A DISASTER IN THE LOOMING



Typhoon Reming (international code Durian) is expected to hit Manila on Friday morning. I'm not taking any chances and have stayed home as early as Thursday. Hee.

And ever the worrier, I've also stacked up on Winston Lights, beer, and chips. Hindi natin alam, baka hagupitin ng bagyo yung pabrika ng Fortune Tobacco tsaka San Miguel, diba? Nagkakagulo sa grocery kanina. Panic shopping ang mga tao. Pati sa Nike, Bayo, at People Are People, ang haba ng pila. Matindi nga yata itong bagyong 'to. Hmm... Makababa nga uli at matingnan kung may GSM Blue pa sa grocery.

UNTITLED

The last time this happened, you took away someone I love so dearly.

The waiting is killing me. I can't think straight. The day passes as a blur and all I do is stare into blankness. Unable to move. Unable to speak.

So please. Tell me now.

DOES SHE KNOW?

Just finished a very long one on one meeting with my boss here in Hong Kong. I wonder if she has any inkling that I'm entertaining thoughts of moving to another company? We were talking about plans for fiscal year 2007, what my long term plans are as far as my career is concerned, all that. A lot of what I would be doing, of course, depends on how much longer we will be engaging China Subcon #1. That has been bulk, almost 75%, of what I have been doing for 2006. Now that the qualification activities are over and we're finally doing production builds, we're starting see what we have dreaded for the past three quarters. We're having a lot of issues with China Subcon #1. Process control is almost non-existent. The people who decided to relocate to China from Hong Kong are now disillusioned and a lot are thinking of resigning, or altogether have resigned already.

Instead of answering my question directly, she dangled what I would think is carrot. How would I like to be part of the team that will engage the new subcons? Hmm, this has always been what I would think to be the ideal job. But why is she giving me my ideal job? Something smells fishy here...

Anyway, interview with the second German company will be this Friday evening. It's gonna be a tightrope. We're leaving China on Friday afternoon, the probably have dinner somewhere in Hong Kong, then off I go to the meeting. I hope I don't get too drunk. Better skip the alcohol during the early part of the evening. Celebration or otherwise, I'd do the drinking after the interview.

DOING THE ROUNDS AGAIN

I just finished an interview a couple of hours ago. About early October, a headhunter based in Berlin emailed me and asked if I was interested in working for a semiconductor company based in Germany. Of course I am. So after a couple of emails and a phone call from this headhunter, I was hooked up with a strict sounding German guy by the name of Mr. Wagner (I know, so typical German!). We talked for about 30, 45 minutes. I think I did okay. It seems like I fit the bill for whoever they were looking for, but I'm not about to say I did really well in that interview. You never know these Germans. You just don't know what they're looking for.

Next week, I'm also having another interview for the same German company but with a guy from another business division. Thing is, I didn't tell this second party that I'm already having discussions with someone from the same company. Should I or shouldn't I? I have a feeling I shouldn't, since there hasn't been any solid offer laid out so far. Never hurts to keep that extra ace card up my sleeve, right? Then again, was that the right thing to do?

I don't even know why I'm even entertaining all these guys who wants to interview me. This reorg is beginning to scare me. The announcement was supposed to have been done November 1st, but we still haven't heard even a peep from anybody what's it going to be like. Best bet is that my boss' boss is on his way out. Too bad, he was really such a nice guy. Fatherly figure, he was more of a mentor than a boss. Now, in the case of our boss... It's like you want her to go but the thought of someone I'm not comfortable with replacing her is making me balk at that idea. I just want this reorg done and over with. Let's go. Let's move on.

CAIPIRINHA



Gusto na uli kitang makita.

ULAN

ang lakas ng buhos ng ulan kagabi. dito na muna ako sumilong, sa tabi ng isang ginagawang gusali sa tapat ng podium. pinatay ay makina, binuksan ang ipod, at inihiga ang upuang dalawang oras na sumasalo ng pwet kong sumasakit na. habang tumutugtog ang bandang eraserheads, hindi ko mapigilang isipin na parang naging ipod ang buhay ko nitong mga nakaraang linggo. nandun na parang love song, nandun na parang masaya, at kadalasan nama'y tugtuging mabilis na parang gustong sumabay sa bawat patak ng tubig na nahuhulog sa bubong ng awto ko.

ulan. yan ang kailangan ko ngayon. isang milyong patak na sapat na para agusin lahat ng bahid ng pagkakakilala ko sa yo.

tubig. para malinisan ang isip ko at pawiin ang uhaw sa pagod na dulot ng walang katapusang sagutan.

salamat, ulan.

I'M WITH YOU, GORGEOUS



Hey, you'll always have a friend in me. I'm just clicks away.

ME? SEXY?

I just found out today that my other blog was listed as part of the Sexiest Filipino Bloggers. I haven't been updating that particular blog for some time now. Is this a sign for me to start sleeping around again? Hahaha!

TEN PESOS

Ten pesos. That's all it took for the little girl, no more than ten years old, to finally go home after hours of peddling pamunas.

