Little joys on any given day...

Little things that make you smile on any given day. A super yum cup of frozen yogurt, really good buys that allow you to have one more buy, kids that remind you the joys of being a child, and if you have something sweet for the tastebuds, you have something sweet for the eyes as well. Hahaha!

Wala lang.

Cowboys and cowgirls for a day... Hehe!

Saturday turned out to be a really fun day.

In the morning, the PA gang trooped to Shakey's Araneta Center to join the 1st birthday celebration of Basti, the adorable son of colleague Grace.

The party had a cowboy/barnyard theme. Leave it to the PA gang to rise up to the challenge by coming all dressed up. Hahaha! Really good birthday celeb. Happy birthday, Basti.

From Araneta Center, we headed to Eastwood to treat ourselves to some Red Mango. I've tried the Yoh-gurt Froz at Hobbes, White Hat at Rustan's, and another one at Rockwell, but I have to say Red Mango tops them all. Yum, ah! Wonder where the other branches are.

I rarely go to Eastwood, because it's quite far from my house, but I really am liking the Eastwood Mall very much. Kind of reminds me of Podium. Good lineup of stores, and it's not that crowded. Woohoo!

And I had more reason to love it more because I got to buy a pair of Kenneth Coles at half the price. Woot woot! My very first Kenneth Cole. Hehehe! There was another pair I wanted to get, but I had to remind myself of an upcoming trip. Hehe! So instead, I just got this reusable tote which had a really nice print, "Use me again and again and again. I'm used to it." Hahaha!

Was supposed to meet with Carlo for our get-together, but decided to cancel already since I had a feeling that the morning affair would become a whole-day activity.

I missed Toby's spinning, but it was okay because I still got my endorphin rush from the PA gang. And all that walking and carrying those shopping bags could probably be considered a workout already, yeah?!

Sunburnt from Bora... as in Norzagaray, BORAcan... Haha!

Who said that corporate communications is always about stressful boardroom meetings, product/service launches at posh hotels, or socials with cocktails and pica-picas?! Haha!

Yesterday, I had to cover the anniversary of our sister company and the venue was at a watershed in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

Initially, I was told that we would just attend the program, which was basically listening to speech after speech after speech. I went in jeans and that blue polo shirt, which is my usual attire when I'm doing coverage that didn't require ultra-proper dressing.

After the event ended, I was ready to go back to the office. Instead, I just found myself rolling up my jeans, going barefoot and getting on a very, very small motorized banca. LOL!

Napa-tree planting na lang talaga ako bigla.

Good thing the boatman was kind enough to lend me his slippers so I didn't have to go barefoot all throughout the day. He didn't need his slippers since he was just going to be on his banca while we planted some seedlings. Uhm, the other employees planted seedlings. I was there to make sure the needed photos were taken. But I did get to plant two saplings. Hahaha!

What I thought would be just a half-day event turned out to be a whole day activity. It was good though.

I've always been in love with the countryside, so it's always a joy whenever these CSR activities come. Haha!

I'm just thankful that I brought extra shirts with me, as well as my kikay man kit so I still got to look proper when I got back at the office.

But man, the skin on my forearms and my face turned into chicharon. Painful and red. Ack!

Happy birthday, EMVEEPEE!!!

It was in the summer of 1999 when I first met individuals who were known by their initials. I was having my practicum with the Corporate Affairs dept. of the country's oldest conglomerate. I would hear people saying, "JAZA is here." Or sometimes, I would also hear "FZA" and very rarely, I would also hear "JZA."

That was when I learned that power people need not spell out their complete names. The initials alone are more than enough.

Hahaha! In my second job, my bosses were DHO, HHD, RAHO, and so on.

And for the past two years (and counting), I'm part of a company led by one of the most valuable people in Philippine busines. It was his birthday two weeks ago, and a birthday cake was given to him during the CIGNAL launch.

Can you guess who?! Hehehe! I wonder if the day would come when I would be called ALM. Hahahaha!

Me ganon talaga... kakalurkey si Koya...

A good friend from college was setting me up with this other person.

I've already forgotten about it until I received a text message from an unknown number two weeks ago. After a couple of exchanged messages and I found out that he got my number from my college friend.

