Somedays you just wanna cuddle

Had a horrible horrible drive to Paranaque today.  Working for my family, as much as possible I do my darnest best to be back in my parents' house three times a week.  The work I do for them doesn't actually require me to be physically present (and I have time and time again proven this to be the case), but old habits die hard and my parents remain adamant they want to see me every week.

Today, I decided to take the C5 route rather than my usual EDSA route in hopes of shaving off a few minutes from the usually long drive.  It was a warm afternoon and I was anxious to get to work soon since there exists the possibility of catching a musical for free later in the evening.  Sadly, (or should I say aptly, considering what day it was) things were not going to go well for me.

The drive, while moving, took a horrid turn into slowcity when I found myself trapped in the leftmost lane and unable to transfer to the right lanes.  Car after car uncaringly blocked my vehicle even as I had my signal lights on to show I needed to transfer lanes.  After struggling for minutes, I ended up reaching the U-turn slot and saw a number of MMDA people who sternly told me I should take the U-turn.  I tried to explain I was struggling to change lanes but all they did was motion that I turn... or else.

So I was forced to take the U turn, drove back the way I came, and tried again.  This time, I kept to the right side of the lane and made my way hoping to eventually get out of the Acropolis area and finally hit the highway.

Luck would not be on my side. 

Some annoying guy in a barong and a pathetic looking car started driving uncaringly towards mine, forcing me to back up to the left side more and more each time.  It wasn't until realized he WANTED to move to the left lane that I realized the car after his wanted to do the same.  So lo and behold, a volley of cars on the rightmost side of the road were corralling me to the left side so they could turn left.

In the end, after blaring my horn and trying to be stubborn at first (as in motioning them to just go ahead of me so I stay in my lane), they forced me to the left lane and once again... into the U-turn slot.

Fantastic.

By this time, it was already past 1:00pm and the traffic was growing worse.  Cars were slowly moving through the roads like sleepy sheep and I was annoyed beyond frustration.  I instead drove back to P.Tuazon, took the road to hit Edsa, and made my way south bound again.

It is now 3:00pm and I am finally in Paranaque.  Thankfully, God was kind enough to wait for me to settle inside before allowing the sudden and strong downpour currently drenching the world outside to fall.  But damn it, I wish I was home instead and cuddling.

Or sleeping.

Or dreaming.

Or hell, even working, since yes again I state it as a fact, I CAN do my job remotely.

I blame this week.  I blame the day.  Yep.  It just is that kind of day.  A day when the good guys get shafted.

Sighs.

Singing on my way home from Church

Woke up today and was late for mass, so hurried to Church with my mom reminding me how late I woke up.   Got messages from Nico and RD asking if I was heading out tonight, and remembering the ym chat I had before finally getting some sleep, I knew I was pretty much certain I was going alone. 

Tom has work to handle tomorrow morning.  Other people have plans.

So I just told myself that I'm definitely going to make the most of tonight no matter what. 

Definitely it would be more fun if suddenly they show up to join the fun watching the Divas tonight .

But just as I have always had noticed how life tends to auspiciously throw one an apt moment, visual cue or sign, my hand brushed against the radio button and this started playing from some station.

People said that i'm a fool
well, i don't know.
At least I found out what it takes to be strong.

 
I was dreamin' all day long...
A drifting cloud.

With eyes wide open I would chose not to see...

Now i don't wanna see you anymore
Don't wanna be the one to play your game
Not even if you smile your sweetest smile
Not even if you beg me darling please...

Say good morning to the world
I hope you like it.
Take good care of all these thing that we have.
I've been looking for a way for too long now
Seems like everything must come to an end...

Now, i don't wanna see you anymore
Don't wanna be the one to play your game
Not even if you smile your sweetest smile
Not even if you beg me darling please...

Now, i don't wanna see you anymore
Don't wanna be the one to play your game
Not even if you smile your sweetest smile
Not even if you beg me darling please...

Time after time

Nothing that i can't do...
Knowing your ways
and loving your ways
But not getting through at all.

 
Day after day

leaving the past behind...
Coming to terms with stitches and burns
And learning to fly again.

