Bus Rides Gone Bad

Every time I go home I take a bus to my hometown of Ajuy, 87 kms from the city, a two-hour journey amidst verdant fields and stretches of hilly terrain overlooking the azure sea separating Panay from Negros island.


Steel and men.

I took my usual bus line home, Ceres. Yes, the goddess of agriculture. We were cruising along the national highway when the bus screeched. Our driver stepped on the brakes but not before the steel rods protruding from the truck in front us pierced our bus' windshield. Our bus windshield had cracks like the sun's rays. The conductor told the driver to chase after the truck driver. But I knew that our bus driver knew he was at fault. The truck with steel rods we was stationary when we hit it. The truck managed to get away.

But what ensued was three police stations visit in three different towns. What was usually a 1 hour and 45 min ride took 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Well, finally I made it home and once I am in the comforts of my home, I just managed a "nakabunggo ang ceres nga nasakyan ko, dugay dugay ang byahe"


Of drunk and unruly busmates

Going back to the city,fresh from my eventful ride two days before, I found myself on a packed bus with no conductor. The driver was also the conductor.

And for a seatmate, I got a drunk, rowdy guy who was talking #@a%$ the whole time saying if he was the conductor, things won't turn out this way. Add to that more passengers are getting on the already cramped bus. It was getting dark and the drunk guy's ramblings and endless taunts of the driver were getting on my nerves.

But a wake-upper in this story is when people started complaining about the bus' numerous stops to pick up passengers, the driver/conductor asked the complainants how would you feel if you were the one on the road trying to hail this "last trip" bus and it doesn't stop? At the point I had to agree with manong conductor, the best way to look at an incovenient situation is to see it from the perspective of the other party. So rather than bitch about it, I might as well just sit back and experience this misadventure.

As G. K. Chesterton said, an adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. And an inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.

Tradition...Tradition....Tradition (of winning that is)

The team launched into full-on assault mode beginning at the 3:26 mark with six scorpions (3:31) to arabesque (3:37) with full-down dismount. Four fliers performed a double back handspring to cradle position (3:44) and then from an extended level, they were tossed to a single-base extension (3:47), dismounting with a bird-front. The craziness continued as they did four rewinds (3:57) finishing with a double full-down dismount. At 4:23, two fliers did a double full twist, the team’s most complicated tosses for this piece.-Jason Doplito (http://www.interaksyon.com/)

Ansabe?

http://youtu.be/efKkIpd0df8

Tea

9/10/11

I've talked about a lot of mundane things here. But this should be the at the top of the most mundane things in my small flat world.


I can't sleep when I drink coffee or tea or even iced tea after 6pm. It's almost 2am now, and I have an 8am flight later. I should've been snoozing at 11pm, 12 midnight tops. But instead here I am, wide awake with sleep evading me because I drank Thai Tea at 9pm.

Aaargh, I thought my body can already tolerate milk tea that late. But I guess I was wrong. Oh well, so rather than forcing myself to sleep, I'm writing this entry, hoping that this will lull me to sleep like a senseless mundane lullaby.

500 bucks

In the commemoration of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.'s death  last August 21, several documentaries/films have been broadcasted. Growing up, I've seen countless retelling of this story. Yet, each time I see images of this portion of Philippine history, I can't help the tears from falling. Maybe it's my acknowledged shame that this generation may have easily forgotten. Or my recognition what the past generation was able to do in four days somehow proved we have hope as a nation. We just have to find it in our hearts to unite and believe in our ability as a nation to rise up against adversity and hopefully sustain that fervor. Time and again, we need to prove that we are a people worth dying for. I hope Ninoy's memory will be more than just a face on the P500 bill. If it would take an image of his lifeless body sprawled on that tarmac to jolt us to our senses, so be it.  

Family Terms

1. Maalaala mo kaya- dramatic/weepy/emotional moments

2. Mapiyong piyong-when you want to take a nap

3. Once there was a love-mushy moments

4. Milliones Transaciones-important transactions usually conducted in Iloilo city

5. Feeling astig-pretentious

6. Cowsurfer-couchsurfer (mom's version of that organization)

7. Wovocela-vuvuzela (mom's version of Bob's imported torotot)
8. Anline-mom's version of being online

9. Baaaaad-Yohan's quick retort when he doesn't like what you did became the common term for discontent

10. Work vista-My sister works in Vista Inn, now when we all say we  work in Vista

30 Seconds to Mars

I heard of this band from a friend last summer. They replaced Motion City Soundtrack in my frequently played playlist. So when I heard Jared and the gang were coming to town, I got excited but when I saw the ticket prices, I was set on not being to see them play. It is a pricey concert for a band with the cheapest ticket at P2000.

So when I found out I was going to be out of town on the night of the concert. I concluded it wasn't meant to be. On the afternoon of the concert, I got a message from my friend, Nadine. She got an extra free ticket. But I was too far away that day. Oh well, some things are not just meant to be.

And the nice thing about it, is you get to practice the gift of acceptance of things that are beyond your control. Hmmm..All that from a concert.........and a myriad of experiences.

Basketball Junkie

I am a basketball junkie. I devour every available sports page during the NBA playoffs from ESPN to the LA Times. And I live in a country where every plaza has a basketball court. Ask Rafe Boggs, he knows this is a place which loves this game with a passion.

When my fave Laker comes to town, KB24, I don't get to see him in person. It's usually on a weekday and sometimes tickets are hard to come by. You either have to line up for 'em or you have to be one of those kids who ends up at the right team at the right time and gets to be in one of his basketball clinics.

So when I heard a number of NBA players are coming to town, I tried calling Ticketnet as soon as possible.

But the call on that Saturday morning was in vain. I need to go to the mall to buy the ticket. No reservations. So I did.



can't hide my glee



The Smart All Star Weekend felt like a dream. Seeing Kobe and Derek Fisher play on the court live was so surreal.  I can't believe it really did happen. I wished there were more than four quarters in a game. I wished I bought the other ticket for the next game.

I am very grateful for the wonderful opportunity to see NBA in action live. I don't need to go to Staples. Not yet anyway.