finally got around to visiting this spa. located along quezon ave, with a bright red facade, it is not exactly discrete. the clean lines and smart interiors make up for the small place. and it looks and smells clean.
small locker and changing area. you can hang your clothes in a common open closet. (felt iffy about this. what if somebody else gets my shirt? or wouldnt shirt odors mix? (eww) the lighting on the locker mirror is awful. makes all my wrinkles come out. LOL.
the carousel type of a shower area looks great. the steam room is an off-the-shelf expensive type which adds to the cleanliness of the entire spa.
the massage area, small private cubicles reminds me of the less legit ones. but it is enough. for whatever reason, the a/c was working poorly when i was being massaged.
finally, i saw quite a number of good looking therapists around. i just went for 'rotation' (whoever is on deck). and i got one who was ok. no happy endings here, strictly! which is fine.
i believe the activity happens elsewhere. ;-)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
a 3some in bed
i was standing on one side of the dance floor, enjoying the music and the scene. londonboy, mcvie and joms were on the dance floor dancing. beside me was this bagets, who seemed to be checking me out. ill call him checkers. i noticed, though, that a guy beside him started to talk to him. and soon enough, contact had been made.
its been months since ive been there. i just had this urge to go dancing. mcvie and the rest were up to it. i managed my expectations well. i just wanted to dance, enjoy the music, enjoy the cuties. without alcohol. so it was coke lite thrice that night.
i stayed in the same spot and noticed checkers getting it on with the guy. kissing even. how nice.
then i noticed something. even as checkers was hugging and lip-locking, he was slowly moving towards me. well more accurately, his butt was moving to get close to me. since i was actually beside a pillar, soon enough i was against the pillar, and his body was pressing against mine.
i could actually feel his butt pressing against my crotch, all the while liplocking with his 'date'.
joms and londonboy were laughing at me.
joz kho. megaknown factor? LOL
its been months since ive been there. i just had this urge to go dancing. mcvie and the rest were up to it. i managed my expectations well. i just wanted to dance, enjoy the music, enjoy the cuties. without alcohol. so it was coke lite thrice that night.
i stayed in the same spot and noticed checkers getting it on with the guy. kissing even. how nice.
then i noticed something. even as checkers was hugging and lip-locking, he was slowly moving towards me. well more accurately, his butt was moving to get close to me. since i was actually beside a pillar, soon enough i was against the pillar, and his body was pressing against mine.
i could actually feel his butt pressing against my crotch, all the while liplocking with his 'date'.
joms and londonboy were laughing at me.
joz kho. megaknown factor? LOL
whatever happened to... innova guy
iggy no longer holds office in the building. he actually left that company for another. so i dont see him anymore. he did mention that to me before he left.
he would send me messages from time to time. the usual 'kamusta?' message. he also stood me up one time for what was supposed to be a few drinks for the road.
another kamusta message yesterday. and another promise to treat me to a few drinks. i just take it with a grain of salt. he doesnt affect me anymore.
but i do miss the guy who used to pass by the window...
SAHC: the Sport That Binds
All of us, and i meant all of us, didnt enjoy basketball, football (soccer), the typical sports most boys our age were into. i dreaded p.e. (physical education) we HAD to play basketball then soccer. then we had to do swimming. i just couldnt dribble that darn ball. our attempt in first year high to play basketball quickly became agawan-buko. no dribbling. just running with the ball and shooting. LOL. football was worse! have you ever had a football fly directly into your stomach? the term then was 'bombet'.
swimming was another hurdle. yeah, i could float. yeah, i could do some strokes. but we had to dive from that f**king platform into the 10ft deep diving pool. horror of horrors for an acrophobic like me. and no, the sight of my classmates in their trunks did not elicit anything sexual in me then. only very few had nice bodies to begin with. and there was so much teasing during showertime. ugh!
anyway, things changed when our p.e. teacher in the 3rd year introduced volleyball. for whatever reason, we finally found our sport. what is it REALLY about this sport that attracts us, ill never know. i do know that in other countries, this happens to be at the very least, gender-neutral. but here in pinas, playing volleyball sets off the gaydar!
we took to it like fish in water. pretty soon, the p.e. teacher put up a varsity team and we all tried out.
soon though, we realized not everybody is blessed. the stand outs among us include vinny and serg. vinny used to be one of the shortest in class. then he started to shoot up towards the end of high school. he is now the tallest among us.
and in the early years, i associated him with serving at the masses as an altar boy. he seemed to be in denial of being gay but us who were out could smell the fish a mile away. LOL. he didnt really associate closely with us but remained friendly. and he was one of the stars of the game. however, things changed around senior year when he started being too close to one of our classmates, a gang-leader type of figure ill call gardo. gardo has this history of having dated/courted some of the badings in the class, including pretty little cc. so it was quite a surprise for us to see them together. soon though, we knew they were already an item though vinny was still denying it. but ill never forget how he and gardo publicly acknowledged their relationship on graduation day to me, to us in the group. by holding hands during the singing of the school hymn. oh di ba?
