The drama of fathers

I apologize, but I just have to get this out of my system before I get back to doing my reports.

"Mahirap magpalaki ng magulang (Its hard to raise parents)" I've heard this line from old people talking about their own parents but have not fully understood this not until this morning.


Its not just about teaching your folks how to use a cellphone, nor your new Vista PC, but more so of trying to tolerate their tantrums and their endless tirade of wanting attention.


To elaborate this further, let me cite this morning's incident that broke my concentration in finishing up reports. I received an sms from my dad telling me to pick him up in Ortigas so for us to go to this b-day party of a godson of mine (who I must add is already taller than I am and still is giving out parties?). So, as I still lack some sleep and would need all the energy to finish up an everest of piled work, i told him that I'd ask a friend to drive us to wherever. Here is our conversation:


Me: ok, i'm not sure if I can since I'm still a bit spaced out, but I'll have 'friend' drive us there to pick you up.
Dad: No need, I'll just go home.
Me: (thinking that he just wouldn't want to burden a friend of mine) 'tis ok dad, I already asked him, and he's more than willing
Dad: (eto na ang malupit na comment) Buhay pa ako. Habang me hininga pa ako, wag kang aasa kay xxxxx (I am still alive. So long as I am still breathing, there is no need to ask/ depend (to) other people). (Ang drama ng padre ko)
Me: Ok, I'll try to pick you up myself.
Dad: No need, we won't go to that party (ay matampuhing daddy)


My dad is a jealous dad. (I sound like my pastor talking about God). I've known this before with so many instances.


Jealous of my mom
My dad and mom got separated when i was just a kid. And everytime when topic of my immenent meeting with my mom comes to the dinner table, he'd bombard me with a series of "trying some tactics of reverse psychology (eh Mech. Eng. kinuha nya nung college, so palpak parin)."


Jealous of my girls
Contrary to normal stand of fathers to their sons, my dad doesn't want me to get married, or at least not yet. I've always known this but on one road trip to drop off an officemate to her house, the conversation confirmed this. "You cannot get married yet, you're still young," he said. With a quizical look, I said a slow "Why?" "Because you might just ruin your life." WTF????? he then explained that i still need to do all things that I want for my life, whether I'd still want to finish a PhD or something (he probably also refered to parties, more sex, more out of towns, and to basically enjoy singlehood).


Dad, i'm not anymore your "tutoy" (an unfortunate endearment). But a friend pointed out that he might just be afraid that my support for my brothers' schooling might got cut off once I get married. Though I doubt he's line of thinking leaned towards this but more so because a week ago, i picked up my lola (my mom's mom, my dad's arch enemy) from the airport at 12pm, coming from US. Got to batangas by 2am, got back to manila by 5am, and flew to Cebu by 7am... and since 'friend' drove me all through out the trip, left the car at friend's mercy... for the whole week.


My dad will be coming home in a couple of hours. Let's see what the conversation would be this time. but knowing my dad, we'd still be going to that party, nagiinarte lang sya.


Again, i say "Mahirap magpalaki ng magulang."

Half Rice

Blog muna, pero pwamis magwork ako later. Pero since I'm now again in Cebu for an effin week, foodtrip is again a sinful feat that I, unfortunately, cannot escape.

I ordered a Sanduo (Rice and Two Chicken Sunburst meal) this lunch. For the past few weeks, I've been limiting my rice to a half serving, owing to the (positive?) exponential (ed?) growth of my weight.

As what have already been customary, I'd take half of my rice to the corners of my plate (bilog nga pala plate), to mark it as off limits. But just this time, my officemate Nat turned on her mother tone and told me "Ano yan? kainin mpo yan, me crisis tayo".

"Krisis? (hindi po ako nakakabasa ng balita) Anong krisis?"

Nat and Jam, "Rice krisis"

At kinain ko tuloy ang buong serving ng kanin. Bow. Plus half dome shaped ice cream cake. patay na.

New Use of Your Hair Blower

As I can't blog right now due to the pressures at work, I'm leaving ya'll with this picture. I found my officemate at this state (As I was in a state of shock and bewilderment, and uhhmmm excitement - ang saya maging hair dryer). hehe so you'll never look at your hair dryer the same... ever... again.Reason for the pic above: Office mate had to dry off a drink spilled on her ummmmm jeans. Ah! That's why!

