MAHIWAGANG BENTE PESOS

The culture of being jeepney passengers include that when you are sitting farther from the jeepney driver seat, you will have to make your payment (unless you are lastikman) by asking the person sitting ahead of you to pass it forward, which as if programmed already to our DNA, comes about automatically most of the time. Now I’ve had my awkward moments on the jeepney-ride-experience. From falling asleep with my mouth wide open to irrelevantly loudly announcing the change of another passenger as I handed it to them “CHANGE NIYO PO, 5 PESOS PO” because I was at that time zombish-exhausted, coming off from work during my very short cashier stint (where it is preferred that you announce the amount of cash you receive and hand out to customers) in a fast food chain store way back when I was younger.

The other day, the experience just got another addition. I was with a friend, who sat across where I was and we were chatting. This lady behind me said “bayad po” so my commuter-instinct came on and I turned to reach for her money so that I can pass it to the driver when to our surprise she quickly held it back close to her chest with both hands clasped on the 20 peso bill as if it was a 2 million cash cheque. I swear I saw a little panic in her eyes.

I reacted quite amused, We sort of laughed (Lyle and I)and I just had to ask her “ Ayaw mo?” while still extending my hand for her 20 peso bill. “Lyle ayaaaw???” I rethorically asked my friend. The seemingly paranoid lady eventually let go of the pseudo-2 million paper money which I immediately pocketed hahaha, deh joke, I passed it to the driver shempre. I don’t know if she thought hoodlum ako but I thought she looked more like the part. Haha Im just being mean. Sorry. It just didn’t feel nice to be mistaken as a 20-peso-bill-snatching-student-nurse (am I that obvious, hehe joke!), but then again it was definitely funny at that moment.

I remember that time when I slept over at a friend’s house (kareen’s) and I woke up almost late for school (CSB days), I was really hurrying and just hopped on to a jeep when this other girl my age kept staring at me, suspiciously staring, and definitely disturbingly staring. Finally I coldly asked her “ Ano?” to which she informed me that I had my shirt inside-out. Ngak.

Or how about that time, when this long haired lice-full of head sat in front of me and I kept trying to stay cautious of her hair strands from touching my face. And praying her lice maintain very strong grips until I get off the ride.

Jeepney rides. And you thought you could just get into one and get off at your destination that simple each time. You think the only thing you get to leave when you get off with is the smell of jeepney fumes overpowering the scent of your shampoo and cologne, you think you can inhale too much CFC’s, take too much traffic, the rubbing of the legs (hay), the cramming inside, the loud disco music, the knee-bend walk inside, the blank staring, etc.

Short stories happen here, the little tv-commercials of our lives, and Im glad they came along.

PS: For real transportation goons of 20-peso bills and above,please magbagong buhay na kayo, you traumatize, terrorize and you are wasting your character away.  Para naman sa mga commuters, you could be me, mukhang goon pero hindeh, joke! assess with taste naman jan kasi. Hahaha.

BoYPALPAK

If in the case it doesnt get published in our school paper due to lack of space as i was told. Because its going to be more like a newsletter and not really broadsheet type. Sayang naman so I decided I'll just post it here. I submitted this article last sem. Its my thoughts on life reflecting some of my ideals.( I know that most of the time, I blog about only funny things that happens to me, but its simply because I also read back on my blogs and i guess that whenever i do, i want to be reminded of happy thoughts, because often its the pains in our lives that are easier to remember,right? and the world is already full of that, so I want to contribute something else. I also hope that when people read pass them, it can evoke smiles (haha ambitious!), but its just so that this happy thoughts will no longer be mine alone forever. Its out of a good heart, promise ) So here goes:

Boy Palpak; Changing Your Stars.

Cherryl Zuno

The world may size you up based on the mistakes you have committed, judge your capacity based on the wrong turns you have taken and envisage your future based on your past, but your heart shall tell you they are mistaken because we are not what life makes of us, we are what we make out of life, all we need to do is find the courage to have faith. It is factual to say it is easier said than done, when sometimes it feels like life will always hit you where it will hurt, break you when you are already shattered, blind you when it is already dark and lose you when you are already lost but if you trust your heart and you pick yourself up no matter how hard the blows, you will always find yourself, still standing.