the other stand out is serg. he was part of the group but belonged to the other section. we used to call him kampanerang kuba for his peculiar posture. but he was also amy austria to us, a resemblance as far as we were concerned. serg also played volleyball well. in high school, he only had one boyfriend, around senior year. they seemed like a nice, quiet couple. from being pa-girl then, serg now is a body builder, as in. but he retains those campy antics whenever around fellow gels. and it only becomes more hilarious considering how big he is now.
another thing about this two is that they were part of the very few who actually had sex during that time. even though most of us had boyfriends then, we never actually had sex with them. so we consider these two the luckier ones.
swimming was another hurdle. yeah, i could float. yeah, i could do some strokes. but we had to dive from that f**king platform into the 10ft deep diving pool. horror of horrors for an acrophobic like me. and no, the sight of my classmates in their trunks did not elicit anything sexual in me then. only very few had nice bodies to begin with. and there was so much teasing during showertime. ugh!
anyway, things changed when our p.e. teacher in the 3rd year introduced volleyball. for whatever reason, we finally found our sport. what is it REALLY about this sport that attracts us, ill never know. i do know that in other countries, this happens to be at the very least, gender-neutral. but here in pinas, playing volleyball sets off the gaydar!
we took to it like fish in water. pretty soon, the p.e. teacher put up a varsity team and we all tried out.
soon though, we realized not everybody is blessed. the stand outs among us include vinny and serg. vinny used to be one of the shortest in class. then he started to shoot up towards the end of high school. he is now the tallest among us.
and in the early years, i associated him with serving at the masses as an altar boy. he seemed to be in denial of being gay but us who were out could smell the fish a mile away. LOL. he didnt really associate closely with us but remained friendly. and he was one of the stars of the game. however, things changed around senior year when he started being too close to one of our classmates, a gang-leader type of figure ill call gardo. gardo has this history of having dated/courted some of the badings in the class, including pretty little cc. so it was quite a surprise for us to see them together. soon though, we knew they were already an item though vinny was still denying it. but ill never forget how he and gardo publicly acknowledged their relationship on graduation day to me, to us in the group. by holding hands during the singing of the school hymn. oh di ba?
the other stand out is serg. he was part of the group but belonged to the other section. we used to call him kampanerang kuba for his peculiar posture. but he was also amy austria to us, a resemblance as far as we were concerned. serg also played volleyball well. in high school, he only had one boyfriend, around senior year. they seemed like a nice, quiet couple. from being pa-girl then, serg now is a body builder, as in. but he retains those campy antics whenever around fellow gels. and it only becomes more hilarious considering how big he is now.
another thing about this two is that they were part of the very few who actually had sex during that time. even though most of us had boyfriends then, we never actually had sex with them. so we consider these two the luckier ones.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
short film
poignant short film forwarded to me. takes time to download for a 15minute video.
No Asians... Its Just Not My Thing
ill withhold commenting on it. tell me your thoughts.
No Asians... Its Just Not My Thing
ill withhold commenting on it. tell me your thoughts.
a step backward Part 2
after that revelation, the real drama unfolds
no easy way out
pursuing honesty
goodbye enigma Post 1 Post 2 Post 3
attempts at normal Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4 Post 5 Post 6 Post 7 Post 8
doubts
his return
discovering, unraveling
unraveled
thus my 7-yr relationship ended. but this will still have a Part 3. life after.
no easy way out
pursuing honesty
goodbye enigma Post 1 Post 2 Post 3
attempts at normal Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4 Post 5 Post 6 Post 7 Post 8
doubts
his return
discovering, unraveling
unraveled
thus my 7-yr relationship ended. but this will still have a Part 3. life after.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
a step backward Part 1
part of this process i am now going through involves opening previously closed drawers in the closet of the heart. blogging has been the faithful tool. cyberspace my witness to the unfolding drama of a previous cc life.
even as this may be helpful for new raiders of corpcloset, this is really for me as i begin to confront my self again.
meeting him
the ups and downs of long distance relationships
partner is back
karmic retribution
what i thought was the end
after that rough spot
my first podcast on my ldr as guest of troikasters Part 1 Part 2
my thoughts about it the villain
meeting enigma, my last affair
the ongoing affair Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4 Post 5 Post 6 Post 7 Post 8
my revelation of enigma to ex
i end Part 1 with the collision of two worlds: ex and enigma. the fall-out continues in Part 2
even as this may be helpful for new raiders of corpcloset, this is really for me as i begin to confront my self again.
meeting him
the ups and downs of long distance relationships
partner is back
karmic retribution
what i thought was the end
after that rough spot
my first podcast on my ldr as guest of troikasters Part 1 Part 2
my thoughts about it the villain
meeting enigma, my last affair
the ongoing affair Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4 Post 5 Post 6 Post 7 Post 8
my revelation of enigma to ex
i end Part 1 with the collision of two worlds: ex and enigma. the fall-out continues in Part 2
Saturday, May 22, 2010
the spectre of HIV
im shocked to find out a guy i used to see at the gym has passed away at the age of 30yo. no wonder i havent seen him in a while. we even almost had a moment years back. but it didnt progress beyond the initial pakiramdaman.
i didnt even know his name till a common friend mentioned his death. and when i googled, there i saw who he was. and im still in shock.
young and good looking, his life was cut short because of HIV.
it's real. it's here.
please, let's protect ourselves. no need for another young life to be cut short.
i didnt even know his name till a common friend mentioned his death. and when i googled, there i saw who he was. and im still in shock.
young and good looking, his life was cut short because of HIV.
it's real. it's here.
please, let's protect ourselves. no need for another young life to be cut short.
