Chasing Horizons

 

Arrived quite early. Few cyclists, just milling lazily around the start area then. Ride with the Tour De France champion's yet to start. My wave will be flagged off in a couple of hours. Worked on Panda, she's been squeaking like crazy. Couldn't narrow down where the noise's coming from. Hell. Thought of just trying to tune it out. That and her being stuck on a single gear? Things weren't looking bright. Joined the guys from my bike group. All foldies got bunched into one wave. A cut-off time's put up. I needed to do some pushing, hard pushing. I'm more of a "relax and enjoy the scenery" rider. Starting line, right in front. Perfect for photo ops.

7am. Gun fires. People started busting out hard. "Is this a race?" Morbidly obese and asthmatic, I started out slow. Bikes zipped by left and right. I didn't get going until my breathing found a steady rhythm, until I wasn't gasping for air anymore. The ride was good, fun. Even with the heat. Even with the flyovers. Even with the chain slips. 

BGC Cycling Philippines, see you next year.

I Am Up!

I have been sick. I have been busy. I have been really sick. I have been really busy. This is a cycle that I have been trapped in for the last few months. Hopefully, it is broken now.

The new work term has begun, and I think it will take a couple more weeks before I am fully adjusted to it. My alarm clock is still in full time duty. I long for the time when I can wake up without its help.

Pour Sugar On Me

For summer, aside from Kiddie Crew, Little P. also attended an art workshop. Here are some of her work, a couple of them done at home.

I Fell On Black Days

I have been staring out the window for more than half an hour. The CD might have already stopped a good 10 minutes before I noticed it. It started out with Chris' unmistaken growl swirling around the room, pulling, tugging, shoving me back into the 90s. Then I got to thinking. Which, as everybody knows, is a very dangerous thing. And Mr. Cornell's unsinkable voice gets lost in the background.

He has announced a solo acoustic tour. This after the band supposedly reunited a few months back. Some sort of a greatest hits album +1 previously unreleased old song was released (the one that was playing), and a live album off the 1996 tour is coming soon. I should not be complaining. They are back together. As a fan, and a big fan at that, I should be happy. Yet I am not. I am wondering about the point of reuniting. Where are the new songs, the new album? Where is the tour in support of the new album?

I am playing the CD again because it is the only thing I can hold on to now of a new Soundgarden. Yes, I am buying the soon to be released live album because I might (will?) never get to see them live.

Out the window I can see an old cow being milked. Instead of black spots it has dollar symbols, big, glowing and green. I am day dreaming now. This is nothing but a dream, yes, just like a truly reunited Soundgarden.

Nimbus.

We got sick. Again. Little P. had to be hospitalized. Then it was my turn. Maybe it was a superbug from Pakistan that did us in. Or maybe, it is the city that is slowly killing us.

We are up now. I am still unable to breathe normally but dreaming of fresh air and some time away from work and school. The bad city has a way of getting in the way of things though. Commitments, meetings. Not even a 6-year old is spared. Exams, activities.

This city is bad, really bad.

Que Sera, Sera

Trouble Is Upon Us

Little Popot is going to a new and bigger school next school term. She hates being called small now. "I am five, turning six."





She tried on her school uniform today. Yup, trouble is just around the corner now. I can see myself waiting on the porch with a double barrel on my lap.

Yes Or No?

This girl asked me out for Valentine's.

Oversharing

This blog is dead. Do not blame it on my neighbor securing his interwebs. Somehow there is no longer that much of a need for sharing, no matter how little I like to share. We have become crazy with all the sharing. I am thinking a sentence, maybe a photo, would be better if churned out regularly. Like a Tweet or a Facebook status update, only more mysterious (I hope). Maybe I would even throw in some action words and adjectives to make it more fun.

Okay. Do not want to keep you too long. I myself have a lot of FB status to make fun of.

Bad Blood

January is almost over. That means only one thing. I am sick. It is a yearly thing now. When the last week of January comes, the gods start to toy with me, putting my body through some really rough days (and nights).

The nebulizer is on standby now. We got this for the little one. It is me though that is regularly hooked up to it. I have no complaints. Better me than her. It feels worse when she is the one on it.

