August 05, 2008 and July 10, 2011 are the two dates I will always remember. These are the ends of a string I keep inside my pocket. I discreetly hold on to it as if it’s strong enough to [...]]]>

August 05, 2008 and July 10, 2011 are the two dates I will always remember. These are the ends of a string I keep inside my pocket. I discreetly hold on to it as if it’s strong enough to stop me from visiting Perplex City and driven enough to push me towards the borders of Vivacious Ville (this “place” sounds funny). Anyway, I tied this piece of string around my finger so that I’ll always remember–think of it as a mini memorial. For growth’s sake, I need to think that this piece of string is not an elfin effigy. It’s just, after all, an ephemera. COME ON, ALPS AGUADO, stop this teenage drama. This is just a stupid heartache. Throw it away.

Recovery

The road to recovery from a stupid heartache should be easy. If you’re an intelligent person whose emotions cannot tangle with your objective stream of logical thoughts, then forgetting something or someone is just a piece of bubblegum. Humans have differentiated the heart from the brain as if they are the church and the state (respectively). The liberal, free-thinking human cannot unwelcome emotions even if he or she has the ability to isolate them–and I’m not an exception. Thank God for distractions for helping His children to be distracted and for being the biggest form of distraction. Aside from pulling power from the Omnipotent, I renewed my running routines. I used to be fit, you know.

Jogging Path

This is where I jog regularly. Don’t even dare to stalk me because you can’t chase me. Not. Doing six laps per session will give me a 4.5 km accomplishment. I have to make that 5 km per session soon. Many people jog here because of the pleasant environment (hence the name Pleasant Drive). This place is near the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine and Asian Hospital at Alabang. When I see those medical institutions while I jog, I am further inspired to do this run for my health, haha. On the other hand, I think of you while I’m doing my death march. This gives me the boost I need and, not to mention, the refusal pill against recovery.

How do you get romantically inspired by someone who can’t be with you? I don’t know. But hey, thanks anyway–for inspiring me.

Clock

My mom bought a new clock for our living room. It looks nice and classic and has that medieval appeal.

Medieval & Almost-Scary Clock

During its first few weeks of installation, I tend to be scared when I look at it during the wee hours of the morning. I do my homework in our living room so that I can watch TV but this clock forced me to transfer. Those Roman Numerals are scary. Those gold-plated hands are scary. Those curls are scary. Dude, this clock is scary. Go on, Clock, scare me–because your Time, although scarier in theory, can’t scare me.

Pens

Black, Red and Blue are the colors I always carry with me. I have been using a Trio since High School because I’m colorful like that.

Red, Black & Blue

When I started my professional career, I neglected Blue and Red already. My planners and work-related notepads and notebooks are filled with black doodles–nothing more. I guess I’m less-colorful now or I’m just getting old. On the rainbow side of the sky, my ability to understand my notes without the eye-candy help of Red and Blue deserves a praise. Professional life is black and white. There might be gray areas–but they are just  a mixture of black and white anyway.

I’ll choose “okay” if I only have two choices for illustrating what I feel. There might be gray areas–but they are just a mixture of happiness and sadness anyway. Generally, I’m okay. This week is exciting in many ways. I can see a difficult U-turn, sexy pedestrians (keep your eyes on the road, mister) and a crazy traffic enforcer. Wish me a safe trip.

Hey, it’s the end of the road but you’ll always be my…

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

Intelligent people are impatient. They know that they have the ability to solve problems faster than those on the lower part of the Scholastic Pyramid. This notion weakens their heart for creativity because they gambled everything for competition’s sake. The fast [...]]]>

Intelligent people are impatient. They know that they have the ability to solve problems faster than those on the lower part of the Scholastic Pyramid. This notion weakens their heart for creativity because they gambled everything for competition’s sake. The fast paced knowledge industry wants to define the ideal brain persona–someone who is aggressively intelligent and competitive and can inject reflective practice into a reactive society. This isn’t a breed. This isn’t a compromise either. This is how human intelligence should function.

Yes, that’s how I feel right now–the career oxygen I have been inhaling for the past few months blurs the lines between emotion and philosophy. I want to take break by blogging less serious things. Hence, Triumvirate #17.

Atheist

Atheists of the Philippines

This website (which looks like a portal), listed me under the “Atheists of the Philippines” category. Wait, what? I reflected for a minute and tried to think if I am really an atheist, if I made a blog entry renouncing my faith to any god and if I branded my self (and my site at that) as an atheist. I am not. I did not. And I did not. The closest atheist connection I have is my friendship with Benj. But that doesn’t make me an atheist, obviously.