Friday, May 21, 2010
musical chairs
i went to south bay city spa again. i happened to be in the area for some business. the spa remains a haunt of southern plu's looking for recreation, judging by the clients there.
when i arrived, i was quick to take a shower and begin with my massage. aside from wanting to keep that appointment with the therapist, i also didnt find anyone worth spending time in the wet floors.
after my relaxing, releasing massage ;-) i took my time in the wet floors. suddenly there was quite a number of clients in the small space. i espied one particular plu, a, who passed my standards. so i went to the wet sauna to begin the dance.
a went in and seemed to be feeling his way (nakikiramdam). i was trying to look just a tad interested, with an occasional glance his way. as a way preparing to make a move, in comes b, a chub chub daddy whose eyes seemed to pop out upon entering. a's moves were cramped by b. he left the wet sauna to me and b.
b more aggressively positioned himself near me, trying to catch my attention. i deliberately ignored him. and soon i walked out.
i went to the dry sauna next. soon, b was inside, too. another guy, c, was looking through the window, thinking whether he was going to go in. a went inside, apparently not discouraged by b and stood in front of me by the door. i was trying to appear oblivious to both. finally c went inside and sat right beside me. feisty little fellow. and he seemed to be making this weird sounds with his throat.
c left. and i left to cool myself with a shower. i went back to the steam. a followed quickly, seeing he had me all to himself. he sat beside me this time with his hand resting on the bench, beside my thigh. and as he was about to make his move again, b comes in, witnesses what seemed to be going on and positioned himself by the door (steam room guard?). it looked like he was eager to watch.
i felt a's hand under my thigh now. i looked at him and looked at c. and left to take my final shower.
though a screened positively, i wasnt about to be part of b's porn film. that just kills the desire.
as i was dressing up, i saw what looked like a and c hooking up, finally, in the steam room.
it all works out in the end.
when i arrived, i was quick to take a shower and begin with my massage. aside from wanting to keep that appointment with the therapist, i also didnt find anyone worth spending time in the wet floors.
after my relaxing, releasing massage ;-) i took my time in the wet floors. suddenly there was quite a number of clients in the small space. i espied one particular plu, a, who passed my standards. so i went to the wet sauna to begin the dance.
a went in and seemed to be feeling his way (nakikiramdam). i was trying to look just a tad interested, with an occasional glance his way. as a way preparing to make a move, in comes b, a chub chub daddy whose eyes seemed to pop out upon entering. a's moves were cramped by b. he left the wet sauna to me and b.
b more aggressively positioned himself near me, trying to catch my attention. i deliberately ignored him. and soon i walked out.
i went to the dry sauna next. soon, b was inside, too. another guy, c, was looking through the window, thinking whether he was going to go in. a went inside, apparently not discouraged by b and stood in front of me by the door. i was trying to appear oblivious to both. finally c went inside and sat right beside me. feisty little fellow. and he seemed to be making this weird sounds with his throat.
c left. and i left to cool myself with a shower. i went back to the steam. a followed quickly, seeing he had me all to himself. he sat beside me this time with his hand resting on the bench, beside my thigh. and as he was about to make his move again, b comes in, witnesses what seemed to be going on and positioned himself by the door (steam room guard?). it looked like he was eager to watch.
i felt a's hand under my thigh now. i looked at him and looked at c. and left to take my final shower.
though a screened positively, i wasnt about to be part of b's porn film. that just kills the desire.
as i was dressing up, i saw what looked like a and c hooking up, finally, in the steam room.
it all works out in the end.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Swingers' case tests sexual limits in China
By TINI TRAN (AP) – 1 day ago
BEIJING — They were members of a modern-day swingers' club in China, where people met online and then gathered in homes or hotels for group sex parties involving dozens of men and women.
Last month, Ma Yaohai, a 53-year-old college professor and 21 others went on trial in the southeastern city of Nanjing, accused of "group licentiousness" — the first time anyone has been charged under a 1997 law in a case that has snagged huge public interest with its titillating details.
But aside from rampant curiosity in the swinger lifestyle, the uproar also has touched off a deeper debate about sexual freedom in a nation that is trying to reshape its own modern morality.
Ma said his decision to join the swingers was voluntary. "Marriage is like water. You have to drink it. Swinging is like a cup of wine. You can drink it if you like. If you don't like it, don't drink it," he said in interviews with Chinese media.
In arguing that his activities involved consenting adults meeting in nonpublic places, Ma's defiance seemed to strike a chord in an era of relative sexual freedom, where extramarital affairs and prostitution are common — drawing support from those who believe the Chinese government should stay out of the bedroom.
Entering the court at the start of the two-day trial on April 7, he blurted out, "How can I disturb social order? What happens in my house is a private matter."
