Three's Company

Elma, Than-than, and I met for a chat last Sunday. It wasn't supposed to be that way since the plan was for the barkada to get together before Oliver leaves the country. But most of them couldn't make it even the guest of honor! So I asked the two if they'd still like to meet in SM North and they agreed. What was unexpected about it was that Elma and I were without our plus ones. Jay didn't go and Biboy couldn't make it. It has been a long time since we got together "alone".

Than-than arrived almost fours hours late! He had a sudden rendezvous with someone he met at a baptism reception earlier that day. With words like, "Pagbigyan mo na ko. Matagal ng tigang ang lola mo," how could I resist letting him do it?

Elma and I just pass the time chatting about anything particularly our family lives and dreams for the future. We haven't been together for almost four months now. So there was really a lot to talk about. What is best between us is even if we haven't spoken for ages, we talked as if it was yesterday when we last spoke.

At around past 9, we went to Coffee Experience to continue the chat and wait for Than-than. He arrived at around 10.

Here are some excerpts of our conversation, at random posting:

T: Nakalimang round kami! Baka raw kasi di na maulit! Siyet, feeling ko magkaka-dyowa ako bago matapos ang taon!
J: Gaga! Libog lang 'yun!
E: Hanggang ngayon naniniwala ka pa sa love at first sight?!
T: Kala ko ba mga kaibigan ko kayo?

***

E: Ang tindi naman ng reminder na 'to! (showing the pack of cigarettes) Dati, "Smoking is dangerous to your health" lang ngayon "Smoking kills" na! Ayoko na nga! (putting the pack down)

***

Talking about lovemaking at home...
E: Hirap tsumempo sa bahay. Minsan nagigising si Faye tapos tatanungin n'ya, "Anong ginagawa n'yo?" Minsan naman kapag napansin niyang naka-panty lang ako, sasabihin niyang "Mommy, mag-shorts ka! Kita ni daddy pepe mo!"

***

Talking about Jay Manalo who visited Boardwalk's Party with Barako Boys...
E: Nagpabili siya ng kape tapos late dumating. Nagreklamo siya. Ba't daw malamig. Nagpabili uli. Sinagot nga siya nung staff namin, "E di ba kayo 'yung Barako Boys? Dapat kayo ang may dala ng kape!"

***

E: Kailan kaya tayo yayaman?
J: Ewan ko ba. Ang sa kin lang, kahit hindi yumaman basta lang may madudukot palagi. At hindi nagigipit...

***

T: Kaya pala ayaw mag-kiss kasi false teeth lang siya!

***

T: Sa Malabon kami. 'Yung PhP75 for 3 hours.
J: 'Yung hindi na pinapalitan ang bedsheet?
T: Pinapalitan naman. Well-ventilated pa nga 'yung loob kahit bentilador lang!
E: Bakit?
T: Kasi puro butas ung pader...

***

T: Di ka ba nagsasawa? Dapat naman minsan mag-kare-kare ka at 'wag puro adobo!
J: Mabuti na 'yung may adobo palagi kaysa naman para kang squatter! Minsan lang kumakain!

A Paycheck, Finally!

Angelo invited me to the Icon Christmas party last Thursday at Gov't. He was hoping that I could come so he could hand out my long overdue (according to his words) paycheck to me. So I went along with Biboy & Liezl. We arrived at 10, took three glasses of vodka (one for each of us but Biboy drank mine cuz I can't finish it), and left at 10:45. We would've stayed longer since most of the guests haven't arrived yet (Anton Diva was the first guest to arrive) but couldn't since Biboy & Liezl had an early shift the next day. Yeah, I know that it suck to left a party that early when it hasn't actually started yet. But I couldn't do anything about it. I don't want to compromise their time the next day for the party. Though, Liezl wanted to stay a little bit longer.

What's nice about it is that at least I met Angelo and Richie personally. We have been communicating only through e-mail and text messages. Angelo also introduced me to Xochi (webmaster) and Suki (managing editor) who both commended me for my write-up.

When Angelo gave me the check, he sincerely apologized for its very much delayed remittance. He also assured me that they'd give me another project as soon as one becomes available that would fit my forte.

The payment isn't as much as what I have expected. Though, it is enough to pay one of my obligations this end of the month. And the best thing is, it has finally seen the light of day. For a while, I have already dismissed it on my mind so that I wouldn't expect on it anymore...

Pinoy Bands

Lately, Pinoy music scene has been active with the help of the bands. If the decade before brought Eraserheads, Rivermaya (original), After Image, Introvoys, Yano, and the likes, this decade brings Hale, Cueshe, Soapdish, Pupil (the new Ely Buendia band), Bamboo (with Bamboo Manalac from Rivermaya as the lead vocalist), Rivermaya (without Bamboo M, of course), Browman Revival, Sponge Cola, 6 Cycle Mind, etc. Some of these bands are actually already doing gigs in clubs but it is only now that they are getting known in the mainstream media. However, I have yet to hear a band that would really stand out from them the way E-heads did. Most bands these days sounded alike - alternative acoustic. The bands that do stay away from such genre though don't really give us something substantiable.

