Ang Aking Bahay Kubo

Perhaps my most meaningful investment by far is my kamalig along with my Honda Motard (my sister gave me last Christmas) which I have so much love for. My new found native flat is equipped with adequate lighting (thanks to my 3 Philips Bulbs installed in every corner) and sound system (now my gratitude goes to the stereo I borrowed from my lola's house). I wish I can have a TV set inside but with my internet I can stream anytime all the time. Or fridge but I don't pay for the kuryente  and we already have one at home so that can wait.\

My kamalig with all its ethereal glory.

From inuman venue to movie house to work place (home-based) to bed room, it's been serving me quite well that I find it unthinkable to live without it anymore. It affords me privacy and the right amount of peace to write  and contemplate.

blame that to my poor gardening skills. 

Looks austere but I'd rather have it this way than congest it with unnecessary things that will limit my movement. 

this is what I'm rambling about. I got books and Bumblebee and Starscream.
There's a water-based plant and flashlight in case of blackouts.

Manggahan 2011 Highlight Photos

My two cousins both from different sides.

Last night of Manggahan 2011. The bottles of SML (including those cased at the bottom) kept us company till 4 Am just an hour before my very first (and hopefully my last) road accident .

Owning the dance-floor  in front of the provincial capitol.

Two of the most adorable ladies that night.

Posing while the rest of the world within the capitol grounds are drinking and groovy dancing.

Cause we're not kontento , we posed for another shot.

My Nephew's Art-Work

My 5th grader nephew spent his long weekend working on this beautiful piece of art. Materials: corn, silver dust, buli-bas diamonds, pentel pen and crayons.

Rumagangrang Photos

Taking a rather awkward pose against the blazing 3 o'clock sun. 

Plain goofing. Taken at Rumagangrang Beach Resort's famous rock formation

How about a side view?

You're looking at an island Barangay (or Sitio) Unisan. 

White beach front of Yato island. This is where we spend our after-fiesta excursion 

Sharing the spot with other people. The place is good for rock climbing, of course. A diving spot is situated right at the right side.  

SBIYF!

Spoiled Brat in your face.

(photo credit: Google)

That infamous remark came from someone who is so full of herself in the person of Zambales Rep. Magsaysay. The words are a pang already but the blunt delivery brought the entire verbal barb into a  severe enormity. Perhaps for the trodden Sec. Carandang that was way overboard. Arrogant,immature and spoiled brat are strong and distasteful words to describe a rookie cabinet secretary. But not if he truly deserves them.

It was like a teacher giving an aberrant pupil a lesson on humility. The Hon. Congresswoman has made her points clear not only with her verbal emphasis but with all her intricate arm gestures. And the poor cabinet secretary stared at her with seeming amazement as she slowly dismantles his political ambitions. Indeed, too bad for Sec. Carandang that it all happened in national TV.  It was, nonetheless, a minus pogi-points for him.

For someone unaware of the whole fiasco like me, the lady legislator has prevailed over the more eloquent  secretary in that spectacle. His uncertain tone and obvious bluffing displayed how weak his arguments were and how utterly unprepared he was while his adversary threw questions of significance one after another. 

Rep. Mitos pointed out clearly that everything needs not to be expensive. If a cheaper device can do what Mac can, why choose the latter? That alone is a crystal-clear message which over-shadowed Sec. Ricky's good reasons on choosing the high-end devices.

Given the economic conditions our beloved country is in, as well as with the immediate repatriation need of our OFWs  from war-torn countries like Libya, the rising number of dengue casualties and the natural calamities that batter our archipelago, how can you get so luxurious like that? The security of communication afforded by Blackberry,I believe, can be offered by other brands, too. If only they know how to scout around. 

It's in times like this that everyone needs to be  frugal and practical.There are more important concerns that persons in authority need to spend our meager money for. The decisiveness of a leader is reflected even on the things he chooses to promote the public welfare. And Sec. Carandang failed even in that aspect alone. So if ever he has ambitions to run, he must prove me wrong first before he gets my vote.

You Brat! 

Short letter

blog,

This will be fast. Just want you to know that we already got the payment for the articles. But I won't talk more on that. I have other things in mind right now aside from money money money. My blog , yes the first entry on your wall, has been featured in Definitely Filipino blog site and guess what, it got 1100+ views and topped the ranking on that day. isn't that great? huh?! still elated till now but i really have to get off,. Just came from my uncle's birthday party and the alcohol is sinking in. Tipsy. i know I'm drunk posting again. Only because I want you to be updated. i miss you but I miss my sleep more so Ciao!

rommelwatdahell

P.S.

