IT'S SO FRAGRANT MY NOSE BURNS

A Florentine perfume maker named Lorenzo Villoresi is apparently hot nowadays. Celebrities Sting, Madonna, Cherie Blair and Ridley Scott have been buying their fragrances from Villoresi under the impression that it is likely that they won’t smell like anybody else. Now, how’s that for uniqueness?

The 47-year old perfumer makes his masterpieces at a 15th century palazzo in Italy and does not run any retail shops. And no, his website www.lorenzovilloresi.it does not sell it either. That’s how difficult it is to get to him. However, some swanky department stores do market his brand, such as Merz Apothecary in Chicago and Profumo in Milan.

This is good only and only IF you’re a die hard perfume fan. Or if you value your uniqueness too much you’d be willing to sell a leg to get it. For on the shelf fragrances, a 30mm crystal bottled eau de toilet would cost you 340 euros (Php 22, 372) [note: 1 euro= 65.80 pesos], while you’ll lose 125 euros (Php 8,225) off your wallet if you prefer it placed in a glass bottle.

If you want your own concoction, it will cost you your soul. For a 100mm fragrance in a glass bottle, you need to dish out 600 euros (Php39,840). If you prefer a crystal bottle in a leather case, it will be 830 euros (Php 54,614). Refills will cause 300-euro (Php19,740) damage.

Such is the price you have to pay to be a rose among thorns, or rather to be a sheep among wolves. If you ask me, I’d rather settle for Baby Bench’s Bubble scent at Php45. But hey, who am I to judge these celebs? And I really can’t blame Villoresi for making his so-called “gift” a business. Somebody’s buying anyway.

BECAUSE I AM BORED...

1. WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME?
Arellano

2. WHAT kind of PANTS ARE YOU WEARING?
Green striped slacks from Tintoretto

3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg - The Next Episode


4. WHAT ARE THE LAST 4 DIGITS OF YOUR PHONE
8570

5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE:
Peach Crepe. Last night.

6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
RED!

7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW?
windy

8. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Text - Hazel, Call - Kuya Ian

9. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE
SEX?
hygiene; grooming; skin

10. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU
THIS? I just lifted it from friendster

11. HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
with a headache rivalling a nasty hangover. And I didn't even drink a single drop of alcohol

12. FAVORITE DRINK?
WATER. Okay, okay. COKE.

13. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK?
Mudslide. Screwdriver.

14. FAVORITE SPORTS?
Hmmm, I don't do sports. My ass is always planted on a chair.

15. HAIR COLOR?
black

16. EYE COLOR?
brown

17. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes.

18.SIBLINGS AND THEIR AGES?
Athena, 17. Lissa, 9

19. FAVORITE MONTH?
december! (bonus! bonus!)

20. FAVORITE FOOD?
sashimi

21. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
the matrix revolutions

22. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
the day the office gives out the 13th month pay and the bonus, and MY birthday

23. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
Nope, not really

24. DO YOU LIKE SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
The scary ones, of course. I despise sappiness.

25. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer

26. HUGS OR KISSES?
I want both... and more.. haha

28. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Chocolate.

29. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK?
I'm not sending this out

30. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
the equally bored. but I'm not sending it.

31. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
000

32. WHAT BOOK(S)ARE YOU READING?
American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Identity by Milan Kundera, Pugad Baboy 14, The Artists Way (Yes, all at the same time. That's why it takes me ages to finish)

33. WHAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER?
three smiley faces that are eventually flicked out by a giant hand

34. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit (board game ba to?)

35. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT?
read the paper

36. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Flower by Kenzo. Glamorous by Ralph Lauren.

37. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU
WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
"Mag-absent kaya ako today?"

CABOODLES

It pisses me the way cab drivers "subconsciously" hound you for a "dagdag" to the meter bill.

You cannot just say NO and risk having them harass you with sudden break, 360 degree turns and mounting hostility. Not in this weather. They sure know how to take advantage of desperation amid the rain!

They give you these sullen faces and go on a short speech on "pakiusap" if you could add a little to the bill. And then they go on with the poverty in this country and how lucky I am to have a job in Makati.

Manong, I am NOT rich and I can't even pay my bills on time.

I wonder what he would say if I added piso. He said "a little", right? The standard tip here is between 10 and 20 pesos AND that's ONLY when the driver deserves a tip! So for a ride that legitimately cost you 80 pesos, you'd have to dish out 100 pesos and not expect change.

Freaking M.O. Damn this city!

ON BAISTER and CLAVIO'S SHINDIG

Since Friendster is beginning to be boring and saturated, a good friend suggested last night all Bisaya in the world should get together and form their own online networking site called "Baister". "Bai" is a Bisaya term used to refer to a friend. As in "Kumusta na man ka bai?"(How are you my friend?). This is a good one, right? I mean, amid all the brouhaha over making Bisaya the national language, why not begin the campaign by creating a site that showcases the language?

