poeticnook

1.2.2012

2012-01-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

there are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls, tonight is one of them as I sit on the roof counting the stars..

when we disappear

2011-09-21T01:32:00.004-07:00

when we disappear,
we disappear too quickly

and not even the rain
remembers our passing

when we disappear,
we disappear completely

the impossible list

2011-07-31T20:51:00.003-07:00

inspired by the blog of impossible things, I've decided to make my own bucket list of seemingly unreachable goals. I'll try to challenge myself and cross them off one at a time until I've proven myself otherwise.

I'm writing again.. this must mean I will be wandering off soon..

hit the ground running back to you

2011-05-17T09:29:00.001-07:00

been sick for a couple of days now but this song is pulling me back to wellness.

Back To You
MercyMe

Nobody said it would be easy
Nobody said that life's a breeze
Tossin' and turnin', oh the wind keeps churnin'
Like I'm a little toy boat out on the sea

If I'm down don't count me out
I'll slowly get back on my feet
Stumblin' and fumblin', but I keep on coming
Just as long as you're not giving up on me

When I trip, I fall and slow down to a crawl
And feel like I've got nothing left to lose
I may slip, slide, and watch our worlds collide
But I will
Hit the ground running back to you

There are days my head is spinning
Wishing I could hit the switch and end this ride
If it came to a stop and someone let me off I know
I would just get right back in line

When I trip, I fall and slow down to a crawl
And feel like I've got nothing left to lose
I may slip, slide, and watch our worlds collide
But I will
Hit the ground running back to you

What kind of love would say
I love you anyway
Oh, time and time again

When I trip, I fall and slow down to a crawl
And feel like I've got nothing left to lose
I may slip, slide, and watch our worlds collide
But I will
Hit the ground running back to you
I will
Hit the ground running back to you

I may slip, slide and watch our worlds collide
But I will, yes I will
Hit the ground running back to you
I hit the ground running back to you

I hit the ground, crashing down, rolling round
But I rebound, I get back up and I'll be found
Running, running back to you

I'm running back to you
Back to you
Back to you
Back to you
Running back to you

do you have the heart?

2011-04-19T12:19:00.004-07:00

On a recent interview for work, I was asked this question: "Do you have the heart to fire people?"

Me, being typically over analytical, gave it a second to churn in my head before I processed a response. In that tiny slice of time, I actually conjured several answers at the top of my mind:

v0.1 heart? what heart? I don't have a heart. period.
v1.0 how can you put heart and fire people in the same sentene? that's so cruel..
v1.1 harharhar of course, I love firing people, off with his head!
v1.2 you mean like burn them? literally?
v1.3 *insert wild laughter here* uhm what was the question?
v1.4 sure, why not? can I do it now? can I? can I?

But of course, thanks to the neatly tied up strings that keep everything in place in my psyche, I said this instead:

Me: Have you seen that movie "Up in the Air" ?

Interviewer: No

Me: Well, it's about this guy whose job is to go fly to different places to fire people. Basically the management in the companies that hire him don't have the courage to deliver the bad news to their employees so they had to outsource someone else to do it.

Anyway, the point is, it's not about having the heart to fire people, it's more about how to tell them that there's something else out there that's more suited to their skills, where they could grow more and excel and be happy and appreciated. The challenge is not about having the guts to say you're fired to someone but rather it's finding a way to say it without making them feel like it's the end of the road, game over, do not pass go, you may now safely turn off your computer.. *insert flat line sound here*

So to answer your question, yes, it's easy to fire people, I can do it if necessary. But more importantly, I can deliver what seems like bad news and turn it into something that could well be the best move for their career at that time.

new shoes

2011-04-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

So today my favorite brown wedge shoes finally retired. The stitches on one side was so worn out that I could actually see my big toe peeking out like a cartoon character playing peek-a-boo. It was over two years ago when I bought this pair that one summer day in BC, and it has been through a lot since then. It endured the endless rainy days of Vancouver, that freak winter storm in '08, and it even survived a sip-lining expedition in Montreal after crossing half a dozen tree top obstacles. I guess I could say it was well worth its price and has served its purpose, after all, not all shoes can outlast jobs, friendships and even relationships - well done Aldo. But then again, this can't really compare to my favorite Hush Puppies back in University - now that pair really weathered a lot of storms and a lot of soles. It even went up and down mountain tops in one piece - quite a great feat for a pair of high heeled dress shoes.

Some people put a lot of value in abstract stuff like time, commitment, affection, attention - and I must say it is wise for them to do so - after all aren't the essential elements of life the ones our naked eyes can't see? But in the daily intricasies of living, we often get sidetracked by the lack or loss of these invisible things that we tend to forget the little miracles that exist right in front of us - like an ant carrying a heavy grain of rice, a butterfly struggling out of a cocoon, a homeless kid taking the hand of another, a pair of worn out shoes telling stories of lives lived and forgotten - they look so commonplace that we overlook them or they seem so distant that we can't relate.

Any which way, today I'm breaking in new shoes and I can feel blisters hurting my feet, I could whine and complain just because I can but then again I know a lot who have always dreamed of walking - so I'm thankful for the hurt because that means I can feel, and I'm thankful for these shoes that I can use to walk and hop and jump and run and at the end of the day, when all else fails,

...I know I can always get a new pair.

when things come to pass

2011-03-15T08:51:00.001-07:00

I've used writing as a tool to forget, a way to get things off my mind. Like a phone number that will stick in your subconscious until you find a pen and put it on paper or in this day and age, a mobile phone where you can punch the keys and save it on your address book, thoughts and ideas have a way of infecting the psyche like a virus - this reminds me of a dream within a dream within a dream within a dream sequence from Inception, whatever. Anyway, these days have no reason to be forgotten, or I'm just too lazy to find an excuse to string words together and wait for meaning to come. But the thing is, I don't really need to have a point before I can go log into anonymity and ramble on. I can just start now.