I'm thinking of changing my name

Dear Blog

Blog,

If I'm not going to mean it I will not be able to write you. My work-related articles are starting to pile-up and they're getting more complicated everyday. I haven't started anything yet, there are 6 articles due tomorrow but I'm just not in shape to brainstorm.The keywords are totally foreign so it's a bit of a challenge. If there's one thing I am thankful about this job other than the set-up and the convenience it affords me, it's the chance to broaden my learning scopes. The more I research on things my blog contents require me to look for, the more I become aware of other things I'd usually snob on normal occasions and of course  my seeming limitations. If others have a room for improvement, I have a continent.

The idea of spending most of the time online with monetary benefits is just so inspiring. Prior to this, my cyber-life revolved around Facebook or YouTube which became boring every minute. Now they're just my diversion when my mind is a little tired of writing about serious matters. But of course, there's you,my true companion and the only one I confide to . Now that I've limited my view-able information on Facebook., they might find me too cagey unless they see you. When I vent out my frustrations, especially about my unpredictable lovelife, you're lending me that listening ears with patience and without interruptions. I din't hide you from them, if they discover you on their own, please welcome them with open arms. And without any reservations, tell them what you know. I'll not get mad at you. You have my permission. For now, let me just thank you for lending me a portion of your space to say all these again. I can't tell when's the next confession but I know you'll still be around anyways.


Blogger

Busy

I have to get off writing serious types of articles so I'm here again. Though my time for you has been seriously cut off to a length that can only cater short posts such as this. 

I just want you to know that I'm very busy with my new found,home-based employment. My sleeping time is declining steadily this past week. Now, as of this writing, I'm being lulled to doze off by my kamalig's soothing temperature.But I just can't.I have 4 articles to write and 3 or 4 queued for editing. Everything must be submitted today. So I'm going to need coffee which by the way is my last resort.

Eunice is right behind me doing her job while an Avril song is blasting from her netbook's speaker.I wan't to tell you how we want to keep this job but that can be a subject of my next blog post as my very short time is already running out. 

Check-OP

Anyone has blurted that out in sheer disgust. The conversation between you and your langga is reaching a climax then ..tadaaa! you run out of text credits. Annoying, I know. Especially when you talk of things that  can spell the future of your relationship.

Not too long ago before the unlimited texts offers  have become household names, I spend at least 90 pesos for my load per day. And if worse comes to worst, that will extend up to 120 pesos then that's already goodbye textmate see you again tomorrow. Texting is a lifestyle especially for us Filipinos. We wouldn't be called the 'Texting Capital' of the world for nothing. Big Telecom companies relish this kind of psych that we seem to adopt since the introduction of this new form of communication medium. Their revenues are rising per yer and they even battle in unhealthy competition just to remain on top. Sun, as we know it will be the little daughter of the telecom giant Smart leaving Globe in complete helplessness. There's a legal battle going on right now but we don't seem to care. Alright, there are more pressing concerns than that. So despite the bearing the result may hold on us in the future we remain utterly indifferent. 

When Sen. Enrile fought for the extension of the expiration of our cellphone load I felt a sudden relief because that will entail savings beyond what we have ever thought of. Sure enough,our load can now hang around longer than what used to be three days for an economy package. But what pushed the honorable senator to fight off the old profiteering  modus operandi? Wasn't it the uncalled-for filch that these companies have been causing us Filipinos dearly? Bleh!You barked at the wrong tree, if you thought that you can get past that with Manong Johnny like what you did to us ,ordinary subscribers, you are sooo wrong.

Now the domino effect continues. From that load expiry extension, to pushing for free SMS credits to cheaper call rates, the good news seem to fall like mannas from heaven .We feel triumphant as we notice the competition to favor us all the more. Unlimited call packages are taking over the [tele]communications industry. They're much cheaper and sometimes go along with data packages which are totally unnecessary for someone like me with a Nokia3310 phone.

Of course, everything has changed. But if you're unemployed and with an allowance that can hardly suffice your needs in a week, damn, you'll howl ' Check OP' hoarse in the middle of the night. What a jargon! 

