Thinking Aloud

This one I forgot the episode title and season.

Lorelai had to go to Friday dinner without Rory (forgot why but will review). Since she was a few minutes early and of course Gilmore fanatics would know by heart that she hates being in her parents’ house, so she decided to go back to the car and turn on the radio. She was dancing and singing to a tune (which I forgot again) when all of sudden she turned and had the scare of her life because she saw Emily right outside her car. Emily asked her why she was in the car so knowing Lorelai, she invented an out of this world reason (looking for her lip gloss, i think, which happened to be somewhere very visible).

Anyway, I watched this at home and really had a good laugh that lasted a few minutes (in fact i am grinning while typing this). Imagine Lorelai singing (and dancing) inside the car and Emily staring at her wondering what the heck she was on!

More to come!

PS: Imagine my surprise when several days ago, our big boss (CEO) approached me and asked me where I saw Gilmore Girls. Apparently she’s been watching it eversince her daughter got the first 2 seasons’ dvd as gift last Christmas and they all love the show. So I told her that I started watching it back home and have followed it in NZ and that the show is now on its 7th season (12th episode, thanks You Tube). She said she’s got a lot of catching up to do. Go Gilmores!

Ok, this is actually just one of the many. Kung kakayanin lang ng powers ko na isulat lahat ng magagandang bagay about this show, ginawa ko na.

I never got to see this episode during the regular screening. It was only when I started going through the season 3 dvds that i got to watch Rory’s graduation from Chilton episode. I must admit, ang dami kong namiss over the years. Pero I am catching up. So expect some more posts on the best show on earth sa mga susunod na araw…

Sa tulong ng internet, nahanap ko ang script, particularly itong part na ito na maririnig nyo sa aking profile. I really like this part. Ito yung valedictory address (tama ba?) ni Rory sa Chilton.

"Headmaster Charleston, faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome. We never thought this day would come. We prayed for its quick delivery, crossed days off our calendars, counted hours, minutes, and seconds, and now that it’s here, I’m sorry it is because it means leaving friends who inspire me and teachers who have been my mentors - so many people who have shaped my life and my fellow students’ lives impermeably and forever. I live in two worlds. One is a world of books. I’ve been a resident of Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County, hunted the white whale aboard the Pequod, fought alongside Napoleon, sailed a raft with Huck and Jim, committed absurdities with Ignatius J. Reilly, rode a sad train with Anna Karenina, and strolled down Swann’s Way. It’s a rewarding world, but my second one is by far superior. My second one is populated with characters slightly less eccentric but supremely real, made of flesh and bone, full of love, who are my ultimate inspiration for everything. Richard and Emily Gilmore are kind, decent, unfailingly generous people. They are my twin pillars without whom I could not stand. I am proud to be their grandchild. But my ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend, the dazzling woman from whom I received my name and my life’s blood, Lorelai Gilmore.

My mother never gave me any idea that I couldn’t do whatever I wanted to do or be whomever I wanted to be. She filled our house with love and fun and books and music, unflagging in her efforts to give me role models from Jane Austen to Eudora Welty to Patti Smith. As she guided me through these incredible eighteen years, I don’t know if she ever realized that the person I most wanted to be was her."

Sabi ni Frenz crap daw ito.  Honest, isa ito sa pinakamagandang crap na nabasa ko in a long time. I asked Frenz if I can post this here and he agreed. Thanks Frenz! I owe you a fudgee

Read on…

Hindi ito kanta, pero iilan ito sa mga ginintuang aral na natutunan ko mula sa pinakamagaling at joker kong patnubay – ang buhay:

a. You can’t force others to like you kahit ampalaya ka pa. To put simply, hindi lahat ng tao mapipilit mo sa gusto mo. Proven na yan. So get over it.

b. Huwag masyado magpapaniwala sa pangako. Binibitawan lang ito either tuparin or to shut you up.

c. Mother knows best… so makinig. It doesn’t mean naman na pag nakinig ka ay susundin mo na. Makinig lang. Pero kung ang nanay mo ay si Bakekang, ibang usapan na ito.

