The Law and Economics of Lust, Love and Life: Perksquad

Showing posts with label Perksquad. Show all posts

The Day After...

... what shall be remembered as our last Midterms day.

We had to go to class at 12 noon still. Yep, This is Sparta, este (ang slapstick) Law School. No time for long breaks and celebrations. Anyway. These are the things that I was writing in my notebook while the discussion of Provisional Remedies was playing in the background.

"Your hands are warm... it may be that your heart is cold."
My prof quoted a dean whom he had to talk to regarding a case he was handling. Our instinct was to hold our hands and test if they're warm or cold. Mahirap na. Ninang Nikki had cold hands, uyy warm heart. At ako... WARM HANDS. Therefore.

Which leads me to a sort of summary of: what we decided to talk about last night. Present and past loves. The ability to move on without closure and finding it in your heart to forgive that one person whom you have given everything to only to be left cynical and well, a tad bit short of being frigid. (Haha, I just had to include that word Japhet).But the thing is, in the end, you always end up in a way better place. Whether we like it or not, we end up being in better places because a place becomes better when we become better persons. The ability to find happiness, contentment and well, love becomes not a task but a happy vacation full of stopovers and a lot of time for camwhoring. When you are able to look back at the places you visited and the pictures that are posted in the photoalbums of today (translation: Multiply, Friendster, Facebook, insert name of a social networking site), you don't feel the pain anymore. You only are reminded of good times. And i guess, it,'s quite a clear sign that finally, you are happy.

JOKE BREAK:
Prof: Class, have you heard of BPI Leasing?
Euns: (naisip) Kaanu-ano kaya nya si Gary? (Hopefully na-gets nyo. Haha)

Last night really was a night of being in the hotseat. I was more than happy to answer queries about "stuff" from my closest of friends. They raised a lot of valid points and well, i wouldn't be friends with them if they don't know me that well. YET.

I am happy. I really am. Done with hurting, with complications and a lot of what could've been's..I have been found. Not only by someone, but I have been found by me.

And that's more than worth everything.

Nate, My Immortal Beloved

Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men - At my age I nedd a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a clam consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
ever thine
ever mine
ever ours

----------------
Happy birthday sweetie. I know you'll LOOOVE this... To a lot of people, you're Nate now but to me... you're MY ATOY! =P

DRESS CODE

It was one hot summer afternoon. The SMS was sent and successfully received, “Coffee Bean at 5. Be there.”

I arrived earlier than usual, waited leisurely for them, enjoying my favorite Chai Latte. When it’s hot, I want it hotter. Then they came, I saw and we conquered. My very own CASHMERE MAFIA. After a few hours of catching up and trying to make the most out of our very rare get-togethers, we resorted to what we do best, scrutinizing each other’s choice of clothes.

I was scolded for wearing something that does not expose skin during summer, a black turtleneck, lacy top. It earned me the crown of “SUMMER IDOL.” This label was created [no] thanks to Abby, whose pair of shoes still has its price tag after months of wearing them. Abby’s fashion emergency was revealed through an observation by AM, whose “curtain-inspired spags under her cardigan” earned her the highly-coveted title “SAKITIN LOOK”. The term was coined by Sam, whose dress was awkwardly open at the back, unnecessarily alerting everyone who is unaware that it was intended to be such. The fashion mishap was a circle, it truly never ended.

AM aptly summarized our “fashion havoc” convention through a query full of flair and flare, “I imagined us to be wearing good clothes when we hangout like this after college. What is wrong with us?”

I took another sip of my Chai Latte and said to myself, “We may not have fully achieved our goal of CREATING A BETTER WORLD, ONE FASHION ENSEMBLE AT A TIME, but other than that, we felt at home, scratch that, we were at home.” We were at Coffee Bean. In this side of town, there is no dress code, only good conversations in between sips of tea and coffee...

Almost Forgot to Post This

This was how Japhet convinced me to go to our Tomas Morato gimmick last Saturday. Note the subtlety and sensitivity of the message. [haha!]

"Please lang ha, wag umarte. Malay mo nasa Morato ang ang kapalaran mo... Crunch time na, bawal pa-girl at choosy. =)"

Panalo diba?

