M.Y.O.H.

henaku. nakigulo ako kagabi sa rockwell dahil sa tsinelas addict na si jay. sabi ko dati, hinding-hindi kikita sa akin ang havaianas na yan. jusko, tsinelas for one-kiyaw?! hindi makatarungan!

pero hayun, when in rome daw, do as the romans do. palusot ko na lang yan. natuwa naman kase talaga ako dun sa Make Your Own Havaianas event na yan. kaya hayan, my first pair of havs, black sole with red strap, with matching nationalistic pins: philippine map, Noypi and bora (basta beach sya, anubah.).

i wore them kanina during the service management workshop. when it was my time to present our group's output during the workshop, nag-side comment si taselle ng, "with his new slippers." na kinorek ko naman ng, "with his new, customized and personalized slippers." haha.

sa sobrang pagkamangha ko, may tina-target tuloy akong isa pang combination. royal blue sole with orange straps. aren't you reminded of something? haha.

glue boards and tracking powder

if they are movie stars, they'd be my favorite loveteam. baka nga ipagtayo ko pa sila ng fans club.

teka, masyado atang cheesy yun.

ang point ko lang naman, both of these items have been my mightiest weapons in getting rid of house pests.

actually ang talagang target ko lang eh yung mga daga. ewan ko ba kung bakit may factory yata ng bubwit dito sa compound. at ang mas nakakainis nyan, matatalino talaga ang mga daga. they learn their lessons easily. once mag-succeed ka sa isang strategy at may mapatay ka sa mga kasamahan nila, the next time, hindi na yan uubra with the rest of the pack. kailangan mong maging creative with your next strategy, otherwise mabibigo ka lang. or worse, they start strategizing about their revenge on you, your food, your shoes, your clothes.

i wish i could say that to some people too. (ganda ng segue ko no? haha.) i just want to make a rundown of some personalities na gusto kong idikit sa glue boards or painumin ng tracking powder shake. sobrang nakakairita na minsan.

1. mga taong maiingay. kumakanta ng pasigaw. naguusap ng pasigaw. nagpapatugtog ng music ng sobrang lakas. wala naman tayo sa raon, di ba?

2. mga freeloaders. hindi na kailangan i-explain.

3. mga spoiled brats sa opis. (niño, fill in the blanks. haha.)

4. mga paligoy-ligoy kausap, that you end up getting confused and later on pag nagkamali ka ng intindi, kasalanan mo pa.

5. mga malabong kausap.

6. mga taong atache case. (mga atat. yung hindi makapaghintay.)

7. mga paimportante. lalo na kung hindi naman kagandahan.

8. mga palautos. (abby, pramis, hindi ikaw ito. haha.)

9. mga taong nagsasampay ng kilikili nila sa balikat mo habang nagsisiksikan kayo sa loob ng mrt or lrt. eeewwwness!!!

10. mga mapanghimasok sa civil status. bakit kase pinoproblema ang pagiging single ko at 25. (uhm, 8 years na akong 25 as of this writing.)

11. mga taong nagpapaabot ng pamasahe sa jeep at a time na kakailanganin mong punasan ang kahabaan ng upuan gamit ang plastado mong office slacks para lang maiabot mo sa drayber yung pamasahe nya. (hindi ko talaga natiis nung isang beses, sinagot ko yung aleng mukhang masungit ng, "eh hindi ko rin po abot e." ayun, sya ang nagpunas ng upuan.)

12. mga hindi nagiisip. oops, that was a bit cruel. rephrase natin. uhm, mga hindi nagiisip. (ay, ganun talaga e. may tao talagang ganun, lalo sa trabaho.) ang sarap nyong regaluhan ng iodized salt sa pasko.

13. mga german na pa-baby. (managers na sobrang dependent.) sabi nga ni marya, "i don't need a parasite!"

14. mga feeling close. oo naman, nagkangitian lang tayo kahapon, uutangan mo na ako ngayon. sobra ka naman. (eksadsh lang.)

15. mga GG. hindi po isda yan. yung mga gwapu-gwapuhan at ganda-gandahan. yung mga tipong kung makaarte, kala mo kung sinong beauty queens at hunk actors. (may salamin sa harap ko habang tinitipa ko yang part na yan.)