Indolence (and this module)

The module is at the right side of my computer ,prolly cursing me now, vying for my immediate attention since I'm already a year behind the scheduled submission. Yes, a year late yet I still have the nerve to write about something else.


Getting the job done is never an issue for an average Filipino, but getting the job done ON TIME is an entirely different story. How many college students have been cramming and a little bit panicky just trying to beat the deadline for a project? I ,for one, best personify the bahala na  attitude known to be innate in almost every Noypi. And I think that it's not an issue about time-consciousness but rather a  question of our inherent attitude that has subsisted since time immemorial---indolence. Sometimes it's not about that. We do things by whim,we watch TV, surf the net, read a book ,etc. and just plainly disregard the vital tasks that we are ought to finish. I don't know how to label that. Either complete indifference or utter stupidity. Whatsoever.


Whatever that is, that's totally unhealthy. But getting to the bottom of that is difficult. That is innate,remember? So you can't just go ahead and put an end to my being lazy unless you want me killed. But of course this is  not an entirely hopeless case. The antidote to laziness is yet to be manufactured. So for now, let's bear with the stress and constant disappointments as by products of our laudable attitude. If those are not compelling enough for you to get the job done (and ) on time, let your laziness meddle with your breathing patterns.

My Sermon

I've been quite for a while because if I keep on rambling I know I'll just be talking of the very same topic I promised myself not to mention anymore.


Today is our church's 20th anniversary so I came home a little bit late than my normal Sunday church-exodus routine. I skipped two consecutive services prior today because I was unintentionally not around. I went home to do errands for my sister. I know, I sound defensive,  well only because your evil smirk comes in handy whenever I babble on religious stuff, as always. I don't need to explain myself to you but just so you'll have your taste of victory, I will.


I haven't been an active church goer since a major issue involving a member of my  family and the people within the church came up. It's too personal an issue that I don't like to discuss any further so take off that curios look. That won't work, believe me. I used to be the front guy in all our activities, in fact, I was the church band's lead vocal. But something's just not right so I decided to step aside, contemplate and look at God with a normal-church member's eye and not with the pseudo-prodigy one.  It's doing me good because my chances of coming across pretensions are slimmer. When you're up there, you got to be almost perfect like that but deep down you know that you're just as unworthy as everyone else. So you make a gull out of yourself by trying to meet the standards and keep up with the expectations.

I know serving God is a struggle especially when you're surrounded by people who loves to be a stumbling block rather than a faith booster. I don't generalize, there are really some with rightly placed intentions but I can point them out easily. That is a sad reality that confronts almost every church because people nowadays are too succumb to doing what they and the others think as right but is in a complete diversion from God's. That isn't an excuse enough to go unruly to God or to the church leaders at least but that drives others to conceal themselves in the guise of affectionate smiles and all which are not helpful. Can we put an end to that or we'll just have to deal with that since that has become a trend?  I feel sorry for those people who are a little bit more righteous than myself for being stereotyped as such only because some of the so-called brothers and sisters have tarnished the supposedly upright impression of the church in general. So we can't hold our pastor or the elders responsible when people come and go right after. Blame yourselves, or let's blame ourselves, just so I don't sound like Pilate.


But blaming doesn't solve the problem as it only adds to the complexity of the issue all the more. I think it is only through trusting God and letting His will be done that this setback can be rectified. And let's just all be true to ourselves, after all nothing is concealed from the Creator.

I am over you

         Just woke up to a cool Friday morning feeling awfully good while being considerably intoxicated. and yes, I am nursing this very nasty hangover but this is not another drunken conversation. I really wish that I am over you, but by mere writing this I know I'm not and I still have a long way to go. No, the rhum didn't  wash away my pains but it numbed me a bit. I thought that all the agonies will be left to yesterday but I still carry them like they've become an important part of my anatomy.
      This is completely irrational,I know. Who can get over a heartbreak in just a night? But this is my only consolation , my make-believe is the only life raft I know I can hold on to to keep me afloat. So I think that I'm over you L*#%. And this is the last time you'll hear me on this.


P.S.


Today marks the start of hunting season. Don't get in the waaaay.

I am Okay (I guess)

     Let's call this closure, or maybe just as far as I am concerned. I know that this day is the turning point of my life. It's about time that I realign my priorities, now that my ultimate dream has finally gone with somebody else. It's in times like this that I appreciate the sad songs more than the love songs, that I want to be alone with just San Miguel or pamper my own misery till I throw up.

