conversations

the director asked about you at his birthday today. we were standing over blueberry ice cream and he comes over and asks me how you are. i tell him you're ok. adjusting. but happy. he asks if you have work or anything like that. i promise to tell you that he says hi. he says hi.

my favorite boss (ok, only boss) jokes around with me and asks me if i had read the paper. obviously we lost. to them! horribly. it's ok though, we're still on top. so the next day, i see him in the lab, and he's wearing all blue. seriously. even his little plastic lunchbox is blue. i couldn't let that pass now could i? i smilingly tell him (while going out of the room) that i love the colors he's wearing. he looks at himself laughs cause he doesn't realize that he was wearing all blue. (hehe). then, (here's the killer part)... he says, you don't have to leave when i walk in the room. we like you being here. (aay. balik na ako doon. soon. i will be his RA again.)

kaye. strangely enough. even if we don't really see each other, it's like we connect. we talk for hours. began when she talked about some sad news. which strangely enough (even more strange) brings me to the next person i've been having conversations with... (speaking of kaye... she's online!)

dustin. still the same guy. apparently taking up tennis. driving like a madman. am avoiding using EDSA at all costs because he uses that daily.

jethro. believe it or not. paki-baba ang kilay! am glad i'm talking with him again. another very strange connection no? i think that's the most unique relationship i have with anyone. honestly. just happy that despite EVERYTHING. i mean, everything. (ikaw lang ang nakakaalam) we still haven't lost each other.

ariel. called me at 2am, to tell me about his lovely lovely new family. nicole is beautiful isn't she? he's harassed, but extremely happy. i could feel his happiness from the other side of the world!

my cousins. we had a cousin gimmick the other night. and we were insane. loud. laughing. crammed into this one small table for 4 when there were 8 of us. we didn't care. it was great. i think it's the sort of ease that comes only when you've known people all their lives, and they've known you for all of yours.

which brings me to you. miss our conversations. let me know when you're back moo. catch you soon ok? mahal kita.

i can listen to this lovely song for hours...

Who looks at her life in the palm of her hand
Rain's on the roof, there's tears in the land of heartbreak
She has made up her mind, she won't turn back again
She writes a note, but words just won't say
Turns off the TV, pulls down the shade
She's leaving… no she won't change her mind
To leave it all behind

Just one more story from a lonely road
A twist of fate and then a spot of gold
Out on the rainbow's end
Just one more chapter in a sad hotel
Another penny to the wishing well
Out on the rainbow's end
Don't you turn back again

Who's playin' cards from midnight 'til dawn
Lives in a waste and yesterday's gone forever
He's made up his mind to leave it all behind
So he says to himself as he folds up his hand
Ooh, will all my friends will understand where I'm goin'
To find my own way, I won't turn back again.

Just one more story from a lonely road
A twist of fate and then a start of gold
Out on the rainbow's end
Just one more chapter in a set of ten
Another penny to the wishing well
Out on the rainbow's end
Don't you turn back again.

I have a dream that I hold in my heart
And I won't let go
Welcome tomorrow - I'm on my way
So goodbye yesterday…
Goodbye yesterday

Just one more story from a lonely road
A twist of fate and then a spot of gold
Found on a rainbow's end
Just one more chapter in a set of ten
Another penny to the wishing well
Out on the rainbow's end
Don't you turn back again

Rainbow's End - Sergio Mendes

moo.

you can practically FEEL the energy of the place. brasil.

sablay/reef "awash" team

what to do when it's your first consultative job and you haven't got a clue? bring along 3 great marine biologists. worked together like a dream. (now if only we can write up that report on time...)

spanish orals

in a few hours i will be expected to be coherent and semi-fluent in spanish. sheep.

S H E E P!

wish me luck moo.

speaking of spanish. he emailed me. this time from costa rica. talaga naman. busy barcelona boy takes on the world. he saw baby turtles being born. aaaaaaay. am so jealous.

random thoughts lang.

feel free to comment anytime : )

bolinao

i was in bolinao overnight to sample the mantles of some giant clams. i had no idea how much that place can grow on you. i can honestly say i missed being there. the simplicity of everything. how everything smells like ocean spray. how the ocean is only a few steps away. how you can look out your lab window from counting a million and one zoox and have such beauty to rest your eyes on.

i was walking to the dorm after the days work. all the gumamela were in bloom. the creek was running quietly along next to me while the bamboo was rustling in the breeze. everything calmly doing it's own thing.

and all the places had something associated with them. the gate where d would hit his head. the deck where roms and i finally figured out the pH meter. the computer room where we'd spend hours chatting. the kitchen window curtains where we'd hang our cellphones to get signal. the tv room where we'd watch MG, obsessed like madwomen.

in fact, out of habit, i walked straight into my old room before realizing that i was staying in the other room next to it. kareen and i had a laugh about it. and realized we'd missed being roommates.

the very first time i stayed at bolinao, i couldn't wait to go home. now, years after, i felt sad leaving. so. this post is for bolinao. it's charms. it's memories. the lessons it's taught me. stay simple. do honest work. calm down. quiet. inner peace. it's become part of me. and it will always be one of the most special places on earth.

Test

Just discovered they have color on this thing. Wonder if it actually shows on the blog.

i remembered!!!

hey! guess what? apparently, i had the password right. but the username wrong. sus.
ANYWAY. drank my anti-vertigo medicine. so feeling much better. shaky going up stairs though.

talking with a friend (Liza) right now. listening to the New Radicals sing "You Only Get What You Give" on itunes. we should do that sometime, listen to the same station at the same time. good song.

she showed me her own blog. so i'm following her lead and do a high-low blog. mala Story of Us. good movie.

Low: getting to Manila really late, instead of 7am. we got back to MSI at 1pm! sus. plus my body still feels like it's moving. mind over matter. am NOT moving anymore. (ooohm). not working.

High: talking to moo. having DSL and listening to Virgin Radio! eating really good food for dinner. anticipating the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Episode tonight. woohoo!

- still swimming -