AT CEBU
Going through day two at Cebu with Isha, my girlfriend, and so far my feet hurt, my tummy is full and my camera has been clicking like mad. Should have the pictures up once i get home, unless I go crazy and bring my cam here to download the images.

We met up at NAIA for the flight two days ago. Before Isha arrived, I noticed and said hello to one of the big bosses from ABS-CBN, Sir Raul, whom I used to go to the gym with. He asked me if I was flying to Cebu for work to which I replied, "No po. Headed to Cebu for a vacation." Sir Raul then asked, "Not for Pinoy Dream Academy?" Turns out, they were launching the show in Cebu as a thank you for the major support people from Cebu have consistently showed ABS-CBN.

From a flight via Philippine Air Lines two days ago, Business Class and a visit the Mabuhay Lounge before the flight itself, Isha and made our way to Cebu. Thank God for a simple and uneventful flight. We arrived at Mactan pretty excited to see the sights in store for us (Isha to see how much as changed, and me just to see everything!)

At Mactan Airport, we had to wait for Isha's brother (who had to take Cebu Pacific and had a flight thirty minutes later than ours), and ended up bumping into Sir Raul again. The very kind man offered us a ride to Ayala.

At Ayala, we made our way to East West to grab some late lunch only for me to discover a second group of ABS-CBN people I am bumping into... Sir Jeff and Sir Micky, two of the top honchos of ABS-CBN Global Ltd. After saying hello and correcting the mistaken assumption that I was ALREADY in America, I rejoined Isha and Rob and finished out meal. From there, it was a quick trip to a supermarket to grab supplies then a visit to Isha's aunt for them to settle in and leave their stuff. From there, it was the LONG journey to find an affordable pension house for me to use.

In the end, I settled with the Verbena, a clean and simple place costing me a good Php430 per day on rent for an airconditioned room. No hot water, nor Cable or tub, the place was still secure and nicely comfortable to be at.

Day two was a blast, with Isha and I first attending mass at the Redemptorist Church, then a delicious lunch at Sideline (where I got a first taste of Lechon Manok Bisaya), we then made a good visit to Isha's grandmother, Lola Naning, who entertained us with a lot of funny tales and anecdotes about her kids (and Isha's parents.) Thankfully, it seems she does like me.

We then did the tourist thing, visiting two churches and a military installation, then a quick visit to the site where Magellan planted the first Cross, then finally shopping for the pasalubongs others are sure to be hoping to get.

Then, we had dinner with her Tito and Tita and enjoyed a few rounds playing Billards!

Hay, so much in two days. :-) And seven more wonderful days to go!
Catch you later with actual pictures people!

MISSING PEOPLE ALREADY
Barely a week into Terminal Leave (its not even being effectively resigned from ABS-CBN Global!) and I already miss certain people. There's my sister-in-law Ate Ives, and her and my brother's kids Sophia and Jam-Tolites. Been a few years since I have seen them and I really really hope they still remember what I look like! Actually got a computer cam in order to keep in touch with them. Finally got the mike working thanks to my old college friend Adrian Awyoung.

Then, there are my officemates. One would have thought finding true friends would be hard in a work place. Instead, here I found really great friends whom I shall always cherish and remember with joy to have as part of my life. Joey, Marianne, Jen, Ramil and Hoho remain steadfast friends I will hold in a special place in my heart. Others, like Ma-an and Jke have paved their way as freelancers, taking roads I soon will be taking myself.

And always, there's my Panda Bear Isha whom I will always want to spend more time with, if it were possible.

With so many special people in my life, I shall never consider myself short on the many blessings the Lord has given me.

CELEBRATED OUR SIXTH MONTH TOGETHER
Life is good. Will update this later on. For now, I need to sleep!

My Panda Bear is selling some books
Do check if there's anything you'd want to grab.

To quote her,
"I'm getting rid of my old books, selling them pretty cheaply. Sige na, super mura nalang. Hehe. Seriously. All these prices are negotiable, especially if you're buying more than one book. Just email me which ones you're interested in, and I'll meet with you. It's an online garage sale, really, so wala kayong pressure na bumili, pero no return, no exchange. Game?

You can message me via friendster or at rainemp@yahoo.com or here, Cheers!
See ya peeps!

