I want!

This is a representation of a VW Kombi that I dream of having one day. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted one. Now it seems that that dream is closer to reality. Damn you Justin for showing me the dark side!

A VW bug is a nice alternative as well though... DAMN YOU JUSTIN!

Blast from the past

Found this in Cherry's Facebook:


hehehe... kids! This must've been taken at least 10 years ago.... daym!

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The assassination of JM Taylor

The history:
Suspect JM Taylor is leaving the Philippines for the Land of the Rising Sun for a good solid 2 years. His close "friends" wanted to send him off in a body bag.

The preparation:
All the agents that where to be involved were informed weeks prior to the operation. Operational directives were given and Go/No Go statuses confirmed. All agents were in place on the day of the operation, and the key proponents of the assassination convened in the command center (the same command center where the takedown of the Druglord was planned years ago). Various plans were drafted, each with its own set of pros and cons. Murphy, however, was at it again and each time a specific plan was close to being finalized it had to be abandoned. Finally, on the 11th hour, a decision was made and the necessary events were set in motion. The team gathered their gear and prepared for the mission at hand.

The package contents:
1 Rubik's cube
1 numeric keypad
1 "unknown" medical tablet
1 LED light
1 bottle of water
1 bar of chocolate
1 set of instructions to get in the trunk and lock himself in

Mission parameters:
1. Agent V will retrieve the suspect's car keys from his traitorous father (yes his father was in on it, as well as his mother, sister and household help)
2. Mom was to ask suspect to go retrieve "something" from her friend's house
3. Agents V, B, A and S will proceed to pick-up point, and wait for suspect to enter the house. Upon entering the house, Agents V and B will drop off a "package" in car's trunk and proceed to covert observation point.
4. Agent S will send out an anonymous message for the suspect to check the trunk
5. Suspect reads the instructions included in the "package" and knowing its consequences, follows it to the letter.
6. Agents V, B, A and S will proceed and drive the suspect and his car to a safe house and conduct interrogation and torture methods with the "organization".

The events as they transpired:
1. Agent V retrieved the suspect's car keys from his traitorous father
2. Mom friend was not yet home. SNAFU
3. Agents V, B, A and S proceeded to pick-up point, but returned back to suspect's house where the car was parked and droped off the "package" in the car's trunk.
4. Suspect proceeded to usual area of physical training, unaware of his cargo
5. Agent S sent out an anonymous message for the suspect to check the trunk
6. Suspect does not comply and proceeds with his PT. TARFU
7. Agents V and B commandeers the suspect's vehicle and parks it in a more secure location
8. Agent S sent out another anonymous message for the suspect to check the trunk
9. Suspect does not comply and Agents V and B nearly got compromised. Agent A had to perform an evac and pick up the two agents. FUBAR
10. Other communication methods were utilized and intimidation tactics were employed. Comm methods were ineffective.
11. Suspect finally opens the trunk and package. Suspect does not comply with instructions. SNAFU
12. Agent V confronted the suspect personally and persuades the him to get in the f*****g trunk. Suspect complies after nearly an hour and half after the mission started.
13. Agents V, B, A and S proceeded and drove the suspect and his car to a safe house and conduct interrogation and torture methods with the "organization".
14. Interrogation and torture successful. SNAFU

happy birthday!

... finally something that she can call her own...

green-eyed monster

I heard yesterday that a friend of mine won accommodations and tickets for the first ever Formula 1 night race in Singapore in the next couple of weeks. Damn, I am dying with envy. All he needs now is to get plane tickets to Singapore, but that is chicken feed compared to being able to get and pay for accommodations and tickets during the race weekend.

Plus he has a chance to meet Lewis Hamilton in person! I wouldn't say I am a Hamilton fan, I know he is good but I am rooting for another guy to win the championship.

Man, I just can't say how much I would like to go to Singapore for the race. It has always been one of my dreams to watch a Formula 1 race, wherever it may be. But Singapore is the closest and so far seems to be very prestigious as it is the first night race for Formula 1. Perfect timing for him I guess.... dude, take lots of pictures! And give Hamilton a sneaky elbow to the ribs for me hehehe

getting back in shape

Ever since I got back from US, I have been greeted with comments such as "You've lost weight!" or "Man, you're shrinking!" and even "Dude, your dark!" (from my skin color hehe). And I do see and feel that I've lost weight... not just weight, but my muscle mass.

A couple of months not going to the gym and the stress of work does that to you. So now I am back to the gym with a new trainer trying to regain all the hard work I've put in. First few sessions was painful. It has been a long time since I got that burn. It doesn't feel good.... but at least I know it brings with it the thought that I will get in shape again.

Good thing about working out hard again is that my appetite is coming back. I need to eat a lot in order to work out, but the problem with me is I don't eat a lot if I don't work out. And I can't work out hard enough if I don't eat. That is where the trainer comes in. You are forced to work out since you have an appointment to make, and the fact that you paid for it.

So I will be in a lot of pain for the next month or so until I get back to my peak, which is all good. But my wallet is getting a beating as well though hehehe

Boracay day 7 and departure

Boracay night 6 (continuation of Boracay day 6), Socs and I went out on a date. Sounds weird, as the Boracay trip is pretty much an extended date, but this night was a little bit more special as we decidedly dressed up (island style) and went to the Bamboo Lounge for dinner and a couple of drinks. Food was expensive but good, I recommend the Lotus fried rice. Good thing their "Happy Hour" went until 1030pm.

Day 7 started off with a massage by the beach, and some more time to soak up the rays (yes I am now a bronze god hehehe). We had Gasthof's for brunch before heading back to the resort. I stopped by to buy a pair of board shorts, even though it was going to be our last (full) day in Boracay. I've always wanted to get another pair of a different shade of color than my current one.

Back at the resort, we rested for a bit as we had a reservation to rent an ATV. We initially thought of just renting one ATV for the both of us, however we ended up getting one each as it costs pretty much the same. We rode up to Mt. Luho to have a better view of the island. We also headed to a couple of other beaches Boracay had to offer. Little did we know it took us a little over 2 hours instead of the one hour we budgeted for (Socs was a little hesitant on the throttle). So we ended up paying twice what we planned, but we it was all good as we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly (Socs was even starting to speed up a bit on the road).



Dinner was on a low budget restaurant in D*Mall (plus a couple of isaw sticks for me) and it was off to bed as we had an early flight the next day. We had breakfast at the resort, and it was pretty good. It was done outside our room with the morning sun shining down on us. Perfect way to end the week in Boracay.

