And Sell Some Gifts That I Got (III)

Very quickly now...

I know it's a tad late, but here was the wishlist for Christmas 2005:

• Anything from the Goodies post, except Haring (which I already have) and the Starbury toy (who just plain sucks). Of course the list is by no means complete. Feel free to extrapolate other books and comics.
• A new car
• A new personality
• Realized talent

That wasn't so hard, was it? And as I promised, no iPod Nano.

Resolutions I won't even bother with. Except maybe be more outgoing and nice. And based on last night's topic while stuck in traffic, be at bit edgier. YEAH RIGHT! Might as well resolve to lose weight and stop drinking!

It's disconcerting to realize that last year's New Year's Eve celebration is still vivid in my mind. It's like time hardly passed. Arrrggghhhh did nothing at all happen this year?

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm too sick to make the year-end special like I promised. Maybe next year.

And Sell Some Gifts That I Got (II)

They sold my car, a 1994 Toyota Corona. The car I wanted to drive as soon as I learned how to. In its place, coming next year, a second-hand Nissan Sentra. I don't mean to sound like a brat but...I miss my car!

I'm reading a gift I got for Christmas, Douglas Coupland's Microserfs, a semi-accurate look at living life in the software industry. Semi-accurate because I've seen people who work at Microsoft, and they're all happy.

Happy Rizal Day, everyone. During one of my darker periods (sometime in 2000, I think), I got so bored I read an old book on the life of the hero. The kind of book that perpetuated the many myths about Rizal. The only thing I can remember thinking after finishing the book? Man probably got mad tail.

And Sell Some Gifts That I Got

I learned today that the song Brick was not about Christmas.

Today feels like a Tuesday. Well, it is a Tuesday, but it's only the first day of work for the week so it should feel like a Monday, despite it being Tuesday. But it feels like a Tuesday.

Anyway, going back. A couple of weekends back the company I work for was supposed to go to White Beach in Puerto Galera, but since apparently no one in IT bothers to read the news we didn't know that the island was in a state of calamity. Parts of the island was underwater, and there were no boats going in or out.

So we ended up in Laguna, some 90 minutes from Makati, where it was raining almost all that weekend, and we checked in some lucky ass resort who probably wouldn't have guests arrive otherwise. Having nothing to do I just downed the requisite seven (nine) beers and let the time pass. The following photograph perfectly captures the perfect mix of annoyance, boredom, depression and uh, annoyance:
Of course, I didn't know anyone there being new and all. Okay, maybe I did know a few people, but its not like I can hang with all the geekspeak. A two-hour conversation between them contained terms and acronyms such as : AJAX, POE, AOE, POJO, XML-RPC or some such, Scrum, ActionScript, SOAP, RMI-IIOP and whatnot. They also hold Javascript in high regard. It's times like these when I question being where I am, both literally and figuratively. I mean, sometimes I feel so far behind in this programming game it seems like it will always feel this...mediocre. And I've maintained there's nothing worse than that. Why push if not to win?

I did eventually figure out what some of those acronyms meant, but it's one thing to say them out loud and another to actually have worked with them and understand what it does. Case in point, in a thankfully no-bearing interview, my answer to the question: "Why is it important to know Design Patterns?" was "Because it keeps coming up in interviews."

Oh, Merry Christmas, everybody.

Broken Play

We have a lot to cover.

There's a lot of stuff to blog about, but unfortunately, as is almost always the case, I had all the words just perfect in my head just before I sat down at the PC, and now it's all gone. So while I search for them again (if they're still around), I'll just remind myself here what I was supposed to talk about:

The trio of Christmas parties I had to attend (and the reason why it took me so long to find time to write in the first place). One of which was the trip to White Beach...in Pansol, Laguna. My car being sold. The Christmas season, and the yearly wishlist that will amazingly not contain an iPod Nano. My inadequacies as a Java programmer (God, that just invited a comment). How Naomi Watts dress unrealistically stays on all throughout the middle part of King Kong.

5...golden ringggggs.

Getting shipped off to Asmira (pun way intended). One of the dumbest scenes ever filmed belonging to a 5-minute stretch of Street Fighter the Movie. Someone from the past is pregnant, and anyone who can guess who it is gets a mommy-to-be discount from the College of Culinary Arts. Chocolate Cake with Liquid Center with Donut Girl. And of course, my random fits of depression during and in between.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

A Stain On Every One Of My Good Days

I still have what I am quickly realizing is an incurable disease: I am in love with the fantasy. That which seems to only be a brush stroke away but in reality is, by definition, unattainable. And it is for this reason I always seem to want to be someplace...other. It is incurable, and from what I can see, it is terminal.

It's Time For A Few Small Repairs, She Said

Where was I?

Stupid DSL (SDSL, for you non-techies) finally went back up today, after 5 days of being out of commission. Best-Managed-Company my a$$. Okay, so its not technically their fault, but they could've acted sooner. Apparently the phone cables around the corner were stolen. Stolen! There's a market for phone cables? I guess whoever did it got bored with stealing, oh I don't know, actual cellphones.

Not that there's anything to report in the last week. Attended the homecoming where we got to ogle Silk. Bought 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' and got through half of it while passing the time at the office building's smoker area. Ogled some more at the gym, and lost my gym shorts (though not in the hot way).

Oh, and I turned down a chance to go to Chicago for six weeks to spearhead another project. I was supposed to fly next week and they were ready to fast-track my visa. I'd have to spend Christmas, New Year's and my birthday in the Windy City. Yes yes I know its such a waste, but the timing was less than stellar. Besides, I doubt I've heard the last of this crazy 'working abroad' talk.

After playing basketball again (I use the term 'playing' loosely; in fact I use the term 'basketball' loosely as well), I realize what is missing from my game: actual game.

If We Could Freeze Moments In Time, We All Would

So.

This thing turns a year old today, and I guess it's time for some reintroductions.

My name is Jon Ray (Jon as in Arbuckle, and Ray as in Sugar, both names spelled in their much cooler version, in my opinion), and I'm a software developer by title. Well, hopefully I'm a lot more than that but the way things are going...Never mind.

I've been back working for five months now which I guess is the biggest difference between the guy writing this now and the guy who wrote the first entry. I'll save the retrospective for the year-end special, but for now all I'll say is that it's been a year of...growing up. Hmmm. That isn't apparent from my writing and I guess you'll have to take my word for it. Or not. Never mind.

Well what do you know? Turns out I'm even worse at second impressions.

Another post later. If I feel like it.