Children's Books
Asterix and Obelix: Operation Getafix P100
Alice in Wonderland (Hard Bound Original Illustrations)P100

Paperbacks
The Great Political Theories Vol. 1 (Michael Curtis) P125
The Tao Of Pooh (Benjamin Hoff) P100
Cosmos (Carl Sagan) P145
Contact (Carl Sagan) P145
Future Shock (Alvin Toffler)P145
Sphinx (Robin Cook) P125
Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt ) P125
Maybe, Maybe Not (Robert Fulghum) P95
The Cardinal Of The Kremlin (Tom Clancy) P125
Phoenix (Amos Aricha & Eli Landau) P125
You Belong To Me (Ann Rule) P95
The Chamber (John Grisham) P125
Coma (Robin Cook) P125
Gump & Co (Winston Groom) P95
Heroing (Daffyd ab Hugh) P75
Les Miserables (Victor Hugo) P125
The Nightmare Chronicles (Douglas Clegg) P95
The Picture Of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde) P95
The Incredible Discovery of Noah's Ark P75
The World According to Garp (John Irving) P125
Reality, Man, and Existence: Essential Works of Existentialism P145
Fit For Life (Harvey & Marilyn Diamond) P125
Lord of the Flies (William Golding) P95
2500 Anecdotes for all Occasions P175
Handwriting Analysis for the Millions P75
Simple Ways to Make Your Daughter Worldly-Wise (Promod Batra) P50
Check Your Own IQ (H. J. Ensenck) P50
Life's Little Instruction Book P20
Strong Spirits (Elisa di Carlo) P30
Diary of a Nobody (George & Weedon Grossmith)P50
Book of Etiquette P20
Understanding Dreams P20
The Promise of Joy (Allen Drury) P75
The Desperate Adversaries (Jack Hoffenburg) P95
Chameleon (William Diehl) P95
The Last Days of America (Paul Erdman) P75
Floodgate (Alistair McLean) P125
The Road Ahead (Bill Gates) P145
Risky Games (Olga Bicos) P95
Reflections And Dreams (Nora Roberts) P145
This Heart Of Mine (Susan Elizabeth Phillips) P145
One Kiss From You (Christina Dodd) P125
Night Shield (Nora Roberts) P70
Impulse (Nora Roberts) P40
Time and Again (Nora Roberts) P145
Just The Way You Are (Nora Roberts) P145

Trade Books
Woodcarving Techniques and Projects P35
Basic Woodworking and Carpentry… With Projects P10
Fundamentals of the Metal Trade P35
The Illustrated Handbook of Upholstery P35
Staining and Finishing Unfinished Furniture and other Naked Woods P15
Kiln Drying of Sawn Timber P20
ABC's of Antennas P10
The Automobile Power Train and Running Gear Power Flow and Chassis Unit P70
The Jig Saw and Band Saw P20
The Jointer, Shaper and Thickness Planer P20
Wood Lathe P20
The Circular Saw P20

Textbooks
College Algebra, Revised Edition- Mijares P30
The Harvard Business Review P25
How To Start Your Own Business P25
Management of the Sales Force -Stanton and Buskirk P35
Potentially Viable Small Enterprises in the Philippines P25
Computer Systems Organizations - H. De Leon P25
Exporting- Villafuerte P25
Understanding Economics in the Philippines P30
Ang Pilipinas at Ang Mga Pilipino Noon at Ngayon- Agoncillo P70
The Calculus with Analytic Geometry (6th Edition) - Harper & Row P50
Reading Into Writing I - Dadufalza P75
Chemical Principles in the Laboratory -Slowinsky Wolsey & Masterton P35
Spanish English Dictionary P15
Personnel Management 3rd Edition - Sison P25
Basic Field Hockey Strategies P8

Medical Books
Textbook of Pediatrics 14th Edition - Saunders P800
Pharmacology - J. I. Moore P80
Pediatrics 2nd Edition -Dworkin P80
Anatomy 2nd Edition -Ernest April P69
Anatomy 2nd Edition -Ernest April P69
Pharmacology 3nd Edition -Leonard Jacob P69
Surgery 2nd Edition - Jarell & Carrabas P75
Neuroanatomy - William Dwyer P69
Pathology 3rd Edition P75
Pharmacology Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews P69
Medical Jurisprudence -Solis P50
Digging Up The Bones: Vol 2 Microbiology -Linardakis P25
Pharmacology Pretest Self Assessment and Review 4th Edition P25
Microbiology Pretest Self Assessment and Review 4th Edition P25
Helping Mothers To Breastfeed P5
Biochemistry (10th Edition) 700 Q&A's -David Glick P5
Family Health Guide P69
Family Nursing and Medicine P35

Star Trek
The Physics of Star Trek P200
Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry (2 copies) P150
Star Trek: The Ashes Of Eden - William Shatner P95
Star Trek: The Return -William Shatner P95
TNG: Guises of the Mind - Rebecca Neason P80
TNG: Q-Squared - Peter David P95
TNG: Imzadi -Peter David P95
TNG:All Good Things -Michael Jan Friedman P95
TNG: Kahless -Michael Jan Friedman P95
TNG: Contamination -John Vorholt P80
TNG: The Devil's Heart -Carmen Carter P80
TNG: The Best and The Brightest P50

