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It was just the hype.
I started this blog for the reason that it sounded cool to have a blog back then. One becomes a blogger, talks and shares about things he encountered during the day, which in my case are mostly insubstantial topics anyway. But that is precisely what I like about blogging. It is the freedom. No one has the right to criticize the blogger, although I’ve dealt with a pretty good amount of English Nazis (God bless them).
I’ve stayed in this place, figuratively, for about 6 years, I think. That’s a significant amount of documentation of my entire existence on planet earth, which is 10,364 days including today (That is, assuming I’m not dying later), and given the fact that I’ve started writing here 2,065 days ago in Hong Kong, which shouldn’t matter as I’m now in the same time zone of UTC/GMT +8 hours, and so for the benefit of Sheldonic friends and readers out there (Come out, don’t be shy), it makes up of 19.92% of my life when rounded off 2 decimal places, which should even be higher when adjusted for marginal errors because it was technically impossible for me to blog during my childhood when I can’t even read or write.
Okay, enough.
Normally I would have posted something of saying like “Hi” or “Hello” again after more than 4 months of hiatus, but this time it’s ironic to think that I’m saying “Goodbye.” I didn’t mean to just abandon blogging. I’ll probably make a new start or something, but I don’t have anything solid at the moment. I guess I’m a very opinionated person and despite people saying I’m timid or shy, I really talk a lot when I’m comfortable so I’m sure it won’t be that long that you’d miss me.
*
It amazes me and at the same time I feel proud, when people ask me randomly “Where are you now?”, because I realize I’ve set up an image of self-independence and being disconnected. Well, being disconnected is something that doesn’t sound very positive, you’re right, but what I was just trying to say is that I didn’t rely on other people’s decision. I’m not a coefficient in front of an unknown variable.
Right this time, I’m in Cebu City, back in my home country, the Philippines. Although not an alien here, it’s some 540km away from home as the crow flies, and I’ve felt the same feeling I have whenever I’m in a new place. People speak a language I can’t understand (Although most can speak Tagalog and English), unfamiliar streets and strangers everywhere, different mode of transportation (It’s cool they use LPG taxis here). Perhaps, the biggest thing I don’t have to adjust to is that the money is the same peso, and I didn’t have to apply for a work permit to earn a living.
You were probably wondering what happened in Singapore. People are coming out of my country faster than the speed of diarrhea, yet I chose to come back. “Nandun ka na, umalis ka pa.” (You were there, you still left), or maybe a better and more practical way of saying it, “Nakaalis ka na, bumalik ka pa” (You have left already, you still returned).
I’ll tell you one thing. Making the decision of moving back home is one of the easiest decisions I made, and you know what I find the hardest to figure out? It is not being able to grasp something in Singapore that would make me want to stay, of course, apart from my beloved friends 
So despite being used to being rational, I was left with no choice but to believe the most irrational reason why I left Singapore. It is because it’s not a role I was meant to play.
Farewell, and thank you for everything.
Once again, it’s this time of the year. I turned 28 today but frankly, everything was just normal. I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock, and had my early routine battle with consciousness and staying in bed. It was from a dreamless sleep, just like most of my sleep. I guess people just don’t dream much as they get older. Or maybe I had one and I’ll just remember it later in the day, that happens a lot of times.
I thought of not going to work, but I realized it won’t do me any good. So, I haul my body to the shower, quickly dressed up, and I’m ready to go. Office is about 40 minutes from our apartment, that includes all the walks, train, and elevator time. Just like most days, I’m sharp. Okay, maybe a minute or two late, but that’s minor I think.
After a rapid visit to my boss for daily attendance, I turned on the monitor of my computer pretending to be off from yesterday. Then, I walked to the pantry to get my coffee. I ate my breakfast. Fried sunny-side-up egg sandwich which I prepared last night. I made two. One in the morning, and another in the afternoon. It was bland and cold. Later on, the second one was colder.
Lunch time was with Filipino colleagues. I ordered fish fillet. Even if I wanted to, I’m not in the position to treat lunch. But I still appreciate greetings. 
Lunch chitchats, and while they were all busy with their phones playing games, I took a nap.
The afternoon part is always harder to bear. I don’t want to bring myself in bad light, and appear to be some lazy dumbass employee. I’m extremely far from that, and I’m confident in making this statement. Let’s just say that right now, I’m giving the most adequate amount of effort. Believe me, this is me, just being just.
Insignificantly, my day ended.