The news about the calamities plaguing Japan right now took me back to a place where everything was so different. It reminded me of the times when I was there and how it felt so safe - a contained bubble where everything moves like clockwork and nothing falls out of place. It's sad that it's almost brewing to be another Kobe mishap but what's more heartbreaking is that there are 50 or so workers who chose to stay at the Fukushima plant to try and fix the issue - talk about dedication to the job. Knowing Nihon, they will surely bounce back but even giants need help in picking up tiny flowers from the ground so it's great that many countries are organizing efforts to aid the land of the rising sun.

It's been a crazy year thus far, and we're only on the third month - a quarter of the year done and three quarters more to go - I wonder what's in store for the rest of us. There's been floods, civil and political unrest, earthquakes, tidal waves and nuclear meltdown - at times like these, we can only pray that the world will still be there when we wake up. But even it doesn't, if the world breaks apart and fades into oblivion, at least we'll know how the afterlife is like.

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." [Matthew 24:6-8]

visiting the 7107 islands

2011-02-24T08:27:00.000-08:00

My Lakbayan grade is B-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

watching over me

2010-10-10T02:51:00.003-07:00

“Watching Over Me”
FFH

Where could I run, where could I hide
Where could I go where You are not
Where could I be where You don't see
All of these demons chasing me
What kind of sin could I find myself in
Where You wouldn't stop
The world from spinning 'round and 'round
When it seems like I am upside down
But in Your comfort I have found
A safe place to fall

And I'll be alright
Safe inside
Stayin' alive
As long as You are watching over me

Where could I go where I don't know
All of the comfort You bestow
Where could I fall, where could I land
Where I'm not resting in Your hand
How could I stray too far away
Where You won't leave the ninety-nine
To come and bring me back
And put me on Your shoulders and
Carry me around Your neck
Until it's safe to walk

And I'll be alright
Safe inside
Stayin' alive
As long as You are watching over me

And I will be fine
'Cause You are by my side
And I'll be okay
'Cause You're with me every day
This one thing is sure
I could never, ever ask for more

And I"ll be alright
Safe inside
Stayin' alive

life in slow motion (aka how it felt like last year)

2010-09-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

That the sky would lift
That I’d find my place
That I’d see your face in the door

i press my face against the tinted glass and watch as the rain drenches the long dark street that is kingsway. in exactly 13 minutes, the flourescent bulbs will blink once, twice and finally sleep, i will then count 43 strides from my sanctuary to that corner beside the door that leads to a seemingly endless flight of stairs, and with a power that only i possess at this forsaken hour, i will flick the eternal switch that separates light from darkness.

And the sun would glint
On a time well spent
On a time that ain’t no more

in between sleeplessness and dreaming i glance at the painted orange and pink colored skies on dry canvas that my friend made with a hand that never tires and a mind that never runs out of ways to mix ink into masterpieces. the portraits remind me of ephemeral childhood days when time didn't exist to mark failures we've committed nor milestone we have yet to accomplish, back then plans were nothing but castles that giant waves crush into scattered lumps of sand.

Takes the broken hearts
In the vacant lots
To see the fruit that rots on the trees

as my eyes dim and surrender to the grey cloudy skies that hide the stars, my brain gives in to translucent dreams chasing after each other. i freefall straight into the chasm, there is no pause, not even for a gasp of air, but just when my heart is about to explode.. the heavens open.. and i am blinded by the light.. i hear wings beating against the wind, flying towards a sun that burns me..

Had to turn my head
Leave it all for dead
But it’s in my mind always

i wake up, the screen flickers, i'm still here..

song excerpt: "Lately" by David Gray, from the album "Life in Slow Motion"

2009.03.24.02.31.a.m.n.d.g

from the ashes

2010-09-01T11:38:00.002-07:00

Just when I stopped listening to Jack Johnson (because I heard/saw somebody strum Banana Pancakes on the guitar and that ruined it all for me..), Apple then decides to play his tunes on the recently concluded Fall Event that introduced several new iSoftware and iGadgets,

"Better Together" by JJ opened the show and the closing act was "Yellow" performed by Chris Martin - these songs are haunting me with memories I want to forget,

..and this is why I stopped listening to secular music.

Yellow
by Coldplay

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow,

I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called yellow

So then I took my turn
Oh all the things I've done
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know you know I love you so
You know I love you so

I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh all the things you do
Cause you were all yellow

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know for you i bleed myself dry
For you i bleed myself dry

Its true look how they shine for you

bonding with brothers (the hk-shenzhen trip)

2010-06-30T10:59:00.155-07:00

For the past three years, I've only been home for a total of three weeks so I thought it would be great if this time my brothers and I could hangout somewhere outside the country and just chill. Can't complain about the sunshine and beaches in Cebu but 42 degrees is just insane. I'll trade this for snowstorms anytime of day.

I've never really explored HK, the longest I've stayed there was when I had a 12 hour layover for a connecting flight. I figured it's time to pay a visit to the land of of the laser lights, and who knows, maybe see Disneyland. But of course, my two burly brothers were not the least bit interested to see Mickey Mouse so instead we bought octopus train cards at the airport and went on to chart the best course to see the city.

At first we joined a tour group that took us to all the shopping places we didn't really want to go to, so we bailed out on that, took the MTR and double deck buses, and explored the city on our own. I must admit, a map is important in this type of quest, but the only map I got was the train stops for the red line. Fortunately, we met someone who used to work in the city some years back. She decided to go back and revisit HK now that she has enough money saved. Among other things, she showed us where Jollibee was =) now, we know where to score all the chicken joy.

After a visit to the massive building where they sell all the electronics stuff, we walked down Nathan road to the Avenue of the Stars so we could watch the symphony of lights show, but before that we decided to stop by a restaurant that serves BBQ duck. Twas great that the menu came with pictures, coz the guy at the counter didn't speak any English and we knew no Chinese. I sincerely hope that was duck we ordered ^_^, it looked like it.

