The bunker door notes

The bunker door notes, originally uploaded by garapata.

Lost in the Philippines had a meeting recently and part of the meeting was planning out the design for the booth. Here's a sneak peek, if you can make sense of my strange hand writing, of what's in store for you all at NWA 5!

New Worlds 5: The Fifth Philippine Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention is happening on October 27, 2007, at the Glorietta Activity Center!

Step through the star gate or through the wardrobe in costume or in Muggle clothing! Bring your lightsabers and phasers, your amulets and cutlasses and wooden stakes, or even the One Ring and your chakram! Scoot over in a 1976 Chevy Impala or park your Viper nearby! Watch the Activity Center transform into a hub of science fiction and fantasy for Daleks and the Losties and heroes, where vampires and mecha converge over dice and boardgames!

Entrance is free and open to the public! New Worlds 5 is presented to you by the New Worlds Alliance. Spread the word of sci-fi and fantasy! Be a geek and be proud!

FAIR FOLK:


This captures nicely a way they can be protrayed. Living outside creation? Check. Disregard for life? Check. Strange logical profoundity? Check. Beautifully terrifying? Check.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS

As of today, September 20, 2007, Tito Albert leaves us for a better place. I still am in a state of shock so pardon if this post is brief. Just a few hours ago, my Dad and I were at the hospital. It was Tito Albert's wife, Tita Bel's birthday today so Dad and I brought some muffins and cheese bread for her. Tito Albert was smiling when we came to the room. He was alert. He had full control of his extremities. He was laughing and trading stories with us about what the heart attack felt like and how lucky he was to be alive. About how all the doctors were shocked that he was recovering so well. We talked about my plans to go to Vancouver. About how in Vancouver, taxes are high, but you really get a lot of benefits and see where you tax-money goes. About how he was able to hear from a lot of other relatives. About how he would have to start exercising, and dieting, and about how most likely this Friday, they were to discuss plans of checking out and heading home.

Once again, I extend my thanks to everyone who offered prayers for his recovery. And I thank all those who are willing to include him and his family in their prayers now.

Thank you again for sharing with us this time of grief.

NWA 5: Photoshoot
Last week, the New Worlds Alliance had a photoshoot for the upcoming NWA5 poster. There were representatives for the many groups including Lost Philippines, Via Astris, BSG Philippines, Black Pearl, and of course me to represent AEGIS. Although I've only met some of them, that single night I made a lot of new friends and acquaintances.

Here are some pictures currently online for that event.

From Chiqui's multiply:
http://ladyelos.multiply.com/photos/album/11/NWA_Photoshoot_at_Fandom_09.15.2007
From my multiply:
http://tobieabad.multiply.com/photos/album/39



And finally got the few pictures of me and my family watching Avenue Q. Of course, no pictures of the actual play, since that's illegal. You can find more in my multiply account too:

http://tobieabad.multiply.com/photos/photo/40/1

MY THANKS, AND KEEP THE PRAYERS COMING.

My thanks to those who offered prayers for my Tito Albert who is currently in the hospital. He was in a critical condition for almost two whole days but thankfully, he is slowly recovering. Although he's still in the ICU, his condition has improved somewhat compared to the last few days.

So again, thank you for the prayers.

But please, do still include him in your prayers. For his recovery. And for his family as well.
Thank you so much.

IT HAS BEEN A COMPLICATED WEEK
Lots of ups and downs this week. But will just focus on these four key things:

My panda bear Isha and I just hit our 19th month of being together! The long distance still threatens to overwhelm us, but we're holding on and not giving up. I miss her so much that sometimes I wonder if I will go crazy. Going out is still fun, but there's always that feeling that something huge is lacking since she isn't with me. I hope my plans (yep yep) come into completion soon enough. Happy 19 months, love! I love you with my heart and soul and fat and sweat and tears and everything else!

Also got to finally watch Avenue Q. Brought my parents, Tracy and Sydney to watch it with me. Met Seth and Elaine at North Park at Convergys for dinner, then we headed to RCBC to catch the musical. It was a blast! I never felt so much more depression and happiness at the same time... I really should have had the balls to audition for a part in it. Oh well. Next time, I guess.

Had a photoshoot with NWA too! Made a lot of new friends, saw some old ones and reestablished some acquaintances. Had a view video and pictures too (sadly, Urim, who handled the camera for me, failed to take pictures of MY photoshoot. Sheesh. But I am sure soon in Multiply, the others who were there will be taking posting some pictures with me in them. Will link to them once I find them.

Lastly, if you have time, please add my Tito Albert to your prayers. He's currently in the hospital and we would really appreciate it if you add him to your prayers.

Thank you for your time!

Now to grab some sleep.

DREAM: DALI, TAKBO...
I had a strange dream today.

