The bucket list

I’ve long wanted to write about things I still NEED to do, especially after watching the Bucket List several months ago. This list (a repost only!) can do for now

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.(tried to! haha)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a Marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language. (korean!)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (wall climbing pwede? haha)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (does following an ambulance count? haha)
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (Snorkeling)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (fishpond mud! haha)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale dolphin watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. (i drove one!!!)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (someday :p)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (syempre! haha)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (i think so…)
90. Sat on a jury (watched a court room drama)
91. Met someone famous (it’s one of the perks of my job!)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (Padingtun?)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit (almost! haha)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Hearts day :D

I really have to go to sleep now but I couldn’t stop myself from writing this post.

So here:

Valentines will always be one of my favorite occasions. Not that I need this day to remind me I am loved or for me to be able to show that I care. I think I’ve grown to love this day because I like seeing people happy–at least that’s the side I want to see. It’s also nice to be thankful for friends, family and loved ones.

Valentine’s was also “quite” a Single Awareness Day for me before Nixlove came along. But then eventually you’ll realize that somebody’s got to love and be loved by someone. It might not be really soon but it’ll always be worth the wait.

I’m just glad I found mine already. To those who share my fate, let’s all keep it up! haha And to those waiting for that ONE special person, I hope you’ll soon find yours too.

Lovelots!

My toy camera :)

I just got my Holga 120GN today, after a spur-of-the-moment but also thought over plan of going to Manila’s photographers haven–R. Hidalgo in Quiapo.

I was initially looking for a Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim but well, it’s really out of stock. Even “multiply” sellers don’t have UWS anymore. But I hope that’s a blessing in disguise, and I now got myself a Holga 120GN instead.

I came from a coverage in Manila RTC and decided to just go to Quiapo, haha They have a lot of good finds there! Maybe next week I’ll have my vintage (a gift from my uncle) SLR camera cleaned and fixed.

What’s more exciting is that the Diana F+ gift from one of my Korean students perfectly fits the Holga! Thank heavens for that hotshoe!

(The Holga’s really black but I placed a lomo color flash sheet before the digicam flash in this photo, hence the purple-ish look. )

Anyway, I also bought three rolls of 120 film because that film is hard to find in nearby malls. And yes, I spent a considerable amount for films alone. I have to have the photos printed later, of course at an extra cost, so I’m really hoping to get good shots.

What a nice way to spend Friday the 13th.

And of course, the Valentine’s Day. I might post the inevitable v-day post later

The secret garden

Nothing too magical about this post. But here goes:

Nixlove and I had lunch at their Las Pinas home while we had dinner at our residence for this saturdate. These simple things bring us closer together and to the ones we love–our families. I drove Beetlecar for a while too and it’s been really over a year since I’ve been behind the wheel. So what should I expect? I panicked at the sight of chickens crossing the road. haha. So why did the chicken cross the road, eh? Ok, I’m not making sense anymore.

Anyway, I really want to talk about my Bilibid coverage experience yesterday but I guess that’s soooo out of sync in this entry. I promise to post more updates soon though! But for now, I have to hit the bed. I’m too sleepy.

Updates, updates

I haven’t updated this space for a time now and I think I’ve a pile of stories to share already!

Recently (or not so recently), I saw two great movies—The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Yes! Man. They’re incomparable, really, but I can’t help but relate the two especially that both films showed me how life SHOULD BE lived. TCCBB was a long film to watch but it was really good; it helped me realize not to be spiteful about the past and just to be happy about the present—a hard but great feat when put into practice. YM, on the other hand was a real stress-buster! I was laughing all the time! But now I also intend to say Yes more and open my eyes to the more wonderful things.

Nothing much has been happening at work, I think. Well except for some internal hullabaloos (really disheartening), everything is pretty much the same. I wake up, go to wherever they want me to, file stories (photos, videos, what have you’s) then go home. Sounds routinary but you bet it isn’t! Sometimes I feel like the most unlucky person in the world while pursuing a story but of course there are times when I feel like saying, hey this is what you call a dream job!

And speaking of dream jobs, I’ve also started doing what I have long wanted to do: to teach. A career in the academe was likely had I been a summa cum laude. Haha J But you know the story, hihi. J Seriously, I also want to teach, which is not surprising. After all, I have a mega-handsome-sweet Philo teacher for a fiancé. J

Anyway, I am now teaching essay writing to Koreans. J It’s a nice part-time job; pays quite well and my students are funny! I think my predominantly Asian look helps them become at ease, too. Hehe. At least I have something else to do while still earning. J Maybe I’ll let go of my violin lessons plan for now, my schedule is too full. J

So, there.

On Erap

I was still in my teens when former president Joseph Estrada was ousted via the popular people revolt in EDSA but I have always been interested in his ways—his kind of politics, his being an actor, his undeniable charisma to the masses.

When I became a reporter, my first ever coverage was to stake-out at his Polk St. residence for his Mom’s 101^st birthday. He was still detained at Tanay but was allowed a furlough to visit Dona Mary Ejercito. For a newbie then, it was already a big coverage (yeah right, too shallow haha). We were told to just stay outside the house but the coverage was like a huge magnet—all notable opposition and political sources kept coming and in no time I was able to get past my contacts-quota for the day. I also had the privilege of tasting Kare-kare, the Estrada family way. I went home fulfilled then.

The succeeding coverages—Estrada visiting his Mom at San Juan Medical Center up until he was convicted then later granted pardon by PGMA—became ordinary for me, but I have always noticed how magical Estrada’s charm to the public is. His presence at rallies, motorcades, and other events has always been palpable. He too always made sure to wave at his supporters, a quality I admired although we all know that is inherent to politicians.

He never really lost it. He has always been news-worthy, just like President Corazon Aquino. And on a slim-story day, you could really count on him. He was always accommodating and would not put down the phone unless he says proper goodbyes. Now, that’s really admirable.

When news of his mother’s death came, I predicted (and was right) the desk would send me to cover the wake and the funeral. I had a good post and even shared the seat with the Ejercitos. There, I saw how hard he wept for his mother—that he was human, he was hurting. I think he was sadder that day compared to the day he was kicked out of office.

Anyway, whether it is right or not to allow him to seek public office again is still debatable. And we all haven’t really forgotten what he did while he was still in power. All I understand for now is, somewhere in his heart is a streak of goodness—a streak, or that of a greater sort, I wish could be found in every leader of this nation.