The Tag
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Mark the fifth sentence. Pick up the next three sentences and post. (In other words, post sentence nos. 6-8 on page 123.)
4. Acknowledge the book and the author.
5. Tag 3 people in turn.
"There's nobody left at the back of the car. Everyone's moved to the front, saying "It stinks! It stinks!" This was around the time we'd reached Roponggi."
- Underground by Haruki Murakami
Tagging anyone.
Last Thursday, I was really sick. Really, really. I even missed my only class and my regular iregularly-scheduled work as well. So, what happened to me, you ask?
I woke up at around 12 noon in our office at Cara Celine. I decided to finish up some work left when I slept the night before earlier that morning. At 2 PM, Adrian woke up, too. He asked me to have lunch at that time. Since I was hungry and because I was just about done, I told him "in a while". When everything was through (for that day at least), we went down with our second-half February salary. Haha.
We went to Noelle's. We initially planned a splurging (since we were a couple of thousand pesos richer) but decided otherwise, being the thrifty (haha) fellows that we are. When we were done with Noelle's, we went to Agno for a smoke. On our way there, I ran into a friend who was carrying a Pizza Hut plastic bag. I asked him if he was gonna finish that. He readily gave the slice of pizza to me. So I ate it upon reaching Agno.
We split up when we reached Starbucks. I had initially planned to go home anyway. As soon as I got home, I went to the restroom para "maglabas ng sama ng loob". Haha.
When I got out of there, I felt more sick than when I had entered. So I decided to lay on my bed upstairs. A few minutes later, when I couldn't hold it any longer, I went back downstairs and there, I threw up in the restroom. It had occured to me then that it had been so long since I last threw up since I swore off excessive drinking. Why I did that in the first place, I'm not so sure myself. Maybe I was getting old and I grew tired of it. Or it could be that I had wised up. Anyway, there I was, standing beside the toilet bowl, letting my lunch out to go literally down the drain. Then, after that exhausting fit, I dropped down on the sofa. My grandma noticed my predicament and sent someone out for medicine. The first thing she asked me was "Were you drinking again?" Apparently, they were uninformed of my "reformation". Haha. Maybe because I seldom go home, and if I do, it's always the middle of the night or the day after I left the house.They figured I was out drinking but I always tell them I went to school or work or both, which was the truth by the way.
It was around 4PM when I started to feel sick. I still had to go to school for my 6PM class. I thought I'd get better by 5PM since I had gotten whatever I ate out of my system. I couldn't have been more wrong. At around 5:30PM, I was starting to feel a very sharp pain in my gut. I normally have a very high tolerance for pain but what I had experienced was so intense that I wanted to be over and done with it, even if it would mean death for me (Not to mention that I'd been wishing for Her to come to take me for the longest time. Haha.). Anyway, there I was, on the sofa, in a fetal position, trying to hold back the pain and failing miserably at it.
When the medication arrived, I took it but it did me little good. I asked my cousin to fetch my cellphone from my room. It was then that I had told my professor that I would be missing his class. It was a good thing that he was understanding. At that time, I'm still thinking about going to work at the first sign of feeling better. At around 7PM, my grandma put rice porridge (lugaw? Haha.) in front of me. It took a great deal of effort on my part to prop myself up. I only managed to eat half the lugaw. Then I took the antibiotics. I texted my boss that I couldn't make it to work that night. I resigned myself to my fate of being bedridden for the next couple of days at least. I was really feeling bad at that time.
All throughout that night, I tried to sleep the pain away. But I couldn't. I'd wake up with that same piercing spasm in my gut, sometimes even stronger. Plus my brain was such a mess! How chaotic was it? Lemme illustrate it for you... Like this:
AEFA af af af f sin y =tan za fpoo3po-3-3033 03 3=-r02-r02=-3r2089 0 iuw qj qw qqwj qiioo oqkiq0r fnakjfanto qiwtdkawt4 823nq nqitq24t wrtg kwarg 3 4tu3 log x=654 4 twgjwqr gjwgjqw sarin sarin SARIN!!! gjqwt q3yg3wt n24ei qe-KEJHFIAEIW EQUIYU383R783YRH Thesis Thesis THESIS defense Basketball!!! *%&#^(#&$#**#*&&#$*&$ gWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
Or maybe it was worse. Anyway, I really wanted to die then and there. I even entertained the idea of going to the hospital but when I found out how much it could cost me, I thought twice about that. Haha. So there, at around 10:30 or 11PM, I finally slept. When I woke up at around 9 or 10AM, the pain was gone. I figured the antibiotic kicked in right at the time I fell asleep and that that may be the reason why I did so at that hour.
When I woke up, the first thing I wanted was food. Haha. Typically me. I'm back to my old self. For my Friday morning breakfast, I had a Sausage McMuffin Meal. And for my lunch, I consumed a KFC Chicken Steak Meal and Crispy Chicken Fillet with Cheese Meal. For dinner, I had burger. And I'm planning to eat again in a while. Haha.