Since it was already late, our SMS exchange was brief. The following day, I messaged the guy in the morning. The reply came ten hours later. That's fine, I just assumed that the guy was busy. Besides, I shouldn't be saying this but I have been guilty of the same thing on a couple of times. Eeeep!

And then, that was it. I got busy with work. He probably did too. No more message exchange until...

The other night, I was about to sleep already when my phone beeped. I got a message from him.

Him: You're from QC, right?

Me: Yeah, but near Manila already.

Him: Ah, okay. Are you a top or bottom?

Me: Are you serious?!

Him: Hehe!

Me: Dude, no offense, ah but if you're looking for something random, you're texting the wrong person.

Him: I'm not.

Uhm, I dunno but I was a bit surprised by the SMS exchange. "Are you a top or a bottom" is not exactly the second question I would ask a person I've yet to meet and maybe become a prospect date.

Is this how things go now? Hehe! Sorry, ah but I've been out of the loop for quite some time now. Shucks, this makes me sound like a prude, which I don't think I am. But I guess that after the Smallville incident and now this, I'm just wondering about the why behind all of these.

Last time I checked, I don't have a "Looking for a one-night stand" post-it on my forehead, or on my FB profile.

I guess I'm having this reaction because I feel like I'm at stage where I somewhat know what I want. And it's definitely not something momentary.

Kakalurkey.

The Last Shangrila at the Shangrila...

Work colleague John Tronco and friends are having a photo exhibit of Bhutan at Edsa Shangrila Mall Atrium starting this July 28.

It's quite appropriate, if you think about it. An exhibit at the Shangrila featuring the kingdom considered to be the Last Shangrila. Hehe!

I'm not sure what photos John will showcase, but I'm certain that they're brilliant. The guy was invited by the present King of Bhutan to his coronation. While the rest of the photographers from National Geographic (!) and others could only take from a certain area, John was the only photographer allowed to roam freely during the ceremonies to document the event. I forget how he formed ties with the king, but all I can say is he's one very lucky guy.

Bhutan is one country I'd definitely want to visit while my legs are still strong enough to go trekking and do some climbs. LOL!

A couple of months ago, my manager invited a Bhutanese national to give a talk about Bhutan to a couple of people at work. Prior to this, I only know Bhutan as the country where Gross National Happiness is measured rather than GNP. The guy arrived wearing Bhutan's national costume and it was easy to sense that he wore it with pride.

He shared how the country tries to really preserve the culture and heritage of the people. And we also found out that getting there can be quite challenging. First off, the country has a controlled tourism policy.

In 2008, only 21,000 tourists entered the country. If I'm not mistaken the ministry of tourism keeps the numbers of visitors per year to a maximum of 25,000 (?) to be able to safeguard the country's resources and culture.

And then there are only one or two airlines that are able to enter the country, and these airlines fly out from Bangkok and India.

The government tourist tariff starts at $200 per day plus surcharges. This includes the basic travel package - airport transfer, land transpo, accommodations, meals, sightseeing, museum fee. Airfare, visa and other expenses not yet included. Quite expensive, huh compared to a trip to our neighboring countries.

But I think the experience would be well-worth it. If only to experience a world away from our world...

Alright, make sure to visit Images of Bhutan - The Last Shangrila at the Edsa Shangrila Mall starting this July 28 - to get a glimpse of the mountain kingdom, its people and its culture.

If God knows, God knows... Thank You Girls this Saturday

If you missed The Thank You Girls last year and early this year, you've got another chance this weekend to watch this wonderful film by Bebs Gohetia.

The Thank You Girls will have a screening at the Cinemalaya 2009 Film Fest this Saturday at 9PM in CCP.

Follow the adventures of Bernadette, Allyson, Vanette and Macario as the go around Mindanao from one beauty pageant on to the other.

I got to watch the film last January and I absolutely enjoyed it. Thanks to Facebook, I even met the director Bebs (who's super, super nice). I love it that the film was shot in Mindanao, and I loved how Bebs used the Visayan language throughout the film. It definitely injected a lot of "reality" into the film.

"The oriental beauty who stands right in front of you hails from the Land of the Rising Sun and I do believe I may never be a real woman, I may never be your real sister, I may never be your real mother, but for all you know I could be your long lost father!"