Since the holidays I have been feeling a need to sweat, to let out poisons I have taken in during the past year and are circulating in me. I do not feel right. More than a physical thing, I know it is a mental thing too. My mind is full of traffic jams. My lungs with bad air.

Anybody up for a getaway?!

I Got Me A Hat

Our (Little Popot and me) first time in Enchanted Kingdom.

Great day.
Nice place.
Good people.
Fun, fun stuff.

Nah. I bring my own magic.



"Can I borrow your hat, please..." Her weapon. That look. I dare you to say "no".



The Vanishing Hand Trick.






Night carnival.



Pictures are from my toy camera.

A New Love

Words have not been arriving. This barren blog shows it. Images, on the other hand, are flowing. Saturated, vivid, whimsy. The VQ1015 Entry brings them like Sandman brings dreams.

Stupidity Killed The Cat

It is Day of the Dead today, and a bunch of our "stuff" died. My precious Soungarden concert shirts are all gone now, and I am finding it hard to pull back the memories of my "rock and roll" days. People will find it hard to understand, but in losing the shirts I feel that I have lost a part of me.

Yes, there is such a thing as sentimental value. It is talking, are you hearing it?

Oh My! What Big Balls You Have!!

Today, we went to Mall Of Asia, the most overrated mall in the country.

Not the original. But, would do for now. Popot still loves these hot babies. We also had some pizza.



Practiced a little blind framing using the Ixus. Preparing for my new toy.











Miguel liked MOA. I am still wondering why.



Maybe because of the big balls.

Sleepwalker

Having trouble waking up during mornings again. (Like always, going to sleep is easy.) And that means I am having problems getting to work on time and have incurred my first and second "late" for the current work term. It also means I have been feeling sluggish at times even though I know I am getting enough rest. Except for the couple of tardiness, work has not been affected though, my bosses would be glad to know.

Hmmn. Vacation, anyone? December is just around the corner. DL HK is on a Halloween theme. Have not seen that before.

The Bagman

I was thinking of selling one of my STM laptop bags so that I can pickup a Samsonite Sahora Business backpack. Chickened out. Figured that the Samsonite, and most other backpacks, do not have a "boss" look. The laborer look, it has. Hehe. I, conceited that I am, like to think that I am still my own boss, someone who starts and accomplishes tasks at his own pace, and skips work whenever he wants to. Besides, my old STM has served me really well. No, I have nothing against laptop backpacks (and those who own them), really. Good for your spine and all that. Fact, if anyone has an STM Convertible to give away, I am right here, with open arms, ready to love.

Throwing Infants Into The Nile

The wifey arrived from Egypt last Saturday night. I welcomed her with a still swollen face, the result of an allergic reaction to some over-the-counter pain reliever. Of course she got me something from the lands of Pyramids. And what is the "best" pasalubong for someone who has the Disease of Kings?? NUTS!! Everyone knows I cannot, for the life of me, resist nuts. I swear she just loves me to death.

Apples, Couches, and Honeybees

I have been real busy at work, munching on apples, and feeding on high-fiber crackers. I have already missed two out of the seven work days so far. That is okay, nobody is losing anything by me being away. At least not yet.

My left foot is slowly healing, the right is back to normal. I think I need "more" rest. It would have been great if they delayed work for another week. I am sure that by then I would be in full work mode and would "rarely" feel the need to be absent.

Yup, lazy as a sofa, that is me! *s

Ugly Bouncing Fishies

I went down to the pool today and put in a few laps. Walking and hopping, not swimming. I figured some form of water exercise could help take away the remaining pain in my left foot. Kids were gawking. Staring and wondering at what the hell I was doing. I wanted to take Popot with me. It would have been a good "reason" why a fat, long-haired but balding, old guy would be there. 

If anybody out there is brave enough to face a "real" challenge, come on over and teach me how to swim. This is something that would really look great on your resume!!

Nudity Is Suggested But Not Shown

The wifey gave me a notebook. It was Father's Day after all, and not all fathers need a wrench or an electric shaver. This a good, if not a great, gift. It is something I would love owning but would not really go out to buy out of my own pocket. Problem though, I have not written anything in ages, not with a pen and paper anyway. Nowadays, those fortunate words that somehow escape the hell that is my mind go directly to digital form. 

It seems that this blog will have its physical (and unedited) version now. Please, no drawer diggings.