chopsuey

CHEAPEST FARE HOME

I think that I already found the cheapest way to commute home from Makati.

From Rustan’s Makati, I took a bus that passes Boni Ave. I got off at Robinsons Plaza in Pioneer St. Beside it is the waiting area for jeepneys that ply Boni Ave. and Kalentong. I got off at Gabby’s, where there is a banca to Bacood. My fare was less than 20 pesos. Were I to take jeepneys from Ayala to PRC, etc., it would cost me 30 pesos. If I were to take an FX from Landmark to Nagtahan and then a jeepney to Bacood, it would cost me 42 pesos. And if I were to take a taxi, the fare would be around 100 pesos. I should know very well as I always take a taxi when I go to my German class.

If only the bridge from Bacood to Kalentong were already constructed (it has been years since its construction begun), there wouldn’t be a need to ride a banca or take short rides. I could just walk home from Kalentong. Or perhaps, by then, there would be jeepneys from Punta, Kalentong, etc. that would pass Bacood and I wouldn’t walk home. But then again, it’s quite nice to walk at night. I didn’t even sweat tonight. It’s colder than yesterday. I heard that yesterday was so far the hottest day in Metro Manila this year.

Anyway, this is not the first time I took this route (Boni-Kalentong) home. I hitched a ride with my classmate Bebot last February 17 because I wanted to be home earlier to prepare for the date with my mother to watch the Chinese acrobat show at PICC. Bebot dropped me off at Boni Ave. and before I could cross to the flyover, I noticed the jeepneys to Kalentong. I backtracked and located its station beside Robinsons Plaza.

Strange, it has been exactly a month since I took this route. But perhaps, this will be my way from now on. I haven’t experienced any heavy traffic yet. I just don’t know the situation during the day.



A BREAK FROM GERMAN

In any case, my German 7 class will end soon: next month. And I already agreed with my classmates from the DFA that we wouldn’t enroll next term. First, our teacher in German since level one would go to the United States to teach at the University of Wisconsin for the summer. And we don’t want any other teacher to guide us through and prepare us for Zertifikat Deutsch. Second, we need to review German from level one without the stress of weekly assignments and compulsory attendance. Right now, learning languages is no longer fun for us; as it was before. We always have assignments in German and in French. Four of us are also classmates in French. It is stressful to rush assignments for both courses, in addition to our workload at this period.



HAUSAUFGABE

It’s quite fortunate that for our assignment for today’s class, I only adapted from my blog entry in October 2005: first kiss (http://sayong.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_archive.html).

It was still quite difficult as I had to revise it in German. But perhaps, it is not as difficult as starting from scratch. I added a few lines... deleted some... wrote in German...in short, it’s not easily recognizable :)


Hausaufgabe: Der erste Kuss

Erinnerst du dich noch an deinen ersten Kuss?

Um die Wahrheit zu sagen, ich erinnere mich noch nicht daran und ich kann mich nicht erinnern daran. Aber es bedeutet nicht, dass ich keine eins habe. Und es gibt ohne beleidigende Absicht zu ihm, mit wem ich meinen ersten Kuss hatte.

Aber ich kann an der Junge, in den ich erste verknallt war, sehr gut mich erinnern.

Er war Filipino-Chinese, dessen Vater Bruce Lee vergötterte. Deshalb war sein Name so wie Bruce Lees Sohn – Brandon Lee. Obwohl Lee sein Familinname ist, heißt er „Kuya“ oder Bruder Lee.

Er war meinen Vorgesetzter in Karate und “Arnis”. Arnis ist eine Sorte von asiatische Kampfsportarten, die ist die Filipinos zugeschrieben worden.

Ich habe in asiatische Kampfsportarten trainiert als ich vierzehn (14) Jahre alt war.

Ich war damals ein jungenhaftes Mädchen und ich reagierte so bereitwillig beim geringsten Anlaß. Kuya Lee hat mich oft provoziert oder geärgert. Deshalb schlug ich ihn oft damals. Im einen Fall drohte er mich zu küssen, ob ich habe ihn nicht schlagen gehalten.

Irgendwie wurde er einen engen Freund von mir. Und ich widmente zu ihn ein Gedicht mit zwölfen Strophen als einen Teil von mein Projekt im Fach in Filipino. Ich habe noch das Gedicht. Ich habe auch noch damals mein Tagebuch, wo ich habe viel über ihn geschrieben.

Es ist jetzt ganz amüsant zu denken diese an.



ALA NOVELA

Classmates teased me for writing a long assignment. They didn’t know that I could go on and on and on when I am in form. Often, especially this election period, lack of time and fatigue stop me from writing on my blog.