Boracay day 6

A quick recap, Socs and I went to eat at True Food Indian restaurant last night and we can probably say that it was the best dinner we had so far here in Boracay. It was a bit expensive compared to the other restaurants but well worth it. The lamb rogan josh and the motabhal combination together with their Naan is highly recommended.

Today we had a simple breakfast in one of the shops in station 3. It was cheap yet good enough to start the day. We spent most of the morning hanging out in the beach and working on our tan. We then headed back to D*Talipapa to grab some lunch. As promised we got lobster and clams.

The lobster was a little more expensive than what we initially thought it to be and the restaurant took a bit more time getting it out but was all worth it.

It was then on to more sun soaking time, this time in Station 1. We stayed there so we can get another round of Jonah's shakes (Avocado Banana is a new favorite) and take some pictures. We were hoping to catch the Boracay sunset, however the weather wasn't cooperating. We ended up simply snapping random pictures.

I did had to have a picture taken of me "conquering" Willy's Rock. It didn't quite come up as I imagined and I got more than a few cuts (that rock is razor sharp!), but at least I know it can be done... next time...

Again, I leave this entry open ended as Socs and I will be heading out to dinner in a bit...

Boracay day 5

Today started off a little slow... but it started pretty well. Around 930 Socs and I headed off to D*Talipapa and bought 1 kilo of huge prawns and another kilo of oysters from the wet market and had it cooked in one of the "cooking service" restaurants nearby. I thought we bought too much food, but it turned out to be just enough (I may have been able to eat a few more prawns or oysters though). It was a seafood craving resolved.... but we may go back tomorrow for some lobster and clams hehe

We took the opportunity to take pictures of the abundant seafood being sold in the market. Unfortunately we only took pictures using the Holga and Topeng's 350D (thanks by the way!) which is not recognized by Socs' laptop (we didn't bring a card reader either). So settle for the cooked food instead:

We spent the afternoon soaking up the sun and get more tanned (I need more color). Manong Ice cream man passed by and we had our share of ice cream to cool ourselves from the hot sun. Still no plans for dinner though, but we'll figure something out...

Boracay days 1 to 4

Socs and I are currently in Boracay and it is already Day 4, halfway through our well deserved vacation. Here's a recap of what transpired the last few days.

Day 1: After meeting each other in Ayala MRT station, we took a cab to NAIA Terminal 3. The cab driver insisted taking EDSA on the way and we ended up taking a little more time getting to the airport if we went through C5 or Pasong Tamo. In any case, our flight was delayed for an hour and a half. At least the airport was world class and waiting wasn't too bad... except for the steeply priced airport food.

Once in Boracay we spent the first few hours settling the resort and had one round in Bomboms during happy hour. We slept early as we knew the following day was going to be much more fun.

Day 2 was met with rain, but that did not prevent us from exploring the beach. Boracay changed a bit from the last time we where here. Breakfast at D*Talipapa, a little frisbee time, and lunch at Jammers sums up half of the day. We then met up with some of my college buddies who coincidentally was spending the long weekend here. We had dinner in Agee's place (a friend who went Boracay local after college) and a couple of beers as well.

We then headed off to Hey Jude! to get hammered. And so we did. Shots all around, beer, dancing... more shots. Lost of fun... and lots of headaches the following day.

Half of Day 3 for me was spend sleeping and recovering from the monster headache from the previous night. At around 3 pm we were able to head out and have something to eat, as well a glass of the famous Jonah's shakes. It was back to Bomboms for a drink before we headed out to Juice bar for another night of drinking. We had one round of Adios Mother Fucker, which does bid you Adious and makes you say Mother Fucker after finishing the glass (if you do). We had a few more shots and a beer. Socs retired early, but I stayed on until around 3 am. It's been a while since I've been with these guys so I stuck for a bit. Luckily (and surprisingly) I didn't have a bad hangover the following day.

Today was spent pretty much hanging out on the beach. I needed to work on my tan so we spent a good hour and a half just sitting on the beach. Socs and I plan to work on our swimming skills while we are here so we might be heading out in a bit.

banzai!

Just a few days of coming back to the Motherland, JM and Verchie invited me to head off to the island of Corregidor. JM had some Japanese friends visiting and wanted to visit Corregidor (oh the irony), and since Socs and I have been wanting to go there for some time now we accepted the invite.

I love what they did with the island, preserving as much of the history as they could so that future generations could remember and understand what happened during World War II. There was a lot of respect for those who died, and survived the War. I could only imagine the horrors that the island went through during those times. It was a bit surreal as the island is now lush and green, with paved roads leading to the various battery emplacements, memorials and war torn buildings. It is like one huge museum... but with real bullet holes, real machine gun emplacements, caves and war damaged stuff.

My friends know I am fascinated by war, but seeing the shrapnel damage and bullet holes all over the place was awe inspiring. Makes me wonder what actually transpired during the exact moment that happened. It must have been hell.

The day tour of the island was too short in my opinion. A lot of places can be explored, do some introspection, and take lots of cool pictures. We might be heading back there, perhaps to spend the night and imagine the Japanese attacking...

banzai!

summited

August 2, 2008 2:47pm local time (-5 GMT) 4,393 ft. (1339 m) above mean sea level, summited Mt. Mansfield.

I finally did it! Although I was delayed by a week, I have conquered the highest peak in Vermont. Estimated ascent/descent time was 4 hours which was pretty decent. We (I came with an officemate) were hauling ass pretty much the entire way, either because of the weather (60% chance of thunderstorms) or we were just pushing each other. We both tried to summit Mt Mansfield on separate occassions and got to pretty much the same place. And I believe if neither one of us was with each other, we would probably have turned back sometime during the climb.

not the trail we took, but some profanity was spoken

In any case, we pushed on and reached the top. The mountain looked pretty amazing above the tree line despite clouds obscuring much of the view. The landscape looked like the Shire, for a lack of a better description. Mostly rocks, small trees, and some sort of moss. And as I have researched previously, parts of it was alpine tundra and we where requested not to veer off the trail to avoid destroying the sensitive flora.

After a few minutes resting and taking a few snapshots, we headed back down. And not a moment too soon, as the clouds started rolling in and a few drops of rain started to fall. Just before we got to the tree line it was pretty much pouring. Good thing I bought a (pretty good, I might add) rain jacket a week before. It was a bit treacherous going down a rocky mountain in the rain, but we managed quite well. There was a few slips and slides, but nothing major. Surprisingly, my knee didn't bother me until we were near the end of the trail.