    Sorry that I'm being extremely emo like this. Yep. I know that I have to come off strong or stronger even because I have the whole future shining brightly in front of me. Just sad that I have to do it alone, or with somebody else and not with the one I was trying to build it for (not-with). 

     On a much lighter side, maybe she isn't really the one for me and I'm just being a little too impatient with God that I'm running ahead of him. I have always been taught of God's timing ever since and I know now is the time that I should start to embrace the principle. 

     So I wished her good luck . She's decided to finally settle down with the soon-to-be father of her child. Imagine how hard that scene is for me to put up with. But they say all's well that end's well. I gained a friend at the expense of my own  happiness. But I'm thankful,because now I'm going back to God and ask Him to fix my life,again. 

Seven Years...

I love you...Good bye. :(

..that's how long it took me to finally say goodbye. I'm letting her go and move on with her new life while I try to fix what's still mend-able in mine.


Being in love with someone for almost a decade while getting nothing in return is difficult. It's I who have to adjust and understand and give in and forgive and love. It's tiring but my stubborn heart just wont listen. So despite the seeming impossibility of us being together, I still day dream and plan my future out with her in mind. And I do that almost every single day.


It was 2004 when I fell in love with a jolly, smart, fine-looking, fun-to-be with girl in my class. From then on everything about me changed, the way how I looked at other  people and the way they viewed me seemed comely odd. But that didn't matter to me that time because all of me was occupied by her.  Just the mere thought of her can set me off washing the dishes without being told while singing to my heart's content. Man, that was heaven! I get excited for school so I can be around her although it pissed her off. I am one of the astute guys in class, in fact I hold 2 powerful organizations in school but to her I was a nobody. Yeah! it pierced through my ego maybe because I think of myself highly..My school performance was waning as I put my studies on the sideline and dwell more on my rousing desire to be noticed. There are times that I have to cry at night stabbing my chest with my fist for being ridiculously in love in spite of the downright, blatant refusal  But i can't help it.


So it goes on and on and on until just now during our latest conversation that I have decided to give her up. We were both in a relationship within that seven-year period but unlike her, I have been in constant struggle because my thoughts go back to her and to what we could have become together. I always dwell on my unfounded imaginations hence this disappointment but I never ever stopped hoping and yes, praying on bent knees until last night when I called her up.


We had a rather intermittent communication before, relative to her hostility towards me. She's  not treating me badly all the time. Sometimes we talk just about everything with her telling me how happy and contented she is with what she has and who she's with while I listen blankly with my own thoughts drifting back to my prior imaginations. When she doesn't want me to reach her she changes her mobile number so I have to start from scratch again and again just to have that ephemeral bliss  of the moment whenever we talk. I know I'm being an A-hole but then again I can't help it.


I was drinking with my cousin when we talked the other night. I was happy and I'm putting it very lightly.  We talked more about her ,of course. As if I mattered that much to her to strike her interest about my whereabouts. But I can handle that 'slong as we talk. Never did I thought that that could be the end of this insanity. I don't know if I should thank God for that (I call it) wake-up call or be hurting all the more which is demonstrated by these eye-bags and the tears which blended with this afternoon's rain.


I'm getting my second heart-break courtesy of the very same person who has that hold on me to cause me to resort to writing and drinking and resenting. She told me she's pregnant. And it all just sunk-in this afternoon. All my imaginings will never be actualized, she's become so isolated from me. When she cried telling me how bad her situation is, how she doesn't want the child as it would ruin her family's plans for her and their hope of getting a better life, I was feeling the pain ten-folds. Yep. Despite my obvious personal hesitations, I asked her if she wanna get married ,with me, should the banger turn his back from her. She said no but she said she still doesn't want the baby because the guy's family is not liking her. She wants abortion and my selfish self urged me to not say anything . How lame for me to act like that but I never compromised my faith . I told her abortion is never an answer, that sooner or later her family will learn to accept her with all her seeming flaws and that she can live her normal life again.I don't know if she was listening or she noticed that those words are actually killing me. Every sentence was a blow to my own hopes, desires and life. But I was doing her (and myself) a final favor. I'm trying to save her life. I'm trying to save a part of me.


So right now I am back to my lowly life with shattered hopes. Yes I told her goodbye.and I said it with finality.


But when you love the person too much you can't really tell. Who knows I might as well wait for the next 7 years or so to finally move on.