Thank U

Seeing as its Thanksgiving, and I've recently been accused of being bitter (again), I've decided I take a cue from UGO.com and make a list of things I'm thankful for. In no particular order, and in no way a complete list:

• Jack TV.
• Scarlett Johannson.
• The gain switch on my Peavey amp.
• Deeetroit basketball.
• Ice cream.
• Girls who like ice cream.
• Girls who laugh when I compare Goblet of Fire to The Empire Strikes Back ("To the Carbonite chamber with you, young man!").
• Foxsports.com, Wikipedia and UGO.com, for keeping me sane as the only cool sites that make it past the company Websense.
• Paramita's Tala and Brownman Revival's Steady Lang.
• Myxilog
  
• Yellowcab pizza. Heck, any pizza.
• A job heading into the holidays.
• My car, despite being sickly from being subjected to the obstacle course that is Metro Manila every week.
• Comic books.
• Casual fridays.
• The three minute walk from the parked car through the call-center-folk-infested parking lot to the office.
• Smart blogs with pretty pictures.
• Chocolate.
  

Crawling Back To Start

And just like that I'm alone at work. Well, not really alone, but I'm not exactly living it up with a crowd either. Everyone around me is getting up and leaving. Boy that sounded familiar.

I didn't think it would depress me as much, but it did. And especially after the company meeting to talk about the upcoming Christmas party in Puerto Galera, I realized how alone this feels. For a while I actually missed going home drunk in an attempt to forget, but then I also realized I don't have the luxury to do that anymore.

Speaking of growing up, Ian and Elaine became proud parents today. Exclamation point.

Watched Goblet of Fire, barely got to the 6:30 PM Friday screening. I'm not really equipped to give a decent review of the thing (not that anyone asked) since I'm no Potthead, but I will say I've started to enjoy the HP universe after watching, and after it was explained to me over dinner. But I'm left thinking: where do people find the time to read all 7 (?) books, the 3 LOTR parts and two Dan Browns, and still keep a long-hours job? And why are half of them still inarticulate as hell?

Aside from the movie, I did absolutely nothing of interest this weekend because I was too broke and I was required by law to do uninteresting things while broke. And since I've been mostly home I've noticed the air's gotten colder. You know what that means: My depression is not going away.

Harry Stoner And The Sorcerer's Pot

So I won't get to see it on opening day, that's ok. Apparently every seat in every movie theater in the metropolis is accounted for. Amazing.

Looked around DeviantArt lately and I'm jealous of all the people who have the time and opportunity to do their art. I really miscued on this t-shirt thing, if not the consulting thing. It's not like I've lacked inspiration of late; I've been blessed with seeing things that need to be photographed, drawn, inked, colored, written. It's just that I can't seem to put it down on paper. Blogging doesn't count, I'm afraid.

Anyway.

My car is siphoning what little money is left with me after eating Cold Rock. I've barely been paid for the period and it's already gone to my windshield wipers and my suspension, not to mention to fixing the weird leak I talked about earlier. There goes new books and records.

I realized recently that I don't just count my chickens. I count my chickens' eggs' future chickens' future eggs' future chickens.

None of these songs speak to me so that I can put a lyric there up in the title. But maybe that's because I'm listening to dance music.

It's a Saturday night and once again I'm stuck here at home while everyone else is having a much more interesting evening. I actually came home early last night as well, and spent the day doing errands and taking a rest so I can do more errands tomorrow. How freaking adult, I hate it.

My reign at the top of our Fantasy NBA league lasted all of two days. I'm disappointed in you, Luke Ridnour (SEA-PG)!

The carpets on the right side (passenger side) of my car are wet. But the mats on the carpets are not, meaning something is leaking from the bottom. WTF? It's not gasoline as far as I can tell, and all sources of water (the ones I know of, at least) are intact. Can someone tell me what's going on? I smell another errand. Arrrgh.

I realize that Marvel got to reinvent its universe with its Ultimate line of comic books to introduce the decades-old heroes to new readers with new storylines. I'm thinking maybe I can extend it to people: Ultimate Jon Ray it will be called. A new history and a new persona to introduce to new readers! And God willing, this new Jon Ray's life will be more interesting than this post.

Super Underrated Freestyle Analog

I have no idea what that means, but I freaking love that song. LSS for the evening.

Some random thoughts over the week:

Cold Rock rocks. Yes, I'm willing to overlook how it's got 'yuppie fad' written all over it because eating ice cream with a mutilated Caramello Koala is that good. Disney is playing on the wall-mounted TVs, cute bartenders, cuter company and if I recall, nothing heard in the vein of B.E.P. All is indeed beautiful here.

Did I mention mutilated Caramello Koala?

Ecomm semi-reunion at the NSG. I don't get how everyone can get freaking sick on the same freaking day. I'm seriously beginning to think all the "Miss ko na kayo's" is nothing but lip service, and it pisses me off. I've got lots more to say about this but it's draining just thinking about it. This is the last time I set this shit up.

Them telephones they work both ways.

Made a quick buck making this. Not bad for a couple of nights' work.

Sort of an overdue thought, but Kitchie Nadal is the image model for Twister Fries, complete with song, TV spot and poster. I smell sellout...However, I also smell Twister Fries. And Kitchie Nadal. So who the hell cares?

Caulfield

So I'm sitting alone in Jollibee at a table for four. The kid of about five from the family at the next table sits at the seat diagonally from me and is oblivious to the fact that I'm there. He's alternating between looking at his wristband-watch (what do you call those things that are part wrist-worn sweatband and part watch?), talking to his mother from the other table and reading the Jollibee ads on the wall out loud.

And it just kills me. I can't remember a time when I was near that affectionate and innocent. I'm sure I was, but for some reason I can't remember it and since I can't remember I can't recall it and just maybe I can inject a little of that affection into my day. And it just depresses the hell out of me.

Apparently, unless I am a rich, healthy, white, 5'10" doctor with no family history of heart and blood problems, I am pretty much useless. Unfortunately, unless we advance genetics by 50 years and get rid of all ethical concerns regarding designer children, you're pretty much STUCK WITH ME.

Who's Watching All The Sports?

Alternatively titled: Gayest. Weekend. Ever.

The trouble with being friends with a self-proclaimed fag hag is that at some point you're going to have to meet her uh, friends. Okay, it's not as bad as I make it sound. I guess I'm not just used to it, but it was either that or stay home on during the long weekend with my parents. I mean, this was probably the only time in my life where I'm the only one at a table of eight who was into girls. There are some interesting things to note, though:

Fag hags have friends who have friends who have fag hags.

Gay people have a keen aesthetic, and consequently have expensive taste, so stay away if it's a non-payday weekend.

