Ah, the periodic events dump of not-much:

1. Oh, and yes, I got a bit spiritual this weekend and prayed a little bit that all the work gets magically done. It didn't! Sigh.

2. But at least I had time to steal away for a movie. The new X-Files movie is okay. Spoiler alert: no aliens, kissing, and post-postmodern rhetoric.

3. Power bill is lower by 38% year-on-year. That's because we moved to an office, dummy!

4. Slightly more amazing is me: "I'd like to buy some guitar accessories. Do you have some for less than P1,000?" Salesperson: "NO!!! NO!!! Guitars start at P8,500, but you might want to look at our accessories."

5. Also: the government spent a lot of money in "goat raising" last year. I asked, could it have been "goat racing"?

6. I started a Facebook group for Fans of Good Burgers. GET IN!

7. In case you didn't know, leaving the fluorescent lamp switch on to save power is a myth. The amount of energy needed to start up a fluorescent bulb is not more than the amount to keep it switched on for 24 hours. It's more like 24 seconds. So, switch it off.

8. Is Michael Phelps the greatest athlete ever? Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong should be in contention. And, Muhammad Ali. Or the guy who keeps winning this sport.

9. I was thinking about the set-scoring system used in volleyball and tennis, and how it's employed by most sports with nets. I thought if basketball (they have nets!) would switch to that format, it might make it more exciting. No clocks! And put in injury time!

10. The concept of a "day spa" in the Philippines is completely defeated by the amount of traffic you will need to go through to get there.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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1. I'd tax gas in the city by 25%, all of which goes to public transportation infrastructure. Make all roads bicycle-friendly.

2. Break ground for a mass transit railway system that extends to Calamba in the south and San Fernando in the north. All provincial vehicles will have to secure a sticker to get into the city, which costs Php 2,500 annually.

3. Revoke the license of all bus operators. Put the bus system under MMDA control. Get them to line up and on a predictable schedule.

4. Remove all billboards -- it's the law!

5. Give all companies substantial tax breaks if: a. they allow their employees to work from home; b. they have a bike-to-work program; c. they install showers; d. they have carpooling

6. Launch a city wide carpooling campaign. Dedicate a lane on Edsa for cars with four or more passengers only. Jail the law breaker.

7. Launch a River Transit system. (Clean the rivers first!) Advertise heavily and get people to try it for free. Put in a lot of boats that can go across Laguna Lake. Have nice terminals for passengers.

8. Revoke all Driver's Licenses (in a rolling manner). Get everyone to take the test again. Flunkers lose their license and their names are published on a website, sortable by type of license.

9. Go medieval on companies breaking our Environmental Laws. In fact, revisit these Laws and strengthen them. Tax companies who fail to comply and use that money to enforce. Mandatory semi-annual emissions test for all vehicles.

10. Mandate a four-day work week, with every city other than Makati working Monday to Thursday. Makati gets Tuesday to Friday. If you have business in overlapping cities, tough, schedule it!

11. Bonus: Levy a Mall Tax that will discourage more malls in the city.

12. Bonus: Launch a Philippine Football League.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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What a mess!

1. Last.fm is back. Awesome.
2. I just finished the last batch of polvoron from Bohol. Sigh.
3. One month to kickoff. Can hardly wait.
4. My goal to lose 12 pounds by December is of to a spinning start! I've been going to gym everyday starting yesterday. Rest day ko ngayon though.
5. Climbed Mt. Maculot. Mud, sweat and excellent views. (Someone told me there was a white carabao roaming the peak. Right.)
6. #4 should be edited: I pulled my back last week. But it didn't stop me from doing #5.
7. Is casubha saffron?
8. Hike La Mesa Dam now: 938-2540. Must go in groups of 10. Let's!
9. Related to #5 above: there is a store at the peak. But it isn't an easy climb in rainy August.
10. Other than that, been really busy. Cheers!

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Sorry. I haven't been blogging lately. Too much work, then there's Football Manager 2008. And then there's Bohol, The Empire Strikes Back. Here are highlights and tips when you go:

1. Best beach really is the one at the Bohol Beach Club, but their food sucks.

2. So, stay at Alona Beach (Alona Tropical actually has better rooms for the money than BBC; try to get rooms 35 and 36 which are priced as poolside cottages but have an excellent beachfront view. From there, you have foot access to some really good restaurants (forget the hotel's own, food's bad too). Ask for a discount if you're there off season.