I did wish I could have taken more pictures, or stayed longer at the top. But I did what I came to do and that was it.

next summit please!

ToDo Entry

*First and foremost I would like to apologize for the work reference in the title...

A few things that I want/need/hope to/will do when I get back home:

1. Go to Boracay for a week
2. Live fire exercises (Verchie, if you can read this let me know when this will happen... BANG BANG NA!)
3. Organize Anawangin Trip (anyone up for it?)
4. Consider a Surf Safari to Siargao
5. Decide on the next step of my career
6. Ask Pads if I can work on his farm for a week (Pads, I'm serious... can I work as a farmer in your hacienda? Hard labor, I want to get ripped! I will work for food, lodging and transportation)
7. Get ripped! (I need to hit the gym again)
8. Sharpen my knives (hehehe)
9. Organize my email, pictures and other files

upgraded

I have approximately a week left if Vermont and I still have a few things to do (such as climb Mt. Mansfield). I am ready to go finally go home... not just for the fact that I will be going home, but that I will be going home in style.

World Business Class baby!

the geek in me

As mentioned in my previous blog entry, I was in Houston TX last week with Manny. It was a side trip from our Austin kick-off meeting, and as luck would have it Manny had a friend in Houston so we had a place to crash into.

Speaking of crashes, one of the few things did in Houston was visit the Space Center (space shuttle... spaceships... crash landing? get it? sorry corny moment). Anyway, it was a lot of fun and I was a bit surprised that I was very interested in some of the things that NASA does, how they do it and why. I always thought I knew a bit about space exploration and the space program from the media (TV, internet, etc), but visiting NASA was a real eye-opener.

I realized what a daunting task space exploration really was, and seeing the actual items used during the early days made all of what I already knew more real.... and more personal. Seeing the training facility was cool, and I could just imagine what actually goes on the other side of the glass. It was pretty neat to touch a piece of the moon, the actual Apollo modules that brought people back safely to Earth. I just couldn't fathom what extremes those "things" went through before ending up to right where I was standing. And I just found out that they do plan to go back to the moon for further exploration and I understood why (economical and scientific reasons).

Our last tour (and I was glad we took it as the last tour) was to Mission Control. This unassuming guy gave us a brief description of what goes on in Mission Control and a few personal notes on what it feels like to work in NASA. It was a priviledge to know that he was actually one of the guys who trains astronauts that go into space, and that he knew a couple of the guys who died in the shuttle disaster pretty well.

That kind of tied everything together for me. They had 4 badges on one side of the room that would never make it to the successful missions wall of the room. Because for them, they failed in not bringing those people back. Because they made a mistake. They didn't care about how much it cost to run the space program, or how expensive the shuttle that just blew up... it was about the people. Because at the end of the day, despite all the technology and the accomplishments and tragedies it still goes down to the human person. Humanity without the boundaries of sex, religion or ethnicity. Space exploration raises the simplest yet greatest philosophical question of life.. personally and in the grand scheme of the universe, who are we and why we are here?

Naval Officer Vistan

I am currently in Houston, TX but this blog entry is about my trip to Austin, TX. Confusing I know, but I will explain it on my next blog entry (hopefully).

Manny, Arnold and I were invited to a corporate kick-off meeting in Austin, TX. After a long trip from Vermont, we arrived a resort in Austin and the first order of business was some fun. We had some ideas that it would somehow involve the lake... I initially thought it would be simply hanging out on a yacht in the lake sipping booze. I was pleasantly surprised that we were divided into 8 groups and given a sailboat. That's right, a true blue (and expensive) sailboat... and we were told we were going racing.

After a few pointers from our skipper on some basic sailboating concepts (like how to man the lines), we were off. As soon as we got out of the harbor the skipper asked who wanted to drive first. And as I was nearest the wheel at that time, I was tasked to man the helm. We practiced the concepts taught us earlier about tightening and loosening the lines and turning the boat (which surprisingly turns on a dime). Then it was time to race.

We didn't have a good run at the beginning as we were a bit off the starting line. We were a little behind a group of boats but we somehow was able to catch up. And as luck with have it (and some good driving by yours truly), we got the inside line on all but one boat going into the turning point. We turned pretty tightly near the buoy, strategically blocked the other boats, and caught a pretty decent gust of wind. There were a couple of boats that were trying pass us but we crossed the finish line ahead of them.

We had another heat, this time with me as one of the lines men. Unfortunately we finished dead last. We had great fun though, and I now understand the fascination of sailing. I am definitely going to try it again when the opportunity presents itself.

a couple of our competitors

I also heart NY

As some of you may already have found out Manny, Waw, Vianney and I went to New York last 4th of July weekend. I don't think I have the capacity or time to write up everything that happened during that week, so you would just have to visit their sites to read all about it. I will not post any pictures as well since I took crappy pictures so again visit their blogs and check their pictures out.

I will have to say that I enjoyed NY. It may be due to the fact that I got a chance to get away from Vermont but that's another story. All the walking was pretty tiring, but I what can you do right? At least we were able to go where we wanted to... plus the added bonus of getting a pretty good leg workout (man I need to get back to the gym...)

surfing dreams

I wasn't really in the mood to work yesterday (as usual), so I decided to go on the Net (as usual) and check out possible things to do for a possible sabbatical from work.

I have more or less set my mind up for at least a couple of weeks of surfing. Simply living the life of a surfer, with no hassles... just plain old hanging out and surfing. It should of course be economical in terms of transportation, food, lodging and gear (rent or buy, that is the question). Living local is probably a viable option. Rent a room or apartment (rather than a resort), cook your own food (or local carinderia), rent a board (or buy one, whatever is cheaper in the long run) and hitch a ride with my parents (they are also looking at going on a vacation)

As I was researching, I came across a blog which more or less what I had in mind. Living local in Siargao. I was almost in tears... that's my dream! I want that kind of life!

I did find a place that was relatively cheap, and I could use some of my NWA miles to buy my plane tickets. It would now simply be a matter of buying and tranporting a surfboard or simply renting it. Miscellaneous tranportation, food and supplies cost. And of course the timing...

I haven't really considered this completely (cost vs feasibility), I just might as soon as I get back home.

wait for further developments...

... literally.