Anyway, one song that I enjoy listening to at the moment is by a new band called Rocksteddy. It was actually the spoken words that got to me when I first heard it. Sobrang aliw nung kanta!

Para sa mga tsopeng ayaw aminin na torpe sila...

Lagi Mo Na Lang Akong Dinededma
Rocksteddy

Matagal ko nang gustong malaman mo
Matagal ko nang itinatago-tago 'to
Nahihiyang magsalita
At umuurong aking dila
Pwede bang bukas na
Ipagpaliban muna natin 'to

Dahil kumukuha lang ng tiyempo
Upang sabihin sa iyo

Mahal kita, pero 'di mo lang alam
Mahal kita, pero 'di mo lang ramdam
Mahal kita, kahit 'di mo na ako tinitignan
Mahal kita, kahit 'di mo lang alam, ohwoh..

Matagal ko ng gustong sabihin 'to
Matagal ko ng gustong aminin sa'yo
Sandali, eto na
At sasabihin ko na
Ngayon na, mamaya
O baka pwedeng bukas na

Dahil kumukuha lang ng buwelo
Upang sabihin sa iyo

Mahal kita, pero 'di mo lang alam
Mahal kita, pero 'di mo lang ramdam
Mahal kita, kahit 'di mo na ako tinitignan
Mahal kita, pero 'di mo lang alam, ohwoh..

Ngunit kumukuha lang ng tiyempo
Upang sabihin sa iyo

"Mahal kita pero di mo lang alam
Hindi mo alam kasi hindi mo naman ako tinitignan
Ayaw mo naman itanong sakin kasi baka nga naman hindi naman ikaw
At hindi ko rin naman sayo sasabihin kasi ayoko pa sa ngayon na manligaw
Mahal kita pero hindi nga lang halata
Hindi halata kasi wala naman akong ginagawa
Hindi ako kumikibo hindi ako nagsasalita WALA
Pero hindi ako TORPE
Hindi ko lang talaga masabi sayo ng harapan
Mahal kita pero dehins mo pa rin ramdam
Hindi mo ko titignan di rin kita titgnan
Lagi mo lang akong pakikiramdaman lagi rin kitang pakikiramdaman
At araw araw tayong magdededmahan
Hanggang sa tayo ay magkabistuhan
Pero ngayong malapit nang matapos ang kanta ko
Nais kong magkaalaman na
Nais kong ako na rin ang magsabi sayo ng harapan
Kasi alam kong doon din naman ang tuloy nyan
At dalawa din lang naman ang posibleng sagot dyan
Oo o hindi
Kaya eto na sasabihin ko na para matapos na
At hindi na magka-tsismisan pa
Sasabihin ko na para wala nang problema
At para hindi na rin kayong lahat nabibitin pa"

Mahal kita, pero di mo lang alam
Mahal kita, pero di mo lang ramdam
Mahal kita, kahit di mo na ako tinitignan
Mahal kita, kahit lagi mo na lang akong dinededma

Tensionado

Three fights/arguments in a month! Sino ba naman ang hindi magiging...

Tensionado
Soapdish

Tensionado
Nagulat din ako
Nung malaman na hindi lang pala ako
'Yung nanghinayang
Nung nagaway tayo noon
At natuluyan sa iyakan at tampo

Chorus:
At sandali lang
Huwag ka munang magsalita
Di ko hahayaan lahat ito ay mawala
Ang iniisip ko kung pwede pa ba tayo

At miserable
Paulit-ulit lang ang nangyayari
Paikot-ikot tayo parang bote
At nasanay ka na ba doon
At nalimutan ang aking mga tanong

Chorus 2:
At hindi malinaw
Pwede bang wag kang sumigaw
Di ko hahayaan lahat ito ay maligaw
Nagtatanong sa 'yo kung pwede pa ba tayo

Chorus 3:
At sandali lang
Huwag ka munang magsalita
Di ko hahayaan lahat ito ay mawala

Nagtatanong sa 'yo kung pwede pa ba tayo

Wedding Disasters

I haven't written about the incidents that happened during the Elloso Wedding last Dec. 8, 2005. So here they are...

I was planning to wake up at 8 AM so I could practice some more for the number that I was supposed to do for the wedding. Even though I stayed up till 3 AM practicing, I wasn't that confident enough. There were still notes in "It Might Be You" that I couldn't hit well. "Good luck na lang sa kin bukas!" I'd say to myself. However, instead of getting up at 8, I have awaken fully at 9 realizing that with all the preparations I need to do (Angel's bath and dressing up, my bath and other "personal matters" inside the bath room, my practice, and the likes), we wouldn't be able to leave on time. Truth to say, we left at 10:30 AM and of course, it'd be impossible to arrive in SM Manila at 11 AM for the wedding. Worst, along the way, I felt a sudden tinge in my stomach because I wasn't able to the "personal matters" before taking a bath. I had to ask dad to drop me first in a Jollibee store near LRT Mento to do my deed. But alas, the cubicle wasn't working! So I had to go to the other Jollibee store in the parallel street. My only wish was that I could get to the CR on time that moment! To cut the story short, it was a wish granted. ;-)

By 11:30 AM, I receive an SMS from Oliver saying that they were stuck on traffic. If ever we are at the venue already, just get inside. I was glad that we still have time to catch up. By 12:10 or so, we reached Manila. Abot tanaw na ang SM Manila but since dad didn't know how to get there, we entered a wrong street that brought us out to Quirino station! It took us 30 minutes more to get to the venue finally - that's around 12:45 PM.

