Tuesday, May 29, 2007

I was tagged in the midst of my mental turmoil...

perforce, this is voluntarily done, for the sake of having something new in my blog, despite my monastic existence of post-lawschool studies. Seven random things about me, and here it goes...

  1. When I was young, way young, I accidentally locked myself inside the bathroom, which had a glass sliding door. I freaked out literally, thrashing everything inside, throwing water unto myself and at the glass door in the hope of melting it away, while on the other side my mom, grandma and all our househelp were frantically instructing me how to open it from within. Panicky as I was, I didn't understand a word. Eventually, our carpenter pried opened the ceiling and hence my liberation. I was scared to death... and that explains my claustrophobia.
  2. Again, when I was way young, I spent one new year in the hospital, my first and last time I got confined, due to measles. I remember the fireworks exploding outside the hospital windows.
  3. I am a greenbelt shorin-ryu karate kid. Too bad I stopped after the green, which is nothing more than a single step to so much more before I reach the blackbelt.
  4. Around ages 7 to 10, I started reading encyclopedias... Collier's, Britannica, Disney's Encyclopedia, and of course, my favorite, Charlie Brown's Encyclopedia. I had, earlier on, a penchant for history, historic figures and foreign countries.
  5. I have this ability of quickly comprehending languages. Once, during a vacation in Iloilo, and after being exposed for two days to the Kinaray-a dialect, I can answer back simple questions, of course, in tagalog; and unknown to them, I can understand almost everything they said. My chinese friends would ask me basic questions in Fookien, I can answer back, again in Tagalog. I can read quite a bit of Latin, Portuguese, Italian, French, and of course, plenty of Spanish, and understand them, though understanding is quite different from speaking it. To think of it, I wanna brush up my Espanol unotro vez... Quiere a estudiar en Instituto Cervantes?!
  6. I only took two college entrance exams, UP and UST. In UP, I took up Biology (or so I think) and Music, in UST, I took up MedTech and AB Philosophy. I passed the entrance exams in Music, however, the practical exam was set on the date when the results in UST were already posted, hence my dilemma. I picked UST, wherein I passed both choices. I ended up graduating as a Bachelor of Arts Major in Legal Management... and then the rest is history. Prior to that, I had other options in my mind for a major course, such as Journalism and Economics.
  7. Compendium of Significant Firsts: I first started smoking in fourth year highschool. I first got drunk in first year college. My first plane ride was in fourth year high school. The first major physical and mental endurance test I had to endure was to see John Paul II at the balcony of the Nunciature during his visit. We were at the LRT along Taft since 2am. He went out of the balcony around 9 am or about noon time, I think. It was also the first time I got pickpocketed. (probably a non-catholic. hahaha) We were standing on monobloc stools and cheering wildly, when I saw this guy below me, who just stared back. I don't even recall if he was holding my wallet or what... those were the grade school years... and hiphop shorts were the trend, hence, pockets are quite easy to be picked on. I eventually found my wallet lying on the street. All he got was around 20 bucks (think of the FOREX rate back then! It's worth more than you think. hehehe.) Those five or ten minutes of seeing John Paul was worth it... and an experience of a lifetime, you can literally feel the holiness drawing out of him and unto the crowd. Plain and simple collective ECSTACY. (For a clearer reference, see the first two items in the wikipedia entry on the word ecstacy.)

Now, I tag Anya, Kaduwa Areiz and Geng

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

AAARGHHH!!! Nakakasawa na!!! Susuka na ko ng Labor Code!!!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Exile to Malabon...

One thing leads to another…

Two Saturdays ago JL called me up in the late afternoon whilst I was spending some quality time with Joyce. He had sought legal advice regarding search warrants. I must fail to disclose some details due to the somewhat privileged nature of the communication and God knows what, the powers that be of the State could possibly be watching my every move by now.

NOT!!! Hehehe.

After almost a week, he notified me in advance if he could stay in our house (location must not be disclosed. Hahaha.) for one night, whilst his brother will stay in his wife’s and in-laws house somewhere near my house. (This entry should be quashed for qualifying under the ‘void-for-vagueness doctrine.) I hafta oblige as a friend and reciprocate his hospitality and generosity over the years.

Lo and behold, before the expected day of search, the minions of the State came at night to their abode, his family having been tipped off, took flight and sought sanctuary in Southern Metro’s hotels, while my friend on the other hand, didn’t know what to do after, since he was attending to some matters. What scared them was that, for that particular night, checkpoints were set-up, and their fear was possibly being stopped at the checkpoints and being ordered arrested or what. If I were them, I would be scared indeed because of the two kids, and the youngest just being two months old.

So, after the trouble in Paradise, they continued with the plan, which they dubbed as ‘exile to Malabon.’ They couldn’t return to their town until today probably when all campaigning stops.

That Friday night, I was told to watch TV Patrol because a political rally was held by his father’s ‘manok’ that afternoon at the place where the search was conducted the night before, denouncing the acts of the manok’s political rival. I didn’t even listen to what was happening in that particular news segment, all I was looking at was the place, and I can’t believe it, there it was… that place which is my home away from home, where I find rural serenity, away from the noise that is Manila… is now in political turmoil.

Around 8 he came here after dropping off his brother, his brother’s wife and kids at the wife’s house nearby. We talked about the events at my own ‘pantalan’ (otherwise known as the bangkaan) (which btw, I rarely do sit down there, that as a matter of fact some of our bangkeros do not know I even exist, and that they mistake their employer for a passenger at times.)

