Ice Carvings

ELAN (elan) Noun. 1.A feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause); a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something; 2.A distinctive and stylish elegance; a refined quality of gracefulness and good taste; 3.An enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness; sprightliness, liveliness, spirit, life - animation and energy in action or expression. --- December 22, 2009 at 3:26 PM saw the coming of Elpidio Antonio (Elan) Lopez, the latest recipient/casualty of the belligerent Lopez surname this side of Luzon. His arrival into this world was a bit much like his dad's everyday dealings. There was lots of hype during the intro as Nel was into labor the day before, and stayed for at least 20 hours in the labor room without the benefit of a companion except fellow mothers-to-be bellowing in pain. During the actual arrival, i was still caught off guard. After conferring with her OB, who advised us that Nel (despite being in the labor room since the day before

Sick Boy got it right. Even more impressive, he got it right in the first trimester of the movie. What am i talking about? Here: Sick Boy: It's certainly a phenomenon in all walks of life. Renton: What do you mean? Sick Boy: Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed... Renton: Some of his solo stuff's not bad. Sick Boy: No, it's not bad, but it's not great either. And in your heart you kind of know that although it sounds all right, it's actually just shite. Renton: So who else? Sick Boy: Charlie Nicholas, David Niven, Malcolm McLaren, Elvis Presley... Renton: OK, OK, so what's the point you're trying to make? Sick Boy: All I'm trying to do is help you understand that The Name of The Rose is merely a blip on an otherwise uninterrupted downward trajectory. Renton: What about The Untouchables? Sick Boy: I don't rate tha

sigh... It's October, and we're slowly creeping into the NBA season. About this time, preseason games between teams get scheduled and we catch a preview of what's in store for our favorite team. Like clockwork, my beloved Kings are off to the races. In their first two preseason games... ...they racked up two straight losses. Against the same team. I know the preseason games mean nothing but a chance to try your rookies and experiment with potential lineups, but a loss is a loss. But i'm sticking to my Kings. Here's to a long basketball season yet again...

Oh, you've got green eyes Oh, you've got blue eyes Oh, you've got grey eyes And I've never seen anyone quite like you before No, I've never met anyone quite like you before Heaven, a gateway, a hope Just like a feeling I need, it's no joke And though it hurts me to see you this way Betrayed by words, I'd never heard, too hard to say Up, down, turn around Please don't let me hit the ground Tonight I think I'll walk alone I'll find my soul as I go home Each way I turn, I know I'll always try To break this circle that's been placed around me From time to time, I find I've lost some need That was urgent to myself, I do believe Oh, you've got green eyes Oh, you've got blue eyes Oh, you've got grey eyes And I've never seen anyone quite like you before No, I've never met anyone quite like you before Bolts from above hurt the people down below People in this world, we have no place to go Oh, it's the last time Oh, I

Ive told myself so many times before But this time I think I mean it for sure We have reached a full stop Nothings gonna save us from the big drop Reached our natural conclusion Outlived the illusion I hate being in these situations That call for diplomatic relations If I only knew the answer Or I thought we had a chance Or I could stop this I would stop this thing from spreading like a cancer What can I say? (I dont want to play) anymore What can I say? Im heading for the door I cant stand this emotional violence Leave in silence Weve been running around in circles all year Doing this and that and getting nowhere Thisll be the last time (I think I said that last time) If I only had a potion, Some magical lotion That could stop this, I would stop this I would set the wheels in motion - Depeche Mode, "Leave in silence" I guess some things are better left unsaid. In the aftermath of the storm's devastation, i guess i'm lucky to have the opportunity to realize that there

for most, the current bleak weather is something to be dreaded about. Me? I'm comfortably weird, so this weather somewhat makes me feel good. The gray overcast sky that threatens rain and any moment but won't yet? I used to walk along the tree lined avenues of UP wearing a flowing coat during these times. Of course, when the mood darkens and rains pour nonstop, the fun ceases. It's gonna be hard laughing knowing some of your countrymates' houses are being swept away by floods that could have been easily prevented. I'm digressing. Weather like this kinda recharges my batteries and helps keep me in perspective. The imminent threat of rain brings a promise that whatever recent bad days you might have will now be washed away. Which reminds me of a classic toad the wet sprocket song: Nothings so loud As hearing when we lie The truth is not kind And youve said neither am i But the air outside so soft is saying everything Everything All I want is to feel this way To be thi