16. mga reklamador. nyeta. nung pinanganak ka nga, hindi kami nakareklamo eh.

17. mga langaw sa ibabaw ng kalabaw. hay, nakakatakot ang mga ito.

18. mga kontrabida. or, nagbibida-bidahan.

19. mga masahistang tamad. at magaspang ang kamay. (haha. may kasama pang lait.) pressure ang hanap ko sa masahe, hindi gaspang ng kamay. try mo kayang pa-footspa ang kamay mo? haha.

20. mga chismoso at chismosa. hindi po totoo yung chismis. wala po akong sex video, pramis. wala pa, as of the moment. lol.

naku, mamumulubi pala ako kung lahat sila bibilhan ko ng glue boards at tracking powder. i guess all we need to do is to learn how to co-exist.

pero ganunpaman, gusto ko pa rin i-wish na sana wag tayong magkasalubong.

kapendicitis

no, there's no typo there.

for lack of a known medical term, i am coining a new word to call my sickness. if it indeed is a sickness in the medical world.

kapendicitis. n. a condition wherein a stubborn person, despite having unpleasant symptoms of hypertension and abnormal uric acid levels, refuse to shy away from coffee, which has been identified as a major source of these symptoms. adj. form, kapendicitic.

bakit nga ba ang hirap umiwas sa kape?

a. sabi kase ni tweety de leon, rich daw ito sa antioxidants. somehow, may mga certain websites na nagsasabi ng ganito din. unless pinaglololoko lang nila tayo.

b. ikaw na ang maupo sa desk sa office na katabi ng coffeemaker. san ka pa? wan-plas-wan-ikwals-tu, ika nga.

c. magkaroon ka ba ng mga kaibigan na sugapa sa kape, alangan namang hindi ka pa mahawahan. sabi nga ni ai-ai, "tell me who your friends are, and i will tell you who my friends are." tapos kitakits tayo sa suking coffee shop.

d. tumataas kase ang sweldo taon-taon. (yihiii. parang totoo.) may additional resources para pambili ng hindi-ko-maipaliwanag-kung-bakit-mahal na kape ng suking coffee shop. (at kasalanan pa ng salary increases tuloy. wag nawa itong mabasa ng boss ko.)

e. kakaiba ang motto ko sa buhay pagdating sa pagkain. "ang buhay, dapat pinapasarap, hindi pinapahaba." i wonder kung yung mga taong inaabot ng otsenta anyos dahil maingat sa kinakain nila kung masasabi ba nilang na-enjoy nila talaga ang buhay nila.

sagot ko: all of the above. pero if i will put weights on the answers, letter e will definitely come first.

i would not consider myself a coffee addict. in fact, malakas ang self-control ko pagdating sa mga cravings. sadya lang talagang matigas ang ulo ko. i-differentiate natin.

adik: may mga kaibigan ako na hindi magkandaugaga sa paglaklak ng kape kapag disyembre. hindi dahil sa malamig ang simoy ng hangin. kundi dahil sa gusto lang nilang makakuha ng libreng planner. imagine, pagkakagastusan ang kung ilang baso ng mamahaling kape para sa planner! tapos hindi rin naman ginagamit. di ba napakalalang pagka-adik nyan.

matigas ang ulo: makakaramdam ng masakit sa katawan. magpapa-BP. magpapa-check up. at pag na-confirm na mataas na cholesterol at uric acid levels ang dahilan ng mga kung ano-anong nararamdaman, dededmahin lang. or at least, treat the resuls lightly by continuing to partake of a huge amount of coffee on a daily basis. ako yan.

nag-research ako ng konti sa web about coffee, its chemical components at kung anong pwedeng idulot sa katawan. swak na swak. kumbaga sa SOCO eh nakorner na ang salarin. ang problema nga lang, hindi willing yung biktima para ipakulong ang suspect. parang rape with consent. which is fair. bakit mo nga naman bibitayin ang suspect kung wala namang reklamo?

well. siguro i just need a paradigm shift para talagang makaiwas ako sa kape.

or maybe i just need a lovelife. sabi nga, love, like coffee, can also be addictive. baka sakaling pag may ibang kinahuhumalingan, mawala ang atensyon ko sa kape.

on second thought, ang kape, pag sawa ka na, pwede mo nang itapon agad-agad. walang konse-konsensya. at lalong-lalong hindi ka nya i-na-nag.

my goodness. how can you resist something as beautiful as this? can somebody just hit me in the head, please?

google me

Go to Google and do the following:
1. Follow the directions for each question.
2. Answer with the first thing that makes sense.
3. Tag 20 people who deserve it.

| thanks to camille for this. Ü |

Q: Type in "[your name] needs" in the Google search.

