The Adventures of Tarabusaw

Ayun, tumuloy na ang sakit ko.  Hindi ako nakapasok kahapon at buong araw akong bed-ridden!  Ayoko talagang nagkakasakit!!!  But, I’m feeling better now.  Nandito na nga ulit ako sa opis.  Medyo hoarse pa rin nga lang ang boses ko at overflowing pa rin ang sipon.  Eeewww!!!  Bibili na talaga ako ng beanie! 

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Heard that my cousin’s wedding and my other cousin’s debut party was a blast!  Kahit na 7:30 ng umaga ang kasal at parang comedy bar ang kinalabasan ng debut party… enjoy pa rin ang lahat!  Sa pamilya namin, simple man mag-celebrate ng ganitong mga events, masasabi kong masaya pa rin talaga!  Mami-miss ko ba sila kung hindi kami masaya?  Hoy, mga kulot ano ba?  Kelan kayo susunod dito?  Let’s invade North America!!!  Hahaha!!!

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I’m cooking up a surprise… But I’m not telling who is it for. =)  Hindi ko rin ipopost dito ang details dahil baka may makabasa.  Basta excited na rin ako.  Wish ko lang eh mapigilan ko ang sarili ko na hindi magsalita.  Hahaha!!!

Sobrang sama ng pakiramdam ko.  Masakit ang lalamunan ko hindi dahil may tonsilitis ako.  Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit, pero parang mas malala pa sa sore throat ‘to.  Parang kapag lumulunok kasi ako, may lump sa loob ng lalamunan ko.  Natatakot nga ako eh.

Ang sakit sa lalamunan kapag umuubo or humahatsing.  Wala na nga akong boses at nahihirapan talaga akong magsalita.  Kung wala lang akong meeting ngayon at kailangang tapusin, hindi talaga ako papasok.  Masakit din kasi ang mga kasu-kasuan ko.  Mainit ang katawan ko, mabigat ang ulo at maluha-luha ang mga mata ko.  Siguro may trangkaso ako.  Bihira lang akong magkasakit, pero pag tinamaan na ako, patay na.  Malala talaga at matagal mawala.  Pag hindi ko kinaya, pupunta talaga ako ng ospital, tutal naman eh may OHIP na ako.  Yun yung Health Card dito sa Ontario. 

Naaawa nga ako sa sarili ko dahil wala man lang nag-aasikaso sa akin dito.  Kung nasa Pilipinas ako eh hihilutin ako ni Mama at baka ipaghanda pa ako ng lugaw.  Haaay… Buti na lang at hindi marunong mag-internet nanay ko, kung hindi, naku tatalakan ako nun at sasabihang hindi kasi ako nag-iingat dito.

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Sa mga oras na ‘to ay naikasal na ang pinsan ko.  Siguro nakauwi na rin sa San Pedro ang isang batalyon kong mga kamag-anak.  Sa Lucena kasi ginawa ang kasal.  Eto pa ang siste, alas siyete y medya ng umaga ang kasal!!!  Hahaha!!!  Wala na daw kasi silang makitang ibang oras. 

Congratulations and Best Wishes Erick and Michelle!  Madadagdagan na naman ang Mga Piling Kulot!  Sana kasing-bibo ni Earl ang maging baby niyo.  =)

I often talk to myself.  Abnormal as it may seem, but talking to Tarabusaw or Kalabaw or any of my alter-egos is one of normal things I do.  Actually, I mellowed a little bit these days.  There was a time when I talk to myself even inside a moving bus (but of course I make sure that I am sitting beside no one).  Now, I only talk to myself when I am inside my room.  But, I am not lunatic ha.  I just want to think aloud.

During my conversation with myself this weekend, I realized a few things:

1. I graduated too young from college.  I was only nineteen then.  And now that I am twenty-four, I have already been working for four years!  But I can never say that I was deprived of my childhood or that I regret finishing my studies that early.  I just realized that I am one of the lucky few here in Canada who is earning this much at this point in a man’s life cycle.
2. I need to finish something – something that’s been bothering me for quite some time.  And I mean to do it NOW!
3. I am so stupid to realize that I need to finish that something only now.
4. I am such a loser.  I saw a pretty girl in a party and I don’t know how to approach her.

