tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63317268106671766882024-03-05T11:13:07.805-08:00Driedfish - The Life and Times of a Gay Man at SeaA gay seafarer on his journey across the globe.Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-10011405920751465462009-12-24T00:05:00.000-08:002010-02-02T00:09:21.425-08:00SHORT 2 - Brilyo and the Sparrow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwC34P5q2ZaadvKaS3lK9WhAGELNtEck-09mM9JhDKIEr25dyrwbxtuz4nMPcQbGvXphoYg7UpHN_VuMf9R-Xcd5NgQlp-9DCMfUE4WRUst7zTR9BiyWC5hPLUWP4wz6Y8Nprz71p3EN0/s1600-h/brown_sparrow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 321px; height: 398px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwC34P5q2ZaadvKaS3lK9WhAGELNtEck-09mM9JhDKIEr25dyrwbxtuz4nMPcQbGvXphoYg7UpHN_VuMf9R-Xcd5NgQlp-9DCMfUE4WRUst7zTR9BiyWC5hPLUWP4wz6Y8Nprz71p3EN0/s400/brown_sparrow.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433555187159901666" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I get updated on everything that’s happening in the Philippines through the daily news I get from friends via e-mail. I read an editorial from Jarius Bondoc of “Pilipino Star Ngayun” dated 4 December 2009. The article he wrote was entitled “Wastong Pagtrato sa Matatanda (The Proper Way of Dealing with the Elderly). Suffice to say, it almost brought me to tears. Below is my take on his story ….</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;">------------------</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Once upon a December one small family went back to their province. Brilyo, the family’s head, did not want to visit his parents as he thought it will just bore him, his wife and his son.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You see, Brilyo was sent by his parents to the big city to study college and since then has not come back to their home. He graduated top of his class and is now a partner in one of the country’s biggest Accounting Firms and lives in the most expensive condominium in the metro.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Every month, he gets mail from his father. He usually does not read the letters sent to him as he found them quite repetitive and difficult to understand. His father only finished 5th grade and his attempts at writing made Brilyo feel uncomfortable when he reads them. But unknown to Brilyo, every time he throws away his father’s mails, his wife reads them and replies to his parents in his behalf. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">One day, Brilyo was surprised by his wife’s demands that they ought to spend Christmas with Brilyo’s parents. He tried to explain to his wife that there was nothing special in their province but his wife was adamant that they should go.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">On their way, Brilyo’s son was so excited at the sight of the province’s scenery. Every time his son saw something he usually did not see in the city, he pointed at it and asked Brilyo what it was. Brilyo answered every question his son asked and thought “My son will grow up to be an intelligent and well-educated man like me.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo, his wife and their son were greeted enthusiastically by his mother. His father stayed seated on the porch of their humble home as he found it difficult to stand. He smiled meekly as his daughter-in-law and grandson kissed him on his cheek. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo’s wife and son were led into the small nipa house by his mother while he sat beside his father on what used to be his favorite chair.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">His father mumbled something and Brilyo asked his father what he had just said.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“What is that?” said his father, pointing at a small brown bird.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo sighed while rolling his eyes and said in an even tone “Father, that’s a sparrow.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">His father nodded slowly and looked down, thinking. Another bird perched near them and his father pointed at it and asked Brilyo what it was.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo gave another sigh and answered quite irritated “That’s a sparrow!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">His father nodded and focused his clouded eyes at something in the horizon. He was about to raise his hands when Brilyo shouted …</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“That’s a sparrow! A SPARROW! I’ve told you twice already why can’t you understand? You have to be kidding me! You don’t even know what a sparrow is?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">He did not notice that his mother and his son were by the door. His son looked at him with a face void of expression and ran back inside the house.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo’s mother hesitantly went to him and said “Son, please be patient with me and your father. I’m afraid we are getting too old. Come now, I’ve prepared your favorite food.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">His mother heaved his father up and led him inside their house while Brilyo remained seated thinking he and his family shouldn’t have come back to his province.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo never spoke to his parents over the snacks, during dinner, and even while they were having their Noche Buena (note: a feast Filipinos have during the night of December 24 to usher in Christmas Day).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">That night, as the crickets sang their lullabies in the cool breeze of Christmas Eve, Brilyo’s father died.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo helped pass time by looking at a peculiar sparrow perching on a window sill near him. He can’t help but think that the small brown bird was staring at him with its sad, little eyes. His mother and wife were inside the morgue while he and his son were waiting in the lobby.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">One of the helpers went to them holding a small tattered book and handed it to Brilyo.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">He asked the helper what it was and why the man was giving it to him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Before the man could answer, Brilyo’s son said “I know what that is! That’s grandpa’s journal. He asked me to read it to him last night before he went to bed.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">He grabbed the book from Brilyo’s hand and started reading very slowly … as most third-graders do. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“Today I start writing my journal. My son will start going to school tomorrow. He asked what a sparrow was 24 times. I answered him 24 times, hugged him 24 times, and kissed him 24 times. My son is wonderful. He wants to know everything around him. Sometimes, I don’t know the answer his questions but I told him someday he will learn the answers himself and that he should tell it to me. I will do everything to give him the best education, even if I have to work day and night. I know he will be successful someday. I hope writing here daily will improve my skills so that my son can be proud of me as I am very very proud of him.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo’s son closed the journal, looked up, and asked his father.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“Dad, how come everything grandpa wrote in this diary is about you?” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brilyo started to cry as the sparrow from the window flew away unnoticed.</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-91145539120577298972009-11-24T11:50:00.001-08:002009-11-24T11:51:43.480-08:00HUMOR; Life In 5 Bottles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHvubg8g2aSADI9AcRfBvIzNGNcQ0XLMciAK-QnbSLEoHaA0dGZqT-tzUDzEHrAWA-4asRfGOK0TeDSkEHbbIe5NghUM4u4xZnW9Keqm7WDKpPoT3hP2E1VxJ25Nz26TfYYXfKmxC5aU/s1600/Life+in+5+Bottles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHvubg8g2aSADI9AcRfBvIzNGNcQ0XLMciAK-QnbSLEoHaA0dGZqT-tzUDzEHrAWA-4asRfGOK0TeDSkEHbbIe5NghUM4u4xZnW9Keqm7WDKpPoT3hP2E1VxJ25Nz26TfYYXfKmxC5aU/s400/Life+in+5+Bottles.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407760009367311586" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I think the picture says it all ... </span></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-57980259732936849382009-10-24T10:41:00.000-07:002009-10-24T11:02:57.002-07:00On Swindlers and Texting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZfPuuKxmCTFXntoISNa_Ff_UaCZsBDXBTue19Ok22GB6pWaantqPCJ3sAkWMWxi5zftFeR-W3M2ppgW0ijNPOCI48VHsgVe0VayaxAnxXZo9r1yVZ6xSnhLkVdXvM0Y-u-jLokH7Yj8/s1600-h/Butch_Cassidy_by_VirginiaVitamins.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZfPuuKxmCTFXntoISNa_Ff_UaCZsBDXBTue19Ok22GB6pWaantqPCJ3sAkWMWxi5zftFeR-W3M2ppgW0ijNPOCI48VHsgVe0VayaxAnxXZo9r1yVZ6xSnhLkVdXvM0Y-u-jLokH7Yj8/s400/Butch_Cassidy_by_VirginiaVitamins.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396223962765139378" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I received a forwarded e-mail from a friend which was about this guys blabbing to kingdom come about his friends almost being swindled by a person pretending to be him.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">This struck a high-pitched chord in my cholesterol-coated heart string. This happened to me and my sister.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">FLASHBACK MODE:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">My sister first e-mailed me at my work account asking if I texted her lately. When I said no, she replied in a heart-beat that she was almost swindled a formidable amount of money by a person pretending to be me. I told her to tell me the WHOLE conversation so that I'd know by the syntax and composition if I knew the person who was using my identity to trick the people I hold dearly.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">This was her uber-long e-mail (obviously edited and translated to English so that my non-Filipino fans can understand).</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">-=-=-=-=-=-</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Oh my. It looks like I really am stupid! This was what happened. Last week, I went to Manila because our brother invited me to go out with his family to visit Ocean Park. While there, he asked me why we don't go into business like selling pre-paid cards on-board because 500PHP pre-paid cards sell there for 15USD. Come Monday or Tuesday somebody texted me:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWNDLER: This is my new roaming number! I got Sim-Blocked! Text me here when you get what I sent! Miss you.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B (thinking why you were using a Globe number when I know you use Smart roaming): Driedfish?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Yeah it's me!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B: You're fabulous! You've already got a great career now you have a great lovelife! It looks like R is OK with mom and dad, they told me he was brought up really well. He came here last week bringing some stuff because he said he just got back from a vacation in Baguio.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">And to my surprise. His response wasn't the one I was expecting.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Oh really? I want to start a business here, I'm looking for a partner .. the ìgoodsî will come from there and I will sell them here.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">(Knowing that you'll press on the subject about ìRî, I found it strange that you didn't ask more details.)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B: And what business is that?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Loading business! The 500 PHP cards can be sold for 1,500 PHP here.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B (I suddenly remembered what our brother told me): I only have 10K available, will this do?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Yeah, that'll do!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B: Which carrier and denomination?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Globe and Smart! 500!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B: OK, I'll e-mail it to your gmail account (thinking that there'll be too many pins to text, and that somebody else might see them in your office e-mail and use the loads up before you sell them to others).</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: NO! Text them to me through this number!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B (Thinking ìAre you nuts?î, but ok, maybe you can't open your gmail or that you really need to sell some cards right away) OK.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER (whose reply intervals where getting faster): Buy it now!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B (replied while one of my eyebrows raised by 12 feet): Are you crazy? I'm still at work. Later when I'm done here.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">And when our office closed, I went to the bank to do an OTC and withdrew 10K. My phone went dead, you know my battery has a problem right? Anyways, I bought the pre-paid cards and headed home. When I was on the jeep, I suddenly realized you texted with a lot of exclamations (!), when I know that you are more fond of ellipses (Ö)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">(MY NOTE: Yeah I know, it's weird when your sister knows how you form your text messages).</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">But then again, I was thinking of the 1.5K. Imagine, my 10K will become 30K. And I was planning ahead. I though, ìThis is great, Driedfish will send some money next week to pay for his Philippine-credit-card debts so he'd be able to include the money from the pre-paid card sales with his wire transfer. I'll return the 10K to my bank account, I'll buy some more loads with the 20K, and it'll become 60K. The 30K from that will serve as working capital, while I can put the remaining 30K in the bank for us, split evenly.î</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">(MY NOTE: You guessed it right, my sister is an accountant and she works for B.I.R.).</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">While thinking of this, I swear I heard a voice telling me ìThat's not Driedfish!î. I was so nervous I almost ran home.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">(MY NOTE: This is saying something as the street that leads to our home is literally in a 45 degree angle, and my sister isn't on the ìSlimî side)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">As soon as I got home I asked dad, ìDid Driedfish text you?î</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">DAD: You know your brother, he doesn't text when he is there, he either e-mails or calls. Come to think of it, he doesn't text when he's here either. He always calls! Just look at how high his Globe bills are!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">When our dad said this, I felt all the effort I've put in climbing our road. I sat down and told him what happened. Dad started his litany.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">When our Mom heard what was going on, she joined in and they did a duet.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Right then, the phone rang and it was our brother. When our mom told him what happened, he started a sermon on his own while on the speaker phone. So basically, there were three people talking over me and telling me how stupid I was.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Thank goodness Ate Bernie didn't call that time or it'll be too much for me.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">While they were talking themselves hoarse, I plugged-in my phone on the socket. As soon as it turned on, guess whose text message I got first? The swindler!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Were you able to buy it?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">This guy is persistent, he texted me the same message like 5 times over the span of one and a half hours of my phone being dead.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B (after asking Mom, Dad and our brother what to reply): Mom is asking when you're going to send money to pay for your house. She said she wants to join our business.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: That's great! Tell her I'll send the money next week!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">So that's it. I didn't reply anymore. But before I went to bed, he sent another message.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Hey! Why didn't you text back?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The next day:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Were you able to buy the pre-paid cards already?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SISTER B (trying to make this swindler salivate): Yes. Dad e-mailed you the numbers already because they're too many to text. That's 100 pieces of 500 Globe and 100 pieces of 500 Smart. Mom added some money to our business. (Imagine, that's worth 100K already).</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: My e-mail isn't working! Send them through this number! Now!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">And we all laughed in our office (I told them everything). My boss even told me it looks like it's fun to play with this guy because she can imagine the swindler shivering with excitement while texting me. The next day, he was obviously getting angry.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">SWINDLER: Hey! Reply! Where's the pre-paid card numbers?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I never replied after the 100K thing but he kept texting. At first I found it funny, but later it was irritating the hell out of me. I mean, doesn't this guy realize that I already know his MO?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">After some research, I found out that there were other victims here in SBMA. There's even one Manager from Chowking who lost 45K .. in a matter of seconds he transferred 45K via e-wallet thinking it was his best friend.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">That's the story of my stupidity Ö</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Love you bro!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">-=-=-=-=-</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Well, aside from the entertainment factor of my sister's e-mail, I think that it's important to share this info to people you know who have friends or family who are OFW's.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">These predators prey on people who have loved-ones working outside the country (see how he phrased his introductory text? ìThis is my new roaming number! I got Sim-Blocked! Text me here when you get what I sent! Miss you.î).</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Please help spread the word by forwarding this post to your friends and family.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">And please, don't forget to quote my blog! I mean, hey!, I need the traffic here!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Lots-a-love to y'all!!!! And keep those comments cumin!</p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; "><a href="http://VirginiaVitamins.deviantart.com/art/Butch-Cassidy-46407304">(Header Pic from DeviantArt.com - Butch Cassidy by VirginiaVitamins)</a></p></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-88129931154959117792009-10-20T10:01:00.000-07:002009-10-24T10:41:07.097-07:00Back to the Twilight Zone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7KlP9F-kVOQcVIjGXpOtmIi6rinGeskSeVkFqBZIqKPXRCG1KBg48QFRygHPH0ttDsxCUCP-QPGjWiA4nZfHRrJ2gXLCXfR6ElHpUMjz99b6dkKRUZnKdEgfaxCVjeVSKou08jWqARg/s1600-h/The_Twilight_Zone_by_Gild_a_Lily.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7KlP9F-kVOQcVIjGXpOtmIi6rinGeskSeVkFqBZIqKPXRCG1KBg48QFRygHPH0ttDsxCUCP-QPGjWiA4nZfHRrJ2gXLCXfR6ElHpUMjz99b6dkKRUZnKdEgfaxCVjeVSKou08jWqARg/s400/The_Twilight_Zone_by_Gild_a_Lily.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396221486389920914" /></a><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I’ve always told my friends that whenever I’m on my 6-month contract working on a ship, I can’t help but feel that I’m trapped in the “Twilight Zone”. It’s like I don’t exist for the whole time I’m away. This is probably because I’m so far from the people I care about the most.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">E-mails and phone calls can’t really take the place of the good-old “conversation over dinner” with your family and consoling your friends that everything will be fine as you tap them on their backs while they vomit from drinking a keg.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">When I got my flight itinerary, I was appalled by the fact that I was going to fly via Continental Airlines to cross the Pacific. I usually had Cathay Pacific which offered great food, ample space for your feet to move in, and your own monitor where you can watch movies and TV shows during your 14 to 16-hour flight. CA on the other hand was on the opposite side of the spectrum - the food tastes like it came from a public hospital, the space was cramped, and you have to have a giraffe’s neck to comfortably watch the movies they play on the projector screen.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Well, that’s coming from a person flying in economy class. I know the difference between the two airlines would be less if one was flying business, having his own cocoon and a steward at his beck and call.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">As an OFW, it was great that they removed having us go to a POEA flat outside the main NAIA building just to have our certificates validated, now, you can do that on the special booth for OFW’s set-up in the Customs Section right after you check your luggage in. So it’s a big check to the NAIA Managment for that!