Sun

Solar Powered Light "Rods"

Summer’s here and sun’s the protagonist (more of an antagonist, actually) of the season. It’s about time to take advantage of the scorching heat by using solar powered stuff! For starters, solar powered lights can be bought and used. We installed several of these cheap classics on our garden for a sparkling Tête à Tête during the hot summer nights.

Solar Powered Light "Rods"

Bookmarks

"Meh" Robot Bookmark

When I’m bookmarking a page of the book I am reading, I do not really use a real bookmark. I use pens, highlighters, scissors, tape dispensers, staplers or even another book instead. Then, I see my book pages wrinkle even though they still haven’t reached their I Have Wrinkles age. So, I bought a real one. Meet the “Meh” Robot Bookmark. Quite ironic since most of my reactions when reading a book are “Aha!” and derivatives of “Aha!”. Well, I do some “Meh” reactions too especially to the things that are too trivial or too shallow. Meh.

Okay, I need to go back. But before that, Globe Telecom, please, fix your broken ass.

Give my life back, Globe.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

I just realized that I don’t have any entry for the month of April (my birthday month, btw) so before I begin to scribble on the May 2011 portion of my planner, I guess I have to broadcast quick [...]]]>

I just realized that I don’t have any entry for the month of April (my birthday month, btw) so before I begin to scribble on the May 2011 portion of my planner, I guess I have to broadcast quick updates first. April was a maelstrom of everything nice and bad. My personality engine starts to crank due to a stress aggregate which I can hardly define and illustrate. Thanks to my resiliency, I am able to deal with all the miserable matters in life. For sure, a bigger monster is already on its conception stage–but I guess I’ll be welcoming it with a big grin during its nascency.

Many people are already concerned about my sudden weight gain. At first, I was just dismissing the remarks as if they’re just isolated comments. However, when my size 32 pants refuse to make love with my thighs, hips and waist, I begin to worry–and begin to refuse to buy size 33 pants. One of my friends told me that an ideal male model’s waistline is 32 inches so I’m sticking to it, no matter what. HAH. To stick to it means to start shedding all the things that overflow on my torso.

Keebler

Maybe I can blame Keebler. Keebler, the Chocolate Lovers variant, just became my family’s staple grocery list item.

I think we consume at least two of this pack size every week. Oh no, the cookie jar needs to be empty soon for a sexy reason. My mom, who always seeks for a sexier alternative, recommended me to stick to bland, boring crackers. However, my taste buds want sweet love so I began to munch on Raisin Oatmeal Cookies.

Raisins

Quaker's and Nova's Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

We have been buying Quaker’s for a year now–yes, already a staple like Keebler’s. When we saw Nova’s (a local brand by Jack & Jill), we were intrigued so we tried it as well.

Quaker’s is a harder cookie than Nova’s although the texture of the local brand is reminiscent of a Filipino bread called “Kababayan.” Okay, I’m not sure if the said bread is still available today since the last time I tasted it was a decade ago. It tastes like bread pudding–now that’s a simpler comparison. Nova’s prides itself with more fiber although it is evidently sweeter. The raisins on Nova’s are also bigger–just like those you see (and remove) on your mom’s Menudo and on the neighborhood bakery’s Tasty.

If you want technical nutritional information, here are they:

Quaker’s

Nova’s

Paper

Bawal ang Plastik. Bring Your Own Bag/Bayong.

Muntinlupa City became infamous because of Baranggay Alabang’s directive to make condoms available to horny consumers only with a doctor’s prescription. Don’t worry, I won’t talk about this canonized matter because it’s logic validity, moral uprightness and liberation degree are too obvious to discuss. Anyway, my beloved suburb city is also famous (well, beginning to lean on the infamous side because of people too concerned about labor rights) because of banning plastics in the whole city. Well, not the personality metaphor but I hope it will be a city ordinance soon. Plastics, literally, are now hated by every Muntinlupa Citizen. Lakas, Talino at Buhay, yeah.

In 2010, Muntinlupa City took a huge step forward when Mayor Aldrin San Pedro signed into law Ordinance 101-109 which banned plastic bags and containers made from polysterene and called for environment-friendly substitutes. It sounds like the kind of forward-thinking, metropolitan rule-crafting that constituents would wholeheartedly support. But Muntinlupa has met resistance after it began implementing the ordinance last January. Businesses, large and small, were a source of immediate defiance. An industry group, the Philippine Plastics Industry Association said that the problem wasn’t the plastic; it was the lack of discipline. The Philippine Association of Supermarkets Inc. argued that paper bags were five times more costly than plastic bags.