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I saw a couple of Fil-Canadian teens dancing the Pandanggo sa Ilaw.  It was amusing.  I was really teary-eyed after their presentation.  If ever I will have a family here, I want to raise them Pinoy-style.  I’ll talk to them in Filipino, teach them our traditions and let them embrace our culture. 

Weekend na!  Yehey!!!  Masaya ako.  Mali, super saya ko!  Natutuwa ako dahil lahat ng paghihirap ko eh may pinapatunguhan naman pala.  I was commended for a job well done!!!  I finally redeemed myself!  Sabi ko naman sa kanila eh, nag-aadjust lang ako dati.  (Hahaha!!!  Ang yabang eh no?).  Kaya lang siyempre, may added pressure din yun dahil I need to deliver equally satisfying or even better results next time… Nyeee!!!  Pero nakakawala talaga ng pagod yun ha.  Hwew!!! 

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Minus 25 ang temperature kahapon.  Brrrr… Soooobrang lamig grabe!!!  Medyo tumaas na ngayon ng konti — minus 19 na lang!  Hahaha!!!  Pero malamig pa rin. 

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May training ako sa US sa March 12.  Sa New York to be exact!  Finally, makakarating din ako sa Amerika!  Actually, hindi pa ako approved ng manager but I still consider it approved dahil required yun for all seniors.  Kung papalarin, baka may isa pa akong training sa Amerika.  Yun naman eh around April or May sa Cleveland, Ohio.  Haaay… I’m really looking forward to both trainings.  Di lang sa added knowledge but also sa travel opportunities.  Hehehe…

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If ever matuloy ako sa New York, pwede na ako manood ng Les Miserables sa Broadway.  Niyayaya kasi ako ng mga kaibigan kong manood eh (Van from Florida and Ann from Bermuda).  Si Lea Salonga kasi ang lead!  Sana matuloy talaga ako sa New York!!! (Ian crossing fingers)

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Gusto ko sana manood ng Epic Movie later.  Kaya lang kailangan kong tapusin ‘tong documentation ko.  Sa Sunday na lang.  May pupuntahan kasi akong birthday party sa Saturday.

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Have a great weekend everyone! =)

Araw-Gabi.  A very soothing rendition of a Nonoy Zuniga classic.  Medyo nagtalon-talon lang ang clip. 

And, here’s a clip of a concert (siguro front-act siya dito) in Folk Arts Theather.  According sa may-ari ng clip, this was around 1987.  So ikumpara niyo na lang yung ilong niya from this vid to the one above… nagparetoke ba siya ng lagay na yan?  Siguro, if there’s something na pinagawa niya eh yung ngipin niya, medyo nakausli kasi ang ngipin niya based on this clip. 

Here’s an episode from Jessica Soho Reports about Speed Dating.

Mmmm… Don’t know what to say.  Call me outdated, but I still prefer the old-fashioned way of dating.  Pero siguro, kung medyo desperado na rin ako, I might give this one a try.  Hahaha!!!  Sa ngayon, magpapayaman muna ako. =p

I spent the weekend trying to make my room more handsome.  And where else can I find less expensive furniture than…IKEA!  Actually, I have been planning this “room makeover” for over two weeks now.  I actually had a masterplan of what I wanted my room to look like.  Talk about frustrated Interior Designer!  Hahaha!!!  I even bought a measuring tape so I can have precise and accurate furnishings! 

As I have mentioned above, I went to IKEA to find the desk that will give me company through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, till death do us part (?).  I fell in love with a white desk with silver/stainless-steel legs.  It just came a little longer than what I wanted.  I immediately checked the tag and saw that it costs a whopping $169!!!  And that is exclusive of the 6% Gross Sales Tax and 8% Ontario Provincial Tax!  (That’s the problem with shopping here in Toronto…prices are not yet Tax-inclusive, so sometimes you get the impression that you are about to buy a cheap product when in fact it was actually expensive due to taxes!!!). 