A: rodel needs to improve his articulation, looks like dun sa guy sa mulangaw na mulawin
(dati na 'to e. yes it is, i am need to improving my articulation in the speaking or talking. very much.)

Q: Type in "[your name] looks like" in Google search.

A: Rodel looks like many of the handsome guys from Bokod, Benguet in face, complexion, body..
(obviously...)

Q: Type in "[your name] says" in Google search.

A: rodel says: bakit di moko subukan textmate tayo
(hehe. late bloomer lang ako talaga.)

Q: Type in "[your name] wants" in Google search.

A: rodel wants to attend training course about welding in manila
(oo, yan talaga dream job ko. mag-welding. at dapat ang training sa manila lang. hindi pwede sa pasay.)

Q:Type in "[your name] does" in Google search.

A: Rodel does not dance as well on a car as, for instance, the kids in “Fame!”
(but you have to see me dance with a pole. i'm sure, you'll forget those kids!)

Q: Type in "[your name] hates" in Google search.

A: Teams Rodel Hates. No teams have been selected yet.
(of course not! that's not true! i have selected them long time ago! uhm, we're talking of cps teams right?)

Q: Type in "[your name] asks" in Google search.

A: Rev Rodel asks Chris & Sureka to take their vows.
(oo. kung sino man sila.)

Q: Type in "[your name] likes" in Google search.

A: Rodel Garcia is a renowned writer. Rodel likes to compose articles about this field.
(yesss. premonition?)

Q: Type in "[your name] eats" in Google search.

A: rodel eats cake fast.
(no i don't. mas mabilis akong kumain ng mani.)

Q: Type in "[your name] was arrested for" in Google Search.

A: Rodel was arrested by authorities at his home for rape charges
(huwaaat??? i am the victim, not the suspect!)

Q: Type in "[your name] loves" in Google Search.

A: RODEL LOVES "QUEEN B"
(ahahaha. may code name pa. bading na bading ah.)

Q: Type in "[your name] was killed by" in Google Search.

A: Walang mga resultang natagpuan para sa "rodel was killed by".
(at talagang tagalog ang ginamit kong language. hehe.)

kuya, x?

nag-lunch. naligo. nagbihis. naglakad. sumakay ng fx.

in about 10 minutes ng biyahe, sabi ni manong driver, "quiapo, meron?"

"meron, pero dun sa may overpass." ako.

bumaba ng fx. naglakad. umakyat sa overpass. naglakad ulit. bumaba.

ilang hakbang at isang liko sa kanto, nandun na ako sa pakay ko.

flashback. a few weeks ago, nahigaan ko yung eyeglasses ko. nabali yung frame. not to mean though na lahat ng mahihigaan ko, mababali. hindi naman ako ganun kabigat. flashback out.

so there was i, namimili ng bagong frame para sa salamin ko sa isang optical shop along paterno street in quiapo. kumbaga sa celfones, etong area na ito ang greenhills para sa eyeglasses. singganda, pero hindi singmahal, ika nga.

"matatapos ba sya today, ate?" sabi ko dun sa attendant.

"ok lang ba mga 5pm?" si ate. at um-oo naman ako.

with an hour and a half to waste, i decided na mag-iikot-ikot na lang ako. kesa naman balikan ko pa kinabukasan.

first stop. raon. naglipana ang mga electronics appliances. at may manaka-nakang dvds din. nakakita ako ng satellite dish, na minsan nang kinuwento ni essen over lunch. hit daw ito ngayon sa kanila dahil nakakasagap sila ng cable channels. for free. or at least, walang cable subscription na kailangan. astig.