d. Wag makipagtalo. Hindi ko naman sinasabi na huwag ka nang mag-law. Sa akin lang, we don’t have to always agree. Kasi nga, we may be looking at the same sky yet see different stars.

e. Learn from the mistakes of others. Kasi hindi ka pagbibigyan ni Tadhana na tikman lahat ng kasalanan. Otherwise, lucky you. And luckier you if you got away with all your sins.

f. Walang sigurado sa buhay… pero siguradong in the end malalagutan ka ng hininga. Kaya habang may buhay, wear smile often. Eto lang ang kasuotang hindi naluluma o namamantsahan.

g. Hindi mo naman pala talaga kailangan gumamit ng earbuds para linisan ang tenga. Kailangan ng ear mo ang wax. Hoy! Narinig mo ba ako!?

h. Wag maging assuming. Ano feeling mo? Siniswerte ka.

i. Kahit wala ka namang urgent na trabaho, magbusy-busyhan pa rin lalo’t naandyan ang boss mo. Ganyan talaga ang buhay. Parang gulong. Minsan nasa itaas, minsan nafa-flat. Aba para rin palang kanta.

j. Kung niloko ka na once, ang laki mo namang tanga kung magpapaloko ka pa twice. Isipin mo, hindi lahat ng matitikman mong maasim mayaman sa vitamin C. Take for example, kili-kili.

k. Love conquers all except toothache. Ouch!

l. Wag mahiya tumawa because laughter lowers levels of cortisol, isang stress hormone. In addition, surround yourself with good people. Pag na-e-expose kasi ang body mo sa sunshine, it makes its own vitamin D.

m. Marami ka pang pipilahang pila sa buhay na ito habang naririnig mo sa background and kantang "It’s the waiting that’s driving me out of my mind." Kaya laging magdala ng libro o anumang mapagkakaabalahan lalo na’t hindi ka naman ganun ka-sociable para makipagkwentuhan sa mga katabi mo. Pero isaksak mo sa kukote mo, wag i-memorize, intindihin.

n. When making choices, weigh the consequences. Like kaligayan ko ba o ni World? Ulitin natin. Kaligayan ko ba? O ni World? Medyo mahirap nga mamili pero may mga sandali talagang isang beses ka lang pagbibigyan ni Pagkakataon. Pampalubag loob – pag nawala man lahat sa iyo, at least nalaman mo kung ano talaga ang mahalaga o nagbigay kahulugan sa buhay mo.

o. Ang lumakad ng matulin pag natinik, mapapa-aray sa sakit. Lalo na’t kung naka-paa lang.

p. Cream Brulee could never be Jell-O. And vice-versa.

q. You can actually be in two places at one time. Minsan. Wag na makipagtalo. Sinabi nang pwede.

r. Hindi na maibabalik ang nakaraan… because just like the words you uttered, they’re already dead. Kaya give importance to Now and Tomorrow bago pa sila kunin ni Lord sa iyo.

s. Sa pagmamahal, laging kakambal ni Kasiyahan si Kalungkutan. It’s a package na kasi eh. You don’t get the one without getting the other. Ika nga love, like life, is a box of chocolates. Minsan makukuha mo Cadbury, minsan Tsoke-Tsoke.

t. Hindi lang ikaw ang may mabigat na problema dud. Kaya stop bitching! Gusto mo kwentahan tayo ng utang, utang na loob and such. Kaya payo ko lang, habang may sasakyan pa, sumakay na! Malay mo, last trip na yun. Ikaw rin, baka matagal pa ang dating ng susunod na biyahe.

u. Pahalagahan ang pamilya at mga kaibigan. Sila lang ang pupulot sa iyo pag nasa kangkungan ka na. Ipagluluto ka pa nila ng adobong kangkong. Pustahan tayo, friends and family last longer than lovers. Di ba nga there are moments when you miss them so much that you just want to pick them like flowers and hug them for real. Pero take note, no matter how close they had been there for us, the furthest they can go with us is up to our grave. Only.

