Where have all the flowers gone?

I'm going to break tradition and leave my own poetry behind for a while. I was just surfing through the web and thought of "Googling" Peter, Paul and Mary. The video here is the second video i watched on YouTube and well, I almost cried. Seeing them so old…

Yet so committed to their music and peace advocacy! And when the audience joined in on the singing, I just felt so, human and mortal.. And if you just listen to the words, it's all about the cycle of life, our mortality. And I thought, someday, I'll be old, too. And what will this generation think of my generation?

I still feel like crying when I watch this video. And led me to download 4 other versions did by different artists, namely, Joan Baez, The Mama's and the Papa's, Bruce Springsteen and would you believe, Earth, Wind & Fire. 

Touching Lives

I held your hand and suddenly I was warm
Clothed by the certainty of your touch, and
I forget who I was and only knew why I am.
And there were no questions anymore but only
A single knowing of what is to be at that moment -
I simply had to be in love.

Title: -
Date: February 15, 2003

 For 5 days, our PLDT was comatose. At first I thought it was because of the extension phone that my cousin himself hooked up to the main wall jack. But when the phone company's contractor technicians came for the service call, I later learned it was the main box itself. Main box? Whatever.

Anyway, what's funny is the experience we had just to get the truck roll. The problem started June 16. Since it was a weekend, there was a family gathering, I thought I should just spend time with my family and have it reported the next day, Sunday. I thought I'll just e-mail customer service as my DSL is a stand-alone SkyDSL. Convenient, come to think of it, when PLDT is acting up. I went to their website, found customer service's e-mail address, and hopefully, just like in my work, every e-mail has a service level and will receive the courtesy of being looked at and have a reply. 

Monday, Tuesday no reply. But as a precaution, since we don't have a phone line, I asked my sister to call 171 to report the issue. Not only that, on Sunday I asked a frequent-PLDT victim co-worker to call 171 and have my problems reported. We do that usually, whenever a cable is stolen in their area, which happens every two weeks, they'd lose phone service as well as myDSL. So when that happens to her, I call on her behalf. And you all know it costs to call 171.

On Tuesday my sister called them up and the rep said, it's already reported and we're lined up for a truck roll. My sister asked for the date. No date. We're just lined up. Now my co-worker is closely monitoring my case. As she learned that when you report an issue to PLDT they'll tell you that they need to do a test on their end to see what happened. That takes two freaking-effing days.  Only then will they issue a truck roll. So what if my issue is the wall jack? Naturally the test would turn out fine! 

Wednesday, Thursday, no word from PLDT. No reply to my e-mail (which is sad because when I was still in North Fairview, I applied for a Tele-tipid and one e-mail, I got my order number, took 24-48 hours, but that's normal I believe). Friday, I was frustrated. I'm on a fixed income and a breadwinner. When you're billed for something you're not using, the ATM comes to your mind and you imagine drawing money from your account only to throw it away to the trash bin. Because that's just what's happening. You're throwing money to the garbage having to pay monthly service you don't get to enjoy!

Friday night, I have had it. I scoured the net and looked for an e-mail address, any e-mail address of any top PLDT executive. I found one for a VP. He'll stay anonymous, but if you need it, message me! I told him the problem. Even went emo on him saying I'm a breadwinner and the only entertainment my mom has is GMA 7 and the phone to call my sisters and their respective kids.

Today is Sunday. My mom, who just dialed my sister's number, is sitting next to me excitedly telling her that a PLDT technician just came a-knocking to fix the phone!

What’s in a name?

Across the excess baggage
I found myself
mirrored in your image,
yet this reflection
is but a vague figure
of what I am,
more so, on what you
really are.
I put meaning on
your construed form
yet what I really
have is nothing
but what I really hope for,
and I have nothing
then.

Title: Noel X
Date: April 14, 1994, 3 am; written "somewhere in Luzon", on the road going to Cagayan.

Track: She Talks To Angels by the Black Crowes (Acoustic)

Ok, it's ironic that whenever our system, that means the system we use at work to look up and review customers' account, goes down, we at the Cyberesponse team have to take in calls. And for what?

To apologize. "I'm so sorry Mr. Jones, our system is currently having its regular system maintenance so I can't possibly pull up your account."

So there goes, we take calls to say sorry. Because we can't possible do anything without the customer's account. Ok that's a lie. I mean, if it's troubleshooting, sometimes we don't need their account in front of us. But seriously, when our system is down, then we can't do much with customers' question sent through e-mail just the same. So we take calls at least to free up more phone lines for customers.

