By Design
"design is not for philosophy - its for life."
January 13, 2007
2007 Notes



I am so happy to able to write an entry here finally. I have wanted to post many times but I did not have the patience to wait while blogger here loads. The not so recent quake plus recent developments in the career front have made my postings here almost non existent. So many developments, so little time. So I thought why not write bullet style about the recent or not so recent developments I would have wanted to write about.
  • Jo's Anatomy has a new look and its a fresh new look. I love it. I now have a new perspective on apples. Thanks for inviting me over to spend the holidays with your family by the way. Very thoughtful of you and At,I'll see you soon

  • I'm working now and I love it

  • I am on Eastern Time.

  • A dear dear friend from Bacolod came in last week and we got together for lunch and coffee. The best 6 hours I have ever spent.

  • I bought my first Starbucks commuter mug and I designed it myself.

  • Discovered a fish dish at Italianni's that is to die for!

  • Tita Letty came in from Bacolod.

  • Got a snazzy pair of Enzo Angiolini heels in Atomic Rust (thats the color!)

  • Got myself a copy of the last book in The Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson.

Finally I just want to thank God for the year that was and for the many blessings that He has bestowed on me and I look froward to what 2007 has in store for me.










November 17, 2006
PXK 835


Four days ago Josefina sent me a forwarded text message. It was a warning to watch out for a taxi with a full time holdupper and part time driver driving. The taxi had a plate number of PXK 835. I was never the same again after that text message. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the warning but understand that I am this really paranoid kind of a person. And with good reason too!

I have had several weird taxi experiences in my lifetime. Horror stories even! I once rode on a taxi who was probably a Formula 1 driver in his past life. Only problem was, he was not one of the better ones. I was hanging on for dear life! He nearly rammed us into a truck full of sugar cane. Another incident was this driver who just could not stop talking about his life. As if that was not bad enough, he drove at a snail's pace so that he would be able to finish his story. He was also too polite because each time he wanted to make a point he would turn back and look at me. All this while the meter was running. I was paying for this talk show I did not care to listen to. Another driver could not stop texting at high speed on the highway. I also had one driver ask me all these personal questions, if I was married and if he could ask me out. Whatthef........????? Needless to say I got out of there before you could say the word, psycho.

So now you understand why I tend to be paranoid about these taxis. I have a lot of horror stories. Anyhow, after that text message (which I am truly grateful for Pin regardless of what I may write here) I was a mess. And I don't know that I am over it. I just don't flag a taxi these days I scrutinize it first. Sometimes I let like over a dozen pass by before I can make a final choice. Thankfully, I do not have to take the taxi all the time but on the times that I do, well, I make sure.

Now I have a few tips of my own. My own "taxi picking" qualifications if you like. I tell you, I can wait forever for the right one before I get on. Which explains also why I usually do not take a cab in a downpour. Now I would like to share with you my qualifications for the perfect taxi cab.

  • Taxi must be new and clean
  • Driver must not reek of smoke or other offensive odor
  • Seats should be in good condition and not have springs hanging out with strange color stains
  • It must not be tinted
  • There should be an identification card and taxi details
  • The A/C must be working properly
  • There must be a working meter, stamped or sealed by the LTO
  • And it must not have the plates PXK - 835

I'm sure I must have missed some in making these guidelines but you can add your own. Now there is no such thing as a fool proof list or a perfect taxi for that matter and I don't claim that these lists are enough. But in these times, one cannot be too careful. And if you're uncomfortable and don't feel right in any way, you can always get off.

Oh and dont forget to have a mace or pepper spray handy. My personal choice as an add on is a Victorinox Swiss Knife too.

Oh and some classes in self defense too.

Oh and..........

November 16, 2006
Meandering

I have been experiencing trying times for the last couple of weeks. My aunt always tells me that I have it better than most people and so many people in the are suffering so much more and that I should be thankful that I do not have a problem like the theirs.

We went out to get some groceries this evening and as I was looking out of the car, I could see so many children in bare feet running about unmindful of the cars whizzing by. I also saw a woman, heavy with child and, carrying a few months old baby in her arms walking aimlessly in the streets, beggars abound. Amidst the towering skyscrapers and billboards and the big stores and the number of private vehicles that crowd the city, the picture of poverty provide a stark contrast.

If the country's economy is doing so well as our government would have as believe, then why are so many people starving? Why are so many families without decent homes? Why are so many children out in the streets and not in schools and why are so many who are in schools not able to read and write? Why are so many professionals or even so many of our country men so bent on leaving the country? Like they cannot get out of this place fast enough. It would seem that Filipinos have to get out of their country to be able to provide for their families. And yet, there are so many jobs available in this country, only that very few people are qualified.

Now I have become carried away here where my intention was not to make this social nor political. These ramblings having been spurned out of the bad days that I have been having which looks like its not about to end. An apt comparison would be a storm that seems to not one to leave a certain area but keeps on circling it wreaking more havoc to the already ravaged surroundings.

I wonder if those people whose present is miserable with no sign of a future, those people with an incurable diseases or lingering illnesses, those wives who are being beaten by their husbands, those people who are forced to eat from garbage to survive, those people who are living with a disability and all those other malaise. I wonder, do they even feel the presence of God in their lives or do they think that He has forgotten all about them?