Expended 1 roll of film, another one in the barrel with 3 shots left and another waiting in the sidelines. I will try to get them developed as soon as I get back home (3 weeks left!). Very excited on how the pictures turn out.

nearly 2 years late

Someone else was there first

alive

Call off the rescue squad, I have successfully returned from my mountain operations. I wasn't able to reach the peak though, but my goal was not really to reach it but to simply climb the mountain. I was able to see the Cantilever Rock and reach the alpine tundra area (well I hope I did).

I will be back though, this time with the goal of reaching the peak. That will be my Everest... for now.

(almost) conquering Mt. Mansfield

standby rescue operations

I will go hiking tomorrow... or at least try to. The destination: the highest peak in Vermont Mt. Mansfield. It has a good view of the Champlain Valley and a glimpse of the Adirondacks on a good day. It also has a nice geological feature called Cantilever rock. I got my stuff ready, a good supply of water, trail mix, energy bars and drinks.

My only concern is the mountain itself. Vermont isn't called the Green Mountain State for nothing, and the fact that I will be climbing the highest peak is a little daunting. Mt. Mansfield is 1339 m above sea level (Gulugod Baboy, which I've summited a couple of times is only 470m above sea level), I have no guide, no cellphone and limited gear (as I never intended to climb a mountain while I am here).

Although I will be starting my climb halfway up the mountain from the ranger station, it is still a little higher than what I have climbed before (Mt Maculot or Mt Manabo, I forgot). And considering the latitude of the state, the weather and temperature is a factor. And although the trail is marked (I hope), I will be going at it alone.

So... if you do not see me online in the next couple of days, call the rescue troops in.

before and after

before

...


after

there and back again

I'm back in Vermont (did I mention I went back home for a couple of weeks?) for another 2 month stint. Things look a little different now... more green stuff and less of the white stuff.

Hopefully I don't get too stressed with the work I need to do here. I am excited, however, with the opportunity to travel to a few other states over one of the weekends. I am also looking forward to doing some outdoor stuff Vermont is renowned for.

But first I need to get over the upcoming jetlag... hopefully it won't be too bad.

from the Green Mountain State to the Red Sox Nation

Last Monday night, I drove 179 miles from Montpelier to Cambridge and met up with Patrick and Bikka. It was a long drive in bad weather (it rained pretty much the entire way) but well worth it. It was nice to meet up with friends in a foreign country and simply by sheer timing with Patrick taking up his MBA, Bikka on a vacation and myself on a business trip.

We had a few drinks to celebrate the occasion the first night we met up, then it was on to exploring the city the following day. Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating and it rained pretty much the entire day. But we still braved the weather and went around town to see the sights. Harvard, The Freedom Line, Boston Common, fresh Maine lobster, taking the subway, shopping at Macy's and a visit to Patrick's school were some of the many things that we did that day. I was pretty wet and tired when we finally came back to Bikka's hotel room, but was all good.

What kinda sucked was that the weather in Boston when I left earlier today was great, the sun was up and shining a perfect day to enjoy the city. It also sucked that I had to drive the back nearly 200 miles to go to work.

The gang in Boston Common

lucky 3

I headed out for lunch earlier, had a hard time looking for a place to eat as Church Street Marketplace is pretty busy on a Saturday afternoon. I ended up a true blue American diner where I sat on the counter and had toast, home fries, bacon, sausages and eggs plus a Pepsi.

I hung out for a bit, taking a couple of snapshots. I particularly like this one, oh the irony:

Having nothing else to do (plus the fact that I only had a 2hour free parking) I headed back to my car. A guy stopped me and asked me if I wanted to participate in a survey. He looked kinda dubious and was kinda leading me to a corridor. I was already thinking of an escape route but decided to man up and see how things go. Long story short I did, and around 20 minutes later I was done. As I signed my name on the list of participants I noticed that there was a column called "Amount received" and surprise surprise I was handed $3! Cool!

caught

We were caught speeding earlier this morning. Doing 82 miles an hour on a 65, which translates to $144. A whole lot of money.

Good thing I was asleep in the back seat. Too bad for my officemate though, what a way to start a Wednesday morning.

It was a nice experience though hehehe

I lovermont

sachet of sugar in Vermont

Three weeks into my stay in Vermont and so far I have no updates in my blog. That doesn't mean I haven't done anything since then, well nothing of significance except maybe for this:

I got mine in Stowe Mountain

I'm still aching from snowboarding (or trying to) so I'll keep this blog short. Will try to post a more detailed story (and more pics) on what I've been up to here.

brrrrlington, brrrrmont

I'm now here in Vermont, the place is beautiful.

It's been a tiring trip to say the least, however I am settling in ok. The hotel is nice, I have a decent car (SUV baby!)... and the weather sucks. For a tropical guy like me, but I like it... hopefully I'll get used to the day long sub-zero temperatures.

First impression of the project team is good. They are accomodating, and they are young troops like me. That should provide us at least with something in common.

Will definitely try to get some pictures up soon.

first look...

... at where I'm gonna be living in the next 2 months (at least, I think)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/legacy/collegestreetcam.shtml

new stuff, no time

A quick update on what's happening, Socs and I went back to La Mesa Watershed a few days ago. This time we had some of the Oracle troops accompany us. Good fun and a nice break from the hassles of city life. Big thanks to the blood lusted, adventure freak Mr. Verchie Totanes for organizing the trip.

Earlier this week a few friends of mine (and a few strangers as well) went on a tour around Binondo. Good thing this was a walking food tour, ate a lot of good stuff! You guys should try it, especially if you've never been to Binondo. Socs and I are also considering trying out the other tours.

I'm flying out to Vermont next week! Another country/city to mark on my list of where I have been. Once there, I can say I have been to 2 continents... Europe and America. Is Asia another continent though? According to Wikipedia in depends, oh well. Europe, Asia and soon America will be off the list. Antarctica is gonna be a problem though.

Finally a chance to be on a project at the very start, I'm very excited. I hope I do a pretty decent job as this is an investment in my career.

Unfortunately I will have no per diems for the 2 months I am onsite, so no chance of earning a few extra bucks. Hopefully the project manager will let me reimburse costs related to fun, did I mention that Vermont is a haven for skiing? I just hope I don't freeze to death 5 mins upon arrival though...

just like in college

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

pull

In line with Soc's updated blog, I'd like to update this here blog of mine with a new entry. I just came back from a long weekend of wakeboarding in CWC!

I enjoyed the trip thoroughly, the place was wonderful! Really world class facilities, food was good, and the prices were just right. I highly commend Governor Lray Villafuerte on his initiative on this endeavor.