So anyway, for three days now, as soon as 12.15 noon comes around, we go Inbound, receiving calls. While surfing the world wide web. (Side note: Did you know that the World Wide Web is the only phrase that has an abbreviation - www - that has more syllables and harder to say than the word abbreviated?)

And so I was entertained to know these:

My Elvish name is Elladan Minyatur.

Hobbit name is Fredegar Frumblefoot of Bywater

You can find out yours by going to http://www.chriswetherell.com/elf/

And then, there's my Smurf name. It's Evil Smurf, would you believe that?

 
The fun didn't stop there. I have a Mafia name. It's Bugs, The Brain Brasco. Not bad. At least it sounds like my ultimate idol, Johnny Depp's character in one of his films, Donnie Brasco.

I also have a superhero name. The Awesome Defender!! Nice. I'd like to think that's true. I'm awesome! He he! No really, we had a team meeting which was preceded by a group dynamics. We were to write the positive image of each other and one wrote I'm the group's defender!

Anyway, since everybody in the team were asking for theirs, I was so busy researching theirs that even my two supervisors pitched in and researched theirs and some of the teammates'. Then one teammate pitched in and gave us our porn name.

Mine was Nikki Jiggler!

Although if we follow the game that went around a few years back, it would be different. Here's how the game is played. Your porn's first name would be the name of your first pet. The last name would be the name of the street where you were born or grew up.

So what's my original porn name?

ELVIS QUIJOTE.

Any mental image there? A mustachioed 30something, well endowed, sweats a lot during a sex scene. And oh, it's the 80s porn, so right up the alley of Randy West and films like Debby Does Dallas and the like.

Not a nice picture there. Did it turn you on? Nah!

—-

Know your Smurf, Mafia, dating names at quizopolis.com

Again, again, again….

Track: Billy Joel's "(For The) Longest Time"

 I hate poetry,
and its cruelty.

Title: (untitled unfinished poem, although filed as "A line from a blue checkered notebook")
Date: c. early 90s

Watched the last installment for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Really now? A giant? Well, that photo here on this post… just thought of taking that.. simply irritated that Johnny Depp was out-exposed by Keira Knightley. 

Anyway, nothing to post today. I just wanted to make sure I'm posting after 3 days of "system downtime." My monitor quit working. Apparently because of a faulty power cable. I'm now surfing courtesy of a borrowed cable!

Dakilang Fan

Take off
your clothes.
Go on, strip!
Let me see your
body, and let
me feel it, too.
Let me touch
your beautiful contours,
then let me breathe
on you.
You always do this,
I know, nudity becomes you.
But don't ask
me to strip, too.

I never said nudity is always me.

Title: Nudity Is Always Art
Date: c. 1990-91

The picture on the left is of Reymond Sajor, a contestant in the firt Philippine Idol reality show. He didn't make it although he was one of the first contestants that Mr. C and the rest of the judges felt was a great singer. 

I saw him once, a week after the grand finals where Mau Marcelo eventually won. He was walking at the Araneta Center with Arms Cruz. I stood up from where I was, grabbed a paper place mat, grabbed a colleague's pen and left them in the cafe where we were dining al fresco. I ran after Reymond and asked for his autograph! Simply because he was in Philippine Idol and that my partner thought he's cute.

He is!!! And very friendly and accommodating. He signed the paper, and asked for my name. I gave my partner's name. It was to be a gift for him. So, if ever he remembers that incident, he'll have to call me by my partner's name. Anyway, he invited me to his gig. I apologized and told him that would be impossible as I work graveyard shifts as a call center agent. He understood and that was the end of it.

Or so I thought! Last Saturday, as I boarded JAC Liner at Kamias going to Sto. Tomas, Batangas (although the JAC Liner Bus is headed to Lucena - which makes a stop at Sto. Tomas), I saw him there as one of the passengers on the same bus I was on. He had make-up on, smearing in fact the collar of his cream jacket. He is absolutely cute!!! Nobody in the bus actually realized we were in the midst of an idol!

He is still looking cute. He was eating Mr. Chips, I think. And was just sitting there, and taking a nap from time to time. Now, do I approach him and introduce myself as, well, using the name of my partner? Or do I start all over again?

The problem was, I was seated 5 seats behind him. Next to him is big guy who I believe would make a scene if I ever so stand or sit on his arm rest to have a chat with Reymond. So I searched my travel bag and looked for a piece of paper so I could once again ask for his autograph, this time giving my real name.

But I couldn't muster the courage to do so. In fact, the only piece of paper I had was a bookmark that my partner gave as a gift to me. And here was what I planned. I will scribble this note:

"I didn't want to intrude on you privacy so I'm doing exactly the opposite - I'm giving you my "autograph." Could you please, please, please, text this number 0917.320.4xxx for your next gig and I promise I will be there. I will pay for my tickets, of course.