3. Try the Panglao sausage at Hayahay. Or any of their pizzas.

4. You'll need four days. Take the first day relaxing at the beach, the second to go see the sights (Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, Loac River, Baclayon Church, Seashell Museum), the third for dolphin-watching, snorkeling at Balicasag and a sidetrip to a sandbar called the Virgin Island. Day four should be spent at the beach yet again.

5. Make sure you have a meal (lunch is best) at the Bohol Bee Farm. Lots to choose from! Bring back pesto and coriander spreads.

6. Never book your tours through an agency or through the hotel. Instead, talk to some of the staff: they usually know people with boats, cars or vans to take you around. It's about Php 1,500 for a day tour of the sights with a van that holds 8 people. Php 400 for transfers to and from the airport. And Php 2,000 to 2,500 for a day of dolphin-watching, snorkeling and island-hopping on a boat that fits 8. Here are the numbers of the tour operators on the ground that I went with, and recommend: Edric Regis, (0906) 588-4571. Edward or Rodel (0929) 222-4400. Both operators speak good English. Edric has cars, vans and a boat.

7. Do not skip the dolphin watching. It doesn't matter that you need to get up at 5 AM to see them. For the land-borne, monitor-hugging desk jockey like me, it's like having Big Foot sit by your campfire: seeing it is one thing, realizing what you just saw is another.

8. On Balicasag Island, they have quality snorkels and aqua shoes for rent at P100 and P150 respectively -- so don't sweat that you didn't bring any. Have brunch there after your snorkeling and dolphin-watching (order in between so when you get back from snorkeling, lunch is ready). Escabeche and lapu-lapu sinigang in kamias: yummy!

9. Taking the boat to the sandbar at Virgin Island shouldn't cost extra. Tell your boatman.

10. Finally, watch the Cebu Pacific Airways website. They have fare deals to Tagbilaran all the time.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Mr. Russert, you will be missed.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 02:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Live from Red Arrow:

1. The Euro Cup finally got a good game, with the Oranje behind van Nistelrooy's heels and van Basten's coaching playing Total Football. Playing in the Group of Death, they surely know how to kill the giants. Champions Italy are unlikely to advance.

2. Paul Newman (with Robert Redford below) is very ill. That's very sad.



3. Did you know that the fingernails in your dominant hand grow faster than on your non-dominant hand? I always thought that that was just due to my more vigorous trimming of my fingernails on my non-dominant hand with my dominant hand (which hand is left to use?). Are you dizzy?

4. Bloggers on Wordpress should know: serious security issues.

5. Iron Man 2 gossip via director Jon Favreau's myspace page: concerns about unreturned calls and the April 2010 release date.

6. See below



7. Heidi Montag, villain of The Hills and erstwhile endorser of John McCain, gets stuck in an ATM vestibule.



8. There's some progress with Ces Drilon et.al's kidnapping. Read here.

9. Researchers, take note: there's a social network for you! This is so nerd!

10. Today should really be the day when you take stock of your freedom. Say something offensive! ;-)

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 06:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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From the shores of Panglao:

1. Tarsiers could be the strangest living things you'll ever see (without getting your feet wet). Go to a Tarsier Foundation accredited tourist site. Other places to see them, like the ones that let you handle them, are illegal, as tarsiers often lose their appetite when they are handled by humans and consequently die. Look, take pictures but never touch.

2. Panglao Beach, and Bohol Beach Club, is 30 minutes away from the airport in Tagbilaran, and no more than another 40 minutes from everywhere else that's fun to visit in Bohol. The beach is wider and whiter than Boracay (I've been told several times over) and the water is much better. From there, you can go to several nearby islands by boat to snorkel and see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat.

3. You can go to and from Cebu via ferry from Tagbilaran. Takes about two hours.

4. Alona Beach on Panglao Island is what the locals call "Mini Boracay". Here, apparently, was where Alona Alegre, the beach's name sake, went topless (hindi "all the way", as our guide makes certain) for one of her early films. I imagine the nightlife here is a lot more hopping, as dozens of bars and restaurants (with not one but two happy hours) are lined up along the shore.


