My Top Ten Favorite Blog Entries of 2010

 A list of my top ten favorite blog entries this year.  I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.


Encounters with a Student of the Third Kind - The panda's bitterness and envy towards super intelligent humans. Are they really humans, artificial intelligence, or aliens? Sometime the universe is unfair.

The Death of Music - Panda contemplates on giving up his music. It's a gift, but times are changing.

Charisma - the story of panda's childhood friend Charisma in danger of being murdered. He violently opposes any move to murder her.

What's in the Iglesia ni Cristo Logo? - panda becomes interested with religious symbology and attempts to investigate the meaning behind the ubiquitous Iglesia ni Cristo Logo.










Reality Bites - Panda eavesdrops on a conversation between a middle aged man (who has recently lost his leg) and a restaurant owner. The man wanted a job, even menially, even for merely for food. The restaurant owner couldn't care less.

It Hurts - A four (4) part series on the pains and joys of having an impacted tooth being taken out of the panda.

The Death of Sociology - Panda contemplates whether or not he took the right course in college after a doctor, dentist,  and an accountant asked him "what's your course back in college" over dinner.

Break a Leg - Panda tries to save a woman whose leg was trapped between the train and the platform edge. 

Theft - Panda loses his bag to a thief in McDonalds Lepanto, Cor. Recto. An expensive lesson learned charged to his experience. 









The Unboxing of Dina - Panda has been saving for several months. The time has come to unbox the camera of his desire.

 Favorite Photo of the year:

Santa Bimby, I have been a painfully good boy this year, now, where's my present??

What's good about blogging is that you remember the great happening of the year. This year has been a great year. I hope next year will be great, too. Thank you to all the readers of this blog. Specially to those who always leave their objections in the comments area. You know who you are. Cheers! :)

Christmas Gig Sabotage

I refer to that night as the "Christmas Gig Sabotage."

We came prepared, over prepared perhaps. We  were supposed to play 3 sets, 4 songs each. We came to the venue without the organizers in sight.  It turns out the event was a contest, NOT an invitational gig.  If they had told us early on, we wouldn't have wasted our time practicing more than one song. Besides, I didn't want to play for money. I play for art's sake NOT for money! Despite of it all, I was still patient.

The night before, I requested for a guitar amplifier from the organizers. During night of the performance, they did not bring what I requested. Consequently, I was forced to settle plugging my guitar to an old stereo. The sound of my guitar was horrendous, but the show must go on. We had to make the best of  what we had. We couldn't afford a lot of dead air.

During the middle of the performance up to the end of the song, the sound system guys for some reason gained the echo and volume of our microphones to the MAX causing tremendous echoes and feedback. They ruined the song! Waaaaaaaaaaaa....... Grrr... Patience. Patience still.

They offered to let us play the song again.

We kindly declined. We had enough for the night...

Practicing at the Guidance Office

Waiting for our turn.

Anxious but ready.

"I fall asleep at night and often see you here in my dreams, holding me. But when I wake up and I realize that you're not here with me, it hurts so much I gotta have you back , baby....." "It's a sunny day, but you're not around.."

Huli ka manong! Sinabotage mo gig namin! Hehehe Pero don't worry, friends parin tayo.

It was not our night. Lesson learned: Murphy's Law, Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
It is always handy to have a contingency plan. So much for our imperfect gig.

Gratitude 2010

Me showered with light.  Photo credit Sweet Pea.

 Sweet Pea and Panda on top of Mt. Pulag

There's a lot to be thankful for this year. 2010 has been very good to me.

I am thankful for Sweet Pea. She changed my life. She supported me and believed in me. She was always there to listen and understand. I wuv you Sweet Pea. Tweet tweet mo. Tsup.


. 

 

Quit while you're ahead

February this year, I decided to quit smoking for good. My strategy was will power. I went to places where I regularly smoke and continuously challenged myself not to smoke anymore. Before I knew it, it was a winning streak. Saying NO to smoking became clockwork. This is a major life change. It feels good not to deal with smoking anymore.