Found this interesting. i know that these clubs have become pretty popular here among certain PLU's groups. This is a natural extrapolation of sex for recreational purposes. if two can have fun, why not twenty? or two hundred?
some of these o parties are so organized. you go through a referral process before being interviewed. you are screened for your physical attributes (though i believe you need not be all muscular and hunky. i have a friend who was accepted because he was chubby and they needed choices. LOL)
the party itself is supposed to be structured. they even have group dynamics sessions to make people feel at ease. then its no holds barred.
my first and last O party was 10 years ago. though i have received a few invites, im not as interested.
im curious though. is there any law that O parties break if done in the confines of private space?
Monday, May 17, 2010
SAHC: People Power Hada
people power stirred such strong emotions in us. there was no question about it. we were going to go the rallies in EDSA to show our disgust for marcos and our collective wish for him to resign.
the country was on a standstill for four days. then the final victory on the 25th of february, 3 days short of my birthday. we were all in euphoria. by midnight, we were still on the streets, but walking away from EDSA towards where gerry and paula parked their cars. this was in the parking lot of greenhills, where the promenade mall is now.
we hung out with all the other people still there. and gerry had his stereo way up, madonna's like a virgin concert live blaring in the background.
we noticed guys about a few cars away from us. they too were a group of about 6 or 7, and they also had one car playing loud music, with the subwoofer in overdrive. soon, we were trying to catch their attention. they werent bad looking. they were good enough for some celebration. soon, we were talking with them. i took the lead, being the most vocal and coquettish. they were in their senior year in high school, also taking part in EDSA 1. and they were hanging out for a good time before going home.
soon both barkadas merged into one. it was each bading to his own. we have staked out our respective 'partners'. nathan had his, i had mine. the rest were up to nandy and gerry. lol
we all decided to go up to eagle's nest that night. that was THE hang out in antipolo, along sumulong highway (very near padi's point). clusters of nipa huts on stilts overlooking marikina valley. beer was cheap the view great.
that night turned out to be just fun for most of us. it was just inuman, a bit of flirting. only gerry got lucky. since it was his car, he got to give his partner a blow job.
we had our hang-over the day after. and though nothing sexual happened to me, id look at that fondly as my memory of EDSA I.
the country was on a standstill for four days. then the final victory on the 25th of february, 3 days short of my birthday. we were all in euphoria. by midnight, we were still on the streets, but walking away from EDSA towards where gerry and paula parked their cars. this was in the parking lot of greenhills, where the promenade mall is now.
we hung out with all the other people still there. and gerry had his stereo way up, madonna's like a virgin concert live blaring in the background.
we noticed guys about a few cars away from us. they too were a group of about 6 or 7, and they also had one car playing loud music, with the subwoofer in overdrive. soon, we were trying to catch their attention. they werent bad looking. they were good enough for some celebration. soon, we were talking with them. i took the lead, being the most vocal and coquettish. they were in their senior year in high school, also taking part in EDSA 1. and they were hanging out for a good time before going home.
soon both barkadas merged into one. it was each bading to his own. we have staked out our respective 'partners'. nathan had his, i had mine. the rest were up to nandy and gerry. lol
we all decided to go up to eagle's nest that night. that was THE hang out in antipolo, along sumulong highway (very near padi's point). clusters of nipa huts on stilts overlooking marikina valley. beer was cheap the view great.
that night turned out to be just fun for most of us. it was just inuman, a bit of flirting. only gerry got lucky. since it was his car, he got to give his partner a blow job.
we had our hang-over the day after. and though nothing sexual happened to me, id look at that fondly as my memory of EDSA I.
when are you over him?
you know, cc, IMHO, you're really not over your ex yet. sorry ha but that's how i feel.
i am surprised at the statement, coming from a close friend.
what made you say that?
well, you still get affected by things you hear about him.
yes, i do. but it's just that when i hear comments from him about he seems to flaunt his wealth to my friends, i react with 'eeewww' and some disgust. it's like 'does he really have to? isnt it just natural for me to react that way?
its not just that. you also mentioned how you found it weird that he addresses you very formally in his few communications with you. "dear mr. cc" "signed, mr. ex" it's like you get affected that he remains formal, cold and maybe even angry.
its not that per se. or maybe its because i expect him to normalize to civility since its been two years.
two years is not too long for a seven year relationship.
huh? you mean it's not enough?!
it really depends. but i wouldnt be surprised if you're not over him yet after two years.
sheesh. i hardly think about the guy.
it's not quantity. it's quality.
yeah, but i think about him only in the context of this ongoing business on separation of property, which is hardly ever. ok. sometimes i think about our life then. or the time we were still dating. only because im comparing how im feeling towards my dates now with how i felt then. what will it take for me to convince you that im over the guy?
not me. you dont need to convince me. you need to convince you.
i have this look of puzzlement. wow, after two years?! is that possible?
how do you know if you're over someone?
or how do you know if someone's not over an ex yet?
i am surprised at the statement, coming from a close friend.
what made you say that?
well, you still get affected by things you hear about him.
yes, i do. but it's just that when i hear comments from him about he seems to flaunt his wealth to my friends, i react with 'eeewww' and some disgust. it's like 'does he really have to? isnt it just natural for me to react that way?
its not just that. you also mentioned how you found it weird that he addresses you very formally in his few communications with you. "dear mr. cc" "signed, mr. ex" it's like you get affected that he remains formal, cold and maybe even angry.