The trek to Victoria Peak is probably the highlight of the trip. Although it was drizzling and foggy, we did manage to get a good view of the downtown Hong Kong skyline, Kowloon, and Victoria Harbour. Kuya was also able to buy some souvenirs to take back home.

We spent two nights in HK then proceeded to Shenzhen via train. The bus tour guide asked us if we were picky about food and if we eat anything. Some people said they eat everything and the guide warned us that we shouldn't order hot dog in that city, because that meant real dog, eww! I think that was when we decided to stick to McDonald's and KFC for this leg of the trip =)

There was really not much to see here, it was also the same time when the flash floods were happening and it was all over the news - so there was an overcast of gloom on the city. We did see the Windows of the World and more night markets, jewelry shops and car factories - I guess those tour buses are shopping traps in disguise. Good thing we weren't really into buying stuff, but more into eating so that's where all our HKD and RMB went to.

The whole adventure was a great opportunity to bond with my brothers. It was their first passport stamp, their first trip outside the country, and I'm glad we survived it despite our constant petty quarrels. We laugh when people say that we look like we get along really well ^_^ Hopefully we can do this again next year.

for the benefit of science

2010-04-23T22:27:00.002-07:00

Jailbreaking the iPhone for the benefit of science is a lofty task, especially for people who have too much time in their hand to tinker with new technology. When it first came out in 2007, the first thing I did was immerse myself in firmwares and basebands and scripts until I got familiar with its file system. Now two generations later, Apple still makes incredible attempts to plug holes and stop people from messing up with their systems.

Currently I'm on 3.1.2 and the latest firmware as of writing is 3.1.3. With the release of the iPad and the 4.0 SDK, another upgrade is imminent. To preserve the status quo on my present setup, I sync with iTunes regularly to backup my files and keep a handy set of utilities.

One pitfall I always find myself in is the endless loop of apple logo display that does not proceed to boot up. I also encounter the dreaded iTunes 16xx or 20xx errors when I try to restore to custom firmware. This usually happens when I'm doing a lot of surfing or launching games that connects to the Internet. My phone works fine while I'm doing all those stuff but when I put it down and maybe leave it overnight, or put it in airplane mode while I'm in transit (usually for an hour or so), I find that upon waking it from sleep mode, it suddenly couldn't connect to my wireless routers anymore.

I then do the customary shutdown and startup just in case there are some background processes hogging the cpu or something, but this often triggers the endless loop problem. In case it does boot up properly and still can't connect to the wireless server, I then continue with resettting the network settings, which might actually fix the issue if it can bypass the endless loop syndrome.

After much hands-on experience with phenomenon, I've devised ways to prepare myself for the impending doom and I've amassed a collection of nifty implements to get me out of jeopardy and back into the almost perfectly working world of fw 3.1.2. What can I say, I don't want to upgrade until I've figured out all the nooks of the current release.

Here are some points to remember:
1. Apple has stopped signing fw 3.1.2 so restoring back to it through the usual Option + Restore method in iTunes will result to 16xx or 20xx errors.
2. It's important to have a copy of your iPhone's ECID and SHSH files.
3. Have a handy copy of your custom restore file.
4. Sync with iTunes everyday to have a backup of your files and settings.
5. Don't jailbreak unless you want your life to be complicated.
6. Panic count: 0.

These days, when my iPhone starts acting up like taking too long to respond after I've opened a hundred tabs on Safari or suddenly disconnects from my router or couldn't search available wireless networks, the first thing I do is plug it on my Mac and sync with iTunes. I am already preparing myself for the inevitable restore so I need the freshest backup possible. Then I try the following and see if any of them works:

1. Restart.
2. Hard reset.
3. Reset network settings.

If it was some stray process, any of the three would solve the problem but if its some weird stuff you were not supposed to install then never, I mean never jailbreak your iPhone again unless you can get yourself out of this. This reminded me of all the ROM flashing I've done with my Palm devices back when CLIEs still roamed the earth. You don't have business messing up the low level stuff if you don't understand a single line of code. Better stick with the stock options.

Anyway, assuming that you know your stuff well, then you really don't need to read this. I'm just writing notes in case someone asks me how and I'm too busy to explain in detail. This morning I woke up and checked the weather forecast on my iPhone but found that it couldn't connect to the server. Could it be all those threads I opened last night to simulate multitasking? I don't know for sure so I just plugged it into iTunes and started syncing. I then tried the quick fixes mentioned above but none of them worked and step 3 brought me to endless apple logo loop.

Without delving too much into the technical explanation of each step, here's the rest of the procedure that resurrected my device:

1. Put the iPhone in Recovery mode.
2. Modify the host file to intercept iTunes
3. Fire up TinyTSS and run your own signature server using your backup SHSH file
4. Run iTunes and plug in your iPhone
5. Once iTunes recognizes the device in recovery mode, restore to the custom firmware and load your settings back.

As I'm writing this I've just finished doing all the steps above and my iPhone is in happy working state again. Thank you Apple for giving me an education.

back to basic

2010-03-30T04:05:00.002-07:00

After owning what is arguably the best phone in the world, I decided to go back to basics so I took out the first mobile phone I bought with my hard earned wages from my first job. It was a Nokia 8210, and it's still working after 10 years. The aesthetic condition leaves a lot to be desired but it's still functional, only the charger and battery needed to be replaced and maybe the case too. When I inserted my sim, it asked for a security code, a five digit number that I have conveniently forgotten, good thing I still have my master code generator based on the IMEI so I was able to unlock it.

I looked at the picture logos and the picture messages saved on it and smiled at how it paled in comparison with the multimedia-rich content that new phones now have; but it's a classic and I love it.

While visiting Ayala, I saw those new brands of mobile phones - Cherry Mobile and MyPhone. Their designs are interesting, they looked like carbon copies of some Nokia models, except they are way cheaper and had more functionality, like a dual sim holder and a built-in TV tuner. I wonder how the build quality is though..