Civil Pro - A RESTAURANT for the bar.

My career as a student is doing fine. This year, I  told my self that if ever the time comes that I am failing most my subjects, I would quit school. But for this year, I passed all of my subjects. Times are changing. The dean recently implemented a new policy : 
The GENERAL RULE, YOU FAIL. Exception - you pass.

Passing my subjects gives me confidence. I'm probably doing something right. So with that in mind, I decided to continue on.

My dream Nikon camera

Lastly, I got my first camera this month. It's what I always wanted, investing on memories. With the help of Sweet Pea and Angelicake, I got it in a perfect moment. I owe it to them.


These are just few of the things that I am thankful for. Twenty ten has been good to me. I hope next year would be better.

To all my readers, followers, supporters  - thank you, too.

Next year will be brighter. I promise.

My Favorite Books and Movies

My favorite movie is Finding Nemo, a story of a young clown fish's personal struggle to prove his father wrong.

My favorite television program - House M.D.the story of a idiosyncratic doctor who believes everyone lies, the only variable is "about what."

My favorite book - Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka A traveling salesman suddenly turns into a big cockroach one day and no one really bothered. It's my first encounter with Magical Realism as a literary style and my inspiration for most of my  literary attempts.

Honorable mention - Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, a story of a young monk who leaves the ascetic way of life to achieve a deeper understanding of humanity and spirituality.








Favorite Quote:

"If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well."

My Favorite Song

I don't have a one overall favorite song. But if I had to choose one, it would have to be What I Got by Sublime.

The song is a simple anthem of love and optimism and a depiction of personal demons (Brad Nowell died of drug addiction). This song is self reflective of the everydayness of a life  (early in the morning, rising to the streets). It's dark, nostalgic, and tragic at the same time (Got to find a reason things went wrong)  (Fuckin'/ fighting it's all the same, livin' with Louie Dog is the only way to stay sane).

What I Got is the kind of music that I wish I composed. It's simple but it sticks to the soul and grows in you (I can play the guitar like a mother fuckin riot).


The best part of the song is where he imparts the value of life and the virtue of loving  (Life is short so love the one you got 'cause you might get run over or you might get shot) and also the carefree attitude over life's challenges (never start no static just git if off my chest, never had to battle with no bulletproof vest).

In the end, the song believes that it all comes back to you (you'll get what you deserve). Lovin' was the singer's (Bradly Nowell) legacy, and was the secret to his musical success.


What I Got lyrics
Early in the morning, risin' to the street
Light me up that cigarette and I strap shoes on my feet
Got to find a reason, a reason things went wrong
Got to find a reason why my money's all gone
I got a dalmation, and I can still get high
I can play the guitar like a mother fucking riot

Well, life is (too short), so love the one you got
'Cause you might get runover or you might get shot
never start no static just get it off my chest Never had to battle with no bulletproof vest

Take a small example, take a tip from me
Take all of your money, give it all to charity
Love is what I got
It's within my reach
And the Sublime style's still straight from Long Beach
It all comes back to you, you'll finally get what you deserve
Try and test that you're bound to get served
Love's what I got
Don't start a riot
You'll feel it when the dance gets hot

Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got

(That's) why I don't cry when my dog runs away
I don't get angry at the bills I have to pay
I don't get angry when my Mom smokes pot
Hits the bottle and goes right to the rock
Fuckin' and fightin', it's all the same
Livin' with Louie dog's the only way to stay sane
Let the lovin', let the lovin' come back to me

Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I got I got I got

My Gift to Myself 2010

I normally don't buy anything for myself for Christmas, but I've been such a good  boy this year that I decided to treat myself things that can be helpful for the next year.

My first gift to myself this Christmas is a gold executive planner (below). I donated my 2011 Starbucks planner to Sweet Pea. I have been collecting them since 2002. If you have been collecting Starbucks planners like me, you might have noticed the declining quality of their planners through the years. That's the reason why I grew tired of collecting them, not to mention they are very expensive (I tried computing it. You need to buy more or less 2000 Php worth of coffee, which is of course very ridiculous!). So for this year,  I decided to try other planners which are of better quality than overrated Starbucks planners. Planners are important to me. But of course, planning is one thing - execution is another.