Hahaha!

So, whether you're gay, straight, or undecided, wiz na mag-esep esep and sugod na to CCP this Saturday to catch the Thank You Girls.

UP Boy is sick today... Boohooo...

Bumigay na ang katawang lupa ko.

The past few days have finally taken its toll. I've been feeling the onset of a fever even before I left for Iloilo last week. But I managed to fight it with Biogesic and sweating it out at the gym.

But last night, I was feeling feverish and I knew that my body was pleading for some rest. I technically didn't have a weekend since I was in Iloilo for work. The combination of terrible morning heat, the sudden heavy downpour of rain in the afternoon, and the cold room temperature because of the AC is really, really bad. Hay!

So this morning, I messaged my manager and told her that I wouldn't make it to work. Initially, I was planning to do a half-day but I knew I needed the entire dayoff. It's a good thing I did a sick leave, because guess what time I woke up?

130PM.

That rarely, rarely happens. So I guess my body's finally grateful for the rest and the sleep. I've been missing the gym though. Yeah, I'm surprised myself. I really didn't think that I would one day be saying those words. "I miss the gym." Haha! I was supposed to check out the hotel gym over the weekend, but male escort duties to a colleague prevented me from doing so.

Oh well, I hope I feel much better tomorrow. For some reason, I feel guilty everytime I take a leave. And I don't go on leave very often. Since I've started working here, I've taken less than 10SLs and very, very few VLs.

How are you feeling today?

I wanted more, he wanted less...

I wanted a nice date. He wanted something, well, less.

There I was at this bar in Smallville, having such a blast on the dance floor. I'm sure the pitcher of margarita downed earlier with my friend and the second bottle of San Mig Light in my hand had something to do with it. There I was just dancing to the thumping of the DJ, unmindful of the people around me.. Yeah, I did a crowd scan and when I noticed that most of the crowd were kiddies, I went back to just enjoying the good music.

Then this guy and his guy friend were dancing right next to me. I wasn't sure if they were with other people. I wasn't sure if he played for the team. I'm sure his friend does. Hehe! So I was just doing my thing and I would look at him once in a while.

Two, three songs later, I found myself daring enough to do something I don’t usually do - I held his hand. No, San Mig Light held the guy's hand. I was merely just an instrument of that alcohol to do it's thing. He held my hand back. And then I would let go, just to make sure that he knew what was happening.

A couple of hand grazes more and introductions were made. Not even the deafening club music stopped us from trying to hear each other. In fact, the loud music gave us reason to get closer and whisper to each other's ears. I found out that he's in town for vacation. That he's from Cebu. That his name was ****, but let's call him Doc. That he was based in Manila (and this was my favorite)!!!

I bought Doc a beer, and we spent the next hour or so just dancing. His friend left and just messaged that he went ahead already. I couldn't care less. Eeep! I knew the club catered to a "mixed" crowd, so I didn't hesitate to put my hands around his waist. Doc didn't think twice when he put his arms around my neck. Man, I couldn't believe what was happening was happening. There amidst that packed crowd, Doc and I danced like we've known each other for years. I made Doc turn around so that he can lean on me, while I wrapped my arms around his trunk. Doc rested his head on my chest. Gawd, it was really happening.

A couple of times he left me to say he was going to the men's, and I was half-expecting him not to return, but we still found each other and carried on with things.

I was sure Doc had way too many SMLs already, but I'm sure he was still aware of what was happening. Had I been an a-hole, I would have taken advantage of the situation. I would have kissed him on the lips. I would have placed my hands on places where it shouldn't be. I would have been an ultimate jackass.

But I'm not. What do I do instead? I get him bottled water and make him drin k it so it could hopefully help sober him up. I held him in my arms, let him rest his head on my shoulder. I comb through his hair with my hands, hoping that it would give some soothing relief. I kept on telling him that we should leave already so that he wouldn't miss his flight.

This may be hard to believe, but I was ready to help him pack his bag and accompany him to the airport just to make sure he didn't miss his really, really early flight. I thought to myself that since I've practically just little sleep time, I might as well stay awake for the remaining hours. And for some reason, I knew I would feel bad if Doc missed his flight.