I had initially set some personal goals regarding the trip. I knew that we had to kneeboard for the first few runs to get a feel of how the cable systems work, but I was confident I would be able to do a whole lap on a kneeboard. (Luckily I was not humiliated in this regard) Then it was on to the wakeboard.

We only tried the simple boards they had for rent (not LiquidForce boards), which was pretty much a simple wakeboard with slip on straps (not actual bindings, which are like boots). Naturally the first few runs I fell flat on my face... or on my side or on my back, I was all over the place. After a few spills (right in front of professional wakeboarders I might add), I was able to get my balance and stand up for a brief moment. I then progressed to reaching the first set of obstacles , which I duely avoided by the way.

I initially figured it was a fluke and kept my head down on trying to get the wakeboarding thing down. I got another good ride and reached halfway to the second set of obstacles, and then the cable operator told us it was our last ride (on the 1 hour session). I got myself composed and took off. At least I did not waste the last ride wiping out, I thought... then I got halfway to the second obstables figuring I was going to wipe out big time. I was a bit suprised I went further, way further.

The corner was coming up, I thought "Shit, I'm going down for sure". I kept to the right, and got past the corner! Nice! That was quite easy, I thought. Then bam! Down I went halway to the second corner. I had a big smile on my face.

Last ride, best ride.

My second day was similar in some ways. A few wipe outs and a few good rides, I think I managed to get past the second corner once. I was satisfied, despite not reaching my goal of riding one of the obstacle hehehe. I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to do a whole lap on a wakeboard so I resorted to riding an obstacle (twisted logic eh?). Alas I didn't have the balls to do it. I don't blame myself either, it was scary as hell... and dangerous too. I'm just glad to have gotten a few good rides.

ending a day of wakeboarding fun

surferdude.blogspot.com

I have found my calling... surfing, it seems, is in my blood. After only 3 surfing trips, and around 12 hours of surfing under my belt, I am hooked.

My first surfing trip was in La Union, our introduction to the wonders of surfing. I found it fairly easy to catch a wave, with the help of Manong surfer who pushed us so we can ride the fairly easy waves (1-footers). Although I knew I had a long way to go in terms of skills, I felt I had the basics covered which, as far as I was concerned, was standing up and keep standing up until the wave died out. The following day, this time with no help from Manong surfer, we failed to catch some waves as there weren't as many good ones as the previous day. I, however, was not deterred.... me and my friends vowed to come back.

Brgy. Pundakit in Zambales was entirely a different story. We enrolled in a surf camp offered by Stonemoney Surf and 'trained' by surf-master Joe Villatora (a real surf pro from Hawaii). The waves here where much much bigger... 5 footers I believe, since a typhoon has passed by recently. We never caught any waves, but this was the real eye opener for me into the surfing lifestyle. As Joe said, 90% of surfing is paddling and I was okay with that. I loved the notion of paddling into the line up and waiting for the right wave to come. And the feeling of the wave just when it catches you.... heaven.

Finally, before the surfing season ended, Tots invited us back to Zambales for a final surf trip this time in San Narciso. Everyone was excited and really stoked to catch some waves, but disappointment greated us as we approached the beach... no waves. So we ended up playing frisbee and hanging out for the rest of the day. The following day, I woke up to my friends saying "Let's head off to the beach, there are waves! Time to surf!". And so we did... after some time of trying to catch one, I finally did it. I caught my own wave, and from then on I pretty much caught wave after wave... such is the life of a surfer.

goodbye wardude....

.... hello surferdude

no more

I just checked friendster.com... my primary photo is no longer a featured photo.

Oh well, I can't expect it to be featured forever. But it was nice while it lasted :)

wow philippines

dive batangas

surf la union

the curse of the new shoes

I bought new futbol shoes last weekend and I was really looking forward to using them today but alas, the futbol gods said “No! You will not get to wear these babies today”.

I guess there really is a curse of new futbol shoes. Ruth and Topeng had similar experiences with the futbol gods and their new shiny shoes. I just hope I'm not like Topeng who was not able to use it until after a year! hehehe...

Oh futbol gods, please do not forsake me!

redirect

I'm not really in the mood to think of a nice way of putting this... to just visit Socs' blog entry. Let me know if you are (or know anybody who might be) interested.

By the way, I've had some bloggable stuff that's happened to me recently but I'm just too lazy to blog about it. So I leave you to your web surfing...

beach

identified

Socs was bugging me to post some Pinatubo pics in my flicker page, however before I was able to upload a single pic I decided to organize the existing pics I had. It had numerous photos of our Cyprus trip, and given that we went to a lot of places I wanted to make sure that the tags of each picture was accurate.

Now it has been more than a year since then and I forgot the exact names of the places we've been so I started doing some research. I googled for a map of Cyprus and some pictures to help my try to match the places with the names. Limassol, Larnaca, Nicosia, Troodos where identified and with the information I had at my disposal, I realized that the big ass rock in Kakopetria Socs and I mentioned in our previous posts (here and here) was an actual tourist attraction! It's apparently called Petra tou Androgynou.

Although we only stopped at Kakopetria for lunch, its nice to find out that we where able to visit a tourist destination even after all this time.

welcome to the rock

the lost world

I'm taking the opposite approach to Socs on this entry. Just one pic and a whole bunch of words for me...

Around two weeks after the La Mesa Dam Wathershed trip and almost a month after my second JEST experience, I was off to another adventure. It was to experience Mt. Pinatubo after its latest eruption way back in 1991.

Socs, myself, and 4 other officemates set off from the bus terminal to Brgy. Patling in Capas, Tarlac early Saturday morning and met with our rented 4x4 jeep that would take us to our jump-off point for the trek to the crater. After a quick stop at the office in Sta. Juliana for registration and to pick up our guide, we forged ahead and found ourselves in the middle of nowhere.

An adventure in itself, the ride through Crow Valley was wonderful. The 4x4 jeep carving its own path across the lahar field/airforce bombing range. It was a mix of rocks, ash, cliffs, streams and Mother Nature reclaiming the desolate landscape. Then it was time for the walk.

We walked two hours through the ash and rock and the occassional stream, surrounded by cliffs of lahar and rock. It was picturesque to say the least. It was a long walk, and we were all tired from the trek and heat (we're not hardcore climbers nor extremely fit people, just your ordinary office folk). Finally we were there.

