The Other Fish

Now, to take away some of the edge off the previous post I will talk a bit about some worthy (though fictional) men. Haha I mean, my past and current pleasant cartoon distractions.

Geek alert. Do not proceed if you are allergic to fandom.

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This is Kenshin, ex-assassin turned housemaid. He looks like a girl, but he can kill you in flash. The story of his conversion, from killer to cook, is what Rurouni Kenshin's all about. Aside from the compelling lead character, RK is also great because of how well it blended fiction with historical fact. A pseudo-historical romance, this manga/anime actually helped me answer one of the items in one of the STS exams (the mandatory subject all UP students hate). What's not to love? If you want to talk some more about Ken-san, I would happily smother you with all the information I have. And the geek steps fully out of the closet. Not that I was ever really in the closet...

this graphic was taken from www.romantation.com --- it's actually fan comic illustration (doujinshi), Spark! But it's remarkably similar to the (later) canon drawings.

Now below is my newest idol, Prince Zuko.



Zuko is a surprising, sexy, study in contradiction (yeah, go alliteration!). The caricature bad-guy in Season 1 of Avatar the Last Airbender, Zuko is slowly revealed to be a complicated character. Branded and banished by his own father, a lesser man would have succumbed to cynicism or cruelty or despair. But even in his darkest moments, Zuko found the kindness in his heart to teach a poor boy how to defend himself, and risk discovery in enemy territory to light candles for a girl. He's strong, brave, angry, and conflicted. But he's also sweet, in an awkward, boyish sort of way. Finally in Season 3 he sees the light and defects from his father to join the Avatar's group in their fight to end the war. And with that, you know that the very tenacity with which Zuko hunted the Avatar in the first season is the very thing that would make a damn loyal friend. That's mah-boy Zuko. (Zuko is voiced by Fil-Am actor Dante Basco.)

Okay fangirl drooling over.

----o0o----

Geek alert out.

T - for Troll

Moments like what happened tonight are what make me think that maybe there is a Harry Potter world out there and JK Rowling hadn't made it up --- she'd actually been there. You know why I think this? Because some TROLLS have escaped the Potterverse and are WALKING AMONG US.

Sure they look like ordinary men. But their offensive crudeness unmistakably gives them away as the progeny of trolls, or a troll and a centaur. (Guess the horse-man couldn't find any women to kidnap).

Here's the scene. I got into the elevator on the second floor of Paseo Center to get down to the ground floor (because the escalators were under repair and there weren't stairs in sight). Three men were already in. There was just me and the three men (trolls). As the door closed on us, one of them sniggers to his friend, "Oi pare saan na nga pala yung babaeng ni-rape mo kagabi?" And they laugh.

Now, even if that was a simple joke among friends and was not some sadistic prank to freak the hell out of lone female co-passengers in elevators, it was just plain wrong. Furious, I got off on the ground floor without showing any sign of annoyance or girl-y terror. What a bunch of asses.

I'm really wishing all of them would wake up tomorrow as girls, barely 5 feet tall, with bad backs. So they can find out what it's like to be small and weak, and have to walk home alone at night, with possible trolls lurking around them. Let's see how that makes them feel. Or they could all just choke. That's fine with me too.

If that scene had come out of a Dark Angel episode, the elevator doors would have opened with the three men lying unconscious on the floor and me walking out with one eyebrow slightly arched, pissed yet bored-looking at the same time.

That scene would have been fine with me too.

I Want to Meet Him

I'm late I know, but I just recently discovered how cute Masi Oka is. The Jay Leno interview with Justin Timberlake beside him would have been a better introduction, because it covers the basics: IQ=180, programmer at ILM, a mime of his mom's reaction when he said he wanted to be an actor...but I can't find it on youtube anymore. This one is good too.

Smart, funny, nice guy. Very down-to-earth. If I were a guy, I'd want to be just like him :))

I Got Mail!

Yesterday, I got a card from one of my grade school teachers. Wala lang. She was just rummaging through her things, found a letter or card I had written her, and decided to write me just to say hi and wish me belated happy birthday (she remembers!!!). Isn't that sweet? She was my grade school Science teacher, the lady who taught us about God and faith using Star Wars as metaphor. Also introduced us (me) to Star Trek. So yeah, she was a pretty important figure in my formative years.

Soon as I get the time I will write her back.

How are you doing Ms. Gusilatar?

Things You've Said Which I'm Annoyed to Find are True

1. We should never let the things that we need to do get in the way of the things we want to do.

2. Life follows Boyle's Law. So it doesn't matter how much pressure there is... our containers' volume will always accommodate it.

3. I work better when someone's breathing down my neck. (That is, if sanity were not an issue.)

4. Making money is important.

5. I'm afraid of greatness. Because I'm afraid of great failure.


There's more I'm sure... I just can't remember them now. For all the jerk you were, you also hit upon some truths. And while I still haven't forgiven you, I guess that doesn't mean I don't love you. Why else would being so angry with you feel so right and so wrong at the same time?

