The Road Most Taken

After finishing a meeting at UP Fine Arts, I decided to walk it up to the Sunken Garden. I saw a guy trying to assist his girl companion in crossing the water pipe along the grassy area between _____St, and ________ St. They were only one fourths through its length and it seems the girl was panicking. Some scavenger kids were pointing at them, shaking their heads saying how UP students tend to do stupid stunts like that. I for one admit it’s one of those “things to do at UP before you graduate.” I did it. I even did it four more times so that four people could say they’ve done it before graduating UP.

Actually, one of them didn’t get to finish his course. Count to think of it, I haven’t graduated yet myself, haha.

Walking along University Ave., I passed by a man wearing a Coney Island tee with a stars and stripes motif. He kept on adjusting his cap, and was walking all over the place. I thought it was too early to forget your troubles, but to each his own right? Passing by the Faculty Center, there was a group of girls scattered around, some loitering, and some waiting for a jeepney ride. They were loud and boisterous, I was sure they weren’t UP students at all. Anyways, as I was crossing into the front of AS hall, one girl in the middle of the group all of a sudden started screaming and was trying to rip off her blouse. She was looking at her girlfriends, pleading for help. It seems that one of the trees sheltering them delivered an insect straight right into her cleavage. The low cut front of her blouse was really helpful in giving the insect easy access to a comfortable landing. I walked straight on not wanting to see the end of the prepubescent situation.

Jordan 020505\9:37pm

The Thin White Line

I noticed something odd last Sunday when shopping for some red hangers at Robinsons Galleria. A cute girl in a white baby tee and blue jeans was walking in front of me. Her movement while walking gave people split second glimpses of a strip of backside skin.

It’s the kind of attire enough to cover skin only when you’re standing very still.

So amidst these split second skin peeks, I noticed she had a bikini line. It was high, the kind I associate with t-backs. Cool, the girl was cool. Until it dawned to me that her bikini line was dark, rather than the usual white. Like it was a negative exposure of your usual tan. So how did she do it? Was she the opposite when it comes to wearing bikinis? Is she conservative, covering most of her body that is usually exposed with that kind of attire?

Nah, not conservative considering what was covered is now exposed. Oh dear.

020805\1025pm

MRT Musings

Went to the press to deliver some Final Artwork for a raket I have. It’s located along JP Rizal, and subtly eases my homesickness, as it is situated corner Pateros street, and the street before that is Taguig street naman. While riding back on a Tulay Ibabaw jeep, I passed along a bunch of jeeps parked beside the road with the drivers resting, socializing with each other, but with the exception of one. This one driver dude was dancing a jig, which the nearest description would be the watusi crossed with the chicken dance and the dance the old ladies do on a prusisyon with a popular Virgin Mary incarnation. He was enjoying it as I saw a smile in his face.


While on the crowded MRT naman going toShang, a young dude had that radio sounding voice of “Enemy sighted” in Counterstrike as his text message sound alert. I was tempted to ask him: “Pre’, ano kaba, Counter o Terrorist?”

At the MRT ride before that naman papuntang Tulay, there was this South American, burly built, and mestiso looking Foreigner wearing a coffee colored polo barong. He was talking to a middle aged woman who looked like his missionary companion. He caught my attention when I heard this foreign sounding voice whose sentences were peppered with the word “dollars.” Yeah, for some reason the word “dollars” kept popping up, and it definitely made a lot of people turn their heads and see where it was coming from. I for one thought it was a PA advertisement of some pyramid scheme. I was even waiting for that “but wait! There’s more!” portion. He was unique since besides the attire I’ve earlier mentioned, he was wearing a baseball cap with a drag race fire motif along with this Flag of what probably was his country. Hindi siya familiar, pero it also had the same color scheme of the cap, black and red.

So the MRT was this guy’s stage, and the woman his attentive audience. Meron naman dalawang babae at isang lalake na nagkukumpitensiya sa kaniya sa kwentuhan. When we arrived at the EDSA-Shaw station, the woman was fixing her bag and was preparing to get off. He was telling her to take care and saying thanks for the company. She was busy putting something in her handbag, and I noticed that the foreigner’s hands were also trying to put something in it which she was trying to stop. An awkward scene of two pairs of hands struggling inside a handicraft hand bag. In the end he prevailed, dropping what seems to be a roll of money inside. He punctuated this act with a last thank you, and with that, she stood up. To my surprise, she bid farewell to this group seated across them.. It turns out they were all together, and the other group bid her farewell too. I was waiting for this other group to fill the void the woman left vacant with regards to conversation. But no. The foreigner just sat there, mum. Occasionally looking at the group who kept on talking, not inviting the foreigner to what they were talking about.

Jordan
022605 1251am

Ken?

While in the midst of an ingress (what's an ingress? Ask me:) at the Manila Hotel, a dapper man in white polo and black slacks, with horned rimmed glasses and slicked out hair passed by gingerly holding a pink Barbie and friends lunch box in his right hand, and a corporate folder with presumably big money dealing papers in his left. One diligent father passing through folks. Do make way.