It all sounds cliché, but it is true. People are not merely hindered and limited by their errors but mostly by what they believe it has made them become. Thus it is important that we remember who we are and that we are more than our mistakes. So Instead of regrets, learn; instead of self-pity, forgive; and instead of moving on, do better. In this way, live your life and not the other way around. It will not mean that life from then on will be cherries and perfect, sure, even when you do this, mistakes, disappointments, failures and a series of heartaches will still follow you where the road is slippery and then the world may once again size you up even worst but if you keep your faith, you will always find your way back.

Everyday we make decisions in our lives, and it’s not hard to eventually make a wrong one, but it is definitely not easier to always make the right ones. We have to understand that bad things happen, it messes up our lives but it should not mess us up.

An eight year old girl once said that things will someday change for the better; she watched as everything around her collapsed domino style and she heard them when they said nothing good and nothing much can come out of such a chaotic life. Going through some dark alleys of life growing up, she learned that at times you will reach out for anybody but nobody will be there and that even you will tire out of trying to understand why things happen when they do, that it is hard to be good when everything else has gone bad and hard to see the right choices when they are not even there. ‘She’ll be lost forever’ whispers alleged.

Let us find out if they were right. How do you change your stars when every night is starless? ~ Seek them in your eyes, don’t let their glow die. This girl is in fact yours truly, still learning, still forgiving and definitely doing better.

It is God’s grace that he routes our lives in sometimes the most complicated ways. It is after all in our greatest adversities that we truly learn to recognize the most beautiful things. So although life is not perfect, live it, simply because it is yours.

haha medyo baduy ata yung third and second to the last paragraph...but its true. hahaha

Originally composed Last July 12, 2008

Bad Things Happen~Wag Pasaway~

The car flew and tumbled, while the screams coming from it halted as it stopped.. knocked over.

My cousin met an accident last night around 1 am while driving the colossal fire truck of their station (he’s been a fire volunteer ever since man discovered fire ~that long). Their team was responding to a fire in Cubao QC. The Collision sent the intersecting vehicle whose body is similar to the old Tamaraw FX type (I forgot the name of the exact model), soaring and doing a 360 tumble twice. In it were 5 people, the driver being an old man of around 70 yrs old and the youngest passenger being only 12. The vehicle attempted to race past in between the two fire trucks but actually got smashed by the second truck (the one my cousin was driving). Hearing the story is already enough for me to picture out the brutal scene that took place. It was, as admitted by both sides… an unfortunate accident. The injured parties are still at the hospital and my cousin along with his team hasn’t slept a wink. They were at the hospital all night and just came home to get some things and they are now back at the hospital again.

Anak ng Tinae! (ipot) Please be mindful when you are driving, especially when you have passengers with you. Do not disregard siren alarms (although minsan abuso ang ibang may wang-wang, just check first and judge on the visuals before you opt to disregard if ever) and not be oblivious to a social situation. Do not race with threatening vehicles just to save a few minutes of time, instead save yourself a few more minutes of life. There is no winner in circumstances like this, both parties are burdened except kung halang ang kaluluwa mo and Ulul ka lang talaga. There goes the Ulol again. Sorry.

When I was younger I didn’t care much for accidents. They were only pictures of tragic adventures in my mind, and a predicament that can happen to anybody except to me or to people I know. It was all too unreal to take seriously but as life goes by ,these once unfamiliar misfortunes will come knocking at your fate, and you start realizing that bad things do happen and it can happen to you. And while we can believe that all things are destined and even argue that there is no such thing as an accident in this world, it wouldn’t hurt to take a little caution every now and then, and value the worth you give to your life.

How To Say Ulol When In The Car

Kanta lang ako ng kanta, singer ba ako? Ahahaha. Dati wala akong paki basta gusto ko kumanta, I’ll sing right then and there. Kawawa naman ang mga ears ng aking listeners. ;p ahaha Ngayon shy na ako, I do my concerts only when Im in the car. (Hindi pwede sa banyo, maririning ka ng kapitbahay.) Siguro na-realize ko na, wala naman akong talent. Marunong lang. hehehe :P Kahit pag pinapainit ko lang yung makina, andun lang ako sa loob, Hindi ko na binubuksan yung ilaw, para hindi ako makita sa loob. Nakaupo lang sa loob, kumakanta parang tanga. =p (im not proud of it, you’ll have to thank boredom for making me share it now) Natatangi ang mga simpleng trip ko sa buhay. PS: ah yun lang nga pala ang alam ko, run the engine on. Pero hindi aandar ;p ahahaha. Ignorance is bliss (in some cases). The car’s alarm will go off a few times bago ko ma stable yung key in it and finally after some twists and turns, okay na. I guess driving is a little scary for me just as swimming have always been (subjectively). Pakiramdam ko bawat 5yards may mabubundol ako at mamatay ang malas na taong iyon. Kakanta na lang ako at mambibingi for now. Anu na namang Kaululan toh?

