I’m actually in class taking advantage of the fact that I finished our Math exam early. My head’s feeling quite heavy from last night’s oysters and beer. It’s not advisable to visit Marina on the night before the exam but a busy person has to make his Friday night worthwhile. And what better way to do that than to hang out with the one you love and feast on delicious food and beer?
Now back to class.
I’m actually in class taking advantage of the fact that I finished our Math exam early. My head’s feeling quite heavy from last night’s oysters and beer. It’s not advisable to visit Marina on the night before the exam but a busy person has to make his Friday night worthwhile. And what better way to do that than to hang out with the one you love and feast on delicious food and beer?
Now back to class.
It has been a very long time since I last peppered this blog with texts so I guess you will excuse me if this post is about my friends. Here are some important items I’d like to share.
(1) Friend #1 is a young-looking gay friend in his mid-thirties who has been single for the last 3 years. Now Friend #1 is a very sensitive guy and when it comes to relationships, correction, relationship, since he has had one to date, confusion is the name of the game. Yes, he is always confused and his flavors-of-the-month can drastically change to flavor-one-second-ago in a matter of nanosecond when another more exciting flavor comes along. Sometimes I think he has the memory of a gold fish when it comes to attraction. Now, suddenly it’s raining flavors in his world and being the confused guy that he is, he just can’t choose his favorite flavor. I do hope that someone can help him decide because we, his close friends, have tried and dismally failed.
(2) Friend#2 is a closet gay who happens to be very out-of-the-closet to the eyes of the world. Yes, he has been gay all along and only he didn’t know it. So when he confessed to me that he is a kindred spirit, I almost choked him for telling me so late. Anyway, he has been telling me now that he has tried dating. Of course, I’m all for it. I just wish Friend#2 all the best.
(3) Friend#3 is desperate to finally have a special someone. Friend#3 came from a very reputable school and isn’t bad looking (hence the drama–‘Di naman ako pangit!’). Unfortunately, fate seems to look on him with disfavor, hooking him up with nurses after nurses, students after students, duhs after duhs. All of them came and all of them went away. He really is tired of it, he says. But what can an virile, gay man in need of company do? Di ba?
To be continued…
It’s been a while since I read a decent book. By decent I mean not according to the standards of a iiterati, and definitely not remotely related to actuarial. Not that I was a voracious reader to begin with, but I did have my reading streaks every once in a while. Most of the books I read more than once were usually fantasy books (no, not the stuff of Judith McNaught, though I’d be a hypocrite if I say I haven’t tried one.) These were books by JRR Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, Lynn Flewelling and L. Modesitt, among other readable authors in the fantasy firmament. They were mostly about an altogether different world where magic is in abundance, characters are of various shades and dimensions, and forces of good and evil are locked in a perpetal struggle for dominance. A cynic would suggest that I’m an escapist because I take refuge in fantasy. I don’t care. I think I know the difference between what’s real and what’s not, and I don’t see any harm in strolling in fantasia.
There’s something in those imaginary worlds and characters that grips me. And I think it’s that chance to recreate and be recreated. In those fantasy worlds I am in a totally different space and time; I not only relate to events and characters: I become them. I become a different person, a far cry from the person I’ve known myself to be. To me those worlds speak of a possibility, not of me with magic or of me of noble birth, but of me as a better person. It speaks of a certainty of change here, NOW.
Enough of the melodrama.
Recently I’ve been introduced into a different route to fantasia –TV series. I’ve gone through Prison Break, Numb3rs and Lost in olympic time. Now I’m getting ready to make another DVD marathon record with Supernatural and Bones. Next up will be CSI Las Vegas seasons 4 to 6, though I haven’t bought the DVDs yet. And oh, this year’s Emmy winner, 24, will not be far behind. 
I think this is the latest I’ve stayed in the office for quite some time now. Hehehe! Bye!
On my way to Ateneo to get my TOR I texted Glenn, a friend who lives near the area. I was hoping we could meet and catch up on new and stale news, sharing-sharing on what we have been doing for the past months, even for an hour. It was not meant to be, and here’s why:
Taks: Bayouth! Asa waks? I’m on my way to Jutinae to get my TOR!
(NR for the next 20 minutes)
Glenn: Uy! I’m at haus. Punta ako dyan. Asan ka na?
Taks: Bellarmine us! Go!
Glenn: Give me 30 minutes! 
(after 25 minutes and after I was done with the request for TOR)
Taks: Halu! Asa na waks?
Glenn: On the way na!
Taks: We’ll meet you at Pizzahut. We’re on our way there na.
(NR from Glenn, Pizza Hut still closed)
Taks: Ay make that McDo! Closed ang Pizza Hut!
(NR from Glenn)
After 48 years I called his number.
(after another 48 years of Glenn’s phone ringing)
Taks: Hello? Glenn?
Stranger: Hello? Si Glenn ba hinahanap niyo? Di po ako si Glenn (di ba obvious, tinanong mo na nga kung si Glenn hinahanap ko eh?!) . Naka-divert po calls niya. Try niyo pong i-text. (Salamat ha!)