"jan ka muna ha, babalikan na lang kita next time." promise ko dun sa isang satellite dish. naramdaman kong tinatawag nya ako habang papalayo ako.

"bilhin mo na ako! bilhin mo na ako!" sigaw nya. ngunit nagbingi-bingihan ko. parang yung huling eksena nina maricel soriano at jaypee de guzman sa Saan Darating ang Umaga. kaya lang walang umiiyak sa aming dalawa. haha.

next stop. quiapo church, gilid. sinuyod ko yung quezon blvd papunta sa underpass, at dahil hindi naman ako si lastikman para gawing isang hakbang lang mula sa raon, kailangan kong daanan yung hilera ng mga nagtitinda malapit sa gilid ng simbahan.

iba't ibang kulay ng kandila. may morbid black. may bloody red. may royal blue. sabi nila, a color stands for a certain intention.

sari-saring ugat. sari-saring dahon. ang pinakatumatak na label sa akin: pamparegla. jusme, sabi nga, kung gusto mo daw magkaanak, magsayaw ka sa obando. kung ayaw mo naman magkaanak, suyurin mo lang ang quiapo.

next stop. quiapo underpass. wow, underpass pa lang, mall na. andaming bisnes establishments. may tindahan ng mejas, may hardware, may gadgets (uhm, gadget ba ang flashlight?), may tsinelas, may payong, at may acoustic band. oo, magdala ka lang ng gitara, umupo ka sa hagdan, tumugtog at sabayan ng kanta. presto, may bisnes ka na. wala pang kaltas ng withholding tax at sss.

hidalgo st. ang sumunod kong pinuntahan. andaming tao. understandably dahil dito umiikot ang mga jeep na papuntang san miguel, punta, etc. at oo nga pala, quiapo ito. hindi pwedeng mawala ang mga piniratang dvds at music cds.

lakad-lakad. tingin-tingin ng dvds. tanong-tanong kung magkano. 3 for 100. ikot-ikot. tanong ulit. 3 for 100 din. lipat sa kabilang building. ikot-ikot. tanong-tanong ulit. 3 for 100 din. "hmmm. yun siguro talaga ang exchange rate sa ngayon," sa loob-loob ko. consistent eh. tingin ko nga eh may nagbabantay din sa presyo nila. saklaw kaya sila ng DTI?

nag-ikot na muna ako ulit. naghanap ako ng stall na may titles ng lahat ng gusto kong bilhin. isa yan sa natutunan ko sa trabaho. pag malaki ang volume, mas malaki ang pwede mong itawad.

as usual, pag nagiikot-ikot ako sa dakong iyon ng quiapo, hindi nawawala ang mga lumalapit sa akin para tanungin ako ng napaka-socially relevant na tanong:

"kuya, x?"

napapahawak tuloy ako sa noo ko, baka kako may nakasulat na pervert. ang nakakagulat nyan, yung ibang nag-aalok, kay babata pa. halos tumaas lang ng konti sa gasul, ayun at nagbebenta na ng mga pelikulang ang subtitle ay, bata, bata, ganito ka ginawa. yung iba naman, marami sila. hindi ko alam kung sino sa kanila ang tatay mo.

hindi ko na sasabihin kung bumili ako nung inaalok nila, at kung ilan lahat-lahat ang nabili ko. basta, ang masasabi ko lang, nakuha ko ng 30php each. nakatawad ako dahil sa volume. :)

wala pang 5pm nung matapos akong mamili, kaya i decided to have merienda at jollibee. sabay basa ng mga texts.