5. The Chocolate Hills are breathtaking. I have to admit, I didn't have high expectations: really they're just peculiar mounds of dirt, right? Well, when you get to the lookout and see thousands of them, it'll make you eat your words. Get those crazy jumping photos by the edge of the lookout when you're there.

6. When staying at the Bohol Beach Club, get a room near the Front Desk and use the free Wifi in your room.

7. Take the Loac River cruise. Lunch is a floating buffet along nipa- and mangrove-lined shores.

8. Visit the local centuries-old churches and structures dating all the way back to the 1500's, where Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna bled their arms in the Sandugo, right along the banks of Bohol. In the Baclayon Church, see altars, vestments, bibles, furniture and other ephemera (handwritten records on cowhide) while traversing across ancient wooden planks. Don't miss the Clarin house if you're a Bohol muebles buff.

9. On Panglao Island, visit the Seashell Museum and their amazing, amazing (yes, twice over) collection of seashells, some worth US$1,500! See shells endemic to Bohol, like the once ultra-rare Gloriamaris (where once there were only 14 specimens in the world, demanding a price of over $10,000 among collectors). And, purchase some as better-than-a-tee-shirt souvenir, like the Gloriamaris, for Php100 for a 3-inch specimen. We spent almost two hours perusing this museum's collection.

10. Also on Panglao Island: the Bohol Bee Farm. With Hibiscus Flower salad, organic vegetarian pasta, a cross-eyed bee for a logo, and a rocky cliff view that will leave you breathless, you'll easily declare that this could be the best place in the Philippines.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 07:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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I just got back from Panglao Island and Bohol. There's plenty to say, but while I collect my thoughts, I have this: a treehouse off the shores of Panglao.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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We're live from Quezon City!

1. If you ever feel like getting a GTA driving experience for real, try Quezon Avenue. This includes a random guy running on the street.

2. Obama's about to get the nomination. That took too long.

3. How much would the British tabloids bid for my baby pictures? I'll donate every cent to charity.

4. On #2, who is more annoying, Wolf Blitzer or Mike Enriquez?

5. Last.fm + Facebook = lots of new music!

6. Magic Sing + thewilyfilipino = Nacho Libre!

7. I've decided that yogurt is best served vanilla flavored or with chicken tikka.

8. Quick, name the last Mariah Carey song you really liked.

9. If I told you I'll be seeing hills of chocolate and tiny bug-eyed monkeys this weekend, you'd think I'm planning on hitting the pipe.

10. I actually like spinning to "Kashmir". (No, that's not a drug reference either.)

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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First, welcome to all my Rizalista and Existentialist readers! Someday, I'll let you shrink me!

1. Disneyland HK was overall a B+. There were only two rides worth doing, Space Mountain and the lasertag inspired Buzz Lightyear ride, where I scored 740,000 points.

2. Was in the 2nd largest Louis Vuitton store in the world (next door to where we stayed). People were leaving with bags after bags. I left with nothing. Cecile would be ashamed.

3. Got a Macbook Black. It's really er, black. My Powerbook G4 lasted me about four years, and the Black has about twice the power than that. So, this should last a lifetime.

4. The European Championships kick off next weekend, and there will be plenty of long nights. I have the best friends in the world! They married women who love football more than they do! After a long debate, I have Germany and Spain in the Finals (preceded by a scintillating France v. Spain quarterfinal). Spain will win, on penalties.

5. I need some cool posters for the office. Send me some.

6. Been listening to a lot of classical music lately. I found that I am more productive choosing type and snapping to guides while listening to Modest Mussorgsky.

7. David Cook is the new American Idol. My mom was in tears (she was rooting for Archuleta). If he follows Chris Daughtry's career, he should have a band soon, called Cook.

8. I recently saw "Bladerunner" again. Man, Ridley Scott must have time-traveled to Hong Kong in 2008.

9. Also, saw "Superbad". And, got upgraded to First Class on the way to Hong Kong. These two events are not related.

10. Last note on Disneyland: don't bother with being picky with the food. They're all unremarkable. Better yet, just eat ice cream through the entire visit.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Here you go:

1. I am *this* close to becoming a Vampire God. Should be one this week.

2. Among the approved treatments for back pain: stretching, check; physical therapy, check; stretching exercises, check; chiropractic, check; medical cannabis...

3. Overheard at the gym:

Guy: I think David Cook will win American Idol.
Girl: You watch that show?
Guy: Yes, I like the dancing.

