Shouts & Murmurs

Today’s horoscope

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’re still holding on to someone’s wrongdoing against you. There are so many benefits to forgiving this person that forgiveness would almost be an act of selfishness. So, what are you waiting for?

I have no idea. 

Guess it’s time I clear out physical, mental and emotional junk. 

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Much as I’d love to talk about nonsensical stuff in this blog, I am too distracted about our coming Japan trip to even sit down and write something remotely coherent. 

I guess this entry is just to say that I am still alive, even when blogging has taken a temporary hiatus because of my current state of happy anticipation :D 

I remember feeling quite sentimental and lonely a few weeks ago. It got to a point that I actually brought out my soul cards and gave myself a 12-card reading to get a feel of what my coming year would be like. Very new age, yes, but I just needed a change of perspective.

The reading revealed that January would be a month of Miracles, and that my energy this year would be that of Gratitude. Funnily enough, January is turning out to be quite the miracle month. First, I never thought I would be crossing off a grand total of three items on my bucket list in a matter of weeks. Second, apart from that bout of melancholy mid-January, I’ve been on a permanent state of giddiness. A lot of good things have been happening, much of it because I’m lucky to be surrounded by really good people, friends both old and new. Third, I realized that even when I am alone, I am in good company…and that thought alone just brings me joy. I am whole and I am ready to go places—methinks this is the year I will travel solo. Everything’s just falling into place—promo fares, a direct flight opening to Siem Reap, new career opportunities, an exciting new biz…January is indeed a month of miracles :)

And true enough, I am feeling nothing but gratitude. :) It really is a fresh, clean slate for me. You don’t get a lot of that in a lifetime, but here it is happening again anyway. :D So thank you, God/Universe/Higher Power/Miracle Maker. I am loving how this year is unfolding :D

Madly in love since 1953! <3

Shoessssss

hautelikecouture:

Who needs a bath anyway?

       Tabitha Simmons’ home [via Song of Style // Vogue]

"No warning sign, no alibi
We faded faster than the speed of light
Took our chance, crashed and burned
No, we’ll never ever learn"

— Alibi
30 Seconds to Mars 

Even with every cell in my body aching from last Sunday’s trek, I woke up today feeling happy and pretty damn proud of myself. :p 

#8 Go on a trek to Mt. Pinatubo’s crater—CHECK!

I have to say that I am LOVING where 2012 is taking me. Last December, I told myself that this year was going to be all about MOVEMENT, and that has been exactly what I’ve been experiencing. 

Being an outdoorsy person has always been one of my major frustrations. I’ve always oohed and aahed over photos of the great outdoors, found myself fascinated by the characters in movies like “Into the wild,” “Vertical Limit” and the recent “127 Hours”, and I keep telling myself that one day, I too would be on an adventure of such proportions. I think it’s why a lot of the items on my 30 Before 30 list has something to do with me diving, climbing up mountains, spelunking in caves, swimming with whale sharks and going on white-water rafting trips. See, it isn’t just fears I am dead set on conquering, but frustrations as well. 

It started last August when I started actually enjoying being physically fit. I began running, and from a sport I once resisted—hated, even—it is now among the things I find myself waking up in the morning for. I love the energy it gives me and the sense of accomplishment I get after beating a previous personal record. And it has been a great form of meditation—running lets me live in the moment, helps me focus on the now, and it’s helped me appreciate the present more. And yes, I am aware that is redundant. :p

Yesterday’s trek up Mt. Pinatubo’s crater lake was another form of active meditation. Quite like my fateful trip to the mountains of Miarayon, Bukidnon, I had under-expected the adventure I found myself in. First of all, I was originally under the impression that it would only take thirty minutes to hike up the volcano’s crater. But because of recent floods, the skyway that used to make the trip shorter got washed away and had already been the cause of a few road accidents. The organizer didn’t want to risk it so what was supposed to be a thirty minute leisurely walk ended up being a grueling four hour trek back and forth. It was a good thing I had fully recovered from the colds and was much fitter compared to the last time I went hiking (read: a fifteen minute hike to Coron’s Kayangan Lake had left me panting in a major-majorly unattractive way). 

