scarier than halloween

and now im back after a month's hiatus. who would have thought that i'd completely skip october? this project is just insane. imagine 14 hours of work 5 times a week... i am drag...

but for these couple of weeks i was gone, i did not allow myself to drown in despair... no no... not my style at all. while i worked my butts off on weekdays, i let loose on weekends... hmmm... not really but never mind, you know what i mean probably. wahihihi. limited rest indeed! if i were in a similar situation back in the philippines, i will surely whither in no time. (family is not part of the comparison of course. nothing beats the comforts of family. V(^o^)V ) good thing im not!

updates... hmm... well, too bad now though that a new law was passed in japan. p2p downloading is now prohibited!!! now what is the use of a fast internet connection if downloading is illegal, you may ask. well, streaming is still allowed though so i'm not that panicky yet. (who downloads porn these days? oops... slip of the finger. wahihihi) but it really was a huge blow though. finding online versions of your favorite movies and series can be a little frustrating. it takes skill to know what keywords to search for. lol... the new law somehow minimized my things to do when bored in japan.

but who needs internet when there is...

food!!! yum yum

oooops.. that last one was intended. lol.

and...

better left unsaid

There are things better left unsaid. Last friday was a little bare all for me. Why were they suddenly asking those questions?

It was a little embarrassing. Really, i do get shy as well. I was embarrassed and got red too. If not for some alcohol (alcohol loosens the tongue, though i'm not yet drunk but at least i'm good in acting) i wouldn't be able to answer those. With charm hopefully... who would have thought that they would ask about my sexuality? Hmm. Next topic please -- if i had the choice but that would be so uncool. No charm at all. And besides, i know that i will have to deal with it sometime... with people who matters most. Better try to explain now and gain some confidence, practice should i say?

All i got left was to say what i feel, that is not hard at all. But that made them more confused. Who wouldn't be? I'm confused myself; i wouldn't expect them not to be. Bwahhaha. Just allow me to explore some more and then maybe i will have the answer by then. But right now i am an asexual being. Oh wait, that is not the right term but i haven't thought much about that so let me explore both worlds for now. Whoever comes and makes me happy, i would gladly accept. The lack of experience is a big part of it...

And that makes all the difference.

But what shocked me more was how others handled the same question. Awkward but it doesn't matter. The question was awkward in the first place. And who wants to talk that stuff with your boss? No one! Hope my mouth saved him a bit, let all the attention be mine for something this weird.

Better left unsaid right? It'd better be.


PS. the thai food was great. Spicy but great. But whatever comes in, needs to come out. Imagine how spicy that was. bwahahahha.

hachijojima 2009 sept, 21-23 day 2(the beach experience 2)

what a beautiful morning. i woke up with adventure in my head. we readied for the day and embraced the sun, off we went at 6:30am.

oh we had to climb down the woods once more but i heard no complaints. this must be the effect of the the cool, fresh air. we reached the main road finally. and it was deserted. nothing. complete calmness. we can have photo sessions for hours in the middle of the road. uhmm, how are we to reach our destination again?

oh my god! as i've mentioned, this is another unending travel... by foot!

first on the list, fureai bokujou near the peak of hachijou-fuji. all mountains seemed so easy to climb after the fuji expedition. we were initially told that we can hitch hike to the top but where are the damn cars? halfway there, we were still on foot. the long winding road was breathtaking though.

hachijojima 2009 sept, 21-23 day 1(the beach experience 2)

this one was actually not a beach experience per se but more like an island escapade.

hachijojima is an island in the pacific about 300 kilometers down south from tokyo. though relatively far, it is still under tokyo government. now what have gotten into our minds to even go there? i don't know really, but it sure was fun and lots of exercise. wahahha.

we rode on a ferry from tokyo on the 20th night time. surprisingly, the ferry was quite stable; i would hesitate riding one in the philippines especially if it takes this long. the whole trip took around 12 hours with a sore butt. it was broad daylight when we reached the island. no complaints though; the air was fresh.

the sin

had some time alone last saturday. all of my housemates went somewhere. they are all busy with their lives which is like the opposite of mine. the house is so empty... and so silent... and so empty... and so silent... this is driving me crazy.

i browsed for my daily dose of asian stuff. i even watched live feeds for some show airing somewhere. good way to kill time.. great music. hmmm. good music for working out. out of the blue, i did some floor exercises to flatten this bulging tummy. that was fun and hard. great way to sweat it out. ohhh, the show ended and the house felt empty... and silent...

out of the blue, i played "hiphop abs". and after two 40-minute sessions, waaaah.. these routines are killing me. its fun grooving it out, but you feel the burn all over. why are my arms in pain when the program is called "hiphop abs"???? owwww.. this is too much. but i would love to do this again some other time. i just need to eat dinner though.