I must miss writing for just last Wednesday morning, I had a dream that was a good candidate for a telenovela, especially Korean. I dreamed that I watched a telenovela where a guy seemed to ignore and distance himself from a girl. In one scene, the guy didn’t want to accompany the girl home. But when she got home, she heard her girl-friend talking to the guy on the phone, who was checking if she got home safely. End of the scene. In my dream, some friends and I were talking about this soap. One told us the reason why the guy was distancing himself from the girl. He thought it was no use showing his affection as he would die soon. Drama :)

My dream must also be an offshoot of all the telenovelas that I watch these days (Super Twins, Bakekang, Jumong, Princess Hours and starting last Tuesday, Gokusen) and thinking about the assignments that I need to pass. In German, there’s the first love/first kiss and for the French class, the introduction for a film (love story).



SAINT CINNAMON

Why am I still awake and going on and on? Because of two cups of coffee :)

This Saturday is my classmate Jackie’s birthday. After our German class, we proceeded to Gerry’s Grill in Ayala Center with our teacher. We also persuaded a new classmate, Red, to join us in the celebrating Jackie’s birthday.

Our meal of Sinigang na Hipon, Crabmeat Rice, Bagoong Rice, Chopsuey, Chichabit, Sisig and Inihaw na Pusit was delicious. My only criticism is that I asked for water three times and none of the waiters brought one. The comfort room also stinks :(

Anyway, while waiting for ex-classmate Marc at Gerry’s Grill, we ordered coffee instead of having one at another place.

When we parted ways, I went to Saint Cinnamon at the second floor of Glorietta Center. Jackie, our teacher and I took our snacks there last week. And I love its cinnamon rolls. I came back tonight and bought Choco Chips, Black Forest, Nuts and Raisins, Blueberry, Blueberry Cheese, Butterscotch Almond, Butterscotch Pecan and three pieces of Decadent Rolls. The saleslady told me that a roll has a shelf-life of one month if refrigerated.

Black Forest

BlueberryCheese

Blueberry

Butterscotch Almond

Butterscotch Pecan

Choco Chips

Nuts and Raisins

Decadent Roll

My sister and I ate a Decadent Roll and I downed it with another cup of coffee.

Coffee never fails to keep me awake.



HARRY POTTER BOOK 7

But I must sleep soon or be sluggish tomorrow :)

But before I sign off, I found that there’s not only a 3-day sale in Ayala Center this weekend but that Goodwill Bookstore is already accepting reservations for the 7th series of Harry Potter: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. I can hardly wait to read its conclusion. I wish that it was already July.



sayong
03-17-07 11:55pm

lost in Manila

I got lost tonight.

I always find alternate routes going home from Makati. When
I couldn't figure out anymore what jeepney I'd take from Osmeña
Highway, I alighted from the Guadalupe-Taft jeepney and hailed a taxi
:)
As it was, I saw from the taxi that Pedro Gil was just a
block away and I could have taken a jeepney going to Sta. Ana from
there.
Well, now I know, after a P65 taxi ride :)

sayong
03-10-07 11:55pm

c’est la vie

I feel good.

I already lost 5 pounds, since I decided to lose weight last
January, according to the weighing scale in Mercury Drug at Glorietta
Center, Makati. Every Saturday (after my German 7 class), I make it a
point to go to Mercury Drug.

Perhaps, I would have lost more weight if I'd been exercising
these past two weeks. But until now, my smallest toe that hit a door
on Valentine's Day is still swollen. I haven't been to the doctor
since February 16.

But perhaps, I've been losing a pound every week since then
because there is no longer any birthday party to go to :) and I have
not been able to sleep well. My toe hurts and I particularly notice
the pain at dawn, when it is colder.

It is not as swollen as last week and a far cry from two
weeks ago. I noticed that the swelling decreased after I started
wearing sandals to the office last Wednesday and after several
application of hot compress as the doctor suggested on February 16
(which hardheaded that I am didn't follow). His remaining
instructions are to come back to him after a week if it still hurts
and to have it x-rayed, which I didn't do as well :)

Anyway, I feel good right now :)

As I told my German teacher and Jackie at Dulcinea, "this is
life!" C'est la vie in French or la vida maravillosa in Spanish.
Whatever. I can't help feeling « high » when I face lots of sweets :)
I only had churros con chocolate with café latte, although I wanted
to order mocca meringue and more :)

When we parted, I checked the sale in Glorietta. BPI Credit
Card is holding another 0% installment madness at Ayala Center this
March.

I ended up buying a Swatch watch. I can't remember if it was
2001 or 2002 when I last bought one. But this is my first Swatch
Irony. Swatch has, as a cliché goes, "a soft spot in my heart". It
is the first watch that I bought with my own money, when I was in
Geneva in 1994. If my memory was right, my first watch was a Casio,
given by my mother. It was stolen when I forgot it in our front yard.
Other watches that were given to me when I was still a teenager gave
me allergies. I still have photos where I wore handkerchief under my
watch.

Starting with the crowning of a tooth last March 1 and
further expenses today, my March seem to have started on the wrong
foot as far as expenses is concerned.

Again, c'est la vie :)

sayong
03-03-07 11:55pm