4. Seth Godin says "Anonymity is the enemy of civility." Problem is I've met plenty of asses before. I prefer "Take care of the present." That's from Gandhi. Not very forward-thinking, but I think we spend too much time worrying about the future. I'm all future-d out.

5. Finally, cool graphics from the NY Times

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Here it is:

1. Our janitor has been replaced. We're going to miss him.

2. I went to the chiropractor yesterday. He said that he "got it", but I don't think he did.

3. In our office's Battle of the Senti Songs, Cliff Richard's "Ocean Deep" brought the house down. Up next is the Battle of the Boybands. I've got T3 and East-17 ready to go.

4. My brother was gracious enough to mail me his PSP, along with maybe a dozen titles. He says he doesn't use it anymore. Never was a doctor's lounge so sufferable. Up next, the vaunted Manila traffic! (Okay, maybe not while I'm driving.)

5. I'll be in Hong Kong in a week. Disneyland anyone?

6. Bowling is not a sport.

7. Two days ago around 11 PM a truck being towed got detached and came barreling across C5. The runaway truck (which was being towed because it lost its brakes), ramped over the island and crash landed on a street corner where passengers wait for their ride. It pinned down a woman. Medics worked two hours to get her out (the same morning, Donita Rose was playing with one of those giant pliers that firemen use to extract accident victims from their cars). Word is that she died yesterday. The tow truck driver fled the scene.

8. I have a potential client -- a call center -- that wants to meet tonight at 9:30 pm, for coffee.

9. The Olympic torch gets to Mt. Everest through the hands of a Tibetan woman.

10. I don't have anything for number 10.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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My back took me out of commission for a few days last week. It was stiff and really painful, right near where I had first injured it maybe a decade and a half ago. Bedridden and wallowing in Salonpas wrappers, I had a few thoughts:

1. My father was 34 years old when he wrote this. I'm 35 and the last thing I wrote was an email.

2. God compensates: he lost most of his hair in his early 20's.

3. On the book: while some might argue that the taste in typography was lacking (Arial seems to be in play), it's likely that a Grotesque, or the even better, Helvetica, was used in the earlier versions (where I presume my father had more to do with). Arial was designed in 1982, so the first versions of his book must have been in a different font. Futura? Whoa.

4. The office must have been really quiet. The coffeemaker must be accumulating some serious fungus.

5. Basketball is really boring. Maybe they can raise the rim a foot higher to bring back the layup.

Ran out of time. But there was more.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 03:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Here it is:

1. This year, if you reach Php 250,000 above taxable income (less all your tax exemptions), you pay Php 50,000 + 30% excess of the Php 250,000. If you made more than Php 500,000, you pay Php 125,000 plus 34% excess of Php 500,000. This hits hardest on the salaried middle class, whose little savings are mostly in interest rates that do not beat inflation (6.4%). Forget about where the tax money goes.

2. The world market price increase of rice has hit the poorest of the poor. But if it's true that we only import 10-15% of rice, how come we have such a huge shortfall (if 10-15% is all we have to cover)? Ask the smugglers then, who could account for as much as 20% of the rice in the market, and have no stopped smuggling because rice is, well, too darn expensive.

3. The human species is messed up when there are thousands dying of starvation every day and we are growing corn in unprecedented quantities to put into our cars. Makes me un-proud to be a member of this species.

4. The average Manila teenager spends close to 30% of his/her disposable income on internet access. Another third on his/her cellphone. Teenage savings rates -- those who have bank accounts -- are next to 2% in urban areas. The next generation of leaders might not be any better than the current one.

5. Unemployment hovers at 8%, with underemployment at 19%. That's nearly a fifth of our labor force tagged as underemployed. This year, we will give birth to the 90th million Filipino. Our fertility rate is only lower than Laos and Cambodia, at 3.5 births per mother.

6. The total annual family income in 2006 was estimated at P 2.99 trillion up by 22.7% over the 2003 estimate of P2.44 trillion. The total family expenditure was approximately P2.56 trillion, an increase of 25.7% over the 2003 estimate of P2.04 trillion. Hardly any savings left.

7. Food prices jumped an average of 8% from last month. All bets are on food prices steadily rising, some say at least for another decade.