so out i went, ate dinner and strolled. as i wondered, i wandered... i thought of stuff i normally don't think of. and then i'm far away from home. i guess thinking is bad for me. the more i think, the more i get lost (pun intended). i think too much thinking is bad but yet, i was thinking even with that statement.

my housemates have gone out too long now so i called up only to find out that they went clubbing. owkey... i didn't even know about that. at least they should have invited me. but then i still would have declined. but still, there is a big difference right?

yesterday, sunday we all went to kawasaki to buy things for our fuji mountain climbing expedition. i bought a thicker winter jacket just because it was in the news that someone died from freezing in fuji. i just don't wanna die yet so i'd rather be prepared. much to my surprise, i think i would not die from climbing a mountain but rather from over eating. we had a buffet for lunch and another one for dinner. it is very hard to even laugh nor bend down to get things from the floor.

then there was a long earthquake. maybe it is a sign from above that i've eaten much and should leave right away. but no.... the earthquake didn't stop us from eating more. oh my. all the calories i burned the day before were replenished in 8 folds. oh my...

gluttony kills...

drunken state...

as alcohol is slowly getting down my stomach and into my head, i am composing this blog. i'm a little tipsy and my world is getting heavy.... is this how it is to be drunk???? my stomach is so so heavy... and big.... and heavy... and big... and big......

today is the despidida for one of my colleague; he will be going home to the philippines after assigned for two years in japan. good for him, he will be going home finally... but thinking about it, i think i have nothing to do back home so it's better for me to be here.

as a despidida, we invited friends over. we invited people who know how to cook... at least we ate delicious home cooked meals.... yum yum... and drank whiskey/whisky after... of all the alcohol i have tried, whiskey is the hardest to take in...

shots came after shots and people changed behavior... its good to observe these changes... but i'm quite surprised to be one of the remaining survivors... i know i'm a little drunk, but at least i'm still sane, i think... i know my world is revolving right now but i have still written this blog. maybe i'm not making any sense in this entry but yeah... just trying to write something and read it when i'm sober. it seems i'm free atthis time so i don't know ... just for fun. ill laugh at all of these tomorrow.

i don't understand at all why people drink. as a friend said, she gets a nice feeling during her altered state... i don't get this at all.. why would you feel nice when you are not even sure of what you are doing, why would you even feel good when you are unsure of what you are doing... unsure of any dangers lurking... my drunk mate just wentout of the apartment, i don't know where to but we did told her to be still... stop... dont go, we tried to stop her... but we all are drunk so no ne can stop... i'm too lazy to even stop her... by the way, she is the one who said she likes the feeling of her altered state... she just came back now and is having er time at the toilet... too much to drink and too much to vomit...

by the way, im doing this blog in a mac machine... i just bought one recently... i overspending money...

now the drunk woman is vomiting all the way, making all the noise... sounds gross but im drunk... ill got over it... bye...

bye...

the valentine affair

when housemates celebrate their birthday, the first thing that comes to mind is vodka. it has somehow bacame a tradition, vodka to celebrate the birthday. does that even make sense? wahihihi...

i can handle alcohol well. i don't get irrational that easily, a surprising realization eventhough i have only learned alcohol drinking when i came here in japan last december of 2007. who would have thought that i actually have high tolerance to drinks. but this night was different.

i ate lots prior to the birthday-vodka-party because of the following reasons.

• i was all happy and hopeful making the previous post so i unconsciously munched lots.it all turned out that i shouldn't have had been happy. he only said "come to me anytime you want" but never mentioned that he will be there at those times. i did came but he was nowhere to be found. how unfortunate. refer to the previous blog for more of that.

• and it was valentines day where women give chocolates to men. i received a bunch from my female housemates. if i didn't ask for them i wouldn't know if they will ever give me one. wahihih... i am a chocolate addict and i will never back down with chocolates. ate them all!!!

we were 5 (2 ladies included) drinking 2 bottles. the taste was pretty weird. i can only taste the sweet chocolates. vodka has never tasted so much sweeter.

we told jokes and i laughed pretty hard. but i just can't remember most of them.

the night before was all blurry.

that was my valentines experience.

i really hope i can spend it next time with someone.

alcohol

two weeks ago, my roommates and i were invited to a birthday bash. it was a good thing being around lots of people who speak the same language as you do. but you just need to be cautious of what you say since everybody understands. living in a foreign country, we have already developed a mindset -- speak whatever you want in your own language, they won't be able to understand it anyway... it is even funny that we speak Cebuano (a language spoken in Cebu, Philippines) packed together with some sign language and the Japanese still understands them. actions surely do speak louder than words, this i have come to acknowledge.