its not that per se. or maybe its because i expect him to normalize to civility since its been two years.
two years is not too long for a seven year relationship.
huh? you mean it's not enough?!
it really depends. but i wouldnt be surprised if you're not over him yet after two years.
sheesh. i hardly think about the guy.
it's not quantity. it's quality.
yeah, but i think about him only in the context of this ongoing business on separation of property, which is hardly ever. ok. sometimes i think about our life then. or the time we were still dating. only because im comparing how im feeling towards my dates now with how i felt then. what will it take for me to convince you that im over the guy?
not me. you dont need to convince me. you need to convince you.
i have this look of puzzlement. wow, after two years?! is that possible?
how do you know if you're over someone?
or how do you know if someone's not over an ex yet?
Friday, May 14, 2010
Missing Them
a colleague recently got married. she also opted for early retirement after having been with the company for 10 years. she was an administrative officer who has endeared herself to us for her efficiency, her candor, her charm. right after the wedding, they were going to immigrate.
she didnt think any of us from the office were going to attend. it was quite far. so the moment she saw us, she started tearing up. i started to get emotional myself. and during the reception, as she was thanking all their guests, we got special mention, accompanied by more tears.
the most touching part of her speech - sir cc, and the rest of the company, you are my 2nd family. i will miss you dearly.
on another note, i serve at church regularly as a lector. on my weekday slot, ive gotten to be familiar with the parishioners who go to Mass daily. the profile: largely female senior citizens across different SE classes. one particular parishioner, mrs a, would sit at the first pew every time. in her early 70's methinks, she would recite the responses loudly, an assuring voice in a big almost empty church. best part, she would be our substitute lector, for anyone who can't make it to their time slot.
she passed away last month. i served recently and naturally looked at the parishioners during the mass. i turned my gaze to the first pew and realized mrs a is no longer there. there was no loud reply from that area anymore.
two ladies ive had a chance to get to know in varying degrees. yet their departures have left a void of sorts in my heart.
she didnt think any of us from the office were going to attend. it was quite far. so the moment she saw us, she started tearing up. i started to get emotional myself. and during the reception, as she was thanking all their guests, we got special mention, accompanied by more tears.
the most touching part of her speech - sir cc, and the rest of the company, you are my 2nd family. i will miss you dearly.
on another note, i serve at church regularly as a lector. on my weekday slot, ive gotten to be familiar with the parishioners who go to Mass daily. the profile: largely female senior citizens across different SE classes. one particular parishioner, mrs a, would sit at the first pew every time. in her early 70's methinks, she would recite the responses loudly, an assuring voice in a big almost empty church. best part, she would be our substitute lector, for anyone who can't make it to their time slot.
she passed away last month. i served recently and naturally looked at the parishioners during the mass. i turned my gaze to the first pew and realized mrs a is no longer there. there was no loud reply from that area anymore.
two ladies ive had a chance to get to know in varying degrees. yet their departures have left a void of sorts in my heart.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
my claim to fame
a few months back, i had the chance to share a table with him. and i posted my thoughts about him. this now becomes my indelible claim to fame. (indelible daw oh!) hehehe
halalan 2010: a source of pride
i read a post last monday about being ashamed to be Filipino during the election. i didnt read the context. perhaps because he didnt agree with the front runners of the count.
i couldn't disagree more. it's wednesday, just two days after. and comelec has tallied more than 70% of the returns. some aspirants have conceded. the election turned out to be orderly and honest even, generally peaceful.
and the best indication: LIFE IS BACK TO NORMAL! two days after! im back to work. everybody is. and even as we discuss and share experiences, we are no longer debating outcomes and results. we are eagerly but peacefully awaiting the pronouncements. amazing.
im mighty proud of each and every Filipino who voted inspite of, despite of. im very proud of the volunteers who did their best. im so proud of the teachers and staff who were able to make that big jump from manual to electronic. and for a lot of them who are more advanced in age, we know how daunting technology could be.
halalan 2010 will be a watershed point in our electoral history. and my 'controversial' point: this will be one of the defining milestones of the ate glo administration. it had to take her pure political will to finally make sure automation happens. im no ate glo fan. but i have to give her that credit.
and as my response to fellow fab, gibbs post on money villar:
marketing 101: all the promotional money, all the best campaigns fail if you have a product problem. politicians, as a product, are all about promised benefits. consumers are asked to evaluate whether those benefits will be delivered as promised. on the absence of actual experience with the product, consumers will evaluate on the basis of available information: past performance, consistency, reliability, value, etc. much information was disseminated that failed to show consistency: billions spent on campaign reconciled with a promise of corruption-free government? a shared history of poverty with the masses versus land-grabbing? picking a running mate for political expediency? so many questions, enough to plant seeds of doubt, of mistrust. too bad, trust is the currency of governance.
i couldn't disagree more. it's wednesday, just two days after. and comelec has tallied more than 70% of the returns. some aspirants have conceded. the election turned out to be orderly and honest even, generally peaceful.
and the best indication: LIFE IS BACK TO NORMAL! two days after! im back to work. everybody is. and even as we discuss and share experiences, we are no longer debating outcomes and results. we are eagerly but peacefully awaiting the pronouncements. amazing.