When I first saw the P1, I new I had to have one, it was small and it looked like a calculator, but the selling point of this phone is not really its looks but its price - $23. I was computing the cost of getting a new battery, charger and front and back covers for my 8210 and it looked like it would be more practical to just get the P1 to house my other sim.

After searching for a black P1 at three malls and coming out empty handed, I finally opted to get the next model instead, the P2. The only difference is it has a color TFT screen, an FM tuner and a flashlight, which I still don't know how to activate since I'm refusing to read the manual. The price difference is $7 so I took it home and am now happily listening to the radio on its loud speaker, not bad at all. I just hope it lasts for a year at least.

kawasan weekend

2010-03-23T07:25:00.001-07:00

Last Friday I got an email asking me for hotel recommendations in Cebu and as I was typing my reply, I also outlined a sample itinerary: ShangriLa, check. Waterfront, check. Olango Island hopping, check. Kawasan waterfalls, check. Moalboal, check. Bantayan Island, check. Hmmm, what else? Bohol? Boracay? Palawan?

While I was browsing over the places to see in the island, I realized that it's been a while since we last went to the falls. Ever since I first visited the site back in 1997, it's been a yearly event to just go to Badian, rent a cottage at La Playa or Kawasan then trek to the top of the waterfalls. So that evening I packed my stuff and invited the fam to escape the city's sweltering 35 degrees.

We left for Matutinao at 6AM the next morning, it was a three-hour drive along winding roads that overlook the sea and the mountains. Good thing there were vacant rooms at the resort and the rate was $20 per night, we got the second-floor suite with a balcony that looks out to the coastline. After a quick trip to the public market to buy food for lunch, we proceeded to hike up the falls. Entrance fee was $2.5.

Going up there brought back lots of memories for my older brother and I teased him about the songs he used to sing way back when.. He said he loved too much then and he won't be as stupid this time around. When we finally reached the top, we sat and watched as throngs of people dove into the cold clear blue waters. Somehow the magic of the place has been broken for me, it doesn't remind me of people or feelings anymore, it was like an empty exercise that one does to commemorate a long forgotten ideal.

On the way down, rain greeted our every stride as we navigated through the slippery stone footholds. I wonder how many pairs of sneakers and flip flops have gone through these same leaf-covered steps before mine did, and I wonder how many more will pass this way after I do.

Back at comforts of our room, we watched the sunset from the veranda and listened as the waves broke the shore. After everything's been said and done, this is still one of my favorite nooks, a place where one can just hide away from the world. Next year I'll be back here again.

balamban bites

2010-03-15T02:25:00.042-07:00

So we finally decided to try this famous Balamban liempo - roasted herb-encrusted pork that comes from this mountain town in the northern part of Cebu - talk about food trip! We drove two hours to the mountain tops just to visit this place where they make this special dish.

We took the Transcentral highway and the view going there was amazing, a true photographer's haven, we even saw a couple having their prenuptial photos taken at this wooden bridge connecting two tall cliffs overlooking the ocean - I wanted to stop and take photos too but we were in a bit of a hurry so that we'll reach the place before the fog comes down.

After a dozen more twists and turns and more magnificent views, we finally reached our destination and had lunch at the only place that serves food in that small town. I must say their roasted pork is indeed worth the long drive, but man, two hours?! I'd be hungry again by the time we head back home.

On the way back, we took the SRP road, I like the tunnels and ocean view here, it looks like that race track from need for speed, they say some people do midnight drag races there. Looks a lot has changed in this city since I was last here six years ago. Well, greater things are yet to come here =)

a dog day morning

2010-03-06T23:39:00.006-08:00

We have three dogs - Wookie, Frou frou and Cooper, they're a mixed breed of Japanese Spitz and Yorkshire Terrier and they occupy half the ground floor living area in the apartment that we're renting. They rarely go out of the house because there's no proper lawn area where they can roam freely, they might cross the street and get run over by speeding vehicles.

I've had Wookie since 2003, she was given by a friend from Davao and is probably my most well traveled dog by far. She has taken the boat, car and bus, she's been to hotels, malls and parks, and has moved with us to every new place we've leased. Frou and Coop are her sons and they rarely leave the house, but when we accidentally leave the door open, they run for it and play hide and seek at the neighbor's backyard.

This year, after much deliberation, we've decided to let go of the dogs and posted an ad for adoption. We were giving the dogs away for free with passport and vaccination papers, the condition was that the new owner should genuinely care for them and have a lawn where they can run around and be happy. A lot of callers answered the ad, but none passed the interviews so far.

Last week we decided to invent the Dog of the Week Award, a lucky dog will be randomly chosen and given a walk along the park with food and refreshments. First thing we did was buy a leash, which we didn't really know how to put on.

Q: How many people does it take to leash a dog?
A: Three, one to carry the dog, one to figure out how to tighten the collar and another one to actually put the leash on the dog.

Cooper got to be the guinea pig in this exercise. He was happy to go out of the house but unfortunately didn't really want to walk and would just rather chase the neighbor's cat up the roof of a car. Kuya had to carry him until we reached the narrow streets that led to the park, the activity became a carry-the-dog day instead of a walk-the-dog morning. When we finally reached the park, Coop played around on the grass and chased birds, then he got tired and just sat on the sidewalk, refusing to budge. Drei tried to use fried chicken and water to make him respond but he just sat there and ignored the food. In the meantime, we all stared at another guy's dog who was walking beside his owner without a leash, I wonder if Coop will ever be like that, the scene reminded me of the movie "Morley and me".

Q: How many people does it take to walk Cooper?
A: Three, one to hold the leash, one to act as bait and coach Coop to run towards him and another one to take pictures. =)

All in all it was a great morning to bond with my two brothers, I hope Cooper had a nice time too.

surviving caramoan

2010-02-11T07:36:00.141-08:00

After spending the night at a friend's place, we caught the first plane out to Naga, which has now become a major tourist spot because of the development of the CamSur Wakeboarding Complex (CWC). We rented a cabana and waited in line under the scorching sun just to try wakeboarding. The good thing about this sport compared to snowboarding is you fall on water, so it's always soft landing. The bad thing is you get pulled by a line, so your arms get overstretched and its a totally different thing to balance on a board while holding on to a moving thing.