Another Perksquad Escapade

“Nagpagupit ka? Bakit? Gusto mo naman yan haircut mo? Di naman yan tulad ng ibang girls na nagpapagupit sa moment of weakness nila at nagsisisi after? Bagay naman sa’yo, nagmukha kang woman with perspective.”

-Paul

Last Saturday was the first time in ages that I met up with my bestest of friends [Japh, AM, Sam, Bon and Paul … Nate and Abby in spirit] outside of Rockwell [that’s because when school starts, the only time where we can meet up is when they decide to visit me in Rockwell, specifically in Starbucks]. It was all Japhet’s idea, he called and informed [yes, he wasn’t asking if I could come, saying NO was not an option] me that we shall meet up that night. I said NO, he asked why and I said MONEY, his exact words were, “Kailan naman naging problema yan? Magkita tayo sa Shangri-La at ako na bahala sayo.” So, I asked my parents if I could come and they said no, I should stay home. It was time for the,”I don’t get to go out without studying! This is the first time in ages that I’m really going out to have fun… I haven’t seen my friends in a while!” tantrum. They heeded.

Euns: Let’s meet up at Starbucks upstairs, smoking area.
Japhet: Dun na lang sa Starbucks sa baba!
Euns: Di pwede, mas ok sa taas. Di halata na I didn’t order anything.
[Summary of my ka-PURESAHAN!]

With an amount of money not far from poverty, I commuted my way to Shangri-La. Sabi ko nga, “Jeep kung jeep ang lola mo!” It turned out that our gimmick was gonna be in Tomas Morato. The plan was to have dinner at Reyes Barbeque, conduct a videoke night in Starway [it was everyone’s first time, AM suggested the place.. it turned out, she just looked for a Videoke place in Click The City] and cap the night off in Starbucks. Well, almost. We didn’t have dinner at Reyes Barbeque because Japhet and I were so lazy to walk from Starbucks, so we had dinner at Starbucks. When Bon, Paul and Amitz arrived, we felt the urge to buy REAL FOOD and went to my hottest resto find at present, GRILLED TOMATO. People who are in Tomas Morato should definitely try the place… It’s cozy, the food’s great and well, it’s very conducive to great conversations… did I say that the food is GREAT? El delicioso, I’ll post the menu one of these days. GRILLED TOMATO is near Starbucks. Walk through the side street from the corner of Aruba and on look for it on your right side, you won’t miss it.

We spent about three hours in Starway KTV [somewhere in the creekside] and belted our hearts out while satisfying our alcoholic urges. The room was big, more than enough to accommodate our song and dance numbers. We really shook our bonbons, brought IT and told ‘em what we want what we really really want. It was worth the 350 per hour that we paid… It was one helluva private show!

At the end of our “concert”, we headed to Starbucks to talk. Our favorite thing in the whole wide world is CONVERSATION. From the usual how are you’s and dustahan moments to our political, entrepreneurial and spiritual views. I was reminded why they are my bestest of friends. A few hours after, we decided to end our fruitful night and vowed to do it again. Hopefully, earlier than next year. [winks at AM]

As for the freeloader me, I went home more thankful than ever for God’s gifts that are my friends.

Sam's Point by Point Email

I am not gonna post the whole thing, only the pertinent part with regard to my life... Point number five of her six-point email. I must say, Sam... YOU KNOW ME TOO WELL, that's why you guys are my bestest of friends.

Kaya pala when AM and I met up last night at the very sosyal Brazil Brazil in Rockwell, bigla na lang sya nagbabanggit ng mga HEART EVANGELISTA mini skirts. Nakalimutan ko na yata na capable ako magsuot ng mga ganyang bagay. I lost my ferocity in law school. Pero yeah, I am definitely gonna be back in the dating scene, kasi I need to meet new people. Alam nyo naman, we have to keep our options open. Haha.

Side kwento nga pala, before I headed to Fiamma with the party people of the law schoo, I met up with AM and her boyfriend Eric, along with the rest of their friends for some quick chat. AM and I ended up talking until I needed to go back to Starbucks and she needed to go home. Saya. I really have a social life.