The adventure started with a 4x4 ride from the Pinatubo Spa Town in Barangay Sta. Juliana to Crow Valley, which was as eerie as it was beautiful. The place took much of the brunt of Pinatubo’s eruption—lahar pretty much covers the entire area, and driving past it felt like driving along a flatter version of the sand dunes in the Middle East. By the time we reached our drop-off point, we all looked like we walked through a cloud of dust.

The fresh mountain air felt welcome to the lungs. I had brought my pseudo-asthma gear with me and I didn’t even have to use it. We hiked through volcanic sand, rocks, and even waded through relatively shallow rapids, all under the harsh glare of the mid-morning sun (read: slather yourself with tons of sunblock). 

The hike going up felt like forever—the moment we would find ourselves approaching a certain junction, I would automatically assume the crater was right in the next corner; and then I’d find myself frustrated to find yet another expanse of monochromatic grey. Grey rocks, grey streams, grey boulders…not that the view going up was unattractive. Far from it. It amazed me that an eruption that destroyed the lives of countless people in the ’90s could leave such a vast expanse of beauty in its wake. 

We finally reached base camp after an hour and a half, and found ourselves challenged by this sign: 

We certainly didn’t want to be branded as seniors or middle aged so we decided to take on the 15-minute challenge. Turns out it was easier said than done, because the final hike to the crater was much steeper. There were inclines to contend with now, and I even found myself almost tripping a couple of times. By the time we reached the stone steps leading up the crater, we had already nicknamed ourselves “Ancient”. But it didn’t really matter at that point because the moment you catch a glimpse of Mt. Pinatubo’s crater lake, with its stunning turquoise green waters, all thoughts will cease to exist. 

It truly was a sight to behold. Moments like these make me so proud to be a Filipino living in the Philippines. You really need only look in your own backyard to see beauty you will never find anywhere else in the world. 

The day definitely picked up after seeing the lake. We partook of a really filling pinoy lunch prepared by Everybody’s Cafe and washed away the dust and grime from the trek with a dip in Pinatubo’s cool sulfuric waters. Swimming in the lake was quite like swimming in Kayangan Lake in Coron, Palawan. Both had this Lochness Monster vibe. According to our guide, there are no living creatures in the lake because it was too acidic. It also gets deep very quickly, and god only knows how deep it actually is. My friends and I wanted to go on a boat ride across the crater, but we didn’t have enough time so we just spent it floating about and spacing out. 

The trip back didn’t feel quite as long and was actually more fun this time around. It was living in the moment, with us just looking toward ten steps ahead and pausing every now and then to appreciate the rocky mountains surrounding us. It was one of the few times wherein I felt one with nature. I felt so tiny and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, that my world was so big, but it also made me realize that my possibilities were endless.

Now I get why people go on these trips—it reminds you of the thing that matters most: BEING ALIVE. 

And with that knowledge, so simple yet so full in meaning, comes the bigger question: what do you want to do with it now? :)

#15. Spend a WICKED weekend in Singapore—CHECK!

I wanted to see “Wicked: The Musical” ever since I chanced upon Gregory Maguire’s book while on one of my aimless walks around San Francisco seven years ago (has it really been that long?!). So when it finally came to making my 30 Before 30 list, I knew I had to squeeze it in somewhere.

Turns out lady luck was on my side because the Australian cast of Wicked suddenly announced a Singapore run (that’s Fiyero in the photo above!). I’ve been dying to go to Singapore again to visit my friends Cel and Igor (and their significant others!) so it was really hitting two birds with one stone. I didn’t even think twice about it. One way or another, I was hauling my ass to Singapore. 