There is NO chance for the evening of seeing something like Stealth or Doom. (A good thing.)

The quintessential symbol for straightness is a backward baseball cap, which probably saved my life.

So I got through the weekend with my sexual preference intact. I am wondering though, what the heck is the percentage of straight people left in this city? I mean, who's watching all the sports?

Weekend Update

My body hurts. As in, everything. My trainer wants to kill me.

Apparently, I am 22% body fat and 78% full of shit. Seriously, I hear this 22% is not bad. And to celebrate, I had chocolate fondue at the Swiss Inn and Five Cheese Pizza (4-Cheese plus parmesan) at Cena last night, and then Estrelle's Caramel Cake and Selecta ice cream today. I'm probably up to 30% by now.

I've finally gotten around to going to the gym at ABS-CBN. It's actually quite cozy, at least on a quiet Saturday morning. And for some reason, the TV there is tuned to Eat Bulaga. No celebrity sightings yet, but you get a top view of the Pinoy Big Brother House.

Half of my team is leaving for Chicago next weekend, just in time for the World Series! Lucky freaks.

Speaking of sports tis season's Fantasy NBA roster just in! In the lineup:

Ray Allen, Michael Redd, Jermaine O'Neal, Pau Gasol.

Did not get: AI, Rashard Lewis and Tayshaun Prince.
Don't care much about: Jamir Nelson, Caron Butler, Earl Boykins.

Let the games begin!

Destiny

Was browsing through pictures on my PC when I came across this one, taken in 2004, in an attempt to fight away the (Atenean) blues.

Ah yes, destiny. Funny how that turns out.

(Yes, I was bitter. Now before the green hate mail pours in, let me just say they probably still would've won, regardless.)

A Circle Can't Fit In Where A Square Should Be

Ok, so I've been listening to Extreme lately. A sure sign of unwellness.

Though I have been feeling under the weather this past week, enough to skip a couple of days of work. I've actually been sick since Friday the week before last, but I've postponed wellness by going out last Sunday night, among other things.

Things I've learned while sick:

• There's nothing to watch during the daytime except back-to-back Daily Shows.
• Keith Haring's Pop Shop closed uh, shop, last month in New York, some 30 days before I realized I wanted to own something done by Keith Haring.
• And finally, I learned through reading Kurt Cobain's Journals that truth is not only stranger, but funnier than fiction.
  

Communication Breakdown

It's been a stupid week for DSL connectivity.

If I had known for the past week that I needn't use Enternet to connect (apparently, now the DSL is on full-time, how that happened I don't know), this is what I would have blogged about:

Friendster: Its new "Who's been viewing you" feature. The real reason why we should take to the streets: they took Friendster stalking away from us. Temporarily, at least, since you can turn anonymity back on anyway. But still, I feel I should've been warned. Now half of CADS think I'm some sort of psycho.

My new gym program: My personal trainer for a day greeted me with what looked like a popped blood vessel in his left eye. Eeek, I'm not ready for that kind of exercise routine. I'm just here for the sights, thank you. You know, until I can go back to being anonymous on Friendster.

Speaking of gym, I saw someone there that made it well worth the price of membership.

Work: has been nuts. I've fallen into some old traps I swore not to get caught in again, so it's been kind of depressing. Maybe some things never change, no matter how many times you feel that they should. My only escape has been a constant barrage of Led Zeppelin songs (Early and Latter Days) over iTunes, and the occasional Fruit-In-Ice-Cream.

Paramita's Tala: has quietly become the comfort album of the season. There's something about a girl on drums that will always look amazing, no matter how many times you see it.

Saturday's tres weird videoke gimmick. It's not that I'm particularly averse to singing in front of people, it's singing in front of people I've just met and whose high school reunion I apparenly just crashed. And I ended up contributing to the bill, wtf? Good thing we salvaged the evening with a little Kabab.

Last night's tres cool paella gimmick, post-gym. The "pre-emptive weight loss" theory, which never works, at work. It's like having your calories on death row suddenly getting presidentially-pardoned, and they celebrate by having sex and multiplying.

Look Me Up A New Revolution

There should be a number you can send an MMS to that will accept a picture of any vehicle that uses that damned siren and/or police "protection" to get through traffic. And after n number of "reports" from different mobile phones, an inquiry of the supposed "government emergency" should be made. Something like that U-S-O-K hotline, except for "wang-wang". K-U-P-A-L, maybe?

Which reminds me, I need pictures on this thing.

How Sweet It Is!

...Not. Ok, so we lost, again. Which isn't real surprising, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I didn't even watch past the first quarter because it looked from the get-go that our guys were outclassed. There, I said it. If you don't think so then images of Jec Chia making game-winners are still rerunning in your heads. Get over it. We need a game plan.

I don't really mind being in the middle of the pack again, like it was in the late 90's. I'm used to an Ateneo team that shoots the three as a first resort. Nothing says school spirit like lowered expectations.

But after the finals please let no one quote Rudy T. It's annoying. Sports and slogans. Ugh.

Now onto actual sweet things:

Attended the Art Seminar for Non-Artist's Seminar on Illustration (sponsored by InK) at the Ateneo last Monday. Inspiring, is all I can say. Better time spent than say, Mobile Pilipinas 2005.

Went to the gym for the first time in my life last Tuesday. And promptly went to Country Style Donuts after. Why the other big donut names in the country don't offer old-fashioned sour cream I'll never know.

Bought an obscenely expensive pair of sneakers, because I was so pissed that the obscenely expensive jacket I've been eyeing disappeared from the racks.

To end the week (sort of), watched Fever Pitch/Perfect Catch last Saturday, and then a couple of rounds of beer. Cute, simple fun. Everyone should have weeks like these.

Eight Hours, For What?

Yes, I saw Footloose. So out of character, but then again, this career sloth just joined a gym, so really right now anything is possible. Jon Ray 4-point-oh.

There should be an additional scene at the end of the play where Ren asks the minister "Yo minister, now that we've trashed that anti-dance law, let's see what we can do about this no-drug policy." I kid. Yeah, it was funny the first ten times I heard it, too.

And that was just one of the strange things that went on over the weekend. Drank wine with flight attendants while watching Sex and the City on Thursday, drank wine after watching Jay-R and Iya and everybody cut, everybody cut, everybody cut, everbody cut footloose on Friday, drank beer with surfers on Saturday, and hung out at Mobile Pilipinas 2005 this afternoon.

Actually, being around a play isn't that strange for me. Consider:

• Two years ago, I watched a Koine play by myself (I forget the title), at the request of an then-officemate, and I sat next to a girl who was bawling her eyes out by the end of it.
  
