fantasy formations

I am having dinner and a beer in the only air-conditioned restaurant in this area where I can smoke and, at the same time, do my homework. In front of me is a group of middle-age men that is putting a crimp on my evening.

They’re talking astronomical budgets for trucks, food, sound system, promotions and what one of them calls “the works”. Hundred thousand pesos for this, hundred thousand pesos for that. Not only are they loud, they also speak English in a manner that will make Father Ferriols’ blood boil. “I think I can make asikaso of the media coverage,” says one, “if they make enough ingay as soon as possible, all the better.” For a moment I am under the impression they are movie people, brand builders even. That is, until this: “The important thing is to make people rally against the government,” adds another guy. Then he looks around, as if to check if somebody is listening in their conversation. There isn’t much to eavesdrop on anyway, just fruitless mind-numbing ranting about the government. I swear, if one of them stands up and jeers “Lynch the Little Girl!” I will fall off my chair chuckling. But I wonder, “Isn’t it ridiculous to spend that amount of money for truck rental? Can’t they just convoy (KKB)? Are tricycles out of the question?”

Their indignation is over-the-top, it makes me want to throw up. Some people really need to cut down on their raw meat.

I want to go to the movies.

i'm a Lego freak

Some of my aged Lego bricks will be appearing in the next issue of the non-magazine I’m working on right now. There’s an article in the line-up about focus group discussions, and I’ve been instructed to get [corny] photos from market research firms. Which is impossible because according to my market researcher friend Joni, FGDs (especially the ones about consumer trends and habits) are extremely confidential. Hence this raw image of a Lego FGD.

Suddenly I remember being so crazy about Lego when I was a kid. I spent entire days cooped up in one room, building castles and fortresses and restaurants and hospitals (now I build castles in the sky and fortresses around my heart, hahaha!), and read The Adventures of Tin Tin when I felt like taking a break. I think I may have cried over lost Lego pieces and I may have threatened to kill another kid when he stole some rare brick from me (I never should have befriended that rat).

I'll probably write more about my Lego obssession soon.

(May 2006)

good girl

This is Queenie, my brother's pet. I'm not too crazy about dogs but I have to admit this 3-month old beagle is starting to grow on me. This causes Duchess, a 2-month old Labrador retriever, to get extremely jealous. The other day, evil Duchess attempted to kill her by pushing her down what used to be the fish pond in our backyard. For not crying like a sissy and for aggressively standing up to a larger (and stronger) dog, I rewarded Queenie with dog treats. For her rotten ways, I fed Duchess some digestion aid (not that it's harmful or anything).

cathy's restaurant

“I have to warn you,” I told Val and PJ as we walked through the narrow and filthy alleys of the city, “the place has zero ambiance but don’t get thrown by it. The food here is edible.” Of course, the warning was totally unnecessary—I kept on forgetting I was having this trip with cowgirls. Plus, we were all too hungry to care (the photo on the right shows the girls in a famished state). Plus, the three of us agreed that we were not dining at any restaurant that has a Manila branch. Absolutely no McDonald’s.

For our late lunch we ordered buttered chicken, bird’s nest soup, sautéed quail eggs and mushrooms, and two big bowls of fried rice with Chinese sausage. The very definition of greasy Chinese. There’s a dish in the menu called “Soft Bones” which tastes like Nilagang Baka and is highly recommended by my Baguio-based friend Sir Paul. “Soft Bones” looks like pieces of turd floating in a bowl of yellow, oily soup. Maybe I could have the girls try it the next time we go there.

baguio photos

Inside the dark Ionic Cafe, Val, PJ and I discovered how much we loved (and still do) those Danish butter cookies that come in tin cans.


Horsing around--with contrived expressions and all--while waiting for a cab and getting lost in Camp John Hay.


Rumours. Val having drinks (orange juice and bottled water) before Day 1 ends. Notice the ghost walking towards her.


Peej waiting for her big breakfast at Ruins.


Hungry girls. After a long walk across Burnham Park.


Nice shot taken by Val. :o)