I gave it a hard thought since my budget is only $100.  And I don’t want to spend that much for a computer desk.  I can buy a bed frame with that amount!  I went around… trying to find a desk that will suit my taste and budget.  I was so tired and was almost giving up when I saw a white desk at the corner of the store.  I went at the area and checked it out.  It was fine… I measured it, and it was perfect!!!  I thought to myself, “Poor little desk, no one is paying attention on you.  Don’t worry, I’ll get you… and I’ll take care of you.”  And to make things greater, the tag says it was only $49!!! 

Lesson number 1:  You will never know when someone will knock you off your feet and sweep you away.  And, don’t ever think that an ended relationship is YOUR end.  You can find someone new, someone better and someone that will be PERFECT FOR YOU.  Just always keep an open eye.

Since I still have $51 left in my budget, I decided to shop for more to further “handsomize” my room (is there such a word?  Hahaha!!!).  I bought new drapes for my room, a silver trash bin and a jar.  Asking why I bought a jar?  Well, I’m trying to save $10 a day for my plane ticket home.  I already calculated that in four months, I will have enough savings to buy me a plane ticket to the Philippines!!!  Woohoo!!! 

All in all, I spent $104.35 for my home improvement stuff, exclusive of my taxi fare.  I think it’s not bad since my original budget was $100 for a computer desk alone. 

Lesson number 2:  Its okay not to meet the goals you have initially set for yourself.  What’s more important is how you stand, cope up and make the situation work for you.

I immediately assembled my lovely desk and fixed my room.  It all went as planned.  But I still don’t have a chair for the desk.  I didn’t buy a chair in IKEA because I wanted to buy the brown velvet cubed-stool I saw in Winners.  It will look great in my wood-tiled room and my new desk!  Or so I thought…

Sunday… I woke up at 10am to start my day early (10am is an early wake-up time for me on a Sunday, since I usually get up at around 12nn or 1pm… hahaha!!!).  I had a small chit-chat with my housemates and ate my lunch at home.  I left at around 1:30pm to start finding a seat for my desk.  Though, I crave for that brown velvet cubed-stool in Winners, I thought that I might give Sears a try.  I went to Eaton and checked Sears if there is any chair that can compete with my brown velvet cubed-stool.  Well, they do have a brown LEATHER cubed-stool, but it costs way over my Winners version.  It was $89 in Sears against $29 in Winners!!! 

So I decided to just go to Winners in Dufferin to buy my new chair.  Before going to Winners, I decided to check Walmart first since it’s also in the same mall.  I have always wanted to buy the bean bag there.  And since this weekend is a mall-wide sale, I am hoping that the previous $35 bean-bag would only be around $15 to $20.  I immediately went to where the bean-bags are.  To my dismay, I only saw the bags…there are no beans anymore!!!  Hwaaaa!!!  What will I do with the bag if there is no bean to put in?  Darn this sale!!!  I guess I was too late. 

Since my real objective was to go to Winners and buy my brown velvet cubed-stool, I didn’t let the bean-bag tragedy dampen my spirit.  I treaded the mall towards Winners full of glee and anticipation.  I headed straight the furniture section.  I was hoping that my brown velvet cubed-stool is still there and that no one was able to notice it.  But I was wrong.  My brown velvet cubed-stool is gone!  Someone got it!!!  Someone stole it from me!!!  Hwaaa!!!  I don’t have my bean-bag and I don’t have my brown velvet cubed-stool!!!  This is a double-tragedy!!!  Hwaaa!!!  I kept on looking and looking, thinking that it might be somewhere around.  But my brown velvet cubed-stool wasn’t really there.  Huhuhu… I should’ve bought it when I first saw it (which was last Thursday), even if I will be having a hard time bringing it home because of my laptop!  Oh well, another lesson learned.

Lesson number 3:  If you want something, go for it!  Tomorrow might be too late. 

I was so frustrated.  I wanted to cry.  My day was doomed!  I decided to go to Home Depot in Keele to check if they also have a brown velvet cubed-stool.  Since I don’t have a car, and there is no bus stop in front of Home Depot, I battled the freezing Canadian weather.  I felt my ears were going numb.  I was afraid to touch it, because it might tear off.  (Nyaiks!)  I walked for about ten minutes before I got to Home Depot’s entrance.

