Where's my aguinald...oh shit...

3 days to go and I'll be safe and sound in Davao city, where my family is. Of course, that's not discounting the scenario that my plane could crash. (So to all those who have made a difference in my life, both good and bad, au revior. Till I haunt you in your sleep.)

I'll still be able to log-on to the Internet, thought. It's not like Davao is hapless-ville. That's why it's called a metropolis. Much like Metro Manila, only with less traffic and more cheery people and in stark contrast to Makati, where, as I told a friend last night, people walk around wearing smirks on their faces. (Ah, the urban workforce!)

Can't help but admit my excitement. I haven't been to Davao since the Holy Week this year and I wasn't even present last Christmas. I am crossing my fingers that my ninangs and ninongs won't think me too old to have aguinaldo. That sucks, don't you think? The way your titas believe that since you're earning your keep already, you don't need to be given presents.

Hazel and I have this tita who likes recycling gifts every occasion. By that, I mean, those wallets and mini-colognes she collected during her trips abroad about 5 years ago. I think she buys these in bulk and distributes them to everyone every chance she gets. So, yes, we both have been receiving the same bottles of cologne (but with intensifying degrees of brown, due to age, maybe) and wallets for the past couple of years.

And each time, gah! Each time, we have to smile widely and say, "thank you, tita! Of course I have forgotten this is exactly what you gave me last year and two years ago!" Siyempre we don't say the second part. We just grit our teeth the entire time. (Diba Zel?)

Kill me for this cliche, but REALLY it's the thought that counts during Christmas. So no matter what they give me, be it a hanky, a used book, a bottle of perfume, a game board ( I'm 22 years old, I don't want snakes and ladders, please, stop giving me something from the ages 4-6 bracket! I am childLIKE not childISH), wallets (sneer) or gasp! A Christmas card, it's the giving that holds weight.

I just wish they give the "thought" more thought this time.

"The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it."
FRANKLIN P. ADAMS, journalist, quoted in Ruminator Review (Spring 2003)

Wow, Really???

RESULTS:
Your IQ score is 159. A person whose IQ score falls in the range of 144-160 is considered to be "gifted".

Your IQ score is based on your scores across 12 distinct aspects of intelligence. Like everyone, you have a unique intellectual makeup, with strengths and weaknesses that affect your methods of understanding, communication and relating to others. According to your results, your greatest intellectual strength is Pattern Recogntion.

How smart are you?

A cross-referenced answer scheme, a scaling point system and time weighing all contribute to your final, general intelligence score. Your score is designed to follow the natural bell curve seen in most IQ tests. Therefore, half of all test-takers should find their scores to be within the 90-120 range, which is an average intelligence. 121-150 is above average, and any person scoring above 150 is considered to possess a genius-level intelligence.

Have I come off as such a snotty bitch to people that most are scared to ask me favors? Come ON! I'm a nice girl! :)

It's the holiday season, I need to do my good deeds, or else Santa would cross me off his list.

(of course, the favors are subject to intense scrutiny and deliberation)

bring them on!

Dark goddes. You are responsible for all thats bad
and evil in the world. Some would say you were
let out of Pandoras box


What beutiful goddess are you?(with anime pics!)
brought to you by Quizilla

Darna

Yesterday was Miss Bionic Day for me. I had only began working on an article due Saturday at 1:00pm Sunday. Finished it at around 3:00, all 2,300 words of it, with a really cheesy title (which I pray would be changed) and ran to the nearest Internet café to send it in.

After that, I rushed back home to work on the final revisions to the Chasppar training manual. It turned out to be more taxing than I thought because OWWA, POEA and DSWD had a LOT of revisions. (And this is after we discussed the manual three times already! Why do govt agencies like tossing people around??). But it was a job, so I had to deliver exactly what I was paid to do.

I finished at 8:00pm and again dragged my ass to the Internet station to submit to an edsamail account I’m not even confident is working. What could I do? That was the only email account they had. Curses! It’s a good thing, though, that they accept email submissions, otherwise, my procrastination would have meant the end of me.

That was a major achievement considering that I was dead drunk from the office Christmas party the night before. I shouldn’t have waited till the last minute, still.

I know, I know. It’s bound to happen again. Because when the time comes that I’ll have multiple submissions in one day once more, I’ll still be cramming and cursing myself for putting tasks off.

Some things never change. I’m just lucky I survive.

-----

Substitute boyfriend

Animator’s books kept me up all night. It’s really weird considering how I developed an aversion to reading (what with all the business articles I am compelled to read everyday). But this particular book caught my attention because it had my favorite animated motion picture, Beauty and the Beast, on cover. I had to, at least, sate my curiosity.

It was more than I expected! And at 3:00 in the morning, I was still up and at ‘em reading excitedly about the birth of animation with Disney’s Art of Animation: From Mickey Mouse to Beauty and the Beast, by Bob Thomas. He was one of Walt’s co-workers when he was starting in the business.

Fascinating. The book may seem boring to many, but the information I got so far has been priceless. I haven’t reached the middle yet, so I know there’s more in store.

For instance, I discovered that Walt’s first animated feature of Mickey Mouse was a silent run titled Plane Crazy, followed by Galloping Graucho. Steamboat Willie was the first one that had sound. This little bit I knew since high school. But it wasn’t until last night that I discovered SW wasn't the real first.

His books would drive any geek insane. He even has Hayao Miyazaki’s (animator and director of Spirited Away) works and Ghost in a Shell collections. All of which, of course, I wouldn’t have known if not for him.

Whenever he talks about his job, I become more interested in the pursuing the arts. His craft makes me more proud of him. Right now, they’re creating special effects for a weekly TV show and are even touted to start with children’s show to be shown abroad soon.

His love for art makes me want to be a writer more. He’s my best and worst critic. My articles usually pass through him first, to make sure they’re tight. He never lies you see. If they suck, they suck. Much to the demise of my ego. But it’s all good. Because there are really some that put me to shame. Hahaha!

We hardly see each other anymore. Our respective jobs require solitary confinement. Once a week is all we have for now and with the projects that are coming in, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it becomes less often.

Meanwhile, his books and collections of Asian movies keep me company.