So, after calling up our other college friend who also lives nearby, we decided to cruise around and look for some place new. After consulting with Cianelle, I decided we should try out that place known as Blue and Gold. She was correct in holding that the new place is far better than Balsa. Themed like a Mediterranean beach-bar with amenities like videoke rooms, private dining halls, live bands, KENO Lottery, and a Badminton Court beside it, it is a hidden sanctuary. The crowd is fine, mostly comprised of the local business class. The price, just right, if not the same with Balsa.

And so, the five of us, in the course of the night, dubbed their stay here as ‘Exile to Malabon.’

Point is, politics is one thing, the law is another… the law should not be used for political abuse… instead, it should be the other way around. Politics is dirty. Period. You can’t prejudice against the law enforcer since there is a presumption of regularity in the performance of duty. It is those who set the things in motion whom we should prejudice about.

xxx xxx xxx xxx

Cianelle and I found our new Coffee Shop just around the corner… Tiffany’s.

It’s a restaurant in Rosas Arcade which serves divergent food --- Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Pinoy dishes. They also serve alternative choices like soy and protein shakes and those thingies which you can see in fitness stores. Of course, COFFEE. Plus, it’s easy on the budget. You just walk out of the place, and you got an instant smoking veranda.
We’re planning on bringing in the Coffee subculture of the Graduate School courses (studying plus the ‘chillax’ mood) to that place. It ain’t that quiet though, it’s Malabon, studying in Coffee shops is unheard of, but nothing that earplugs can’t handle. So, once we spread the word, hopefully, the place would be teeming with the local medicine and law students. Plus, we can go there in our pambahay and cheap chinelas, and saves precious traveling time which could be spent on reading. And speaking of time, it is now time to hit the books.

And btw, Happy Mother’s Day… c”,) (especially to my ex-future-mother-in-law. Haha.)

So, Goodbye Starbucks for now, we found our new tambayan.

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Wednesday, May 09, 2007

narinig mo na ba ang L8st?

Rumor has been running around the gossip mills lately about me for more than two weeks. Allegedly, I am dating/courting someone from 'Encantadia' (Then I asked: SINO?!! Yung Prinsesa?!)

I was so surprised with this gossip. Yes, I have a number of purrty friends from Encantadia, but none of whom I am dating.

While last Saturday, Best and I were strolling along the UST Car Park Mall when I saw two law school friends dining at HotShots Burger, whom I gave the obligatory wave of hand as salutation through the glass doors and windows. After I dropped Best off at Espana, I again came across with these two friends at the Overpass.

"Sino yung ka-holding hands mo?"

"Huh?!"

Gumagawa na ng kwento yun...

Buhay nga naman... parang life ng artista.

Di bale na kung si Aucia yung ma-tsismis sa ken, I'd be the envy of everybody... boys and girls alike. hehehe. c",)

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Thursday, May 03, 2007

It is May already. I have no fucking idea how would I prepare for the Bar, besides attending the lectures and reading for about 8 to 10 hours for 7 days a week. My only outlet and stress reliever (for now) is badminton, and a few bottles of alcohol all by myself every now and then. (Mind you, I have sleeping problems… I prefer to drink alcohol than be addicted to valium… again.)

Well, it’s been almost three weeks since the review started, and each of us has his/her own plan of doing things. Last Sunday I went on a coffee review at Starbucks West Ave with Cianelle, RJ and Timang. And all it produced was a headache and a broken ego. I ain’t planning on doing quotas such as 200 pages per day. I ain’t a super sponge. But at least I know, I’m a cut above the rest… I ain’t stupid, I ain’t a genius, but I know that I’m good at something.

Perhaps it is better to live by the rules of Row Four… Relax. Relax. Relax.

My three days at the Farm is my summer vacation for the year. No ifs. No buts. I denied myself the pleasure of going to Hundred Islands this previous weekend. I denied myself the pleasure of going to Morong and Subic and rent that fucking jet ski whom I so dearly loved… and in the future I bind myself not to go far away as possible in a region outside the metropolis for pleasure.

Just over a hundred days… it’s the Bar exams… the test of my life.

It ain’t simple. Unlike the rest who are tested by the PRC, we are being tested by none other the SUPREME COURT… the third Branch of Government, the Guardian and protector of the rights of the people, to whom the power is vested to nullify the acts of the President and Congress under the circumstances of Rule 65. We are being tested if we are worthy of becoming Officers of the Court…

This year’s Bar Chairman is Justice Adolfo Azcuna, notorious for that fucking question regarding the WRIT Of AMPARO in the 1991 bar, which can no where be found in the Philippine Jurisdiction, but, in Mexico.

Oh well, that’s life… we faces our own demons… and we face each and every challenge that we bringt upon us in an ironic mix of destiny and freedom of choice.

In a few months time, I’d probably be abandoning (temporarily) this blog to focus myself on more pressing matters. But for now, let me settle for something less than a normal life… that of a Barrister.

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last batch of pictures

me and my bestbud jl
the drink of the night... COOPER'S BEER! Only 1,080 pesos for 12 bottles... courtesy of me.
pretending to be in Bora...
jl puking at the pantalan... the second purpose thereof is to feed the fishes...
another day time view of the farm

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still more pics at the farm

a view from the walkway to the pantalan
palaisdaan
the walkway
jl in a trance
mind you, i'm the big winner in our poker game. hehehe.

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more pics

tim pretending to be a murder victim
mati, cj's son and heir to the Hernandez Estate (alot of moolah and real property. hehehe)
a view from jl's house
a view from the 'pantalan'
another view from the pantalan, this time of the man-made island of gumamela plants...

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my band of brothers @ the farm






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