8. Meanwhile, the best news I've had all week is that Ronaldo is into trannies.

9. And, that I had a great ride over the weekend.

10. And that prescription medicine prices could go down.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Here you go:

1. We are currently working on three identity systems. That's a substantial change from our usual roster of web work; and, it helps me as I find ID work very relaxing.

2. We rode around the hills of Antipolo. It's quite the quad-busting ride, but the suffering is rewarded by a 55 kph plummet down Sumulong Highway. Nothing but love for all the riders up there.

3. I'm at the end of another semester teaching at UA&P. While my hope is that the students actually learned something they will look to use in the near future, I know that I teach in a field that is changing at a breakneck pace. At the end of the day, if I opened a few eyes and minds, I've punched my exit ticket quite satisfied.

4. Another first: I went to get a Thai leg massage. The lady that "worked" me, a largish woman with arms bigger than mine, wheezed and brayed (honest) as she rubbed away on my hirsute appendages. They say bad massages leave you sore. Her work left my legs energized. I'll be visiting that spa again.

5. Over now to fashion: I've been wearing football jerseys often. That must turn people off, huh?

6. An in-law left a map of Makati with me, along with a glow-in-the-dark frisbee, a similar darkness-defying football and two remote control helicopters. Guess which gets the most use.

7. We need a new television set to watch Euro 2008 properly.

8. The latest version of me, 35.x, has a few bugs. Some users have reported crashing will running applications such as "Polite Conversation 2" and "Clubbing 8". I'm reminded that I've removed "Smoking" and "Drinking" from the pre-installed applications, plus the Control Panel needs Administrator access. Meanwhile, most people find the new UI much better than previous versions. I'm preparing an API release soon, which I hope will make for a better, more useful me.

9. I've been wondering about myayala.com: their navigation bar is now "Home", "Bills Payment" and "NSO Certificates". There must be an articulated strategy out there other than be the concierge for the OFW. Wait, that's the strategy right there.

10. I haven't seen a movie at the cinemas in a while. It's the Metrowalk Effect.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Very little time to blog. Besides, I doubt anyone's been reading lately.

1. I left my wallet at home the other day. So, I turned around to look for my cellphone to call home. I forgot the phone too. I still, however, know my phone number.

2. I fixed up my bike with some better parts. It's not as spiffy as my wife's Masi (which is gruppo-ed with triple Ultegra) but it's much lighter with the compact 105 cranks. I still am holding out on a carbon frame, maybe in a year or two.

3. Eduardo broke his leg. Actually, he nearly lost it. I can't look at the video though, but maybe you can.

4. The story goes that Randy David and Tim Yap met. Yap says "Hi, I'm Tim. I'm an eventologist." To which the peerless David replies, "Oh, you're an eventologer. An eventologist must be one who studies events. You host events, hence you are an eventologer." Tim Yap, schooled, replies "No, I'm an eventologist." David replies: "No, you're an eventologer, you moron."

5. Someone got me one of them remote control helicopters. After maybe an hour of trying to figure out how to control it, I finally was able to steer it with relative confidence around our living room. I tried, ostensibly to show off my pinpoint RC flying skills to the wife, make it go through one of the beams in our living room ceiling. Halfway through the space, it struck the beam, lost power, and landed on the ledge hanging 12 feet in the air, doomed with flightlessness. I immediately launched a rescue operation making use of two broomsticks and a hook to fish it out. Gravity did the rest; the chopper fell to the earth and now I continue to enjoy my new toy.

6. Pizzeria Toscana in New Manila is pretty good. Gumbo in SM Mall of Asia is not so good. Bag of Beans in Tagaytay is so-so. But don't trust me: I like Burger Machine.

7. I recently lost my pedicure virginity, which can be called "losing my pediginity". Or, my "virginicure". I'd much rather not talk about the experience though, but rather just the significance of the moment.

8. My mother brought home nearly 15 kilos of tamarind from Bangkok. Smuggler.

9. I'm a Vitamin B complex doser now. It's my speed.

10. Lots of work ahead of me. I think the month of March will live up to its name.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 02:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Turning 35, if we haven't had enough of that matter, has made me more introspective (again, repeating). One of the best ways of scratching that scab open is to take a personality test. And there really isn't one out that I know that does a better job than the Myers Briggs Test.

