coming and going... (a tribute to our pet)

We waited anxiously for your arrival. Even before we saw you we already think of things that we should do with you. What games should we play? What Clothes should you wear? What do you look like? We had fun.

And then you arrived. We screamed with joy as you set foot. You ran around the house wildly. You looked at your new home. You literally liked your new masters... So much that your first act in the house: you peed on the floor.

Well, long story. On the first month if your stay you peed and pooped, peed and pooped, ped and pooped. But that doesn't matter. All dogs do that, anyway.

Then, naming you. We were in a little trouble trying to give you a name. You certainly looked like a female when, technically, you're a male. So we have thought of giving you a girl-ish name. Unfortunately the plan didn't pushed through and, instead, resorted to giving you a name of a chinese (?) animal, since you looked like them except for the spots, which are brown.

Anyway, we had totally enjoyable moments with you. We dressed you up with clothes that we know wouldn't fit you and could cause our untimely coughing because of your hair. We photographed your cute little face. We made pointlessness to you. Even if it was nonesense, you were great entertainment value for us.

I really thought our happy relationships with you would go on...

... But things must change, then.

One day, unexpectedly, you started getting sick. You lie on the floor. You didn't want to eat. You start peeing, pooping, vomiting... blood. I don't know why.

We wanted to save you then. But all is lost. Everything failed. We started to cry.

We looked at your frail and dying body and, before we knew it, you returned to... Him...

That's the last we heard of you.

Our mother says you were not worthy for us so He made you die. Our (self-important) father recommended that we'd better not grieve on you, and insisted that we look into our futures instead.

So we forget you...

But then..., I sitll miss you.

In Loving Memory of Our Beloved Puppy, Panda.
May 23, 2006 - November 17, 2006

Things I found out from the educational trips I have joined during my high school years

1. They always tell us to "always follow the S.O.Ps (standard operating procedures) or else, get scolded by your teachers or, worse, the principal of your school."

sublist: the standard operating procedures
a. you cannot eat inside the bus, unless you share your food to others.
b. always check your seatmate for anything. he/she might have lost something, or maybe your seatmate might have been lost somewhere.
c. do not stand up while the bus is rolling. your head might hit someone else's.
d. always latch tight to your valuables, lest you get surrounded by gang thieves.

2. You will always visit the birthplace of your national hero. I noticed this, even in my elementary years: I always see Calamba, Laguna as our itinerary. There is something about Jose Rizal that convinces every Filipinos that he will be around with us for generations to come.

3. All places have great entertainment value, if not educational value or both.

4. Celebrity sightings are rare collectors item during a field trip. (Unfortunately, I didn't see any prominent personalities going on vacation.)

5. Things can get nasty if the bus runs through bumps on the road.

6. Better not join if you usually get sick on the road.

Damn the block...

Oh, great. The block struck again. Just as I was about to start a new babble that huge cube exploded right beside my brain. Now what? I Can't Get A Single Thought Out.

Anyway, my new posts are in the process of being written. Two of them includes: what happened to my educational field trip that was hell for my feet, and thoughts about the upcoming holiday that is Christmas.

Until then. I shall rest for a while so I could melt off the cerebral fat deposits.

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For the people reading on multiply, I would appreciate if you read my blog via my blogger website. Everything you see on my blog on multiply are just mirrors from my original blog. here you go: http://amnip.blogspot.com/

days of the dread, here in the Philippines

From now until the end of all souls' say, I expect people pushing and shoving at the airports, seaports and other transportation terminals, rushing to get a seat and go to their or appointed rendezvous or somewhere else. I shall hear reports of robbery, harrasment, the sudden increase in fares, and terrorist threats. I would also witness commentary from the people who wish to go to their provinces or elsewhere and complain of the companies' sluggiah performance (geez, you're just being cheked if you're eligible for the ride -- you don't want to get sick all over the place or get your ear blown off, do you?)

Already it feels like all souls' day. People are lining up at candle shpos and flower boutiques to buy stuff they could offer to their dead relatives' graves There would be people who could barely afford candy that they'll just offer someone else's offered candles and/or flowers. There shall be confusion and chaos as the living relatives find the graves of their dead. One scene would involve two or three people who visited one grave all at the same time even they're all strangers to each other -- it turns out that the three people are the dead person's fiancees; anyway the scence usually ends in fistfights and hair-puling matches in the cemetery.

Also, reports of paranormal activity shall befall the news. I would see fabricated spirit photos that would be claimed and reiterated authentic, and genuine images of the dead would be shot down and dismissed as fake and the source of the photo an opportunist. There will be storytelling of haunting experiences amidst the headlines of increasing oil prices and totally deranged celebrities, and would serve as fillers for unused air time until the next program comes on.

And on October 31, kids in costumes that are supposed to scare or amuse us will roam the streets.

As for me, I would stay here at home and do nothing but watch TV/DVD, read books, surf the internet, listen to music, manage my website, blog up and, what else? Do nothing.

(Oh, as for the October 31 Trick or Treat thing here, it only happens to kids with rich parents. The rest stay home or join the family in praying for their dead.)

no thought, no post

I haven't blogged ever since friday the thirteen. I couldn't squeeze out a thought form my pea-sized brain. I couldn't find anything interesting to talk about. I don't even know if my mind's still working. Or am I still a person?

I don't know. It could be constipation of the brain. It could be some curse that prevents me from writing something. It could be my dumb life. It could be anything. But I'm obliged to think that my left brain's killing my right. Because I couldn't think randomly.

Anyway, all I could think of ends here. Maybe next time I could write of something.

And it's almost halloween...

Th1rt33n

October 13 was Friday, the day in which everyone gets to have a stroke of bad luck, and a day which supposedly brought some resistance against the bad energy for the chinese people. As luck would have it, I'm no chinese (which I kind of wish I was). That means, I'll still suffer torment at the hands of life.

What's with friday the thirteenth that makes every occurence of it hellish? Who the hell had marked this day as a day of catastrophes, disasters, calamities, destrution, crises and, to simply put it, misfortunes?

The universe really has a warped sense of humor.

Anyway, many bad things happened to me on friday the thirteen. But nothing worse than the friday the thirteen I experience every day of my life (and everyone else's).

Damage Report

• at least 100 people doed during the storm, mostly because of landslides and floods.
• Trees, billboards and electric posts fell off their foundation from so much stress brought on by the strong winds. one person was killed by a fallen billboard.
• because of the downfall of the trees, billboards and electric posts, virtually the whole Luzon had its power cut off. Many lives were screwed, many plans were derailed, many business closed down because of the blackout. even the philippine stock exchange dangled to nostalgia.
• more than a billion pesos (US$ 300 million?) damage was recorded.
• strong winds also caused some vehicles to topple down, if not blown away to somewhere else. three (?) people died.