Of course, I'm all for it. Bisaya ako. And proud. :)

On another note, I was also told this morning of what really happened to Villaruel at NAIA. According to my bubwit (haha, feeling AM radio), newscaster Arnold Clavio was apparently on the phone, live on air, with Villaruel when the shootings commenced. And yes, he died during a live patch. And another yes, the voices of the gunman were heard, as well as Villaruel's surrender. (What's wrong with this country?!) There is evidence on hand and most of us still believe GMA's statement saying there should be no cause for alarm and it was just some silly plot to destabilize the government!

Uh, right. Put#$!@$%

Arnold Clavio must be partying left and right for the controversial coverage. And ABS CBN must be green with envy.

With all the excitement that's going on in journalism, I think I'll just drop all my dreams of writing the great novel and go for broke. If Arnold was able to get this piece and Pia Hontiveros was able to make Erap admit he was Jose Velarde, then maybe Vanessa can make Neil Armstrong admit he never walked on the moon.

Such is apathy on my part. Kill me.

PLUGGING

My friend (and sis at the Free Masonry's Job's Daugthers and former busmate in elementary) Juris Fernandez's acoustic group MYMP (Make Your Mama Proud) will be launching their first album at Bagaberde, Pasig this Saturday at 10:30PM. The group has been performing alongside the likes of Paolo Santos and Jimmy Bondoc. And, my, can Juris belt a mean note! If you're a fan of acoustic tunes, I'm sure you know who they are.

Anyway, be there. Entrance is 100 pesos.

CONDO... LENCE

The view from my bedroom window is priceless. I'm thankful that Hazel and I chose to be on the 12th floor instead of the intended 3rd floor unit overlooking the mossy-decked warehouse. The place looks so big right now. My eyes scan the surroundings and rest upon the only piece of furniture we have -- the TV rack/Bookshelf (Just the rack, no TV).

I feel a little pity for our state. Here we are, two struggling puppies (Poor Urban Professionals) trying to make our point in this godforsaken city by attempting to finance a condo unit with invisible furniture.

In my mind are numbers. Calculations involving a lot of minuses and negatives. I know in time we'll be able to get of them. The only consolation I get is the fact that when we finally get to fill the place up and make it look more like a dainty home than someone's stockroom, we would have a sense of contentment and pride.

Perhaps, then, we would have the license to scream "Eat that, you idiots!" at the world.

Oh no. I take it back. According to a movie I watch recently, never churn out words that are too bitter, lest you will be forced to eat them someday. Working hard for the sake of seeing people cringe is never the golden path. Robert Frost can berate all he wants, but no, sir, this time, in this situation, I will take the road constantly travelled and work hard for myself.

Revenge is not always sweet.

Tonight, our house is bare. But i dare not complain as much anymore. Because someday, I know our princes (who drive the truck that will transport our newly purchased home pieces) will come.

For now, I savor the beauty of city lights from the window, marvel in the glow of life as it creeps toward us and, maybe, dance around the house while I still can. Because someday, and it won't be long, it will be crammed with stuff. And I won't be able to play Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music anymore. (November 10, 2003)

Insecurity is sinking in. Never mind the details. Bottomline is, maybe I should be happy with writing abstracts and stop dreaming about going big. This none-response from a very important person has bred the same feeling I had during my first stint at the Free Press where the managing editor told me I couldn't write. Siguro nga totoo.

Or baka lang impatient ako.

AND SO IT BEGINS TO EBB...

My abstracts have been repeatedly subjected to my boss's revisions. As a writer, I should have been furious by the fact that my work was touched. But on the contrary, I felt light. As if I really didn't care if I wrote abstracts deemed a bit shitty by others. I welcomed the criticisms and said hello to the changes.

Psychoanalyzing myself, this probably is the result of not liking my job too much. Yes, I do admit it has its perks. Not to mention it does look good on my list of credentials. But I don't think I am growing as a creative writer in this business. If anything, I'm becoming better as a summarizer, as an editor, as a corporate robot.

I do not claim to be the best writer in the planet. In fact, there are a lot of things I admit I do not know and will probably never know. What I have is what I write. Right now, I don't have much. That's why my writing's blah and I don't put words to paper as romantically and passionately as before. I wish for a change.

Maybe I should go back to school and re-learn the rudiments of creative writing. The rain has poured down on my too much, rusty is an understatement.

WHAT DOES NOT KILL ME...

The fact that the people who don't like me or my writing find time to read my BLOG excites me. :) I liken the feeling to the time I wished I were a criminal lawyer so I could receive death threats. I would have bawled over the whole hate mail thing if I were two years younger. But hey, I've heard more ego-wrecking comments in my lifetime to be swayed by this one. Kanya-kanyang trip lang yan, you, yes you know who you are.

Keep reading! :) Hahahaha! Tandaan, the more you hate the more you love! :)