What it does is ask you 70+ questions (the real one will probably take longer; then again, you can take it more than once to get an average) about pretty much everything (except your favorite color and flavor ice cream). The result is a "type", identified by four letters. The letters correspond to your personality type. Mine came out INTJ.

It's a bit scary to read the descriptions, as they are almost exacting -- they did ask you a lot of questions, and if you were truthful with your answers, then the typing should be exact. My sister-in-law tells me that it serves as a good guide in understanding how to work and live with the people around you; by accepting who they are and how they think, you can make the most of that relationship.

For example, here's what it tells me about me:

INTJs spend a lot of time inside their own minds, and may have little interest in the other people's thoughts or feelings.

Scary, right? Here's more:

It is not easy for the INTJ to express their internal images, insights, and abstractions. The internal form of the INTJ's thoughts and concepts is highly individualized, and is not readily translatable into a form that others will understand.

That's really confused. I do humbly agree with:

When they are in leadership roles, they are quite effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation, and are adaptable enough to change things which aren't working well. Many INTJs end up in engineering or scientific pursuits, although some find enough challenge within the business world in areas which involve organizing and strategic planning.

Even better:

They dislike messiness and inefficiency, and anything that is muddled or unclear. They value clarity and efficiency, and will put enormous amounts of energy and time into consolidating their insights into structured patterns.

Finally, a word of caution to me:

INTJs need to remember to express themselves sufficiently, so as to avoid difficulties with people misunderstandings. In the absence of properly developing their communication abilities, they may become abrupt and short with people, and isolationists.

Maybe that's why I blog -- so that people understand me better. And, that I'm never left alone.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Maligayang ika-100 taon, mga Iskolar ng Bayan!

1. Student number?
89-40648. Teka lang...

2. College?
UPLB College of Arts and Sciences.

3. Ano ang course mo?
Communication Arts po. Yun pung walang Math saka maraming dung chicks.

4. Nag-shift ka ba o na-kickout?
Ang galing mo! Paano mong nahulaan? Nag-shift. Dati po kasi akong Sociology. Alang chicks don. Saka, ang baho ng banyo nila.

5. Saan ka kumuha ng UPCAT?
Sa Physci BLDG. Kung saan din ako nag NATSCI.

6. Favorite GE subject?
Wala. Pangit silang lahat.

7. Favorite PE?
PE 1 na Folk Dancing. Hazel Laigo baby!

8. Saan ka nag-aabang ng hot guy sa UP?
Di ko type mga lalake. Pero marami sa may Ladies Dorm sa likod ng La Ville. Sobrang hot na mga lalake doon.

9. Favorite prof(s)
TMTM. Although si Dulcinea Laforteza ay special mention dahil cute sya.

10. Pinaka-ayaw na GE subject.
Math 11. Tulog ako half the time.

11. Kumuha ka ba ng Wed or Sat classes?
CMT lang kapag sabado. Sa graduation namin, ako ay natuwa nung tinamaan sa mukha si Poodle ng hay infusion.

12. Nakapag-field trip ka ba?
Dehins. Strict ang parents ko.

13. Naging CS ka na ba or US sa UP?
Oo, isang beses lang. College Scholar nung 1st Semester. Tapos, minalas na.

14. Ano ang Org/Frat/Soro mo?
Canasta Society. Lapitin!

15. Saan ka tumatambay palagi?
Humanities Bldg.

16. Dorm, Boarding house, o Bahay?
Bahay. Malapit lang bahay namin sa UPLB.

17. Kung walang UPCAT test at malaya kang nakapili ng kurso mo sa UP, ano yun? (Given ang mentality mo nung HS ka)
Architecture.

18. Sino ang pinaka-una mong nakilala sa UP?
Rural po ako. UP na ako simulang nagkamalay ako. So lahat sila kilala ko na.

19. First play na napanood mo sa UP?
Ha? Pasok ba ang Playfest?

20. Name the 5 most conyo orgs in UP
Haller. Teka, Ranchers? Kebs.

21. Name 5 of the coolest orgs/frats/soro in UP.
Lang kwenta namang tanong to.

22. May frat/soro bang nag-recruit sa yo?
Meron. Secret.

23. Saan ka madalas mag-lunch?
Sa bahay. Ang kulit mo ha.

24. Masaya ba sa UP?
Oo naman. Libre pa parking noon e.

25. Nakasama ka na ba sa rally?
Oo din. Ah, hindi pala.

26. Ilang beses ka bumoto sa Student Council
Tatlong beses siguro.

27. Name at least 5 leftist groups in UP
Student Christian Movement, League of Filipino Students, Akbayan, PISTON, GABRIELA, UPLB Perspective. YES!