Three hours before his flight, we were at his room. I sat on the side of one bed waiting for the Doc to finish packing before wishing him a safe trip and putting him on a cab. What happened next was not what I had in mind.

When Doc finished packing, he turned off the TV and lay on the bed where I sat. He took off his shirt and unbuckled his belt. I ignored him, but I lay beside him and reminded him that it was time to go. How did Doc respond?

He pushed my head down, way down.

One would think it was perfect. For a twenty-year-old boy with raging hormones maybe.

I thought, "What?! This is just going to be a one-night stand. The past couple of hours is only going to lead to this."

You might probably say, "Well, what did you expect?" I dunno. I guess I thought we could have been the exception that night, but as it turns out, we weren't. It was just another random hookup.

I knew what I had to do, and surprisingly, I didn't find it very hard to do it. Yeah, stone me for being a prude at that moment, but I didn't have regrets. Before I left, I gave Doc a kiss on the cheek and said, "I thought you'd want something more."

And without thinking again, I left the half-asleep, half-naked guy and walked back to where I was headed.

The situation kind of reminded me of a scene from Broken Hearts Club, the queer fic every newbie should watch. LOL! That scene where Kevin and J. Crew Guy were about to go at it, and he changes his mind.

What's surprising though is that I seem to be okay. I'm not cool with it, but it didn't ruin the remainder of my stay in the city. Jani the tarot card reader mentioned that I needed to shatter some notions I had and I guess this was a start. Sayang lang because I thought it was more than what it was. Oh well. Moving on.

Ode to the Nice [insert "PLU" here] Guys

I came across an entertaining and politically-irreverent (?) read -- Ode to the Nice Guys. Some of my girl friends would surely kill the person (not sure if it's a guy or a girl) who wrote the article. Hehe!

It's almost a weekend and I can't blog properly about the thoughts in my head because I'm thinking of the weekend.

So what's one bored guy to do? I violate all the intellectual property rights of another guy and re-wrote a queer version. Harhar! (I also commit a sin against Prada by taking the image above from their recent ad campaign. Eeep, mi dispiace Mrs. Prada. PLU. I have issues with that word, but I observed that more people find it "friendly." It's all the same to me - queer, gay, fag, PLU. Oh well, that's for another post.

Anyway, this looks like a bit of a long read and I'm sure there are typos and s-v agreement issues, pero hayaan ninyo na. Hahaha!

===========================

Ode to the Nice insert "PLU" here Guys

This is a tribute to the nice PLU guys. The nice guys that finish last, that never become more than friends, that endure hours of whining and bitching about what assholes the last three guys their PLU friends dated in the past week were, while disproving the very point. This is dedicated to those guys who always provide a shoulder to lean on but restrain themselves to tentative hugs, those guys who will down several bottles of San Mig Light, give reassuring pats on the back, and spot for their friends at the gym.

This is in honor of the PLU guys that obligingly reiterate how cute/handsome/smart/funny/ripped their friends are at the appropriate moment, because they know guys need that litany of support. This is in honor of the guys with open minds, with laid-back attitudes, with honest concern. This is in honor of the guys who respect a guy’s every facet, from his rules on dating to his stand on relationships (whether exclusive or open) to his reasons for purchasing the absolutely expensive Prada.

This is for the guys who escort their drunk, bewildered guy friends back from parties and never take advantage once they’re in the car, for the guys who accompany guy friends to bars as buffers against that particular male population composed of insanely good-looking but two-timing airheads, for the guys who know a guy is fishing for compliments but give them out anyway, for the guys who always play by the rules in a game where the rules favor cheaters, for the guys who are accredited as boyfriend material but somehow don’t end up being boyfriends, for all the nice guys who are overlooked, underestimated, and unappreciated, for all the nice PLU guys who are manipulated, misled, and unjustly abandoned, this is for you.

This is for that time he left 5 urgent messages and 10 missed calls on your cell phone, and when you called back, you spent one hour painstakingly dissecting the fight with his boyfriend over a supposedly wrong sent text message. And even though you thought his boyfriend was a chump and a jerk, you assured him that it was all ok and that the two of them should just talk it out since that’s what guys (at least, the gay ones) do, they talk. (Of course you suggested Brian Kinney's solution, to f*ck instead of to talk) This is for that time he asked you to skip the first day of the mad sale of all Rustan's and SSI brands because he needed to rant about a rumor that romantically linked him and the colleague he thinks is the most repulsive person in the world.