im mighty proud of each and every Filipino who voted inspite of, despite of. im very proud of the volunteers who did their best. im so proud of the teachers and staff who were able to make that big jump from manual to electronic. and for a lot of them who are more advanced in age, we know how daunting technology could be.
halalan 2010 will be a watershed point in our electoral history. and my 'controversial' point: this will be one of the defining milestones of the ate glo administration. it had to take her pure political will to finally make sure automation happens. im no ate glo fan. but i have to give her that credit.
and as my response to fellow fab, gibbs post on money villar:
marketing 101: all the promotional money, all the best campaigns fail if you have a product problem. politicians, as a product, are all about promised benefits. consumers are asked to evaluate whether those benefits will be delivered as promised. on the absence of actual experience with the product, consumers will evaluate on the basis of available information: past performance, consistency, reliability, value, etc. much information was disseminated that failed to show consistency: billions spent on campaign reconciled with a promise of corruption-free government? a shared history of poverty with the masses versus land-grabbing? picking a running mate for political expediency? so many questions, enough to plant seeds of doubt, of mistrust. too bad, trust is the currency of governance.
portability of sex
this is the main reason im addicted to grindr.
hi, im cc. and im grindrholic.
lol. as i said before, i used to do mirc, back in the 90's. then just grew tired of it. actually, that was me and my partner then. mirc, we were hoping, would be best place to hook up third parties. hehe. and it did. but it grew tiring. and we split up anyway.
so i was out of chatrooms for more than a decade. g4m i flirted with (fun intended) but i realized that i wasnt too interested in that either.
i was chatting heavily with mr ripley last year. but i dont put that in the same category. the chatting was really purposive: to continue communicating with mr ripley. not to hook up with guys in general.
so here comes the iphone. and that app called grindr. i must say that for months, i didnt even download a single app. grindr veterans like bruno have been talking about the app since last year. i wasnt interested (only because i thought itunes was still limited to u.s. based consumers).
my current preoccupation with grindr surprises even me. the benefits of seeing pictures, of instant chats and of proximity information outweigh the inherent bugs of the app, the pop up ads which i inadvertently click, no thanks to my stubby fingers. finally, i believe that the virtual-to-real ratio approaches 1.
(cc mathematics - virtual to real ratio: virtual photo rating over reality rating. X = 1 means perfect correspondence or WYSWYG. X > 1 means reality falls short. X < 1 means pleasant surprise.)
of the guys ive met, only one or two were above 1. and that seems to be the perception of other grindrees.
but on further analysis, its the sex in my pocket accessibility that keeps on luring me back to grindr. im not confined to my pc. its have iphone, will hook up and since i carry my phone everywhere, potentially its with me 24/7.
so even if ive met more than a few guys through this, i aint stopping. i still check it out. somehow, a new face pops out almost weekly. and i hear an 80's tune in the background ...
Monday, May 10, 2010
suffrage exercised
i told my dad we were going to vote together. by 10am we were at the precinct with what looked like all the barangay people inside the mababang paaralan.
i was already forewarned through sms that there would be long lines in the hot weather. so i brought my fan with me. (di ba, donyang donya! hehehe.. nah just a paper fan)
we went inside the holding room of the precinct. and it was already full with people waiting for their turn. the nice volunteer gave us instructions and told us to wait. but she clarified whether my dad was a senior citizen. we were asked to sit near the door. with full expectations of a long wait (my dad whispered: mukhang hanggang lunch tayo dito), i started to text.
imagine my surprise when we were immediately asked to go inside the classroom! huwow! it turned out that senior citizens (and their companions) have an 'express lane'! the blessings of honoring thy father!
in 10minutes, we were done. our votes have been cast. i did have some apprehension about the marking pen that left marks on the backpage. i thought it would invalidate my vote. and siyempre, the OC in me had to make sure that i fully marked that oval.
now i type with this indelible ink on my right index finger, a reminder of suffrage, a right i have for being a proud Filipino. (cue Ako Ay Pilipino music)
i was already forewarned through sms that there would be long lines in the hot weather. so i brought my fan with me. (di ba, donyang donya! hehehe.. nah just a paper fan)
we went inside the holding room of the precinct. and it was already full with people waiting for their turn. the nice volunteer gave us instructions and told us to wait. but she clarified whether my dad was a senior citizen. we were asked to sit near the door. with full expectations of a long wait (my dad whispered: mukhang hanggang lunch tayo dito), i started to text.
imagine my surprise when we were immediately asked to go inside the classroom! huwow! it turned out that senior citizens (and their companions) have an 'express lane'! the blessings of honoring thy father!
in 10minutes, we were done. our votes have been cast. i did have some apprehension about the marking pen that left marks on the backpage. i thought it would invalidate my vote. and siyempre, the OC in me had to make sure that i fully marked that oval.
now i type with this indelible ink on my right index finger, a reminder of suffrage, a right i have for being a proud Filipino. (cue Ako Ay Pilipino music)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
election volunteer
at the mass, we have been reading calls for more election volunteers through the parish pastoral council for responsible voting.