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">After I checked-in, had my POEA certificate validated to waive my terminal fee, and gone through Immigration, I went to my first stop - Tinderbox.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZjWkjw1hM7Mea-F6pu7Za-1Ip4XZymtUd0sGw8c96clbHUHJ7XMii8_1x3zcp84mNIZRBfXIErBDZ5fJ35sY7TqUC4KhxvRQ53MTToU3Tt85MSBHdo_DEc_0_YkobZW-DWGbWvnmXkU/s1600-h/9+-+tinderbox+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZjWkjw1hM7Mea-F6pu7Za-1Ip4XZymtUd0sGw8c96clbHUHJ7XMii8_1x3zcp84mNIZRBfXIErBDZ5fJ35sY7TqUC4KhxvRQ53MTToU3Tt85MSBHdo_DEc_0_YkobZW-DWGbWvnmXkU/s400/9+-+tinderbox+1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396220043067269650" /></a><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">As this is the only place where you can smoke in the NAIA, it has always been the first place I go to as soon as I’m done with Immigration for the past 6 years. The drinks are fairly priced and the staff are accommodating. The cappuccino I had tasted like it was from Starbucks, without the unnecessary nausea of having to choose whether to have your milk, in soy, skim, full, or from a nursing mother with Hepatitis A from a third-world country. Sometimes, too many choice complicates things and Tinderbox is kind enough to save me from that.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">From Manila, I went to Hong Kong - the only airport in the world I’ve been to where the escalators and conveyer belts talk to you.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">From Hong Kong, I had a flight to O’Hare - Chicago. I haven’t been to that airport for around 4 years already. I don’t know if the “fiesta-like” lighting has always been there, but I noticed it this time:</p><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cksIkVKdlLPNEtgKPbdSGk330PMSWYwifwhVhFk1qyWAprn0kCjmSZjoHj-E2oXjM9GSrorKIlP8lhi8_W5GHyUmG8jZ5dx08QHbwT2xJPb7jkD5zLzhf6_ijgBxwUbn4MEFREmIwWk/s1600-h/8+-+chicago1.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cksIkVKdlLPNEtgKPbdSGk330PMSWYwifwhVhFk1qyWAprn0kCjmSZjoHj-E2oXjM9GSrorKIlP8lhi8_W5GHyUmG8jZ5dx08QHbwT2xJPb7jkD5zLzhf6_ijgBxwUbn4MEFREmIwWk/s400/8+-+chicago1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396220030953143330" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEctfLMxcoMzAdOlocpVctKPmSiA5GQfY-1zFPuE31t_WaX1gYAd1Gk-s908eZjRlW5ODvhWxetTIzbSZKqU_DSOt7M9t5rD5Ve42syBzS9r5fq2n0FDsmjmQl12q8B5dwHokECEPNtE/s1600-h/7+-+CHicago2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEctfLMxcoMzAdOlocpVctKPmSiA5GQfY-1zFPuE31t_WaX1gYAd1Gk-s908eZjRlW5ODvhWxetTIzbSZKqU_DSOt7M9t5rD5Ve42syBzS9r5fq2n0FDsmjmQl12q8B5dwHokECEPNtE/s400/7+-+CHicago2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396220028944893666" /></a></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">I went out of the airport to smoke since I still had enough time before my connecting flight. An Indian guy went up to me and said “Shimasen, Konichiwa”.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">That was utterly weird. I was in Chicago, smoking a FIlipino cigarette, and an Indian guy wearing a Chinese Budhist Monk outfit was talking to me in Japanese while pulling a hot pink luggage behind him.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">I said “Watashi wa-karinai Niponggo desu.” Thank goodness I used to work for a small company sending entertainers to Japan so I knew a couple of Japaneses phrases that could save my life just in case I find myself stuck in Japan.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">He laughed and said “Sorry, you grew up in America?”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">“No, I grew up in the Philippines and I’m not a Japanese.” was my reply. I’ve always been amused by the fact that most Americans and Italians think I’m either a Japanese or a Chinese, while a lot of Asians think I’m either from Latin America or Italy. In this case, I think my fake brown hair did the optical trick.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">It turned out he wanted to give me a book for “free”.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">After skimming over the book’s cover, I told him I’ve always been interested in learning Budhism ever since I saw the movie about Tina Turner where she was chanting “Nam Yoh Rengge Kyoh” while her eyes were swollen from being smacked around by her husband in a limo.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">After he handed me the book, he asked for a donation. When I said I didn’t have any money, he snatched the book out of my hand, said “God Bless” and hobbled away with his pink luggage.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">I guess nothing really is for free these days.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">After O-Hare, I had to fly to Miami Dade.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">When I got there and was about to leave the carousel section to look for my hotel’s free shuttle, a cute guy who was wearing a “police-officer-like” uniform went up to me an asked if I were a crewmember from my company.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">I hesitantly said yes, while an image of getting shackled to a 1-ton iron ball went through my head. When he said he had my transportation to the hotel, I thought that my luck was changing for the better.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">It turned out that it wasn’t for the better ... it was turning worse.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Before giving us our luggage when we were in our hotel’s parking lot, he was telling me and the other Fipilipino guy I found already inside the van before getting in, that we had to pay 20 USD each. I told him that I know for a fact that hotel shuttles are for free. He said that he doesn’t work for the hotel and he was called by my company to pick me up. I asked him to tell me my name.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Ok, let me clear that up, I’m not suffering from amnesia, and if I did I wouldn’t ask a buff guy wearing short shorts for it. The only way I’d know this guy is for real is if he had a list of some sort with my name on it.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">He pretended to look at the clipboard he had and shrugged. Then he said “But I know his name though!” and pointed at the other FIlipino guy I was with like he was a carrier of some viral plague about to set it loose in American soil. I said “Prove it!” and felt stupid when he removed a paper with huge marker-writtings of the Filipino guy’s name.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">The other Pinoy guy can barely speak English and I felt he was about to drown in panic and misery. I told him that since I shared the van, we’d just split the 20 USD bill.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Entering the hotel was a bliss. Our company usually books us at Holiday Inn near the airport which was OK . This time though, we were booked at LA QUINTA HOTEL and all my travel hassles were kicked out from my consciousness.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcxqhiquFVp7GD117GGlLdrbGJHY-R0OHBOtVvkDRAWg6qyAwnGx9LNDqMJxwcLxFRgAUYgkiWuzoUIwQnPZi6sC3ZmMmZ-lf7I99a-DPWPq9mWn1mu4GdvJCy3a41ey2j_fSxOBb6yc/s1600-h/6+-+hotel+1.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcxqhiquFVp7GD117GGlLdrbGJHY-R0OHBOtVvkDRAWg6qyAwnGx9LNDqMJxwcLxFRgAUYgkiWuzoUIwQnPZi6sC3ZmMmZ-lf7I99a-DPWPq9mWn1mu4GdvJCy3a41ey2j_fSxOBb6yc/s400/6+-+hotel+1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396220024227956338" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmT_4GvDW2a0K5ZqcXEpCLBnawZJjSgGpl2yUz2TwY0pCHoZtGBDOdzeoUTek1GVWylxTIm44AW4lmiE4WIpqijWY5oez4IaAvrrZ_7eJzn_XQTS3X9U4H09uFpcnd5yaTk9fb8-MiPs/s1600-h/5+-+hotel+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OlKnL7QIBAGFgh0gJxnQCcCz1mlG8tYGtDBCxfVsRNLEiyvNBXCrAICJGmE-9ufI7zc6hhlPD7yMb52tCxM41p2QFssMnX7tyT_hIiTqtvjeJgVUxqwKkGfQARN0yl7c1u1syslC4rs/s400/3+-+hotel+4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396217487760281426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF9MHW_yYRvPsMxqiWBQ3Kwku0er6Rfqsq_La4fSOrqSyJsd6MjfDaCCSmpBb8sK6eLKiD4JoSICnmOmfgOfIspy3tUN2_X1DwdDIpSnBbGwSCc9OlY9Ib5T_gAapVkNVNjUkJSOyVPg/s1600-h/2+-+hotel+5.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF9MHW_yYRvPsMxqiWBQ3Kwku0er6Rfqsq_La4fSOrqSyJsd6MjfDaCCSmpBb8sK6eLKiD4JoSICnmOmfgOfIspy3tUN2_X1DwdDIpSnBbGwSCc9OlY9Ib5T_gAapVkNVNjUkJSOyVPg/s400/2+-+hotel+5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396217480131408642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWAfeoO1bTdaKEpYCUoDi8mumNLm0KymV8P9j87wvvrWuLyKGPbUiGVr2oUOZVGWdMg1Hdi9EpGHyYz9hIcNwBYI-VjmYz_nQxCD8sKv4P-Yq-xjafXEnjv1F9-ZNcv-ms9SMsb2Oklo/s1600-h/1+-+hotel+6.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWAfeoO1bTdaKEpYCUoDi8mumNLm0KymV8P9j87wvvrWuLyKGPbUiGVr2oUOZVGWdMg1Hdi9EpGHyYz9hIcNwBYI-VjmYz_nQxCD8sKv4P-Yq-xjafXEnjv1F9-ZNcv-ms9SMsb2Oklo/s400/1+-+hotel+6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396217476100162562" /></a></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:14px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">I woke up 7am, waddled in the bathtub for 30 minutes, got dressed and went for breakfast. I stuffed my usually foul mouth with some great food (good thing La Quinta serves a lot of fresh fruit varieties in the morning, not just the usual American breakfast buffet).</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">8am sharp, the bus that will take me to my 6-month home/prison came.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">After 45 minutes of listening to Beyonce’s HALO over and over on my iPod 3G Shuffle, I was on a que in the ship terminal thinking to myself ...</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">“I hope this contract won’t be as dull as my travel ...”</p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-6469064788149291132009-10-13T11:34:00.000-07:002009-10-13T11:40:17.444-07:00HUMOR: The Answer to Why Some Gays Pay for Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaoSiv0zDh-J00ejVvL7lSAfaVe99r5aaInefB4E4rxJ07aqIKGp2a01OVaEVe9z2Zm4zy04IRuFx-qa7Reg-8Z1UclQf9Zj5fKsAD72Jm6bmd4R2rRRjxJYG37sBaazy_1rLPKlNf-s/s1600-h/Teens_of_Thailand___unfinished_by_morrison55.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaoSiv0zDh-J00ejVvL7lSAfaVe99r5aaInefB4E4rxJ07aqIKGp2a01OVaEVe9z2Zm4zy04IRuFx-qa7Reg-8Z1UclQf9Zj5fKsAD72Jm6bmd4R2rRRjxJYG37sBaazy_1rLPKlNf-s/s400/Teens_of_Thailand___unfinished_by_morrison55.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392155696209419634" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It has always been a question I’m trying to find the answer to. Ok, I just said that to make me look intelligent. Honestly, I just got an e-mail that I think I can edit a bit to show through basic mathematical equations why some gays pay for love.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">---------</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">EQUATION 1</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Gays need to eat, sleep, work, and enjoy.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY = EAT + SLEEP + WORK + ENJOY</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DONKEY = EAT + SLEEP</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore,</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY = DONKEY + WORK + ENJOY</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore,</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY - ENJOY = DONKEY + WORK</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In English, a gay man who doesn’t enjoy is a Donkey who works.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">----------</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">EQUATION 2</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ta sustain himself, a gay man needs to earn money.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY = EAT + SLEEP + EARN MONEY</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DONKEY = EAT + SLEEP</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore,</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY = DONKEY + EARN MONEY</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore,</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY - EARN MONEY = DONKEY</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In English, a Gay man who doesn’t earn money is a Donkey.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">----------</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">EQUATION 3</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What does a callboy do?</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CALLBOY = EAT + SLEEP + SPEND</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DONKEY = EAT + SLEEP</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore,</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CALLBOY = DONKEY + SPEND</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore,</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CALLBOY - SPEND = DONKEY</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In English, a Callboy who does not spend is a Donkey.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">----------</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">TO CONCLUDE:</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From Equations 2 & 3</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY - EARN MONEY = CALLBOY - SPEND</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In English, A gay man who doesn’t earn money is compatible to a callboy who doesn’t spend.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ergo, A callboy spends so that a gay man doesn’t turn into a donkey (as per Equation 1).</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So we have:</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY + CALLBOY = DONKEY + EARN MONEY + DONKEY + SPEND</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore, with Postulates 1 & 2 we can conclude:</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">GAY + CALLBOY = 2 Donkeys who live happily together!!!</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Header Pic from DevantArt.com - "Teens of Thailand by morrison55)</span></span></p>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-7807012084630312292009-10-13T11:16:00.000-07:002009-10-13T11:26:43.124-07:00My my I'm 29!!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iRnlYuem358_P-cGB16PTi6Ri8OGGjWoKd9D8UmT6IQQu-ZdSQyU5Wsc3RWwOv9r6h8WjEZL-cIV4Y-8zjgzDRUfaPngcwE9zUZjE520dUUY8TAcf_edSIPWM5iodEr-s1TLI1UMqmU/s1600-h/Birthday+Surprise.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iRnlYuem358_P-cGB16PTi6Ri8OGGjWoKd9D8UmT6IQQu-ZdSQyU5Wsc3RWwOv9r6h8WjEZL-cIV4Y-8zjgzDRUfaPngcwE9zUZjE520dUUY8TAcf_edSIPWM5iodEr-s1TLI1UMqmU/s400/Birthday+Surprise.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392152315080992738" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday happy birthday .. happy birthday to me ...</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">God, I've just turned a year older but don't feel any wiser. I'm not old enough to worry about wrinkles, but I'm not young enough to not worry about where my life is headed. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Wish me luck ...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Header Pic from DeviantArt.com - Birthday Surprise by tattereddreams)</span></span></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-34115681771215266912009-10-03T11:40:00.000-07:002009-10-03T11:44:21.952-07:00SHORT - Precious' Wish<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxRcLfNCtRjNA9Eo0IT0p_jZ8K58uXfMJddZsYhztPTfqE60dTqgp2lTxLoWZ3NYpfOqrB4esrVQbiRRiOibTyUgAimujeSeOTm0Ldt4J22H0D-BynS7q-F8xC0L7h2UPjH42eUcHAd4/s1600-h/Blue_Fairy_Crystal_by_Buninou.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 371px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxRcLfNCtRjNA9Eo0IT0p_jZ8K58uXfMJddZsYhztPTfqE60dTqgp2lTxLoWZ3NYpfOqrB4esrVQbiRRiOibTyUgAimujeSeOTm0Ldt4J22H0D-BynS7q-F8xC0L7h2UPjH42eUcHAd4/s400/Blue_Fairy_Crystal_by_Buninou.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388445960409675442" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I have officially started writing my 1st novel. Hopefully, when I get back to the Philippines by March, I’d be ready to give my manuscript to my publisher.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I’ve read in a book, written for idiots who want to create a novel that doing short stories will hone your storytelling skills. So here it goes, my first “short”, ala Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">--------------------</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Once upon a time, in a Thrid-World Country far far away, there lived a young gay named Precious. He was born to a poor family in a poor city in the middle of a poor country. His mother, father, 3 brothers and 8 sisters had names that will neither be known nor remembered in history for they contently lived a normal and simple life.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Precious only finished third grade and had to stop to work with his mother, selling sampaguita on the street. When times were good, they ate twice a day. They slept every night on a crowded floor. Through all of these, Precious never complained for every night, right before going to sleep, his mother told him "Don't worry son, life will get better."</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Though he didn't have money, he had something more important. He had a dream. He wanted to become the best beautician anyone has every seen. He hoped of helping people to look good, for Precious believed that if one looks good, one will feel good, and when one feels good, one will do good in life.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">One day, four of his sisters got a stomach ache. After that day, his four sisters died. They spent all the money they had on finding a place for his sisters to be buried at. They can only afford one plot, and no coffins. While his brothers were digging the hole where his sister will lay to rest, his mother told Precious "Don't worry my son, life will get better."</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After a week, four of her remaining sisters also had a stomach ache. Since they did not have money to bring them to the hospital, his father and brothers resorted to stealing as nobody wanted to help them. His father and brothers were caught robbing a thrift store and were shot dead by the police. The same day, his other 4 sisters died.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Precious and his mother went back to where his sisters were burried. There they planed to put the bodies of his other siblings and his father. While digging, Precious' mother told him "Don't worry my son, life will get better."</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After a week, his mother got the same stomach ache that took his family away. Precious' mother told him to start digging their family's grave as it looked like she will join them soon. Precious started to cry but his mother stopped him and told him "Don't worry my son, life will get better."</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The next day, Precious' mother passed away. As he did not have money to buy a proper grave marker, he looked for the biggest stone he can lift and put it on top of his family's grave. He then used a rusty nail and a smaller stone to inscribe an epitaph.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As he wiped his tears, he threw away the rusty nail and small stone that he had.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When the stone hit the ground, it broke into half and a wondrous thing happened.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From the stone rose a fairy as small as a thumb flying on wings that looked like a dragonfly's. The fairy was clothed in shimmering blue light and smelled of vanilla and sampaguita.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Precious was so surprised at how beautiful the fairy was that he could neither move nor speak. The blue fairy hovered closer to Precious and talked to him without moving its lips, "Your broken heart has called to me from where dreams and hopes lie. Tell me your desire, and it shall all be thine."</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Precious did not need to think as his heart already knew what he wanted.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"I wish to be where I will never be hungry again. Where I shall not need to worry about sickness. Where I will be able to help people become so beautiful that they will forget about their unpleasant lives."</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The blue fairy nodded as soon as Precious said his wish, and the wonderful fairy flew near and kissed him on his cheek.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Precious fell asleep, never to wake up again.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">There he stayed forever with his family and his wish beside the gravestone that he marked “Life will be better.”</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><a href="http://Buninou.deviantart.com/art/Blue-Fairy-Crystal-26388268"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Header Pic from DeviatArt.com - Blue Fairy Crystal by *Buninou)</span></a></span></p>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-17668030592262303132009-10-01T10:10:00.000-07:002009-10-13T11:33:19.832-07:00HUMOR: 5-Minute Management Course<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZOaCHnocjN_iYidPbsIlGuEwxE8DxYj3yHvSMKK7bgI-84sn79mamPDT42Z-wLtwkjwokbGLYautKKxsqNXU3I5Hg08xw6AFFtkhOQizKYlVrTEWyAMS8IaYe2fZINWBlqKlY2pfLLw/s1600-h/Senior_Management_by_Suilenroc.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZOaCHnocjN_iYidPbsIlGuEwxE8DxYj3yHvSMKK7bgI-84sn79mamPDT42Z-wLtwkjwokbGLYautKKxsqNXU3I5Hg08xw6AFFtkhOQizKYlVrTEWyAMS8IaYe2fZINWBlqKlY2pfLLw/s400/Senior_Management_by_Suilenroc.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388428092923051362" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Times New Roman; color:#2f2f2f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I got this from an e-mail and don’t know who originally wrote this. I hope that you gain insight through the wisdom in the following short course which hidden behind the very funny stories. Enjoy reading.