• In 2001, I was an usher at the CADS-sponsored production of Fame, and almost picked a fight with the head of the front-of-house. Sorry!
  
• Our college tambayan was right next to Niel de Mesa's (sp?) and his Flounder (from The Little Mermaid)-decorated acoustic guitar.

Okay, that last one I realy had nothing to do with.

The best play I've seen? The locally-produced, rock star-studded Jesus Christ Superstar, for obvious reasons.

Sucker

Due to insistent public demand (and by public, I mean two people), I've gone off to join a gym. And I got suckered into committing myself to this for a year. A year! I can't even commit to a job that will pay for this for a year, what the hell am I thinking?

Maybe I just wanted an excuse to buy gym wear, I'm not sure. My mom has another theory that I just wanted a new ogling venue, and she's probably right. Hmmm this is bothering me more than it should. Excuse me while I rationalize:

• First off, I get to go to the gym.
• Second, I hope to spend that time with new friends.
• I live near one branch and work near another.
• Paying that much will force me to actually work out.
• It's practice for when I actually will need to cut that much out of my salary.
• It will hopefully turn out more useful than say, an iPod Nano. Blasphemy, I know.
• I hear endorphins make you happy.

And boy do I need endorphins right now. When do I start?

Meanwhile...

I've been getting calls from more headhunters this week. Where were these people when I was unemployed? And why can't I say no to these people? I'm not really looking right now NOW.

Maybe it's because one day I hope to get suckered into something nice.

Welcome To The Fallout

No, there's no fallout. I just thought it would make a great title. From Switchfoot, from the line that injects life into the otherwise dreary Dare You To Move.

I made a jeep piss me off on the way home from jogging, when I could have clearly avoided the whole thing, but I let my righteous indignation get in the way. One of my many issues. But really, the/more idiots come out on Sunday.

And to think I was going to write about how...adult this past week had been. And again, I won't get into the details. This isn't PostSecret, you know. But the events of this week do remind me of that quote from a Jason Lee movie whose title escapes me, which quotes it from another book whose title also escapes me: "True love cannot be found where it truly does not exist, nor can it be hidden where it truly does". I love how it cuts both ways nicely.

Other highlights (of a lesser degree) from the week:

• Yet another meeting with the business partner at yet another Starbucks
• Avoided the whole EDSA mess last Wednesday by taking the MRT (Still the only way to travel in this city)
  
• Jeans purchase, except that it was two freakin' sizes bigger than I imagined
• First ever internet purchase, except that it wasn't for me
• Grandmother's birthday (yes it's that time of year again)
• The Olde Spaghetti House, cozily situated near AIM. Probably the best of its kind. Almost ordered pasta-flavored pizza with a side of pizza-flavored pasta, just to be able to say that phrase out loud.
• Won not one, but two games of pool!
• Watched Red Eye with future gym mates! I didn't know Wes Craven did comedies.
  

I'm having more and more of these event-filled weeks, and don't think I'm not grateful. One of the few regrets this week was not attending the company sportsfest, on account of being emotionally drained. Remind me next time that it's possibly the dumbest cop-out ever.

I'm Going To Hell

Because people who feel this guilty usually are.

I can't get into it in detail, but it has something to do with last night's cryptic post, the one that only merited a spam comment which I just deleted. But enough of that.

I want to talk about entrepreneurship. I am not an entrepreneur. I know that people who've just recently met me seem to sense that I give off that kind of vibe, but really I'm not. I graduated from a management course, and was pretty good at the subjects. But it ends there. I don't think about business opportunities all the time, or even at all. I'm not proactive. I don't raise my hand to ask questions and I don't smile a lot and I don't have a firm handshake. I sleep at meetings and I just say yes and nod my head to everything and pretend to understand stuff. I can't take red tape and the inefficiencies of starting a business. I don't dress well and I can't hold my liquor and I can't sell shit and I can't handle money.

I can think. All day. I can prepare an argument with the proper research. I can talk any prepared speech (, except the one that ends with "I love you"). I can put pen to paper and come up with something that will slightly resemble art. I can string words together to make a sentence, and string sentences together to make paragraphs. I can program web applications. I can fake a guitar solo using minor pentatonic. And that's it.

I know I should grow up and expand horizons and all that, but it has to still fall within the realm of what I know I can and want to do. Of what direction I want myself to take. My strength isn't in making things happen, and everyone should know that by now. If you can't understand that, give me a pen and a piece of paper, and I'll draw you a diagram.

Question

Is doing the right thing at the wrong time the wrong thing?

A Story Of Magic And Spiralling Ships And Stars In The Night

Ok, I'm cheating. I made an empty draft last Thursday so it would look like I was updating regularly. Especially because I wanted to put Wolfgang Night in here somwhere (see how!).

Because Mindy tagged everyone...

10 years ago: College freshie, and in that small point in time between June and September 1995 where I was closest to actually being happy.

5 years ago: A year removed from college and studying Java in IBM-ACE because I was too unmanageable to land a job in management.

Yesterday: ...and this morning. Watched Wolfgang Night with KC in Makati but had to leave before the Karl Roy-fronted set. I can still hear the guitars in my head.

5 snacks I enjoy:
1) Boston Creme at Dunkin Donuts
2) Reese' Peanut Butter Cups
3) Three mushroom pizza at Yellow Cab
4) Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice Cream
5) almost anything at Krispy Kreme

5 songs I know all the words to:
1) The Fly - U2
2) Little Pieces - Juliana Hatfield Three
3) Round Here - Counting Crows
4) Darkness Fell - Wolfgang
5) Patience - Guns N' Roses

5 things I would do with 100 million dollars:
1) An extensive library of music and films and books
2) Move out of the house (see next set of questions as to where)
3) Ferrari 550 (for the weekends) and a Peugeot 206 cc (for everyday use)
4) Buy love
5) Oh yeah give to charity: the Jon Ray Library Fund

5 places I would run away to:
1) Pais, France
2) London, UK
3) New York, USA
4) Vienna, Austria
5) August 1995

5 things I would never wear:
1) Size 28 pants...ever again
2) Bryant No.8 jersey
3) Speedo
4) Suspenders...ever again
5) iPod Shuffle

5 favorite tv shows:
1) Veronica Mars
2) CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
3) The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
4) The Simpsons
5) OPM MYX

5 bad habits:
1) Let's
2) skip
3) this
4)
5)

5 biggest joys:
1) Let's
2) skip
3) this
4) as
5) well, because I don't want to pull a muscle trying to think of an answer.