Well, nobody says implementing laws protecting the environment was going to be easy. But does it really have to be so hard? It might be true that Filipinos need to exercise more discipline with the amount of trash they throw away—plastic bags or otherwise. But that doesn’t make the move to ban plastics any less important. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. In fact, if both could be done, then that would contribute the most serious effort thus far to curbing the serious threat of plastic bags. Instead of brickbats, Muntinlupa deserves a thumbs-up for daring to do what other cities only give lip service to. Now if only the rest of the country can follow the city’s brave example—and rid ourselves of this plastic menace once and for all. (An excerpt from The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Editorial “The plastic problem” dated April 10, 2011.)

Suddenly, all moms shopping for household goods sport a different kind of receptacle.

Here are my mom’s groceries from Shopwise Alabang. You’ll gain double points (a reward system exclusive to members) every time you use their  branded “bayong.” SaveMore, on the other hand, has a similar program. Saving Mother Earth is now mandatory in the city.

So, those are my three things. Too bad, I didn’t talk about my birthday. Well, it wasn’t that special. No fairy dust and scintillating glitters during my celebration. However, the most special people in my life celebrated with my tiny party so I think that’s enough. And oh, armpit hair is a good gift too. AT LONG LAST.

Birthday Status

Have a Merry May, everyone! :)

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

The weather just resorted itself to rebellion and made sure to ask for a surprisingly high-value ransom from humankind. It’s March and it’s raining and I can’t jog! Just recently, I renewed my running contract to self [...]]]>

The weather just resorted itself to rebellion and made sure to ask for a surprisingly high-value ransom from humankind. It’s March and it’s raining and I can’t jog! Just recently, I renewed my running contract to self since I am becoming a big boy. However, since the road to a slimmer figure is wet and slippery, I decided to have muscle-toning sessions in the comfort of my own room instead. The dumbells that I have been using are currently eaten by rust monsters. Fortunately, I bought some fitness gloves before and I am using them for the first time. It’s nice to shake the heavy hands of Curls again.

I decided to visit my Multiply site to reminisce the slimmer me. Then, I was outraged with the photos I saw. Tell me, I wasn’t This vain.

Vanity

No comment and don't ask for one

When I read the album description, I was actually asking people to choose a better haircut for me (long or short). Oh God, I need a gun and someone to shoot me right now. This is the perk of puberty, you actually feel you look really good and make use of that feeling to initiate a mating game. Of course, that wasn’t my primary intention. I’m happy that puberty will be over soon–I’m just waiting for my armpit hair to grow.

Crackers

Yes, I was that slim before but I grew outrageously bigger as if it’s beyond my control. Maybe it’s because of too much stress translated into eating habits. The stockpile of snacks here at home (and at my condo before) consists mostly of high sugar goodies and I eat several servings at ungodly hours where I need to perform like a god. Voila, a buffier figure for me. Well, my friends actually tell me that I look better. Some sculpting would make me Machete. NOT. Anyway, since my mom is too concerned about his big boy, she replaced Oreos with these:

SkyFlakes Oat Fiber and Flaxseed Crackers

Thank you SkyFlakes for making crackers like these and making me believe that I am actually having healthy eating habits. The Oat Fiber Crackers provide 4 grams of Fiber per serving (yes, I copied it) and the Flaxseed Crackers provide Omega 3 which has a long list of benefits according to Wikipedia. Haha. Good bye, Oreos. Your black beauty taste will always be sexier than these two freckled white chicks.

Pepper

Since we’re talking about food and diet here, I am currently addicted to this condiment:

This is Club House’s Roasted Garlic and Peppers. All of my breakfast, lunch and dinner plates are covered with these flakes. Well, not really covered–but my exaggeration is quite consistent with the quantity of flakes I place on my food. They say that Capsaicin (the compound that makes pepper hot) is a good aphrodisiac. Oh well, three times a day isn’t bad. Hah!