And even though you thought it was immature and you had nothing against the guy, you forgot about the pair of Kenneth Coles you’ve been eyeing for the longest time and helped him craft a counter-gossip to spread on Facebook and Blogger. This is also for that time he didn’t have a date, so after numerous vows that there was nothing “serious” between the two of you, he dragged you to a party where you knew nobody, the vino was awful, and he flirted shamelessly with you, justifying each fit of reckless teasing by announcing to everyone: “Oh, but we’re just friends!” And even though you were invited purely as a symbolic warm body for his ego, you went anyways. Because you’re nice like that.

The nice PLU guys don’t often get credit where credit is due. And perhaps more disturbing, the nice guys don’t seem to get laid as often as they should. And I wish I could logically explain this trend, but I can’t. From what I have observed in the scene couple of years back and what I have learned from talking to equally nice guy friends, the only conclusion I can form is that many PLU guys are just illogical, manipulative bitches. (Is it still the same these days?) Many of them claim they just want to date a nice guy, but when presented with such a specimen, they say irrational, confusing things such as “Oh, he needs to work on his abs” or “He would be a good boyfriend but he’s not for me” or “He already puts up with so much from me, I couldn’t possibly ask him out” or the most frustrating of all: “No, I don’t want to be his boyfriend, I just want him to be my bedfriend.”

Yet, they continue to lament the lack of datable men in the world, and they expect their too-nice-to-date PLU guy friends to sympathize and apologize for the men that are jerks. Sorry, guys like that are beyond my ability to fathom. I can’t figure out why the connection breaks down between what they say (I want a nice guy!) and what they do (I’m going to sleep with this complete ass now!). But one thing I can do, is say that I believe that the nice-PLU guy-finishes-last phenomenon doesn’t last forever. Surely, there are guys who grow out of that train of thought and realize they should be dating the nice guys, not taking them for granted. The tricky part is finding those guys, and even trickier, finding the ones that are single.

So, until those guys are found, I propose a toast to all the nice PLU guys. You know who you are, and I know you’re sick of hearing yourself described as charmingly nice. But the truth of the matter is, the world needs your patience at the gym, your holding open of doors (even though you’re both guys entering/leaving the room), your party escorting services, your propensity to be a sucker for another night of partying. For all the crazy, inane, absurd things you tolerate, for all the situations where you are the faceless, nameless hero, my accolades, my acknowledgement, and my gratitude go out to you. You do have credibility in this society, and your well deserved vindication is coming.

This Keepall is a keeper...

Can I be a bit materialistic with this post?

I've always had a love affairs with bags. I think it started in high school, when I went on a Benetton craze.

I still remember my first Benetton. A cousin gave it to me. It was a blue nylon drawstring backpack, that had a zebra and parrot print on it.

I dunno if the 90s teens would remember that Benetton line, but that was where I got started. I would save the measly allowance that I got, I did some summer work just to feed my craving for a bag.

Last year, I was lucky, very lucky to have been able to get one from this English brand that was popular for its swirly psychedelic colors. Too be honest, I never thought I would one day be able to carry one from that store. So obviously, that bag is very sentimental and is very much a treasured one.

It was because of that purchase that I started to be a bit bolder. Haha! I thought, "Hey, I only dreamt of getting a PS before but that became a reality. Maybe I could dream bigger. Haha!"

Lately, the stud above is the one haunting me in my dreams.

Boys, girls and undecided, meet the Damier Graphite Keepall 55.

It's a reworked version of the original Damier pattern (the one that looks like a checkerboard in brown colors). While the original pattern is man enough, the Graphite is much more masculine and sleek with its black-grey/dark bluish color scheme, yes?

The Damier Graphite line hit the stores in August 2008, and apparently it continues to be a favorite among the brand's very few male buyers. Hehe! Of the different styles, I fell in love with the Keepall. With its size and style, it's going to be versatile - for the gym, at work, for weekend trips, for just because days.