5 favorite toys:
1) Jedi Starfighter
2) Sci-Fi from G.I. Joe
3) 1:64 scale DeLorean from BTTF II
4) Donatello and Raphael TMNT, the original series of toys
5) Although I had it for just one night (as an overnight trade), Ravage from the Transformers

5 fictional characters I would date:
1) Almost every X-Woman as drawn by Jim Lee, including intergalactic teleporter Lila Cheney and reporter Trish Tilby
2) Jordan Two Delta from The Island
3) Charlotte from Lost In Translation
4) Kim Bauer from 24
5) Max from Dark Angel

The Worst Things Come From Inside Here

I wanted to break out of my quickly-becoming routine of updating on Sundays. So I'm updating on a Saturday night. Big whoop.

I'm slated to attend Monday's Art Seminar for Non-Artists in school. It's free (at least the lecture is) and it's something I know in my head that I want to do, but yesterday I received the list of materials to bring and it dawned on me that this is a serious thing. Ulp! Canvas, acrylics, brushes, everything! Plus, I'm going there alone. Time to suck it up.

I managed to take the half-day off that day, with it the promise that I work for 4 hours today. So I did, and I realize that this is the first time in a long while that I'm working on a weekend, something I used to do with regularity back in the day. And I must say if there little pressure to deliver soon it's not that bad. I can play the new Brownman Revival at an appropriate volume (loud) and I can do a little dance when the Java compiles perfectly...Ok, too much information.

Currently I'm kind of annoyed at my rained-out Saturday night. But I guess I shouldn't complain. In ten days I've ran into, or dined with, or spied on, or have been interviewed by people I was pleased to see. Housed-in Saturday it is.

Despite the birth pains our apparel company is starting to take its first steps. Thank God. Sometimes I think I take art seminars to compensate my startup-apparel company whoreship, and I started a company to compensate for my IT-consulting whoreship. So in my life there's a lot of...compensation. And...whoreship.

Taking pleasure in the details: Sausage McMuffin with Egg. Mickey D takes a lot of flak these days, but I feel two things will keep it from ultimate ruin. The other one? The Caramel Sundae.

Where We're Going We Don't Need Roads

Alternatively titled "I'm George, George McFly, Your Destiny."

Back to the Future is on HBO rotation again. What luck! One of the top five movies that are responsible for what I am today. Okay, maybe that's not such a good thing.

Anyone realize that that movie is 20 years old? And we're 10 years away from the events in BTTF II? It boggles the mind. Society has a decade to come up with the hoverboard. Not to mention fusion energy from everyday trash. Speaking of the sequel, remember how Marty somehow screws his future up by getting into a drag racing accident? How the McFlys barely get by in the future? I now think that these events might have nothing to do with the future. The future is probably screwed up by default.

God, I can talk volumes about this movie.

And speaking of luck and destiny, instead of going to the mall with my parents as I originally planned, I decided to jog in school instead in the spur of the moment. (Yeah I still call it school.) And school was full of eye candy this afternoon like you can't imagine. Eye candy that jog. I love that school.

(I'm reminded of some guy I've recently met through a friend who told me I'm the first person he's heard the words 'eye candy' from in a long time. WHAT?!? What kind of crazy world does he live in?)

All that candy plus I get to watch that scene where Biff and the gang chase Marty on his makeshift skateboard all over town. And I got to eat this homemade salad with strawberries in it. Everyone needs days like this.

The Best Blog You've Never Read

It's been a couple of weeks, I know. In these last two weeks I've realized a few things. One, that I've put a ridiculously high standard for the new people I meet, and high standards equals bad first impressions and bad first impressions equals bad second, third and fourth impressions. Two, the person who sets people up on blind dates should never ever indicate during the date that the two setupees should hit it off. Three, do not offer me the mic during videoke night and Bon Jovi's "I'll Be There For You" is up next and I'm halfway into the beer barrel because I will take you up on that offer.

My new job isn't as much pressure as my old one, thank God. So with all the spare time I manage to salvage I waste them thinking about...yuppie purchases. Good God I'm turning into one of them! Break out the iPod Shuffle! Haha, I kid. But seriously I have been spending way too much, and I haven't even gotten through the entire wish list yet. Next up is the Wacom Pen, and the new Foo Fighters album.

My company (the other one, the one I'm supposed to be co-founding) is experiencing birth pains. Not good.

Thanks to the recently-departed Best President We've Never Had, my brother and I have taken to calling everything 'the best blank you've never blanked'. A few examples:

Black Coffee is the best All Saints song you've never downloaded.
Veronica Mars is the best show you've never seen. (Although I think in this case it's true.)
Rachel McAdams is the best actress you'll never recognize.

Among others. A little side note, though. If I know for a fact you didn't vote for Roco in the last election, please don't go around claiming he's the best we've never had. It strikes me as stupid.

Sliding Doors

Tonight will be known as the night I thought I was going to eat dinner alone and ended up being set up on a blind date for next week. Sometimes I think life isn't what we make it, instead it's just a series of coincidences. "A random lottery of meaningless tragedies and a series of near-escapes." I'll never get that quote out of my head.

It seems that every shop in Makati is playing Nina Live. Someone make it stop. I know sometimes I sound like Rob from High Fidelity but really, it's too much. Too freaking nice and parent-friendly. We need another Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Congrats to Kris and the new baby Mika. Mika as in Hakkinen, I'm guessing, and not Salo. Is it a coincidence the Flying Finn's heir apparent won last weekend's Hungaroring GP? I think not. (Do we still call Kimi heir apparent?)

I had my payroll account from my former employer closed today, and the teller asked why I left such a lucrative position. I'd like to tell her that it's so hard to explain, sometimes I don't even convince myself.

Fever

I had free tickets for Right To Royalty last night, ready for the taking, but I knew I was too sick to mosh. Today I had free tickets to the UP-Ateneo game, which we eventually won, but again I know I wasn't going to be able to handle two hours of cheering and 5 minutes of the Alma Mater hymn.

Yes I'm so old that my body knows to start avoiding these things. More proof: my idea of the perfect Wednesday night was realized this week, with an hour of Veronica Mars (with guest Alona Tal) and then the Quentin-ized 2-hour CSI season finale.

I was so sick yesterday that I dreamt that I woke up and did exactly what I was supposed to do if I were awake like turn off the the alarm clock and pick out what to wear. And then I woke up, making me 30 minutes late to get to work.

Less feverish post, next. Let's hope.

Among The Neon Lights That Haunt The Streets Outside, Stay With Me

Been listening to Welcome To Wherever You Are to get that Rockstar:INXS feel.

