One Damn Lucky Bum

Just when I thought my Life is falling apart (I know I'm exaggerating AND it's all because I won't be going with my mother and sisters on a trip to Bangkok this April, which is what we've been planning all along. It's like, I don't know, maybe three or four years ago when we've first thought about it and now, when it was finally decided, I was the one BEING excluded, which DEFINITELY made me feel Über jealous. I was THE one being left out and it's ALL because I'm stuck in here, on the wet and gloomy part of the Northwest, penniless and to quote my sisters, 'worthless', and becoming more and more wretched as the days go by), a message came from my brother this morning when I checked my email.

At first I thought it was sort of a group message sent to us all, THE family. But when I glanced at the first line of the text, I knew he was up to something something.

He started with asking how am I doing and then, automatically followed by the question I've been pretty much avoiding and trying desperately to shrug off: if I already got a job.

And what followed then made my eyes lit up. I actually shrieked and thank God, I was all alone in the apartment. I think it was around 10 AM and my sisters have already left hours ago.

He asked me if I would like to come over sometime this April to look after my niece when his wife gives birth to MY 'nephew'.



HELL, YES! ABSOLUTELY! I SURE WILL!


So I sent him my reply.


And for the rest of the day, I am giddy. My head is floating in space. My eyes, I think, seem dreamy. I know it sounds crazy but really, I've never felt so perked up at least not lately. I guess this is how it feels like to be happy?







I'm going to Japan. Paid trip and/or expenses. Plus an offer of $$$ allowance! (but HONESTLY, I don't really care much about money).

I'm going to Japan and that's all that really matters!



Yatta!





I couldn't have been luckier. I have no money, no job. Yet, I'm free AND I don't EVEN need to chase the opportunity!


Damn so lucky me!

I'm loving you, year 2009.

Intensive Care Unit

Lilipad na naman ako bukas ng gabi. Balik DC ng tatlong linggo.

May task na kailangang tuparin. Gaya ng housemates sa Pinoy Big Brother, kailangan ko ring patunayan ang aking pagkamasunurin sa The Big Bully.

Ang buhay ko ngayon ay parang isang pingpong.

Wala akong dapat ikwento sa mga sandaling ito, dahil palagay ko'y, ito na ang tinatawag kong The Great Perhaps.

Narating ko na ang pinakatampok na yugto ng aking buhay. Hindi ko ito dapat pakawalan sa pagtipa ko ng mga letra sa keyboard. Ang ganitong bagay ay dapat sinasarili na lamang.

Kung hindi mo masundan ang sinasabi ko, huwag kang mag-alala. Siguro'y hindi mo pa napanood ang Into The Wild. Siguro'y hindi mo ito pinanood pagkatapos ng iyong university graduation. At siguradong hindi ka katulad ko na parang sponge.

Mabuti siguro para sa iyo kung wala ka nang malaman pa tungkol sa huling pangungusap na nabanggit.

Katulad ng matagal ko nang binabanggit, hindi ako nanlilimos ng awa.

Bukas ng gabi ang flight ko at hindi pa ako nag-iimpake. Di pa rin tiyak kung may susundo sa akin pagdating sa DC.

Sana ay hindi ako matakot sa posibilidad ng bloopers. Dahil ika nga ni Jun Cruz Reyes, "Walang masamang karanasan sa isang artist."

Sana ay makakita ako ng kasiyahan sa katangahan. After all, "Ignorance is bliss."

Dead End?

I left for Seattle early this morning after a week's stay at DC, from where I could recall the experience of :

1. being imprisoned in the room but with all convenience since I had decent access to the internet;
2. watching two movies in a week (Kung Fu Panda and The Incredible Hulk), which is obviously unusual; and
3. faking my age using my sister's old driver license to get inside a "sports" bar where I had a drink of whatchamacallit ladies' cocktail (but it wasn't that much fun because I am not a party animal and really, I would much rather prefer music bars), among others.
   
   My trip from DC to Seattle concluded my *official* summer break (being a student).
   
   Now it's time to live the reality.
   
