Monday, November 13, 2006
I'm moving
Don't know where yet, but to quote Oscar Wilde:Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
And so are blogs :)
Oh, and I'm really moving too. Anyone who can help me find a flat in London? Somewhere accessible, with good heating, clean bathroom and a sweet cat I can spoil.
straycat at 5:42 PM
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
whereabouts
I have not fallen off the face of this earth.There are so many changes coming through, that even before I start writing up an entry for the last major news worthy event, it morphs again into this blob of mutable 'soon-s' and 'potential-s'. Like an unfinished house you can't wait to live in.
A few months more and a lot of things will come into place. Hopefully, hopefully all that I wanted :)
All is well. O, my sanctuary, is here with me. We're going back to London for a few days of holidays and then I'm off to Manila for two weeks or so, with a sidetrip to Cebu. Then back to Belfast for my last stretch on this project...and then who knows :)
I hope to catch up with all of you soon.
straycat at 6:45 PM
Saturday, September 23, 2006
dinner, taverns and see yas
It's that time in the project when people start leaving, totally out of your life, to places on different parts of the world.It's been going on for the past few months, but last night, there were two leaving parties of two very dynamic and interesting ladies that I've met here. They have one thing in common: they both have very infectious laughs.
(When boring people leave, I couldn't care less).
Donna, one of my e-shopping and drinking buddies, is a striking 50ish woman, is leaving for Philadelphia on Sunday. I secretly wish my mom is as cool as her! She's one of those people with a Zing! I'm sure I'll see her again. We're keeping in touch and already planning hitting Palm Springs or Philly or Paris. We took her out to dinner at this gorgoeus New Orleans style restaurant in the center of Belfast.
Tanya, was the head housekeeper of our apartments whom I always have a chat with almost every morning before work for the past two years. I caught up with her and her friends after dinner for a few drinks (read: several rounds of beer in a tavern).
She's such an interesting character -- A landscape designer by trade, she's been away from home for six years and have worked and traveled where she can. Home for her is Perth, Australia and she's leaving for a Europe trip tomorrow and then heading off home after three weeks of touring. Man, can she drink.
I get so much from the little, everyday exchanges, that I've learned to never take people for granted. Admittedly, I don't operate well with a group of strangers, but it is just irreplaceable what you get from the experience. Everytime I throw myself into an unfamiliar situation, I know I grow from it.
People are people, wherever they may come from, whatever their life story is -- the mechanics of friendship are pretty much the same. We will connect at some level because open-mindedness, honesty, perception, humor and dignity are ageless, global traits. That's all I need.
straycat at 7:42 AM
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Two major wishes of mine came true today :) I feel giddy.:) :) :)
straycat at 10:51 PM
Monday, September 04, 2006
Salsa!!!
Salsa!!!My new thing for the week is trying out Salsa dancing at the Empire. Of course, they all bowed down to the brazilians who blazed on the dance floor with their salsa and samba moves. We were celebrating/trying-to-convince-otherwise, Monique (lady in the middle), who was getting married in three weeks time.
The rest of the partystraycat at 4:00 PM
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Snowpatrol
Open air concerts are always a bit (tr)icky. However, I couldn't pass up the privilege of watching this Northern Irish band the other night :)We braved the pouring rain...and the occasional spray of plastic cups filled with beer from the intoxicated crowd. What a waste of good beer!! At least it made our hair shinier. We also survived catfights, the drama of stolen hats and drunken/drugged body slamming for 6 hours of good music.
After several, (shall I say) typical British bands, Snowpatrol played passionately for a solid two hours, and the rain stopped for them.
Thanks to Dino for the mp3 :)
I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done
And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Anyway from here
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
straycat at 10:52 PM
Monday, August 21, 2006
(h)armless
I've proven it. My arms are nothing but twigs with only enough muscle to carry a handbag.I tried wall climbing last Friday. I was a bit intimidated by the agile spiderpeople crawling the walls so effortlessly. I had to humbly go the yellow wall, the easy wall, and even that was a feat for me. I could not get my butt up against the wall, so I kept falling/swinging down. Now, that part was fun.
Three days later, I still feel the aftereffects of my pathetic efforts on my biceps, triceps and shoulders. My arms are so sore, I can't even pull my pants up without pain. (Ok, that's imagery you don't need.)
What the heck, I'll try it again on Friday.
straycat at 5:56 PM
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Lost Chronicles
I have about 5 blog posts still in draft mode.Everything is up in the air right now. The people who have some sorta power over where I will be after October are still juggling my life as we speak. I find it so pathetic that I don't know where I'm gonna be in two months, but I guess that's part of the job. :)
A few months ago, I thought I knew what the Plan was, but the Powers That Be seem to be changing their minds a lot. Since I can't do anything till the destination is definite, I have no announcements of any grand plans tonight. Only wishes, crossed fingers and a lot hoping. I've been going up and down like a maniacal bi-polar, but things will get clearer soon.
Enuufff of that.
This weekend I did something (geeky) special to distract me from my limbo: I read the first volume of the Dragonlance Lost Chronicles, which I absolutely devoured and adored. Encountering my favorite characters again, set on a time when the Companions are all alive and young, reminds me of the overimaginative kid that I was. In this book, all their heroic potentials come in fragmentary glimpses, their armor still mismatched and unadorned... and Raistlin is still in his Red Robes, cynical as always.
For the uninitiated, the Dragonlance characters are the heroes of my highschool life. They sparked my wanderlust and thirst for adventure, back when the only travelling I had access to was walking to the library and hiding in my room until I finished reading.
How can something imaginary bring up a child? I am convinced that this was the little something that made me, my siblings and my best friends value experience, friendship and family over anything else. This was my first taste of risk, courage and faith (which always goes together). Maybe I am already too old for it, but I don't really care. It's something I never wish to outgrow.
straycat at 9:19 PM
Sunday, August 06, 2006
I can't tell the differencebetween homesickness and excitement,
anxiety and curiosity,
and missing someone
They all feel like
the flurry of butterflies
wreaking havoc inside,
accentuating empty space
Heartfelt memories
leaving me the hollow reality
of wanting to be somewhere else
Yet knowing that here is where
I am supposed to be
straycat at 8:53 PM
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Vegas
Hitting the Vegas theme hotels with Anna. Here we are outside the Wynn.
straycat at 8:56 PM
Thursday, July 20, 2006
catty site
this never fails to cheer me up :)Stuff + Cats = Awesome
straycat at 6:19 PM
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
the lucky one
I'm amazed at how fortunes can be so reversed, even within a family. A friend and I theorized that when family members are in trouble (emotional, financial, spiritual), there's (lucky) someone else in the family where everything just falls into place and puts them in a position to help the rest. Could there be a balance of good luck and karma within any close circle of friends and family? With this premise, are the unlucky entitled to the good graces that the lucky receive? Do the lucky ones have a karmic obligation to share these blessings?Don't mind me, I'm just babbling.
straycat at 11:25 PM
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Craving for sisig
straycat at 2:00 AM
Bad M&M!
straycat at 1:53 AM
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Golden Gate Bridge
On a rare, clear day
straycat at 9:45 PM