28. Pinangarap mo rin bang mag-laude nung freshman ka?
Bakit, pinangarap mo? Sira ka pala e.

29. Kanino ka pinaka-patay sa UP?
Ay, incriminating yan. Pass ako.

30. Kung di ka UP, anong school ka?
Wala. UP or bust. Bakit pa ako pupunta sa iba? Isang entrance exam lang kinuha ko, men!

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
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Here I go:

1. My Sinister Vampire, who I predict to ascend to "Vampire god" status in about 1.5 months, has annoying blonde hair. BAKET?

2. In my network, I am #2 Best Public Speaker. Ugh. The real highlight is that I am #9 Person With the Best Hair! Don't forget #21 Most Fashionable. Geez, there must be lots of people who don't know how to dress out there.

3. Following #2 above, people do know me: I am one of the least kindest in my network. True!

4. According to my friends, I am most like to have the best personality, use the word "superfluous" correctly and most like to corrupt the minds of young children. Now, that last one is superfluous.

5. I drive an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. That thing is probably worth a zillion dollars or something like that. A zillion!

6. I've been sent a pinacolada, twice. Don't these people know anything?

7. What the hell is "thrown a sheep at"? Who throws sheep?

8. I've got legs growing out of a clay pot. Cool!

9. I have compatibility issues with people, insofar as movies are concerned. Hey, Ace Ventura was way funny.

10. If someone calls me a Top Friend, and I don't call them one, am I being rude?

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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I've been thinking about my own mortality lately. It has to do with becoming 35.

There are various levels of obsession, mine reaches to just above the absurd level. Through it, I'm more aware now, for example, of how all the things I did -- and other things that happened to shape my life -- did in fact shape my life.

One early moment that I always look back to was what was at that time a really unremarkable instance. My father, vexed by what turned out to be just a bunch of extorting petty criminals, asked me if I wanted to move to another school, in particular, one that was not in my hometown. It took me half a second to answer: no.

I often think about what would have happened if I said yes instead. Had I said yes, I would have instantly lost all, if not most, of the things I truly cherish now -- most especially now that I am dealing with this, my 35th year. I would have lost, in all likelihood, the friendship of the nicest bunch of lunatics a guy could have ever gone to school with. Sure, I would have made friends, and I have. But they are irreplaceable.

I would have, in all likelihood, never met -- and found happiness through -- some of the most amazing people in my life: they, who could never quite grow up, who mentored me through change and encouraged me through challenges, whose place in my heart are as secure as mine is in theirs, who say goodnight to me every evening; they who make me feel immortal. They are all the brightest fireflies in my jar, and I keep them very near.

If there is to be one, maybe two, of those moments, I hope that I now have wisdom, or the lack of it, to make the right choice. Surely now that my bones are weaker, I have to take at least more than a second before I make a guess.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Howdie! I've been exceedingly busy, but the three or so people who come around to read my blog deserve something new to read, so here goes:

1. Two friends living abroad came back for the holidays. We had lots of dry sex.

2. Got my legs back with two back to back rides in Batangas. Also, two back to back flats. (Changing folding tires are much easier than beaded ones, yes.)

3. Hitting up Bangkok with my folks in two weeks. I might change my wardrobe yet again. Or, just loosen the belt.

4. My coworkers are about to stage a coup in the office. Their desks are in the AC's path, and I like it colder than they do. I want to assure our clients that it's business as usual.

5. I actually gained weight AFTER the holidays. That's very strange.

6. The Honda Jazz we picked up two years ago drove from Los Banos to Baguio then back to Manila on one full tank of gas. It did it again this year.

7. That said, the batteries went dead two days before Christmas. And our plumbing was going nuts.

8. Spent New Year's Eve in Los Banos and lit firecrackers for the first time in years, with friends who started the tradition with me more than 15 years ago. Did you know those Picolo firecrackers will continue to light and explode underwater? We went dynamite fishing (mostly tadpoles) in my Dad's garden. Things ended around 4:30 AM. Lots of good fun.