Watching the musical was even better than I expected. I’ve listened to the soundtrack for years (and God knows I’ve overplayed it one too many times) but finally hearing the dialogue that came with the music and seeing the characters come to life enhanced my appreciation of the musical even more (I am overplaying it again). While the Musical isn’t exactly faithful to the book, it’s great as it is. It’s actually much better. I prefer a happier ending for Fiyero and Elphaba :D 

Visiting Singapore also couldn’t have come at a better time. While we were there, the National Museum (w/c was a five-minute walk away from our hotel) had the “Dreams & Reality” exhibit that featured masterpieces of painting, drawing and photography from the Musee D’Orsay in Paris.

I’ve always favored the Impressionist art movement and imagine my delight when my favorite artists were among those whose works were on exhibit: Cezanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Gaugin, Monet, and Van Gogh.

The highlight was finally seeing Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”—not the more famous one that’s on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, but the one I actually preferred over the more popular one. 

There was also a Titanic exhibit at the ArtScience Museum in Marina Bay Sands. It was eerily beautiful—they set it up in a way that made you feel like you were on board the actual ship. The exhibition took us through the ship’s conception, construction, sailing day, life on board, the famous iceberg, the Titanic’s sinking, the discovery of the wreck, while all throughout telling incredible stories of the passengers and crew. There were over 300 real artifacts, all recovered from more than 3,800m below the ocean surface at the Ship’s final resting place. There was also a wall that listed the names of the passengers who were lost and rescued. It sorta gave me the goosebumps. Majority of those rescued were from the first class passengers while a lot of those who perished were either crew members or third class passengers. 

Of course, Mina, Mara and I had to have a photo by the stern of the ship. 

My sister and I got to have lunch with our Titas on our last day there, too.

They took us to Lagnaa, a sit-down restaurant in Little India that dishes up the best butter chicken masala. You can adjust the spiciness level, according to your preference (or as far as your stomach can handle): 

I swear I want to live in that restaurant but I’ll probably end up as big as the butanding I will be seeing this March. We were also lucky to be there for the Pongal Festival, and were invited by the restaurant owner to check out the festivities. They even gave us bindis.  

Quite like last August’s Hong Kong trip, this Singapore trip was short and tightly packed. But it didn’t feel like it was cut short. It felt just right. Just what I needed to jumpstart a year that’s fast filling up with trips both local and abroad! My sister and I were talking the other day and we both agreed that 2012 is definitely a great year to be single :D 

Some snaps of my favorite SG moments…

At Universal Studios Sentosa: 

Marina Bay Sands:

Cel and I channeling Elphaba and Glinda:

All around Singapore-lah!

Next on my 30 Before 30 list: Climb up Mt. Pinatubo’s crater. BRING IT! :D

And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend

It happened the day of my freshman orientation in Ateneo. I was fresh out of high school from the “province” of Davao, and it was that precise moment—lining up with a sea of then unknown batchmates outside the Ateneo covered courts for our freshman orientation, scared shitless because Manila seemed so freakin’ daunting—that I met my good friend Haidee “Haidz” Hsu.

I was alternating between looking lost and pretending like freshman orientation was something I did everyday (read: I looked lost anyway) when I heard the person in front of me say the magic word: “Block P4”. I looked at my registration form and true enough, the cheerful Chinese girl talking nonstop in front of me was apparently going to be my blockmate. Relieved to have somebody to finally talk to, I quickly tapped her shoulder, introduced myself, and told her we belonged to the same block. And Haidz, sporting that goofy grin of hers, turned her attention to me, chatted me up all the way to our designated area in the covered courts, and without her realizing it, had rescued me from ORSEM hell. Suddenly, Manila did not seem so daunting with my new friend with me. :)

Haidz and I instantly bonded—she was the type of person you automatically warmed up to because she had such a light aura, so full of good, joyful energy that you can’t help but feel happy in her presence. She was somebody who would reach out to a stranger, and with no holds barred, make you a part of her life without you even having to ask for it. And she was the only one who could get away with calling me Trishipoo. Haha.

Haidz, I immediately learned, loved to eat. In fact, food was a non-negotiable every time we hung out. I remember meeting up with her when she was working for Ateneo Professional Schools along Dela Costa street and she took me to the original New Bombay in Makati, where we feasted on shrimp masala, lamb curry and cheese naan. There would be a looong list of restaurants we would later try.