just finished an afternoon shopping for groceries and doing nominal household chores. Considering nel's bed rest condition and the maid's newbie status, things still need to get done around the house, i had to play saturday as chore day. even if i just arrived hours earlier from the Okto opening in Sta. Rosa. Four days of work-related drink makes one yearn for Saturdays. Thankfully manang was helping in eliminating the basic workload. a trip to the grocery, paying the bills, and a cleanup later, i got kinda into the mood and looked for anything else to do. So i went to my Kings sanctuary (which i haven't visited in a while) and took a look at my CD collection. To call it a collection is a stretch, as i have mostly new wave and alternative compilations. Thankfully, there are only a few CDs that i regret buying, and i became fonder with some over the years. As soon as i finished my inventory, i found out i was missing a few CDs and a couple of CD cases. Hopefully, they'll

yep, sometimes being a jack-of-all-trades can be a good thing. while i'm more successful at taking things apart more than getting them back together on, i kinda like the feeling knowing that you can fix things even if you're not really trained to do so. some of the things i was able to repair on my own include my first Playstation One, a couple of my cellphones when they display basic problems, my computers (work and home), the wifi server, simple car trouble, etc. You get the picture. Not that i saved money by repairing things on my own. Like i mentioned, i often break more than i repair. It's just that nothing beats the feeling that you know what's wrong about something and have an inkling how to repair it. I tried my hand at the 21 inch TV set lounging idly for months now and took it apart. I saw the problem and i have the tools. Believe me, some people have a toolbox, i have a toolshed. No wonder visitors keep calling me a tool. Going back, i ripped the TV to its ba

i've been looking tired the past few weeks owing to a killer schedule, a disoriented state of wakefulness, and a lot of mental anguish about the future involving intangible theories. If there's one thing i'm good at, it's advertising my state of mental being. And now that actual developments have surfaced, i had to look at myself in the mirror, as I realize that the worst thing i can do at times like these is to play the part of the clueless. Or indifferent. Or even tired. Looking back, i guess there are three explanations, all valid: - where i am abundant in terms of rationalization, i sorely lack in empathy - where i am abundant in terms of lucidity, i sorely lack in perspective - where i am abundant in terms of expression, i sorely lack in due selection Then after a budget meeting and before i had to rush back to my office to play host to a group of visitors, i had to rush home and take the very pregnant nel to the hospital and find out why she's having contracti

Owing to my natural lack of inclination to units of time, i have realized only lately that i have recently completed three (3) full years of service to what is locally meant as "the company." Yep. While this may sound like a very shallow premise to a blog entry, i never really claimed any discernible depth the whole time i was blogging. This simply means that you better suppress your groan and keep reading. There is nothing good on TV on a typical saturday night. Anyways, i thought it would be fun to do a list of some of the things i learned during my 1st three years stay here, grouped in lists of 3. Posts on a staggered basis. The things i do to fall asleep. List one: 3 things i learned while chained to the desk: 3. A great company can have really old furniture and get away with it. I can swear that some of the desks have chewing gum stuck in them, whose brands have been well extinct from the market twenty years or so. Does Tarzan gum ring a bell? 2. There are really instanc

Hit by the mighty hammer of insomnia yet again. I really thought that an honest week's work would help do the trick in curing my inability to sleep as of late, but so far i think i made things worse. I am physically drained yet i find myself wide awake at 2am. My state of sobriety is variable during these last two weeks but when i wake at 2, it's either the pangs of hunger, the dryness of the mouth, or the acid taste in the throat are what's there to keep me awake. I need the sleep. (posted via ipod 849pm)

anybody traversing julia vargas cor. meralco avenue going to megamall is bound to get caught idling at the corner waiting for the light to turn green. In most cases, you'll encounter a poor blind old man begging for whatever money you can spare. Once in your periphery, this gentleman will always capture your attention, if only for the fact that he uses a long tree branch to "feel" incoming cars and sidle up to the windows and ask for alms. My initial encounter with this guy generated both worry (that he might scrape the paint off the car with his careless groping) and pity (he's an poor old man) so i rolled down the window and handed over a few coins as the light was about to go green. However, something inside me was telling me that there is something fishy with the whole setup. On the last second before i crossed the intersection, it hit me. The guy, poor and blind, was wearing a digital wristwatch! I managed to shout out to him "Bakit ka may relos manong?"