v. Sama ng loob? Let go… masama kay Heart na pagsamahin sila. Like pag nagkasala ka, mag-sorry ka. Hindi naman ganun kahirap bigkasin yun. Para rin lang yan Hi. O Hello. Na taos puso.

w. Be honest. But you don’t have to tell them all. Bakit sino ba sila? Si DJ Mo? And if you still feel repressed, sumakay sa Flying Carpet sa Star City at sumigaw to death non-stop. Don’t worry hindi ka mapagkakamalang baliw.

x. Matuto lumangoy. You’ll never know when the next Great Flood will be. Kaya minsan naman have a date with your own artist. Pero kahit date ng date, wag pahuhuli sa balita. Manood ng CNN. Kung walang cable, TV Patrol. O 24 Oras. Whatever.

y. Love like you’ve never loved before. Mata nya lang naman ang walang latay pag sinaktan ka. Sinaktan ka? Hambalusin mo! Pero once lang gagawin. And if you can’t beat them… arrange to have them beaten. Figuratively, I mean.

z. Afford to get lost. Exciting yun. At eto tandaan mo. Ng Mabuti. Mawala ka man, hindi titigil ang pag-ikot ng mundo. So habang nawawala ka, mag-enjoy ka lang. Sabi nga nila life is short. Totoo yun. Kaya gawin mo na lahat ng gusto at kaya mong gawin habang bata ka pa. Basta yung good lang ha. Aba’y mahirap na atang madi-virginize kung setenta y anyos ka na. Di ba? Haha, joke lang. Kaya ever, don’t live as if you’ll never die, and die as though you had never lived.

Okey now… let’s sing the real ABC…

There is a certain calmness that comes with knowing what will happen next.

Years ago, the only thing certain as a new week begins is that i have to go to work from 8am until 5pm (on certain lucky days). What happens after work is all out in the open. I (with my friends) decide shortly before going home that we want to hit the mall for dinner, or catch a movie or just stay in the office to pass time. Nothing is planned way in advance. Out of town trips were decided days before the trip. Days not weeks. Actually, whenever we plan trips way ahead, di natutuloy. Perfect example, Baguio!

I would wake up late on a Sunday and go to Church then hit the market. Nun lang ako nag dedecide na magluluto pala ako that day and kung ano iluluto ko (oo na, sinigang naman lagi!). I watch TV for hours and take a nap. Then pag gising ko, gusto ko pala ng halo-halo so punta ako ng Chowking. Gusto ko magbasa ng dyaryo, lakad sa office, para kunin lahat ng newspaper (binabalik po, promise!).

But times have changed. Dependent na ako sa calendar ng mobile phone ko. I had to save every single thought of what I should be doing on my phone or I won’t get them done. I plan ahead, I even plan my weekly meals. Ganun din sa office, very useful ang groupwise calendar.

Yeah, I love the calmness of knowing what’s up next, of what I have to do the day after tomorrow, what’s for breakfast on Thursday or where I am going to be on Sunday. Pati kung ilang beses ako kakain sa labas or bibili ng takeaway (hindi dahil nagkukuripot ako). Pati kung ano ang palabas sa TV sa araw-araw kabisado ko na. As in nakaschedule ang recorder!

But then sometimes, we prefer not to have that calmness in our lives. We want things to unravel before our eyes. Ung spontaneous. Ung bigla na lang, trip mong gawin ang isang bagay, tapos pwede mo ng gawin agad-agad. Actually, pwede naman siguro. Its just a matter of getting used to it ulit.

Or shall I say, having the guts to live on the fast lane once again.

I had a nightmare last night. As in kahit nagising ako at natulog ulit, nagtuloy-tuloy pa din.