We set up camp, took some pictures and rested our weary feet. Then the rain came. Luckily we didn't have to stay the entire afternoon huddled in our tents, so we had a bit more time for photo-ops before taking care of our dinner... 4 cans of trioxane-cooked sisig (finally put that trioxane to good use).

After a relatively sleepless night (it rained pretty hard and Socs and I had to abandon our tent), we woke up to the warmth of the sun and the cool morning breeze. There were signs of possible rain coming down later in the morning but we enjoyed what was to be our last moments atop Pinatubo. A quick breakfast of trioxane-cooked hotdogs (I just love that stuff) and we were off.

The trek back was different. Although you remember the area and the significant 'landmarks' the trail itself has been changed by the rain from the previous night. We where also pressed for time since a dark cloud was looming behind us, threatening to raise the water we frequently cross.

Luckily the rain didn't fall during the trek and we made it safely to the 4x4 pick-up point, albeit an hour late. Crossing Crow Valley we came across a groups of foreigners, also riding their own 4x4 jeeps off on their own adventure.

Back in 'civilization', we had a rejuvinating volcanic ash treatment (I fell asleep as soon as I laid down) and bath (more than 24 hours had passed since our last bath). By the time we were finished, it was way past lunch time so we headed to a local canteen and had our fill.

It was time to head home and after some time waiting for a bus, we finally left the Mt. Pinatubo adventure behind. Maybe we'll go back there sometime... or maybe we'll just set off for another type of journey, who knows...

paradise in the city

Verchie invited me and Socs to the La Mesa Dam Watershed and I must say that it was quite an eye opener. Such a beautiful place in the middle of the city, well it didn't feel like it was in the middle of the metro.

I'm a bit pressed for time to post a decent entry here so I'll leave you guys with a picture. I'll definitely be going back there for more :)

jungle fighter

*photo courtesy of Manuel Pangaruy Jr.

exciting times

And the wait continues for me...

new horizons

Early this morning I received a forwarded email from a colleague of mine indicating her mandatory 30 day notice for her resignation. I knew about it for some time, and I must say that I'm glad for her with this new opportunity (and a bit jealous partly because of the nature of the work).

I wondered if I would have the guts to do it when the time came for me. Although I have expressed my current discontent about work recently and that it has given me (and Socs) a fair amount of stress, it would be hard for me to leave. I've made a lot of good friends here, and I do enjoy working with most of them. The people here are fun and I can relate to a lot of them not just about work but also about life, dreams and ambitions. We have dreamt about being assigned onsite together as a group and wonder how fun it would be, work and all.

But we all have to move on to greater heights at some point in time. It was her time now. As for me, I shouldn't be having reservations about things like this... not now. Not before tomorrow...

the KL trip that was not

The last weekend of January was supposed to have been spent in KL with Socs' friends, and meeting up with Sherry and Dave who where in their honeymoon. Long story (see Socs' entry) short... it wasn't to be. No KL trip for me and my girl...

But somehow I wasn't too affected, although Socs definitely was. Yes it was a shame that we weren't able to go and how fun it may have been (I hoped it would've been fun), but it was ok.

It was an experience being rejected boarding (well, just Socs but its the same thing) and trying to get to the plane. It was exciting trying to find an alternative vacation in the Department of Tourism kiosk at the airport. It was an adventure to go to Clark and back in 8 hours.

In the end, no vacation for us. But at least I was able to play airsoft again (but didn't enjoy it much... more on it on another entry... maybe) and go shopping for shoes :)

On a side note, having programmed my mind of not being able to work out during the "KL trip" I passed up the opportunity to go to the gym for the duration I was supposed to be in KL. Unfortunately I haven't been to the gym since then! But I did attend a boxing class at the office hehehe

And the point is? Nothing... just like what happened to the KL trip hehehe

strike 2

Had another one (actually not just one) of those 'responsibility ownership' issues I mentioned previously.

Demmit... own up to your responsibilities!

Do the actual work you're paid for!

And do what is expected of you for once!

not-so-happy entry (a realization)

One day while waiting in line at the local McDonald's I came upon a realization that I was not happy. Well, there have been things that have been bugging me for some time now and I was aware that something was amiss in my life... I just did not understand the root cause of it. Now I do.

I made a small hint of dissatisfaction with work in a previous entry but now I am putting it in writing for all to read: I am not happy with my current job.

It is a lot of things; the co-workers, the management, the missed opportunities, the benefits, the career progression, even the crappy building. I have made some of these 'concerns' known to some of my co-workers and friends (God knows how Socs knows all about this), but basically I came to realize that I cannot do what it is I am doing right now for long. And sad to say I do not see myself improving in SPL (or Oracle if you want to play semantics).

I'm not saying SPL is a bad place to work, not at all. I've made some good friends here, and I've enjoyed most of my stay here. It's just not the same anymore. Remember my previous blog entry about SPL and Special Forces? Well, it's kinda not true anymore. We've expanded significantly from our numbers (doubling in a year I believe) and it's like we've become a group of conventional forces instead. The feeling of being 'elite' and being the best is gone. Quality of work is declining, personal ownership/responsibility of work is almost non-existent, and the concept of teamwork is trivial. It dawned to me that I became part of that corporate drone image wherein I just work for work's sake.

Some may argue that I have been part of the corporate world for 3 years and I should have realized that long ago, but that wasn't the case. I enjoyed working before, and it did not feel like work... it was more of like a challenge or a quest (cliche as it may be). The drudergy coupled with the crappy benefits (and dare I say management) is pushing me to be a cynical bastard.

Steps are in order to rectify this shit...

not-so-happy blog

I remember writing about my blog being a happy blog way back when. And it may have been true. But lately, I don't feel that its appropriate anymore. I don't want to say that I'm not happy... I have a lot of things that I should be happy about. Let's just say that I'm not satisfied...

I will try to explain it all on a future entry.

real deal...

... real steel

Mine in approximately 30 working days (I hope...)

things to do

Somehow I have been uneasy lately. And I realized it was because I felt I was being left behind and that I wasn't "living my life", so to speak.

So I made a list of the things I wanted to do in the next 6 months (this seems to be a time for lists :P). In no particular order:

1. Travel - I want/need to travel to another country for some time. And I'm not talking about vacation wise, I'm talking about an on-site assignment for a project. 3 months or more should do just fine.

2. Get a new job - It may be with SPL/Oracle or another company I do not care. As long as it's a better (paying) job and the company provides better opportunities for its employees.

3. Climb a mountain - Nothing in the Everest level though. A simple climb to one of the mountains in Batangas to leave the worries of the Metro behind.