Back to the very funny email, here's the excerpt:

"... 5. Set-up for Eunice. Hmm. At the back of your mind Eunice umaasa ka.
Aminin! Pero habang wala pa, mag-explore muna. Hooray!!! Panahon na para
ilabas muli ang mga tube tops at Heart Evangelista mini skirts!! Mudra is
back on the dating scene! Start naten this Sat night. Baka may kakilala yun 2
kong classmate sa Acctg. Gustung -gusto naman nila sumama eh. Divah?! =) "

I am Very Talented...

"Talent mo talaga yan no? You find unique ways to ruin beautiful things..."
-Japhet

Ok, that was a good one. Japhet dropped that line while we were drinking our hearts out at Pier One last Saturday along with Sam. I don't know if I should believe him, but I know that at the back of my mind, I have some history of ruining good things... but I guess it's part of growing up, of learning and of becoming a better person. In my entire existence, I have only asked two people out.. that again is contrary to popular belief that I am very liberated. I never did and will never regret what I did, maybe it's because when I did that, I was prepared to get hurt. It was like THE DEAD END. It was the make or break of everything. What may be deduced from it is that I am not a fan of cliffhangers.

Of course it's expected that I'd say it wasn't and isn't my attention to ruin great things or to pre-empt beautiful futures, it's just that I am not comfortable with the existence of issues in my life because I end up wasting my time thinking about them. I am a thinker, to the extreme sense of that word... I am capable of halting everything until I get the conclusion or the end of a story. I am not a fan of what if's, of what could've been's and of if only's because I want to be in control. After all, it's my happiness that is at stake here.

What's the point of this whole entry? This is a declaration that I refuse to acknowledge the accusation that I ruin good things. In fact, I would love for good things to come my way and do stay... it's just that most of the time, they don't. I don't harbour ill-feelings, I don't even find it in my heart to get angry with people who may have unintentionally and intentionally hurt me along the way. It is because if they were able to hurt me, chances are, I love them or I care for them. That will justify why I would still want them to be in my life... they have become my friends. I never let go because when I decide that I want them in my life, I do want them. This is applicable to romantic partners, friends, even acquaintances. What you see is what you get. What you feel is what I want you to feel. Never will I intentionally make people's lives miserable because I don't believe that anyone deserves to be such.

I still go out with men I used to date once in a while, some of whom did hurt me deeply, but after all the pain, the friendship and the memories of good times remain. I am very talented, and my closest friends can attest to the fact that I am very strong. People ask me how I am able to easily move on, I say moving on is a decision too. In the same way that everything that could shape our lives will boil down to how we decide to act. At a certain point, you have to be able to tell yourself that it has to stop. You have to be able to tell yourself that you don't deserve to be treated that way. At some point, you must realize that you are worthy to be happy.

I pray everyday asking God to never take away my optimism. So far, He hasn't. In fact, I have high hopes for something that could happen in the near future. It may or may not happen, but I guess the best part of it all is that I did what I had to do. If things don't go the way I want them to go, it wasn't meant to be. And if they do, then I can look back and smile knowing that I had something to do with it.

I am not letting go yet. I still believe. I still hope.

Saturday is Gimmick Day

After the Avilon Zoo thing, I met up with Nate, Sam and Japh for yet another round of kwentuhan and catching up. Sam's too happy to tell us about the "we look up to you" moments that she had in her classes, Nate was too happy to get a tour from me at the Library and Japh was too happy that he brought a box of brownies for us to munch on.

It was a typical afternoon, if only we were still in UP, but the change in venue [Rockwell of course] and the changes in our lives [sa ano mang aspeto] made our conversations richer.

Then we decided to go to Market Market so I can go shopping. Sam, Japh and I ended our day by staying at Pier One until 1 in the morning.

I am happy that I am seeing them more often, I need them so I can be saner.

The ILLUSION of a FRIDAY NIGHT GIMMICK......

... became a reality.