This would've been a complete weekend if I had decided to go jogging instead of window shopping today. I don't why I always fall for this. I mean, I never buy anything. Anyway, I say complete weekend because I had a business meeting, a donut ice cream sandwich, ran into ex-officemates multiple times, had great seats at Cascada, had dinner with old friends and watched a movie with new ones. And I haven't even collected a month's pay yet!

If you've been listening, you'd know that the movie was The Island. Scarlett Johansson does not disappoint. Unfortunately, neither does Michael Bay. All the villains in his movies need target practice.

Has anyone seen the movie poster for "If Only"? Anyone notice the grammar in the caption near the bottom? How embarrassing!

And if we do end up with the technology to make more Jordan 2 Deltas, I want one for Christmas.

I've turned into one of those people who have lunch with people from other companies instead of mingling in-house. Somehow it's not really a problem, but it is worth mentioning.

It's annoying how nothing else is worth mentioning. I don't even have a title...Hmmmm. Boring day-to-day existence? Check. Annoyed for the dumbest reasons? Check. Uncreativity? Check. I really do have a job.

These Lines Of Light They Mean We're Never Alone

I read somewhere that a consultant is someone who wakes up everyday feeling unemployed. Ah, so that's why.

Yes, I'm back pushing buttons (which is no different from what I'm doing right now, but you get the point) in Makati. While I'm really not a consultant (more of a consultant-by-way-of-software-developer), it's still a job that's going to pay my ever-increasing living expenses. But it's just that: a job. What I'm really out looking for is a career. I give this thing six months.

But there's time for all that procrastinating later. Right now let me describe what's going on with one of my trademark lists:

The Good

• I can park in my mom's parking space
• Or if I don't feel like driving, hitch with her
• I'm not going to run out of places to eat
• I can pay for my art materials now
• I can pay for my books and music and toys, tech or otherwise
• Overpriced coffee
• I can pay for beer again
  
• Everywhere else in Makati CBD is 15 minutes away; people I know are nearby
• I get paid overtime.
  

The Bad

• Have to play by the rules while I'm still new
• Which means business casual for four days out of five
• And one-hour lunch breaks
  
• I'm not the best at making friends
• Blogger is forbidden.
• YM is hard to come by (but I'm working on it. It's my lifeline. These lines of light they mean we're never alone)
  
• Purchasing power equals wanting more stuff I don't really need
  
• Overpriced coffee
  
• Traffic going home to QC
• Which means not being able to watch One Tree Hill. Or QPids.
  
• Eye candy sorely lacking

The Ugly

• I actually have to work
  

Gaimanila/Dream Country

This figures to be a very short post because I didn't get to have anything signed. Or see Neil Gaiman, for that matter.

I got to Rockwell last Saturday at around 2:30 and the event was way out of slots for the signing. Of course I was no match for the people who had camped out at 5 AM. I had wanted to get Death: The High Cost Of Living signed, and instead all I got to do was swipe a free bookmark. Greenhills on a Sunday was out of the question. Besides, I'm sure fans camped out there as well. Pathetic. (Yes, I'm still bitter.)

Taking pleasure in the details: Overheard at the convention, "Goth people, coming through!" That amuses me to no end, I have no idea why.

I also could not go this afternoon at the last book signing at the Gateway mall. Why? Because I had to work. As in, actual Makati-CBD, 4-hour-meeting, foodcourt-lunch, 39-story-elevator-ride WORK.

Los Quatros Fantasticos

As with all things, the best way to enjoy comic-book movies is to sufficiently lower one's expectations to such a degree that there is no way of leaving the theatre feeling horrible. That said, I liked the Fantastic Four. Maybe even more than that other comic book movie that came out earlier this summer.

Now before you send your legion of bats to, uh, annoy me to death, let me explain. Growing up collecting the X-Men books, I'm much more familiar with the Marvel Universe than I am with DC. Also, there hasn't been a Fantastic Four movie before, and there have already been a combined 8 Batman and Superman movies before this year (not counting any non-Christopher Reeve Supe moves I don't know about). And those movies already realized substantially what we've come to know about these heroes, so anything more will be just an addendum, or in the worst cases, uh, subtractum (i.e. Punisher). So this is the first time we've seen Marvel's first family in real live action. And it's pretty accurate. Yes, Jessica Alba is forgiven for portraying Sue Storm. Jessica Alba will be forgiven for anything.

And just the fact they pulled off the Thing and the Human Torch already deserves props. I also now appreciate Reed Richards the character. Stretching has always been a pretty dumb power (see Plasticman and derivatives thereof) but it works if the possessor is as smart with its use as Mr. Fantastic.

(Excuse while I curse as Ateneo gives away yet another possession. La Salle has been using that press for what, 20 years now?)

Dr. Doom wasn't as good, though. Or accurate. Then again, he's always been kind of a cartoon-y villain for me. In fact, the only villain I can think of with an actual agenda is Magneto.

Next: Gaiman-mania. "Gaimania" would've been enough, but people might interpret it as something else.

Hell In A Handbasket

The title is, of course, the answer to the question "Where is the Philippines going and how?"

I'm a fairly apolitical person but since this is all anybody seems to want to talk about I guess I should give my two cents, if it's worth even that. Two cents, by the way, at yesterday's closing, was P1.122.

I've always thought that EDSA is a lot like love: if it happens too often it loses its meaning. And sure enough, all it's come to symbolize to me lately is the traffic EDSA the event makes on EDSA the street. I did say I was apolitical.

But it's hard to throw away all the myths about democracy and People Power that we've been fed all these years growing up. So the debate does raise some questions despite my resolute apathy. Who holds the key to solving this whole mess? I'm wondering, who has the power? It seems the President has very little. The opposition? The people? Despite the name, People Power seems to take much more than just people taking to the streets. The military? The business sector? A combination thereof?

I could go on for minutes, but I feel my laziness creeping in.

Fantastic Four, next.

Your Life Is On Contract

I just realized that contractuals don't get 13th month pay, and my 6-month period runs right through December. Arrrrggh!!!!...

Calm down, nothing to get worked up on. Remember last year when you hardly had a Christmas because you were too broke and emotionally drained to enjoy it?

Besides, I don't really remember what happens to my 13th month pay. I'm a lousy gift-giver, I don't really have someone to spend it on and I am content with a new book or a cool CD. But of course now that I mention it I'm in the market for a new scanner and a Wacom tablet...Arrrggh impulse yuppie purchases is the culprit. Of course. We meet again.

As if on cue, some side projects started springing up out of nowhere. Some paying, some not, and some paying poorly. Someone teach me to haggle, please.

My dad woke me up so we could trek to Banawe to find turning lights for my battered car. Apparently these things do not come cheap. Now I understand why some people simply resort to duct tape.