Oh no, these bits of heavenly hell will be depleted in no time–and I don’t know where to buy a new one. This is just given to me by my aunt (who currently lives in Canada) when she went here for a vacation. I am destined to be hot and it starts with a taste for hotness. Yes, please believe me. Thanks.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

General updates about life first: I’m pretty fine, thank you. I have been drowning myself into learning materials lately because, except for being coerced to do so, I love having that “a-ha” feeling every time a morsel of knowledge [...]]]>

General updates about life first: I’m pretty fine, thank you. I have been drowning myself into learning materials lately because, except for being coerced to do so, I love having that “a-ha” feeling every time a morsel of knowledge gets stuck in my temporal lobe. It can be regarded as the shortest yet the most satisfying human orgasm. Satisfaction is reversely proportional to time interval anyway–at least to individuals like me who love to hit hard and run fast. Anyway, talking about learning, I am currently creating/maintaining the habit to read career supplement books since I love running an extra mile on the knowledge race track. True, The Knowledge Economy in a Knowledge Worker Age creates an atmosphere of competition but, in this human race epoch, the greatest competitor is The Self.

Before I make this a term paper about the Knowledge Economy and Self Competition (wow, that’s a good dissertation topic), I’ll give you The Three Things.

Ears

I recently bought new earphones for my iPod to replace the original iconic earphones supplied by Apple. The rubber covering of the ear piece got lost so the internal parts began to pop out like crazy miniature electronic monsters. So I bought a Philips. It’s relatively cheap and it can perform well.

Philips Earphones

However, my new earphones is currently suffering from the same problem I had with Apple’s. Where the hell is that rubber covering? I hope it’s not inside my ear. Oh no.

The feeling of a bare ear piece is annoying–especially when I am about to place it in my ear. Then when you remove the piece from your ear, the metal covering would break away, exposing the I Don’t Care How You Work internal electronic parts. At the end of the day, I think I can still live with my sick earphones. When you start wearing it and have your music played, you’ll forget that problem. And those problems too.

Poker

Before I left an area somewhere in the Visayas (I had my first stint there), my Line Manager (yes, The Boss), gave me something as a despedida gift. BTW, I MISS THE PLACE AND ITS PEOPLE.

Mini Poker Set

Of course, the despedida gift won’t be enough without a rationale. My boss told me that I’m such a Details Freak and an Objective Ogre. Pretty accurate, I must say. Oh no, did you just click that link? I timidly laughed when I did. *hides under the sheets* Nah, I was just a kid back then. Anyway, my boss told me that in order to survive the corporate world, it’s okay to be process-oriented or to be a master of the nitty-gritty corporate bone marrow. BUT, it will never suffice. Strategy over objectivity and theory. You can still win, even if you don’t have good cards–a simple Poker Face can actually do the trick.

Memories

I just got my college’s year book, yey! This is yet another reminder of graduation and, yes, aging.

This is my profile page with a fraction of my creative shot. I actually tried my best to be a Cute Geek (my initial plan was to be a Hot Geek but I know that it will fail, haha). It turns out, I don’t even have to try. HAH.

I was part of this yearbook’s Editorial Team and I am quite proud of our Meisterwerk.

102 Years of (Honor and) Excellence

The back cover of the yearbook reminded me of our University’s motto: Honor and Excellence. I felt that the term “honor” must be included in the tagline. This feeling reminded me of Professor Monsod’s “last lecture” at the University. She contented that UP has always looked at Excellence and not at Honor. Moreover, she said that Honor comes first before Excellence. Honestly, this is the only time I realized the impact of our University’s motto. Pledge to self and to the nation: I’ll make that 102 years and beyond of Honor and Excellence. Now who’s singing UP Naming Mahal with me?

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

More than two years ago, I started to blog “daily things” under a category I call “Triumvirate.” Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my [...]]]>

More than two years ago, I started to blog “daily things” under a category I call “Triumvirate.” Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. However, I stopped the series at #12 because I have decided to blog about single-themed post every now and then. When you take a closer look at the modern blogging trends, there’s a shift: The popularity of (micro-)blogging sites such as Tumblr and Twitter enabled the modern humans to blog, share or write at whim as if the stimulus is too-hot-to-handle and needs an urgent, highly inevitable response. There’s no single theme–just life as it is.

Randomness

A Legend needs to have a Comeback

Moreover, the modern human audience is also inclined to read or see “random” things at random times. More probably, the they don’t really have a specific “plan” on what to see online. We just want to know what’s up. Or in the popular Twitter question, what’s happening? and in the popular Facebook question, what’s on other people’s minds? And the journey of a thousand minutes online begins with a single answer to any of those pressing questions. Randomness, just anything random, starts random but ends specific.

Renewal

My First Triumvirate Photo. Ahh, Nostalgia.