im reminded of the time i volunteered for namfrel way back in 1986, that fateful election. the streets were either red, blue and white for Marcos and KBL party, and yellow for Cory. in my last year at the university, i was feeling particularly political at that time. everybody was. i remember the disgust at seeing red white and blue and all who advocated them. worse was when id hear comments from undecided voters who were considering to still vote for marcos. their argument: definitely intelligent, knows how to run the country, will amend his ways now that he is aware of the sentiment of the people for change. arrggh. all that intelligence went to milking the coffers dry.
i was so pro-cory. i knew i had to safeguard that ballot. so i volunteered early on as namfrel. i attended the briefings and enjoyed how all these different people (housewives, students, professionals) were all there for the common cause of guarding the ballot.
and during the miting de avance, record numbers (millions i recall) actually attended.
i reported early on election day, and was assigned the precinct where eventually, i would cast my vote. i stayed the whole day and until 10pm. my precinct was quite uneventful. there was no doubtful voter I had to challenge. everything seemed in order. by the afternoon, i was chummy with the teachers who were really so tired during the counting.
aside from actually supervising the giving of the ballot, the recording, etc, i would even be a runner for food and snacks, which i shared with the others in the room.
i left the precinct pretty late, but not as late as some other precincts. i felt relieved that i didnt have to do any challenging (i was actually afraid of being in that situation). and when i got home, it was monitoring the initial results.
im not as motivated this time to do any volunteering. it's time for the younger ones to do their share.
above is the only pic i had of that special day. you could still see the namfrel id hanging. weathered but retaining the memories when i actively participated in the electoral process.
arousing a sense of patrimony
grindr chat exchange
where from
thailand but now in manila
what brings you to manila
studies in quezon city
cool are you enjoying manila
no
definitely not
oh why is that
too many malls, not enough culture
other bad things
not a nice city to live in
sorry to hear that (but im very surprised and annoyed)
no choice but for me to suck it up
wow bitter feelings
not bitter. just passionate
they sound bitter to me. sad to hear things like that bout the only home ive known
my home too
im still very proud of it, no matter what. anyway, thanks for the chat. have a good eve
thanks
end of conversation EVER. how rude. first time for me to encounter such a strong negative opinion about manila. i couldnt help but really be bothered, defensive over this overbearing thai.
blocked him totally from grindr.
where from
thailand but now in manila
what brings you to manila
studies in quezon city
cool are you enjoying manila
no
definitely not
oh why is that
too many malls, not enough culture
other bad things
not a nice city to live in
sorry to hear that (but im very surprised and annoyed)
no choice but for me to suck it up
wow bitter feelings
not bitter. just passionate
they sound bitter to me. sad to hear things like that bout the only home ive known
my home too
im still very proud of it, no matter what. anyway, thanks for the chat. have a good eve
thanks
end of conversation EVER. how rude. first time for me to encounter such a strong negative opinion about manila. i couldnt help but really be bothered, defensive over this overbearing thai.
blocked him totally from grindr.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
cignal HD, i love
im back to having all these entertainment options: tv, bd, radio (thank you, you know who you are), internet...
i signed up for cignal HD to make full use of the led tv. i was hesitant at first, due to the minute no of HD channels (8, half of which are sports). but despite the limitations, i did and am enjoying it immensely. i only choose from HBO HD, star movies, national geographic and history channel for hd viewing. yet, im perfectly happy with the choices. history channel turns out to have interesting programs. recently, there was an investigation into the truth behind king arthur. there's this series on the history of the universe.
the geek in me is more drawn to these infotainment channels over movies. also because by comparison with bd, the movies are still not as clear. and i hate it when the 4:3 picture size is stretched to 16:9.
but national geographic and history are filmed on hd. with full stereo to boot! the clarity is just stunning! yesterday, there was the program on stigmata which, unfortunately, i didnt get to watch. darn.
so i do recomm cignal HD, inspite of... or even because of. i've always been in favor of limiting options. and with few channels to choose from, im forced to enjoy one or the other, and not channel-surf half of the time.
Monday, May 3, 2010
pamhinta, the spice of the fabcast
migs trips to manila are always worth celebrating and worth a fabcast or two. as he was about to leave, a fabcast session was hastily assembled. here at cc studios, we were just happy to be together again. with only one mani in the room. bear with us as this starts rather flippantly. but true to form, the fabcasters get to weave a thoughtful discussion on pepper... oops sorry on the vice and virtue of straight-acting and everything else in between...
Part 1:
Download Part 1 (right click and save)
Part 2:
Download Part 2 (right click and save)
Part 1:
Download Part 1 (right click and save)
Part 2:
Download Part 2 (right click and save)
that fiesta feeling
the guests have all left, mostly officemates, some special friends. i'm back to celebrating the parish fiesta again, after skipping last year. the house was under construction then. ive been doing this for more than 8 years now, methinks. and it's something i initiated, not my mom.
we didnt used to celebrate the town fiesta (which is associated with lots of water). as kids, we would participate during the morning's wet and wild (lol) festivities but nanay wouldnt have special food nor would we invite friends and family. we would observe more religiously the parish feast day, but then again, it would really just be us watching the procession of the images.
when nanay and tatay migrated to the states almost a decade back, my brother, his family and i were left here in manila. i decided then to celebrate the parish fiesta, because it was a very good year for the company. I wanted to offer thanksgiving to the Lord for the blessing. and the best way was to celebrate with my officemates, to treat them to a feast for they were responsible for meeting the targets for the year.
and since them, save for last year, ive annualized the tradition. and my nanay and tatay appreciated it immensely when they came back home. so this is something the entire household looks forward to. there would be inuman (drinking bouts) and some suki dishes like lumpiang shanghai.
this year, i have more reason to be thankful. we've completed the house in record time. and it has brought me back to where i grew up. so this celebration was special and it was meant to be spent with special friends, not just colleagues, old and new.