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(110, 19, 13); min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-----------</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Times New Roman; color:#2f2f2f;"><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lesson 1:</span></span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbour.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800 to drop that towel.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob, after a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'It was Bob the next door neighbour,' she replies.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?'</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Times New Roman; color:#2f2f2f;"><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moral of the story:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.</span></span></i></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#1d417d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lesson 2:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A priest offered a </span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">nu</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">n a lift.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The priest nearly had an accident.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The nun said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The nun once again said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The priest apologized 'Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, 'Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moral of the story:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#00107c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.</span></span></i></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#1d417d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lesson 3:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.</span></span><span style="color:#863a65;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">They rub it and a Genie comes out.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'Me first! Me first!' says the admin clerk. 'I want to be in the Bahamas , driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.'</span></span><span style="color:#863a65;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Puff! She's gone.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'Me next! Me next!' says the sales rep. 'I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.'</span></span><span style="color:#863a65;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Puff! He's gone.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the manager.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after lunch.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moral of the story:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#00107c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Always let your boss have the first say.</span></span></i></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#1d417d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lesson 4</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, 'Can I also sit like you and do nothing?'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The eagle answered: 'Sure, why not.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moral of the story:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#00107c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.</span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lesson 5</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A turkey was chatting with a bull.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree' sighed the turkey, 'but I haven't got the energy.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?' replied the bull. They're packed with nutrients.'</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Moral of the story:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#00107c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Bu</span></span></i></span><span style="color:#333794;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">llshi</span></span></i></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">t m</span></span></i></span><span style="color:#333794;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ay</span></span></i></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.</span></span></i></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Times New Roman; color:#2f2f2f;"><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lesson 6</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The dung was actually thawing him out!</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.</span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#6e130d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Morals of the story:</span></span></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#00107c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.</span></span></i></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#00107c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your</span></span></i></span><span style="color:#863a65;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></i></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">friend.</span></span></i></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande; color:#00107c;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep</span></span></i></span><span style="color:#863a65;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></i></span><span style="color:#00107c;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">your mouth shut!</span></span></i></span><span style="font: 15.0px Lucida Grande"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Times New Roman; color:#2f2f2f;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;color:#00107C;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p color="#2f2f2f" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal 'Times New Roman'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><a href="http://Suilenroc.deviantart.com/art/Senior-Management-49470787">(Header Pic from: DeviantArt.com - Senior Management by_Suilenroc)</a></span></span></p>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-46021020653367883772009-09-15T11:10:00.000-07:002009-09-15T13:37:25.123-07:00The Next Big TV Show - GLEE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9DTsjn6IHj421qZ_6h8Y52wfu7UybsOsVWBUbD90SHcq0Pivy70_4fTsFZ2lkfr623wEBPqvv7nK77Ktdq1KTKYPxts_wWOpYs26ufGNd7Z0d2vsXNXKSjihi2K3c0xNc2n4uLP793s/s1600-h/glee.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9DTsjn6IHj421qZ_6h8Y52wfu7UybsOsVWBUbD90SHcq0Pivy70_4fTsFZ2lkfr623wEBPqvv7nK77Ktdq1KTKYPxts_wWOpYs26ufGNd7Z0d2vsXNXKSjihi2K3c0xNc2n4uLP793s/s400/glee.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381759100440512706" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Since it seems my prediction on the next “big” song in the Philippines came true via </span></span><a href="http://driedfish.blogspot.com/2009/06/nobody-by-wonder-girls-next-pinoy-gay.html#comments"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Wonder Girls’ Nobody</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, I shall make another fearless forecast on the next big pop culture icon. This time, it’s a TV show brought to you by Fox Network - Glee.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To sum it up, it’s a show about a has-been Spanish Teacher/CPA who was “The Golden Boy” during his High School in the very same institution he teaches in. Since the Glee Club’s mentor was facing a scandalous lawsuit (thanks to the show’s female lead), he stepped-up to the plate and asked the business-minded School Principal to take over the club even if he had to shell out some of his hard-earned money.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">All he had was a band of misfits as members: a gay fashionista who gets dumped into the trash by the football team daily, a plus sized African-American girl who’s got a loud mouth and an attitude to match it, an asian emo-girl who rarely speaks, and a geek paraplegic who sounds like Justin Timberlake. This band of outcasts will be lead by a drama queen who seems to get splashed on by cold beverages daily. She is a fresh take on a protagonist as you will be torn wether you like her or not. The club’s impending curtain call will only be postponed by the group’s knight in shinning armor - the school’s hottest football player who was forced to join the Glee Club.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If you expect the cast to be great singers, don’t keep your hopes up. Aside from Mercedes (the plus sized African-American girl I’ve mentioned who sounds like Jennifer Holiday when she reaches her high range), the cast in general doesn’t have strong vocals. A runner-up to Mercedes would probably be the lead girl, who sounds like a weak rip-off of Lea Salonga (she sang “On My Own” from </span></span><em style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; "><a href="http://www.lesmis.com/" class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','1','&sig2=A5gIsmkbP3eUJY6CxJ9-yA')" style="color: rgb(34, 0, 204); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Les Misérables</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for her audition to the Glee Club which was generally good but a tad pitchy, though the presentation was really nice).</span></span></span></em></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The show is really pleasant to watch. During breaks, you will realize you’ve been smiling the whole time you were watching the show. Granted, it contains few scenes where you’ll laugh out loud, but the story is light and the characters are highly lovable. From the antagonist Cheering Squad Coach who hoards the school funds, to the obsessive compulsive Guidance Councilor who is as obsessed with the Glee Club’s new mentor as she is in cleaning everything within her reach- you can relate to each character as if you grew up with them.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The show will remind you how much you miss your high school life. Glee has the youthful exuberance of High School Musical, the musicality of Sister Act 2 - Back in the Habit, set details and humor of Ugly Betty, and the feel of competitive flare that "That’s Entertainment" used to bring on Saturdays (yikes!).</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Believe me when I say this, the show will be a hit! So better watch it before everybody else does.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I remember telling my friends a couple of years ago to watch NBC’s Heroes as I felt it would be a hit. They told me after watching my 1st Season DVD’d that it’s lame and worthless. After a few months, they ended up being the ones who were bragging to their officemates that they’ve seen the show first before it became a hit in the Philippines.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So look for how to watch this show and be filled with GLEE!!!</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">PS: Raymond told me it will air in the Philippines on Sept 15 over ETC</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b><a href="http://www.fox.com/glee"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Click here to Access the Show's Official Website</span></span></a></b></p>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-22985561769644464432009-09-10T10:03:00.000-07:002009-09-15T10:11:42.037-07:00On Saying Goodbye When You've Just Found Love (Part 2 of 2)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigarjH-QmAJxvdLU0WGWTZVpkfU0FwUxzOCWdpFmVqF5J8hMeT0TkTmeFe2NPiWvu1xQvENQ5uM3nRea4QkIJKt_W-SmRqZq3qCl6yVJJPJoxAw7FmBsoYgd1gMOFx0i60K3z9jnYTXjs/s1600-h/saying+goodbye.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigarjH-QmAJxvdLU0WGWTZVpkfU0FwUxzOCWdpFmVqF5J8hMeT0TkTmeFe2NPiWvu1xQvENQ5uM3nRea4QkIJKt_W-SmRqZq3qCl6yVJJPJoxAw7FmBsoYgd1gMOFx0i60K3z9jnYTXjs/s400/saying+goodbye.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381742986369337778" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After all the effort of concealing my escape so that I don’t have to introduce my parents to Raymond, my dad had seem to have developed the power of telepathy and made a way to hinder my clandestine access to our gate.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“What are you standing there for? Raymond might already be waiting for you by our street corner!” said my dad as he was trying to haul my red Samsonite luggage.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">It looked that I didn’t have any other choice but to go with the flow. So off we went down the slope that is our inclined street towards the nearest intersection.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Luckily, Raymond wasn’t there yet so an extended meet and greet between my dad my new partner wasn’t going to be that long and uncomfortable. When the tryke came where Raymond was snugly seated, I realized that their rubbing elbows might be short ... but it would still be highly uncomfortable.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Why was I feeling uneasy? Raymond was a trophy: he’s good-looking, well-educated and self-sufficient. Aside from that, my dad didn’t seem to mind meeting my new partner. Why did I have this strange foreboding that a dark rain cloud was hanging over my head, waiting for the right time to dump acid rain on my psychedelic gay parade?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After a short introduction of “Dad this is Raymond, Raymond this is my dad. Let’s go!” Raymond transfered from the cab to the seat behind the driver. I threw my two huge luggage, backpack and laptop bag inside the tryke. I kissed, then hugged my dad and told him I’ll meet him and my mom at the airport on the day of my departure. My dad didn’t give a big fuss about my hurried farewell although I know for a fact that he and my mom will have a blow-by-blow account of what has transpired at our street corner.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">While on the bus going to Manila, I pretended I was sleeping on Raymond’s shoulders while he was holding my hand. I was waiting for him to ask me why I was fidgeting when I was introducing him to my dad. Another hassle was added when a guy sat next to our seat when our bus made a stop in Pampanga. My gaydar alerted me that this guy’s blood was as pink as Barbie’s blush-on. He kept on looking at us every 5-10 minutes. I tried sitting up straight and letting go of Raymond’s hand for somewhere around 30 minutes but he still kept on looking.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Luckily, this guy provided the distraction I needed. My fidgeting during Raymond and my dad’s first meeting didn’t come up. Captain Gossipmonger of Pampanga might have been waiting for Raymond and I to do something nasty in front him. Thankfully, I felt I preferred sleeping on my Yumyum’s shoulder rather than asking Mr. Pampanga how he grew up to be a pervert.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">That night, Raymond, Cassey, Janna, Kai, and I went to O-Bar for a night out. We didn’t really stay too long as I had to wake up early the next day to get my e-ticket from my agent and to meet up with ZORRO to give him back some of his stuff. So after finishing a bottle of Absolute Vodka Kurant, 2 6-packs of Sprite, half a bottle of cherry preserves and an unknown number of lemon wedges, we all went back to Cassey’s apartment.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The next day, after I was finished with my agent, I went straight ahead to Glorietta to meet up with Zorro.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Rewind.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When I still had Susan Boyle performing on my butt cheek, I also had a fit of flu. Zorro visited me and brought some oranges and DVD’s with him to help me “recover”. That same night, after around 20 minutes of Zorro leaving our home, he called while crying on the phone.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">As I told you before, Zorro and his partner have been living together under one roof for more than a year already. When he got to their place, he wondered why their room’s light was turned on. When he opened their kitchen’s lights to get some water to drink, he heard a commotion in their room. Afterwards, his partner came out wearing only a towel around his waist. Zorro was surprised as his partner said that he was going to stay overnight in Pampanga for a conference. When his partner told him this, Zorro asked if he could stay overnight in his brother's place, to which his partner said yes. While talking, another guy came out of their room, also wearing just a towel around his waist. He felt betrayed and ran out of their place. As it was raining, he went to the nearest shed and was waiting for a tryke to bring him to his brother’s house while crying because of his partner’s alleged act of betrayal. He called me because he didn’t know what to do.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I told him to just go to his brother’s place and think it through. He was obviously still very much emotional about it and if he were to talk with his partner at that state, he might say and do things he will soon regret.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Anyways, back to me.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I haven’t had the chance to give him back the DVD’s he lent me because he was all over the map of Luzon while trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life without his recent ex. I, on the other hand, was busy with Raymond, so we didn’t really have the time to meet up and talk about what happened. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Since it was my last day in the Philippines and he was staying in a hotel in the Makati area, I met up with him to give him back his DVD’s and to ask him how he was coping. He wanted to treat me for a snack so I said yes. Why would I say no to a freebie right? While eating, he asked if I already watched Transformers 2. I’ve always wanted to watch the movie but never got around to actually doing it. I told him I’ll watch it with him as a friend. I wanted to make it clear to him that I am with him as a friend and not as a date because I am already committed. He said he was cool with the fact that I’m not interested in him and just really wanted my company.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">While watching the movie, Raymond asked me where I was. I told him I was with Zorro watching Transformers 2. He told me we should have dinner together as it was my last night in the Philippines. I told him he shouldn’t worry about it because I really was planning to have dinner with him and will go back to Cassey’s as soon as the movie finished.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">We left the theater as soon as the closing credits rolled. Zorro and I bid our farewells as he told me he was going to Guam to his sister to soul search a week after I leave. I wished him good luck in finding his soul and off I went to Cassey’s pad.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When I got there, Raymond was so mad at me that it felt like I was a refugee from Well’s “The Invisible Man”. He was watching the Michael Jackson wake coverage. Although he answered the questions I asked, he only answered them in 10 or less syllables while his eyes never left the TV. Cassey, Kai and Janna were nowhere to be found. I ask Raymond where they were but he answered in a very child-hates-his-mother-tone “They left to go to White Plains to have dinner with Cassey’s friend.” The answer was more than 10 syllables so it looked like he was softening up.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I asked him why he didn’t join them in going to White Plains.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“They invited me but I told them I’ll stay here because I’ll wait for you to come back. It’s our last night together for the next 6 months so I thought you wanted to spend it with me!” said Raymond as he rolled his eyes.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Have I become that insensitive already? Am I that selfish? What made me think that I can just dump my partner with my friends as I watched alien robots clobbering at each other.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I snuggled up to him and said a million pardons. Technically, he smiled when I got to somewhere around the 26th “I’m Sorry and I’ll never do it again.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Then he said “It’s okay for you to watch movies with your friends, just make sure I know them ... and none of them is Zorro.”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">So Raymond was jealous of Zorro ... this was another proof of the gossip that has been roaming around about me for the longest time ... I’m so effin’ beautiful!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">By 2 am, I was done with re-packing all my luggage. Cassey, Kai and Raymond went with me to get a cab. I said goodbye and never made a big drama about it. I wanted to leave as soon as I can because I might go crazy and not leave at all because of Raymond.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I had the cab driver go to Victory Liner in Pasay to fetch my parents (my sister can’t drive them because our car was coded so they rode the bus instead). As soon as we were all together, my parents asked where Raymond was. I told them he was still at Cassey’s. They just nodded at the same time like they’ve choreographed the move and started interrogating the cab driver about his life as a transportation associate.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I knew this interview will take a very long time so I thought I’d better get my 3rd Generation iPod Shuffle on to set a dramatic mood on my 9th time to leave the Philippines. I suddenly realized I left my iPod at Cassey’s.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I got my phone and dialed Cassey’s number.