If only you could speak

Dear Kathryn,

I'm hurt. I realize you take me for granted. And for a few years now, I've let it slide because I thought it was supposed to be like that... it seems to be that way for most people. But you and I both have a bad habit of overestimating our strength, and this time it's come back to bite us on the ... And personally, I've had enough. So no more cramming for you you, no more lugging heavy books, no more carrying ALL the necessities with you in 1 or 2 or 3 bags together. NO MORE. You are going to have to start lightening up your act. I MEAN it! Or else I'm going to spasm for the rest of your work-productive life, which will be shortened, because how long do you think I'll be able to keep on spasming... hmmm?!?! Yes, I'm threatening. Take this seriously.

Sino pa ba?
Your Back

Dear Back,

How can you betray me at a time like this? Traitor!!!

I'll never forgive you,
Kathryn

=============================================

Dear A-B,

Peter once said, "Nobody can make you feel bad about yourself unless you let them." I don't want to let you anymore. But I'm too chicken to take you off my Friendster list.

Kathryn

Kathryn,

Huh? Who are you again?

A-B

Raising Sweet Men

Gawd... the titles I write lately...

Two nights ago my brother asked me which is the "more mature" type of man: a) one who just goes after 1 particular girl, [to the utter bewilderment of his peers] or b) one who keeps his options open [which translates in my head as... MARAMING PINOPORMAHAN]. He even has this funny opening like,

"So... you're a girl... <insert question here>."

Now that I think about it, I don't recall actually giving him a straight answer; instead I asked him why he was asking and who said what, and it turns out his guy friends are pushing man-type b. And I respond with something like,

"Hmmm. I dunno, that kind of guy, like the torpe guy, is so <nakakainis> ... ewan, what's the word?..."

And he goes, "wussy?"

And I'm like yeah. That's it. <I'll leave connecting the dots to you.>

And he paces around, thoughtful, and goes on... "It's not a matter of being practical <pace, pace, pace, pace>... I just can't do it that way!"

AND I AM AMAZED. And proud :). My little brother is a romantic! Against peer pressure too! Isn't that sweet?

He's good-looking too. See picture below. That girl he's making porma to better be worth it.






:D Not that us big sisters will interfere...

Implicit Learning

What an awfully boring title.

Anyway, the [annual] company tourney just started last Wednesday, June 20. I think everyone's heads is full of badminton, if not work...

Two years ago, when I first started here, I would have classified myself as a level 4 player. With only 2 levels in discussion, and 1 being the higher level, you can imagine where I stood in 2005. It's a wonder LE didn't feel like murdering me when I was his playing partner against JC and someone I can't remember. Now... GS actually almost assigned me to level 1, and I haven't even been practising in the interim.

So, despite losing my first game I guess all in all, I'm happy. It appears I actually learned something I hadn't realized my body was studying. Given that I'm the kind of student who only got 1.0 (or close) in P.E. when it was PE 101, which had written requirements, or PE-stretching when the teacher was pregnant and so asked for uh... written requirements, it's a pretty big thing :D

Now, I need to work on actually running after the shuttlecock.

I have a hard time explaining myself

You have a frightening way of slipping in between the cracks and making me laugh, despite myself, against my will, beyond good reason.

Don't.

This can only end in disaster.

===

Late this afternoon, JR popped into my screen and told me Kurt Vonnegut was dead. I didn't really know Vonnegut; I only know of him vaguely... a writer, a writer good enough that fictional characters in books I have read talk of wanting to study under him. BB thought he only wrote profoundly incomprehensible stuff. But apparently he wrote this: Long Walk to Forever. And I think to myself, how come I haven't read him?!? It's like never having known... ee cummings' "Somewhere I have never travelled" or Neruda's Sonnet XVII.

Plus, he writes science fiction.

I have to find this guy's works.

Lose Some, Win Some

SO. For those who haven’t heard, we’ve been robbed.

The Lummoxes are safe, don’t worry. We’re just poorer.

It’s a shame. I was actually really planning to celebrate laptop’s 6^th anniversary in my possession. With a (cup)cake and everything! But the robbers got to him first. Oh laptop, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you!

So it should come as no surprise when I say: we’ve abandoned the room with a Biew. How embarrassing. We only lasted a month! L Anyone know of a place in Makati three freshly robbed siblings can safely rent?

=====

On another note, mamee Lern applied for a car loan so next week, we’ll be greeting Benihime, the new car. Maybe there will be pictures in the next blog.

Also, there’s a new baby in the house. His name’s supposed to be Diego, but father is afraid (he has the oddest fears) that that’s not a very good name for a dog because it’s too human. Who knows! We might be entertaining a man named Diego in the house in the future and wouldn’t he find it insulting to know our dog has his name?