the celebrant was actually from a competitor company so you may wonder how we got along. of course we were students before we became young professionals, and friends part ways during employment. you get the picture right??? back home, a scenario like this may be awkward. but here in Japan, you will be happy just being with your countrymen. and as i've said everybody understands what you are saying so be wary. you can't just drop any side comments and get away with it. so here i am trying to fit in to a jigsaw puzzle: fit in nicely, that is. creating bonds that i hope would last and would not tarnish.

the food was great. though every food tastes great to a non-cooker, these can be compared to a chef's. i have never imagined that you can do this much and this tasty in a country where all the ingredients are spelled in a different way. i really had my time in the dining area. this was heaven compared to my slave-like life -- eating my heart out with food you didn't work hard for. a feast like this would have cost me a week's allowance but here it was offered right in front of me. yum yum... tasty! and here comes the cake (how could a birthday have none)... wow!!! ice cream cake on a winter's night. sumptuous!!!

after dinner, we were on our own camps (competitor companies remember!). though we were from the same island in the Philippines, our culture was definitely different. no need to expound on this but yeah our mean selves surfaced: we were thinking of mean things towards the other camp. my mates talked mean and i agreed (evil me!)... wahihihihi.

then there goes the main dish, whiskey and vodka... woaaah... shots came after shots and the camps fused playing charades... shots came after shots and people were now leaning on each other--it is just hard to stand on two feet... leaning-tower-of-pisa-people sprouted one after another. restrooms and sinks slowly crowded. no wonder most 'miracles' happen when drunk; people's words slipped after another. pent up emotions, disappointments, words intended for close buddies overflowed... inhibitions lost... too much drama is in the air as the room turned into a hot dance floor. shots after shots and people fell. only the strong were left... shots after shots and i'm still taking them... what??? you mean, am i this strong of a drunkard?? ows... the first time i drank was here in Japan and that was like a year ago... am i that strong now???? what an excellent student i was. ows... i should stop this act soon...

as people vanished, the few strong once remained. no more drinking though but clean up time is here... here i am surprised by my intoxicated acts, ordered everyone around... go sleep now, go and find that lost girl, go and calm her down, stop disturbing her, get out of here and find somewhere else to sleep, so concerned of everyone. waaaaah... so fatherly... why was i not like this when drunk at home? i only laughed to my heart's extent when at home, but here i am surprised as my roommates were, showed a different side. i never knew that i can be like this. but as surprised as i am with myself, same was it with them...

morning came and yeah we talked it out. we laughed at each others behavior. but still i was in awe with everything.

no wonder...

(58) suliran ni bossing niadtong 10-30-2008...

usa kani ka isturya sa among kauban nga laki
itago na lang nato sa pangalan nga bokkie.
sa yang kinabuhi siya naulawan
ug ako igo ra mo katawa sa taman.

usa kaadlaw na huebes kadto
si bokkie sa iidabashi nag-inusara niadto.
ug sa dihang sa takna nga alas dose impunto
"kaon na" ang gihunahuna, mao ra ang sulod sa ulo.

sa opisina, siya nagdali ug hawa
kay lagi excited mukaon, ug unya...
didto sa baratuhong yoshinoya baya
siya nilingkod, waiter gipangita.

pagkahuman sa malami niya nga pagkaon,
gochisousamadeshita unta kung kabalo pa muhinapon.
pitaka gikuha para mubayad na unta
ug hala sa dakong pagkakurat, 80 yen ra ang nakita.

gikulbaan ug sugod, agtang gipaningot.
kay ngano man intawon sa kwarta siya nakalimot!
nagwarawara sa kamot para makasabot
ang waiter nga hapon sa iyang atubangan nagmug-ot.

gihatagan niya ug ngalan, telephone number ug uban pa
kuyog sa hangyo nga siya mubalik ra.
ang waiter intawon siguro nagduhaduha
maayo na lang sa katapusan, nagkasinabtanay ra sila.

pwerti niyang sutoy sa ATM sa unahan
savings sa bangko hinuon ang nakuhaan.
sa utok "kauwaw", mao ra ang nagdagan
apan unsaon ta man, uwahi na ang tanan.

hala bokkie paningkamot na lang.
butangi ug dyes mil ang bulsa daan.