It started out with the controversial one-piece ensemble, which I justified by saying that "I am trying to create an illusion that I have a date on a Friday night", I texted Nate to meet with me at Starbucks, he said yes and then the rest was history. Abby, Nate / Atoy and Japhet met up with me to catch up at Starbucks... It was of course a fun, fun, fun night. A few hours after we had to say goodbye but my night didn't there.

Ces and I proceeded to Dencio's at around 12 midnight to drink and be merry with the sisters. We ended up closing Dencio's again, man, two straight weeks. Yebah!

I have a life.

I am finally, finally doing things that are outside law school. I think I have completely adapted. Dapat lang, after more than two years ba naman e.

Nate: Bakit ang conservative mo ngayon?
Euns: Ces, sabi ko sa'yo e!
Ces: Conservative, napaka-controversial nga ng damit nya today.
Nate: Kasi sa UP, normal lang yan e.
Ces: I can just imagine.

GRAND REUNION

Last Friday, everyone was in Greenbelt 3... why? To meet up with me. HAHA. But seriously, it was like a one time big time reunion... I met up with high school friends [Ivee, Mirla, Paul] , celebrity friends [Angel and Jason], newfound friends [Jae, Chrissy, Tin, Kiera] and Law School friends [Ces,Chris,Patty,Mel,Ana,Haze,Juanch and Joan]

Had a blast with my Celeb friends because we ended up battling it out for the title of TIME ZONE Champion which, ehem, I effortlessly won. From Trivia to Gunshooting to Basketball and reflex games, I SIMPLY KICKED ASS. Love you Angel and Jason. We had dinner at Peking Garden [winks at both of 'em] and had a picture-taking galore.

I earlier met up with my COLLEGE BESTEST FRIENDS last Thursday and we ended up sucking air out of each other for laughin really hard. Sample?

AM: Sinong Mariel?
Euns: Mariel Rivera!
SAM: [EXCITED] Ano ba, MARIEL SORIANO!

Un na.

I love SUMMER.

Happy Birthday Bon!

Yesterday, I met up with my bestest friends to celebrate Bon’s birthday via a “pseudo-surprise party” which SOMEBODY succeeded in exposing, haha (that I will explain in a while). I must admit, the only place in Makati that I am absolutely familiar with is Rockwell so to meet up with them at this Insular Building was a total challenge for me. Now, I had to ask Pol how to get there from the MRT Ayala Station. He gave me pretty precise instructions, except that I wasn’t able to find where I should cross to get to Shell where I will be riding a jeepney with a WASHINGTON sign to Insular. Oh yeah, and I didn’t want to play the part of the bewildered tourist in Makati doing the “palinga-linga-looking-for-Insular” dance step. So I ended up riding my ever reliable mode of transportation, my all-time favorite CAB. It started out great, the moment I said I was going to Insular, the cab driver gave me a knowing nod which kind of assured me that he knew where we were going. Then he asked me which side I’m going, whether Ayala or Paseo. That’s my cue to give him my “matalino-talaga-ko-di-lang-talaga-ako-familiar-sa-place-na’to” head tilt and smile. I faked my way to confidence and said, “Ayala po.” Only because we were at Ayala and well, it sounded safer. Then I asked Nate to meet up with me at Starbucks Insular, then he gave me the bad news, there is no smoking area at Starbucks Insular. That can’t be. I asked him where the nearest coffeeshop with a smoking area is and he said I could choose between Coffee Bean and UCC. Then gave me another set of instructions on how to go there. I had a short walk, ala Carrie Bradshaw under the furious heat of the sun and with “very appropriate” black turtle neck, lacy top. Great. A few seconds after I walked inside Coffee Bean, it started raining. M life is one big comedy. I walked only to be stopped by the rain from smoking. Great.