I like the facilities at CWC, the shuttle gives visitors rides to and from the mall, airport and bus depots, which is very convenient for people in transit. It would be better though if they have lots of bikes for rent so people don't have to wait for the vans before they can move around the compound. Everything is walking distance but that heat is unbearable.

The next morning, we checked out at 4AM and proceeded to Sabang port. It was a two-hour van ride from the terminal. From the port, we took the boat to Caramoan. Because the tide was low, the boat couldn't dock on the port, actually, I don't even remember if there was a port there. I just saw porters lifting passengers on their shoulders so they wouldn't get wet as they board the boat. Drei and I decided to walk instead, it wasn't that bad, the water was only four feet deep.

The boat ride took another two hours, and we were greeted by the staff of WestPen when we got there. I just found this accommodation on the web, and it is by far the most expensive leg of the trip. It set us back a total of $350 for three days and two nights, including board, lodging and boat tours.

The villa itself is nestled on a secluded private compound with evenly spaced nipa huts on the sides and a pool table and outdoors seating in the middle. Since they didn't have any formal website, I offered to develop one for them. After a quick shower and a game of pool, we grabbed a quick lunch and headed back to the pier to start our first island hopping trip.

We met some people from the boat who joined the tour with us and offered to split the cost. First stop was a beach where we could go snorkeling. According to the travel agent who was with us, it also had a spring at the top but it was hard to get to so we skipped the hike and just went swimming. We passed by Gota and checked out the other beachfront developments on the next island. After more snorkeling and island hopping, we headed back home and played another round of pool before dinner.

The next day we woke up early to go on yet another boat ride to the grotto. It was like a quarter of the grouse grind but the view was spectacular. It was drizzling when our boat docked on the island so the hike up was a bit slippery, but it was better than being burnt and baked while walking.

After the grotto, we proceeded to another island to have a picnic lunch. I like the concept of the tables and chairs setup a few meters from the shore and almost half submerged in water. That was probably the best part of that trip, aside from the time when we had to walk over a line of fishing boats just to get to our ride - reminded me of the obstacle courses at Takeshi's castle.

We went to more islands than I could name, hiked around, swam a bit then headed back to the villa. We had crabs and laing for dinner, which was the best meal yet, except for the allergies that came after it.

Recently popularized by the Survivor French Edition, Caramoan Islands, especially Gota village is a bit overpriced, but then if you know how to get around, it would be cheaper to skip all the tour packages and just go there, rent a room at the dorms near the pier then hire a fishing boat to take you to the islands. There's also a market and food stalls that you can ask to cook for you. We could have probably saved half of what we spent at WestPen if we had taken that route but it was our first time so we didn't know how to get around. As a consolation, Gota Village rates were twice as expensive as what we paid for at WestPen, so we got the mid-range budget package.

On our last morning, we took the boat back to Sabang and had to be carried off the vessel because the water was almost six foot deep and we didn't want to be soaking wet while on a two hour bus ride to Naga. This is the worst part of this trip, we lost a day traveling and I couldn't bring myself to sit on another van again.

the heritage town of vigan

2010-02-06T04:56:00.168-08:00

To get to this historic town in Ilocos Sur, we had to take two bus rides - a two-hour commute from Pagudpud to Laoag, a trike ride from one terminal to the next and finally a two-hour bus ride from Laoag to Vigan. According to one of the signs painted on a building, the city got its name from the Bigaa plant which thrives abundantly in that region.

We arrived at around 5pm and checked in at Grandpa's Inn, we got two fan-cooled rooms, one with tv, private bath and complimentary breakfast for $23 and another one with a common bath, no tv and no breakfast for $18. The best thing about this place was the wireless Internet connectivity albeit a little flaky.

After a quick shower, we went out to buy souvenir shirts and walk along the famous brick roads of Calle Crisologo. Vigan has more than a hundred ancestral houses and historical landmarks making it a UNESCO heritage site. The gas lights, sliding capiz windows and azoteas were like a scene right out of Rizal's novels, they bring you back to the 17th century colonial era. Our stroll ended up at Plaza Burgos, a landmark dedicated to Padre Jose Burgos, a Catholic priest native to the place, who was accused of sedition and executed by Spanish authorities in 1872. Currently, the plaza sits next to a church and has a massive park with palyground and picnic area. Beside it, there are dozens of stalls selling empanada and okoy, a well-known snack in the area. We ordered one of each and decided that it would be our dinner. On the way back to the hotel, we saw the charming Cafe Uno right beside our inn and opted to try their tea, however, when we skimmed through their menu, we ordered bagnet instead and had a second dinner.

The following morning, we hired calesas and went on a city tour aboard horse-drawn carriages. The rate for the tour was $8 per hour and included several area attractions. It was pre-arranged by one of the inn attendants and was promptly waiting for us by 8AM.

The first stop was the famous belfry at St. Paul's Church. It's the site of this local TV show about a blacksmith turned reluctant hero during the Spanish era. After climbing the rickety wooden stairs to where the bell sits, we took pictures and proceeded to our next stop.

The Crisoogo Mansion is the house of a famed political family, which was now converted into a private museum. They have an interesting collection of antique cars, old photographs, clothes, memorabilla and hats from different islands in the country. That's where I got to see the pig system toilet, eww!

The next destination was the Pagburnayan, where jars made from clay are made by hand using the potter's wheel. Pottery making was introduced in the city by early Chinese settlers and has been a well-known industry in Vigan because of its abundance in good quality clay that are used to make earthen jars.