Southeast Asia → Philippines → Luzon → Oriental Mindoro → Puerto Galera
I have been sick the past 2 weeks, which is right after being back in Singapore, and I didn’t intend that, of course. The timing was so bad because I needed to be at tiptop shape for the marathon training. With the event coming in less than 2 weeks, I’m now making out the most of my free time training but cautious on not overtraining myself. Last Saturday was the longest run I had since the Standard Chartered’s half marathon (Dec 2010). At about 18 or 19km mark, I begin to feel serious sharp pain on my left knee, the same knee that has been complaining before, and met an accident in Langkawi. I had to drag myself to finish 20.91km, and I can feel I was intentionally not bending my left knee as much as I do with my right. Frankly, I am not tired yet. I’m confident running out of breath or being tired is not a threat to my full marathon quest. I guess I have enough endurance, but apparently, my knee is troubled.
I had it checked and xrayed at the Philippine Orthopedics last February but they found nothing. I wasn’t advised to stop or refrain from running so I guess I’m good. I notice the pain happens when I stop suddenly or when I abruptly change my pace considerably. It’s not like muscle pain, which in my opinion is something easier to bear, and muscle pain is too soon to attack while I’m still running. The pain is sharp similar to a broken bone, or when you lose your footing, or when you smash yourself against something hard. I can still manage to run while it attacks, but as soon as I stop, it will be even more painful.
Yet, I’m still determined, so we’ll see that next weekend.
I forgot to mention anything about my last vacation back home, which was very quick. My sister’s wedding went fine. It’s not a big occasion really, with only about 60 or 70 guests. All my relatives from my father’s side boycotted it, but they were all invited. Less stomach to fill, the better. I still have to post pictures I took from the event, but I didn’t take that much anyway. There were swarms of paid photographers and videographers and I don’t want to ruin any chance they have to capture the moment.
I’m happy to be able to take a proper break and spend time in the beach. I was in Puerto Galera, in Mindoro, for 2 days with a group of highschool barkada, and this is the same group I’ve been with to the same destination 5 years ago, plus other road trips and adventure to Palawan, Alaminos, Subic, Tanay, etc. It was nice to see and spend time with everyone again and relax. I know I was at home just last February, but I’ve been so occupied with my sister’s shooting then.
Although it was the beach we came for, we spent more of our time not on the beach. We ran out of time to do snorkelling, but we’ve than that before so we made the decision to take a hired multicab to elsewhere. Destination is Tukuran river/falls, which is more or less an hour from White beach, with stopovers in a hanging bridge, a panorama view of the sea, and less exciting Tamaraw falls. Once reaching the small village of San Isidro, we had to ride on a carriage pulled by a 4-year old nameless carabao, which we later named Karl. All 7 adults, plus Kuya Charlie, the “driver”. It was my first time to witness a carabao fully at work, and you couldn’t describe strong the creature is. It only consumes wild grass and water yet it’s extremely powerful and efficient. It hauls us downhill and uphill, wading across running stream without hesitation except once when he needs to shit (hehe).
Tukuran falls is a series of falls with deep pools and rocky edges. I liked the sport of rock climbing and hopping from sides to sides although it was a bit daunting having no harness. I don’t have a lot of pictures in the wet part as I don’t have my waterproof camera with me, and I’m not risking (much) Billy, my Canon camera. I highly recommend visiting the area next time you go to Galera. Don’t mistake it with Tamaraw falls, which is closer. Not that the latter was bad, but if you like something off-the-beaten-track, Tukuran is the choice. We paid Php 2,500.00 for the multicab (for all 7 of us), 50 pesos each for Karl (the carabao), and I guess another 20 pesos each for environmental fee. To save you from computing, that is 427.14 pesos each, and the tour takes at least half day. We started early at about 5 or 6AM, and we were back in White beach at 12 noon. We stayed in a cheap but clean and air-conditioned room with television for Php 2,500.00 a night. Just thye basics, no hot water or swimming pool. This was even grand as we went to Alaminos before and stayed in a 900-peso non-airconditioned room for a night! The 80-minute boat transfer from Batangas pier to White beach, Mindoro is Php 450.00 roundtrip at the time of this writing (May 2011), there’s an environmental fee of Php 50.00 each, and a terminal fee of Php 30.00.
That was my third time to the island and it has changed so much in the last 5 or 6 years. When I was there first time with my family, they don’t have ATM, and the nearest was in Calapan. My sister and I had to ride a tricycle and spend almost 2 hours each way on the rough road. Now, they have ATMs in a nearby town, and van services ply from the beach to Calapan City.
Mindoro is also known for hiking and is home to arguably the toughest trek in the Philippines, Mt Halcon. Death and accidents are not unusual to the area, but still I’m looking forward to going back and conquering the summit.