I waited for them (which was highly unlikely since I am almost always fashionably late) at the Coffee Bean in Paseo while finishing a few final touches for my very own “RESOLUTION/DECISION”. The first to arrive was the uhmm, the Manolo Blahnik of my Carrie Bradshaw-ish existence, Nate. As usual we talked, and talked and laughed and laughed like there’s no tomorrow. I even reminded him that it was my idea to call him Nate, as opposed to Rena or Nato which of course do not match his lovely personality. I told him about Ana’s remark about people who hangout at the LOBBY of Econ as laiteros who exude a certain kind of energy which definitely does not offer warmth to outsiders. I was in denial, asking him if we looked like that in the past and he, without hesitation said, YES. He went on saying that we were practically “laiteros and laiteras” who judge people for wearing the wrong color. Then I got reminded of our meanness, well, not really meanness, it’s more like wanting to make a better world one FASHION ENSEMBLE at a time. Which reminded me of Maybel’s remark regarding, BAD SHOES when Rach and I had lunch with her a week ago. Tama din, if you’re wearing a uniform, PLEASE DO NOT BE CAUGHT WEARING BAD SHOES, i.e. shoes with CHUNKY UNFASHIONABLE HEELS, wala na talaga redemption un e. Pero seryoso, mababait naman ang mga Econ students.

Btw, I am so excited because Sam and Nate are enrolling to get their Masters at Ateneo. So, I’ll be reunited with my bestest friends in Rockwell and we’ll have more bargaining power to bully our other friends into actually transferring our dinners to Rockwell for convenience.
After more than an hour, my already well-travelled friend Abby arrived to add more flare and flair to my day. We talked about their Bora, Camiguin and Hongkong trip and we came up with another sinister plan of her buying me, Sam and Nate our laptops for school... While walking towards Insular building to meet up with Sam, we bumped into another good friend of ours, JC. I was soooooo surprised and excited and happy to see him that I practically shrieked my way into saying, “Oh my God, HI!” He laughed his ass off and commented, “Di ka parin talaga nagbabago! Pero in fairness, lawyer-like na ang ating outfit ha.” I miss JC, I miss ECOSOC. I heard that JC and Anj are going to take their Masters in UP. Well, I am so proud of ‘em because Anj topped the entrance exam and JC placed 4th. . How did we find out? Jc found a way to brag about it, he circumvented a possible manifest bragging by jokingly narrating how Anj whined about how difficult the exam only to top it, then we of course asked him how well he did and he said he placed fourth. Mga kaibigan ko talaga TOPAK.

Sam didn’t want to go to Coffee Bean due to the risk of bumping into an ex, so she insisted on staying at Starbucks Insular. That’s how she ruined our “fool proof” plan for Bon’s surprise birthday dinner. She was the GLITCH in the system. While waiting for the right time, she bumped into Bon, which of course gave our surprise away. Then she had to ask if I was going, which of course gave away the fact that I was coming. MAGALING SAM.

We had dinner at Gerry’s Grill with Bon’s other closest friends from high school, college and work. We met his friend, Editor-in-chief of the magazine TOYZ which I am promoting right now because he asked us to and because I don’t want Bon’s friend to be unemployed in the near future. Then I also met Bon’s housemate who was wacky and funny in a kind of odd way. Well, he sort of developed a cute fixation on my tumbler and well, he managed to get my and Abby’s attention by saying a few one-liners in the most unexpected of moments. Coney, Paula, Jo-Anne and KL from college were also there. Coney and I talked about law school and jokingly planned a soiree for our sororities. Inter-college ito! Dinner was great, AM arrived really late with he boyfriend Eric who left shortly after they arrived. Japhet was missing in action because he still was in Puerto Galera. I miss that BITCH.

After dinner we went back to Coffee Bean to spend another 2 hours talking, trying to make the most of our very rare get-togethers. We laughed at the irregularities in our clothes, i.e. my wearing something that does not expose skin during summer, thus earning me the title of SUMMER IDOL according to Abby, whose shoes still has price tags after months of wearing ‘em according to AM whose wearing her curtain-inspired spags under her cardigan earned her the “SAKITIN LOOK” remark from Sam whose dress was awkwardly open at the back thus alerting us, who didn’t know that it was intended to be like that, into believing that her zipper was open. AM summed it all up by saying, “I imagined us to be wearing good clothes when we hangout like this. Bakit ganun?” Yun na. Then she went on telling horrible stories about weddings she went to including a wedding where the bride is, in her own words, “MAGANDA NAMAN, MALAKI LANG UN EYEBAGS!” and where the groom while they were dancing to their THEME SONG motioned that the song be cut long before it was finished. But the winner was the groom’s speech where in he said, “Salamat po sa mga dumating. Sana nga po tumagal po itong kasal na’to ng 25 years…. O kaya 26.” Haha, tumawad pa. Kamusta naman ang may prescriptive period?.
All in all, it was yet another great night in the list of night outs that we’ve swung by. Every gimmick and every second spent with them is definitely time well spent, scratch that, time perfectly spent. Aww.