9. My New Year's resolution is simple: get everyone around me to work harder so I have to work harder. That really doesn't make much sense, but it sounds like an impossible thing to do. Just like a New Year's resolution should be.

10. My cousin Alana tuned me into Chromeo, the most successful Arab/Jewish collaboration since the beginning of time. More impressively, they sound like Bel Biv Devoe.

11. I've been watching Dexter. It's a very very good show.

12. Boston must be very happy about their sports now. Which is my way of segueing out of all US pro sports in general.

13. While I got some really nice and useful gifts over Christmas, I was hoping to either get a bizcard file (life is tempoed by coffee and your latest business card acquisition) or a bluetooth headset (for the car, making me a truly annoying driver) or new bib shorts (size medium). Birthday's this Friday. Wink wink.

14. Christmas is the time when you get to compose sentences that you otherwise hardly ever get to say. Like: My mom's pichi-pichi. Or, reading a gift card, say "To Lina, Merry Christmas!". Try saying it, you'll get it eventually.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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My life has always been punctuated by unforgettable poker games. Whether it's Pusoy Dos with my brother and my cousin, or double draw with complete strangers, I've had some pretty good hands and have always thought I played the game well. In fact, while in New Orleans a few years ago, I stopped and played poker with my fellow travelers.

Anyway, the last time I played No Limit Texas Holdem, I was cleaned out by a 14 year old who was lucky enough to hold a pair of eights and flop a full house. Of course, I had a three ladies, which you would normally go All In on, but that's all last Christmas.

This Christmas, I'm going to face this kid again, who has been --- wait for it --- playing online. No word on whether he's better now, but I think the older people get, the easier it is to read them (I'm wrong of course).

He has hell to pay this year. And, this year, we play with real money.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Here you go:

1. I fell off a hammock and hit my head. That's enough for a blog entry, if you should ask.

2. I know three people in either intensive care or are terminally ill. Holidays don't look too happy right about now.

3. A recently completed project (still in Beta of sorts) for a leading post production firm lets you embed videos from their archives. Here's a favorite:

4. Brooklyn Pizza has started serving pasta (still not on the menu online though). We're trying one for lunch in a bit.

5. There are two more weekends before Christmas. While we're almost done with the shopping, the holdouts are the hardest: a dad and a mom. Ideas?

6. My back hasn't gotten any better. I think I need a new bike.

7. There's a Food Festival for bloggers over at the Trinoma that I was invited to. It's in a few days. I hope my schedule will let me go. (Update: No, it won't let me!)

8. Going on a ride this weekend. The wife's got a new bike that *looks* fast (I think I need a new bike). I hope the weather cooperates so we can hit the hills of Batangas.

9. My Holiday holiday goals: get better at making goals in Pro Evolution Soccer.

10. 66% of the people I work with report having problems sleeping. Is that reason for me to lose sleep?

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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I've been told, many times over, that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, who walked among us and died for our trespasses. And, in honor of this sacrifice (so that we do not burn in Hell), we celebrate this birthday by decorating our homes and our streets, giving gifts and taking long vacations.

I think, because I've been doing this too many times already, it's become routine. So, when December arrived, I decided I would consciously look for some other thing to look forward to, other than the predictable Christmas feast, the socks, and the hangovers. I'm still looking.

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I watched Shinobi, a movie about two ninja lovers, last night while waiting for dinner. I wouldn't recommend it for fans of any kind of action on film; it's supernatural. However, if you liked Hero, Crouching Tiger, or the like, then you'll enjoy this movie. Watch it with your buddies and cheer for the guy who just. Won't. Die. And, as expected, there's a heartbreaking ending.

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I'm all alone here at the office. It's a bit strange because normally, I'm content in solitude (see INTJ), but I think when you expect to be with company, and there's no one there, that's when you're really alone.

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For all the nasties one hears about security guards, and how annoying they can be, they really are useful. It's one of those things: when you can't tell they're their that's when they're doing their job. But the other day, a guard at the SM Hypermart in Pasig really helped me out. I asked about an ATM in the area, and he said there were a few. Then he asked me to wait a moment, because he wanted to verify for me whether they were online. To save me, he says, the trip. So he gets on the radio and asks his colleagues to check. After hearing word, he promptly sends me towards an ATM that was online. I guess that's Christmas for you.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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