baguio memories

The last and only time I was in Baguio was in February, 2003, when as part of the Manila Times I was tasked to cover the annual PMA Alumni Homecoming in Fort del Pilar. I've fond memories of that trip: the raucous fireside booze-fest with then Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes and other top military officials who let their hair down, so to speak, for the night; sharing bottles of Carlo Rossi with Grace Morales while the guys checked out the bars; traversing the dark Kennon Road on a drizzly twilight while falling in love with Richie Sambora's Undiscovered Soul album on my Walkman. Magic moments; simply unforgettable.

Tomorrow, with my wife this time, I'll be in the City of Pines again. I don't expect much except for us to go home with treasures in our heads. Things to tell our kids and grandkids in the future. Will probably stay at Teachers' Camp and do some ghost-hunting in the night - why not? Drink coffee in this place in SM overlooking the world, as recommended by my good friend Joseph Orbeta. Go boat-riding in Burnham Park and stuff. Drink the whole place in in one smooth gulp. Already I am drunk with anticipation. Can already picture myself in the bus listening to Tom Waits, my face in the window watching everything...

baguio breather

Lately it's been work, work and more work for me, and the migraine and loneliness that come with it. I wish I'm on a beach somewhere soaking up the sunset, sipping wine and dreaming away, and not infront of the laptop in the darkness of my brother's room, typing, swatting mosquitoes, feeling terribly low. But the hell with it. Wrong for me to complain, is it? After all this means money in the future, and bums like me can't be choosers, right? Right!

Indeed, my foot's in a trap and there's no escaping it. This thought is making me cranky as hell. Just ask Charmaine, my wife. Tense moments last night around bedtime, with me playing the role of an asshole. I got poison in my system, yes. Baguio the antidote? Hopefully, because what I think I really need right now is some fresh air, a strange place, and dozens of miles away from anything that is familiar.

Hopefully again, I'll emerge from our three-day, two-night romp in the City of Pines this weekend feeling brand new.

trinoma

Had the opportunity to visit Trinoma yesterday because of an appointment. Trinoma is this swanky new brainchild of the Ayalas in North Avenue. It faces Mindanao Avenue and is connected to the rest of Metro Manila via the MRT. The place just opened last month so nothing's there yet except a few early-bird boutiques, the ever-ubiquitous food chains, and some shacked-up, soon-to-open shops all screaming for your money.

But despite that and the fact that it was a weekday afternoon, Trinoma was crawling with people. Everywhere it's families and students strolling and snapping pictures, window-shoppers coming in and out of shops, fashion freaks and assorted geeks flaunting their style. They were strutting the strut of people who knew they were strutting at the right place.

Malls and Filipinos. Indeed, there's a thesis begging to be written here.

kiss

Got this yesterday from Toy Palace in Farmers Plaza for only Php70. Though I am not a big Kiss fan - I only own two of their CDs, 1996's Kiss Unplugged and 1998's Psycho Circus, and think they're good - I consider it a crime not to score a goofy-looking Gene Simmons, tongue and all, at such a price. Too bad I didn't have enough cash with me to purchase the rest of the band.

snag

I consider it a coincidence that in my drunken stupor last night I accidentally deleted an earlier entry announcing the formal launching of my book, L na L, this month. A coincidence because I've just learned this morning that the project has been shelved for the meantime because of some not-so-nice events happening inside the Literotika office. Bummer.

But my book is still out, and according to my wife and sister-in-law who've been monitoring its sale, people are picking it up. National Bookstore still won't carry it unless something's done with the cover. But I've been assured by Belle Viola, Literotika's busty marketing director, that negotiations are ongoing, and that there's been some development, and that by August I might hear good news. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Meanwhile, interested parties could try the magazine stands inside the MRT-Ayala Station for their copies.

the dork

Almost six months have gone by and she still can't believe she married this dork.

friends

Had a blast last Friday night with my college friends in Congo Grille in Ortigas, drinking and clowning around and reminiscing old days. Special thanks to Ms. Erwina Jose (fourth from right) for making everything possible by footing the bill, ha-ha. And thanks also to my college friends for showing up despite extremely busy schedules. My god, you can never have dull moments with these guys. And I'm not exaggerating, not even a bit, no. They're all, to use John King's word, "mental." But in a good and funny way, mind you.

new books

Got this from the fourth floor of National Bookstore in Cubao for only Php200. Go two floors down and the same book's around Php480 or something. Thank god for bargain bins.

Other latest additions to my library: Eleanor Rigby and Shampoo Planet by Douglas Coupland (from NB and Booksale, respectively), Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck (Booksale), Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers by Tom Wolfe (Booksale), The Armies of the Night by Norman Mailer (Booksale), The Inner Circle by TC Boyle (Booksale), The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho (NB), Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard (NB), and Twisted Travels by Jessica Zafra (NB).

new cd's

Loots from the recent Universal Records CD sale:

*Mule Variations by Tom Waits. I'm a big fan of this dude. He sings about all things sad and beautiful. He's best listened to with a cold bottle of beer on one hand and a Kerouac book on the other. Bring on the rainy season, man.

*Devil in the Details by Saigon Kick. I remember cruising the dark Sumulong Highway one drizzly night a long time ago, listening to Spanish Rain on my Walkman, having a blast at the romantic Caribbean images the song evokes in my head. So when I chanced upon this CD on sale I grabbed it like I would grab tits, only to relive that long lost life.

*O2 by Firehouse. Some say they're has-beens and that their vocalist sings like he has balls the size of pimples, but so what? Admittedly, though, I prefer their earlier works. Yeah, circa Love of a Lifetime, baby. Sue me.

*Show Business by Kix. A treasure of an album for only Php20, with nine rawkin' tunes and a tearjerking break-up ballad to top it all off. One spin and I'm hooked.

*Wait by Steelheart. High-pitched vocals, anyone? Sometimes such shit gets me groovin'. And I like ballads.