Alarming News

Atoy just texted me that he might also be enrolling next school year with Sam. OMG. My life's in danger. Law school, hold me tight... it's gonna be a bumpy bumpy ride. Haha

Miss you guys and well, kahit mahirap I shall welcome you with open arms.

Illustrated Ironic Reunion

REUNITED (and It Feels So Good)

Annamitzie's Version of their SURPRISE from http://annamitzie.blogspot.com

Just got home from Tubby's not-so-surprise birthday party. yebah. We
are officially back in each other's arms (yuck, feeling lovers eh)after a 3-
month hiatus. It's great, we talked, laughed, criticized each other like nothing
happened. Its the truest kind of friendship.I'm tired as usual, not from work
(thank God) but from laughing maniacally at every jokes my friends made. I Can
say that my sense of humor is at its best when I'm with them.

Super thanks to DIshwalla (the other celebrant), Scarlet (who came all the
way from Ortigas---parang ang layo noh?), and Susy and Geno. Of course, PERKS
SQUAD is complete after uhm, One year? oh shoot. Wala kaming Group Pic! Bad
trip. Anyway, it was super fun. Suka level kami kakain at nagkandapaso- paso ang
dila ko sa paginom ng pagkainit init na tsaa ng Starbucks.

And what is a Perksquad and friends gimmick without the usual comic/
surreal episodes?

1.) Nauna si Tubby na dumating kesa sa kanila
2.) Magkakaroon kami ng Bituing Walang Ningning Acting contest sa Greenbelt
3.) Nabanlian ni Mamba si Queer ng Umuusok na french press
4.) Ilalagay ko ang napakandang Ann Taylor dress na binili sa isang gutay-
gutay na paperbag
5.) Pagbibitbitin namin si Tubby ng isang box ng cake habang
naggagalivanting kami sa GB (sosyal na sosyal)Ayun... next time na ang kwento...
OT pa ako tomorrow.

Alay sa mga Taong Walang Kahihiyan Noon.. hanggang NGAYON.

sa kagustuhang mag-Bora.

I'm Twenty-two, and not even a bit blue.

I wasn’t really looking forward to celebrating my birthday, I don’t know if it’s a sign of maturity or if it’s another manifestation of how “kuripot” I’ve slowly become but all I wanted was to get it over with. Don’t get me wrong, there is no tinge of sarcasm in this entry, in fact it’s a fun-filled, gratitude-overflowing, tear-inducing article.

Perk Squad’s Back!

Ok, not so long ago, I wrote an entry about a “surprise thingie” that Japhet wanted me to go to. Although I felt that it’s barkada-related, I didn’t want to ruin Japhet’s effort to stop me from suspecting so I kind of had to believe him when he told me that this “dinner” is ROMANTIC in Nature. It was a win-win situation [sort of], if it’s barkada-related, I will be more than happy because I haven’t seen my bestest of friends in ages, if it’s really about a guy from my past, well, at least I’ll have something juicy to write about [although I felt kind of stressed because there are a LOT of possibilities as to who this “GUY FROM MY PAST” could’ve been. Anyway, it was obvious, birthday + mystery dinner = surprise party. Gaya nga ng sinabi ni Paloys when I chatted with him about it, “Sus, surprise lang un kasi birthday mo na diba?” Thanks Paloys. Isa ka talagang source of rationality.