I was going to be executed daw. Ala akong maalala as to what crime but it was something petty. I was minutes away from being hanged. May mass pa daw prior to the execution. May isa or dalawa pang tao na iexecute kasabay ko. I anxiously waited for the time (3pm) hoping that some authority would call to stop the execution pero wala. Sumilip pa daw ako sa chapel during the mass (weird). Tapos I had to change into prison clothes (or the clothes i had to wear pag inexecute ako) when I remembered about my laptop bag which contained my wallet and passport (NZ passport na daw). Pinakuha ko daw kay Allan Escultura para dalhin sa akin para mabigay ko sa nanay ko. Tapos dun sa bihisan, andun si Ate Bethchay at may banner pa in support of me (The Voice…something). Then parating daw ang nanay at tatay ko at si Mean. Kasi un na lang ung time for me to see them before ako patayin. All the while ang worry ko daw is baka masakit ung pag execute sa akin and the fact na kung malalaman or makikita ko ba ang mangyayari sa family ko pag namatay na ako. THen I had to change my clothes, doon  ako nagising kasi narealize kong panaginip lang un and that I have to wake up. Ganoon kasi ako pag nananaginip ng masama, I will myself to wake up pag tipong may naramdaman akong physical movement. Kung di ko nagawa un kanina, ewan ko na lang. Honest, natakot ako.

It was 430am. I grabbed my phone and texted two friends from home na alam kong gising pa that time (thanks Pibs and Mama Reg!). Both responded within minutes and asked me to pray, drink some water and go back to sleep. Think happy thoughts daw.

It took me a while to get back to sleep. Nagtuloy ang dream pero without the execution part (but somewhat related). I finally woke up at 730am.

Tonight, I will make sure that I will think happy thoughts (read: watch more Gilmore Girls on You Tube).

Tamad akong magsend ng individual emails para magkwento kung ano-ano ang pinaggagawa ko sa aking 10-day trip during Christmas and New Year sa Sydney kaya dito na lang para captured lahat ng gustong makaalam kung anong pinaggagawa ko.

23 Dec

Jane and Naldi drove me to the airport shortly before 430am. Antok na antok pa ako. Walang hassle sa check-in (take note, dito sa trip na ito ko napatunayan na di ako jinxed na traveller kapag ako lang mag-1).

I arrived in Sydney shortly before 8am (Australia time). Mejo nagkahirapan kami maghanapan ng tita ko kasi I asked her to meet me up sa may Travelex eh yun pala ang daming Travelex dun! Anyway, after several phone calls, I heard her yelling "ratsky" (please don’t make me explain why, 30 na ako no!). She came with another auntie of mine and her cute six-year old son, Evan.

First time magdrive ng tita kong isa sa airport so mejo naligaw pa kami pauwi…road trip kung baga. But we got there eventually. I was hungry na so I had breakfast - tinapa, talong and rice. Yummy!!!

I was supposed to go with my tita sa city kasi may work sya but in the end i decided to stay behind to rest and plan the week ahead. Nagpunta rin ako sa tita ko sa kabilang house to say hello to my lola’s sister in law and syempre manood ng TFC. Doon ko nadiscover ang Boom-Tarat-Tarat (honest!).

24 Dec

I went to Castlecreagh (naku tama ba ito) para sumama sa work ng tita ko. Anyway, mga midday na kami nakabalik ng house nila. First time ko to ride the train and bus sa Sydney. For a suburb, Strathfield has a busy train station so I can’t compare sa Lower Hutt (though distance wise, it’s about the same with reference to the city).

Sa hapon, nagluto ang tita ko ng kaldereta kasi punta kami sa isang kababayan to have dinner (pre noche buena ika nga). Before we went there, nag-internet muna kami for 2hours para makachicka mga kamag-anak sa Bulacan.

Dun sa dinner, I caught up with a school mate na sa Australia na nakatira. Merun din ibang families. Nanood din ako ng The Buzz na live. After 10pm, nagpaalam na kami kasi antok na ako. Pero di pa kami diretso umuwi. Dumaan kami sa Burwood RSL. Small Casino. First time ko maglaro. I think I lost $5 that night. Hehehe. Inabutan kami ng 12midnight waiting for the taxi. Un ang noche buena.

25 Dec

Had mass sa St. Mary’s Cathedral. Napakasolemn ng misa at Cardinal pa ang nag-celebrate ng mass. Ang galing choir, sobrang galing I could hardly keep my eyes open (kahiya!).   