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“Cassey, can you check if I left my iPod on top of the wooden dresser in your room?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After a couple of seconds, Cassey’s bright and chirpy voice rang in my ear. “Yeah girl, it’s still here! Wanna have Raymond bring it to you to the airport?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I never really thought of that. I guess I can’t expect Cassey to bring it for me. I don’t also want to burden Raymond with having to bring an insignificant accessory when he has already given me so much of his time and his effort. Before I could say no, Raymond was already on the phone.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">“Cassey told me all about it. I’ll meet you in the airport at around 5?”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">It looked like I won’t have any choice so I said yes and thanked Raymond for his understanding.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The line for checking-in my luggage was so long. It took me about an hour to finish everything up. I hastily went outside as my parents would have scared Raymond away with their unending queries.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When I got to the waiting area for relatives and friends of those who were leaving the Philippines, I saw my parents and Raymond talking animatedly. My dad saw me and waived. I marched up to them really fast and talked like a robot. I asked Raymond for my iPod, thanked him, said goodbye to him and my parents and marched off.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When I was a couple of yards away, I don’t what made me do it, but I looked back. I then realized why during important partings in Hollywood movies, everything slows down. I thought it was just a prerequisite effect for directors so that the audience will know that he/she is good. I understood then that when you are about to say goodbye, everything does seem to slowdown. You want to remember everything you see that you soak it all up - the sight, the smell and even the feel of the air around you. The last thing I saw was Raymond still talking to my parents with a wide smile on his face. They didn’t see me looking back, but if my sisters, my brother and his family were there, it would have been a complete picture of everything I hold dearly in my heart.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When I was done with Immigration and was sitting in Tinderbox, the only Cafe in NAIA where smoking is allowed, I felt I did everything wrong. I should have talked to Raymond longer than just “Thanks for bringing my iPod.” I should have pulled him away from my parents and told him how much he meant to me and that I love him more than he thinks I do.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Though I know I wasn’t able to do that, I also know in my heart that after 6 months, I’ll have another chance to tell him everything I wasn’t able to. Until then, I guess I have to just hold on to the wonderful memories we’ve shared with the 3 weeks we were together.</span></p>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-25760439758744735532009-09-01T10:39:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:43:37.881-07:00Geoff Taylor - The Next Big Star<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQbqv9g-EALI9pYX6ne8vTXGB_pZ5KGl5y8WEVjl7xb8WeSGtkkhhDP-0wM_oustTCSWnTmUCsj9qUKt4eJPgeciMEG-SxwyqUN-QCtoWTRjp0LHhrpf_7XaQt6Nm81DYv5a8kuQ0QiA/s1600-h/Geoff+Taylor.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQbqv9g-EALI9pYX6ne8vTXGB_pZ5KGl5y8WEVjl7xb8WeSGtkkhhDP-0wM_oustTCSWnTmUCsj9qUKt4eJPgeciMEG-SxwyqUN-QCtoWTRjp0LHhrpf_7XaQt6Nm81DYv5a8kuQ0QiA/s400/Geoff+Taylor.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376555534664679330" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">While on-board, I get my daily dose of Pinoy Showbiz through the e-mails I get of Abante Online. When I read the one dated 24 August 2009, I was really happy with what I saw. A friend of mine, Geoff Taylor, had just won GMA Network’s “Are You the Next Big Star?”.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I first met Geoff in the now deceased bar in Olongapo called Level 3 (because it was on the 3rd floor of a 5-story building ... creative name right?). He was tall, good-looking and was built like an Olympian carved by a gay version of Hephaestus. We were introduced but never had the chance to talk much because they were having a post-production party and there were so many old friends there I had to prattle with. From what I know, that was the first of his multitude of ramp modeling stints. Even during that time that he was still a greenhorn, I knew that he’s destined to become something big.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The next time we met was in Kiara’s mini-fashion show. Kiara is one of the most prominent designers in Olongapo. He was opening a new studio at that time and he opted to do a small show to serve as his publicity stunt rather than throwing the usual cocktail party. He called on some of his ramp model friends and Mulch directed the small event for him. Again, I wasn’t able to really talk to Geoff during that time as I didn’t think I had anything to tell him and if I just went up to him and blabber off to kingdom come, he might end-up thinking: a) I was hitting on him, b) I’m a stalker, c) I was off my rockets and d) all of the above.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The third time we met was when Geoff’s manager, Victor, asked me to PA for a fashion show they were doing in SBMA. Well, not really PA, as what I did was do some graphics and video editing work. It was during that event - Ever After (A Bridal Fashion Show), that I found out he was a real person and not just a breathing mannequin.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Ramp models are usually egotistic. If you have enough guts to walk down a ramp and know that everybody is looking at you, it follows then that you should be confident enough to know that you deserve to be looked at. Most of the models I know don’t just have big egos, they also have a thing with keeping a certain character in public appearances. It always surprises me when I see how a model acts inside a hotel room and how it instantly changes right after passing through the hotel room’s door. I think having schizophrenia is a prerequisite to being a good and well-known ramp model.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Geoff though was different. He was who he was on and off the stage. He was humble and very eager to learn things. You can talk 3 hours straight and he would listen to you intently and would even ask questions to know more details. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After that, he joined Mossimo’s model search. A few months later, he joined ABS-CBN’s 1st Season of Pinoy Dream Academy. Though he didn’t win both competitions, I still believed that it wasn’t the peak of his career - that there were more things destined for him.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After his show with ABS-CBN as a vampire of some sort in Kapitan Inggo and a couple of features about his life in the same network, his showbiz stints became less each passing month.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">While trying to enter showbiz from the fashion world, he and his mom were staying at his manager’s house in an exclusive subdivision. Whenever I was in Manila, I usually crashed in on his manager’s pad as staying there was free, and I was always surrounded by gorgeous people (so I feel like I’m gorgeous myself). Though the boy I met a couple of years before has already been replaced by a young man, he was still the same Geoff Taylor I met. He was still level-headed and enthusiastic about life in general. He still asked a lot of questions. He still laughs at the comic video clips I had on my phone. And most important of all - he still knew my name and called me “Kuya” (at least not Manong).</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Though I’m not in it, I know people in showbiz change as soon as they make a name for themselves. Heck, I even know of one guy who used to teach me how to do a side-split while properly belting “Through the Fire” in falsetto. He became really famous as a vocalist for a band and was even linked to a sexy female starlet. I always thought he was a homosexual male, I guess after 2 albums and a couple of sold-out stadium concerts, he has metamorphosed into a Butch Lesbian. We’ve bumped into each other at several functions and he won’t even look me in the eyes. There’s another former friend who I used to eat fishballs and tuknenengs with, but suddenly had amnesia as to who I am as soon as he became a “socialite”. This fishball-addicted-pseudo-socialite won’t even add me in Facebook.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">That is why I really was proud of Geoff when I saw him again after all the media exposure he got. He was still the same person. I guess the limelight doesn’t really cause cerebral damage as proven by his resilience over showbiz’ mind-affecting glitziness.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">During my last vacation, I saw that Regine Velasquez had a new talent search called “Are You the Next Big Star?”. When I watched the pilot, I was shocked to see that Geoff Taylor auditioned. I texted Mulch right away as he was Geoff’s manager’s 2nd degree nephew. Then I messaged Geoff and his manager, Victor, over Friendster as I wasn’t sure if they still had the same numbers. I didn’t really want to text or call them directly as I haven’t been in-touch with them for a long time.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After Mulch moved to Manila, I have crashed in on his place instead of Victor’s because Mulch’s pad was more accessible. It has been a year since I’ve last talked to either Victor or Geoff. I wasn’t even expecting him to reply from my Friendster message but Geoff answered a couple of minutes after I sent the message, thanking me for my well wishes and asking me to vote for him if/when he reaches that stage of the competition.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After that, I never had the chance to actually see the show progress as I was busy with my social and love life. I was only able to watch the show again a couple of days before I left. I saw that Geoff was still in the competition with only a handful left from the original set of competitors. My gut told me Geoff had this in the bag.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Now that I know he won, I can say that he really deserves it. Not just because he has both the looks and the voice, but because he has the attitude. He has also worked for this for a very long time and winning this competition is a just reward for all his patience, effort and loyalty to his manager.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I know that when he does become the next big star in the Philippines, he would still call me Kuya and listen to my stupid stories. He’d still be the same person, but a bigger and brighter star.</span></p></div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-17673901597130272992009-08-22T10:14:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:30:55.076-07:00On Saying Goodbye When You've Just Found Love (Part 1 of 2)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTxFjOBK11d33JcBK9iR1b6jmp3Sezs31HTaeXuKPVpJckUpyIwupjhY7uRDDVUmYNu8TOh2qoOJzVSsTXTeVi3hQwlJMG91eVbgI7TRsd8KEMePvIwrLestoMsbVjgaUdqs9HeeZq-A/s1600-h/saying+goodbye.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTxFjOBK11d33JcBK9iR1b6jmp3Sezs31HTaeXuKPVpJckUpyIwupjhY7uRDDVUmYNu8TOh2qoOJzVSsTXTeVi3hQwlJMG91eVbgI7TRsd8KEMePvIwrLestoMsbVjgaUdqs9HeeZq-A/s400/saying+goodbye.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376549113521066802" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Life sucks. We all know that.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">My 3rd Year High School Economics teacher once said - “Cost is the opportunity forgone in an acquisition.” Whenever we choose something, we also choose to let go of something else.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">In my case, I chose stability of life over happiness.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">As an undergraduate, I found that your aptitude and attitude alone can’t bring you to the top. I’ve had several odd jobs before I figured out that if I wanted to earn enough money to be able to buy at least a couple of properties, working in the Philippines as an under-paid undergraduate isn’t the best idea. That’s the reason why I grabbed at the opportunity to work in a cruise ship when it presented itself. It might not be the most fun job in the world but it surely beats having to eat a can of sardines a whole week if your budget goes on a sudden nosedive.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I have never had any difficulty leaving the Philippines whenever my 2-month vacation from work ends. It’s not because I don’t care about my family and friends. The Supreme Being knows how much I love them. The fact is, I have always been the “traveling” type. I’m the person who enjoys where the wind blows me and flying off for a 6-month contract has never been a biggie.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Leaving the Philippines this time was a bit difficult. Largely owing to the fact that I felt I met Raymond too late and we haven’t had enough time together. We only had around 3 weeks and I feel like I’m cutting our “Honeymoon” phase quite short.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I was supposed to go to Makati to get my plane ticket from my agent 2 days before my flight. When I told Raymond I was to leave Olongapo the next day, he insisted that he wanted to join me. I didn’t like the idea at first because I’m not comfortable with saying goodbyes. I’m not into the whole “waterworks” gig, but when I do start, you can hook-up me up with a turbine and I can produce enough electricity to light up Las Vegas. I only said yes when he told me he was just going to join me at Cassey’s pad and will not go with me and my family to the airport on the day of my departure.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The next day, he told me he cooked Pesto and baked a blueberry cheesecake for my mom and dad. When I told my Mom and Dad that Raymond cooked something for them, they went into this freakish frenzy and told me they wanted to meet him. I had a gut feeling that they already knew about me and Raymond.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">My dad was a secret spy of the highest caliber in his former life. It’s really difficult to hide things from him. My being the paragon of “the absolute gossipmonger“ must have come from the genes. Since he retired from work, my dad has taken researching what me and my siblings are up to as his new hobby. He usually passes the information to my mom as he knows that she can’t turn down a juicy scandal as well. Out of the two, my mom is always the one who has the courage to ask the veracity of their findings and soundness of their hypotheses out in the open.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”When the food gets here, make sure you don’t eat any. Let me and your dad take care of eating the food he brings because your boyfriend might have put a love potion on it.“ said my mom as she was standing behind my Dad, trying to see what he was reading on his laptop.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”Did you just say boyfriend?“ I asked flabbergasted.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">My dad looked at me and said ”We saw your relationship status changed in Facebook.“</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Dang! I totally forgot that me and my dad are Facebook buddies.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I excused myself because they might start having an uber-late talk about the bird and the bees with me.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">When I got to my room, I texted Raymond right away that he shouldn’t come to our house. I told him that I’ll meet him by a street corner near our place instead.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">An hour later, Raymond texted me that he was a couple of minutes away from our meeting place. I went downstairs and was about to go out through our main door when my dad asked:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”Is Raymond here already? Let him in and give him something to drink (while we squeeze every small detail of his life from him).“</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I guess my cellphone has been bugged by my parents. I’ll have to check on that when I get the free time from my pseudo-hectic schedule.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”No, I’m just going to buy a pack of cigarettes“ was what I told my dad as I went out.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I know my dad has a pair of binoculars which he won’t hesitate to use on us to get his fresh dose of morning gossip. I walked half-running to where Raymond and I were supposed to meet so that if my dad did go to the extent of using binoculars, he would just see me with a bag of Raymond’s cooking and no Raymond.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">After giving me the food he made for my parents, Raymond told me to just text him that afternoon when I wanted him to pick me up. He left without kissing me as we were in front of a hotdog stand owned by the Editor-In-Chief of our streets ”Gossip Today Broad-Shit“.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”I can’t believe you didn’t introduce him to us!“ I’m not so sure if that’s how my dad worded it as he was munching on Raymond’s Pesto when he did.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”You can tell Raymond he can put some more garlic next time he does this. You can never go wrong with more garlic on Pesto.“ supplied my mom while twirling her fork on her 2nd plate of Raymond’s now epic pasta dish.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">This was really weird for me.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I’ve never had any of my ex-partners introduced to my parents. Well, except one, but they didn’t know he was my partner. My friends threw a surprise party for me at our home that time and there were so many people who went there that I’m pretty sure my parents weren’t able to keep track of everybody. Heck, if they did, they would have noticed that the cake that one of my friends had commissioned to be made of a naked man with a life-size penis standing upright like the Eiffel Tower on top of our dinner table resembled one of the guests.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Why did my parents all of a sudden have this crazy interest in finding out who I was dating?</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”So are you going to introduce him to us later?“ my mom unceremoniously broke my flashback.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”Yes mom, Later when he picks me up ....“ I said; deliberately not finishing it off with my intended close ”.... I’ll hide him from both you and dad.“</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">When I was ready to leave, I texted Raymond that he can pick me up where we rendezvoused earlier.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I was sure my parents were in the garden as I saw them there through my window with our mongrel dogs Megs, Maegan, Brownie, Spot and Tisay. I tried to haul two of my huge luggage down the stairs, through our main door and down the staircase leading to our main gate as silently as humanly possible.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Success! </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The game plan was, I’ll just text my parents I already left and that we’ll all just see each other at the NAIA when I leave after 3 days. I went back to my room like an experienced ninja to get my Oakley backpack and laptop bag.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Still, there was no sign of my parents. Lady luck must really love me!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I went through the same route as quiet as a snail (if there’s even a loud snail to begin with). As I was going down through the staircase leading to our garage, I looked back quickly to see if my parents were anywhere behind me.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">No one! All was going well.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Very slowly, I tip-toed down the steps. I was so nervous in making any type of sound that might alert my parents of my escape.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">My heart was beating like the bass drum of a flamboyantly gay cheering squad.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”Will my parents hear it beating wildly?“ I thought as I wiped off the sweat on my forehead. ADDITION TO MY TO-DO LIST IN LIFE: Study yoga so that you can learn how to temporarily stop your heart from beating!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">I was a couple of steps away from freedom when I noticed a shadow moving by the landing of our staircase leading to our garage.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">”What took you so long?“ said my dad beaming at me like all his missed Christmas gifts came that very day.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">( ... to be continued ... Raymond meeting my parents .... our first fight ... and the day I leave ...)</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-12963519122686592412009-08-20T10:07:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:30:30.106-07:00Are You A Gen-X Kid?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKT-MzdDhO-Jricc3owhwu9w8Wcpx-4MMuTFiCfA26I5UfBDEhFjJCfhQn1sdvBHm6mabgm9KsIuk-g4RxuNwlcbtyEUaI1gZeTu7HyaTWfL0ROT93BjuMVOgRQcUpLzgkiR6msF73gU/s1600-h/Pong_pagong.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 372px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKT-MzdDhO-Jricc3owhwu9w8Wcpx-4MMuTFiCfA26I5UfBDEhFjJCfhQn1sdvBHm6mabgm9KsIuk-g4RxuNwlcbtyEUaI1gZeTu7HyaTWfL0ROT93BjuMVOgRQcUpLzgkiR6msF73gU/s400/Pong_pagong.