On our way to PGH last Thursday night, my wife asked me for ten pesos to pay a streetkid selling pamunas, those scraps of cloth sewn together to make a small rag. And being the bad me, at first I just made an excuse that I couldn't find any coins. Reluctantly, I handed her a handful of coins. After getting the ten pesos, she asked for this small girl to come over and she bought her ten pesos worth of rags.

What happened next struck me speechless.

The small girl got her ragged bag from the curb, turned to smile at us, then walked away. We knew then she was going home already. It was close to 10:30 in the evening. Slightly drizzling. All she needed was ten pesos more to finally dispose of her rags.

BABY I'M PERFECT FOR YOU



Wow, six years. That's how long we've been together as a married couple. There are so many things I want to tell you but I don't know where to start. Being the engineer that I am, I'll do what I do best... the list...

Sorry for...
... raising my voice sometimes. No excuses.
... sneaking up inside the house when I come home late. I just don't want to wake you up, even though I know how lightly you sleep whenever I'm not home and you end up getting up scared in the middle of the night by the sound of my footsteps.
... the toxic travel schedule. I didn't know it was gonna be like this when I took on the job. Don't worry, I'm doing something about it. Fancy living in Hong Kong? :-)
... leaving the dining area such a mess when I make it my work table. Hey, I'm a guy.
... not taking good care of my health. I want to quit, you know that. But not right now.

Looking forward to...
... our next vacation. You always make all of our trips memorable.
... buying you your own camera. I'm sorry you weren't able to get your pics together with the Fab Five when you shared the plane trip with them to Manila.
... buying you your "wow" cellphone. You're a manager. Look the part, please, and that includes your gadgets. ;-)
... the rest of the lifetime with you. And yes, we'll work on the little one once we our schedules permit.

I love you.

ONE HOT MAMA



You gotta hand it to the Middle East folks when it comes to waging war. These guys really know their shit. Even grandma has got something to say to the Jews!!

At last, we have a real war brewing. Not some lopsided hoohah like what the USA did against Iraq and Afghanistan.

ADDICTED



It was just installed this morning.

I haven't had lunch.

I haven't bathed.

I have forgotten I have a life.

And I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I GOT PLENTY OF GAME

Just when I thought I was beginning to lose it, two events last Sunday made me realized na may asim pa pala ako. First was on the plane to Hong Kong. It was such a tiring day. I didn't have a lot of sleep the previous night and had to haul my ass to the airport for an 8:00 am flight. The line wasn't that bad and by 7am, I was already checked in. Then an announcement over the PA said something like Philippine Airlines was looking for volunteers on the 8am flight to be bumped off to a later flight in the afternoon. In return, volunteers will get a free round trip ticket to Hong Kong and three thousand pesos. Not bad, di ba? So I volunteered. After waiting for about about an hour, I got my free ticket, my three thousand pesos, and a lunch voucher. Yey!

The flight I was getting into was going to leave at 2pm and it was only about 9am. I don't mind waiting at airports provided I had a place to smoke and I can buy wireless internet access cards, both of which was available in NAIA 2. But you can only amuse yourself so much. So finally, when we boarded the plane, I had barely laid my back on the seat when POOF, I was out. I woke up only when we were up in the air and the flight attendants were handing out lunch trays.

Here's the game part... I was seated on an exit row, aisle seat. I looked to my left...



She's a half Hong Kong, half Pinay who just spent a week in Boracay, with the last couple of days holed up in the island because of the storm. We struck a conversation and I can tell, she was eager to get back home. I managed to get her phone number and her email address. She's on my friendster now. Let's see if I can get her to Lan Kwai Fong.

We landed finally in HKG and by this time I was dying for a smoke. My heart sank as I dug deep in my pockets. I'm missing my cigs and lighter. I must have left them in the coffeeshop in the airport. Good thing is that I always have a whole ream tucked inside my checked in luggage. The bad news? I use a plastic harness as a baggage lock (don't ask why) and I use my lighter to break it open. Luckily, there's this sweet looking lady who was glad to help. She lent me her lighter and when that didn't work in melting away the harness, handed me her lighted cigarette to burn the thing open.



She's born and raised in the US and her parents are from Laos. She was on a one month tour of Asia. Prior to getting into Hong Kong, she has visited China, Thailand, and Laos. The poor girl, she only had a single entry visa to China. From Laos, she planned on going back to China, spend a couple of more days there, then head back home to the States. When she flew in on a Saturday in Hong Kong, she found out that she had to wait until Monday to get her visa since the China visa issuing office was closed for the weekend. In other words, she had already spent one day and one night in the airport, and she had already surrendered to the fact that she's going to be there that night as well.

Not if I can help it. So I dropped the classic pick up line and a few minutes after, we were seated next to each other on the MTR on the way to my hotel. It was her first time in Hong Kong and since I was such a gracious host, I took her around town. We watched the Light Show on the island from Kowloon, took a Star Ferry to Central, went up and down the Victoria Peak in the tram, rode on the top deck of a double decker bus, had dinner in Lan Kwai Fong, and a couple of drinks in a reggae bar. We even shared an absinthe. God, that thing really burns your throat, huh. All the alcohol that night must've put us in a dancing mood because I totally forgot about the start of the working weekday the following morning and ended up dancing until the bar closed shop at 2am.