Speaking of Ulol,I still can’t help myself as I watch people na nakikipag-tinikling sa pagtawid sa kalye (which I am also guilty of- kala niyo kayo lang ha), kaya ayan tuloy na e-exagg ang reactions ko “batang ulul NOooooHHHhh”, “Ulul na Nanay talaga toh” “Asong Ulul, ayaw pa talaga tumabi” “Mamang Ulul” I mean everybody’s Ulol. ;p Inulul ko na silang lahat, in my panic. Im sorry. ;p for the things I say to the world. Concerned citizen lang ako. And they don’t really hear me because I don’t pull the windows down in doing so naman, hindi pa naman ako nau-ulol to do that.

(3) Things could happen to me if I do so however:

a.) Sasamaan ako ng tingin at mumurahin

b.) Sasabunutan, Duduraan at who knows baka mag pabundol pa sila

c.) Uululin din (and I could even get killed, panu kung ulul nga talaga)

(3) Reasons why I cant help but do it:

1.) The hormones did it.

2.) O.A ako

3.) Concern lang I don’t know why it comes out like that though (until it does) ;p

So For your safety:

1.) Never pull the windows down and then say ulol. (make sure they don’t hear you) hahaha =p

2.) Only say ulol when the person is really at a very critical position with the car

3.) Always include their status or role in the society for example: asong kalye = asong kalyeng Ulul, Bus = Ulul na Bus, Vendor = Tinderong Ulul. ( we still have to give acknowledgments) ;p may good manners pa rin ha… if you want pwede mo na rin sabihin Mr Ulul, Ms. Ulul. but dont make the mistake of saying it ala Kanto Girl. But always with a little Cherie Gil to your voice. ( Sorry Cherie Gil. I know you have more class than this... ;) )

But If I were you, I won’t listen to me. Obviously because everything I’ve said was nonsense. I probably don’t know what I’m saying, until late when im offline, and it registers in my mind, word per word and pagsisihan ko why why why.

And patience is a virtue. I am not done with that lesson. =p bear with me. ;p

Boy Tawid

...itatawid ko ang gutom ko.

Ryan drove me to work this morning:

che: "Hopia!" "Hopia!"
ryan: "Bakit ka ba Hopia ng Hopia jan!"
che: "Wala lang. eh gusto ko eh..paki mo?"
ryan: "hopia ka ng hopia jan eh Nakita mo nag da-drive ako?" (aba at magugulatin, hindi naman nag kape...)
che: "so???? hopia! hopia! hopia!"
and we ended up laughing. ;p (sweet namin noh?)

Na traumatize na ata ako. Eversince we encountered Manong Pabundol ng Pabangga Gang along Makati, pag may tumatawid, medyo uneasy na ako, pakiramdam ko, tatakbo silang bigla at babangga sa amin at gugulong gulong sa kalsada kaya ayan this morning napapa-hopia hopia ako (which is admittedly a poor choice of expression by the way...and hindi naman ako kumakain ng hopia). Especially pag nasa makati kami, I cant help but remind Ryan na may tao sa gilid, or may tao sa center island although alam ko naman na nakikita niya rin sila:

Che: "Oh! may tao! ingat!!" "AAHhh! wag kang tatawid! tanga!"
Ryan: "Anu ka ba? Ba't ka ba nag papanic?"
Che: "Hindi ako nag papanic..Its a trap!! kunyari hindi sila tatawid pero tatawid sila."
Ryan: "Anu ka ba? Hindi yan scammer, nakita mo naka formal attire, pang office.."
Che: "so??? costume lang nila yan!"
tapos tawanan na naman. ;p