I was supposed to meet up with Japhet around 7pm at Coffee Bean in Greenbelt. Since mataba ako, I decided to dress up a la Ally Mc Beal, power suit and a pink maarte-pero- conservative-top under. The interesting part was that I decided not to take a cab, I rode the jeepney to Greenbelt (sosyal diba?) because I knew that since it was a Friday night, the traffic’s going to be more than awful, meaning… MAHAL mag-CAB. Yup, I was wearing my sobrang maporma attire and I couldn’t deny how out of place I looked because I was consistently eyed by a few of the passengers and since it was a loooong ride, (it rained pa kasi) I felt ridiculous wearing my suit while perspiring ( I wanted to add “like a pig” but it wouldn’t be figurative in my situation, hehe) So there, after losing a couple of pounds because it really felt like I was in the sauna, nakarating din.

I wanted to go to Powerbooks first but on my way there, I bumped into Japhet. Kaya we went straight to Coffee Bean. FUNNY SIDE KWENTO: I went to the washroom to recover and restore what’s left of my pretty self before my jeepney ride and just when I was about to go out, this guy beat me to the door, the embarrassing part was… SINALYA NYA ANG DOOR! It was so funny and attention-grabbing that for a second, I worried that people would think that this guy and I had a fight inside the washroom. Ngarks. Kaya I brisk-walked my way to Japhet to make it clear that I don’t know the guy and I don’t have anything to do with his EPISODE. Oh well, DYAHE.

A glass of iced tea, a few topics and a number of laughs after, Japhet finally received his “Go signal”. And after a few steps, a big smile emerged from my face when I realized that the people dearest to me, the people whom I spent the best four years of my life with were there, waiting for me… This is what I love about them, us, may issue man o wala alam lang namin na MAHAL namin ang isa’t isa. Walang magbabago dun. O ito na, naiiyak na yata ako.

I spent the evening with Japhet [ na naatasang gawing sikreto ang lahat but failed miserably, haha], Atoy [na-8 months na nang huli ko makita and if you know us, that’s a looong time, he perfected his rendition of the DORINA-LAVINIA scene from BITUING WALANG NINGNING and his MENANG impersonation from GULONG NG PALAD], Sam [na according to her ay pumayat, from her shoulders up,haha… at bumabait for some unknown reason], Abby [na as usual ay busy magtake ng pics na di nanaman nya maiu-upload, being her usual responsible self habang binu-bully ni AM], AM [na tila bihis na bihis, gorgeous as ever kaya nagkakaroon ng creepy admirers], Eloha [maganda parin at bakla parin katulad ko], Bon este Victor [ ex-boyfriend ko, ako ang nakipagbreak pero wala sya kasalanan, sumasang-ayon na mabuti akong girlfriend, gumuguwapo lalo at magkakaroon ng Billboard sa EDSA, tama na ba Bon?], Ed and Bebang err Beverly [ang power couple na ang isa ay nagb-bike papuntang office kahit ang laki-laki naman ng sweldo at un isa ay naglalakad sa greenbelt na naka-tsinelas at black stockings na ikina-stress ng lahat dahil isang malaking fashion booboo ito!].

The dinner was great, kahit na we were given a few dagger looks dahil sa sobrang tagal naming at kahit na walang kwenta un PSEUDO-DJ ng resto, nobody could rain on our parade ika nga. After dinner, we decided to have coffee at… jaran! Starbucks. Bagong-bago. Na-miss ko sila ng sobra pero I think isang gabi lang ang kailangan at balik na uli sa dati ang lahat. Gets? Kahit gaano katagal di magkita, isang gabi lang, balik na ang spark. I could never be happier. Or so I thought.

Sana Kahit Minsan DuhPerm.

I don’t know what I did to deserve the blessings that God has always given me, from a great family to great groups of friends. Sa Law School, even if it has only been a year, I found really inspiring and sweet people. A day after my birthday was my enrollment, [aww yeah, I am enrolled… therefore I have another sem. Woohoo!] our plan was to go to Shem’s condo after enrollment. Alam ko naman na may surprise, because it’s been a tradition for us to SURPRISE quote, unquote the Birthday Celebrant.

Inside the Washroom:
Carmi: Nakakainis, kasi naman nag-order ako ng cake sa Gayuma tapos di nila nagawa. (natigilan) Cake…uhmm… para sa kapatid ko (being really defensive)
Eunice: Ah talaga… badtrip un. (pretending to not get it, trying so hard not to laugh)
[lumabas na sila Carmi, Ces at Kay habang nasa loob parin ako]
Carmi: (loudly panicked and talked about how she almost ruined the surprise for me)

Tawa lang ako ng tawa sa loob ng washroom.