Playing Tag

I got tagged by Aliping Binabahay... with a series of... uhhhmmm... questions... *nosebleed*... parang college quiz... so here are my answers: (update: I just had to add my non blogger friend's answers to these, added in italics)

how will you seriously answer someone in the following situations given?
what if someone (a stranger) insults you or tells you these…

01. ang arte mo!
>> me karapatan akong maginarte
02. mas matalino naman ako sayo!
>> (kung parehas kaming UP) mas makulay buhay ko, boring sayo ; and as one friend puts it ---tlga? at least sa akin may nagmamahal, sau? WALA!
03. crush ako ng crush mo?
>> *tingin mula ulo hanggang paa* ooowwwwssss???? weh? ; friend --- owwwssss, ikaw? OMG! di naman bulag crush ko!
04. ang bobo mo pala sa math!
>> science nalang pagusapan natin
05. bilisan mo naman!
>> *blink* *blink* looooong pause sabay sipol
06. ang sungit mo!
>> nasungitan ka na? mabait pako sa lagay na yan!
07. gusto mo ng away?
>> mag Dota nlng tayo!
08. takot ka ata sakin eh?
>> ay sus! sa panget mong yan, baka babangungutin ako! katakot tlga! (almost nangyari na ito sakin nung may isang frat war sa UP)
09. mas mahal niya ko!
>> mayaman ka lang! ; and from a friend -- sino ang sinagot nia, ako di ba! so nasaan ka dun? WALA
10. ang bababa naman ng mga grades mo!
>> Ahhhh... magkano sweldo mo? Ay, ang baba naman ng sweldo mo.

(Hindi po ako brat sa totoong buhay)

what if sinabi ito sa’yo ng crush mo?
01. crush kita. >> *tulala* tapos maiihi sa pants (nangyari na ito nung gradeschool)
02. hindi kita mahal.>> I never said I love you!
03. mahal na kita.>> Sa wakas! Ang sloooow mo kasi eh!
04. pakopya naman ng assignment.>> sige, pa-kiss muna!
05. crush ko un friend mo>> ahhh, kung ok sayo maliit, sige

06. pwedeng patabi sa upuan?>> uuhhhmmmm. Kandong ka nalang. Masikip na eh.
07. pwede mo ba akong isayaw?>> pwede kantahan nalang kita?
08. feeling ko may gusto ka sakin.>> Masyado kang assuming. Ingat baka bumalik sayo.
09. ang cute mong mag-smile.>> *flashes the killer smile* tapos pilit ilalabas ang nonexistent dimple
10. bakit ang bait mo sakin? >> wala lang... nagbabakasakaling mauto kita... hehe

Sign Language Blooper

There are times when I get assigned to interpret church songs into sign language. 6 songs mostly. 3 fast ones and 3 slow ones.

I got the text message the night before, for 5 songs, one song missing. I've looked into the lyrics in my data base and found that I've interpreted most songs before, so no biggie. One missing song won't be much of a big deal. I'd easily get the hang of it (the unknown song) before the 1st stanza ends.

But just for this particular church service, THE unknown song turns out to be a song in Visayan, or at least some dialect that I cannot comprehend. So, what to do, what to do... I wanted the earth to swallow me right on that very spot that I was standing. I was looking for fellow interpreters if anyone understands the dialect but it seems like everyone is at lost too.

What to do? Just stay cute. haaay. Can anyone translate this one?

What sign is your true love?

Your True Love Is a Scorpio

Why you'll love a Scorpio: Strong and sexy, Scorpio will overpower you into falling in love (before you even realize it!). You'll love being swept away by Scorpio - into a world of insane passion. Why a Scorpio will love you: You don't mind letting your Scorpio take the reigns, as long as you know you're truly cared for. Loyal and devoted, you would never do anything to set off insanely jealous Scorpio.

What Sign Is Your True Love?

Orosman and Zafira

Broom sticks... inverted ones. Those were the first things that I saw on stage. Then comes this ethnic sound, and I think a soft chant (try playing my embedded music for a bit of internalization ).

It gets better as Zelima, played by Tao Aves, comes out and starts her song narration. And suddenly I've zoned into the scene. Tao's voice did justice to what the character and even the setting of the play wants to convey... exotic... ethnicity. Its hard to believe that its her first play.

Well, that's just one of my two most favorite parts of the play. But I won't talk about the plot nor much about each character, just some of those moments when I was completely awed.

The Set and Design
Minimal, yet brillantly chosen. The movable seemingly inverted broom sticks (sorry lack of credible description) served as garden plants, castle hall decors, dungeon/ jail maze, and whatever your imagination may lead you. Effectively placed. Other props include rainmakers as spears (with the musicians' timed movement of his own rainmaker), kubing serving as both dagger and musical instrument... these amongst other brilliantly thought symbolic materials. My favorite is how the moon converts itself to a crescent one with the lights and how it transforms suddenly to the sun.