Haidz also loved reaching out to people. Even when we were both too busy with our accounting and finance exams in college, not to mention our entrepreneurship project (our version of the usual college thesis), she would still find time to be active in all the orgs she was a member of, especially Kythe, and she had all the time in the world when it came to her friends. She was the type of person, whom once you met, will be a constant presence in your life. While some college friends remain just that, college friends, my friendship with Haidz continued even beyond our years in Ateneo. She saw me go through one phase of my life to the next, always listening (over a delicious meal, of course!) to my rants and raves, always telling me the words I needed to hear. She was the type of friend who would tell it to you straight.

In 2007, Haidz, without her knowing it again, saved me from quarter life crisis hell. I had just resigned from my first PR job and was in a state of limbo. I went online one day on YM and Haidz buzzed me, told me about this new restaurant she discovered and wanted me to try, and we updated each other about what was happening in our respective lives.

She told me she had just finished taking LEAP, a leadership empowering program. It was probably the happiest I’ve seen her. And that’s saying a lot because Haidz always seemed happy! She told me all about the program and because I saw how much of an impact it made on her, told her I wanted to try it, too. She took me with her to an orientation (I didn’t know we were going to an orientation, btw; she asked if we could drop by her friend’s place before heading out for coffee) and just like that, my life changed for the better.

I had all my questions answered; made the most important breakthroughs in my life; met the most awesome people—friends like Haidz who would do the craziest things for me, no questions asked; finally had the courage and strength to go after my dream to be a writer; and I even found myself in a relationship. And even though I know these changes were a result of my choices, Haidz was an instrumental part of all that.

She was one of the few people who reached out when I was at my lowest. Meeting her would always be one of the best gifts of my life. She was such a joy to be with, such a vibrant presence, and boy did she know how to love!

Last Thursday morning, the day before my much-anticipated trip to Singapore to watch Wicked, I woke up to the most awful news. Haidz, my good friend, had died at the young age of 28. She had been a victim of a hold-up along with her brother. The two were on their way home after closing shop, and just a few meters away from their home, came across four gunmen. She was shot and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

You know how people say they felt their world had stopped? That was exactly how I felt when I learned the news.

This weekend, I finally watched Wicked and the moment I heard the song, “For Good,” I knew I was a goner. As they say in OCCI, “Ugly cry na ito.” My thoughts immediately drifted toward Haidz, and true enough, I cried buckets because, more than anybody I know, she embodied that song. Never did I feel the importance of these lyrics the way I do now.

I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you

Hay Haidee Hsu. I love you and I will miss you every day. Thank you for bringing love, joy and happiness into our lives. You have touched countless of people with your vibrant energy and that goofy grin of yours. You are THE GIFT. And while I know there are no words to express how devastated we all are to see you go, we take comfort in the fact that your life, no matter how short, was a life well lived. A life lived to the fullest. No holds barred.

And in the end, it’s not the years of your life that count. It’s the life in your years.

Rest in peace, my dear friend. <3

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Long Live The Internet

satirique:

Hi, please help us find my friend. NOEMI LAGMAN (21, 4’10, mid-heavy build, morena) a student of Asia Pacific College, Magallanes left her house at Multinational Village, Parañaque, January 6, 2011, around 9am-10am to enroll carrying a substantial amount of money. She was last seen at the entrance of Multinational Village near Duty Free, Parañaque. Her usual route going to school is from Multinational Village (Parañaque) to Heritage Hotel EDSA (Pasay) and to Asia Pacific College, Magallanes (Makati). I last got a text message from her at 9:41am (same day) and it seems she has never reached school (the school confirmed that she didn’t get to enroll). Her mobile phone can’t be reached since that night.

Please reblog, please help. Thank you.

PERSONS TO NOTIFY:

NOEL LAGMAN (Father) +63921-500-1468

ALLAN CAPULONG (Cousin) +63917-887-9292

SHARE IN FB: Allan Capulong’s post
Phil. Inquirer online article