Octo-pussy.

Why is it that when I'm rushing head-on towards a deadline, I find it so conducive to blog? I remember sneaking out of Japanese class to write, and now this. Someone had mentioned maybe it's a stand-up thing, you know, that that's the attraction of writing for me--the getting away from what I really have to do.

Not that this is a masterpiece. But. There are many reasons for this post:

1. The weather held long enough for the championship bonfire--But having rained before the whole thing left Bel field muddy. Some conversations:

Over the phone with A: Drey, you remember 2002? Your flip flops got sucked into the mud and you lost one of them?

I don't remember exactly, but apparently everybody does.

At the Bel field, meeting up with friends: Hey, you remember in 2002 when I lost my...
Unanimous response: We all know the story, Drey! We were laughing about it on the way here.

6-year improvement: My feet might've been caked in mud now, but I left with two pairs of slippers. Woo-hoo.

2. It's birthday month, and I'm turning 28.

Random birthday conversation #1
Him: Hey did you know a lot of people kill themselves when their age is divisible by 7?
Me: Knowledge is power, so it says. Not necessarily helpful, but powerful. Thanks. Really, thanks.

Random birthday conversation #2
Him: Ma'am, what's your birthdate?
Me: October --, 1980
Him: Ay, ako 1982.

New saying: Unnecessary knowledge is annoying.

3. I am redefining the six-degrees-of-separation theory by the number of returned results in Google. Example, you search for Nonoy Baclao, and this blog shows up at#3! Close kami, or what?

4. I just wanted to remind you my birthday's coming up soon. If you don't know when it is, then hindi tayo close.

5. This is not getting my work done. But it's a lot more fun.

6. May iban gid ya nga sugilanon, kung sa tuod-tuod lang. Pero indi diri. Hagara ko bala, inom ta. Kay i-istroya ko guid sa imo.

When the talk is of bonfires, then

"Please be prepared for the possibility of rainfall"

is the most important thing to mention. But, here and now, it's just necessary fine print. Like anything can dampen our spirits now.

Work Break #1

Anticipating no sleep for work is like asking to be distracted, to be taken away--

I am in the middle of an Excel worksheet, work I usually like, work that can usually consume my focus so completely, I forget where and when I am, like I am alone in the world and I don't mind it. I am in the middle of numbers and figures and I realize I am interpreting data that probably no one else has before, and I think to myself--If I write this up into a report perhaps I can submit it for publication, instead of condensing it into a presentation for the purposes of my work. And I think about it: I've done the research, I have the data, if I can analyze these into bullet points, then surely I can stretch it out, can't I? And I can submit it to a journal and should it get published, surely I can add that to my resume?

But this is not what I want to write.

Every hour or so into this work, I take a little break. Maybe light a cigarette, or drink my coffee-gone-cold, or get a glass of water. But always, I open this book I've decided to re-read for the nth time, read a chapter or so. And every time I say to myself, this is how I want to write. This is what I want to sound like when I write. And this tone now, this one I employ--too earnest, pleading, whiney even--this is not that tone.

I remember once I was on vacation in San Joaquin with some friends. We woke up at dawn to go to the beach, where the waves were like stone walls rolling towards the shore. I wanted to go for a swim, but everything that morning was hard: the light was a stone grey like slate, the wind cold, the beach full of rocks. And the barreling waves that despite all that want, that earnestness earned me nothing: I ended up sprawled, wet, defeated on the shore.

I think back to my favorite authors now, characters even, and I realize they are all men, macho men at that. And this is what I want to sound like? I am aghast, but this is true: Stripped of drama, pleading, hurt. Or at least, stripped of the wallowing such that everything becomes fact. This happened because of that. Consequence. A to B in a straight line, and detours may pretty it up a bit, but here. This is where you end up. Start to finish uncomplicated. If I follow this procedure precisely and I can predict the result. Like science.

And look at me now: Whether I took the time to write this, or decided to sleep the rest of the morning before Monday officially starts, or finished the book, the result is the same. I will have to deliver a presentation at 5pm tomorrow. And I will deliver it because I have to, and I know myself well enough that I will. Whether or not I will be proud of my work will obviously vary directly with the amount of time I have spent on it. But that is my story from now until then. A to B, and nowhere else to go.

No, I am not talking about fate, or destiny or karma. And no, this is not making me sad, or angry. This, I realize, is why I've always loved science. That precision and straight-forwardness. The following of rules the order of the day, guiltless. And not having to look for anything else, even escape.

There I was. Now I am here. And my break is over.

i heart nonoy.

Ha! I'm not supposed to have time for this, given a presentation due tomorrow which I have yet to start--but, let me just repeat this: I love Nonoy Baclao.

And that block on meierhoffer at the end of the fourth, with ra-ra-rasputin ending up on the floor and Nonoy stepping over to growl over him... Yaaah. Help me, I'm melting.

Anyway. Here's a proposition: Nonoy, can I be your girlfriend for two weeks? I swear two weeks is all I'm asking for. Kahit post-season pa. My sister blocked this proposal with a mocking "He has a girlfirend, no?" but I'm like, so? Given for example, you've been together two years, what's two weeks? 14 out of 365, two out of 52, 1/2 out of 12. Surely this is not too much to ask?

You don't even have to introduce me to anyone, let alone your friends, or parents.

But of course, I'm being silly. And untruthful.

Fact is we plan to have a huge banner at game two: Pakasli ko, Noy!

If ever I've said anything remotely sarcastic in the past about proposals over the big screen during basketball games, I take it all back now.

Because I was stupid

someone is now the new owner of a lovely N93i. Knock yourself out, bitch.

Point is, I will need to get another phone, not to mention another freaking number. So yes, I am currently out of service area, cannot be reached, unnattended, etc, etc, etfuckingc.

Have a nice day, everyone.

The you'll-never-see-in-Cosmo Quiz

What is your geekoid factor?

1. My hair is ______
(A) Short and well-combed.
(B) Longer than acceptable.
(C) Necessary to keep my brain warm.

2. Glasses or Contacts?
(A) Contacts! Definitely more flattering.
(B) Glasses. No fuss, no muss.
(C) Glasses. They don't make contacts in my grade.

3. I don't leave home without __________
(A) My cell phone.
(B) My laptop.
(C) My TI-92.

4. Binary code is ________
(A) Something I will never use.
(B) The law that makes bigamy illegal.
(C) My mother-tongue.

5. Do you enjoy alcohol?
(A) Yes, once in a while.
(B) Yes, everyday.
(C) Yes, I like to disinfect every so often.

6. Boxers or briefs?
(A) Boxers. I like to move it move it.
(B) Briefs. Tightie-whities for the family jewels.
(C) Depends on my mom. She still dresses me.


Star Trek or Star Mall? Just how geeky are you? Check the comments section for analysis!

Zero is a perfect circle

Because we fear being by ourselves
Yes became the language of love
And so we walk around wounded
Veterans of the splitting
That occurred in some philosopher’s head
Await the only answer but
Forgo the question and the quest