I mean atleast hindi ako katulad ng boyfriend ng pinsan ko (although, fine O.A ako minsan, but i prefer the term 'cautious' hahaha ;p). Anyway, in the case of my cousin's bf: A person allegedly ran towards his car and shempre nabangga/nagpabangga. And medyo lang naman bumalentong rin. At dahil isang tunay na Samaritan ang boyfriend ng pinsan ko, huminto siya at binaba ang kanyang bintana.. sabay sigaw ng "Tanga!!!" then humarurot na paalis. Note: ayon sa kwento ni cousin's bf,hindi naman namatay at hindi rin naman nabali ang buto ni Boy Tawid. (malay ko. siguro na observe niya)

Hindi ko alam kung kulang ang pedestrian lanes sa Manila. Kulang ba ang mga Pedestrian lights (yun ba tawag dun?), kulang ba sa edukasyon ang mga tao? kulang ang pera ng bayan? or kulang kulang talaga mga ibang tao ngayon? I dont know, how many people ang nag gaganitong raket. Magpapabunggo for a little money? (little crimes like this have gigantic effects with regards to molding the majority's perception, tuloy nababalewala ang buhay,kapalit ng konting pera, so kasalanan ba ito ni Gloria,example.. instead sana nung pumunta sila ni FG sa dubai at tumira sa take note 7-star hotel na ang isang gabi ay hindi bababa ng 100,000$ or more, sana ginamit na lang ang hard cash na ito sa mga programang para sa mahihirap na nakapila para sa konting budget.) Sorry hindi ko napigil mag insert ng konting political subjective views...anyway... as far as I know,Life used to be more valuable.

Good morning Pilipinas!


~~Cash and Charge PartII~~

Cash and Charge

...it to experience.

So we think we got problems? Cheers to Manong Pabundol of the Pabangga Gang. (ok so I invented the a.k.a only so we could identify better) Scums whose daily job is to wait and randomly pick a car to get hit by. Matindi na talaga ang pangangailangan niya. Its a pity to know people are this desperate, but im honestly not too sympathetic right now. P.I ka Manong, Papatayin mo ba ako sa nerbyos? Ikaw ang highlight ng araw ko kahapon.

We were on our way home to Manila,pero along Makati pa kami. This happened last night. Medyo traffic and sa may bandang pa stoplight na so mabagal na super yung takbo namin. And This old guy jumped out of the darkness from the center island, walked infront of us then all of a sudden he ran towards the passenger side of the car and hit the side mirror and then bumale-balentong pa tumbling tumbling sa kalsada then bumulagta sa middle of the road pero sa likod ng sasakyan namin and he made it looked like binundol namin siya. And I was so shocked nalaglag ko lahat ng gamit ko, ipod ko, lahat. May mga kanin kanin pa kumalat sa windshield namin. Everything happened so fast. Then this guy got up walked infront us again and then umupo siya dun sa center island, holding a styro with smudged blood stains on it (so from afar, akalain mo talaga na dinudugo siya). He was pointing to his elbow pero makinis siya and wala siyang bali or anything or any wound at all, the blood stains were tuyong tuyo na, props on the styro parang ganun. Traffic din nun so there was no way we could hit anybody and titilapon siya ng ganun,we were not even on the lane near the island, nasa gitna kami kaya nga kinailangan pa niyang lumakad papalapit bago nagpabangga,but there were other vehicles behind us, and if you didnt see what happened and makikita mo na lang yung tao na nakahandusay sa kalsada, hindi mo naman kaagad maiisip that its his fault and he did it on purpose so public pressure din ang naramdaman namin that moment. Ryan also saw the look on his face and dun nga niya na confirm that this old guy pulled a stunt on us. Fuck talaga. There was no dent whatsoever on the car...kinalampag lang din niya kaya tumunog na parang nabangga. Ryan went back to the car after niya super pagalitan and usisain yung manong and I even popped my head out the window to do the same thing begging the guy to never do such a thing again because you never know what his chances are next time di ba? We gave him money 'for his efforts', to which he said "kulang toh...kulang toh" And healthy na siya ulit ha. It was a hell of a night.

busier

Is my Life about to get busier.?

There is a bigger new job for me at the office :P
It should be good news as it is good news.
Everyone says it is good news and it is good news.
so how come my eyes arent as sparkly?

Again, Is my life about to get busier?
Can i handle it?
oh help me God. ;)

we'll know soon enough.

note to reader: just because the phrases are centered doesnt mean this is a poem :)