We went back to the hotel, and all I can say is she looks good on my bed. What can I say... Your lolo still got plenty of game.

LAST SONG SYNDROME


Love Generation - Bob Sinclar

I can't get it out of my head!! Click on the pic and get your FREE copy!

IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME



The news this morning said something about the avian flu finally hitting the United Kingdom. Swans were found dead in Scotland and it's highly suspected that it's because of the H5N1 virus. Similarly, domestic chicken are being culled in a certain part of Germany after an outbreak of the virus in several farms.

So the virus decided to take an western route rather than hitting us directly here in the Philippines. After China, it swept through Africa and Eastern Europe. Now it's in Germany and the UK. Will it make the big jump across the Atlantic towards East Coast United States? From there, who knows how it will spread? Pretty soon it will be here.

Buti na lang libre ang facemask sa office namin.

ME (tagged from nonvocabulum)

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18 and find line 4.
I just realized something... I don't keep a single book in my cubicle!

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, what do you find?
A box of coffee sachets.

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation, on Asia Discovery Channel Travel and Living.

4. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
My two officemates chatting while having breakfast.

5. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
30 minutes ago. I was smoking.

6. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Novocalum blog.

7. What are you wearing?
Flannel gray button shirt and jeans.

8. Did you dream last night?
I don't remember my dreams.

9. When did you last laugh?
Two nights ago, when I watched Ice Age 2.

10. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Post it notes. I listed all the companies I plan to send my resume to in the next six months.

11. Seen anything weird lately?
I'm in the Philippines. Everything is weird.

12. What do you think of this quiz?
It helps me to get my creative juices going. I need to submit my travel plans to my boss and I have to justify why I'll be staying for two weeks in Hong Kong.

13. What is the last film you saw?
Ice Age 2 and Moments of Love. Kilig!

14. If you turned a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
A condo unit at One Roxas Triangle, and a Hummer H2.

15. Tell me something about you that I don’t know.
If I do that I'll have to kill you.

16. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt and politics, what would you do?
Give everybody free broadband internet.

17. Do you like to dance?
Yes.

18. George Bush.
Loser.

19. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Bianca.

20. Imagine your first child is a boy, what would you call him?
Agustin.

21. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Are you kidding?!

22. What would you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
"Why are you here?"

23. 4 people who must also do this meme.
Anybody. I don't know if anybody still reads this blog anyway.

SAY THAT AGAIN?

So my officemate and I were horsing around in this hotel in Chang An city, in the Chinese province of Dongguan. Chang An isn't really like Shanghai, which is a well developed city. It's one of those satellite cities selected to host technoparks, which are sites for endless factory buildings churning fine merchandise worthy of the likes of Walmart. Anyway, so we're here at the only five star hotel in the area. It's 2 o'clock in the morning and we just came back from dinner and a massage. Nothing to talk about the massage, really. I didn't get any action.

It's a pretty big hotel. A LOT bigger than Shangrila Makati. It's really extravagant, with a lobby that leaves you breathless. But you see, you're still in China. And people here don't speak very good conversational English. It's like you're hearing something off from a textbook when you talk with them. And when they do try to say something they hear from Western TV, it doesn't sound quite right. Case in point: There's a karaoke/bar in the hotel. We know it closes at around 3am. So we come up to the receptionist and ask what else to do, aside from singing and drinks.

She says, "Oh, you just missed the song, dance, and sex."

WHOA?! SEX? Did she just say sex?

"What?" I asked. "There's song, dance, and what else?"

"Sex."

"Sex?"

"Yes." Then she proceeds to put both her hands in front, and wraps around an imaginary shaft. "Sex!"

"Really?"

Then she turns to the stage and points towards, of all things, a saxophone.

This country never ceases to amuse me.

And oh, just to let you know, this is typical fare for business lunch in this area.

I'M SO INSENSITIVE




And just when you thought the world couldn't be any more stranger, or more unfair, than it already is, you run across this piece of news that leaves you not knowing whether to laugh or to sympathize.

A TYPICAL DAY

5:00 I wake up
5:05 Start making breakfast. Usually coffee and a cup of oatmeal.
5:15 Sit down. Watch TV. Eat breakfast.
5:30 Watch TV.
6:00 Still watching TV.
6:30 Still watching.
7:00 Take a bath.
7:15 Get dressed.
7:30 Out of the house.
7:40 In the car. Off to work.
8:45 In the office.
9:00 Boot up computer. Work.
12:00 Lunch
1:30 Back from lunch.
1:35 Back to work.
7:00 Drive back home.
8:30 Back home.
8:35 Dinner
9:00 Take a bath.
9:15 Watch TV.
11:00 Sleep.

Today's a little different. I actually managed to take 15 minutes to remind everyone in Bloggerland I'm still alive.

How's your day?

YOU'RE MY BOY, BLUE!



Patrick Cranshaw, who achieved cult-like status as fraternity brother "Blue" in the 2003 comedy "Old School," has died. He was 86.

I love you Blue. I will miss you.