The coffee effect

I believe even in such simple leisure, some good things will come out of this. Though as comfortably taking the usual habit of a cup of coffee in the morning lifts the mood up, it all sometimes lay on the balance.

Still, when you hear a familiar song, to hear those love songs, for the sweet and bittersweet lines melds in, piercing into your heart like it had always been. Like a tattoo. You feel like you're still bleeding for it when the scarred skin surface can never be seen. Yet, it feels like some part of it wasn't completely healed.

And you find yourself caught in the middle, wondering what to throw your way more-on momentarily thinking what to say.


♫♫And then without much thought, I just went on singing...♫♫

It's a good thing, tears never show in the pouring rain
As if a good thing ever could make up for all the pain
There'll be no last chance to promise to never mess it up again
Just a sweet pain of watching your back as you walk
As I'm watching you walk away...

Disclaimer: Just me, some good music, and my coffee.

Good enough to waste some time

You press play for a certain playlist you haven't listened in a while and as the minutes passed you find yourself being shifted in a loophole where the blackest of your inner soul drew a spectacle out of you. And then it unfolds in the surface. You began to remember.. the past.

Hands

Cloudy skies, dark horizon, heavy torrents of rain, sudden gush of wind, repeated swish of trees swaying, and the audible dancing of the leaves leaves you at awe;
This awakens you.

Its been raining torrents for several days na..
no matter how you fight it, the weather pulls you in, forcing you to feel all gloomy; Without you realizing, sadness slightly starts to horde the heart;
Without you realizing, the usual smile slowly vanishes from sight.

In the back of your eye there's a lot of things, a lot of memories that intertwines but always try to look afar, take things with an open mind and a welcoming hand.

Life has its splendid things in store filled with the beauty and madness of it all, like the colors of every rainbow often times it will surprise you (that's why it always come out after the rain).

Life is beautiful. A beauty you can also emphasize when you 'smile'. Yet every smile is not just a therapy but a radiant light that can be infectious. So is an explosion of laughter that can even lighten up the mood of a crowd. It might even make you younger. :)

Now, it all plays in your part, as it all lies in the palm of your hands. There may be things or situations that will compel you to feel untoward or indifferent. But you can also lift your chin up and bounce back. Smile :)

Say...

I CHOOSE TO SMILE :)

Disclaimer: If rain makes you remember the tears that you try to hide. And you cry without saying why. How can you let someone in and share your warmth when you're all wet in the inside?

Beaches

The sound of waves crashing right in front of me was suddenly a distant memory. As the current rumble of thunder frequently graces half of the darkened skies. Part of it were stars floating away from the approaching turmoil. The moon was the broadest light that shines the way, leaving abit of the sandy sand glimmer onto my shoes. (I just can't believe I'm wearing shoes to a beach. How unnecessary!)

SHADY

SANDY

Last Monday, my friends and I just suddenly agreed to head to the beach. So as I was finishing my tasks to town, I picked up Sha (the mastermind)--whose waiting 1 hour prior (super excited!)--at their house. Then head home to grab my things and get Donna who's patiently sitting at our doorway; managing questions my Moms' about to ask her regarding where we're really going.

After buying foodie stuffs--and me returning home twice for being stupidly forgetful of the little things that's moreso ever important than anything (cellphone, driver's license and the stereo) is the silliest thing ever--we took the high way just as the sun slowly sets.

By past 6pm, we got to Nacho's place and prepared the things we need. Not to mention the epic rice that's still on the stove (cooking!) when we got there. All of us where all about the rice jokes..

Luto na ba ang lugaw natin?

Kulang na lang lagyan ng manok, bawang, o lamang loob yan.

'Di talaga 'yan maluluto kung laging binubuksan. Iniinin na lang kaya. (umandar ang pagiging OC ni Nacho kasi kasi bagac hihi~)

And during when we were eating it na...

Masarap ang kanin. Salamat Nacho at 'di ako nahirapan sa kanin dahil nilulunok ko na lang. (laughs)

As we got our feet near the sandy shore, don't get me started on the several dogs we passed at the secret entrance with me accidentally stepping on a medium sized stray dog which cried loudly, making me freak a little for the thought being bitten and good thing I there wasn't any.

This is it. Blanket spread out with all our things. The four of us, fab as ever (giggles). And the Bagac, Beach.

