyes!















WAAAAAAAAAH. Free us from this crazy sibling of ours!


We went to the cash register, chaching, drove out, went home, ate something, and all went ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Except me. I feel perked up today.
I read up a bit of Kafka, juice up my dying brain a bit.

I love my family. :)

marathon time!

My eyes are bleeding, but im having one helluva relaxin' week.Paradoxical, ain't it? I've put my dvd player and tv in overdrive. So much that it spontaneously turned itself off at one point. Scary part is, Ive grown an extra pair of eyes right one my forehead, so that i can watch while the other pair rests. I've consumed caffeine with a syringe. I have binged in-between screenings. And I think I've grown a substantial amount of blob.

So far I've seen fifteen movies, an impressive number by my standards. I've literally upset my body rythm: sleeping at 6am, waking up at twelve, bummin around till the evening, sometimes playing tekken5 in the afternoons, then going back to the movies round late at night.

1. malena
2. skeleton key
3. perfect catch
4. 25th hour
5. assasination of richard nixon
6. coach carter
7. just like heaven
8. paradise now
9. adaptation
10. chronicles of narnia
11. wasabi
12. the constant gardener
13. zathura
14. the siege
15. the birdcage

my favorites? malena, 25th hour, coach carter, adaptation, the siege and the birdcage.
I'd love to review every one of these movies. But hell, who would care to read it?

Am I turning to a movie geek? nahh. I don't know the actors and actresses names by heart yet, but maybe sometime soon, cuz they keep turning up in every movie!

next on the list? breakfast at tiffany's, paris when it sizzles, and the instinct.

Then we'll have an anthony hopkins marathon, then a Godfather marathon, CSI marathon, then if we're still alive, maybe we'll dig into the Akira Kurasawa collection.

Shit, I forgot, I'm supposed to go to the bank, look for a job, and take a trip to quiapo by this monday. So I'll guess I'd stop with the next three movies on my list.

staying indoors @ subic

Last week at subic with the family. We stayed at subic homes somewhere in the higher part of subic. It was a cozy house with central air conditioning.(sweet!) So what did we do? For starters, we had some world class food fest up there. Food till your throwing up and taking a dump at the same time(Frankfurters, hashbrowns, pasta, barbecue, shrimp, pineapple rice, garlic rice, beef and potatoes and a hell lot more). We decided not to hit the beach because the temperature was scorching hot and the beach was so crowded it look like sea lion mating season on discovery channel! So we thought of other things to occupy ourselves while staying in. We've been to subic a thousand times and going around won't be that much fun anymore. We skipped karting though. Here are some things we did...

For instant, camwhoring. :)

Here's an action sequence. (with my younger brother, Andrew)



some horror movie scenes. :p (With my younger sister, Audrey)


indoor running...


and stuffing cigarretes wherever...


so there. We also engaged in normal people activities, such as... (don't we just look happy right there. :) [clockwise, me, Andrew, Audrey, Matthew(my Cuz)]

And folding tons of origami cranes...


It was not a total photo coverage. And we had tons and tons of embarassing photos. Maybe I'm just too lazy to post more.

We also went to a local party down at the docks, then we hit pier1 @ subic, where I happened to bump into my ex. (Pleasantly awkward moment, if i may say.) The bands there were so lame, we enjoyed mocking them. I had a crush on a promo girl too.

I just can't imagine i tried to hold those cigarretes with my eyes... I wasn't drunk at that time, just plain bored. plain, crazy bored.

Today's good friday, holy week, maybe next blog I'll post all the movies I've rubbed eyes with. I've watched more than ten since monday. :)