Piggy banks are time honored symbols of prosperity. They are helpful in  remembering thriftiness. I always keep in mind the old Filipino proverb, "Ubos-ubos biyaya, bukas - nakatunganga." Last year, I did the same thing by buying my self a cheap 10 Php plastic toy "bear bank." It was a witness to an effective savings strategy let me buy what I wanted. I wish to do the same thing for next year. But instead of buying another plastic bank, I've upgraded a little by getting my self a  porcelain golden super lucky piggy bank from a certain merchant in China town. Let the savings begin.

Golden porcelain piggy bank batting eyelashes

Came from these packages

Pig and planner 2011

Merry Christmas is not Happy Holidays

I get annoyed when people greet me Happy Holidays. It should really be MERRY CHRISTMAS.

"Happy Holidays" specifically avoids the direct mention of the birth of Christ to include all religious holidays. It denies that it is primarily a Christian tradition which refers to gift giving, Santa Claus, bonuses, thirteen month pay, and all the merriness that comes with it.

Happy Holidays should refer to the aggregate of all holidays whether Christian or not, like Rizal Day, Labor Day, and Araw ng Kagitingan, Chanukah for Jews and Eid El Edha for Muslims.  "Happy Holidays" has nothing to do with religious diversity, but ironically has everything to do with consumerism.

We should be clear that Happy Holidays is not the same as Merry Christmas. They may look the same, smell the same, but they are not the same.

Makeshift Christmas Tree

We don't own a Christmas tree. It's so expensive, we can't afford one. But I found some old pine leaves from a destroyed Christmas tree that was about to be thrown away.

Just like McGyver, I had to think of a way to make these old leaves useful and look like a Christmas tree. Searching around, I found a  trash can, wooden branch like cup holder, and some tubo used for reaching our sinampay in clothesline.

Tying them all together with straw and glue, it stood up somehow.

I wrapped the trash bin with gift wrapper, placed some old Christmas lights and VOILA! a makeshift Christmas tree.


WHATTA GREAT SAVINGS!

But wait! Call now.... what a great offfa! :D

Merry Christmas! :)

Santa Bimby

Si Bimby pumoposing :)

Bimby versus the Electric Fan :)

Ho ho ho.. Merry Christmas! Dala ko na ang mga gift niyo.

Bear

Today I felt like a bear.

Nothing's gonna change the world...

Date at Wah Sun

Wah Sun Restaurant is well known not only for their authentic Chinese food but also for their display of exotic animals. It is located in Palanca Street, Recto Manila. Few blocks away from the Recto lrt2 station.

Wah Sun's Facade at Palanca Street, Recto Manila, Definitely you should try this very unique restaurant.

It's a bird!

I've got an eye on you.

Patatim Rice, One of their specialties. At 280 pesos, it's good for 4.

Authentic Chinese Lumpia

Decendant of Jaws. This tank used to be filled with a community of silver arowanas. But the arowanas died because one genius crew decided to put tons of ice in their aquarium.

It's a turtle.

His name is probably, jake. Jake the snake. He's sleeping.

Jaws part 2. Good thing wala pa siya ngipin.

Sad fish, he probably misses his parents.

An ugly ugly ugly huge eel.

This eel is very long, about 3ft in length probably.

Just keep swiming... just keep swimming, what do we do we swim...

Iggy the iguana. He's shedding off skin.

This croc doesn't usually move, but when I was about to take this picture, he smiled. At least I think he did. Snap snap.

Iconic poster of Wah San, it's more than a hundred years old..

Sweet Pea trying to be friends with  the Croc

The choice of food in this resto is endless, ang daming nasa menu. :)

Credits: Photo of Wah Sun Facade by Carlos Celdran