With all these in mind, I’ll be renewing my Triumvirate series. However, it won’t be a daily journal because that would just fill my site with an explosion of random things and shrapnels of unorganized ideas. I’ll still blog non-random things from time to time. Moreover, I’ll post more than one photo for each entry (versus the old one-per-entry policy). Yes, humans are image-driven and quantity-driven.

Reese’s

To have a good what the fuck this is so random start, I’ll be sharing my favorite Ice Cream flavor at this moment:

Selecta Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Ice Cream

Selecta just released their Hershey’s Collection. I tasted their Kisses Ice Cream already and I think it doesn’t deserve a kiss from me. Err. Okay, anyway, tasting their Reese’s ice cream is a near death experience. Or maybe, I’m just a Peanut Butter Boy living in a Peanut Butter World so I can easily be attached to (and die beside) anything Peanut Butter (and anything Reese’s at that).

Selecta Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Ice Cream

Sorry, I’m no Ice Cream photographer so please forgive me for this shot. And I badly wanted to eat that serving already so I just placed irregular shapes of Ice Cream scoops in my cup. But you also need to forgive yourself for eating so much after your first taste. Ahh, chunks of Reese’s on a Chocolate Ice Cream (I’m not sure if the base is still Hershey’s) Eating the combination is better than eating the ingredients individually. This is what I call “Edible Synergy.” Yeah.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a collection of three random yet significant things that either recently took my attention or deserve to be shared to the intrested public. This is my own, novel way of writing a journal, breaking the ice and breathing fresh air here at my online abode. You can read the original rationale here or the renewed version here.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. Read the rationale here.

Boost. [...]]]>

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. Read the rationale here.

Boost. Before I grill myself with books, I usually buy 2 sachets of Extra Joss from our neighbourhood drugstore. Before I fry myself with readings, I usually play with my dog first to trigger the release of some gay endorphins. Before I boil myself with course notes, I usually switch on my study table lamp and stare at the blinding light as if it would condition my neurons to take some academic pain. But wait, it won’t turn on! I had started studying around 3 am because I had to wait for the electricity to come back. Of course, I did not get any sleep. Don’t touch me, I might break into pieces.

Brown. Out.

Threshold. Man, you don’t know my limit. I know mine but it’s a variable. Good thing’s my sanity’s pretty patient. You know that I love you, just don’t demand too much love from me. You can get withdraw as much love as you want, but remember I seek penalty for an empty account.

Outsourcing. Of course, you can never suffice. From time to time, you have to force people to sign on your wet-with-blood contract. After this, they would realize that the blood stains were theirs — you got some in advance. You’re hungry for blood and everyone knows it. Your body’s bloodless, and everyone laughs at it.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. Read the rationale here

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. Read the rationale here.

1. Queer. Cielo was criticizing everything about me: From my folded sleeves that were supposed to accentuate my biceps to the way I ate the spicy pork I ordered from the cafeteria. Too bad I gave in. The queer can always stir.
2. Catastrophism. I just can’t imagine how the remaining days of the semester would look like: Documentary video, 2 PR oral defenses, a Villar* Research Paper (It’s not a Research Paper, it’s a Villar Research Paper), an outlier Biology exam, two more Statistics exam, Internship matters, more of people politics and people unworthy of my time and attention. I can experience catastrophe and I can give you a share of it.
   
3. White. I just bought a white, Adidas bag. Mahn, it’s hard to maintain a white, leather-ish bag. Alagain, as I call it. It always starts with compulsion; Maintenance follows.

*ProfessorVillar is my Scientific Research Writing professor.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. Read the rationale here.

1. [...]]]>

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. Read the rationale here.

1. Epic. It has been a while since I had my last entry  for the Triumvirate series. Nevertheless, I still have the eagerness to continue this, to continue molding earth fragments that would constitute an imperfect memoir. I’m waiting for that climax to happen. And my way’s really dirty. The dirtier the way to the peak, the more explosive the climax would be.

2. Epic fail. I failed, again. I experience a lot of epic failures. But they can’t match this kind of failure I am experiencing right now. Tell me your failure and I will tell you it’s not.

3. Epic hero. I am currently surfing on the trough of my biorhythm. But I know I will be back on the crest again. I have a new sword, made with the same alloy. I have a new buckler, made by the same smith. And I have a new pencil case, with the same types of vital stationery.

Each episode of The Triumvirate Series is a crystallization of how my day went in three themes. This is my own, novel way of writing a daily journal. Read the rationale here.