Armed with a collection of ref magnets and other souvenirs that we bought from the pagburnayan, we proceeded to the Hidden Garden, a landscaped showroom of plants that has an onsite restaurant where we ordered halo halo and bibingka for snacks. They have this cool washroom that has a one way mirror overlooking a garden with a pond.

The higlight of this tour was the visit to Baluarte, a zoo owned by a politician that is open to the public for free. The place was huge, there was a bird and butterfly sanctuary, an ostrich farm, a horse ranch, several reptiles and a collection of tigers. For $4 we got to go up close to take pictures and sit with the tiger.

Before heading to the final stop, which was Calle Crisologo, we bought bagnet and longganisa, another present that we will be taking to Romblon. We plan to buy some native delicacy from each place we visit and bring them to our grandma.

Calle Crisologo looks different in the morning, it was more enchanting at night, but it exudes the same colonial town feel especially when you're traversing it on a calesa. We went back to our inn and checked out, I was not too happy about the late check-out fee per hour, of which we were not informed about earlier, I will definitely opt for other lodging places next time I drop by for a visit.

We took a trike to the bus station, had lunch of local cuisine at the nearby carenderia and proceeded to wait at the station for a bus to La Union. I was planning to go surfing and already reserved a room at Surfer's Inn but we missed two buses because of the ill organized system that they have in that terminal. No lineups, no posted bus schedules, just throngs of masses suddenly converging and running towards the bus once it enters the terminal, definitely not my style. Some people got squished, some kids were crying, some got pushed back and stepped on, wow, is this how they do stuff in this part of town or is Partas just the worst bus service ever? Anyway, such is the life of public commuters.

Finally, a bus to Manila came by and I was pushed inside by the excited people waiting to get home. I stood on the middle aisle of the bus for more than an hour, which is probably is good for my back but not for my varicose veins. Annoyed at the whole commuter experience, I decided to cancel the La Union leg of the trip and headed back to my friend's place in Greenhills.

Someday I will be able to buy my own ride and I'll visit all 7,107 islands while on it.

on the shores of pagudpud

2010-02-04T19:12:00.252-08:00

Pagudpud is on the northwest part of the Philippines facing the South China Sea and a 12-hour bus ride from Manila. Known for its big waves and strong winds that cater to both local and international surfing and sailboarding communities, this town is lined up with beach resorts that offer ample and relatively affordable accommodations. Peak season is from March to June so we got off peak rates when we visited.

We arrived at Jun and Carol's beach resort at 5 AM, it was a coin toss between this and Polaris but the latter took much longer to respond to my SMS so I opted for JCBC. We were assigned a room on the second floor. it had air conditioning, two double beds, a cable TV and a huge bathroom that's like half the size of the room; the rate was $35 for four persons.

After an hour of trying to sleep, we decided to go out and explore the city. We took the tricycle and checked out the market in the hopes of having a breakfast of local cuisine. Wednesday is market day at this place, we saw live curacha and other sea creatures.

We hired the same trike to take us on a city tour and our first stop was the lighthouse at Cape Bojeador in Burgos. Built in 1892, Faro Cabo is still fully operational and sits on the top of the Vigia de Nagparitan hill, 530 feet off the ground. One of the rooms has been converted into a mini museum which reminded me of the lighthouses that we visited at Oregon coast two years ago. The caretaker was kind enough to unlock the bolted gates of the lighthouse so we could go up the rust covered steel stairs to the creeky wooden platform where the light and mirrors sit. The top offered a 360 degree view of Ilocos Norte and the surrounding sea.

Next stop was the Bangui Wind Farm, a lineup of 15 wind mills facing the sea that supplies the town's electricity. The view here was spectacular, we walked on the fine sand and met the waves crushing the shore as we took photos of the area. We also bought Bugnay wine from a local seller by the beach, a present for our grandma in Romblon.

We proceeded to the Patapat Viaduct, Agua Grande River Park and Paraiso ni Anton, which were all just a few meters away from each other. The road going there was lonely and winding, not a lot of vehicles pass by and if they do, they're like a scene from fast and the furious, everyone ignoring the speed limit.

Constructed to prevent landslides in the area, Patapat Viaduct is an elevated highway with one side overlooking the Pasaleng Bay and the other guarding tall rocky mountains. We sat on the middle of the road and took pictures here.

Owned by Villa Del Mar, Agua Grande is a brook that runs over pebbles and stones to meet the sea and gray sandy beach. right on the front of this park, there is a grotto facing the street. The El Nino was taking its toll on this part of town when we were there, we were surprised to see the river almost dried up.

We then proceeded to Sitio Gaoa in Balaoi for the Timmangtang Rock and the Bantay Abot Cave, the two are collectively called Lover's Rock by locals.

Timmangtang lies on the seacoast and got its name from its bell-shaped form while Bantay Abot is a few meters away from the shore and literally means a mountain with a hole in the dialect. To get to the cave, we had to go down the side of the street and climb up the slippery rocks to the summit. We went spelunking and took photos from the other side.

The last stop for the day was the crescent shaped cove at Sitio Malingay on the Maira-ira Point, it is more commonly known as the Blue Lagoon. This beach is around three kilometers away from the main road and one has to go through mountain forest paths to get there. It was near Hannah's Beach Resort and Kapuluan, two of the more expensive places to stay in this town. Tired from our hikes and rough road trike ride, we sat on the shore and buried our feet on the sand. The clear blue water and white sands of this place has convinced me that it is the highlight of our trip. Next time I just might try those two resorts so I could be nearer to this part of Pagudpud.

We ended the day with a hearty meal at one of the roadside carinderia and tried the local cuisine that included pinakbet and imbalictad. After dinner, we retired back to our resort to catch the sunset and walk along the beach.

The next morning, we took the same trike and went to Kabigan Falls. I didn't know that we had to cross rice fields and walk across rivers to get to the falls so I wore sneakers. Good thing the store near the place where we had to register our names and give donation to had flip flops for sale. We got a tour guide who led us through the thicket of trees and shrubs.