When we arrived at Max's, it seemed like Oliver and Alma arrived just a few minutes ahead of us. The guests just had soup. Anyway, the waiters started serving the food at around 1 PM. While eating, Angel complained about stomach ache. It's her turn this time! Hehehe... Biboy brought her to the nearest CR. Around 1:30 or so, the program started with a host (from Max's) who can't seemed to pronounce their surname correctly! E-lo-so would seemed forgivable but he said E-lo-sa! My golly! He also mispronounced other guests' names.

Anyway, after everything has been done, I wasn't called to sing. Due to lack of time, I guess. It was past 2 PM. I'm not complaining, though. Ayoko rin namang magkalat.

Among our batchmates, Michael Sanchez and Clark Lugtu were present. When Michael approached me afterwards, he told me that he didn't recognize me. Then, Ghil's mom saw me and said the same thing! Nag-iba raw itsura ko. Huh? How? "Lalo kang gumwapo," Ghil's mom said. O di ba? Di sa 'kin galing 'yun, ah! It was her exact statement. Hehehe...

I'm glad that Oliver and Alma finally wed after being in a relationship for 5 (or more) years. Although, till now, we still don't know why it was so sudden. Siguro, a week's preparation lang 'yun. We have yet to talk to them about it. But Vehr did assure us that Alma was not pregnant. However, so what if she is? At least we'll have another baby in the group!

What saddened me, though, is the lack of effort from the barkada to be there. Yes, it was a work day but I wanted to know if they have at least tried to get off from work to be part of the most important event in Vehr and Alma's life so far. Or getting off from work wasn't a choice at all? Wedding was on a work day so no contest! Work, it would be! What's sad more is that Vehr has been missing the barkada a lot the last few months. And not taking part in this special event would definitely be hard for him. He even asked me, "Alam ba nila?" Well, I hoped that they have congratulated them (and apologize for their absence)personally, even just through text message.

Anyway, it is just my sentimental self talking. If I have such an important event taking place in my life, I wouldn't want any single friend to be absent. Birthday celebrations happen every year but events like weddings happen once or twice in a lifetime! So I hope they wouldn't miss such...

A Wedding Favor

Oliver and Alma will be getting married tomorrow. As a request, Oliver asked me to sing only a few hours ago. Of course, who am I to resist? Oliver rarely asks for favors and besides, this is such a special event for him and Alma.

The thing is, I haven't been singing much lately and I don't know it I'd be able to pull it off with such less time in my hands. Not to mention that I have a very few songs to choose from since I don't have any time to look for CDs anymore. I'd only be relying on the CDs I've have here. First is the wedding compilation I bought for Babes and Ricky's wedding years ago. I want to sing "The Promise" but I don't think I'd be able to do it well. Ayokong magkalat! Second CD I have with Minus Ones in it is Ogie Alcasid's "Movie Moments". I'm still torn between "For All We Know" and "It Might Be You".

Oh my! I'm having jitters in my stomach! The wedding will be at 11 AM and I only have a few hours to practice! May God help me...

Hanging On...

Hang On
Gary Valenciano

Sometimes it's hard to know that it's all over
Sometimes it hurts so bad
To think that we did feel much for each other
Yet lost what we once have

To love you is one thing I can do
I have always been around to love you

But times when I'm alone I feel so empty
I've always wished you're here
And now you're gone and all is gone forever
Oh girl, it's so unfair

Remember the things I always say
I made them all so please believe the things
That I've been telling you

Just hang on
Who knows we might get there
After all the waiting done
We'll be the ones to find out
If we hang on
You know we're on our way
So just hang on

At times when I'm alone I feel so empty
I've always wished you're here
When I look at the sky
I see your memory
That was where I used to be

I love you
I always think of you
Please listen to the words I say
These words that I've been telling you

Just hang on
Who knows we might get there
After all the waiting done
We'll be the ones to find out
If we hang on

Just hang on
Who knows we might get there
After all the waiting done
We'll be the ones to find out
If we hang on
You know we're on our way
So just hang on

If we hang on...

What Goes Around, Comes Around

Amongst other things, I never thought that I'd go through the same money problems the way my parents did with each other. I grew up learning that they have fought over and over again about it so I promised myself that I wouldn't with my (then would-be) partner. But then, money matters only complicates the situation between us and it driving us both insane...