Voyager Series:
Flashback -Diane Carey P90
Mosaic - Jeri Taylor P90
Caretaker -L.A. Graf P85
The Escape -Dean W. Smith & Kristine K. Rusch P85
Ragnarok -Nathan Archer P85
Violations -Susan Wright P85

Incident at Arbuk - John Greggory Betancourt P85
The Murdered Sun -Christie Golden P85
Ghost of A Chance -Mark Garland & Charles McGraw P85
Cybersong -S. N. Lewitt P85
Invasion #4 The Final Fury - Daffyd ab Hugh P85
Bless The Beasts - Karen Haber P85
The Garden - Melissa Scott P85
Chrysalis - David Niall Wilson P85
The Black Shore -Greg Cox P85
Marooned -Christie Golden P85
Echoes -Dean W. Smith & Kristine K. Rusch P85
Seven of Nine -Christie Golden P85
Death of a Neuron Star -Eric Kotaw P85
Day of Honor: Her Klingon Soul -Michael Jan Friedman P90

SOME UPDATES ON THE GARAPATA
I haven't been able to blog as religiously as I used to due to the large number of projects I am currently juggling. I guess when a person resigns from work, there's a huge amount of additional work one has to finish before the job ends. Hehehe. For those whom I haven't informed, I have officially resigned from my position as a Graphic Artist/Art Director at ABS-CBN Global Limited (effective September 15, a date my boss, Beth, coaxed me to agree with due to the high influx of work we're having from our very many international clients). Decided its time to try and devote more attention to creative endeavors (like short films, writing, comics and eventually studying). I ain't exactly jobless though, with two family businesses waiting for me to help out in (Medical transcription and a Quickly francise) but neither eat my time up competely, leaving me free for rackets, consultation and the like.

In less than six hours, Panda bear Isha and I will be celebrating our sixth month together. There won't be any real fireworks, sadly, since I have (as mentioned above) work to do tonight (five logo designs and a booth design) due tomorrow. But yeah, six months. Who would have thought a beautiful, smart, creative, sexy, sassy, responsible, hyper-active, energetic, moody, intelligent, caring, sensitive, loving woman like her would actually be attractive to some geek like me. Each day, I remember how blessed I am having someone who understands, cares, trusts and loves me. Thank you for making my life a lot more wonderful and a lot less stressful, Isha. Thank you for letting me part of your life.

In less than half a month's time, Panda Bear Isha and I will be at Cebu. Having never been there, I am excited to see the place where Isha grew up as well as meet the people who knew her as she was growing up. In some ways, I am a little bit scared too on how they will react to me, being a Manila boy and all that. Hopefully I will make her proud and win her some compliments for good taste. Hopefully. Hehehe.

In less than a months time, I should have written 1 screenplay for a short story (the project I have with Ma-an Asuncion), copy for a videogame (a project I have with James Lo), script for a ten page comic (a project I share with Elbert Or and Jonas Diego, to be illustrated by a Harvey Ong.. or was that Henry Ong, gah... sorry, I forgot the name!) I also should have prepped ideas and the beginnigs of a screenplay with a local director (Am not sure how much I can say about this yet, so keeping things mum), and learned if I made the cut for 5 Takes - Season 3. As of now, the 5 Takes show seems unlikely though, having not found my name in the partial short list they've posted online which already includes one entrant from the Philippines. But yes, it is a partial list, so I shouldn't give up yet.

Also, in less than three months time, I should have scanned the second to the last Diliman issue, as well as the Love and Heartbreak 2 pages that won't be in used anymore since Elbert decided to make L&H2 more a private project of his own. Then, there's Nanowrimo coming up this October where I plan to try another stab at it, and the deadline for the next compilation for Speculative Fiction Dean Alfar is helming. Then, there's Isha and her family finally heading to Vancouver.

Finally come December I may be out of the country for a few months to finalise the plan to study in CalArts. Here's hoping I get in!

So all in all, life has been great! Thank you for keeping in touch, you all.

fan-fiction: FADE TO BLACK

The Faceless Void stared into the rapidly darknening sky. There had never been a night as dark as this one; where the stars no longer sparkled and the moon had long lost its face. Though many of its former allies in the great battle against the Sentinels had great powerful abilities that could darken the skies, their powers paled in comparison to the events that were nearing their end.

"Has he given up trying to stop things?" the tattered form of the skeleton king himself, King Leoric, asked the darkterror while he stared at the last remaining settlements that were barely visible in the distance. The darkness swallowed them up and took away the final glimpses of proof that the land once held civilized men and monsters. The Skeleton King ran a bloodied hand over its tattered armor, then threw the powerful artifact known as the Divine Rapier to the ground. The god-slaying artifact was no longer needed.