I thank thee, Lord, for granting us all the wonderful favors and blessings through all the years.
we didnt used to celebrate the town fiesta (which is associated with lots of water). as kids, we would participate during the morning's wet and wild (lol) festivities but nanay wouldnt have special food nor would we invite friends and family. we would observe more religiously the parish feast day, but then again, it would really just be us watching the procession of the images.
when nanay and tatay migrated to the states almost a decade back, my brother, his family and i were left here in manila. i decided then to celebrate the parish fiesta, because it was a very good year for the company. I wanted to offer thanksgiving to the Lord for the blessing. and the best way was to celebrate with my officemates, to treat them to a feast for they were responsible for meeting the targets for the year.
and since them, save for last year, ive annualized the tradition. and my nanay and tatay appreciated it immensely when they came back home. so this is something the entire household looks forward to. there would be inuman (drinking bouts) and some suki dishes like lumpiang shanghai.
this year, i have more reason to be thankful. we've completed the house in record time. and it has brought me back to where i grew up. so this celebration was special and it was meant to be spent with special friends, not just colleagues, old and new.
I thank thee, Lord, for granting us all the wonderful favors and blessings through all the years.
SAHC: the Others
Nandy is the brainiest among us, top of the class. There was some unspoken competition between the two of us but it translated more into boys than grades. LOL. we have been classmates since 3rd grade but we grew closer only during high school. Nandy is a few shades darker than the others, hence the nickname 'Peaches', of the Peaches and Herb 70's african-american singing duo. He wasnt flamboyant at all, nor particularly geeky. but somehow, he didnt have the 'landi' or he expressed it differently.
Gerry, on the other hand, is our melanie marquez. tall, thin.. exuding grace and breeding. he spent grade school elsewhere and became a classmate only in high school. his vivid recollection: he was new in the section and sat beside us. as we were chatting, geometry teacher comes in and introduces himself as our class adviser. adviser asks 'do we have any girls here' (referring to badings). the whole class turns to look at us, and gerry is shocked he naturally gravitated to the birds of the same feather.
cc. nathan. nandy. gerry. we eventually became a core group. but that happened in college. yet i will consider these four to be the closest gay friends i have. (yeah we predate sex and the city AND golden girls. LOL)
but we were a huge group in high school. our last count, easily 10% of the class is gay! next up, you'll meet bet, serg, tanny, jon, vinny, and all the others. then the stories...
Gerry, on the other hand, is our melanie marquez. tall, thin.. exuding grace and breeding. he spent grade school elsewhere and became a classmate only in high school. his vivid recollection: he was new in the section and sat beside us. as we were chatting, geometry teacher comes in and introduces himself as our class adviser. adviser asks 'do we have any girls here' (referring to badings). the whole class turns to look at us, and gerry is shocked he naturally gravitated to the birds of the same feather.
cc. nathan. nandy. gerry. we eventually became a core group. but that happened in college. yet i will consider these four to be the closest gay friends i have. (yeah we predate sex and the city AND golden girls. LOL)
but we were a huge group in high school. our last count, easily 10% of the class is gay! next up, you'll meet bet, serg, tanny, jon, vinny, and all the others. then the stories...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
guilty pleasures: pirated blu ray
i didnt think they would be able to actually do this. pirated blu ray. but apparently they are able to! found two stores actually offering this, but not off the rack. and they wont just offer it. they'll size you up first, to make sure you dont represent any of those anti-piracy busters. lol. i wasnt as convinced of the quality. they sell copies at P300 (vs P1500 for the orig) and even when i viewed samples a couple of times, i was hesitant. i wanted to compare it in my LED, on my player.
2012 convinced me to try it. i knew i wanted to see that in hd but when i heard the freaking reviews, it made me think twice about forking P1500 for the movie. finally got around to ordering not just that but three other titles - incredible hulk, 500 days of summer and harry potter half blood prince, films i never got to watch.
got my copies earlier and i jumped at the chance to watch 2012. i am so happy i bought the copies! my eye tells me that there is some generation loss, some amount of fuzziness but hardly noticeable. and for the price!!! watching that with the full home theater system i set up is WOW. disaster movies were made for LED and home theater.
i just sat there in my tiny bedroom amazed and totally engrossed in what i was watching. the effects are just AWESOME. and when i previewed incredible hulk - more amazement and wonder! edward norton is twice as hot in hd. lol
2012 the movie is really just about special effects. the storyline's super thin. the characters are bland and one-dimensional. and i am so glad i didnt pay P1500 to watch it.
im watching 500 days tonight. :-)
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