But this episode of mine really got me me thinking. I pride myself as having an excellent immune system. I rarely get sick and even if I did catch a cold or something, I never take medication of any sort. Heck, I don't even hold myself back from my usual lifestyle. But every once in a while, something like this strikes me and reminds me of how feeble this human body can really be.
Last Saturday, I played basketball with a few frosh students from lasal. They were from the States so we conversed in English. Haha. I never ask for the names of whoever I play with but apparently, I had a nice game so one of them introduced himself.
JC: My name's JC. What's yours?
Me: Reggie.
JC: So, do you study here?
Me: Yeah. You?
JC: Yeah. I'm a freshman.
Me: I'm in fifth year.
JC: Really? You look young though. I thought you were a freshman.
Me. Err... Yeah. I get that a lot.
Hahaha.
I went to my tita's house in Pasig yesterday afternoon to get something my mom sent me from Batangas. It was tiring to get there to say the least since I had to catch a tricycle and three jeepneys. Plus I had to walk a significant distance in between rides. So, as expected, as soon as I got there, I was exhausted. I headed straight for the sofa. There, my 4-year-old (or was it 5?) cousin talked to me with a Rubik's cube in his hand. He asked me what color I wanted. Since I was tired, I'd rather that he left me alone to get some rest but because I don't want to discourage him, I let him do what he want. So I said, "Kahit ano," dismissing this attempt of his to converse with me as a way for a child to get a much needed attention. (Yes, I'm such an ass. I know.) I also figured that since he's just a child, he couldn't possibly solve the Rubik's cube. I thought that what he was about to do was just to play around with it, rotating it again and again until he got sick of it. So there I was, slumped on the sofa, watching my kid cousin with my eyes half shut. So, eventually, he picked one color (I forgot which one) and in a matter of a few seconds, he managed to complete one of the six faces of the Rubik's cube. By then I had my eyes wide open.
Again he asked me for a color and I gave him the same reply. But this time, I wanted to be sure that what he was doing was the real thing. So I watched and waited. In less than a minute or two, he showed me another of the six faces completed. It was truly incredible. At that moment, my tita had just gone out from the bathroom and had just seen that I had arrived. I immediately asked her who taught Gaib how to solve the Rubik's cube. She said, "No one." She added that at first, Gaib asked to try it when there was just one color left to finish one face. And soon, Gaib was solving it on his own.
Now, this got me thinking (again, as always), if he (Gaib) could do this much at his age, he could surely solve the entire Rubik's cube soon. As for me, I was disinterested that puzzle when I first encountered it. I could tell you two reasons: (1) It was difficult and (2) it was just too goddamn difficult. And I know that if I did try my hand at it then, I would just end up frustrated. However, just last year, I think, I tried it. Just for kicks. I managed to complete two faces. Not bad for an amateur who had read no guides as to how to solve the godforsaken puzzle, right? That was what I had thought then. Not now though. It's a shame to come second to my kid cousin. But it also gives me such great pride that he could beat me at it. *Smiles*
Oh, I had just seen 300. 
I would really kill to live during those times. I can't help but feel I'm in the wrong era.
YOU
1. In a good mood?
~ Never. I think.
2. A morning person?
~ Are you kidding?
3. Are you a perfectionist?
~ Used to. I lost that part of myself some time ago, I think.
4. An only child?
~ Hell no. Masyadong masipag si erpats.
5. Religious?
~ HAHAHA.
6. In your pajamas?
~ I don't have one.
7. Left-handed?
~ No.
LAST
1. Friend you saw:
~ Adrian. Sawa na nga ako sa mukha nito e. Lagi ko na lang nakikita. Haha.
2. Talked to on the phone with:
~ Julius ata. Di ko maalala nang maayos dahil marami akong tinatawagan sa cellphone ko. Mayaman ako e. Haha.
3. Thing wore:
~ A choker from Galera, two bracelets, a white Puerto Galera shirt, Khaki cargo shorts, underwear, and bedroom slippers from the office.
5. Was today better than yesterday?
~ Everyday is exactly the same.
FAVORITE
1. Number:
~ 1217713. Want me to spell it out for you?
2. Color:
~ The absence of it.
3. Season:
~ None, really.
CURRENTLY
1. MISSING SOMEONE:
~ Yes. Many someones.
2. TIRED:
~ You bet your ass.
3. BORED:
~ You have no idea just how bored I am. With life, in general.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q: What was the first thing you did this morning?
~ By morning, do you mean 12:01 AM? If so, I was typing away on my office computer.
Q: LAST THING YOU ATE:
~ Does coffee count?
Q: Do you have anything bothering you?
~ Lots of them, actually.
Q: What's the last movie you watched?
~ 300!!!!
Q: Where is the last place you went?
~ Parang mali yung tanong.
Q: Do you smile often?:
~ Not my true smile, yes.