"No," the Faceless Void replied without even turning to look towards the person they were speaking about. A few meters away, a frantic Nerubian Weaver struggled against the impossible. Anubseran, however, had no plans of halting his stubborness. He continued to call upon his ethereal powers and leapt backwards in time in hopes of returning to a time before everything fell apart. Its carapace glistened with sweat as it continued its futile efforts. On the ground lay scattered the Weaver's many magical treasures: the powerful azure axe that allowed it to summon illusionary doubles, the twin swords that gave him both unfathomed strength and speed. Even the forever coveted artifact known as Radiance was left on the grass. None served any purpose anymore.

He made no progress in his efforts.

Though his ultimate abilities allowed him to leap backwards in time, the most he could muster was five seconds.

Five seconds was all he could do.

"I doubt, however, that the Weaver would listen to any call for logic," the Faceless Void sighed and crossed his muscular arms over his chest. The darkness in the distance continued to close in towards them. King Leoric dropped his majestic sword to the ground and made his way beside the Faceless Void. He felt, however, a sudden pang of sympathy for the Weaver and realized to the very least he should offer his ally a chance at a more painless death.

"When it comes," King Leoric asked, "How much time will we have? You can cease the flow around us both, yes?"

"Not much," the Faceless Void admitted, "Like the Weaver, my command over time is no more greater than his. Perhaps ten? Fifteen seconds?"

"Six," King Leoric mused, knowing the Faceless Void would never admit his lack of greater power. Many of those they were long allied with saw the Darkterror as laughable, if not weak. There was a time the Darkterrors were so feared that many believed they had long existed even before the time of man. But when the war came upon them and the alliances of necessity required them to fight alongside one another against the sentinels, many began to see how much weaker the Darkterror truly was. "Proud even until the end, my friend," Leoric teased, "Proud until the end."

"It is here," was the Darkterror's only reply.

The Nerubian Weaver screamed in anger, seeing the darkness now rapidly sliding towards where he and the two other remaining survivors stood. The darkness was relentless and found nothing in its path that slowed its approach. Anubseran screamed as its watchers, spread out ahead to warn him of the darkness' approach, were quickly consumed by the growing void and rend from the world.

"This is not fair! We had won!" Anubseran screamed with a voice that contained every anger and fear the Weaver had long hidden from all prying eyes. King Leoric felt sad that one who was once such a proud and vicious slayer of foes had turned into such a weak and frightened fool. He decided to act upon the sympathy he had earlier felt and unleashed towards the Weaver the power contained within him. A magical Storm Bolt flew and struck the Weaver into stunned silence. The darkness came quickly and took the Weaver into its grasp.

"At least," King Leoric shared, as he bowed his head towards the ground, with the Darkterror, "I had spared him from the pain."

"We do not know for certain if there will be any pain," the Darkterror countered but, upon hearing nothing but silence from the skeleton king, offered a nod in respect. King Leoric raised his head once more and stared at the incoming darkness. Like a surging flood of black uncaring water, the darkness continued towards the two without any signs of slowing down.

"We are to find out the answer to that question, my friend," King Leoric mused and wrapped one arm around the Darkterror. "It was an honor, Faceless Void, to stand in battle alongside you."

The darkness wrapped over them.

Then stopped.

The Faceless Void stared at King Leoric's unblinking amber pupils, then threw its gaze upon the darkness that now surrounded everything save himself and his frozen ally. Both removed from time by the Faceless Void's ultimate skill over its flow, it was only the Darkterror, however, who remained cognizant of their state of being.

"Six seconds is more than none," the Darkterror proclaimed and was thankful that even at the very end of everything that existed, he was the last to bid farewell. That, for the Faceless Void, was enough.

-end-

Fade to Black was my entry to a fanfic contest in www.dotaportal.com To my surprise, it won first place and was received pretty well by many of those who visit the site. The cons of my story in hindsight: too reliant on having the reader be familiar with the game and the favoritism towards its various heroes. Lacks a nice view of the events that transpired before the ending of the world. Can seem kind of short for a tale that covers its scope.

SO MANY THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR



God is good.
Life, though still with its unexpected complications and surprises, has taken a major upswing within the last few weeks. From the impossibly wonderful relationship I share with Isha, to the remarkable twists and developments in our family's business, to the sudden surge of opportunities and possible roads to reaching my dreams.

When God is good, there is no denying how powerful and how incredible having Him in your life feels.

Thank you God, for everything!
(especially for the patience of having to look over me as well)

GAH... the MUSH

Jock and Nerd are made to sing karaoke during a New Year's party. And it so happens to be the Start of Something New...


It is good mush, though.
Very good fun mush.
Check it out.
High School Musical, dvd and ost now available.