Scenes
My second favorite scene or rather series of scenes depicting the continuous exhibition of war between tribes. It wasn't your usual moro moro where one party is on the left, the other on the right. They made it into a showdown of emotions through their different dances, each different, each artistically made. Kinda like watching a breakdancing competition only that these tell a story and are ethnically done with much class. Three different tribes, three different personalities, three different emotional portrayal of dance. You'd clearly see who's winning and who's at a lost cause. With this, I'd have to commend two actors who stood out with thier overflowing energies. Gulnara, played by Jean Judith Javier transformed into a beautiful warrior (kinda like Zena the warrior princess hehe). There was one point where I couldn't take my eyes of her face. I felt the anger, the frustration and the lust for revenge. Zelim, played by JC Santos, on the other hand, spoke of consistent energy all through out the play. His presence screemed for attention, impossible to be left unnoticed. His fierce facial expressions and (battle) cries of war were important ingredients in establishement of trouble and war brewing in the tribes.

Music
I was sitting practically right beside the musicians. And I can't sometimes help but get distracted with how good they sound that I'd have to investigate on how they do it. I was once eyeing the actor while he moves his spear while one of the musician simultaneously moves his bamboo rainmaker. And at the end of the play, there was this beautiful (yeah I had to add that one description) singer at the musician's group chanting those eyeiyah eyiyahyiyahs. it was like hearing mother nature sing with the sonorous hymnal of faries (OA na description, galeng kasi).

And lastly, two of my favorite singers of the night, Tao Aves and Maita Ponce (which explains the pics below). Tao aves sang clearly albeit the need to present much despair at some scenes. And yes, she is indeed the daughter of Grace Nono, but still she was a wonderful individual artist in her own right. And i look forward to her next plays. Maita Ponce on the other hand had the same sweet voice when I saw her in Dulaang Sibol's Sinta, jsut a week or two before. But it took me several stares to confirm that it was her and had to even ask a friend as she was a different character alltogether. She still presented that sweet face that amazingly transformed to that fierce warrior in the end.

A recommendation
A must watch. That I can say. Its not just your ordinary Filipino insipred production, but a work of art in itself. And good news, its playdates were extended to March 8 (see the sites below for more details).

for more photos and reviews, visit http://orosmanatzafira.multiply.com/photos and http://gibbscadiz.blogspot.com/

Contemplating death

Warning: incoherent thoughts up ahead (and my nose looks big in the pic)

Well, not exactly. more like death for some stuffs, not really mine. I'm just having one of those endless tirade - on the concept of love and hate for work. Opening emails on a weekend gives you that.

Darn, I miss those days when you leave all thoughts of work at work, when after office hours you go home happy, heed to the calls of the sandman and have one hell of a good night sleep. Which reminds me, I have not had one single dream since elementary. Dunno why. Or maybe I just coudn't remember them.

i miss those days when weekends are what they are... the END of the week, when people say "thank God its friday", and when sunday is family day.

My only refuge is my bed and my ever loyal pillow. redefining cuddling. one way street, but still effective. Or sometimes, I'd get "bochok", my chubby liitle car pillow, which reminds me, I need to buy him another pillow case. hopefully I'd get a happier color. kinda like rainbow brite or care bears kind of color. Bochock is currently a mixture of black, and grey. hahahaha!

hmmm, I need to get back to my old self. Got my list of stuffs to blog but couldn't find the emotional stability to write except for my manic rants about life, which are getting more often than prescribed by the shrink. shoot! might find myself giving out blank stares once more. before i've mastered peircing stares, now i'm getting a PhD on blank ones. Oh yeah, I need to plan my enrollment on my MS on Pharmacology or Toxicology in UP next school sem. or of I get a bit more jaded, resign from work and go enroll for a PharmD course and leave all things here in PH for good after a couple of years. Or a faster way, leave in less than a year.

There, now I have this impulse to run away from it all. I'd like to think that I'm no quitter, but there are more things on heaven and earth, horacio, than money and glory (fuck, where'd that came from).

Ok, fine, I need to get back on doing my expense reports, I'm now going bankrupt. hmmmm. what episode is Heroes now??? 10:58pm

List of things to blog about in the next coming days:

1. Larsian food trip in Cebu (what not to miss in Cebu)

2. Spice fusion, Gustavian, etc. (still thinking of which restaurant to write about)

3. Dulaan Sibol's Sinta (long overdue one, so might as well combine this entry with Hamlet post)

4. Orosma and Zafira (UP play which i watched with really cool bloggers)

Darn, thought this post got erased, got DCed then this debugger pop up came out. Clicked cancel and all windows closed. Shhhhhooot. This is a sign from down below. I have to end this now. Ciao! Zaijian! Baozhong! Paalam! have a great week ahead!!!! (Oh feel my sarcasm... feel it you darn freaks!!!!!)