4. Shoot a gun - Man, I miss the smell of gunpowder.

5. Play airsoft - Last call for SPL WarGroup? Join another team? Whatever!

6. Get that ripped body - almost there though ;)

break contact!

Nearly 2 months since my last post... pathetic. Too busy to blog stuff that's been happening. Still too busy though so here's just a very quick recap:

1. My girlfriend came back home
2. Went to Iloilo/Boracay with friends
3. Held the 2nd SPLWarGroup FTX
4. Extremely busy with work
5. SPL WorldGroup has been acquired by Oracle
6. Posted this entry in another blog hehe

That's all I remember for now. Will post something more profound next time.

passing time

Why is it that the last 1 hour always seem longer?

road rage

Those who have ridden with me in a car knows how I get worked up against stupid-ass drivers on the streets. Even as a passenger I get pissed off at the other driver's who think they own the road and that they're the only ones driving along. Although I don't get into actual fights in these occassions, I do let the other party know I'm pissed through a variety of ways.

I found out last Thursday that I didn't need a car to have a reason to lash out at other drivers...

Commuting is always a hassle, especially if you are raring to get some rest after work and gym. As I crossed Quezon Ave. I scouted for which jeepney on the queue I was going to ride home. After deciding, as I walked in between two jeepneys to get on I noticed one of the jeepneys started to move forward. I figured he was going to stop before he hit the jeepney in front, as most normal jeepneys do. Then I felt some pressure on my knee as the jeepney kept moving. I was actually stuck in between two jeepneys!

Ok, I figured the driver made a mistake and was going to back up immediately so I looked at him to see any reactions. I was half expecting him to apologize, but instead I got this challenging look as if saying "Wacha gonna do about that bitch?". He messed with the wrong guy.
I balled up my fist, hit the hood of the jeepney and shouted "Iatras mo! naiipit ako!".

I don't think he reversed his ride but I got loose as the other jeepney moved forward a bit. I was about to let it go at that, but somehow through my earphones I heard him say something. I couldn't remember what it was, but it sounded taunting. Wrong move fucker. Furious, I shouted back "PUTANGINA MO!". I got the last word and got on another jeepney for my ride home.

I was still reeling from anger until I got home, all that testosterone and adrenaline coursing through my veins. I knew I could've beaten the guy to a pulp. He was in a confined area, and I could punch him in the face without him putting much of a fight. UFC moves went through my head, using fists and elbows to bring this asshole down. Tactical analysis showede I had the upper hand in that situation.

Fucker. If I wasn't in a hurry to get home or if I wasn't bringing a bag or had my cellphone in a belt clip he would've regretted hitting me and being an ass about it. Fuckin' asshole.

bought and sold

Sold "Irene" (my pistol) yesterday. I posted it on an airsoft board a few days ago and someone bought her last night.

I initially asked, 5K for it but to cut the long story short... I got 3.5K for her. Not bad given that she had a broken slide and that I bought it 2nd hand. But she was a steal for 3.5K... bought her at 5.5K way back when... complete with box, manual, tools and an extra mag... and I never really had a chance to use it in a game.

I did feel kinda bad when I got home. But such is life, you win some... you lose some. Now what can I buy next? hehehe...

I want!!!

http://chrislagman.com/blog/2006/08/25/watch-skydiving/

PSHS alumnus... military personnel... skydiving...

one out of 3 isn't bad is it? demmit, I wanna go skydiving!!!!

to or not to...

Lately I've been contemplating on a few things:

1. Paint Michelle - she's got some battle scars and she's getting more each time I play. I don't mind battle scars much anymore, I've grown accustomed to see my gun look like it's seen a lot of action and getting tango's left, right and center. However, she's getting a bit too much of it and I'm afraid all that none of the paint would be left. Sooo... either I repaint her flat black or paint her camo. There are a lot of pros and cons in painting her camo... perhaps I will list them down next time.

2. Sell Irene - she's got a broken slide and a faulty hop up rubber. Should I decide to buy replacement parts, its probably gonna cost me 4K bucks. I could get a replacement pistol brand-spanking-new for around 7K I think. But then again, I do need to get a metal slide for it which will cost me another 4K.

3. buy another gun - M249, M14, another M4, an Mp5, or a G36C... the options are endless...

Oh boy....

getting inked up

A chat over lunch with Christian and Joel brought out my desires to have a tatoo once again. I just don't know what to get and where to put it.

Joel has a great idea of a shoulder-arm tattoo that shows just a bit after the sleeves of a shirt. I have always been fascinated by the structure of the upper back and how a tattoo goes well with the curves. Then I saw this website -> http://www.tattoo-world.ru/index.php/ru/. Huge tatoos that traverse the body with unique art... not them sissy generic tribal tattoos.

I'm not in a hurry though, things like this needs time and preparation. One day...

airsoft devils and angels

I found an airsoft shop here in Makati that was on my way home and fortunately it had the primary item I was looking for, a new motor for Michelle. I had also been looking for decent kneepads and a face mask so it was a good opportunity to scout the place as well.

As soon as I got there, I took a quick look at some of the accessories they had. I didn't want to look too much as I knew my imagination would start churning and the airsoft devil tempting me to want to have some of the items. I got the motor without much fuss (luckily they had one last in stock) but I felt something was lacking, until my eye caught the "gear rack". I finally found the kneepads I wanted! So I took them off the rack and placed them beside the motor. Then I saw a face mask... luckily(?) I didn't have enough cash. But I did buy a bag of BBs in preparation for Sunday's game.

All in all I ended up buying nearly 3000 bucks worth of stuff. Waging war ain't cheap you know. But at least I'm happy with what I got, the motor rocks and the kneepads are exactly what I wanted.

in sickness and in health

Disclaimer: To all you guys who might be thinking something else, hold that train of thought and read through the blog entry first

Almost a month ago, I got sick. Some kind of throat infection. I was bed ridden for a week and the inflammation was so bad, it was getting hard to swallow. Even drinking water and taking soup was becoming painful. Luckily, after a few days of bombarding my body with anti-biotics and an anti-inflammatory mouthwash I was ready to head back out into the world.

But then I realized that my clothes started to feel loose. And when I weighted myself, my worst fears where confirmed.... I lost a massive 10 lbs. People in the office noticed the change immediately. After getting sick for a week and not eating much, it doesn't come as a surprise. But I did feel bad losing all the weight I worked hard for.

Until yesterday.