After coaxing a water buffalo to get out the way, we navigated the first stream, which was rather narrow. The next one had slippery rocks and strong currents, while the third one destroyed my brother's slippers. Finally, we got to the foot of the falls and took some pictures. It was rather disappointing compared to Kawasan, still one of my favorites, but is comparable to Oregon's Multnomah. The hike back seemed shorter and we treated ourselves to a refreshing drink - juice from freshly picked coconuts.

We were debating if we should stay another night at Pagudpud and spend a day swimming but we still had lots of beaches to go to in the next couple of days so we decided to head to the next destination and take the bus to Vigan.

Five years ago, my friends went on a Pagudpud-Vigan trip that I couldn't join because of other responsibilities, they brought me back souvenirs and lots of stories. Today I went to see the place for myself and am happy that despite everything in the background, I'm finally able to enjoy the scenery of my country.

01.27.10

2010-01-27T10:36:00.001-08:00

While the rest of the world are following the live stream of Steve's iPad announcement, I am packing the last of my things on my pad. Tonight I'll be returning my modem and later on I'll give back my keys. It was fun while it lasted, at least I got to go from basement to penthouse in three years, that's a great milestone for someone who never stays in place.

In a few more days, I'll be back on the road like the littlest hobo. It's a funny feeling, I should be happy to go *home*, but this is home for me now.. and I've never felt this way before about any other place in the world. I will always strive to come back here.

Maybe Tomorrow
Terry Bush

There's a voice that keeps on calling me
Down the road, that's where I'll always be.
Every stop I make, I make a new friend,
Can't stay for long, just turn around and I'm gone again

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

Down this road that never seems to end,
Where new adventure lies just around the bend.
So if you want to join me for a while,
Just grab your hat, come travel light, that's hobo style.

Maybe tomorrow I'll want to settle down,
Until tomorrow, the whole world is my home.

So if you want to join me for a while,
Just grab your hat, come travel light, that's hobo style

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

There's a world that's waiting to unfold,
A brand new tale no-one has ever told.
We've journeyed far but I know it wont be long;
We're almost there, and we've paid our fare with our hobo song.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

So if you want to join me for a while,
Just grab your hat, come travel light, that's hobo style.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll find what I call home,
Until tomorrow, you know I'm free to roam

Reflecting on: Isaiah 40:30-31

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Listening to: "This is Home" by Switchfoot

Watching: live stream of Apple event

Local News:
- Brampton family man needs liver transplant in four months
- help for Haiti continues
- Winter olympics in two weeks, local mountains might need snow air-lifted

the turning

2010-01-01T21:02:00.003-08:00

Inspired by the 29-day fitness challenge, I finally convinced myself to go back to the gym after a month of falling out. I tried the elliptical two days ago and it wasn't bad, I just hope I can make it a habit.

Random conversation at elevator:

Guy with dog: So, working on New Year's resolution, trying to keep fit and healthy?
Me: Yeah, let's see how long it lasts
GWD: Well good luck, have fun

The fitness room was crowded when I got there; bike, treadmill and free weights area were all occupied, good thing nobody was using the elliptical so I didn't have an excuse to procrastinate. It's either the dduk-gook I had last night or I'm just tired but I felt it was harder to complete 30 minutes this time around compared to two days ago, I felt so heavy. Anyway, I'm hoping it will get easier everyday, I should catch up on my Physio exercises, my back is acting up, talk about aging =) blame it on the cold weather, that's what they always say, right? ^^

I read somewhere that Twitter changed its question from "what are you doing?" to "what's happening?" to encourage more posts about what's up with the world. So in an effort to make my personal online diary a bit more timely, I'm going to add the local news section at the bottom of each post. Should be fun especially when I'm traveling, that would urge me to watch the news and know what's actually going on in the city I'm in.

Today I have nine articles to write and the words are stuck. so I decided to just clean my fridge and finish the solitary tub of ice cream in my freezer, then I popped some corn and watched as the kernels jumped in excitement (first time I tried making popcorn from stove, wow! look at em go pop! pop! pop!). Finally, after being bloated and canceling out my entire workout, I settled back to finish my task. I now have a rekindled respect for writers, I realized that programming is actually way easier than writing, except when you're debugging someone else's code, but then that's like proofreading and copy editing too, such a pain.

So I went on to TED, to find some inspirational talks on how to create nothing out of something. I hope it's not necessary to have temporal lobe seizures before I can be creative. I found this Chinese proverb from Amy Tan's talk on creativity really interesting: Saving a fish from drowning, but in the process the fish dies.. Get yourself in somebody else's business and you'll be stuck.. As I was listening to the Global National's 2009: In Review (and I'm also listening to another TED talk at the same time; Steve Jobs' "how to live before you die", it says find something you love and do it, and live each day as if it were your last because one day you might be right), I browsed through an article saying "Unfriend" became Oxford's word of the year for 2009, hmm *light bulb*, it just showed how social media websites became a big hit last year. I wonder what will strike out in 2010.

Wow! Imagine, that's actually 500 words I've typed in so far, now if only I used that for my article I would have finished 1/9. Oh well, time to start punching the keys... Right brain, work now!