021005\1032pm

Cubao

Watched A Very Long Engagement with Jo at Gateway. I pointed out to Anton the last time we watched a movie there that babes are once again populating Cubao’s dusty streets. You know, the kind you see in Glorietta, Rockwell, or Alabang Town Center. (What’s that Jo? Oh, what about my gender sensitivity lessons during my stint at the Philippine Collegian? Why, its still here. Somewhere... Okay, fine. I won’t address them as “babes.” “Hot chicks” not okay with you too? Hmm… will “girls” suffice? Okay. “girls” is fine. Yes, love you too dear. Oh, and thanks for pointing out the sexy “girls” sitting outside those girlie bars we passed by a little along Kamias while getting to Cubao:)

So what kind of girls were populating Cubao Before?

Masa beauties. (Hah, you thought I’d say Jologs right? Sub genre lang sila no.)

Shouldn’t they be territorial about the place?

Going home, we got a Fairview jeep that passed by Kalayaan Ave., we got off ‘round corner Mayaman and started walking. Paading by ________at., we were surprised to see two guys standing under under the shadows. Geez, Bakal boys! Why were they changing turfs? Was Housing around Quezon Circle already getting hot? So is standing beside the office of Migrante, a progressive group taking care of OFWs a good idea for their likes? Why not the other block where there’s a religious born again group?

It gave me ideas you know. Maybe when I ain’t doing anything ‘round midnight, I’d just step out and stand there waiting for extra money. I have to look for a dark spot though. So that they can see me.

Oh, and one thing about A Very Long Engagement is that it’s a very long movie.

And it won’t be right to compare it to Amelie, two different sides of a coin, that’s what the two are.


Jordan
020505 1:29pm

By Glory Etta!

Observations on a trip to Glorietta and Greenbelt last sunday:

-A tall and fit basketball player came inside Sbarros to eat what it seems to be an early dinner. He was accompanied by her big, overweight wife and baby in a stroller.

I was thinking, the guy was fit because of his work but his wife was overweight ALSO because of his work.

-A kid wearing a long sleeved all silver cowboy suit was dancing at a tropical beach themed stage, complete with coconut trees, sand and blue cool water.

-Powerbooks is trying to be at par with Fully Booked with regards to book selection diversity. They now even have that book of pornstar potraits, but accesible only if you ask the person manning the cashier nicely.

Attack of the Killer Trees

Yesterday, while travelling back to Manila after a Puerto Galera trip along the South Super Highway, we passed by a row of murderous trees, after the Susana Heights entrance, responsible for killing a couple of kid's summer fun evidenced by the numerous kites trapped and swaying on their branches. The wind was trying to be merciful, attempting to free the bodies of the victims but to no avail.

(I had second thoughts on posting this when I realized I was writing the trees in the vein of sinister entities when in fact, they're just minding their own business, swaying to the winds breeze. Oh well, at least I got that out.)

Jordan

Pinilakang Tabing (silver screen) memories

Have you ever tried sitting down and list all the movies you’ve seen so far? I tried it once when I was in high school. It was at first, an attempt to make a list of my favorite movies. Half way I was confronted by the fact that I was a picky fellow and would only watch movies I think, or heard was great. So my best of list actually turned into a list of the movies I’ve watched, saved for a stray film here and there where I was forced to watch it with parents or friends.

And I rarely watch movies with others. I have this notion that the darkness has a purpose when watching a film: anonymity. A secret, intimate relationship with you and the silver screen, which only you and her alone have any knowledge about. It defeats the purpose of anonymity when you come in with someone. It’s like bringing along your friend when you’re off to see your mistress.

Of course, that all changed when I discovered girls. And the analogy has now escaped me. Where was I? Oh, yes. Movies. Listing them.

It was overwhelming! I practically filled up two sheets of yellow paper, back to back. I felt guilty with the black and white (okay, yellow) listing of where I've spent a sizable chunk of my life.

I haven't done it ever since. But thinking about it, It was one of those sporadic moments of me being anal.

I wonder if I'd also be guilty if I track the time I spend peeing every year ("What!? I've spent an estimated week of my life peeing in 2004? Why, I could've done more productive things with that one week of peeing, like, watching movies, and finally playing Final Fantasy VII!")

So where's the travelling part in this entry?

Jordan

Gleaming the Oval

Jo and I were on a UP jeep to do our much neglected sunday jog when we saw a father and son walking towrds the sunken garden. The father was around early fifties while the kid was around ten. What was unique with the two was that the dad was carrying a skateboard. A symbol of Authority, holding a contraption representing reckless youth and rebellion. We really weren't sure who was going to use it on the vehicle-less academic oval. Was the father holding it for his son, or was he going to show him a thing or two about tricks?

Count to think of it, he even looked more like the kids grandfather.

Jordan