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Habits

Title's unrelated. But it did its job and got your attention.

Guess what? I may probably be employed by Monday. In Makati. For 6 months, with "opportunities for renewal" and some such. I can actually smell the coffee brewing.

Am I happy about it? I never am, so the question is moot. I kid. But I am scared though, of several things. One, I might get carried away again and succumb to the idea that this is it: what life is going to be like from here on out. Two, that I've lost more than a step or two in playing this corporate game. I seriously want to be better at it this time around. I may know the 7 habits, but I hardly have them. Three, the usual 'project from hell' fears, which usually turn out to be way founded.

I do hate that "Welcome to (name of company) " with-arm-extended tactic HR people employ to get you to commit. I hate commitment! Didn't mean that the way it sounded, but I really hate boardroom tactics. Or at least the way I always fall for them.

People around me are either in love or teetering on the outer rim of it. I am mildly annoyed for reasons you can probably guess.

In A World Frozen Over/With Over-Exposure/Let's Talk It Over/Let's Go Out And Paint The Town!

The news is a few days late, but Soul Asylum bassist Karl Mueller dead at 41 from throat cancer. It's a shame that they'll probably only be remembered for "Runaway Train" and Dave Pirner's romance with Winona Ryder, because the rest of Grave Dancers Union was really good. "Somebody To Shove" and "Misery" for me is instant time travel.

Just came back from this year's Toy Convention, which is as crowded as ever, and not by little kids. Batman, Star Wars and NBA figures well-represented as always. Of course I had no business being there, just wanted to be among people who at least on the surface are less mature than I am.

Caught my eye: the original Kenner Ghostbusters Ecto-1, a WildC.A.T.S. Grifter action figure, the Burton Batmobile, McFarlane football, baseball and hockey figures, small Japanese toys, and of course, girls in costumes. And for once, I can take pictures without the mean "you stalker!" looks.

I recognized some people who were also at Fete the week before. Music and toys. The kids are alright.

Last night I was a seventh wheel. Seventh! Which doesn't really mean anything but I did feel a little bit out of place. I really need to put my life in order. Maybe I can start by spending less time looking at toys.

Bullet-Point Blogging/Questions

The term taken from Jowena, defined as "the lowest form of blogging".

First things first: DETROIT! Ano ba yan?!? So much for the symmetry between this team and the original Bad Boys. Now the Big Dog and Nazr Mohammed have championship rings. How could you let this happen?!?

Good thing I'm too broke to have money on that game.

Whatever happened to the West Coast Avengers? And can you name all of them? I get through Hawkeye and Vision before I draw blanks.

I'm in love with half the cast of Veronica Mars (the female half).

I'm in love with a quarter of the cast of QPids (the prettier half of the female half).

Why does a train run straight into Wayne Tower?

My friends want to surf (the other, much cooler kind) this weekend and I'm broke. You know how broke I am? I think I haven't had overpriced coffee in two weeks. Har har.

Where have all the good jobs gone?

I want to buy all the albums of all the artists I saw at Fete. I can't go on listening to Paramita over Soundclick.

More people check my Flickr account than my DeviantArt account. Does that mean I'm a better photographer than visual artist? No no no no! Nothing against photographers but half of those who claim they are are really just frustrated painters. There's a difference between capturing nature's expression and expressing your nature. Hmmm that's good. Maybe I should write that down.

Consider The Well Well-Poisoned

The hard thing about having a 'client' whose approval of your work comes and goes so arbitrarily is that you never figure out whether you're on the right track or not. If I had my way I'd obviously go with something that mixes a little bit of humor and insight and good design, and something that works on so many levels aside from the level readily seen. You'd think clients would stand up from their chairs and shout 'Eureka!' and 'By george, you've got it!' but that's hardly ever the case. I have no idea what they want and why they want what they want and why they change their minds about what they want so...randomly.

One annoying side-effect of this is that in the hope that they find 1 good, lasting design in every 20 that I make, I try to come up with as many as I can. And this overdraws the creativity well and well, when its spent re-filling it up doesn't come easy. It's usually a painful process that takes weeks at a time, wandering aimlessly and waiting for inspiration, because it's usually in the last place you look.

Plus, I get cranky. Part of it is obviously the lack of approval, but some of it is due to the feeling that your head is caving in 'coz everything that was inside of it is now on paper or on your computer. And when there's that vacuum I can't think straight, and when I can't think straight I get pissed. And when I get pissed, well, "your best bet is to stay away motherfucker."

Less angry post next. Let's hope.

With One Headlight

The Fete Post.

Somehow enjoyed last year's rained-out event more, but for all the wrong reasons. Last Saturday I did get to see a host of performers I wouldn't normally go see, and I was pleasantly surprised.. It was hard to move from stage to stage though 'coz of the immense human traffic and the distance between the Podium and Racks El Pueblo. I know it doesn't seem so far but if you're wading through scores of kids wearing swastikas and The Deftones then I'd rather just stay put near the Alternative stage and wait for Narda.

But it's hard being alone (for the most part) at these things. And not that I've been up there a whole lot, but I miss being in a band and up on stage. I'm envious.

I haven't been posting a whole lot mainly because there hasn't been a lot to post about. All I've been doing is drawing and watching TV and whatnot. Except for the 2 hours spent watching Batman Begins.

Somehow I liked the Tim Burton realization more, even if I haven't seen it for a while. Michael Keaton still doesn't look like a Bruce Wayne but I think the costume was more...iconic in the earlier movie. And I'm not really a fan of a big bulky Batmobile.

Then again I don't read Batman regularly as I've always been a Marvel collector. Which beggars the question: favorite comic book movie of all time? I'm a bit biased but I'd have to say the X-Men movies. They're characters I know well and somehow I can't think of any better scene from a comic-book movie than Nightcrawler infiltrating the White House and how Magneto escapes from the ceramic prison. Spiderman is OK but i didn't like the Green Goblin and I don't like the ending of the second one.

To cap it all off...

During Fete I parked my car at the Shangri-la Edsa parking because it's a flat rate for the whole afternoon. Although I'm pretty sure the overnight rate takes effect after 3 AM, I was still a bit wary of paying the P200 charge so I made sure I'd be back before 2 AM. When I got back to the car some idiot who must have tried to park beside me had broken my front left turning light and scratched the left side near my tire. And my freaking turning light was on the ground in a dozen broken pieces. Of course, no note and no witnesses. At least I didn't pay for overnight parking.

Eventually, Even Stars Burn Out

starfighter
Originally uploaded by ray-gun.

Unemployed?

Broke?