P.S. I like this feature on Everyday Heroes, I first heard of Justin Hines from a tv commercial song two years ago, I got his whole album but I didn't know he had Larsen Syndrome. Ben Verboom's Cycle to Help is also very encouraging, that reminded me to finish my inner healing essay so I could one day lead an IH ministry as well, oh yeah but more words to string... There is one common theme here, it's about people who didn't let whatever bad things that happened in their lives, may it be a disability or a sad experience, to bring them down. Instead they've used it as a challenge to continue doing what they are passionate about and help other people in the same situation. That should be enough inspiration to start writing..

local news:
- memorial for four Canadian soldiers and one journalist whot got killed from roadside bombing in Afghanistan.
- fire at Vancouver Island
- new laws banning texting while driving and smoking inside a vehicle when a child is present

reflecting on: Luke 15:7

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

listening to: "Entertaining Angels" by Newsboys

once in a blue moon

2009-12-30T20:47:00.005-08:00

Wishing we could choose our own landscape
Wishing me and you could just go anywhere we wanted
Once in a blue moon we'd stay out late
And watch the sun come up at five-thirty in the morning

It's a blue moon on New Year's eve, so I guess those people who once said they'd do something on a blue moon would have no excuse to run off this time ^^. There used to be a time in my life when I was just so awed by the moon, I was probably six then and just finished watching the lunar landing, inspiring me to be an astronaut or some rocket scientist. The dream went on till university and not really until I finally found myself at the NASA headquarters in Houston did I realize that I'm probably not gonna be fit enough to be an astronaut. So that probably means I won't be stacking any flags next to the USA's out there in that pot-holed surface.

When Geocities closed back in October this year, I lost a lot of literary works that I failed to backup. I was having some real world issues that I forgot my nine years of words were out there somewhere being deleted and falling into a virtual black hole. There were lots of poems and essays about the moon there. Beyond Forever was divided into Crossroads, Sunset, Moonlight, Nightscapes, Dreams, Chronicles and Footprints, I managed to salvage a few pages but the rest are now lost in dark recesses of my shadowy mind.

I ain't seen you, in a month of Sundays
I never knew exactly what it was I wanted
Once in a blue moon, you'd keep a promise
When it's you I don't mind such a long wait

I haven't written a poem in a long time. Maybe it's just the lack of inspiration, (where does one get them anyway?) or the lack of time (I certainly have lots now), or the lack of motivation. I don't know, I miss the Endless. I miss Bones From The Graveyard, I miss the NSP Poetry List, I miss a lot of irrecoverable things.

Someday I'll find rhymes again, someday words will just fall into place and my pen will touch paper and make long winding loops and dots that will somehow make sense to someone somewhere someday. For now there is the blue moon and there is the New Year to welcome. I'm praying for things to fall into place. I'm praying for my country, which is currently beset by typhoons, fires, boat sinkings and volcanic eruption - I'm coming home to you in a few weeks, hang in there.

Day will surely come,
one day I'll be with you
The day will surely come,
we will make it all come true

Soundtrack: "Once in a Blue Moon" by Lighthouse Family

cyclic redundancy error

2009-12-29T15:08:00.003-08:00

I never realized the extent of the redundancy in my life until the minute I started packing my stuff. You never really think you have too much stuff until you start trying to fit them in boxes or suitcases. I thought I was an expert in packing already, after the countless moves I've done over the years, I move at an average of five times a year ever since I learned how to walk, and it was only when I was in Makati and Vancouver when that average was reduced to twice or thrice at best. Anyway, I should have learned my lesson and stopped accumulating useless little things that add up, but well here I am, still on the same dillema.

Can you imagine having 10 colors of the same shirt? (this OCB reminds me of the "The Catcher in the Rye" in Conspiracy Theory) dozens of hoodies, tanks, jeans, pedals, shorts, skirts, dresses, flip flops, sandals, runners, boots, none of which I have actually worn more than five times. How did I accumulate all these? And when I move on to my electronics box, eek! More evidence of consumerism here. How have I become so consumed with the things of the world? It's that bitten apple I tell you. It gives momentary happiness with its shiny blinking screens but causes much distress and grief to your wallet.

So now I'm faced with this awful task of eliminating these redundancy in my life. After all, how many laptops, iPhones and iPods do you need to be happy right? I'm thinking two of each would be good enough.. Kidding, of course you don't *need* any of those to be happy, but then again, it's not always what you *need* that makes you happy. It's usually what you *want*. For now I just want to have less luggage, so I can travel light. So which one of these headphones should I keep? I mean, really now, how many pairs of ears do I have again? ^^

between the longing and the letting go

2009-12-27T21:11:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday of the year, and then four more Sundays to go before I leave on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again. Yeah I hate to go.. and yes I just mutilated a song.

This afternoon I stood before the altar and waited to get prayers, I'm lost and I need direction. This past few months has been a battle between what I want to do and where I want to be versus what I should be doing and where I should be staying. As I sat on one of the pews, I felt really sad, like a part of me has died, it almost felt like this is the end of the road for me and I will never come back here. I feel I have lost everything I strove for and I couldn't help but just stare in space and blink back tears.

I felt this year has been all about me moving at blinding speed on a collision course heading straight towards God. And now I'm a wreck, but I can't go back to how it was, I can't go back to how I was. I don't know why but just when I'm starting to get comfortable in a place or with people, I'm suddenly propelled away to the other direction. I just wanted to sink into the soil and grow roots, I just wanted a place to call home, but I guess my sixth grade poem was right, this world is not my home. And wherever God leads me, that's where I'll be, and that's where I'll thrive..

I'm just tired of all the packing, moving, goodbye-ing, I'm stuck between the longing and the letting go..

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! =)

Anyway, enough of the melodrama already, we must enter the new year with big smiles, big hopes, big dreams and lots of prayers. So now I'm gonna turn off the sprinklers and turn up the fun stuff. On other news, I just bought a song from iTunes, I'm trying to build my Holiday playlist, and so far here's what I have:

1. You're Here by Francesca Battistelli
2. Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant
3. Born in Bethlehem by Third Day
4. I Need A Silent Night by Amy Grant
5. Wonderful Christmastime by Jars of Clay
6. Love Has Come by Amy Grant
7. Emmanuel by Amy Grant

On still other news, I'm also doing some writing for $$$, reminds me of that song from Barbie's Cradle: "Money For Food". Here's my revised lyrics:

"And maybe writing is a luxury
And when you can't afford it someday
It's possible you'll starve
If you will write all you like...
'cause people still need money for food.

So if you happen to see me on the street
Would you please give me coins and a drink
Cause people still need people
Who have money to give
Money for food"