Q: Do you wish upon stars?
~ You gotta be shitting me.
Q: Are you a friendly person?:
~ I actually am. Although sa simula ay mukha akong suplado. Siguro kung hindi ko kilala yung tao, ganun ang tingin sa akin.
Q: Where did you sleep last night?:
~ At the office.
Q: What color shirt are you wearing?:
~ White.
Q: Do you have more guy or girl friends?
~ I don't bother counting.
Q: When was the last time you cried?
~ Early this year, I think.
Q: What was your last thought before going to sleep last night?
~ At last.
Q: What are you about to do?
~ Resume with my work after this.
Q: If you could drink anything right this second, what would it be?
~ Coffee. In fact, I'm planning to have another cup later.
Q: Anything hurt on your body right now?
~ My heart. Haha.
Q: What was your elementary schools mascot?
~ Grigio, ang aso ni Don Bosco. Or was it a wolf?
Q: What are you doing at 9 pm tonight?
~ Trabaho pa rin. Whee...
Q: What’s your favorite Starbucks drink?
~ Iced coffee with white mocha.
Q: Do you prefer coffee or tea?
~ Coffee.
Q: Favorite kind of pizza?
~ Kung ano ang libre or mayroon.
Q: Ever had Dippin Dots?
~ Nope.
Q: Ever make fun of a homeless person?
~ Wrong grammar again. Ang tanga naman ng gumawa ng survey na ito.
Q: At what age do you want to get married?
~ Will I? Haha. Fuck.
Q: NAME A FRIEND WHOS NAME STARTS WITH A "L".
~ Calling grammar police. G/god. Lourizza.
Q: 4TH PERSON ON YOUR MISSED CALLS
~ Asia Chan
Q: DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAWS?
~ Yes.
Q: DO YOU HAVE NATURALLY CURLY HAIR?
~ Straight if short. A bit wavy when longer.
Q: EVER BEEN FISHING?
~ No.
Q: DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME?
~ A lot, actually. But since you didn't ask about it, I won't mention them. Haha.
Q: DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?
~ You lost me at "love".
Q: WHO'S THE YOUNGEST ONE IN THE FAMILY ?
~ With the original family, it's would be my sister, Mae. Sa "extended" family, si Maan, my stepsister.
All my work for the past few weeks, dooooown the drain. Don't mention the hours I spent working on those lessons, the energy expended thinking what to write, the effort and act of writing itself. Oh, and did I say that I won't get paid for shit? Yay. Hurrah.
Allow me to rant.
Almost a month ago, I was tasked to create a children's textbook. They gave me a list of topics to write about, as well as the format that I should follow. Since this is a children's book, we aren't allowed to use "big" words. Therefore, I had to limit myself. Doesn't seem much? Think again. When you're following a particular format (i.e. you have a certain theme to work around with) and your vocabulary is intentionally restricted to that of grade-school level (or lower), you would eventually run out of material. Believe me; I've been there. But I'm not quite done yet. I would've, had they stuck with the old format and list of topics. But no, the client didn't. And he had only said so yesterday, or rather, a few hours ago. Great, huh?
And management's another thing. If they knew that the format given to me wasn't final yet, they should've at least told me that BEFORE anything else. That way, I wouldn't have taken it as seriously as I had. But they didn't. It would have been fine, too, if I was paid by the hour for this, but alas, I'm not. Not for this project. No.
I'm letting all these sink in, marinate, before I speak my mind. I'm afraid I might say "stuff" if I open my mouth now. As of now, I haven't spoken to anyone from the office. Except maybe, through YM and a few grunts and one-liners when they try talking to me.
So there.
through Friendster, I found this from Aleck's Bulletin Board. Since I'm bored, I'll give it a shot.
1. I've come to realize that my last
dance...
* I dance?
2. I am listening to...
* Nahuhulog by Sandwich.
3. I talk...
* to a select few only.
4. I love...
* ....
6. My first dance...
* was, according to my mom, to the tune of Rico Mambo. This was waaaaaaay back when I was just a kid.
9. Love is...
* overrated.
10. Marriage is...
* something I won't experience, I think.
11. Somewhere, someone is thinking...
* Really?
12. I'll always...
* be depressed.
13. I have a secret crush...
* Secret? For real?
14. I cried because...
* of some incident with someone sometime last January. But we're okay now. I think we'll start talking again.
15. My cell phone is...
* a Nokia N70 with 270 songs, thanks to my 1GB MMC. Hahaha.
16. I wake up this morning to...
* I was awake up until 9AM.
17. Before I go to bed...
* I sleep?
18. Right now I am thinking...
* of an answer to this item.
19. Babies are...
* not in my future plans.
20. I get on myspace...
* I don't.
21. Today, I...
* am still alive.
22. Tonight I will...
* meet my HS friends for a get-together.
23. Tomorrow I will be...
* attending the student forum, one out of the two requirements left for us to finish our thesis troubles.
