10 Years Time

October 14, 2007
01:50 a.m.

I should be sleeping now but I’m happily succeeding in getting bloodshot eyes. I have been glued for the most of the day since 9am on a pc quest. I am temporarily hooked to Plant Tycoon, discovering new Isola plants. On the side, I am channel-surfing. My hubby still don’t understand why I alternately watch TV & play the radio while tinkering with my laptop.

I came across Gabrielle’s MTV “Ten Years Time” around 4 times today. I stopped and wondered. Where was I, ten years ago? That would make me 17, a college sophomore. I’m past the year where I met my friends for life; past the horror of cramming and worming my way to conclude 1st semester. By this time I am now comfortable with coming to classes in a shirt, shorts, sneakers and a backpack. I have graduated from freshmen dorm and chose to stay at a boarding house with friends. These are the friends whom I shared countless fond memories. The same friends I am with when I tried my luck for a career in Manila. The ones I shared an apartment with and spend Friday & weekend boozing. The ones I matured with.

In 1997 at this time of the year I am probably carrying out a tantrum after unsuccessfully convincing my Mom to spend school breaks in Iloilo. The logic was that a part-time job in Jollibee/McDonald’s/Greenwich is a more life-forming experience rather than spending a whole month with my family. After all, how do you enjoy your carefree college days if you are stuck in a place where you don’t know anyone your age? Even if I did, the fact that I have never stayed longer than 6 weeks is enough to have never formed lasting bonds. Ah..life..


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Ten Years Time
Gabrielle

Do you have a vision?
Do you have a goal?
I'm watching you shrugging your shoulders,
Telling me you just don't know.
Do you get emotional?
Is there something you're passionate about?
I can tell that you're still searching,
Still trying to work it all out.
It takes time
Take your time
Mm mm
You will know
When it feels right

Where you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be happy with the way
you've been living your life?
Will you be alright?
And when you're looking back to now
All the years gone by
Will there be something that you say
That you should have done right
In your life

What would you fight for?
For what do you stand?
How will you go about it?
And do you have a masterplan?
What are your demons?
How much for your soul?
Have you found religion?
And gone down that road?
Guess we all need
Something to believeoh oh oh
Times haven't changed
Thats how it's gotta be

Where you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be happy with the way
you've been living your life?
Will you be alright? Yeah
And when you're looking back to now
All the years gone by
Will there be something that you say
That you should have done right
We're talking about your life

Are you a dreamer?
Tell me all your dreams
Can you say honestly
What you want to be
What would you do,
When your back's against the wall?
Would you stand on your two feet?
Would you admit defeat?
These are the times
You need to be strong
Don't you know,
Don't you know that is hard
Have you learned to find a way?
You gotta find a way to carry on

Where you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be happy with the way
you've been living your life?
Will you be alright?Yeah
And when you're looking back to now
All the years gone by
Will there be something that you say
That you should have done right
We're talking about your lifeYour lifeW
here you gonna be in ten years time?
Will you be alright?
Tell me will you get it right?
get it right?

Learning Chinese

Another email joke in my inbox:

Nag-aaral ako sa La Salle . Ang dami kong kaklaseng Intsik. Apelyidong Uy, Lim, Tan, Co, Go, Chua, Chi, Sy, Wy, at kung anu-ano pa. Pero sa kanilang lahat kay Gilbert Go ako naging malapit. Mayaman si Gilbert kaya mangyari pa, madalas siya ang taya sa tuwing gigimik ang barkada. Isang araw na-ospital ang kanyang ama. Sinamahan ko siya sa pagdalaw. Nasa ICU na noon ang kanyang ama dahil sa stroke. Naron din ang ilan sa kanyang malalapit na kamag-anak. Nag-usap sila. Intsik ang kanilang usapan.... hindi ko maintindihan. Pagkatapos ng ilang minutong usap-usap, nagkayayaan nang umuwi. Maiwan daw muna ako at pakibantayan ang kanyang ama habang inihahatid nya ang kanyang mga kamag-anak palabas ng ospital. Lumipat ako sa gawing kaliwa ng kama ng kanyang ama para ilapag ang mga iniwan nilang mga gamit na kakailanganin ng magbabantay sa ospital. Nang akmang ilalapag ko na ay biglang nangisay ang matanda. Hinahabol nya ang kanyang hininga... Kinuyom nya ang kanyang palad at paulit-ulit siyang nagsalita ng wikang intsik na hindi ko maintindihan. "Di ta guae yong khee"..... "Di ta guae yong khee"... "Di ta guae yong khee".. paulit-ulit nya itong binigkas bago siya malagutan ng hininga. Pagbalik ni Gilbert ay patay na ang kanyang ama. Ikinagulat nya ang pangyayari ngunit marahil ay tanggap na rin nya na papanaw na ang kanyang ama. Walang tinig na namutawi sa kanyang bibig. Ngunit iyon na yata ang pinakamasidhing pagluha na nasaksihan ko. Nagpa-alam muna ako, dahil siguradong magdadatingin uli ang kanyang mga kamag-anak. Sumakay ako ng taksi pauwi. Habang nasa taksi.. tinawagan ko ang iba pa naming kabarkada. Una kong tinawagan si Noel Chua. Dahil marunong si Noel mag-intsik, tinanong ko muna kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng "Di ta guae yong khee". "Huwag mong apakan ang oxygen. "... "Bakit saan mo ba narinig 'yan?".

The Mighty Itlog

I spent my weekend with my eyes glued to my laptop and happily clicking away.


Meet the giant itlog i have to battle after hours of annihilating killer chickens and cursing at terminator chickens who managed to slash my number of lives into half.

See more of Chicken Invaders 3: Revenge of the Yolk at http://www.interactionstudios.com/ci3/chickeninvaders3.php