After lunch, we went to Taronga Zoo. We took the ferry to get there. Since ilang beses ng nakapunta ang tita at tito ko dun, ako na lang ang pumasok.

Kahit pagod na, sige pa rin, sunod na stop, Star City. Sydney’s largest Casino. Pero bago maglaro, nagdinner muna. Hanep ang queue, kasi eat all you can. By the way, nagjoin ako ng Casino. Libre naman, I got discount sa dinner plus $10 na panglaro was loaded sa aking membership card (san ko nga ba nalagay un?)

26 Dec

Off to go around Sydney on my own. I started late kasi late nagising. I hopped on a Sydney Explorer Bus (2 sila, isang Red Sydney and Blue Bondi Explorer bus).

I had an idea where I wanted to go. Pero nung marinig kong Sydney Aquarium ang next stop, I had to go down. I enjoyed that part of the tour.

I spent the rest of the day going around Darling Harbour. Kakalakad, natagpuan ko ang IMAX Theatre, Entertainment Centre and dahil pursigido, naabot ko ang Market City. Shopping!

Tapos lakad-lakad pa to the Central Station para makauwi na dahil masakit na ang paa!

27 Dec

Today is the day I decided na pupunta ako ng Bondi Beach. So I took the Bondi Explorer bus. Unfortunately, di ako nakapagswimming (heheh). Pero ang ganda ng beach, ang daming tao. I had lunch sa isang restaurant just across the beach.

I hopped on the Explorer Bus ulit and got off sa harap ng Cathedral. Nag try ako sa Sydney Tower but since ang haba ng pila, lumabas ako and walked to the Australian Museum. But not before seeing these two expensive malls. Di na ako pumasok sa Hermes kasi alam ko namang its just going to be a waste of time (hehehe).

Interesting kasi nakita ko ang isang jet na nagsulat nito sa sky! Normal pala un sa Sydney.

About the museum naman, it’s not as interesting as Te Papa or Christchuch Museum. Tapos may bayad pa. 

Sakay ako ulit ng Sydney Explorer Bus, para naman makapunta sa Lady MacQuarie’s Chair. Kasi maganda daw ang view doon. Aside from the Circular Quay station, that is where you can capture both the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge in one shot (may iba pa sigurong lugar but un lang ang alam ko). Stunning talaga ang view. Lady MacQuarie is the wife of former Governor MacQuarie. The spot is where she used to sit to view the harbour.

Punta naman ako sa Queen Victoria Building afterwards. Pero tingin-tingin lang syempre. At ng mapagod, umuwi na. ANother day gone.

28 Dec

Today is the designated Shopping Day. The plan was to go sa Bondi Junction and pagkatapos sa Paddy’s Market. But since mabagal kami lahat. At umiral ang aking pagiging slow decision-maker, naubos ang oras sa Bondi (at nagasgas ang plastic!).

Shortly after we got home, alis na ulit kasi nag-invite ang isang tita ko to go out. At ang going out is equal to going to another RSL (sa Lidcombe naman). Dito ako nanalo ng $20 (dapat $36 kaso nataya pa rin ung iba). I decided to stop kasi sabi ko di naman ako swerte sa ganito baka sa halip na may pangbayad ako sa Sydney Tower the next day eh matangay pa (oo na, no guts, no glory).

29 Dec

I tried to get up early. Pero dahil midnight na naman kami nakauwi, late nagising. I set off shortly after 9am and went straight to St. James Station para sa Sydney Tower. Ang haba ng pila sa tickets, mas mahaba sa lifts paakyat (kasi 2 lang nagwowork). Pero pinakamalala going down (kasi for a while 1 lift lang nagwork). The view from the top is really good. 360degree view ng Sydney.

May kasama rin na OzTrek ang Sydney Tower. Sumakit ulo ko kasi naalog ata!

After this, punta na ako ng Central Station para makadiretso sa Paddy’s Market for some more shopping. But before that, nag yum char ako sa Chinatown. Pero di ako satisfied. Ang bagal ng service!