Home Depot should change their name.  It should be House Depot, since they sell things that create a HOUSE (Canadians pronounce it as HOSE, not HAWS) and not a HOME.  Well, in fairness, they do have the furniture and fixtures for a home, but most of their items are for a house under construction.  In other words, there is no brown velvet cubed-stool. 

Luckily, Canadian Tire was just a stones-throw away.  You might mistake Canadian Tire as a repair shop for tires and cars.  Well, they do have tires and automobile spare parts, but they also carry sporting goods, lighting fixtures, furniture, clothes, housekeeping products and food!  I checked the store and saw no trace of a brown velvet cubed-stool.  I really felt bad.  So instead of dragging my feeling all day, I tried to find an item that can perk me up… which in this case is a carpet a.k.a accent rug and a knob for my broken cabinet.  At least, my mind was no longer occupied by my lost (or should I say, STOLEN… grrr) brown velvet cubed-stool. 

After my trip at Sears to Walmart to Winners to Home Depot and to Canadian Tire, I decided that its time for me to go home.  It was already getting dark and the temperature is slowly becoming harsher.  I was actually planning to see a movie, but felt so tired (to the bones) that I just opted to go home. 

Lesson number 4:  Give your body a rest… it is also subject to wear and tear. 
Lesson number 5:  Going home is the most fulfilling task at the end of every day.

My room “handsomization” is not yet done.  I will buy a book shelf next month.  I bet it will be as exciting as this.  And oh, I still need to find a replacement for my STOLEN brown velvet cubed-stool!   

I bumped into this picture while browsing through a college friend’s Friendster profile

Isn’t it amazing?  I can’t help but smile when I saw it.  If my memory serves me right, this photo was taken during our sophomore year.  It was Rey’s birthday celebration and he decided to throw a spaghetti party in Baluarte (de San Diego).  Oh… college memories start to pour in… tinginingininginingining…

Look at our faces!  We were so young… so fresh… so virginal!  Hahaha!!!  At ang pangit ko pala talaga dati (as if nag-improve ang itsura ko… hahaha!!!)  And I was slimmer back then pala talaga, maybe because I was into strenuous activities (read:  ROTC and weekly PE classes).  I wish I can go back to those carefree days.  But hey, knowing that all of us became successful (in our little ways), I can’t help but be proud of my classmates. 

The Worst Block Rules!

I miss this show.  I was even inspired by the show’s battlecry in my commencement address when I was invited to be the guest speaker in my high school.  (Yes, sa bata kong ‘to eh naging guest speaker na ako ng high school graduation!  Hahaha!!!  Akalain niyo yun?)  Luckily, there’s pinoy.rickey.org where I get updates. 

For this season, I am totally rooting for Jewel Mische… Isn’t she lovely? =)

And I found out that Jan Manual - one of this year’s survivors, was from San Pedro, and that my family actually knows his.  We were some sort of relatives pa nga eh — my tita who is my pop’s cousin is the cousin of this survivor’s father or something to that effect.  So sobrang layo na talaga, hahaha!!!  Actually, I remember him and her mom going to our old house in Ricarte. 

Anyway, if you happen to have extra time (and cellphone load), please vote for Jewel! Hehehe… =) 

Yay! I’m on my 75th entry!  I’m only 25 entries away from my 100th!  Anong kayang isusulat ko nun?  Let’s just wait and see.

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Folders clasped in left armpit, a BIG audit bag hanging in right shoulder, grumbling stomach, aching feet and tired brain cells — that was me while walking out of King Station to CIBC concourse last Friday.  I was already on my way back to the office after a hectic client schedule, when I saw a face… a familiar face.  Our meeting was quite interesting, since I wasn’t really expecting to see "IT" in this side of town.  I was thinking I needed to search far and wide just like my Quest for Kentucky.  But my, I was so glad to see (and taste) my favorite… SIOPAO! 

Hehehe… Akala niyo kung sino no?  Medyo dissapointed lang ako sa lasa at sa texture ng bun (medyo matigas kasi), but in any case, it was still a simple reminder of my simple pleasures back home.  Here’s a pic of Siopao (or pork bun, as they call it) Toronto version.