It started with me and Ish at Tahanan Village park, watching the beautiful night sky. It was a quiet dream and we were just enjoying the moment. Enjoying the chance to be together again. She mentioned she was leaving for abroad and for a brief moment, I was staring at her, wondering (didn't you already leave for abroad and come back?)

Then the dream cut to a few hours later. I was with my Mom at the Church near the park. My best friend Marco was there too, although he was outside helping with some decors. I think the timeline suggested Simbang Gabi since it was dark, but I understood the sun was to be out in a few. While my mom was inside the Church, helping out with something, I stood out, walked back to where I was while I was with Isha, and noticed something peculiar in the sky.

It was a plane. A military looking plane. And no, not a jet. It looked more like the X-Men's blackbird. A stealth bomber. From it, a small tiny blue dot fell. And suddenly, there was a flash of light in the distance. An explosion of silent energy. It had dropped a bomb. The explosion had struck a nearby subdivision. And we all felt a wave of heat actually reach us from where we were.

I could hear other people around the area talking about it. How they heard rumors that something similar happened in Hongkong. Singapore. Korea. How they were hearing from loved ones (thanks to cellullar phones and text) that it just happened there too.

And then, I noticed. A second plane. And this time, it was flying in our general direction.

I ran back.

I ran like hell was after me. And looking back, seeing a glowing thing falling from the plane that seemed to be almost overhead, I knew it was. I got to the Church and realised I had to choose. Marco was still outside, on the other side of the Church. My mom was at the entrance facing the park. I chose my mom.

I grabbed hold of her, pulled her with me deeper into the Church, making our way to the side Marco was at. She was yelling at me to explain what I was doing. To stop. But I didn't. I just ran, practically dragging her with me, and only stopped when we were at the other side of the Church. I shoved my mother between the wall and a confessional and told her to wait for me. I then ran for the archway leading outside the Church, opposite the park, where Marco was. When I saw him, he was already staring at the sky. He was about to tell me there was something falling from a plane when I grabbed hold of him and pulled him back into the Church with me.

The explosion wasn't soundless this time. We all were screaming as the Church creaked and groaned from the heat. But miraculously, we seemed to survive it.

It was only when we stepped out that we learned the bomb that fell was at a side of the subdivision away from where we were. But it was close enough that a perimeter of burned houses and grass could be seen. We were at the edge of death. At it was not over. Staring at the sky, I saw the telltale signs of another plane flying in. I told my best friend and my mom we had to run. And we did.

And I wondered, somewhere beyond the sea, Isha was out there. Was she safe? Did the bombs get to her too? And I promised myself, no matter what, no matter how, I will find her.

I woke up.

Created a new website: The Garapata Repository
From now on, webzines/webmodules and PDFs that I shall create for gaming can be found at The Garapata Repository, which is a website created through Google (all Gmail users have a site waiting to be used!)

So feel free to head on there to snag the two current uploads.

New World of Darkness
Chilling Images - Volume One
A compilation of horrifying imagery and disturbing vignettes that are certain to inspire or terrify you for your next World of Darkness game. Written by various forumites from the www.white-wolf.com forums. The original forum thread is still online for those who want to submit more entries.


Old World of Darkness
A Second To Try
A Changeling: The Dreaming mini-module to add to your Time of Judgment game session. Originally published in Ex Libris Nocturnis having won a small contest for the best Time of Judgment supplement.

FOUR DAYS OF VOTING LEFT
Keep voting for my Panda Bear's picture SALUTE! at http://contests.fotki.com/nyip/localmusic/
She's gone from page 9 to page 4... so let's keep supporting her (and spreading the word to vote for her) that she wins!

BECAUSE A PISSED OFF MAN MUST SMILE

LATEST PET PEEVE:

The damn fucking "dood pare" white headfucking lights.
Do these stupid jerks realise that they are BLINDING other drivers with their embarassingly intense desire to be noticed? Driving home from San Juan to Paranaque, I had the unfortunate luck to be driving in front of one of these "dood pare" jerk offs who think having unnecessarily bright white freaking lights is necessary for the world to think he's actually a better person.

Wake up people.
It doesn't disguise your idiocy in any way.

It just shines a signal flare to everyone that says, "Pare check out the insecure idiot driving over here."

Really.
May all of you with such lights wake up one morning and realise you're already dead.

THE IRONY OF THIS BOOK MAKES ME WONDER
But yeah, today's that day. And suddenly, friends have cancelled on me left and right for this. I never caught that bug. Oh well. Moving on...

I miss my Panda bear.
So much.
But yeah, am working on visiting her someday soon.

THE BEAST HAS THE PACKAGE


Just reporting to my Panda Bear that the Beast (finally) has the package.
I guess just inform him who gets what to make sure. Sadly, the Maple is still with me. Haven't gotten around to contacting Majo.

I miss you, Panda Bear.
So much.