Tapos ginalugad ko na ang Paddy’s Market. Sakit sa paa! Pero natapos ang shopping. Ayoko ng bumalik dito.

30 Dec

Di ako pwedeng bumalik ng  NZ without going to the Sydney Opera House. So inagahan ko ang gising (mejo) and I set off to join the one-hour tour. Interesting ang tour kasi magaling ang tour guide. Di ako nainip. Maraming kwento about the structure pati kung paano nag-play ng malaking role ang politics at ang hilig ng mga Australians sa gambling sa  pagkakagawa nito. Ang galing ng theatre mismo. Too bad we couldn’t take pictures or videos.

Close to midday na natapos ang tour. Dapat magtake ako ng Cruise pero naiba na naman ang schedule (like what happened to my Blue Mountains trip na di natuloy). Nagpunta na lang ako ng Botanical Gardens kasi andun na sya sa tabi ng Opera House. Sumakay ako ng trackless train  kasi ayoko na talagang lumakad. After the tour, I walked to the Old Government House. May one-hour tour din. Interesting ulit sya kasi may mga tsismis na kasama. 

Night time - had to watch Open Season sa IMAX with my tita and cousin Evan.

31 Dec

New Year’s Eve - ang grand plan was to go to Sydney Harbour to watch the much-awaited fireworks. Alas-dos pa lang andun na kami sa Circular Quay.  Feeling pa namin excited kami masyado kasi 10hours kami maghintay. Pero wag ka, nakuha na ang magagandang pwesto! At dahil alas dos pa lang, natapos kong basahin ang baon kong book (for one more day), nakatulog ako twice (sa semento), pumila for 30minutes sa portaloo, kumain ng spaghetti, boiled egg (pinoy kasi!) at home-made burger. The first fireworks na sa Darling Harbour went off at 9pm. 10 minutes un. After that wait ulit for another 3hours for the major one. The midnight fireworks lasted for 15minutes at paikot-ikot from the opera house, harbour bridge, at mga buildings. Sabi sa news, more than 1M ang nanood.  Ang hirap ng pauwi kasi pila at puno ang mga coaches ng train. Tapos pa ang daming kalat! Mga before 2am na kami nakauwi. Kumain pa ulit at dahil kakakain lang, I started watching ung DVD ng You, Me and Dupree na binaon namin sa harbour kaso di ko marinig habang pineplay. 330am, sign off na ako. Happy New Year.

1 Jan

Nagising ako ng 830am, malakas ang ulan. Walang signal ang cellphone ko. We had breakfast. Wala pa rin signal. I tried to call sa Bulacan, di ako makapasok. Tinapos ko ang DVD. Naidlip, nag ayos ng bagahe. Had lunch around 230pm. Around 330pm, alis na kami. Hatid na nila ako sa airport. Tapos na ang bakasyon (the Australia leg at least, kasi sa 8Jan pa ang pasok ko).

Bought some more pasalubong sa airport. Tapos direcho na sa gate. Nakatulog pa ako sa sobrang antok. Delayed ang flight ng 30minutes. Kaya past midnight na ako nakarating ng Wellington. Buti na lang may nagsundo sa akin.

And that concludes my story. Haba ba? Marami akong  di pa nagawa like walk across the bridge (kasi umulan na noong Jan 1), punta ng Blue Mountains (kasi showers ang forecast ng Friday, di naman umulan), at ilan pang museum (like Powerhouse and Contemporary Art, Art Gallery, State Library). Siguro next time (matatagalan ata un).

Happy New Year to all!

Things I did for the first time when I reached 30:

• drank a bottle of wine (oo after having a cocktail and a beer. kinabukasan, 4 na panadol na kulang pa)
• went on holiday on my own
• naglaro sa casino (nanalo ng $20)
• nagpunta ng zoo (at aquarium)
• nakipag-usap sa mga strangers sa Sydney para kuhanan ako ng pix (hehehe, kasi mag-1 nagtravel)

Masaya sya, promise!