"gawa mo?" sabi nung isang friend ko. "dito ako quiapo." sabi ko. "namili ka na naman ng pirated dvds? isusumbong kita kay tito edu." sabi nya. ewan.

shortly before 5pm, nandun na ulit ako sa optical shop, claiming my glasses. ayan, pwede ko nang panuorin ang mga binili ko. in style. hehe.

the importance of plan B's

ironic. it's like rain on your wedding day, according to alanis.

no, i didn't get married yet. but it rained on an event that i considered important. mala-bagyong ulan pa 'kamo.

i had my first public speaking engagement last sunday. by public, i mean, pre-school kids, parents, teachers, and other mirons in the audience. (kunwari valid english word ang miron.)

i have always been afflicted with stage fright, pero during that time, ewan ko, pero i was so relaxed. kung pinagpapawisan man ako, it was not because i was nervous, but because nakahiyaan ko nang hubarin yung coat na suot ko kesehodang ma-dehydrate ako sa dami ng pawis na iluluwa ng sweat glands ko.

the moving-up ceremony started an hour late (which was still earlier than i expected). then came the usual portions. invocation. national anthem. opening remarks. welcome speech. song number. again, wala akong kanerbyos-nerbyos na naramdaman. (unless in denial ako.)

then came the introduction. (wow, ang ganda ng pagkaka-build up sa kin dun sa intro. as in, if i were a picture, baka isa na akong billboard.) and then everybody stood as i approached the podium, welcoming me with a round of applause.

anakngtokwa. hindi pa ako nagiinit na nakatayo dun, and i was barely through with my "thank you for that wonderful introduction" plastikan portion (in fairness, totoo yun sa akin. na-touched talaga ako sa intro, pramis.), ayun at isa-isa nang nagtatayuan yung mga magulang para kuhanin ang mga bagets. yun pala umaambon na. so the school principal approached me if she could interrupt, to which i obliged.

since the venue is not covered, it was time to activate plan B. the principal announced that we had to transfer to the church hall which was just a few steps away from the quadrangle. sure, it bought me additional time to polish my speech.

some 15 minutes after, i was delivering my message already at the church hall. i would like to think that somehow, i was able to get the audience's attention for the next 20 minutes or so. i even managed to inject some interactive portions with the kids at some parts.

when it was time to award medals to the kid achievers, the lights went off. which was coupled by heavy rains and strong winds. i told the principal who was sitting next to me, "bakit ganon? wala naman akong balat ah." which made her smile. apparently, it was the first time that it rained on their graduation day.

plan B again: generator. thank goodness for technology. the ceremonies went on with the support of the school's generator, until around 9pm.

i enjoyed the night nonetheless. speaking in public was quite an experience already, how much more if it was coupled with unforeseen events like rain and brownouts. at least, i didn't need a plan B to impact my audience, it seemed. because before the night ended, some teachers approached me that i delivered a nice message.

what rodel needs...

taking from joey's post. the instruction was to google [your name] followed by needs and enclosing the phrase with quotes. this is fun.

1. rodel needs to put their money where their mouth is (parang bastos. syempre where my mouth is, nandun din yung dila ko. i don't think my tongue would notice the money, as it might be quite busy.)

2. rodel needs your support (yeah. in cash please. please text me for the account number.)

3. what rodel needs now. I want to meet people who wants to do business and exporters of products from China and People willing to invest in China and anywhere (wow, sabi ko na nga ba i have a career waiting for me in the government. ZTE, is that you?)

4. rodel needs to improve his articulation, looks like dun sa guy sa mulangaw na mulawin (i am so agree to this. i am need to improve my articulation, especially tagalog languages. i am find it hard so much to speak tagalog, unlike english wherein i is very much fluency. so far, so good. so far.)

5. rodel needs a manager who will love him beyond the 30 percent cut (oo nga naman. it should be 50 percent, not 30.)

6. rodel needs a napkin (i do! i really do! sariwa pa rin kase yung tuli ko!)

7. rodel needs to play poker with someone else besides the computer (decoding instruction: play poker = get laid)

8. rodel needs to take home some money, not for the traditional feast, but to buy medicines for his kid brother (this is my melodramatic side. hindi lang pansit ang kailangan kong iuwi. kailangan din ni rudy, my imaginary kid brother, ng gamot. he is so sick with terminal dyspepsia.)

9. rodel needs the care and assistance only ALA is capable of giving (nyetah! andami namang rodel na lovesick! kainis! tama nang ako lang!)

10. rodel needs less than a second to make 9 laps (hihi. this is an embarassing admission. oo, i'm a premature ejaculator. )

naiinggit lang ako kay joey kase wala akong ibang name. antipid kaseng magbigay ng pangalan ng tatay ko e.