Taks: Ok, thanks.
Just as I was about to text Glenn, I received his message:
Glenn: I’m in Ateneo na.
Taks: Ano buzz MocDo me. Nag-text oks!
Glenn: Inay we’re not meant to see each other.
Taks: Haha! Gora na! Asnu man inong monkey buziness ahij?
Glenn: Buysung ng book.
Taks: Kebs na, may nadmamadali dito.Next time na ngal yad, super rushdie salman ang isa dito.
Glenn: OK! BYE!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, that’s why.
Oh, yes, another belly-aching culinary experience at Tong Yang, Megamall. It’s only for 430 pesos, but the choices are unlimited (unlimited because you can’t possibly try everything without bursting a blood vessel or dying of asphyxiation). And the best part is: you can cook it the way you like. You have lots to choose from -shrimps, fishes galore, red meats galore, hotdogs, etc. And you have a variety of veggies and panimpla for your soup. I think I had seafoods last night; next time I’ll try the red meats. And also try the ice cream; it’s heavenly.
Yes, hindi ko ikinahihiyang aminin na pinanood namin ang tambalang Kris at Claudine, dalawang pinaka-hate na artista ng aking malditang officemate (ang comment nya: tamang-tama lang na pinagsama sila sa isang horror flick –horror na ang tema, horror pa ang acting). Disclaimer: di ako fan ni Kris o ni Claudine. Nagkataon lang na maganda ang pagka-build up ng movie at mukhang maganda siya. In short, na-goyo lang ako.
Sa totoo lang maganda ang Sukob technically. Maganda ang make-up, ok na rin ang lighting (naks parang expert sa film!), pwede nang baliwalain ang kulang-kulang-sobra-sobra na acting ni Kris, ok ang gulatan. In fairness magaling naman halos lahat ng supporting cast, lalo na si medium Joya (di ko kasi alam pangalang niya). May isang tanong lang ako: kelan ba talaga nagiging sukob ang sukob? Sukob kasi kapag either ikinasal ang kapatid within one year ng pagkasal ng isa pang kapatid or within one year ng pagkamatay ng isang kapamilya. Sa pelikula mas naunang ikinasal si Claudine na kapatid-sa-labas ni Kris. Ibig sabihin di pa sukob scenario at that point. Pero bakit nagkanda-malas-malas na ang buhay ni Claudine (malas #1: pinatay na ng sukob monster ang kampanero at pampatay ang tunog ng kampana; malas #2: pinatay ni sukob monster si Bernard Palanca na asawa ni Claudine)? Kung nauna naman ikinasal si Kris (ipagpalagay lang natin), bakit pinatay ng sukob monster ang mga kaibigan niya? Di ba dapat nagsisimula sa pangalawang kasalan ang sukob curse?
At bakit kailangang patayin ang arbolaryo na hindi naman sya ka-ano-ano nina Kris at Claudine? Maraming dapat ipaliwanag si Chito Roño.
Di naman obvious na pinag-isipan ko talaga ang mga bagay-bagay na ito, noh? Wala lang, maganda na kasi sana siya. Mas maganda pa siya sa Feng Shui (yes another pag-aamin).
So ikaw kung manonood ka, huwag na masyado mag-isip. Tanggapin mo na lang na gahaman sa pananakot si sukob monster at unang kasal pa lang umaapila na sya.
For those who haven’t heard of the Fox series Prison Break (starring the yummy Wentworth Miller) I suggest you look it up. Or better yet, buy the complete season 1 DVD. I promise you, it will keep you awake all night and you won’t stop until you’re done with the 22 episodes. I should know because I had to spend a little over a week just to get to the end. I won’t say anything more because I might spoil your viewing pleasure. And I won’t even say anything about what the series is all about. The second season will be shown starting this August and I’m looking forward to its exciting continuation.
And oh, after Prison Break I proceeded with Numb3rs. I must say it had a weak start, but the following 5 episodes became appealing and had more chutzpah, which kept me in keen attention. I hope I can say as much for the remaining episodes. The series is nothing we don’t already know, "that we use Math everyday..to forecast weather, to tell time, to handle money…to solve crimes." It’s just presented in a form we can readily relate to and in a medium that is popular and accessible. It’s a treat to see how mathematical equations can be used to solve crimes. And what is even more appealing is that we don’t have to see the equations. Who cares about how probability spaces relate to a series of rape-slay cases in a certain locality? It suffices to know that some genius thought of them and used them to solve a practical problem.
There are episodes where the math applications are so stretched they attained a certain thinness bordering on trying hard. But then again it might just be that the math involved is so far above the regular person’s (my) head that clarifying for the viewers comprehension is meaningless. Again, and maybe when there is doubt, it suffices to know that math is being applied.
After Numb3rs I’m thinking maybe CSI Las Vegas, 4th to 6th seasons. There’s nothing better to do in this wet and cold weather.
At last something to be happy about. Just passed my exam. There are still more exams, but I think I deserve a pause and a drink for this one!
