Reboot

Let's try this again.

This is the longest time I've been away from the old blog (three months on the 15th, counting from my last post). The really sad truth is I kind of lost the taste for it. It just came to a point where I felt like I had to "work" on my posts, rather than just allow my thoughts to freely flow into my writings, the way I used to. I don't know...what with the major burnout I was slowly starting to feel prior to my week-long vacation back home in Baguio a couple weeks back, maybe putting the blog on hiatus was just what I needed? Just some time off to get myself back into fighting form.

I can't help but think though, had I had access to the proper tools (those being home internet connection and/or my own laptop), this would have been a totally different story. If Jon, Gerwin, and the rest of the frequent bloggers (please refer to my sidebar) are any indication, nothing beats being able to blog directly from home. But enough of that. Point is I'm back, and hopefully, I've managed to dig up and bring a little more consistency with me this time.

Quite obviously, a lot of things have happened with me in the last three months. Here are a few highlights from that period (squeezing ALL of them into a single post might take me another three months, so allow me to start with these, while I slowly work my way back for the rest):

Return to the Motherland

I went home to Baguio last February 19 to take, what I felt at the time, was a much needed break. I just started to feel like I'd somehow hit a roadblock somewhere and started to lose sight of where I really wanted to go (that's some pretty deep shit...I guess turning 25 does that to you). I was too overwhelmed with reality that I simply needed to get away from it all for a while, just allow the cool pine breeze to fill my tired lungs, and take the time to recover and regain my footing to get back on track.

I stayed for a week (which is probably the most time I've spent in the hometown since moving to Manila for college back in '98) and just tried to make the most of my time there: I slept in, I watched a lot of TV (Celebrity Poker, NBA, HBO, MTV, and Bikini Destinations), I ate a lot of my Mom's cooking, and I hung out, having dinner and drinks on ocassion, with my highschool friends. The major downside to going on vacation on a normal week, however, is you're the only one on vacation, so meeting up with your friends isn't really that easy. But I still had a geat time overall. Taking a break was the best gift I've given myself so far this year.

It would be interesting to note that the last weekend during my stay also marked the start of the annual Baguio Flower Festival, or more popularly known now as the Panagbenga, which opened with the traditional parade of flowers (there were actually two parades, the first one was held on February 25, then the other on February 26; each was sponsored by two warring factions in the local government). The funny thing about all this is, I actually brought my camera with me, but I failed to take even a single photo of the event (I stayed at home during the first parade, and I was on my way back to Manila during the second). Though, I did manage to capture some shots of my Mom's adopted cats:

Celebrating the Quarter Life

I actually celebrated my 25th birthday three times this year.

The first time was on the 9th. Pi and I had agreed to celebrate, just the two of us, a day earlier. She treated me to a fantastic dinner at Fish and Co. in Greenbelt 3. She also gave me a letter (which I had to read out loud) and three gifts, each with a special significance to who I am: a Crest mechanical toothbrush, a sarong, and The World's Greatest Super-Heroes, the hardbound collection of Paul Dini and Alex Ross' oversized masterpieces. After dinner, we headed out to Tiendesitas in Pasig, this relatively new, tiagge-ish place we've been hearing really good things about. By the time we got there though, most of the stores were already closed. The only notable place open at the time was a pet shop (I forget the store's name). Anyway, here are a couple of photos from that night:


The second celebration was on my actual birthday, the 10th. Lolo Tol, Lola Tia (Lolo's sister), Uncle Bobby, Tita Donna (Uncle Bob's wife), Joyce (my sister), Joseph (my brother), Pi, and I all met up at A Venetto in Glorietta 3, Makati for dinner. I had decided to just have a nice, quiet, and simple get-together with family to mark the ocassion. My parents were in Baguio at the time so they couldn't be there. Here's a photo I asked one of the waiters to take (which I later realized was a very big mistake):


The third and last celebration was on the 11th. Just dinner with college friends at Friday's (Wallet Death) in Glorietta 3 (again). The celebration was actually for four of us (myself, Brian, Mac, and Toffer). High point of the evening was when one of the waiters thought I was Brian "The Hawaiian Punch" Viloria (which is actually the 2nd time someone's mentioned it to me). Anyway, here's a photo of our table (and this time, I remembered to bring the tripod):


That should do it for now. Check back here again soon.