A couple of days ago, I finally had the guts to call the store in GB5 to inquire about it. The price isn't that different from what was listed on Eluxury before the online store closed shop(?). It's vertigo-inducing. Haha! There are only two pieces left, and in my dreams, I'm sure my name's written on one of it. I can already picture my initials A.L.M. stamped on the ID holder. Haha!

I forgot to ask if the Damier Graphite is going to be a permanent line, or at least, if the line would still be in production by 2010. Haha! Maybe by that time I would have saved enough already. Hehe! Or maybe I can forget Cambodge/Vietnam so I can jumpstart my Damier fund. (Just kidding, Wes. Just kidding.)

Oh well, Pinoy that I am, I'll just say, "Bahala na." Maybe I'll eventually get over it. Or maybe I would surprise myself and do the swipe. Eeeep! Is that bad? My Mom would surely castrate me if she found out that I have these thoughts in my head. And I'm sure she's going to kill me if I do make the purchase. Hahaha!

Or I can probably say to her, "Mom, at least I know the Keepall wouldn't break my heart. It's definitely a keeper." (And she'll reply, "Yeah, but it'll break your wallet and I'll break your neck.")

A scene from SATC plays in my head.

Samantha said about the Birkin bag, "Oh, honey, it's not so much the style. It's what carrying it means." "It means you're out 4,000 bucks," Carrie replied.

In this case, "I'm going to be out ----- bucks." Eeeep!

I'm going to take a cold shower now. Or I'll probably put a bucket of crushed ice on a pail of water and stick my head in it to knock some sense in me. Haha!

Finding the LSQC boys again...

This used to be my playground



The boys with our beloved rector then, Fr. Ed Tiamson

While visiting the Facebook pages of some friends, I came across one album of LSQC circa 90s with my classmates.

I was glad to see that the photos were tagged so I got to visit the FB pages of my classmates from grade school. Woohooo! I can't recall the last time I ever heard from these guys, so it was really nice getting reconnected to the LSQC boys through FB.

I spent seven years of my life in LSQC, and next to UP, I have to say that my days in LSQC have got to be the best. I really enjoyed the classes tremendously (haha, nerdo!) and I thought the teachers did a really good job in educating us.

Back then, I wasn't a big fan of the LSQC life. There is nothing more competitive than an all-boys school. Haha! It didn't help that I couldn't play basketball, or that I never wanted to get involved in these games that would get me detention. Hehe! But looking back now, LSQC is to be thanked for the great academic foundation.

Back to my classmates, I was surprised to see that most of the guys are already married and with kids. Married with kids. Gawd! It feels like it was only yesterday when we were still playing cops and robbers at the quadrangle.

I still remember them very much. There was Romero who was my regular lunch buddy along with Reyes. There's Navarro who was my (then) serious seatmate for years. There's Mamaradlo who I would play trivia games with during lunch. There's Rabatan who led the Dungeons & Dragons playing at noon. There's Carasig who had the largest GI Joe figure collection I've ever seen. There's Novenario who almost got me into trouble with the Discipline Office. Haha!

And now, the guys I practically grew up with are husbands and/or fathers.

I never really saw myself getting married immediately after college. It doesn't have anything to do with the "self-realization" I had in college. It's just that I had an idea how difficult it must be to get married and raise a family, so marriage and parenting weren't in my immediate plans. (This doesn't mean though that I don't want to get married or that I have no plans to get married. Cheesy person that I am, I will tie the knot with or without the legal recognition. Will talk about this some other time. Haha!)

I wonder who among my classmates turned out to be in the same boat that I am. I know for sure that him and him would. Hehe! I wonder what about him. He was always nice and fun to hang out with. Haha!

Man, talk about memories, huh. Nakaka-miss din pala ang grade school.

And for getting to bump into people from my growing up years, I have one more reason thank you Mr. Mark Zuckerberg. Hehe!

Two years na kami...

ng work that is. Haha!

July 2, 2007 signaled the start of another chapter of my life. I started working for one of the country's leading companies. Getting considered for the job was a blessing. Getting hired was much more.

Since that fateful day, everything has been a learning experience.I've had the best experiences, and some good experiences.

Yey! Happy anniversary, Smartee! =)