http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/ Ride if you dare. Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:25:16 -0000 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:29:11 -0000 http://images.sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/logo http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com 100 100 Our ultimate turista experience for the year finally pushed through the third weekend of June. We took this very seriously, being on turista mode days before our scheduled trip. I even dug out my belt bag for the occasion. So Nuna, Akoh and I hardly slept the night before our morning flight. The trip held individual meanings for each of us. For me, it was a chance to share a glimpse of my life in China to two important people in my life. Read and see Nuna's version of the China turista experience here: <a href="http://thejonastory.multiply.com">http://thejonastory.multiply.com</a> http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/147/Beijing_Revisited Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:29:11 -0000 I had not been reading fiction lately. In fact I had not been reading anything literary these past months, nor had I been watching plays nor movies. And we all know TV can hardly be considered literary. (Yes, I'm a snob.) The void was not immediately apparent, though, as my days were pretty much filled with words upon words of analyses of the ever-changing political landscape that was the Middle Kingdom. Yet my spur of the moment trip to Powerbooks on Saturday exposed the jarring hole. The realization was so sudden and unexpected. I had almost forgotten what I was missing.<br><br>Or perhaps I needed a justification for my purchase of the two books. I always feel the need to justify buying things, it's almost an illness. So I bought two books: a collection of short stories by the Canadian writer Carol Shields and a compilation of interviews of creative writers on the way they write, aptly titled, "The Way We Write." I couldn't wait to start reading them but it was late and I was tired so they ... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/179/My_Independence_Weekend Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:31:50 -0000 About a week ago, I overheard my sister Nuna telling our friends that she wished I would finally get myself a boyfriend, the reason being it had been a long time since I last had one. She would probably only know that I heard her when she reads this... which is right about... now. There. Hmp, talking about me behind my back. :p<br><br>And then last Saturday, after a hearty meal in Tapa King and while waiting for the halo-halo, she said that maybe I should go out more so I could meet more boylets. I had to ask again to clarify that she meant "me," as in, "I" have to go out more? Yes, of course. For a while I thought we were gossiping about someone. So where do I go about finding this boylet who has the ability to magically change my life? "Why don't you join one of those dating events?" "Speed dating?" "Yes!"<br><br>Now, I am a very lazy person. In addition to that, I am also very stingy. I refuse to join speed dating events (even as I had helped organize one before) because I would much rather bu... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/177/On_My_Lack_of_a_Lovelife Mon, 2 Jun 2008 12:05:42 -0000 Here is one China blog that I've started following recently. The blogger (the stupid pig, if you must) is an American of Cantonese-Chinese descent, and he mainly writes about his life in China where he works now as an English trainer at Microsoft Beijing’s Advanced Technology Center. I love the tongue-in-cheek humor in his posts, and the way he manages to present a different argument to anything from normal everyday situations to issues of national, or even international, concern. Plus he never takes himself seriously, which is fun. And he makes a lot of sense too. So yes, I recommend that you read him. Go to his page. http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/links/item/23 Fri, 23 May 2008 13:09:05 -0000 I finally got to swim this summer. The last two times I was within five meters of a body of water, I had my period so swimming was out of the question. And because I love getting my picture taken, I had the most pictures. *giggles I stole most of these from Jing and http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/146/Pagbilao_Beach_May_2008 Thu, 15 May 2008 14:58:21 -0000 As I was going home last Friday night, I noticed a woman wearing a black burkha (you know that head garment that basically covers the whole head and has only a slit for the eyes) sitting in the innermost part of the jeepney. Because she was dressed in dark colors, it was easy to miss her but once you'd seen her, it was impossible to ignore her. At first I was curious so I watched her. And because she was covered from head to toe save for her eyes and hands, there was that sense of watching something that could not watch back.<br><br>And then I got paranoid. <br><br>Thoughts flashed: She could be a holdupper pretending to be a Muslim so she could cover her face! <br><br>I watched even more.<br><br>The two women across from me were talking. One said, "Teka kinakabahan ako. Parang gusto ko na bumaba. (Wait, this is making me nervous. I think I want to get off.)" Friend replied, "Tara, baba na tayo. (Let's get off here.)"<br><br>Now that's mean, I thought.<br><br>I watched the woman some more. That's a pretty big bag. Wait, wh... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/176/Supersized_Paranoia._To_Go_Please. Wed, 14 May 2008 11:26:12 -0000 I am taking a break from writing my special report on China's social unrest to retain my sanity. At least whatever's left of it. If you remember how it was back in school, two weeks before the final paper is due, then you'd have a fairly good idea how I feel every time. At best. Because unlike being in school where you have the whole term or at least half the term to fret about what to write, I have all of two weeks. And my heart would beat even faster as the days start passing me by...<br><br>As if that wasn't bad enough, I now also write special reports on top of the regular reports. It's like another term paper, only the deadline is more flexible. But not too much because then it would never get written. That's what I'm doing now: making sure it gets written. But then what's so special about it is that its scope is usually wider and the information more detailed. So I'm trying to work those in, aside from just getting it written.<br><br>The sense of intimidation emanates from the fact that I h... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/175/Biting_into_the_China_Cake Tue, 6 May 2008 10:36:41 -0000 So I was hanging out at the Mindstorm office, leafing through an old issue of Time Magazine... It's weird but everything I do now has to be related to China somehow. I couldn't help but leaf through Time and see if I could find anything on China that I might be able to use some time in the future. It feels like I learned so much about China these past two and a half months than at any time in my life. <br><br>But that's not really the point of this entry. I got sidetracked as early as the second sentence. So going back, I was leafing through Time and I saw a blurb about Miranda July's book. I didn't even know she has a book. I greatly enjoyed two films that I saw by her so that got me excited. Plus the blurb said, "The lives of misfits told in quirky, almost unbearably intense short stories." And then I suddenly missed writing. <br><br>Following that was a conversation with Artie how we also want to write intense stories. Unbearable ones, too. Sigh.<br><br>So I'm gonna try and write a short story this weeken... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/174/Weekend_Goal Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:15:27 -0000 It has occurred to me that my poor neglected Multiply has not had a single entry for almost two months now. My social calendar, too, does not seem to see much activity these days. It being a Friday night, I have decided to (no, not have a social life but something better!) update my blog!! Nothing exciting to report, really, except that I know my two readers out there are curious about what I've been up to so here goes:<br><ul><li>I've transferred jobs, which most of you already know. Yeah, no big surprises there being the Touch-and-Go job-hopper Joni that I am. As a result of the new job, I am now very knowledgeable about all things Chinese. Okay, maybe not all. Let's just put it this way: on any given day, I would have read scores and scores of articles on China and whatever current issue is plaguing it. That is not an exaggeration.<br></li><li>I've started working out. In a week, I exercise about two or three times before going to work in addition to the two yoga classes that I attend. I like the pain... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/173/Life_Update Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:43:53 -0000 <P>Even the most hardened pessimist could not help but hope that perhaps, Jun Lozada can be that guy who can finally expose the Arroyo administration&nbsp;for what it really is:&nbsp;corrupt and self-serving. Because hell, we all know that it IS corrupt, but so far, not even coups had managed to topple it down. </P> <P>I first heard of the ZTE controversy when JDV III cried foul, exchanged heated words with FG Arroyo, then promptly left the country. I am not especially fond of JDV and his clan but even then, I believed JDV III. One, he is the lesser of two evils (come on, FG has horns!) and two, he would not have had the courage to go against the administration if he weren't telling the truth. I was hoping for a showdown. A let's-say-bad-things-about-each-other-until-we're-blue-in-the-face. That would have been so much better than any soap ever produced. But then it died down. </P> <P>And then Jun Lozada comes along. I cannot follow the live telecast of the Senate investigation that started last Friday... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/172/A_Country_in_Desperate_Need_of_a_Hero Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:30:51 -0000 Now it can be told. I applied for and got a job at the abovementioned company. I’ll be a researcher/analyst which is basically a writer and I’ll be starting with them on the 16th of the month. My focus will be on Chinese affairs and after being on training and being comfortable with the job while based in Manila for about a year, I will have the option to be transferred to Shanghai. While in Manila, I will hold office at the Enterprise, Tower I, a stone’s throw away—if you throw it hard enough—from my present office. To answer anticipated questions, here is the series of events that led to this seemingly sudden development in my life: I think it was on my birthday when Evonne suddenly sent me a message asking how I was. You may remember Evonne as my grade school classmate whom I lost touch with then met up with again while I was in Shanghai. She then told me of an opening in their company. Because I was fairly happy with my present employment, I was a bit hesitant about appl... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/links/item/21/Pacific_Strategies_Assessments Wed, 6 Feb 2008 03:39:40 -0000 Some of you may have noticed my sudden and prolonged absence in cyberworld. Most of the time, such absences of mine are usually brought about by either laziness or simple lack of material to write about. Or both. This time, however, is a bit different: I had dengue fever.<BR><BR>It started out innocently enough. Muscle and joint pains that I thought was just me being plain lazy. And slight fever, which wasn't really all that unusual if you're me. I called in sick the next day, a Friday, to sleep it all off. Sleep is usually my cure-all, from dry and ugly skin to colds and fevers to headaches and heartaches. So I slept. But instead of feeling better, I kept feeling worse. I had a headache so painful I actually briefly entertained the thought that it might be brain cancer. Oh and dengue also went as a passing thought but you know, it's something that happens to other people... Not very unlike brain cancer, actually. By nighttime, my housemate Brian bought me a couple of Biogesics and like miracl... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/171/My_Dengue_Experience Sat, 2 Feb 2008 11:06:10 -0000 <p>There have been petitions going around, calling for a Multiply boycott on the 18th of January, Friday. This is in light of Multiply's recent move to limit music-sharing among its users. One of those rants can be read <a href="http://hrothgar.multiply.com/journal/item/289/Why_Im_Pissed_Off_at_Multiply">here</a>.</p> <p>This blog is being written in response to&nbsp;<a href="http://budi1008.multiply.com/">Budi</a>'s message asking me what my stand is on the issue. I could not have been bothered at all simply because I did not feel the seemingly collective outrage that this move has elicited. But alas, my opinion was&nbsp;requested.&nbsp;So now let me tell you why I am not joining the boycott.</p> <p>Eversince I can remember, Multiply has always had a note on its "upload music" page that goes like this, "By clicking upload, you certify that these files do not violate Multiply's <a href="http://multiply.com/info/tos">Terms of Service</a> and that you own all copyrights or have express permission from all copyright owners to upload them." Or something like that. In fact I can vaguely remember that at some point, Multiply stated a warning saying that&nbsp;Multiply has&nbsp;the ... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/170/In_Defense_of_Multiply Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:38:33 -0000 If you're not Evonne, please ignore. :p Evonne, I'm not sure how you can read this. Worst case scenario: use a magnifying glass. http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/145/For_Evonne_Chiu Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:19:09 -0000 <P>So today, the 8th day of the year 2008, I turn 28. Yep, that's because I was born in the year 1980. I am numerically destined to be lucky this year and I claim all the luck that the universe is willing to throw my way.</P> <P>So far, the day has not started very well. I woke up with red splotches on my face, possibly a result of allergies. To what, I still have no idea. This is the second time in less than a month that this has happened. Not very amusing.</P> <P>And then I got into a pseudo-fight on YM with a new friend. It was nothing serious but for some reason, possibly PMS, I felt really bad about it. Yes, bad enough to shed a few tears over it. And my face being red as it already is today makes it even more obvious that I cried.</P> <P>And then came the call from Nuna telling me that my hard drive crashed. Or almost crashed. My thesis! My thesiiiiiis! Thankfully the laptop is working again and yes, they have made back up files of my thesis.&nbsp;Nothing can be as important as the thesis.</P> <P>I'm halfway t... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/169/Birthday_Blues Tue, 8 Jan 2008 06:17:18 -0000 <P>I'm back to a hundred pounds. I weighed myself this morning before going to work because I thought I was gaining weight from all the holiday festivities. In short, I felt fat. I expected to be at 110, or 105 at least but no, I was a hairline away from the 100-pound mark. So that actually makes me 99.99999 pounds.</P> <P>I am admittedly underweight, not exactly by choice but I'm not complaining either. My height is somewhere between 5'3" to 5'4", depending on how straight I stand. </P> <P>My weight has always been a constant source of speculation among people that I've come across with. For instance, a college classmate once&nbsp;asked if I was anorexic. I thought she was joking. It turned out she used to be&nbsp;one and I was amused to meet the first ever anorexic person in my life. You see, eating disorders were just things that I read about. I couldn't help but be amused. Acquaintances have assumed that I do vigorous workouts or that I enjoy sports at least. They ask me for tips on losing weight.... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/168/Thin_and_Thankful Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:35:20 -0000 December is the time for get-togethers. Here are random (stolen) pictures of various get-togethers I attended, from the dinner with officemates to dinner with High School batchmates to the dinner with we screw crazies... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/144/Random_Christmasy_Events Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:06:01 -0000 So my eldest sister, aka Achi Janice, finally got married last Sunday. That was December 16, 2007. These are the unofficial pictures, taken mostly while we were preparing for the wedding. I'm not sure when the official ones are coming out. The following pictures are taken mostly by Nuna, Iel, Bin-Bin and whoever else got hold of my http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/143/Achi_Janices_Wedding Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:44:28 -0000 It's not a party until someone takes off his clothes. D's Band is the winner of the Battle of the Bands in our company Christmas party. Each band performed three songs. This is their first. For bookings, tell me and I'll ask them. Hahaha! Band members: Jay Casal (lead guitar), Alben Viernes (rhythm guitar), Dong Yap (bass guitar), Eman Pallos (drums), Abdi Duwa and RC Calimlim (vocals). Again, I stole this video so http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/video/item/27/Ds_Band Wed, 19 Dec 2007 06:54:04 -0000 These are random pictures of our company's Christmas Party. I stole them from different sources. Please don't sue me. http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/142/VHS_Christmas_Party_07 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:29:24 -0000 I did my biggest splurge of the year last night. I was hoping to find gifts for my friends but I ended up buying myself a super-expensive one--keep in mind that I practically never buy anything over P300, espcially not for myself. Which is good because I can justify this purchase. And one more thing, it's going to be paid at 0% interest over a period of six (6) months. I can never write a review good enough for a scent and I don't really have to because there's the Internet and Ms. Google anyway. So clickety-click! I'm so bangoooo! http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/links/item/20/-_Victorias_Own_-_Too_Feminine_-_Aigner Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:58:52 -0000 I am posting this link for no other reason than because she quoted a part of my story, "Kawil" in her profile. No, I have no idea who she is. And no, I never denied being http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/links/item/19 Tue, 4 Dec 2007 13:14:08 -0000 To minimize clutter and earn money in the process, we had our garage sale last weekend. http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/141/Garage_Sale_Bin-Bins Mon, 3 Dec 2007 12:07:48 -0000 I can understand why Jessica Hagedorn's "Dogeaters," the novel and then the play, became a hit in the US. After all, anything coming from and about this side of the world must be exotic, right? The very title suggests a barbarism that has been accused of the Filipinos by their colonial masters through hundreds of years. A Fil-Am writer in New York writing about the Philippines... not only that but the Philippines at its most controversial and interesting time. It definitely has all the ingredients of a hit. That's for the American market. When writing about a group of people, it only follows that that group of people will be the hardest to please. And I am not pleased. Asked if it was good by a friend, I could only muster a non-committal, "It was ok. It was not spectacularly good but it was ok." Pressed for more by the question, "Will you recommend it?" I answered, "Only if you have nothing to do. It's not a complete waste of money and time naman. But it's not something to really r... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/reviews/item/9 Mon, 3 Dec 2007 08:19:50 -0000 So finally, our Tagaytay day trip pushed through. Amidst warnings of a super-typhoon, we felt that it was now or never. We had been planning this trip for about a month already so devil be damned we just went ahead and drove all the way to Tagaytay for Vroomy's (Anna's car) break-in. Fortunately, it did not rain at all. We spent Friday night at Virge's new place, talking and singing ourselves to death. We finally went to bed at 2am. However, being in bed and actually sleeping are two different things. Somehow we could not stop talking. The next morning, we hauled our sleepy asses into Vroomy for the three-hour drive to Sonya's Garden and stuffed our faces with salad and pasta. And took pictures. Lots. To cap the day, we went to see "Enchanted" when we got back to Manila. I thankfully did not fall asleep. (I have a history of falling asleep when watching movies.) *pictures are from Honey's and my http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/photos/album/140/Tagaytay_Trip_with_HS_BFFs_ Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:54:58 -0000 <P>I have, at any given moment, at least three unused notebooks of different sizes, thickness, paper quality, etc. in my possession. At least. I'm pretty sure I have more. The point is, I definitely do not need another one. </P> <P>But I want it.</P> <P>It's not even a notebook of any remarkable quality. It's as ordinary as can be: lined, of average size (maybe a bit smaller), of average thickness (maybe a bit thicker). "A normal notebook," in fact, was how I described it to a friend while trying to convince her to have coffee or tea with me. </P> <P>So it is nothing but pure madness. I have fallen prey into this marketing scheme that seeks nothing more&nbsp;than to make me part with my hard-earned money is what happened. And as with most obssessions, it leaves one helpless. It certainly does not help that I pass by the coffee shop going to and from work everyday. </P> <P>Of course it is not that I lack&nbsp;excuses to hang out&nbsp;in this particular coffee shop. I get to have some alone time, for one. That is, of ... http://sanapakaininmoko.multiply.com/journal/item/164/Notebook_Madness Wed, 21 Nov 2007 04:40:59 -0000