I weighted in again at 150lbs. That means I shouldv'e been 160lbs by now and should be on my way to getting that ripped Greek god of war physique (hehehe, sorry imagination running wild). But it's no use crying over spilled milk, so I'm just looking forward to putting on more mass before getting the 'cuts' I desire. I'm wondering if I can reach 170lbs before then though...

07-01-06 FTX After Action Report

After weeks of planning, numerous setbacks and rescheduling, the fist ever SPL WarGroup Inc.* Field Training Exercises pushed through. Eleven elite troops, together with three Special Forces soldiers spent an entire day going through simulated battle scenarios with the aim of developing skills in small unit movement and tactics.

The sun bore down the heat early on during the day, but the men (and women) soldiered on. After a few sessions in urban battle, the group moved on to jungle warfare for the rest of the day. The thick brush and the sounds of the jungle was a complete step back from the urban setting, but everyone got into grips with jungle warfare pretty quickly.

As all exercises do, this day ended sooner than most people would like. At least they have more to look forward to in the next FTX.

no jump tonight

Tomorrow's war is aborted. All troops are on stand-by until further notice. Demmit.

War is hell...

civil affairs

Recently I have received a whole bunch of notifications from friendster. First it was a message from some stranger, then it became friend requests, then more messages AND friend requests! Weird...

Don't get me wrong here, I'm open to meeting new people and interacting with other people but I can't seem to make myself click on the 'Yes' button for their requests. I have nothing against them personally, it's just that they are not my friends. (Don't start with the arguement that meeting friends is the point of friendster. Yes maybe, but I like to keep my list clean of quick acquaintances and people who simply want to increase their "friends count")

Anyhoo, I also realized that there have been a bunch of strangers viewing my profile. So it really got me thinking as to why people are viewing my profile on the same time frame, given the numerous friendster accounts circulating. Good thing one of the messages sent to me actually explained how she got directed to my profile... my main picture was apparently part of friendster's featured photos.

Mystery solved! :P

D-Day minus 15

Last friday, I finally confirmed 20 troops that are ready for deployment in 2 weeks time. After planning this for some time now, I was naturally getting excited with the fact that it will finally push through.

Somehow, I got myself to organizing the stuff I would be bringing on the deployment 2 weeks from now! As I laid down some of my stuff on the floor, I realized I have a shit load of gear, even though I was just sorting my primary items. Of course I had to take a picture hehehe



I am now "good to go!"

run or fight?

In certain cases Special Forces soldiers (SF) either disengage contact or head on full force. They lay down a massive amount of fire to cover their retreat and scramble to a pre-determined rally point (PRP) to regroup and re-asses their situation. Or when push comes to shove... close the distance, take the fight to the other side and hope for the best.

This decision is usually done in a split second and the reason the decision taken is backed up by training and experience. If I where in that situation, I think I would just stand still and weather it out. Which is the wrong decision and means that I'm dead.

Both decisions may look opposing, but in actuality they are the same. You do not sit around and wait for things to happen, you act according to your guts and do something. You get up, push hard and complete your objectives.

letters and words

As I was reading a book given to me by a friend on my birthday, I realized that the list of books I am supposed to read has just gotten longer. Although I do not consider myself a bookworm or even an avid reader, I do have a wishlist on the books that I want to read.

I was currently reading “Patriot Games” by Tom Clancy, and the initial plan was to read all of the Jack Ryan series books in chronological sequence. Although I have read most of the books in the series, including “Patriot Games” (PG), I have not read them in any particular order since I have mostly borrowed the books from friends or from the library (yes, I did go to the library to borrow books). This plan was also an opportunity to have a copy of each of the books and start on my own library. Although I have not been able to read much of PG since I have the hardbound version so it’s a bit cumbersome to read during the busy commute to and from work.

Then last Friday I had a nice surprise and got a book that puts a spin on Sun Tzu’s view of waging war. I started reading a few pages as soon as I got it and was planning to read this and a little pocket sized version of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”.

But then again, someone gave me “Immediate Action” by Andy McNab. I am hoping I can finish it quickly so I can continue on with reading all the other stuff I’m supposed to read. It looks to be a good read though so that’s good… but it was written by an English bloke so the humor and the slang are a bit difficult to understand at times hehehe

objective completed

Before the end of last year, a handful of officemates and I made a bet to get ourselves in better shape. Although our targets where as varied as our reasons it was still a good motivator for all of us to get into shape, which was what was important in the first place.

My goal was 150lbs by April (exact date depended on the last person to come back from their respective international assignments). And last night as I stepped on the scale, lo and behold... 150lbs square. I wasn't a pound heavier or lighter. Talk about hitting the nail right on the head!

Despite reaching my objective, I feel that I can still improve on it. I am thinking of going up to 160lbs. Scouring the internet for an ideal body weight for my height, I found that the range I should be shooting for is 154 - 169lbs. Additionally Karl da German sent me a link to the Ideal Grecian Proportion and with a 6.5 inch wrist, I still have a lot of mass to build.

So an additional objective has been set...

a little something

where?

Somebody took my car yesterday. Well, technically it’s my dad’s car… and in recent time’s used by my sister. But for some time in my life it was mine, and now it’s gone… sold to some anonymous buyer.

It has been with us since 1994 and I learned driving with it, when my dad and I would switch seats a few hundred meters away from my high school and I’d drive us in. I eventually was able to take it out on my own, and by the time I was in college it was practically mine.

I would commute to school with it, visit some friends, go out to parties and overnighters (school related or otherwise). It was my constant companion and I always kept it at least half a tank full of petrol, thanks to the free 300 liter my dad gets every month hehehe

I was always willing to give a ride home to friends in far off places like Sucat or Pasay. If anyone wanted a ride and I wasn’t busy, it was never a problem for me. I could always count on that car, I’ve taken it as far as Tagaytay, Antipolo, Batangas and everywhere in between. I may have abused the engine at more than a normal driver would at times (thanks to JM introducing me to some racing concepts) and drove with an intense need for speed on more than one occasion, but she never got me to an accident. Except for 2 spin outs, but that didn’t hurt anyone hehehe

I always thought that someday (a very far off “someday”) when I had a girlfriend, I would be able to have her beside me in that car and go wherever. Have that long drive with your girlfriend beside you and a dependable car in your control was the shit for me. But I guess that will never happen (not with that particular car).I’ve always told my friends that my car was a go-anywhere-car, and I guess it still is… it just went to another person that will take it anywhere they desire.