Now, i don't wanna see you anymore
Don't wanna be the one to play your game
Not even if you smile your sweetest smile
Not even if you beg me darling please...

Now, i don't wanna see you anymore
Don't wanna be the one to play your game
Not even if you smile your sweetest smile
Not even if you beg me darling please...

Talk about amusingly apt timing eh?

Although I don't quite agree with the whole message of the song, there were parts here which I just started singing (screaming) along while driving home.  

But yeah, now that I am home and typing this blog entry, I realize no... I still do want to see you.   And I hope it happens soon.  

Life's more fun with friends around.

MY SUNDAY NIGHT

So, how about you?  How was your Sunday?

Paalam UEN, Paalam

Today I bid farewell to the red car that has been with me for quite some time now.  After helping me learn to drive, allowing me a few times to visit my girlfriend, giving me the chance to help ferry some (back then) new friends to and fro for the NWA 5 event, hang out with buddies all the way in Eastwood, tour the possible drinking spots of Malate, Makati and Cubao, as well as getting into a minor accident with me when I fell asleep while driving home with a friend one time...

UEN, YOU SHALL TRULY BE MISSED.

Today is the day UEN finally leaves the confines of the Garapata's garage and discovers the new loving caretakers waiting for her.  Today is the day she drives away proud and wise with how the world works, now keenly aware of the ineptitude that 90% of the other drivers out there are made of, and armed with a powerful sense of understanding that sometimes, the law and those who supposedly defend it are not in the same boat.

Let me try to write a list of all those who had at one point in time or another enjoyed a ride with me on UEN:

Isha, Fernan, Mika, Mara, Sabby, Urim, Adrian, Alec, Beej, Nick, Jovan, A few Harry Potter kids, Mark, Nina, Hec, Aids, Macy, Barbs, Gold, Lorie, Jeff, Sonny, Tom, Tayan, Chiqui, Rd, Vince, Aldwin, Seth, Eman, Jomar, Don, Dhone, Josh, Andy, Miggy, Johnboy, and a few others whose names I can't recall.

Sigh.

I will miss you much UEN.

And we wil always remember you whenever we see, smell or use feminine wash.

Travel safe.

Meet ABA, my new car!

My apologies to all the fans and supporters (and suppliers of feminine wash) to UEN, but it is time to move on to better things.

And what better thing can there be than ABA, my new car.  (For those not familiar, my friends and I have opted to call vehicles by their plate numbers letters.  My last car had UEN as its plate number.  This one will eventually have ABA).

So there you have it.  ABA is now officially announced in my blog as my new moto.

My congratulations to Tayan, Nina and Tom being the first three people to experience a ride home via ABA.  Nick would be counted too, but I dropped him off along EDSA and not his house, so no.

Still, wish it was the beige shade I wanted instead though.  Silver is too common na kasi.  But then again, it could have been worse... it could have been ebak yellow.

I wonder when my Panda Bear, Isha, will ever be able to experience riding on ABA though.  Hmm.. anyone got an idea how much it would cost to bring one's own car abroad for a few weeks?

UEN got flooded

The typhoon Frank has caused a lot of accidents, damage and deaths in its wake.  My prayers go out to all who have lost someone or lost property from the passage of this force of nature.

UEN thankfully did not suffer the fate that this other red car had suffered in the picture.  What UEN did suffer was around five inches deep of water inside the right side of the car.  There has been this tiny tiny leak somewhere near the right passenger side mirror which usually allows a tiny trickle of water in when it rains.  With the constant strong downpour that has been coming down since Friday, however, UEN became a receptacle for rainwater without me noticing before it was too late.

As I drove to Church this Sunday evening, I noticed sloshing sounds whenever I shifted gears.  I kept glancing outside at the street level, wondering why I could hear the sounds typical of a flooded street and yet not see any water (Tahanan Village, thankfully, is a hilly subdivision).  That's when I hit a hump and heard the distinct splash of water beside me.

Just spend around half an hour draining it and padding it as dry as I could.

But the rain hasn't stopped and there's no nearby roofed parking area in sight.
So something tells me I'm going to have to drain UEN again later in the morning.  Oh well, at least everyone in the family is safe.

Take care, everyone!