We are told oftentimes that thses are God's way of testing us, the strength of our faith. How in the world could one possibly pray when all one feels is hunger?How can one believe when after all one's efforts all that one has worked for is taken away in one fell swoop? While those who steal, deal, killand cheat prosper or just get away with it? Where is the justice in all this ?

I do not have a clue.
November 15, 2006
Roadblock


Unbelievable! I have been sitting here in front of the computer and my mind wandering off to some place else I'd rather be. I have been blocked so long that it could only be one of two things, this is like a roadblock much like a blood clot that would need some sort of bypass.Or, two, I really cannot write and just fancy myself as a writer. No matter, i trudge on. Oh wait! Something just came to me.......


I signed up in Myspace and it is not because I am particularly interested in starting another friendster-like space. It is because I have this new addiction and its making layouts. Josefina turned me on to this, I swear. I spend hours on end just making layouts and layouts. I even offer to make friends' layouts. It started with just merely looking for layouts I like and copying and pasting the codes to making my own custom layouts, 2 of which I have submitted for use by others. Its great and its not just one thing meaning when I learn something new and I take it up then I learn something else from that new thing I just learned(you follow,so far??). Its like a chain reaction. It has become such an addiction. I have downloaded everything from photobucket to flock to skize to imageshack and its only the beginning.

Oh, and guess what? I have forgotten to blog!



November 10, 2006
Different Time, Different Place




We're all walking a fine line and I'm
Walking towards you, and I
Hope that I'm right in thinking, I'll never walk alone
I'm always running from something
Now I'm running towards you
It may not be the right thing, but it's what I want to do
And in a different time, in a different place
I could see myself with you
And in a different time and a different place
I believe you could see yourself too
I'll be biding my time, and I'll be
Watching my step, 'cos I don't want to
Be starting something here that I might live to regret
'Cos I have learnt my lesson
And I have learnt it well
There are some things in this life best left for time to tell
In a different time, in a different place
I could see myself with you
And in a different time and a different place
I believe you could see yourself too
In a different time, in a different place
I believe I could safely lay my life down in your hands
I believe that's what I'd do if you gave me half the chance
Oh I believe, oh I believe, oh I believe
In a different time, in a different place
I could see myself with you
And in a different time and a different place
I believe you could see yourself there too
In a different time, in a different place
I could see myself with you
And in a different time and a different place
Oh I believe you could see yourself there too
Different time, different place



A friend made me listen to this song tonight and I loved it the first time I heard it. I thought I'd post it here. I remain uninspired at the moment. Nothing to write but such a pity to waste a pretty page.
November 02, 2006
Small World





Its a small world after all, its a small world after all. Its a small world, its a small world, its a small, small world.....

I remember singing that song in elementary (or was it in kindergarten? seems i don't remember much and for all you know,dear faithful readers cum real friends, what i am about to write is just a story from my made up memory). Now what could be the significance of this repetitious song of my childhood??Nothing whatsoever. I just thought it would make a very nice introduction to this piece, not to mention a space filler of sorts.

I was reading a message from Teena just now and the above mentioned song just came to mind. I'm talking about Friendster and blogging and other stuff that go on in here. She told me how she did not care much for blogging before, just joined the bandwagon and now she's into it. I did not care for Frendster either but everyone I knew had an account and, what the hey, i made one too. At first I thought, now what? But to make a long story bearable, i stuck it out and found some old friends, learned to blog and started to really enjoy being a part of the Friendster community.

One thing I really enjoy is being in touch with old friends and also discovering or rather re-discovering the acquaintances that have been around for a while and realizing what wonderful people they are and eventually turning them from mere acquaintances or old childhood classmates into friends of substance. I have been corresponding with many classmates who are now in different parts of the globe and we talk about anything and everything from our lives, comments on blog entries or just really trivial stuff like the best vodka. Matter of fact I'm meeting with a friend who i have not seen some 10-15 years and we're having dinner. I can't wait. Friendster has made the world a little smaller that now we are now able to catch up so easily (or was it the Internet that did this??).


Its like with some of the acquaintances or old classmates, some of them I liked already (well, of course. naturally i like all of the people on my account) but never got to pursue a deeper friendship because maybe at that time, when i was younger not too long ago, there were other things that took precedence like being in the "in" group or having the "in" stuff or trying to get noticed by the crush of the moment or making another classmate's or teacher's life miserable and laughing about it or trying to get invited to all the great parties or wearing make up or drinking way too much and smoking to look cool then coughing up a storm and ending up looking like a fool......I could go on and on about things that i used to do, some of which I may not be too proud of now but nevertheless i had to go through as my own personal rite of passage.


I have started to write little messages to all the friends I have on my page or sent them a smile or greet them on birthdays with more than a happy birthday, i write personal notes to go with my greetings so its not generic. I think this friendster thing is just great. However, I have chosen only to include on my page people that are really my friends, people that I would like to be better friends with, people that I admire or respect and people who have at one time or another made an impact or been a part of my life. I hate that I sometimes have to "not accept" request for "add as friend". Its nothing personal and I am not being as ass but hey I got this request from somebody once who i and everybody around us knew hated me. Now what is that about? So hypocritical, so phony. Has this person suddenly developed amnesia?? But on a pleasant note, I am glad to say that I was not that big a loss to this person's some 500 or so circle of friends and growing. I am happy where I'm at. All is well that end well.



"Its a small world after all, its a small world after all............"