THE

WAY

TO

PARTY (the SF way)

Opened some chips, a couple of big softdrinks, cracked the Ice (with my bare hands), took pictures, and opened 2 cans of sardines. Let the epic 'SARDINAS PARTY' a big blow. As we cheer on a Happy Birthday To YCE. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY YCE!"

TRACING faces/

Trading SPACES

As we were about to leave Bagac, everyone's been reminding me... "Kapatid mabagal lang ha?" (actually sa umpisa pa lang ng byahe yan na ang sinasabi ni Sha hihi) since we had a drink (although one bottle lang yun).

Medyo long drive din, so I really didn't drove that fast para for longer friendly conversations. Since its dark, and we're heading towards zigzag roads onto paved mountains--where big branched, old gloomy trees on every side of the road--pretty much were most of the spectacle to see.

So I said out loud,

"Kapag may pumara sa daan sabihin nyo lang ha? Para maisabay natin." I said this with a chuckle at heart.

With Sha replying, "Jk wala namang ganyanan. Mag-isa lang ako dito sa likod."

"Parang me ano dun sa taas ng puno oh!"

...at puro banat pa here and there kahit unrealistic na hihi

Ayun di rin nakatiis si Sha, sa sobrang takot biglang lumipat ba naman sa harapan. At sumiksik sa passenger seat kung saan naka-upo si Donna. At ang kawawang kapatid kong naka-seat belt nadaganan tuloy. (sabi ni Donna afterwards, tinatakpan daw ni Sha ang view nya sa rear view mirror ng kotse kaya tense na tense ito) But come to think of it, understandable ang reaction na ito with Sha, hence, active kasi ang 3rd eye nya.

So there goes tatlo kami sa harap, earnestly looking at the road, talking and pondering on the certain things that got caught on the headlights. As there were certain things that momentarily strikes our attention:

We saw 3 dogs on the road.

2 drunk walking in middle of the center line.

A family of 4 walking sa buong lane na dadaanan ko (tipsy ba sila??)

And of course the 10 weird cats prowling along the way.

HOW

TO

END

THE NIGHT: Homemade Coffee

With the night still looms out of all of us, we felt its too early to head home and hit the sack at that time so we decided to go to Rachel's place. There we opt to strike ruckus, upon the Big Rosary display as I ask Sha to take novena there. (isang dangkal ata ung crusifix tapos ung mga beads isang dakot sa palm ko, ganun kalaki!) We also took pictures of whatever food we find on table. (pointing out the extra food party of YCE one more time!) We were constantly laughing althroughout while waiting for the warm water to boil. There I said, "Toast tau ng kape natin! Inumin na! Sarap!" "Rachel sarap ng kape nyo." "Pano kaya kung ganito nga talaga inumin ang kape.. kukutsarahin ang powder?"

Pagkatapos ng kumosyon namin sa bahay ni Rachel, hinatid na namin si Sha. Tapos si Rachel sa trabaho nya. Medyo sumaglit lng kami ni Donna dun para mag-observe ng Dialysis sa isang patient tapos nag-aya na ring umuwi si Donna. (napansin ko na rin kasi na medyo pula na mata nya na may bahid ng antok).

When I got to my bed at 1:30 pm, nag-text lang ako saglit then find myself feeling sleepy.

The sound of waves crashing right in front of me was suddenly a distant memory. Seeing the shore once again makes me all mellow. I miss how the sand covers my feet. I miss looking at the sky in a different way. Just finding its lost beauty under the current rumble of thunder. In silence, I kept wishing not to rain at that very moment just as part of the gloomy heavens were stars floating away from the approaching turmoil. Please don't rain. The moon was the broadest light that shines the way, leaving abit of the sandy sand glimmer onto my shoes. The perfect light however that shines brightest amongst all else were that usual smile, that certain laughter giddily beaming with happiness, fun and longing. A radiant smile that certain friends have shared for a very long time.

Listening: Song list of every Trading Yesterday via Youtube (here's the playlist)

Mood: Reminiscing

Trivia: The title for this blog entry is also a tribute to the Bette Midler movie, "Beaches" (the movie about 2 bestfriends)

Disclaimer: All animals were not drunks whatsoever. Mahilig lang talaga silang either humiga, o humarang sa gitna ng daan. :)

Fright Night

Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story... Fright Night!