Diego is a miniature pinscher, brown, and he’s tiny. People in the house like looking in on him just to be able to say, “Ang liit!” To illustrate how small, let me provide a description: he can literally, fit in the palm of your hand. He’s like a marsupial… or a rat.

So far, possible names that have been bandied about are: Choco, Joe, Bruiser… that last is from Ruddie. I mean imagine calling out, “Bruiser!” and have charging in this barking, snarling… marsupial dog. Kinda funny. Maybe there will be pictures of him in the next blog too.

By the way Happy Easter, all!

Durk-durk, Lern and Jajuhby: The New Adventures of the Lummoxes

February 19, 2007, 7:54
PM (CEM time, as opposed to say, Philam time)

Today is the first day of the year of the Pig. Joy read to me from somewhere that this is supposed to be a lucky year for Sheep people. I’m Sheep. And crossing my fingers…

I promised myself I would only start blogging again
if something significant happened in my life (because otherwise I just tend to blog about ahem, someone…) and something has. Just last week, Lern, Jaje and I moved into our home-away-from-home here in Makati. This is pretty significant for me because this is the first time I’ve really lived away from home, and very much on my own too ‘cause I --- we --- will really be fending for ourselves. Rent, utilities, laundry, etc. we’ll be paying on our own. It’s so grown-up! (haha, I sound so retarded) But see, in our family, childhood ends at the age of 30, if ever it really does, and while there is some comfort to be taken from knowing your folks have always got your back, I wanted to know what I was made of. In my head, if not marriage, that means moving out. Haaay. I am retarded. Bbbut, see there’s still something different about sharing bills at home and being in charge of your own bills… (retarded!)

Our place is Room 1803 B, the room with a BIEW…

When I got home to 1803 B last Friday, I was walking under my --- what is getting to be --- recurring cloud of depression (full cycle is about once every 3 days, I’m kidding!…) so God decided to send me a cheer-upper in the form of a little prince.

Me (to Lern via SMS): I just met one of our neighbors!

Lern: Ooh! Are they human? Or peacocks? J (for an understanding of what Peacocks are, review relevant X-files episode involving the Peacock family)

Me: It’s A Little Prince!

The little’s prince’s name is FiliBERTO! (insert mime here of that patent Italian hand-chop). At least, in my head the way the kid says it, sounds Italian (or well, foreign,
hehe). He and his mother came by the unit because they wanted to say hello to the previous tenants, who were unfortunately gone already. Apparently, the previous tenants (5 nurses) took care of 6-year-old Filiberto when he had been down with food poisoning. And Filiberto (yes, he doesn’t seem to have a nickname, or if he does I am not privy to it, since I am only the strange new neighbor) having gotten a new cellphone, wanted to give them his number. Poor boy, how disappointing that he only chanced upon tired, disheveled me, who had had to lug around 2 bond paper reams of PPP reports. (Yes, PPP for Panukat ng Pagkataong Pilipino.)

I call him Little Prince because like a prince he is good-looking, poised, and… authoritative...

Me (fumbling with the door keys): … this is confusing…

Little prince offers to open the door for me. And walks into the unit and lectures me…

Little Prince: When you are opening the door turn the key
only this way (makes clockwise gesture). Don’t turn it this way and this way (imitates my clockwise-counterwise confused motions), or you’ll end up locking-unlocking it.

Me (feeling every inch the stupid 27-year-old): … ehehehehe.

He is also an intriguing kid. His mother (whom we shall dub Queen, since well, he’s Little Prince) asked me if I was also studying and I said, yes, and she said, oh what course? And I said Developmental Psychology. And she says…

Queen (to Little Prince): That’s perfect! Didn’t you say you needed someone you could talk to about your hopes and dreams?

Me (to myself): …Hhhoookaaaay…

Anyway the whole encounter ended with Little Prince giving me his number, which I think is mostly out of the Queen’s politeness since Little Prince kind of just walked into our unit and proceeded to criticize liberally. But I enjoyed the whole odd encounter and
sent the Little Prince an SMS.

Me: Hi Filiberto! It was nice meeting you and your mom! Please tell her also J. This is Kathryn from room 1803 by the way.

Little Prince: ok

This is the most non-self-censoring blog I’ve ever posted. It’s fun. If you got confused by my writing, apologies, but this is pretty much how I think, which is why I’m usually quiet in groups. I already have a little group of my own inside my head (okay, not only am I retarded, I am also CRAZY.).

I hope you enjoyed the show! I just realized (again, but with pleasure!) that this is my form of humor: I make fun of myself a lot. I was never able to capture it in writing until now.

Happy New Year everyone!

Edit: I lied. I just went back and edited this piece. Not much though… just cleaned up a few grammatical and style problems (OC!!!).