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369496407094599202" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I was trying to clean my inbox when I stumbled upon an e-mail that made me smile. It was from a friend from High School. I honestly don’t know how old are my readers, so this to check whether or not you are a part of my generation .... GENERATION X</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">MONEY / CLOTHES / ACCESSORIES</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You’ve had at least one outfit from these labels: Penshoppe, United Colors of Benetton, U.S.E.D., Boy London, Cross Colors, Esprit, and Blowing Bubbles.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You associate Bench with Richard Gomez.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">At least one of your tops had shoulder pads if you’re a girl. You own at least one pair of Might Kid shoes if you’re a boy.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You’ve seen the money shaped like a square (diyes) and another shaped like a flower (singko).</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You remember the 1 peso coin being HUGE. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The more compartments your pencil case had, the cooler you were. Same went with multi-colored ball point pens.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You made use of “slumbooks” to know who your crush’s crush was.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You used to collect scented stationaries and believed that “KISSES” multiply by itself when left inside a box with loose cotton.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">GAMES / TECHNOLOGY</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You’ve experienced grinding “gumamela” and mixing it’s extract with water and some soap to make bubbles via loops made from “walis tingting”.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Your mom forces you to sleep during summer afternoons and shoved rice with “Star Margarine” down your throat - all to help make you taller by a few inches.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know how to play “patintero”, “saksak puso”, “langit-lupa”, “teleber-teleber”, “chato”, “luksong tinik/kalabaw”, “tumbang preso” and “bubuka ang bulaklak” (pre-Viva Hot Babes version).</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You used to collect G.I. Joes and Barbie looked more of a human being.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You were considered cool if you had any of these: Atari, Super Family Computer or NES.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know what this is for: ”up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, a, b, a, b, select, start“.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know how to get 99 lives for Mario in Mario Bros. 1.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know how to use WordStar. You had at least one 5.25” floppy disc which made you feel proud whenever you walked holding one because that meant you know how to use the new technological advancement - computers.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When you were in High School, you’re so cool if you had a multi-lined pager.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">FOOD</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Have you tasted “aratilis”, “bubot na bayabas”, and “chico”?</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Magnolia Chocolait were still in glass bottles.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You read the Bazooka Joe comic strips while chewing on the pink gum.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You witnessed the rise of JUDGE and fall of Bazooka Joe.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know this jingle: “Nano, nano, nano, nano. Nano, nano, nano, nano, nano, nano. Nano-na-oh Nano-Nano it makes me crazy. I really love, what it does to me. Sweet, Sour and Salty, Nano-nano, Nano-nano, Nano-nanoooooooo”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">MUSIC, TV & MOVIES</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You were addicted to: Rainbow Brite, Carebears, My LIttle Pony, Thundercats, Bioman, Voltes V, Mazinger Z, Daimos, He-Man, She-Ra and other cartoons in English. The only kids’ show you watched in Tagalog was Batibot.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know Pong, Kiko, Kuya Bogie, Ate Sienna, Manang Bola, and the Sitsiritsit Girls.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know how to sing “Tinapang Bangus” and “Alagang Alaga Namin si Puti”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You truly believe that McGyver’s a genius and that Balky from Perfect Strangers is the funniest man on earth.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You can fill in the blank without even thinking hard: “Time-Spacae warp ______!!!”</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You thought Aiza was cute, and Lady Lee was a rip-off. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You think a kid lacks proper breeding if he/she preferred “Eh Kasi Bata” over “5 and Up”.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You were in grade school or prep when Bagets and Ninja Kids were big.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know the song “Tatlong Bentisingko” and know what is the color of pay-phones in general.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Watching Beverly Hills 90210 was the way you were updated in fashion.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know at least one member of the group Smokey Mountain.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Whether you accept this or not, you know at least one song (with at least half of the lyrics burned into your brain) from Andrew E. and April Boy Regino.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You know that Michael V. used to be a good-looking rapper instead of a comedian.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You can sing along with Francis Magallona’s “Mga Kababayan Ko” while doing the “Running Man”, “Scissors” and ”Roger Rabbit“ (Shout-out to my Yaya Marietta for teaching me the groovy steps).</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Ecstasy used to be a song and not a drug. That being said, you know how to sing this: ”Tam-chiki-dam-dum-dang Que-tum-bam-bang-que-tum-bang que-be-que-be que-tam-dum-dang que-tum-bang que-peng. Chicki-tam-chiki-di-dam-dum-dang que-tum-bam-bang-que-tumbang-que-be-que-be-que-dam-dum-dang que tum bang que-peng ... Ecstasy, Extano, esta me gusta mella como yo.“</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You believed the gossip about the Spice Girls being cross-dressers..</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">--------------------</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">You’ve got more things to add to my list as a proof that you are from GENERATION X? Then post them as a comment to this entry. </span></p><div><br /></div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-45868292241223756472009-08-10T09:43:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:30:06.528-07:00Sonnet II - There ... Still<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlalwh0_Ty1z7dqjSW3FPY21NQOsrsox-huy1nC1wqwJkXiiDDlxphyphenhyphenwmx7UP4EvvPHkwJYfbH9LYtwMc_d9IO6pbnhzn81kGC8nkfH_8tP-1BfR55ifGpp1o5iQqntX_ONjj51z3-I40/s1600-h/sonnet+2+-+there+still.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlalwh0_Ty1z7dqjSW3FPY21NQOsrsox-huy1nC1wqwJkXiiDDlxphyphenhyphenwmx7UP4EvvPHkwJYfbH9LYtwMc_d9IO6pbnhzn81kGC8nkfH_8tP-1BfR55ifGpp1o5iQqntX_ONjj51z3-I40/s400/sonnet+2+-+there+still.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366150741239659810" border="0" /></a><br />Why start my sonnet with 2 when this is my 1st post of a sonnet? Basically, the 1st sonnet I ever wrote is now “lost”. I wrote it as an assignment during our 3rd year in High School. When I submitted my sonnet to our teacher, Mrs. Arlene Coronado, she marked it with a 100 and stuck a post-it on it which said “See me after class.” When I went to see her, she asked permission if she can include my sonnet in a new Literature textbook she was working on. I signed a release form for my “work’ and went straight to the quad to play volleyball. I don’t know if the book was ever published, or if my sonnet was included. But the mere fact that I was asked though, was very much memorable.<br /><br />Since I am so happy and inspired right now, I think it’s the best time to recreate my lost sonnet. This new sonnet, like my old one, is in Elizabethan/Shakespearean rhyming scheme but Petrarchan in structure. I’m not sure if this is iambic though because I’ve never gotten the hang of obsessively checking the alteration of my syllabically stresses. I’ve also used the same 1st two lines from my 1st sonnet, as they are the only lines I can distinctly remember.<br /><br />The original was done out of necessity, this one, I’ve written out of felicity. So here it is ... the remake of my original sonnet ... for “Raymond” and to everybody who hopes of keeping the promises of love for eternity.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------------------<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">SONNET II - THERE ... STILL</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br />by Jhezper Driedfish<br /><br />Will you still be there when the sun has set,<br />on the placid waters of life’s joys’ end?<br /></span></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When the fog creeps in, whence Life and Death met,</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">will you still walk me to the unknown bend?<br /><br />Will you still be there when the laughter’s gone,<br />replaced with cries from the depths of your soul.<br />When triumphs you fancied cannot be won,<br />will your taxing troth not burden your crawl?<br /><br />When the clock strikes deeper into the night,<br />and the nightingales sing their odes and praise;<br />your hands, in mine, in any fated plight -<br />is what I see, through my heart filled with grace.<br /><br />Confident I am, your love will be there,<br />like mine, to you, as perennial as air.</span></span><br /><br /><br />-------------------<br /></div><br />This sonnet came form the depths of my shallow mind and unfathomable heart. Please don’t plagiarize. Stealing poems is like stealing the author’s heart and soul. Feel free to give it away to the people you love, just don’t forget to put my pen name - Jhezper Driedfish. If I get good comments, I’d probably try to write more poems in Haiku and Free Verse since they are easier. ;-)Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-8674505531110532872009-08-01T09:29:00.000-07:002009-09-15T13:05:00.809-07:00Love Found (Part 4 - The Beginning from an End)<a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGk7X8E-7lTYBiitEdwhkS2Nl1OEKwWBFvWmOcltvHxRo64xe-N6ssroeu8jmW0oa_F8DaVBiOFj7Su12f8skKjYHfvFWAjrDf6-s8eNLybRybbb-ZnCSc9dUmDENinCkWy76h_mS9TNM/s1600-h/part+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGk7X8E-7lTYBiitEdwhkS2Nl1OEKwWBFvWmOcltvHxRo64xe-N6ssroeu8jmW0oa_F8DaVBiOFj7Su12f8skKjYHfvFWAjrDf6-s8eNLybRybbb-ZnCSc9dUmDENinCkWy76h_mS9TNM/s400/part+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366146837563455378" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">His reply to my first attempt at telling him that I love him?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> “I didn’t even get a kiss from you when you left. :-( I’m here at the bus already. Get some more sleep, I’ll see you later.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Hummm ... Didn’t he realize I’ve just said the “L” word? Maybe I received part 1 of his 25-part reply and his “I Love You Too” was still floating around wherever it is text messages float around before we receive it on our cellphones. Or maybe, he did read it and was just diverting the topic because he didn’t have a polite reply to my message.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This last thought, I thought, was the most probable.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">IF I texted him the same message, I might come off as desperate (though it was the perfect word to describe me). With 3 years past the quarter-of-a-century-mark spent it in this dimension, I’ve learned one thing - nobody is interested in desperate people, except maybe if you’re either a housewife from Wisteria Lane or an heir-less billionaire.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I decided that I should keep my fake cool and play nonchalant like Mariah Carrey.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Raymond went to Manila to do something during this time. I mustered all the self-control I had NOT to text him. Thank heavens I read from Robert Green’s “The Art of Seduction”, that playing “hard to get” is better than being a raging cannibal who’s ready to pounce on Bambi. Instead of staring at my cellphone while thinking of what to text him, I busied myself in downloading some more apps from iTunes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Night came and and we had the following text conversation:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">RAYMOND: I’m here in Olongapo already. What are your plans for the evening?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ME: Nothing special, will probably just watch some DVD’s. You?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">RAYMOND: Will watch TV. What are you watching?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ME: Queer as Folk. Then will play Restaurant CIty on Facebook when I start getting bored.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">RAYMOND: Which season of QAF are you watching?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ME: Season 4. Go ahead watching your TV show, I won’t disturb you anymore. Just text me before you go to sleep.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The next day ... or 3 hours later ....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">RAYMOND: I’ll sleep now. Go to sleep as well. You and your dad are going to Pampanga later. Right? Goodnight. Muah!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">-----------</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">One score for the Driedfish! I got my first “text kiss” from him!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">-----------</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ME: Muah!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">RAYMOND: Just wish you were here so that I can hug you while sleeping. :-( I’m sorry if I’m not sweet.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ME: You never really hug me when we sleep together. I’m the one who always hugs you hahahah And you already told me you’re not sweet by nature so I guess I have to get used to it. :-) Cheer up already</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">RAYMOND: I have my own ways of showing my feelings. It’s just how I want to sleep, to feel somebody hugging me. Is that selfish? hehehe</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ME: A little? hahaha I know you’re a brat, so it comes with the package. I think I already told you I’m still learning your full character spectrum. I’ll just ask something - Where do you think our dating is headed? Or better put, where do you want it to go?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I waited.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">... Then waited some more ...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">... Then waited even some more ....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">... Then woke up as my iPhone went vibrating as the Tomato Girls belted out “Choopeta”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It was 7am already. My dad and I had a 10am schedule so I’ve put an extra early alarm (yes, I consider waking up at 7am extra early).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I checked my phone for his reply.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Nothing!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I thought then that my last question might have been too much. Maybe this guy was just enjoying my company and didn’t want it to go any further. If I have become pushy and clingy at the same time, should I resort to shoving the “L” word down his throat and using Super-Glue to permanently affix us? Or should I just follow his lead and neither think nor talk about “commitment” while we’re dating?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I decided that shoving would be best. If he didn’t want a relationship, my texting him again would irritate him enough to drop me like a hot potato instead of leading me on like the white rabbit, sans the rabbit hole to my future wonderland.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ME: Good Morning!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">RAYMOND: I just woke up. I’m sorry I fell asleep on you last night. Regarding your question, can we date exclusively as of the moment, and see where it leads us? Let’s make the most of what we do, enjoy each moment we’re together. I know you are going to leave me next week. :-(</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And I felt a bucket of water, one fahrenheit shy of being ice, was dumped on me and my morning woody.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I’m 7 years older than Raymond and he was more mature at handling what we have. Some people might have taken offense at what he said but as usual, I took it differently. I thought then that he was taking this pensively, because if he didn’t, he would have just said “I love you too” right away without batting a false eyelash to just go along the ride. The phrase “date exclusively” is a big deal. That would mean he is considering me for a real relationship as he won’t see other people while we’re dating and he doesn’t want me to see other people either. It was then I concluded that “This guy is really serious because it looks like he is seriously thinking about it ... seriously!”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">After a couple of more dates, the day that I was waiting for came ...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I was sleeping when he woke me up with a kiss; saying “Good Morning, I have a bad news, Michael Jackson just died.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">He looked really sad. I didn’t want to burst his EMO bubble so I feigned I was also affected by the King of Pop’s early demise. He then said he was going off to cook lunch for us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I sat up so fast I thought I slipped a disc. This was the first time anybody I dated was actually going to cook something for dainty old me that wasn’t from a can rich in preservatives.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">“What are you going to cook?” I asked.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">He said “Do you like pasta?”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ok, this guy is my soulmate. I love pasta! Especially any type that has Pesto in it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I nodded and concentrated on keeping myself from drooling like a starved street dog.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">“Go back to sleep, I know you’re a sleepy-head. I’ll wake you up when lunch is ready, and I hope you like Pesto with grilled chicken breast on Angel Hair.” was what he said before closing his room’s door behind him.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Was he psychic? Or was he an alien who picked on my brains while I was asleep to get the info he needed? Whichever he was, I wasn’t able to sleep again because of the excitement. Out of the thousands of ways to cook pasta, why did he choose Pesto when fresh basil isn’t an easy find in the Philippines? Especially here in Olongapo! This is a sign from San Rio saying ... “MARRY HIM FOR MORE PESTO!!!”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Eating his pasta was like eating Ambrosia prepared by Aphrodite while in the dining halls of a Gay-Themed Olympus in gold and periwinkle curtains.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It was perfect!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It wasn’t just because he cooked it perfectly, but it was cooked for me! I felt like smothering him with pesto-cum-parmesan-kisses, but knew better not to, because his nanny, brother and friend (Ivory) were there.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I finished 3 hefty servings and retired back to Raymond’s room for a nap (yes, I do sleep a lot).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Before closing my eyes, it was then that Raymond said the words that would change everything around me. The words that would put back the colors on my sepia world. The words that would put back the myriad flavors of chocolate in my empty heart-shaped chocolate box. The words that I will remember coming from him for the rest of our lives (hopefully) together.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">He said “I Love You” and kissed me. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">.....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">... June 26, 2009 ... 2:47 P.M. ...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">.....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">... With the King of Pop’s death ...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">.....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">... came my new and wonderful life in Wonderland ....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">.....</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">====================</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">EPILOGUE: I know the end didn’t come with the “big bang” you were expecting (like a meteor falling down on Olongapo to annihilate us as we held each other tight and pledged our eternal love until the after-life). But, hey! Though I exaggerate things a bit and rearrange the chronological order of events to maintain the continuity of my work’s tempo - I still base MOST (like 97%) of what I write on what really happened. The text messages here, for example, are the real messages we’ve sent to each other. Thanks to iPhone’s threaded SMS, I still have all his texts and my replies. All of you know that I have written this blog to chronicle my life and my search around the globe for my “this is it”. It looks like it has been cut short as I feel that I have already found him. Don’t worry though, the blog won’t stop as long as all of you keep on reading and commenting on my posts. So wish us luck, because if not, I curse you with 7 years of bad luck.