   Tomorrow will be the start of my ending.

Reklamador

Ikatlong araw na mula nang lisanin ko ang Four Points para tumawid sa panibagong tirahan ko sa loob ng isang linggo. Nandito ako ngayon sa barracks kung saan pinalilipas ko ang araw sa pamamagitan ng paglamon at pagtulog. Hindi ko magawang lisanin ang silid na ito dahil tiyak na matutusta ako ng buhay kung sakaling tangkain kong lumabas para mamasyal. Sa sobrang tindi ng init ng araw sa labas, ang tanging bagay na maaari kong gawin ay manood ng Southpark DVDs para patayin ang oras at hintayin ang pagsapit ng gabi bagamat mahaba ang araw ngayong tag-araw at ang alas otso ay mukhang alas kwatro pa lamang ng hapon.

Mayroon umanong 101 museo dito sa DC at ang naunang plano ay libutin ang lahat ng ito sa loob ng isang linggo. Subalit bunga na rin ng hindi inaasahang di-kaiga-igayang panahon, dalawang araw na akong nakakulong dito sa loob ng kwarto.

Apat na araw akong naglibot sa New York at sa loob ng apat na araw na iyon, ang tanging masasabi ko ay, hindi siya ang New York na aking pantasya. Litaw ang ironiya. Sa kabila ng nagtataasang mga gusali, maraming homeless. Marumi. Andaming nagkalat na basura sa tabi ng mga kalsada. Napakaraming tao. Idagdag pa ang mga nagdadagsaang turista sa panahon ngayon ng tag-araw. Higit sa lahat, walang public CRs. Nang minsang kinailangan kong gumamit ng palikuran dahil sa sobrang lamig, kinailangan pa naming sumakay ng subway para balikan ang isang istasyon, ang Penn station, kung saan merong CR. At ang ipinagmamalaking Manhattan mall sa mga patalastas sa brochure, nirerenovate nang aming madatnan. Nang marating namin ang CR nito, voila! Bulok. Ang tanging pinagkaiba lang nito sa CR ng SM eh may flush at tissue bawat cubicle. Walang sinabi sa mga luxurious CR ng Dubai.

Sang-ayon ako sa sinabi ng isa sa mga naging tour guide namin doon: "If you're not working here, then New York's not for you." Something like that.

Para sa akin ang ultimate tourist attraction sa New York ay ang rush hour, mapa-subway man o mapa-pedestrian. Saktong-sakto sa isang eksena sa pelikulang Enchanted.

Ewan ko rito sa DC. Like I said, I'm trapped in a room, avoiding the frickin' heat of the sun. Must be like 90 degrees.

Trip To Boracay

Frozen blue margarita and Kamikaze taste the same to me... so damn bitter!

"It's a different world down there."

I prefer under the sea than up on the sky.

Parasailing is boring once you're up there. So I decided to break the ice by staring down on the vast ocean wishfully thinking of sharks that would prey on me as soon as I drop down.

Banana boat is also a bore because we are not good swimmers so they can't just throw us out of the boat. And Mama is watching over us.

Fishes feed on bread. I'm not sure if they like it. I've read somewhere that dogs are not allowed to eat chocolates. Neither chicken bones. Well, maybe for those stupid enough to swallow as if they're boa constrictors.

Long island iced tea tastes more like of Kamikaze.

I like Screw driver the most! It tastes like orange juice (That's because it's an orange vodka. Dunce!).

Baileys is ok.

I peed on MEN's while on board. (Yeah, it's my first time in SuperCat, so I should be expected to be doing something stupid, like on my first time on plane, I mixed some cream on my hot tea. Gross.) A poor little boy stood aghast when I went out of the cubicle in skirt. I think he thinks I'm gay. The truth is, I'm stupid, I don't know how to read. Worse, I can't distinguish MALE from FEMALE. Oh well, I reasoned out I'm just avoiding being a sexist.

I love hotel rooms!

Bora is not a paradise. I didn't even find it impressingly lovely. The beaches have white sand all right but the beaches are mossy. I was itching most of the time I'm wading.