56 - ang mungos...

ug sa dihang ang bisdak naabot sa japan, didto ra siya nakaamgo kung unsa kalami ang mungos.... bow....

murag duha na kami ka adlaw nagsige ug hisgot sa mungos... unsa man gud diay ba ang anaa sa mungos??? kung ako pa ang pasultihon, pulo na ko ka buwan nganhi sa japan pero karon pa gyud intawon ako nakatilaw ug balik sa malamian na mungos.. ug kung nganong mungos ang nahisulod sa alimpatakan sa mga tawo, ambot kana wala gyud ko kasabot....

upat kami na nagbahin sa duha ka plastik sa mungos na among gipalit... kung wala koy katunga ato, aw di sad gyud ko mupalit oi... kakapoy ug luto ug munggos ah... kadaghan ana ug steps... maayo unta ug itak-ang lang unya maluto ra ug iyaha... hala... lat-an pa baya ang mungos unya mag-gisa pa unya sabawan... kakapoy ah... ang hulugason pa gyud... di na madala oi... ug mao kadto ang background sa mungos na gipalit.. igo ra ko mukaon ani ug dili gyud movolunteer ug luto... magkinamatay pa, dili gyud...

"ang mungos na gilat-an na gibutang sa prejeder, mabaho ba kaha kadto????" mao kani ang gipanghunahuna sa mga tawo niadtong domingo... gilat-an ra ha... kana ganing gipabukalan pa... wala pay subak... of course, dili sad ako ang naglata ato... wahahah... mungos man among gisud-an pagka sabado unya gidaghan na lang ug lata kay pwerte man gud dugaya lat-an aning munggos... kagagmay ra man unta aning lisuha, pwerte man gahia... mao to ang giplanuhan na lutuon inig ka domingo sa gabii, panihapon unta... ug kay pwerte man gayud pagkatyming sa laag.... ang mungos dili na gayud maluto... "hot topic" kaayo ang mungos oi sa among lakwatsa... murag tanan nalang ipasangil sa mungos... "adto ta sa amo na, pakan-on mo namo ug mungos", yuna pa nila... abi nako ug hangtud aning adlawa ra ang mungos... apan....

pagka ugma, hagba tanang tawo... berthday sa among kauban so nagbinuntagay mi ug tagay... wahahah.. kinsa pa ba gud ang makahunahuna ug luto sa mungos unya... maabtan pa man siguro ug martes ang mungos, matud ko.... wahahha...

oi, giluto ang mungos!!! wala kami nagdungan ug kaon, kay nangatulog pa ang uban... pagkaon nako kay daghan pa man to... nagkuha ko ug usa ka bowl, usual na serving sa mungos na tag-singko... aw lami kaayo ang akong kaon oi... ug sa dihang pagka taud-taud na kay nireklamo man ang katapusan na nakakaon kay gamay na man lang kaayo ang mungos na nahibilin... hala.... asa na man ang mungos na pwerting daghana ganiha???? aw, nahupay ra sad to kay wala man gipansin....

pagka gabii na, nagpalit ug cake among kauban kay lagi birthday man niya.... alangan man ug mukaon diritso sa cake, di nanihapon pa sila.... ug didto, nanggawas ang uban pang mungos... nagtago diay sila ug mungos kay ilang isud-an inig kagabii... hala, gawas nasad tanang isturya sa mungos....

english version to follow...

the friends... (trenta y dos)

while the asean summit was scheduled and road blockages were here and there, we said "hey, why don't we get together?". wow! what a shock... nice timing...

the fateful day, Saturday the 13th--just a day after the summit opening. the fateful time, 6:30--just on time with the road blockages. the fateful place, AA banilad-- convenient for a friend and i but not to 5 others.

i fetched my friend Claudine and headed to the venue together on taxi. we arrived on time and to our surprise no one was there. after growing roots on our seats we were informed that they are still in Ayala with nowhere else to go. traffic was jammed. a change of venue was finally decided (AA USP).

Claudine and i left the area and headed for foodland or country mall and ride taxi from there. to our surprise again, traffic was jammed there too. we waited for an unoccupied cab and nothing came. cabs have vacant signs on but were occupied. wow. how would we know which to stop. whew...

we walked to country mall with hopes of finding more cabs there. shocks, we only found more passengers waiting for cabs. to our desperation, we even planned to hitch a ride to USP. we waited for some more. walked some more. waited again. changed waiting area. still nothing. a suggestion came. why don't we ride motorcycles for hire (habal-habal)? tonk...

the dilemma was between staying there waiting for an empty cab, or ride a motorcycle on which we only knew the destination but with no idea as to which roads it will take. the latter won. and so we did; convinced that it was the only way to move away from this damned place.

the air was cold, freezing. wind was at my face. my wet hair dried, and flew all over. my phone rang. oh OH... who's on the other line can surely wait. wahihihihi. the ride of our lives (exaggerated) took minutes and 40 bucks. one good thing happened with it though, my hair became perfectly done, wind blown. wahihihihi....

we ate as if there's no tomorrow, talked of past and present experiences, drank a little, stayed for a long time there, rebuilt friendships, made bonds stronger. and the rest is history.

to be continued...