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;">(Next .... When you’ve just found the Love you’ve been looking for, how do you say goodbye?)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">(Header Pic: Love is Like a Heart-shaped-Box of Chocolates - made by no other than moi!)</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-5792712952478223922009-07-03T13:28:00.000-07:002009-08-04T09:59:03.944-07:00Love Found (Part 3 - Meeting The Friends)<a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDmMUmWFTzRI81VUdLLLKGr-3rRl_XGjYlwgCzfWQFWCGHCiMCXMWe4ckS_ONACzZnx1Py5ShsSvWg8jItASqSBuGwKItwnpBbMsCH2p0BugbCvLCsH6Dv8Z1JeE7HkQNr9iRolHLADs/s1600-h/142224__addams_family_l.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDmMUmWFTzRI81VUdLLLKGr-3rRl_XGjYlwgCzfWQFWCGHCiMCXMWe4ckS_ONACzZnx1Py5ShsSvWg8jItASqSBuGwKItwnpBbMsCH2p0BugbCvLCsH6Dv8Z1JeE7HkQNr9iRolHLADs/s400/142224__addams_family_l.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361013535206213522" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My decision?<br /><br />Honestly, I really didn’t know then whether I should go with Raymond to his house or not. Two mini-me’s appeared and argued as time stood still.<br /><br />ANGEL: Remember, you promised your dad you will go home today because it’s Father’s Day!<br /><br />DEVIL: Your dad is used to your breaking your promises. Raymond might be your “this is it”!<br /><br />ANGEL: If he is your “this is it!” then he would understand why you can’t join!<br /><br />DEMON: Remember you haven’t had sex for 9 days already?<br /><br />ANGEL: And remember you still have a boil on your left butt!<br /><br />DEVIL: If he’s your “this is it”, then he’ll understand.<br /><br />Ok that was it! I am old enough to make my own decisions and I don’t need to rely on imaginary counsels.<br /><br />I told Raymond I really wanted to join but I can’t. He looked at me with sad puppy eyes and he pouted his lips. I was about to join him again inside the tryke but thankfully, I was able to control myself. I bid my goodbye and turned my back and started to walk. I suddenly had this crazy urge to look back.<br /><br />DEVIL: “If you look back, it’s a give-away that you like him!”<br /><br />ANGEL: “That’s the point! Look back so that he knows you like him but you really can’t go to his place now!”<br /><br />I slowly and dramatically looked back and prepared to give my best “seductive yet innocent smile ever”, but the tryke was already gone.<br /><br />I tried not to text him as soon as I got to my room, but I failed. I told him that I enjoyed the night. He replied that he also enjoyed it and that he’d text me later that day because he was about to sleep already.<br /><br />When I woke up and checked my phone, he already had a text and he asked if I can go to his place that night. I said yes without hesitation and my day went on like usual ... as boring as a bowl of rice without toppings.<br /><br />When the night came and I was prepping, he texted me that I should go straight to his neighbor instead because his friend was having a birthday celebration.<br /><br />When I read the message, my heart went ballistic. For straight people, meeting the parents is the most stressful part of a budding relationship. To gay people, meeting your new partner’s friends is as stressful if not more stressful. Why?<br /><br />Most gay people treat their friends as their family. Most, if not all, out and closeted gays spend more time with their friends than their actual family. If you don't get along with your new partner’s friends, it’s usually a tell-tale sign that your relationship won’t last.<br /><br />This was the reason why when he told me that I was about to go to a party where I’ll be the odd gay out (pun obviously intended), I was thought of canceling the “meeting”. But the thing was, I really thought Raymond was special, so I went on ahead.<br /><br />Luckily, the night went on well. I still wasn’t supposed to drink any alcohol that time and MEL, the birthday girl, was so kind enough to tell me personally that I didn’t have to drink because Raymond already told them that I was on medication. When she told me this, my old counsels came back:<br /><br />ANGEL: Don’t drink! She already told you that they know you can’t drink!<br /><br />DEVIL: This is the first test! If you don’t drink, they’ll think you’re a party-pooper.<br /><br />“I’m all good, I think I can drink a bottle or two” was what I told MEL.<br /><br />It honestly felt weird being there as most of the people were straight. I’m so used to always being surrounded by gays (and gays who delude themselves of being bisexuals) that being in a straight crowd made me feel I’m back at work where I am a closet empress.<br /><br />Raymond’s friends were really nice to me. I also felt that Raymond’s friends love him as much as he loves them.<br /><br />The next day was my turn. Two of my “kids”, <a href="http://driedfish.blogspot.com/2009/06/on-beauty-wit-and-glamour.html">ROME</a> and BOOTS were celebrating their birthday. I thought then, that my 1st-tier circle of friends are a bit difficult so introducing him to my younger friends would be better. Suffice to say, everything went well and I think Raymond and his friend Baby enjoyed my friends’ company.<br /><br />After that was his turn again, but the pressure was still on as he was going to introduce me to his BFF (Best Friend Forever), IVORY. Now this girl was as intimidating as meeting a supermodel. She had a way of carrying herself that reminded me of Paris Hilton. She’s confident, beautiful, well-educated and articulate. Having one of the things I mentioned is already good, but this girl is the complete package.<br /><br />Being with her was like standing on a needle point and being asked to juggle 2 elephants and one over-weight giraffe. The good thing though, was she was really nice and I THINK she thought I was OK for her BFF. I knew then that if I had to impress two of Raymond’s friends, it would be IVORY (since she is Raymond’s BFF) and BABY because she was always with Raymond.<br /><br />The day came when I had to introduce him to my 1st-tier friends.<br /><br />I’d have to say that during “our days” in the Olongapo Gimick scene .. there was no scene when we weren’t there. It isn’t because we were all rich (my friends are, not me), but people say that we exude an intimidating presence that even bouncers would gladly kiss the earth we tread on.<br /><br />Most of them were not available, CASSEY, STAR and FRANCHESCA were in Manila. GWEN on the other hand, has been hiding in Laguna for 2 years now and nobody knows what has happened to him. HEART, was still in USA and won’t be in the Philippines for vacation ‘till I leave on the 9th of July.<br /><br />I wasn’t really planing on introducing Raymond to my 1st-tier friends just yet, but MULCH texted me that he was in Olongapo because he heard that I was about to leave the Philippines soon and he wanted to see me before I go .... and my new partner.<br /><br />This scared the shit out of me.<br /><br />Of all my friends, MULCH is basically the most unpredictable. His mood swings are so fast that you’ll never know if he would slap you in the face as soon as he’s done laughing his heart out. Aside from this, he can be considered as a sadist. He believes in the saying “Truth Hurts” and he doesn’t shy away from hurting people. He’ll tell you the truth whether you like to hear it or not. That’s why a lot of people don’t get him, and when they don’t get him .... well ... they don’t like him. And there lies the problem, MULCH doesn’t care whether people like him or not.<br /><br />I really was considering to send him a rain check when KIARA confirmed that he was also coming. That lightened my burden of “MULCH might gut Raymond on the Spot” a little.<br /><br />In our group, KIARA has always been the most supportive. He doesn’t speak much, though when he does, you better listen because it would be something really important. KIARA is the type who’ll listen to whatever you have to say, and if he doesn’t like it, will wait for the proper time to tell you in a very gentle manner what he thinks. He also has this calming presence (kinda like Jasper in Meyer’s Twilight). This fact made me confident that somebody will be able stop MULCH if he goes into a Super-Biatch-Rampage.<br /><br />When we got to our meeting place, the first thing I asked MULCH was not to give Raymond a difficult time. What he said shocked me:<br /><br />MULCH: I don’t think so. I think I’ll be a little harsh on your date for a change.<br /><br />ME: Huh? Why are you going to do that? When you guys have a date or in a relationship, I have always been short of bringing pompoms to show my support.<br /><br />MULCH: Look, your last relationship sucked big time and you got hurt. We were supportive with your last one who turned out to be a disaster for you. This time, I’ll try to do the interrogation since you always forget to investigate who you're dating. You might already be dating a psycho-killer and you’ll never notice.<br /><br />... I looked at Kiara for some back-up but he was busy with choosing a song to sing from the song book.<br /><br />When Raymond and Baby came, the disaster followed them.<br /><br />Mulch only waited 5 minutes after Raymond and Baby had taken their seats when he started bludgeoning him with questions. Raymond looked like a deer caught in Optimus-Prime’s headlights. I tried diverting the topic but Mulch kept on going like he was on an Eveready battery marinated in RedBull.<br /><br />Magic happened when KIARA started singing. Mulch suddenly stopped asking questions and looked at the videoke monitor. I think he found it difficult to decide which was more important - singing or harassing my date.<br /><br />Lady Luck smiled upon me as Mulch decided singing “I'm Yours” by Jason Mraz was more important than asking Raymond what was his GPA during his last year in College.<br /><br />The night went on pretty well as Mulch softened up and showed that he liked Raymond and Baby. They were enjoying so much, in fact, that I even had to make a scene so that we could leave. I wanted to go home as it was already 7 in the morning and we were still in a bar drinking. Raymond, Baby and I went ahead as Kiara and Mulch stayed in the Videoka bar with all it's couch-bugs and mosquitoes.<br /><br />I thought then that Raymond really is special. He has put up with my already difficult friend trying to be even more difficult. Aside from that, I like his friends and they have been really kind to me.<br /><br />It was then I decided I didn’t want to hold back anymore. I have wanted to tell him this right after our 3rd date, but I didn’t want to be the first one to say it as I might not get the reply I wanted to.<br /><br />I crossed myself and typed away ...<br /><br />I texted Raymond: “I love you.”<br /><br />It felt like forever until my phone beeped that I had a message.<br /><br />My ear-to-ear smile evaporated into oblivion.<br /><br />His reply wasn’t the one I was expecting ....<br /><br />.....<br /><br />.....<br /><br />......<br /><br />(To be concluded.)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;">(Rome and Boots' Birthday with "my kids")<br /></div><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjrX_vK5JjPuJX_PEW0OA4UFu2DXYhJrCIH-Lt1LZ3cuU0XTRNveBpKOZozrqg8EboeuUEp1QUKVC5xDv2kt-KMWQp9GC0I14qkip0nZmGCW7OCYQ6_xIz8HymZud8_PaRI2Mbv_7CaY/s1600-h/bday.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjrX_vK5JjPuJX_PEW0OA4UFu2DXYhJrCIH-Lt1LZ3cuU0XTRNveBpKOZozrqg8EboeuUEp1QUKVC5xDv2kt-KMWQp9GC0I14qkip0nZmGCW7OCYQ6_xIz8HymZud8_PaRI2Mbv_7CaY/s400/bday.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361013388362625250" border="0" /></a>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-34277078793635534052009-07-02T13:34:00.000-07:002009-08-04T09:57:37.098-07:00Love Found (Part 2 - Down the Rabbit Hole)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtd9ddNvYwWHLdD3ZZSnTO63bYrrpxT7R1SqP78-QbhnOytx15ZwR2BR2MudIUvOWELiLnVRqn7jDJct7FN-Weo9U8czACf4rHoyI04Sk6I9npGLbZc-D50HVOae4FXZxDezENGVZzP0/s1600-h/Alice_Returns_7web.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtd9ddNvYwWHLdD3ZZSnTO63bYrrpxT7R1SqP78-QbhnOytx15ZwR2BR2MudIUvOWELiLnVRqn7jDJct7FN-Weo9U8czACf4rHoyI04Sk6I9npGLbZc-D50HVOae4FXZxDezENGVZzP0/s400/Alice_Returns_7web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359533888248343986" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When my long-time crush started to talk to me, I felt like I was the one being applauded at by the audience.<br /><br />How can a flimsy, short, big-nosed, tactless, fugly (fucking ugly) and pathetic person like me end up on a date with this uber-hot guy? I tried to recall if I’ve made a bet on the “Date A Hot Guy” lottery, but I was pretty sure I didn’t.<br /><br />I snapped back to reality when my long-time-crush, Raymond, asked what I wanted to do. I asked him if it were OK if he joined me and my friends at our table.<br /><br />I thought I should say something like “It’s OK, I understand if you want to go back to your friends. It was really nice meeting you and I hope you live a good life and please read my blog when I wallow in self-pity by your instantaneously dumping me at first sight.”<br /><br />Before the air from my diaphragm was able to reach my voice box for me to enunciate what I was thinking, he said “OK, lets go to your table then.”<br /><br />My soul was doing a round-off, double back-hand-spring, full twisting lay-out to a double toe-touch when he followed me to our table. I was kind of expecting him to make a run for the nearest exit as soon as I turned my back, but he didn’t. He actually sat beside me.<br /><br />When we got there, Pipes was already with his date at another table. Raymond and I joined Dage and his Mark Herras look-alike workmate.<br /><br />Our conversation went really smooth. After a few minutes of the usual gay-getting-to-know-another-gay conversation, it was then that he told me that even before I messaged him in PlanteRomeo a week before that fateful meeting, we have been chatting with one another 2 years before.<br /><br />He said that we used to chat often and we scheduled to meet at SBMA’s Sibil (may that bar rest in peace). He said that I stood him up, so every time he saw me online or anywhere in Olongapo for that matter, he didn’t bother talking to me since he thought that I did an O-WEB on him.<br /><br />For those not in the know, O-WEB stands for One-Way Eye-Ball. It’s like this ... O-WEB happens when one person schedules to meet another person and hides behind a Kalachuchi tree as the person checks-out the lamentable date. If that person behind the Kalachuchi tree doesn’t like what he/she sees, that person texts the looser date that he/she can’t come because a comet hit him/her while parking Wonderwoman’s Invisible Jet.<br /><br />Basically, Raymond thought I saw him, didn’t like him, and just made some petty excuse to cancel the date.<br /><br />I asked him “How did I cancel our date from 2 years ago?”<br /><br />Raymond: “You said you were really drunk and can’t go to where I was.”<br /><br />Me: “Where were you at that time?”<br /><br />Raymond: “Parking lot of Sibil.”<br /><br />Me: “Where was I?”<br /><br />Raymond: “You were inside SIbil.”<br /><br />Ok, that conversation went really weird. I was pretty sure that he got the story all wrong because:<br /><br /></span><ol><li><span style="font-family:verdana;"> It was highly improbable that I will be too drunk to walk 30 steps to meet a person. If I were really drunk, I wouldn’t have been able to text him in the first place. Some people look for fights when they get drunk. Some look for a quick way to get laid. I, on the other hand, am part of the population who fall into a catatonic stupor when drunk (known to most as falling asleep).</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;"> I don’t like being stood up so I never do it to another person unless that person is Frankenstein. I’ve already had several blind dates where I wished I were blind to spare myself from the ghastly sight. But I’ve never stood a person up. When I really can’t stand my blind date, I usually spend at least 30 minutes with them before I get an emergency call from She-Ra asking me to save Gay-skull.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:verdana;"> For somebody who looks like Raymond, I don’t think I would have passed the opportunity of rubbing my rough elbows to his smooth ones.</span></li></ol><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />That got me thinking, maybe I did stood him up 2 years ago because he was attractive. Honestly, I am more comfortable dating people who aren’t that good-looking. I am very insecure and paranoid. All my close friends know that. One of them even suggested that I talk to a psychologist because my insecurities and paranoia are miles away from the border to Normal-ville.<br /><br />Whether gays accept his or not, what I’m going to say is a fact: That when there is a gay couple, other gays around them readily pick who is the “Better Looking” of the two. Maybe 2 years ago, when I was supposed to meet Raymond, I though I wasn’t ready to be “the ugly one” of the two gays on a date.<br /><br />I was about to say sorry to Raymond when he changed the topic. The night went on rather without a hitch, and he spared me from making up any stupid excuses for a thing I did to him 2 years ago.<br /><br />We had more drinks until Jax closed. On my side, Dage’s date (the Mark Herras look-alike), and PIPES went home. On Raymond’s side, NICKY (his beautiful transie friend) left for a gay bar. Raymond, Dage, BABY (Raymond’s girl friend) and I, went to look for an open bar. We finally decided to go to No Name, a low-class videoke joint, to sing our hearts out. They continued to drink more beers while I continued gulping down some more pineapple juice.<br /><br />At around 6 in the morning, we decided it was time to go home. Dage went on ahead while Raymond and Baby grabbed a tryke (yes, we don’t have cabs roaming freely around Olongapo, so our cabs are trykes). I told him I was going to ride the jeep instead but he insisted that I join them since our homes were just 15 blocks apart.<br /><br />While on the tryke, Raymond started getting sick. I tried to ask the driver to stop but Raymond insisted that we don’t. I thought then that “This guy is bitchy.” But the thing was, instead of getting irritated, I found it cute. After some more drama on our way home because of Raymond getting sick with the tryke’s motion, we finally were at my block.<br /><br />I asked the driver to stop the tryke,<br /><br />Raymond said no.<br /><br />I said in a more firm voice “Please stop the tryke.”<br /><br />The driver stopped the tryke rather abruptly. BABY, who was sitting behind the driver all the while, held on for her dear life and her crock-skin Gucci bag.<br /><br />I thought at that moment that Raymond might have been expecting me to sleep over at his place. Should I give him my 9-day old virginity? ... Oh F*ck ... I still had a boil on my perfectly shaped left butt.<br /><br />Raymond: “Stay with me for the night please!”<br /><br />ME: “I can’t. I have to go home!” (Because my butt hurts from the boil that I have).<br /><br />Raymond: “Come on, you can go home any time you want. Just stay with me for a while please.”<br /><br />Me: “I really can’t. I have to go home because it’s father’s day!” (and my boil really hurts).<br /><br />Raymond looked like he was going to bust into an all-out tantrum that World War II would envy.<br /><br />He started to do a count down.<br /><br />Raymond: “5”<br /><br />Me: “I Really can’t I’m sorry”<br /><br />Raymond: “4”<br /><br />Me: “Can I just sleep over your place tomorrow?”<br /><br />Raymond: “3”<br /><br />Me: “Ok, I’ll go to your place later, I’ll just greet my dad, sleep a little, then go to your place.”<br /><br />Raymond: “2”<br /><br />I ran out of things to say because of the pressure. This beats being a contestant at Eat Bulaga for a 1,000 PHP cash prize.<br /><br />Raymond: “... so are you going to join us or not?”<br /><br />....<br /><br />....<br /><br />and I made my decision.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">(Obviously, to be continued again. Header pic form <a href="http://www.husvar.com/2008/03/alice-goes-down-rabbit-hole.html">Hus Var Blog</a>)<br /><br /></span>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-3079156513088209852009-07-01T15:16:00.000-07:002009-07-21T14:01:41.243-07:00Love Found (Part 1 - The Meeting)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKouncSht-Rh_7q70A8pSzatG4jOCHdxx6e69Xoa_iYEqPPwI7W6XfLfjnf48PNaSVfejEN1QiZuXPewLNHJWhvyoPfUIrVelpjus5WCOSnsiOhTXEh5moRHl9i3wZ6itAWPFOQYcWlk0/s1600-h/Richard.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKouncSht-Rh_7q70A8pSzatG4jOCHdxx6e69Xoa_iYEqPPwI7W6XfLfjnf48PNaSVfejEN1QiZuXPewLNHJWhvyoPfUIrVelpjus5WCOSnsiOhTXEh5moRHl9i3wZ6itAWPFOQYcWlk0/s400/Richard.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358073242924082354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />I’ve been wanting to blog about this for quite some time already, but the thing is, I’m afraid I’ll just jinx the good things that are happening to me right now. Since I’m a gossip monger, I’ll explode unless all of you know about this - So I’ll just go on ahead and blog about it.<br /><br />I was supposed to meet up with DOC SIO for a date, but he said he couldn’t make it because he wasn’t feeling well. I asked him if it were alright if I’d just invite another person for a date. He said yes, so I looked at the last “non-friend/family” who texted me and I got the winner of “Lets go on a date with Driedfish whether you like it or not” contest.