Public Transport

Finally! Some ME time. Decided not to do anything tonight. I have some projects on the side but since I'm awaiting more data, I can put them off for another day or two. Tonight I'm gonna relax a bit.

I wanted to blog about public transport or rather the thoughts that run through my head while riding public transport. You see, it's a basic luxury of mine that I ride taxis to and from work. This can be expensive but bearable when you're sharing cab fare with your sister to and from work. When the flag down rate of taxi meters increased a few weeks ago, my sister and I have been taking cabs to work but hitching a ride here and there with her co-workers from work. This week, my sister will be out of town - which leaves me with alone with the cab fare.

I promised myself to wake up early so I can ride the jeepney to work but since I've been working nights - I can't get up early. I wake up at 6:30- and panic to get  to work by eight. But I have been taking jeepney rides home for two days now.

To keep these passages short and sweet, I bring a book with me. My current read is Umberto Eco's Focault's Pendulum which I have started and stopped only to start again when work becomes less demanding. I've realized that jeepney rides will be the only time I can read without work and the baby distracting me. When I get home, I usually start thinking about the projects I have to do within the week. In jeepneys. I only have to think about getting home. So I read in jeepneys and shut the world out.

The funny thing is, when I ride jeepneys, I also think about what I would blog about when I get home. Or think about past conversations with friends and family that I thought would be nice to talk about. But when I get home, I play with the baby, have dinner then go to work on websites and forget about blogging. But now that's I'm blogging, I can no longer remember the things I'm supposed to blog about.

I have a short memory.

Me thinks I'll sleep early tonight and try to get to work early by riding a jeepney.

Work - Issshhhhhhh

Things turned a bit toxic when I got back from Davao. I don't mind my day job - that one is manageable - well, maybe except for the fact that I will be working today - which should have been a holiday here in Iloilo. But it can't be avoided.

For the freelance work, I am nostalgic of the days when I used to handle one website every two months. Now I'm handling three or four at the same time which is a bit hell to keep track of but I'm getting good at it. I have somewhat of a system in place which makes work faster. Still, I long for the days when I can do other things at night - like read :D

I remembered when we played Pinoy Henyo last Christmas with the kids - and they let us pick the words to guess. And my sister picked hiligaynon words like "kisame" (ceiling) and "yab-ok" (dust) and nobody could get the words. Then the kids paid back by having us guess words like "hangin" (air) - and we guessed it with time to spare. The kids didn't realized that the trick to Pinoy Henyo is deduction (going from the general to the specifics) and listening only to to one person you trust who will get you to the word you need.

The trick to getting the job done is logic: deductive reasoning - taking the general and going to specifics or vice versa or just removing the whats-not with the what -can-bes. And just listening to just one person - the client. I remember someone telling me that if you solve root of the problem first - then things will just fall into place.

I'm watching a movie with a friend tonight. I need to rest my mind or they will fry.

Tao? Hindi. Hayop? Hindi. Bagay? Hindi. Liquid? Hindi. Gas? Oo.
Aso (Smoke)? Pwede. Utot? Pwede.
Hangin! Oo!

La lang. Hehe.

Davao

Davao is great and lots of fun.

Went to Eagle Park and saw Pag-asa, the 18 year old eagle who was the first of its kind to be bred and hatched in captivity.

We stayed in Hari Royale Suites which is a block away from Gaisano City and just across the street from the Sta. Ana Church where my brother got married. Next to it is a bread house for coffee and snacks and a 24-hour Calderetta eatery if you need something more substantial. A few houses away there is an affordable carinderia where we would eat breakfast or have a quick meal.

The wedding reception was held at the Grand Men Seng Hotel at the Serenade Ballroom with a winter wonderland theme. Very cool and classic.

After the wedding, we went to Matina Town Square (MTS) and tried the durian coffee (hot and cold) at Blu Gre - the Davao version of Blue Jay. The family occupied a long line of tables and laughed their heads off.

To cap the night, we headed to Jack's Ridge to see Davao City in lights, it's a mountain top restaurant and bar overlooking the city. Had drinks and was serenaded by four gentlemen with Tatay's favorite songs.

The next day, we went to Malagos Garden Resort to catch the 10:30am Bird Show. Tatay got pecked on the hand by an ostrich there but he was fine. We saw miniature horses, a whole lot of birds of course, goats, white mice and a whole lot more.

Then we had lunch before going into the Japanese Tunnel. They have a tiny prison in there if you want to try it. lol.

Then we headed for the zipline. Unfortunately it was raining when we got there so we didn't get to zip. So instead we tried the zorb ball and in pairs, we all rolled down a hill like jack and jill inside a huge rubber ball. Nasty ride but a whole lot of fun. Still reeling from the vertigo though lol.

We skipped the crocodile farm because my brother had to catch the afternoon flight to Manila, so instead we had waterball rumble. Only one of us managed to stand in the water. Makes you wonder how Jesus did it.

By the time we got back to the hotel, we didn't have enough time to buy our pasalubongs. We again talked late into the night, said our goodbyes, packed our bags for a very early flight back to Iloilo.

Would like to thank my sister-in-laws, Rhoda and her family in Davao for the warm welcome, Daisy for helping me find a dress, Vangie for my Starbucks 2011 Planner :) Also Armin, for letting me hold and unprofessionally use his Canon DSLR camera during the wedding. Thanks to Mart, for the bubble gum episode - that was hilarious, for my talented nephew, Paolo - for singing great songs that makes us proud; to all my nephews and nieces who have inherited every sarcasm and wise cracks their older counterparts are known for.

And to my family, travelling with you is like moving to a different planet :D Hopefully we could all do this again.