..the introductory quote above was one of the infamous and important phrase spoken at every episode of the TV series "Are You Afraid of the Dark" (anyone familiar with this series??) But of course this won't be an article or story about and/or related to the show per se, rather a short story about this one night....

ARE YOU AFRAID

of the

Dark?

My day usually ends store closing at 7:30 in the evening. I got home finding Mom sleeping on the sofa, too tired from the laundry duties althroughout. So I made a simple dinner, set the table straight for them and then checked my mobile phone for any messages.

I got one invite from a constant friend and decided to heed on and go. After an hour of prep I hissed my mom a faint goodbye, "I'll be out tonight!" Stepped outside the garage and pushed our delivery vehicle that's parked infront of the small toy car (a multi-cab) named 'Bumblebee' that I'll be using for the night. (medyo mabigat xa ha kasi may laman ung delivery motor na yon hihi)

As I was driving, messages kept pouring in like four or five messages. I know its them already so I sped up to catch the lapsed time that I've taken much--thinking--I hope I don't get screwed or boasted for being LATE! AGAIN!

I parked in front of Chowking. Grabbed my keys and neatly placed my sleeveless Kickers' Jacket on the steering wheel then looked inside the fast food store to hint a sight of them. I saw Nacho readily on.

There were four of them seating on a table filled with half-emptied foods on several plates. Their eyes are jokingly pressed on me for taking too long. I sheepishly have no excuse to cover up though except for cooking a none-provoking none-thrilling dinner I made at home. And as the usual me, I think I didn't utter a word that much.

Nacho just got off from her hospital duties from the very looks of it because she was still donned with her white nurse uniform. Beside her was Ate Kath, a prim with eye-glasses who owns a computer shop nearby that area. On the other side was my batchmate Sheila who introduced me to her Bibi aka Jomel. We toss each other small chit chats then mutually decided to leave the place.

So are you still afraid of the dark? I guess not then...

The SCARIEST

Thing May COME

Flying Around

UNEXPECTEDLY

The night was a bit placid--not too hot, not too cold either--no stars were placed above. Its a sure sign that something may fall eventually thereon.

Once we got everyone together, we took a roadtrip to Bibi's home. Me and Ate Kath were at front while the three easily jump aboard at the back while Nacho requested for my rolled tissue so she can seat comfortably at the slightly dusty chairs aback due to her white uniform (which is understandably the prim-way to treat for any white clothing).

Photo shoot session insert here. Just a couple of candid moments. Then the four of us, who by that time where seated scrumptiously squeezed at front (sexy us! haha), tries to decide where to go from there..

The Friday night looms slowly with every loose ideas. Sometimes choosing paths can be tricky also but good thing the road to this sudden night out seems abit less of a burden or was I just not paying attention to the entire thing? We got the drinks, we got the foodies but the prime spot to chill Nacho and I wanted was already occupied by some-unrelenting-threesome so we got no choice but to move abit further from them.

Its very not so typical, real-deal scenario, wherein four young ladies with bottles, cps and chips on hand, gets to be in a corner of a dim-lit building, sitting onto a narrow floor (who knows what dirt lays there?), chatting and chilling at the very least.

Nacho was on the phone; Ate Kath and Sheila kept pondering on why their Tanduay Ice tastes bitter; while I differ but found myself noticing--half-way through the bottle's contents--that my stomach is churning abit. I dunno but maybe its because I've rushed eating the small dinner I had beforehand that my stomach seems abit upset for what I did. So I ate more chips than the usual and gladly refused the popcorn Sheila was munching on.

Nacho was still on the phone when the rain tried to join our simple hangout. So we moved abit closer to the walls. Only to find ourselves caught in a cockroach frenzy while in the middle of our Radio friendly scene of 97.1's Love Story segment. Several cockroaches roam here and there. Some I've pointed out and some I just ignore so no one would actually freak out.

Everyone's off the phone. So we're back on the usual conversations. With my 2nd bottle the sudden feeling I had on my stomach seemed none-existent by that time, so I just went on hoping no cockroaches flies around at us (I remember like back in the days, my college friends and I hangs-out to this place, Kibhor at Project 4 Cubao) those are crazy-sick-scary thing to relive. Imagine several 3 inched cockroaches flying around or even darting infront of you. (As in lumilipad sila papunta sa iyo. Gosh!) Crazy crazy crazy!