<br /><br />I texted RAYMOND and asked him if he were busy. He said no, and that we can meet up in Jax (a comedy bar in Olongapo). There was a show there by a group called Gwadings (Gwapong Bading or Good-looking Gays). I wanted to watch the show since I HEARD they were really good-looking. Raymond, on the other hand, had tickets for the show that were given to him by a friend so it was a serendipitous match. Who is Raymond?<br /><br />Most gay people use their Penis as the barometer whether they ought to message a person or not in PlanetRomeo (former G4M - the gay friendster). When they look at a person’s profile pic and get an erection, it was a sure sign that they were soulmates. Well, as you may now know - I’m not like most people. I usually look at the pic, IF I like what I see, I proceed to reading everything on his profile. Afterwards, I pray to the patron saint of Filipino gays, San Rio, for the person to message me. If that person didn’t message me after my novena, it was a sign from San Rio that we’re not compatible.<br /><br />Raymond’s pic caught my attention because he was half-naked on top of his bed with a pillow on his face. I first thought it was kinky and I wanted to see more; but his page didn’t have any other pic for me to ogle at, so I began to read his profile. To cut the crap short, I loved his profile because of his flawless English grammar (unlike mine), dry wit, and a no-nonesense portrayal of himself. I then mused - “This guy should message me”.<br /><br />I prayed for 4 straight hours and nothing happened. My facebook buddies were all asleep and I was already getting a bit dreary with Mafia Wars and Restaurant City so I thought I might as well message this guy! A thought bubble came up saying “Don’t worry if he rejects you. You should have gotten used to that by now.”<br /><br />I messaged him “I love your profile, the last part reminds me of Savage Garden’s Affirmation though.” He messaged me back with “You caught me there hehehe So how are you doing?” and we started messaging in PR from then on, and started texting some time after that.<br /><br />Back to Jax. I spent the first 2 hours with my friends PIPES and DAGE (plus his good-looking, but straight, workmate). We were starting to get bored when I saw my long-time crush enter the door.<br /><br />I’ve been seeing this guy around Olongapo’s gimmick scene for the past couple of years but we never got introduced because I don’t know any of his friends. My long-time crush sat by the bar with two of his buddies.<br /><br />There I was waiting for my blind date to arrive and I was already cheating on him by imagining my crush, walking 6 tables away just to ask for a lighter (and ultimately, my phone number). How pathetic can I get .... right?<br /><br />My phone alerted me that I had a message. It read “I’m here by the bar already. I’m a bit shy so I can’t go near you and your friends. Can we meet by the comfort room?”<br /><br />I surveyed the bar.<br /><br />Aside from my crush and his friends, the others seated by the bar were Senior Gay Citizens and some of the performers who were on their break with their respective clout. I saw my crush stand-up and leave. Wishing he stayed because he’s the only one worth looking at by the bar, I tried to busy myself with drinking my pineapple juice (yes, I still had a butt-boil by this time so I still couldn’t drink any alcoholic beverage).<br /><br />I was trying to figure out who my date was from the psychedelic collection of gays and girls in the bar when I got a text that read “I’m here in the CR already. Are you coming?”<br /><br />So that’s why I couldn’t find him ... he already left the bar! I realized I still had hope of my date NOT being either a Senior Gay Citizen or a Comedy Bar Act.<br /><br />I then stood up, told my friends I’ll just meet up with my blind date and headed for the John.<br /><br />When I got to the drape that covered the CR’s entrance, two straight guys were right outside who obviously had too much to drink. I went inside to save myself from discomfort.<br /><br />When I got in, I saw my crush taking a pee. I turned back and went outside again because he might think I was stalking him. I honestly believe that it is better to get bashed by straight people you don’t know rather than get beaten-up by your long-time crush.<br /><br />I was about to text my blind date to ask where he was when the John’s drape opened.<br /><br />My long-time crush walked to me ..<br /><br />... he smiled ...<br /><br />... I trembled a bit ...<br /><br />... he asked ...<br /><br />...“So how are you doing?”<br /><br />... and I heard the audience’s applause as the Gwadings were taking their curtsy after singing Beyonce’s Single Ladies ...<br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(... to be continued really soon, as in after a day)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-84133016342633699932009-06-30T08:54:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:21:39.513-07:00On Beauty, Wit and Glamour ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-sZ548jhSbUXu20N7ZduWTZ9RnprlY8jNZvNTIdybBnaa1h0s7fFwYH7RmJ1cLuJQTzNsutbhWNP8TthZx6vjIIJ-hXlPPe6FTURih9o2NAN8zPvsHzfkSCfvnIHfnMQ0-8ZZT5cPK4/s1600-h/IMG_0064.JPG" style="text-decoration: none; font-family: verdana;"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-sZ548jhSbUXu20N7ZduWTZ9RnprlY8jNZvNTIdybBnaa1h0s7fFwYH7RmJ1cLuJQTzNsutbhWNP8TthZx6vjIIJ-hXlPPe6FTURih9o2NAN8zPvsHzfkSCfvnIHfnMQ0-8ZZT5cPK4/s400/IMG_0064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351672796309226034" border="0" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></a><div style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;">If there’s one thing (aside from the penis) that is common to all Filipino gays, it’d be this: PAGEANTS.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">All Filipino gays either:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> * Have joined a gay beauty pageant.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> * Have dreamed of joining a gay beauty pageant.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> * Have watched a gay beauty pageant.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> * or detests gay beauty pageants because they think it’s beneath them (but in reality, they just want to join one but know they couldn’t possible pass as “beautiful”)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I’ve only experienced joining a beauty pageant once - when I was in 2nd year college. I used to study in an all “boys” school from my second to tertiary education. Our gay alumni had formed an under-ground gay beauty contest called “Lion Queen”. There were 14 “out” gays in our batch (and heaven knows how many were closet cases). We decided to hold a mini-pageant so that the winner and the 1st runner up will represent our batch. We thought that if we did not have an official pageant, a lot of our batch-mates will join. If this happened, support will be scattered, ergo, we will have lesser chances of winning. With our pooled creativity, we named our mini-pageant ... “Lion Princess”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We invited our straight friends and headed to a resort in Laguna to hold our event. I thought then that the pageant we were going to have wasn’t going to be serious so I went there not being so prepared. When I got to the resort, I was astounded with the fact that all of my friends had wigs, gowns, a couple of shoes, and tons of make-up. Two of them even brought their personal make-up artists, whereas I, only had a pair of bra, a pair of shoes, and a run-down pair of stockings.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I told them I wasn’t going to join anymore. They insisted that I should and they’ll supply the things I needed. I thought - “what the hell, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing” so I went ahead. Since I didn’t have a gown, and my friends did not have any spare, I used a plastic wrap (yes, the same one you put in your food containers so that your food does not spoil). I wrapped the plastic around me splattered glitters all over, and voila! .... I had a couture gown. Luckily, I made it to top 5.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When it came to the Q&A, I heard the questions given to my friends were a walk in the park. They got questions like: “If you were to talk with the Pope about homosexuality, what will you tell him?” or “How did you tell your parents you were gay?”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When it was my turn, the judge (a gay beauty contest expert from UST) asked me:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">“If you were a cockroach, what would you do to help humanity?”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I though I just didn’t hear him correctly so I asked him to repeat the question for me. Surprisingly, what I thought I heard was really what he said. I thought he was joking so I asked if he were serious. He said yes. I faked a laugh then answered:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">“If I were a cockroach, I’d ask all my cockroach friends to eat all the non-biodegradable garbage in our planet to save the world. Thank you.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Because of my perfect answer, I landed 3rd runner-up (I failed big time from my judge because he said he wanted me to commit suicide as a cockroach). Suffice to say, my loss was our batch’s gain. Our representative bagged the Lion Queen title.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Back to the present ...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">3 days ago, I got a txt message from my “kids” saying that two of them were going to join a gay pageant in a far-flung part of Zambales. I haven’t watched any gay pageants for quite some time already so I joined them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Going there was like hell. We rode a bus that didn’t have an air-conditioning system. Thanks to the tropical storm Feria, it was hot, humid and stinky inside the omnibus because all the windows were closed. The bus was also full so we had to stand up for our dear lives for an hour and a half.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When we arrived in Cabanggan Zambales, we thought the pageant was in the town’s plaza. Our friends who went ahead of us texted that we had to ride a tricycle going to San Juan. When we got there, we had an inkling that it was going to be a disaster.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The t-ramp where the contestants were supposed to walk on looked haphazardly done. There was a temporary roof built to cover the “VIP Guest area” but the strange thing was, the part where the t-ramp is located didn’t have any roof (the middle part of the roof was missing).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My friends invited me to go to the “Green Room” where all the contestants were prepping. It was my 1st time to ever get a backstage experience on a real gay beauty pageant. The place reeked of sweat, make-up, smoke and hair spray. The good thing though was that the gays who were there to compete were friendly and everybody seemed to be happy.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The pageant went on and these are the most memorable quotes I heard ...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Contestant Number 7, Winner of Darling of The Crowd Award on his introduction:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> * “Nagmula sa langit, bumagsak sa lupa, basag ang mukha. Narito po sa inyong harapan ang magpapatibok sa inyong mga puso, BABY Gandang Hari.” (From the heavens, I fell down to earth and smashed my face. In front of you is the person who would make your hearts beat, BABY Gandanghari).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Contestant Number 7, Winner of Darling of The Crowd Award on his casual interview:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> * Q: “Do you think you are beautiful?” A: “Alam ko po na pangit ako. Pero sa loob ko po maganda YATA ako.” (A: I know that I am ugly. But I MIGHT be beautiful inside.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Contestant Number 1, on his introduction, before backing out from the competition:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> * “Sabihin n’yo nang ako ay baklang batu-bato. Sabihin n’yo nang hindi ako kasing ganda ng nanay n’yo, o kasing talino ng mga ate n’yo. Pero mag ingat kayo, dahil baka natikman ko na ang tatay n’yo.” (Tell me I’m a muscular transie. Tell me I;m not as beautiful as your moms nor as intelligent as your sisters. But beware, I might already have had sex with you fathers.)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">There were a lot more but since it was raining during the pageant, I was concentrating on holding my umbrella so as not to get wet rather than listening to the crappy answers to the judges’ crappy questions. Aside from this, my ears went into total shut down as soon as I heard some of the contestants resorting to using quotes to make themselves the laughing stock of the audience just to muster some extra points from being the crowd favorite.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Like any other gay pageant, there was politics involved. All the special awards were given to the “local” contestants. My friends went home empty handed, even though they were the only two contestants from the top 5 who answered in passable English.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">While waiting for the Hell Bus to bring us back home at around 4 in the morning, I started to think:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Why do FIlipino Gays love joining gay beauty pageants? If they joined the pageant to showcase their beauty, wit and glamor - then why do most of them resort to making themselves the comic relief of the audience by saying things that make them look stupid? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When will they realize that unless they take these things seriously, gays and transexuals who join these types of pageants will forever be seen by the public as mere jokes? Unless they do, people who watch the pageants will not see them as they are, inside and out - beautiful, witty and glamorous.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Some pictures from the event:</span><br /></div><br /><div style="font-family:verdana;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-sZ548jhSbUXu20N7ZduWTZ9RnprlY8jNZvNTIdybBnaa1h0s7fFwYH7RmJ1cLuJQTzNsutbhWNP8TthZx6vjIIJ-hXlPPe6FTURih9o2NAN8zPvsHzfkSCfvnIHfnMQ0-8ZZT5cPK4/s1600-h/IMG_0064.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></span></a></div></span></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIMl_Z2cwsoh0h8q0MnyzTIE96bYeYtt0VxltXG79wCqHoKjZyOeiBgVYRR49sKtye-sit01u9uJ4tpZSLtYDaLf3tzI2GIIZI6Hal6ehJRFrniMkUTmFy0-QeCJQFU5gbrfrb-3fezg/s1600-h/IMG_0060.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIMl_Z2cwsoh0h8q0MnyzTIE96bYeYtt0VxltXG79wCqHoKjZyOeiBgVYRR49sKtye-sit01u9uJ4tpZSLtYDaLf3tzI2GIIZI6Hal6ehJRFrniMkUTmFy0-QeCJQFU5gbrfrb-3fezg/s320/IMG_0060.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351672464061164754" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Rome (A.K.A. Rhian Ramos)</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNat3-tIIy_3Pjav4oJiQMNt1LxmBRns1pj3nq7qdO699f9ZLaFX_Xbulzx-MZuzIxqzMGJGC9FCoaxNb3sN0hYSWBn7QcuaJ8zpFuqmcnj_WusyHOTwKAedNKLj_IxG8s5cW8iWErSs/s1600-h/IMG_0061.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNat3-tIIy_3Pjav4oJiQMNt1LxmBRns1pj3nq7qdO699f9ZLaFX_Xbulzx-MZuzIxqzMGJGC9FCoaxNb3sN0hYSWBn7QcuaJ8zpFuqmcnj_WusyHOTwKAedNKLj_IxG8s5cW8iWErSs/s320/IMG_0061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351672328221234370" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Mona (A.K.A. Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez)</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqVmwZDSw4ONDW9h7mZkta5ZvhxfnMUpu2OeE7kcvCKBGo2AAqnuZWVeZTGjnhAt_NwInq6KdHymR_Qfy7oeBI99LzZsEvW5lwgQMwaRCI7nJIhoyqMUENdjn4lALrImerHW10kHrT_k/s1600-h/IMG_0062.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqVmwZDSw4ONDW9h7mZkta5ZvhxfnMUpu2OeE7kcvCKBGo2AAqnuZWVeZTGjnhAt_NwInq6KdHymR_Qfy7oeBI99LzZsEvW5lwgQMwaRCI7nJIhoyqMUENdjn4lALrImerHW10kHrT_k/s320/IMG_0062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351672117243373682" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Rome and Mona in their "Creative Costume"</span></div></div><br /></div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-78138738396954507552009-06-29T05:34:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:21:13.498-07:00A Filipina Bashing Filipinos Because She Doesn't Know How An ATM Works<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FojatKiDgsyR8jTKLVMLPJee0vHZPXWDmQgK8CB_atwTLhkEqqIDtw5lugrHiB9AgRy6dUxElhfr0pSKc-p8P3SEu3RUT7zsatlK9xPc0qjiimsXDRWn04JBeq3c0KV7-z_hX-hILHs/s1600-h/Angry_by_Tarelkin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FojatKiDgsyR8jTKLVMLPJee0vHZPXWDmQgK8CB_atwTLhkEqqIDtw5lugrHiB9AgRy6dUxElhfr0pSKc-p8P3SEu3RUT7zsatlK9xPc0qjiimsXDRWn04JBeq3c0KV7-z_hX-hILHs/s400/Angry_by_Tarelkin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352769701077962578" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Who said being a call center agent is all fun and games? ... this is, allegedly, a recorded conversation from a very irate customer ... This girl is effin crazy ... I thought it was funny at first but as the conversation progressed, i felt like I effin wanna slit this woman's throat using a spoon ...</span> <center style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><object height="285" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fjJ749QR-6c&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fjJ749QR-6c&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="285" width="340"></embed></object><br /></center> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Here is the "alleged" girl, belting out in public ... quotable quote? ... "lupa lang kayo, kalaban n'yo langit na!" (You are all just dirt, you're all fighting against heaven!)</span> <center style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><object height="269" width="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UwP3lvRu1YE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UwP3lvRu1YE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="269" width="350"></embed></object><br /><br />Hearder Art: Angry by Tarelkin over deviantart.com<br /></center><br /><br /><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-43321383792627423422009-06-21T22:22:00.000-07:002009-09-01T10:20:56.048-07:00AAA: Abscess, Abstinence and Alcohol<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKS63l9nHWzeNscKPgr0HzEROuglAcN4hpofo30-D3pc5x-AyTWKK1rQxrFWOqtdyjExL-7s6bCvwde9WDc0ZxpIq_v4e3vlRBODtr96TfWWdaLu3Qm9GYOCrrUZh3PD-VCVrz7hgU-Q/s1600-h/Glassical_Emotions__Drunk_by_DonBertone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKS63l9nHWzeNscKPgr0HzEROuglAcN4hpofo30-D3pc5x-AyTWKK1rQxrFWOqtdyjExL-7s6bCvwde9WDc0ZxpIq_v4e3vlRBODtr96TfWWdaLu3Qm9GYOCrrUZh3PD-VCVrz7hgU-Q/s320/Glassical_Emotions__Drunk_by_DonBertone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350020215792450162" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;">NOTE: Some parts (especially the start) is a tad disgusting. So if you have a weak stomach, please don't read ahead. I know most people who blog about their lives try to always paint a pretty picture of themselves. But as I said in <a href="http://driedfish.blogspot.com/2009/05/start-of-my-immortality.html">my first post</a>, this is about my life and it won't be complete if I skipped the nasty parts. So here it is ....</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;">Being a good bottom that I am, I have read the "Good Gay Bottom Handbook" and always follow the third rule - Thou shall shave your behind before a bed bout.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;">The thing is, the last time I shaved, I was in such a hurry that I accidentally cut myself and didn't bother putting any antiseptics. A couple of days after, the cut got infected and it started to become tender and extremely excruciating.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">It grew into an abscess and I hurriedly called one of my best RN friends, STAR. Star came to the rescue, armed with his arsenal of gauze, syringe, gloves, and other stuff I don't even know about. He tried to lance and drain the infection from the abscess. It felt so harsh that it was like being bottomed by 2 gargantuan basketball teams - all at the same time.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">After lancing, Star told me he wasn't sure if he was able to remove all the infection so we called up our doctor friend - DOC SIO. Sio asked the details which I gave reluctantly. He then told me which anti-biotic to buy, and drink it every 6 hours for 7 days. Since SIO knew I drank a lot, he specifically told me to "Stay away from alcohol while you're on medication! And another important thing - stay away from alcohol while you're on medication!"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I felt like the infection in my behind moved to my throat and I found it difficult to swallow. 7 days of "No Alcohol"??? I mean, since my infection got worse, I already abstained from alcohol for 2 days before STAR arrived to lance my perfectly shaped butt. So DOC SIO was actually asking me 9 days of staying away from the poison that I love (aside from cigarettes).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">OK, this skin abscess was really bugging me:</span></div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">It effin hurts like hell when the abscess gets even the slightest of pressure. So I've been basically spending the whole week sitting on one butt-cheek.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I haven't had s*x because of it, and it looks like I won't be having any for the next 9 days.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I won't be able to drink.</span></li></ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">Being disappointed by the 1st two reasons is normal I guess. But when I thought about the 3rd, it got me thinking ...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">Since I got back here in the Philippines for vacation last May, I've been drinking everyday. Okay, thats a bit of an exaggeration - I skipped 3 days.