So there, when we finally arrived sa Condo ni Shem, naging official na nga na may surprise for me. Ganun talaga, kahit alam mo na, sobrang saya mo parin pag sinurprise ka. Shem made a video presentation for me. Err, actually the first part of the video was funny, the second part was horrifying. Basta, kadiri…. STALKER na STALKER ang dating. Haha. Na-touch din ako dahil Shem and JV cooked pa for me. Although I wasn’t quite sure if JV cooked FOR ME o incidental lang talaga na birthday ko. Hehe, kidding.

As if the video and dinner weren’t enough, they gave me a black shirt with the text, “ YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, EVERYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE BLOGGED.” Aww, so me diba? Pero and best part was Kiboy’s and my rendition of I SWEAR. Ikahihiya naming iyon habang buhay, Shem caught it on video at ang masasabi lang naming ay, LASING kami.

Salamat talaga sa DuhPerm, Shem, Melo, Yvie, Haze, JV, Kiboy, Kay at sa lahat na nandun din in spirit liban lang kay Pepe na as usual ay pinagpalit kami sa mga babae nya. Hmmp.

GREATEST GIFT OF ALL… janjanjanjan….

Paopao’s phone call! He called and said, sinong may birthday today? Then went on to sing Happy Birthday. Aww. Love talaga kita Paopao. Belat Yvie.

Thanks to everyone who greeted me on my special day. Happy Birthday to me, I am 22 and not even a bit blue.

Ang Resbak

t'was a great night. nobody else can make me smile and laugh like these people can. I love them because when they realized that I'm hitting rock bottom and that i've been really really depressed... they went out of their way to meet up with me. Haay. You are and will always be my bestest of friends. Thank you perk squad. I felt worthy again because i have the best set of friends.

I'm thankful to Pepe for giving me and Kay a ride home. Isa syang sadista, he had to make me endure listening to "I Love You Goodbye" and "Cool WIth You" over and over again. Apparently, he thinks these are MY SONGS. Kay saklap. When I got home i saw his text message.

"Sorry. This is my way of helping you move on."

That was it, i stopped doing what i was doing and cried.

Thanks Mel for last night. I needed someone and you were more than willing to be there. To Duh Perm, dont worry... I'm a strong woman. I will survive this depression feat that I am having.

Ayayay Panday!

"at alam mo naman ang ating buhay, parang espada ni panday,... habang nilalagay sa apoy, lalong tumitibay... "--AM

How poetic. But 'tis true. Bring it on.

Evil Prevails.

Some say that evil prevails when good men fail to act. But the truth is…EVIL prevails.
-Nicolas Cage, Lord of War

Does evil really prevail? When you look around you, I’m sure you are tempted to just nod at the suggestion that it does. How can you compromise the prevalence of good with the reality of suffering and injustice? How do you make yourself maintain that belief in the power of God when all around you, you see an infinite number of people whom while waiting for their own miracles, only experience more misery? I will not pretend, I know not of how difficult life can really get. I cannot fully comprehend why evil seems to have triumphed over good in the eyes of a lot of people. All I know is that I still believe. There is no explanation; I just choose to still believe. Evil doesn’t prevail, it’s just more flamboyant.

I don’t want to be remembered if being remembered means getting killed.
-Nicolas Cage, Lord of War

I was talking with my friend Japhet a few nights before, and we got into a discussion of how complicated our lives have become. Is there really a proliferation of suicidal men and women in this generation? I got into thinking of how dreadful the world has become when I heard this from a friend, “If I die tonight, it’s ok. I am ok with the idea of not waking up tomorrow.” I got alarmed because I was unconsciously nodding. I know I said I’m not suicidal, but there is a thin line between suicide and natural death. It’s so thin that I don’t think anyone will really know the difference. In the end, the people who love you will grieve over your death and those who don’t will attend your funeral, will dress in black but will never care.