When the rain ran out of tears to drop, we moved away from the walls, away from the sick roaches that might crawl at us.

CRAZY

little thing called...

After, flipping the bottles empty, we decided to move and slid to a rest room that's nearest-and-a-super-reliant-24-hours-establishment-that's-holding-the-Bee-sign. I rushed towards the cubicle relieved. As I head out of the rest room, seconds later I find myself palpitating more than what had been moments ago (nung inubos ko kasi Bottle ni Ate Kath, after nun sumakay na kami kay Bumblebee tapos diretso sa malayong pinsan nyang si Jollibee). Next came the untoward feeling I had deep down in my stomach. For comfort I tried to slouch to the nearest chair I could find but that didn't help. Nung lumabas na ung tatlo tumayo na rin ako. Nacho needs coffee pronto while I deep down inside is aching to grab one too, hoping the whatever's winding internally will melt down to the tiniest tinge of prevalence.

Nung sumakay daw ako sa sasakyan, mukha daw akong ewan (I forgot the exact term they said at me). Ako naman, di ko masyado inintindi kasi iba na talaga pakiramdam ko. We went to the next nearest 7/11 we could find.

Ate Kath and I roamed around the 7/11 store for whatever we need then patiently waited for anew coffee to be brewed for at least another 10 minutes or so. Then we head back to the other two. In the middle of the coffee talks and conversations, I started to be truly distressed all of a sudden that I headed out of the store, searching for the nearest bathroom elsewhere. There was none. Instead, I walked instinctively to a barren space beside the area; trying to relax myself at the same time assessing what's goin' on: my stomach's churning more than usual, the palpitating in my chest doesn't help either and moreso I felt the spite of puking but I kept on fighting it. I pressed my hand on a cemented pillar beside me, and tried to breath on deeply numerous times till I feel alil better. Ate Kath came looking for me wondering what the hell happened. I just said I'm okay. As we came back to the cab.

Ayun lalo ako nag-palpitate sa Coffee. Adik lang haha. But still'Coffee is Love!'

But before I forgot, one of the conversation question that Chona asked on that moment, "Bakit daw 7-Eleven ang name ng store sa harap namin?" I wanted to answer back, and say its something related with time or their store hours but was unsure if I was right. So as the usual me, I never said a thing, again.

Bakit nga ba naging 7-Eleven? I wonder too.

SEEING WHITE

and Pale

in random

Seeing things in white can be luminary thus noticing the pale distractions can be an epic observation to find. Hence, pouring things out in the open can be alil bit blatant for me, since I tend to be more privy with alot of the personal stuffs in my life. So spending time with these three special souls is one of those ultimate treats I'm thankful that I've come to experience. Cause every moment seems abit random. Every night out seems abit shaky and unexpected. Yet, this is my first entry revealing abit about such although di ko masyado nilagay lahat in-detail. (Still, I'm this hesitant to divulge The Black Swan scene that happened months ago, thinking about it makes me laugh though hihi).

With that in mind, to end the night. Nag-stroll muna kami sa daan. Wala kasi kami idea what to do or head on next. So we just took a long-cut path home. Namasyal muna habang nag-chi-chikahan ulit. All of a sudden may parang na-amoy kaming kakaiba.. amoy bulaklak ng patay. Everyone just ignored it at first. Ako naman naging very cautious sa driving.

Tapos nung medyo malapit na sa area nila Ate Kath and Sheila may naamoy na naman ako. Hanggang paguwi nung magkapatid nanakot pa at natakot naman ung katabi ko.

I wonder kung may chrysanthemum na perfume na. Baka yun lang ung naamoy namin hihi. At humanap ng excuse oh. Pero by the thought of it, it really is freaky and weird if you ask me.

Chrysanthemums, in some countries, are used as decorations for funerals or on graves. But have you ever tasted a Chrysanthemum tea? Back in 2006, meron akong nainom, I forgot if its Red Tea or C2 basta chrysanthemum ang flavor nun. And they taste way bad for me. As in lasang bulaklak talaga sya. (kaya nga un ang flavor eh patawa lang ako hihi)

Disclaimer: No roaches were eaten, nor harmed but the ever smell of chrysanthemum flowers truly bewilders our noses.