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I know most people who suffer from substance abuse are in denial, and will pulverize a friend into oblivion even if they politely say that one is an addict. But how do I know that I really am not an alcoholic? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I've refrained from alcohol (and sex) for 7 days now. I haven't had any seizures nor any bloodlust so I guess am not really craving for it. But the mere fact that I have been drinking daily and never realized it until I got sick ... is that a good sign that I am an addict??</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">The moral of the story? ... WAX, DON'T SHAVE!!! .. If you do not want to abstain from the things that you love, make sure you don't get sick!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">Seriously though, 2 more days and I'll be off the meds. I can finally go back to drinking. Or should I???</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(Header Pic: Glassical Emotions Series - "Drunk" by DonBertone of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">deviantart.com)</span></span></div></div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-61642856297402500872009-06-17T19:42:00.000-07:002009-06-17T20:10:03.697-07:00iPhone OS 3 - Solution for FIlipino MAC Users Who Can't Restore after the Update (iTunes Error -9807)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkTlQUdBHin9KJmFYBDhLuDBnW2WhpDzntS4n9utDq5Oh4lAOji4wRaHKfJX-Rpp7CHsna4cr6Z4u5MEXPvtRlgXb72jPYQCJMUXPtwZOiNBMqplytL4lDyLeUbXeUxcKK8pbGTu2INM/s1600-h/search.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkTlQUdBHin9KJmFYBDhLuDBnW2WhpDzntS4n9utDq5Oh4lAOji4wRaHKfJX-Rpp7CHsna4cr6Z4u5MEXPvtRlgXb72jPYQCJMUXPtwZOiNBMqplytL4lDyLeUbXeUxcKK8pbGTu2INM/s320/search.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348495083599034018" /></a><div>After it was announced about 2 months ago via the Apple website, I've been one of the people counting the days until the release of the iPhone's OS 3 upgrade. I waited until dawn today to download and install the upgrade.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the OS was installed, the phone restarted and I kept on receiving an error message to this effect:</div><div><br /></div><div>"Problem connecting to iTunes Store -9807 "</div><div><br /></div><div>I've tried refreshing and refreshing the connection to no avail. So I googled it up and also tried the following solutions which all DID NOT work:</div><div><ol><li>Going to UDF mode and trying to restore the iPhone in both 2.2.1 or 3.0 version.</li><li>Creating a New iTunes Account to sync my "bricked" phone.</li><li>Flushing my Keychain.</li></ol><div>Please note that I am using an iPhone 3G (from Globe Telecoms, Not Jailbroken, No Illegal Aps) and a Macbook, so this procedure will not work for PC Users. After lots of research and "testing", this is what worked for me:</div><div><ol><li>Disable your LITTLE SNITCH including the LITTLE SNITCH NETWORK MONITOR.</li><li>Disable your Antivirus, whichever it is, including it's monitoring capabilities.</li><li>Restart you Mac.</li><li>Run your iTunes again ... and voila! Your syncing continues.</li></ol>I haven't gotten around to playing with the OS 3 features yet so I can't say anything about it's quirks. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope this helped.</div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-70218126257915699422009-06-14T02:53:00.000-07:002009-06-15T05:46:58.950-07:00Nobody by Wonder Girls, The next Pinoy Gay Anthem<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIVwYx9ARzqYNEkaJfzm8R-lwTLc3SGwgSQjc2vaIAvxrYklqwAJ1W0va8NYKfPzpDobwCUjux5F7VVL8hqVKm3myLv8vqsCMBd6ilrrm8j8CIzsBw4O4i5YOVlxcBE7dTzWYHPFkNbk/s1600-h/51-OiD0lx3L._SS500_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIVwYx9ARzqYNEkaJfzm8R-lwTLc3SGwgSQjc2vaIAvxrYklqwAJ1W0va8NYKfPzpDobwCUjux5F7VVL8hqVKm3myLv8vqsCMBd6ilrrm8j8CIzsBw4O4i5YOVlxcBE7dTzWYHPFkNbk/s320/51-OiD0lx3L._SS500_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347436815457564866" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I honestly believe that this song will be the next Pinoy Gay Anthem. Why?</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The track reminds me of Uttada Hikaru's Soul Train Review. We all know that Uttada is like Asia's Madonna.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Though you can't understand most of what the song says, the melody's hook is so girlie and once you hear it, your pelvis will automatically start gyrating on it's own accord.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The music video and their live performances (see video clip below) have been nicely choreographed. The concept of having an upbeat pop interpreted via "mic-works" is so gay. I bet most gays who'd see the video below will look for the nearest mic stand to mimic the girls clapping their hands, shimmying their shoulders and gyrating their hips.</span></li></ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The song was released in South Korea by the girl group </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Girls"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Wonder Girls</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> ... Wonder Girls ... how can a name get even more gay??? ....</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Here it goes .... Nobody by the Wonder Girls ....</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, fantasy;"><br /></span></div><center><br /><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qFjP-OJ7Bh4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qFjP-OJ7Bh4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object></center><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, -webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-80488688980330358692009-06-13T23:54:00.000-07:002009-07-21T14:10:50.661-07:00Love Confounded<a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw8Rtjou2CB-JMOqIC_jV_Ao2QMPS4K2JN8dRIsoqV9P8XRZqWN6rJHjbXgC9WOB0Eg0E6VnxhpZO10xBGOTv_QsQTWJIUhGkx3MdtIC5E7_ynsWgu5rDxetd5e1YuTUS7xh8dVgMbFU/s1600-h/Confused+by+%7E+burguerqueen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw8Rtjou2CB-JMOqIC_jV_Ao2QMPS4K2JN8dRIsoqV9P8XRZqWN6rJHjbXgC9WOB0Eg0E6VnxhpZO10xBGOTv_QsQTWJIUhGkx3MdtIC5E7_ynsWgu5rDxetd5e1YuTUS7xh8dVgMbFU/s320/Confused+by+%7E+burguerqueen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347074172094142146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">After <a href="http://driedfish.blogspot.com/2009/05/love-lost.html">Marshall</a>, I really didn't want to dive into another relationship so I painted the town red ... ummm, ok not just red .. more of maroon because of the intensity of how I wanted to get laid.<br /><br />When I found out that Marshall already had a new partner after 3 days of our epic break-up, I thought that it was a sign from the supreme being that I can go back to the dating scene. It was a proof that my anxiety over the thought that I might make another visit to the ER if he found out I was already dating - was already up in the clouds.<br /><br />My fisrt date was a disaster, as he had a tendency to be either "user friendly" or a "friendly user" (the latter being more probable). So I ditched him the next day.<br /><br />The 2nd was OK. He was very intelligent, a good conversationalist and buffed to the highest echelons of buffness. The only problem was, he didn't like doing the "tumba la cama" on the 1st date. I thought that I was more feminine than this guy and I'm the bottom, so why is he acting like a high school girl who hasn't had any carnal thoughts? Again, I ditched him.<br /><br />Me and my G4M posse (a website that is like a gay version of facebook/friendster) were planning a night out. I was online that afternoon and one chatter there, whom I'll hide under the name of Zorro, asked me if I were going out and if he can join me. I told him me and my friends' plans and he said he was going to pick me up from my house and go with us wherever we went.<br /><br />Zorro and I had some exchange of messages before this. He messaged me after Marshall and I broke up. He was asking me how I was and after I said I was doing great, I chose to end our conversation because he might be a bigger blogger and would steal my life story from me.<br /><br />When we were on our way to Jax, a comedy bar here in Olongapo, we were able to talk a bit about his life. He said that Marshall used to court him, right before Marshall and I became a couple. This made me think if Olongapo's gay community is really that small. I won't go into the nasty details anymore, but we instanly bonded because of our shared experiences.<br /><br />The night went ahead with the regular ingredients of a gay party - smoke, booze and tons of gossip. We were pairing up Zorro with my non-G4M friend, Franchesca (who looks like JC De Vera). I really thought they were doing well and that they'd end up in a motel somewhere.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">Frachesca announced that he wanted to transfer to Apozaga, a dance club in Olongapo. I told him I didn't want to go there because I didn't like the crowd and the ventilation was close to non-existent. So when the other part of the G4M posse said they wanted to transfer to a videoke joint, we went out. Franchesca said he was going to Apozaga but Zorro stayed with us. So off Franchesca went to fish somewhere else.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">When we got to the videoke joint, Zorro started to become too close for comfort. I knew I had a tendency to misinterpret things so I asked him if he was hitting on me. He said yes. I said he shouldn't. He said he doesn't care because he likes me.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I told Zorro that he shouldn't say that because 1st, we've just met and 2nd, he already has a partner.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">He told me that this wasn't the first time he saw me. Around 3 years ago, he said he was courting my friend Kiara who is one of the most prominent fashion designers in Olongapo. He said he's seen me with Kiara a couple of times, sporadically around our anti-lazy city.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">It was then I concluded ... Olongapo really has a small gay community.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">He said he already had a crush on me since then and he didn't have the guts to message me through G4M because when he first saw me online, Marshall and I were together already so he waited. I was trying to push away all his advances because though I like him, the circumstances were a bit too weird for my poor taste buds.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">After everybody got drunk at around 4am, we all decided to go home. Zorro invited me to eat at a fast food first. He paid for everything, which was a 1st because I'm usually the fastest to draw my wallet whenever I was out with friends.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">While eating, we talked about him and his partner.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">He said that they have been together under one roof for the past 1-1/2 years. They are staying with his partner's family. Him and his partner lived on the 2nd floor of the house, while his partner's family lived on the 1st.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">He had a job before but his partner insisted that he quit and just stay home as he can provide all of Zorro's needs. After a while, he felt that he was becoming a burden already so he tried to apply for various jobs. Every time he tried to get a job in Manila or Pampanga, his partner's parents would beg him not to get the job as their son gets really depressed whenever he left hunting for a job. So the parents were sure it would be worse if he left.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's just lately that he's really decided to work in Manila under a Call Center Agency because he can't stand the relationship anymore.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">He said he is tired of his daily routine of cooking, cleaning, and washing his partner's clothes. He is also tired of his partner putting tabs on everything he does. Since his partner is still a closet to his friends and co-workers, he has also gone tired of pretending they are not "together" whenever they went out with his partner's friends and office mates.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;">I then told him the following:</span></div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;">He might just be attracted to me because I am the extreme opposite of his partner. I'm loud and spontaneous while his partner is discreet and pedantic. I exude a feel that I don't like him, that's why he sees it as a challenge that he should win. </span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;">He is just bored with how his relationship is going on, that's why he is looking for an outlet, and I specified to him that I am not willing to be that outlet. I can be a freind to him and listen to all what he has to say and support him when he needs me but I cannot offer anything more than that.</span></li></ol></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">When I asked him if he still loves his partner, he only spaced out in deep thought. I told him that there is a difference between love, pity and gratitude.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">He then said that he was really only staying because he was afraid that if he left, it would look like he only used his partner so that he can get all the freebies of living comfortably for the past year and a half. I told him that whether he stayed longer or left now, he can't change how people will think of him.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I also told him that he should first asses what he really feels before doing things that can hurt their relationship. But when he is sure that he doesn't love the person anymore, he should end the relationship as staying with his partner without loving him would only hurt him and his partner the longer they stayed together.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">Being in a relationship, whether gay or straight is extremely difficult. I think being in a gay relationship, and keeping it, is much more difficult. Why? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">Pinoy Gay culture is built in such a way that the LGBT community feels like changing partners is as easy as changing clothes.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">Look up, down, left or right and you will see gays abound looking for a relationship - paid or real. So there are lots of choices and lots of opportunities - in short - temptation is everywhere.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">There are no properties or children to think about so breaking up isn't a big deal to be thought of.</span></li></ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I've always been joking that since I was in 1st grade, I have always dreamed of becoming a mistress. But the thing is, when the opportunity arose - I backed out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;">I really don't know if it's whether I wasn't attracted enough for me to disregard my morals ..... or if my parents brought me up really well for me not to want to destroy somebody else's fairy tale.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,-webkit-fantasy;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana,fantasy;">(Header Pic: Confused by burgeurqueen @ www.deviantart.com)</span></div></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331726810667176688.post-84726233752076468812009-06-10T00:02:00.001-07:002009-06-10T06:49:51.247-07:00Innocence Asunder<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DDGgWFQE1CfLXvITqliembHLaXI6zD7RCc-tb-n0guwQIPSaG5zXUF8d0G2fk5bKuAqp1qLyzk6TGOxdN0qQZzaenCKOCkLb3KB3ZEzbAAicpayK-SMkCIx5nrR5f36sf-uvssKanAo/s1600-h/rape.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DDGgWFQE1CfLXvITqliembHLaXI6zD7RCc-tb-n0guwQIPSaG5zXUF8d0G2fk5bKuAqp1qLyzk6TGOxdN0qQZzaenCKOCkLb3KB3ZEzbAAicpayK-SMkCIx5nrR5f36sf-uvssKanAo/s400/rape.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345591148117633970" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I received a txt from my friend Pipes. It read:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">"Gncng k p fvor</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Pki cend nmn mga bataz</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">rgrdng chld abuse</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Molezya za bata</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Lahat ng bataz d2 me za</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">prcnto e</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">My emergency kmi"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">For non-Filipinos who read this, it basically says "Are you still up? Can you send me the laws regarding child abuse? A child has just been molested. All the connected laws please, I'm at the police precinct now. We have an emergency."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Because he knew I was online most of the time, maybe that's the reason I was the one he texted first. So before googling, I sent him a message saying maybe they can quote the incident as statutory rape. But after checking online, I read that for statutory rape to be applicable, the male's penis should have penetrated the victim's vagina. This case would be applicable with or without the child's consent and with or without threats being made. Statutory rape can only be applicable to girls under 16 years of age (originally 12).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I asked him right away if there was any penetration and what really happened. He replied saying that his 8 year old sister just got off from school. A guy who sells toys and candies outside their school grabbed her and brought her to his booth. The vendor asked her if she wanted 100PHP. The girl said no and was about to leave when the vendor said her skirt was dirty and started fondling her private parts. This was the only detail he gave me. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I told him that they can't file statutory rape so it'd be better to go to the precinct's Women and Children's Help Desk because I know that all Police Precincts in the Philippines have this. The people who man this desk are trained to handle these situations.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">This made me realize something. This isn't the first time I've heard of an underage being molested since I got back for vacation here in the Philippines last May 26 2009. I've only been here for more than a month and this is the third case I've heard.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">First was "Aria". She was a friend's friend and we were drinking at their place. While we were drinking, her father was talking with some friends and relatives and we overheard that they were going to a strip club. Aria's father gave her money not to tell her mom and he left with his friends and relatives.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I noticed right away that Aria was a little bit rude to his dad so I asked her why. She said "Ako nga hindi n'ya nirerespeto bakit ko s'ya rerespetuhin? (He doesn't respect me why should I show him respect?) Our other friends tried to change the topic but Aria went ahead and started crying.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">She told me that her father has been molesting her since she was in 1st year high school. Aside from her father, her cousin who was also there when we were drinking has also been molesting her since she was in 3rd year high school and that her father knew about this and didn't care.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">When I asked her if she had tried telling her mom, she said her mom knows everything. Every time her father comes home drunk, her mom would sleep not beside her, but with her younger sisters and she has always been left alone. The only person who shows sympathy for her is her grandmother who lets Aria stay in her house. But her grandmother couldn't do anything whenever her mom or dad picks her up to stay in their house.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">At this point, I got really angry. I asked her if she needed help. I told her if she wanted to go to the authorities, I would gladly stay with her all the way. But she told me she didn't want to and for me not to tell anybody who could interfere with what was happening. She told me that she only had 2 years left in school and as soon as she graduates, she will move out of their house.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I tried to convince her that keeping silent about this only made it worse. But she insisted that she didn't need help and I should butt-out because it was none of my business.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The 2nd was Arthur. He was molested by his cousin when he was in 3rd grade. This continued until his cousin moved out of their home when he was in 4th year high school. Aside from his cousin using him, his cousin also resorted to aggressive acts like slapping him in the face and tying him up while being raped. He believes that he became gay because of this repeated molestation when he was a child.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I've always thought of Olongapo as being a safe haven. Our city has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. If these things happen here, I can just imagine what is happening elsewhere. It's really sad that innocent children are being victimized by these perverts. But what is more saddening for me is why some of the victims don't fight back.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Is it because they have started to enjoy it overtime? Is it because of shame? Is it because of fear? What should I do to help these victims realize that what they are going through isn't OK? Is my "not butting-in" paving the way for these perverts to have more victims in the future?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div>Jhezper Driedfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508545845664517274noreply@blogger.com11