Interested in purchasing a Jedi Starfighter?

Sold!

Anakin Skywalker with "Light-Saber Attack!" action gets to patrol the star system in his spankin' new Starfighter. Yes, now I have more crap to try to fit in my room. And I don't care. It's hot, regardless.

So instead of being proactive and checking out my Jobs folder and making a business plan and all that being 26 entails..., I've been preoccupied all day.

Less fanboy post next. Let's hope.

Have You Any Dreams You'd Like To Sell?

Been out of it since I found out that the deal to work for 3 months fell through. I realized it was like getting fired before I even got hired, which has to be a new low. What a funk.

I managed to get a glimpse of Queer Eye's Thom Felicia at the Alabang Town Center yesterday. And before this calls up questions about my sexual orientation, please note that while there I looked at some power tools and browsed through Playboy at the bookstore. Not that there's anything wrong with paying the southbound toll just to see an interior design specialist crack gay jokes.

And while we were there my mom bought me new shoes. Because in this family, new shoes is love. I will probably always be a Northerner, but I love the ATC. Everything they sell there I can probably buy in Ortigas or Makati and I wouldn't have to pay the toll, but still, we ended up with loads and loads of purchases. Must be the southern air.

Then I was at a baby shower last night. I'm not really keen on baby stuff, but it's bittersweet to be around people who are on their way to 'happy ever after'. I'm still having trouble with 'once upon a time'.

Standing On Broken Dreams

And another employment opportunity goes bust.

God, I'm so depressed. This was the one I was counting on and now, nothing. You know like when they say whenever a door closes, a window opens? I don't want to go through no damn windows!

Hayyyy.

I'm trying to squint so that maybe I can find some bright side, but to no avail. I'm broke, my business partner is AWOL, and so much stuff is coming up in the near future that requires me to be at my best, both emotionally and financially.

The journey continues.

I honestly do not know what I'm supposed to do now. Ok, I'm lying. I have some idea. But not in any way that makes me feel better.

That stupid 7 Habits book will tell me to be proactive. That this is outside my Circle of Influence. Right. I'd flush it down the toilet, but they proved on Late Night that it can't be done.

In the spirit of futile activities, let's rewind to when it all came apart. It probably dates much farther than anyone realizes/There are no easy answers. It's like the debate on when rock and roll died: Some say it's when Lennon was shot. Or Cobain. Some say it's early February 1959. Some say it's as early as when Elvis signed on to a major label. Likewise, the start of the downward spiral isn't as simple as November 2004. Sometimes I think it's a few years back when I signed on to my first IT company. Sometimes I think it's when I shifted from BS Psychology to M.E. before the schoolyear started. Many times I think it was on a rainy September morning.

And rewinding's the easy part. I try fast-forwarding. I see nothing.

God, I can actually hear my spirit breaking.

The Score:

Call center: 8, Jon Ray: 0.

I swear the next time I might just decline altogether.

Speaking of scores, I predict that Game 1 between the Spurs and the Pistons will tally in the low 40's. In overtime. I am intrigued at how the Pistons are going to handle Ginobli, though. Prince and Co should put him on his back in the first 30 seconds.

I want to take overpriced coffee but I promised myself I'd save up.

I will also promise to post something interesting. When it happens. Whenever that is.

Rumble, Eject, Operation, Destruction: A Nineteen-Year-Old Review

Stuck at home on a Saturday. This time I have no excuse.

The company ********** and I are playing this game. A game where, they schedule me for an interview, then, I show up and show enough potential to keep them interested, but not so much as to get me hired. Round 8 is on Monday.

I've borrowed (read:downloaded) the 1986 critically-acclaimed film Transformers: The Movie. It's set in 2005. Yes, you heard right. So they got more than a few things wrong:

1. Soundwave still uses cassettes.
2. Glam rock is still 'in'.
3. None of our cars look like Hot Rod or Kup. We're lucky if we get to drive Cliffjumper.

And again, as a plot device they kill off a number of good guys (and bad, let's not forget Starscream) way too easily. Prowl gets hit once and goes down in flames. Starscream practically dissolves. Tough-talking Ironhide? In X-Men terms: "Practically keeled over before I had a chance to bruise him." Then again, he's a flimsy L-300. Makes sense for him to just topple over.

And you'd think in 20 years the Autobots would've figured that they're biggest problem in their little robot war is that Laserbeak gets to spy on them way too much. All they have to do is close their windows!

And Rumble and Frenzy are tougher than all of them combined. Cassette tapes rule!

This Beat Flows Right Through My Chest/She's Hot Regardless

It's another Friday stuck at home. Which I don't really mind so much coz I got home at 5 this morning. Why? Coz it's a crime to let flight attendants dance unwatched.

I really should learn how to streetdance. Those 5-second dance moves I learned from growing up in the 80's won't cut it for very long.

Someone didn't get the memo that Pier One wasn't a gay bar.

My apparel designs finally made it past my fickle business partner! Does anyone else find it ironic that I design gym wear and I haven't even stepped inside a gym? Marketing research is for sissies.

Fete in a couple of weeks! Gaiman comes to Manila! Still unemployed but there's hope! I love this time of year!

...

I've learned a phrase that sounds normal to most guys but gets more than a few girls' eyebrows raised. It's "She's Hot, Regardless."

"That girl in the corner looks hot."
"I've met her. She's a dyke."
"Oh. She's hot, regardless."

"Karel is trying too much to be Michelle Branch."
"Yeah, but she's hot regardless."

"You do realize Ultimate Survivor Ryza is barely 18."
"I know. She's hot, regardless."

Some girl actually told me that this phrase was exactly what was wrong with today's society.We debated over this for a while. But it really doesn't matter if she's right or wrong. She's hot, regardless.

Holding Steady Hands Will Do Just Fine

Due to a severe case of OCD, this morning I used the master reset function on my T39. In essence, I've deleted my entire phone book and all my unsaved-on-SIM messages. Fortunately, since I don't have many friends, encoding all the numbers took all of an hour. But I do feel bad about all those lost messages though. I have a problem with moving on.

I also realize I've deleted my custom-made Cliffs Of Dover ring tone. Somewhere in the distance I hear my housemates clapping.

Also stemming from this current bout with OCD is the fact that I've re-strung my guitar without having it tweaked by a professional guitar tech. I've been putting it off because I didn't have the cash to pay the tech fee and I was down to my last set of strings. But I was itching to play the starting riff to Desperately Wanting. An acoustic guitar just doesn't do it for me.

The title isn't a line from Desperately Wanting, it's from Soon. Wala lang, I thought it was cute.

I have way too much time on my hands.