(Signed) Your pre-stalking-phase fan,

Yannick"

I planned to drop this to him before my stop. And here was my rehearsed lines (tell me what could have worked):

"Hi, Reymond. I didn't want to disturb you so I've written all I needed to say on this paper. Please read it carefully. Thanks!" Then as I leave I make that sign on my fingers to "call me!'

Another would have been, "Hi Reymond. I don't know if you remember me from the last time I asked for your autograph. I have this uncanny ability to show up on your most uncomfortable situation. Here, please read this. Thanks!"

That whole trip, I was so sleepy coming as it is from my shift. Normally, I would have slept the whole trip. In the end, nothing happened. As we reached my stop, ready with the bookmark, and as I passed his seat, I saw him there, asleep….

absolutely cute.. but asleep… all the rehearsal came for naught…

My heart was broken… as is the bookmark.. shredded into pieces.. scattered somewhere in Sto. Tomas, Batangas! 

Camera phones & wishing bridge

Just because the mind
would not write, you
rationalize with every smoke
you blow.

The inconvenience of a
mental block hides
behind the butt of a
cigarette, how convenient.

At the end of every
expired Winston is
a tag that says "writer",
and how you need the
inspiration for the mind
to explore, so you
swim on the thought of
dipping your pen in
malt, or vodka…

You ponder on the
required conflict
that tears the
poet apart, seeing
none that volunteers
itself at the moment,
you reach for a stick and

judgment swing like
a pendulum….

Title: Smoke Again Bohemian
Date: September 15, 1995

I took this photo using my camera phone during my lunch period yesterday, while waiting for my food to be served at Box O' Rice. I just have to mention that now they listen to customers. Whereas before they simply disregard request to cook eggs "well done", now they dutifully take note of requests like that. Anyway, it seems my camera phone has magic.

After my lunch, the Tic Tac disappeared. No trace at all. Now, if I take pictures of those a-hole mentors using my camera phone, will they disappear too? Without a trace?

This reminds me of Alex's and mine's favorite spot in Commonwealth Avenue. That footbridge in Ever Gotesco. For so many instances, while Alex and I wait for our respective rides home, we talk about certain people working in Convergys, then when a few minutes that person will simply show up! We now call it our wishing bridge.

So this gives me an idea. I have this major grudge against some mentors in the Cyberesponse team. I'll take pictures of them using my camera phone. They'll disappear. When I'm done with the grudge and the vengeful mode, I'll stand next to Alex near the footbridge and we'll talk about the missing mentors.

However, the catch is, it only works if Alex and I both know the person we're talking about. And since Alex is not familiar with the a-hole mentors…..

Scottish Fantasy

Loyalty & Piolo and Regine

Keep still,
Be strong.
The tide will pass.
The morrow gestures,
And she, in brightness clad,
Will embrace you with
Hope! Be glad!

Title: Musings #1
Date: c late 2001

Ok, this weekend my partner and I watched Pano Kita Iibigin. I'm assuming you guys already know who's starring in that movie. It's megged by Bb. Joyce Bernal. This is not actually a review.. So… ok…. There were a lot of crying. Both from Regine and Piolo. 

I can relate with Regine… I mean, that part when she's having a bad day because of the bills that needs to be paid and you're getting a customer who's so unreasonable. Only, we waited in anticipation how their first encounter over the phone would be played up later. But no. Just like in real life where you'll never know if that stranger you're staring at in the elevator could actually be someone you've encountered before in a not so pleasant way, both Regine and Piolo will never know that they once had a not-so-lovely conversation over the phone even before they met in Zambales.

Yeah, that's a thought. What if you're girlfriend now was someone who actually had a hand in that embarrassing fall in a manhole back when you two were just in grade school? 

Anyway, we watched the said movie at SM Lipa. I'm not much of an SM fan, for reasons I myself do not know. I am partial to Robinsons and the Gokongwei malls, although I must admit, most Robinsons have limited shops. I live near Robinsons Mall in Novaliches and I must say, I find it more convenient as the Big R is so spacious and you don't have to wait more than 10 minutes to be served for the check out. Boutiques are very few and the only thing I believe sustaining that mall is TeleTech (my former employer!). And movies, oh I just love watching a movie there. No long queues and no standing room only! 

I believe Robinsons serve me well! I love malling, but I simply hate the crowd.

Their department store in Novaliches has packed up and left. When I asked for a supervisor once because of a customer service complaint, I was told that the department store still rents space from the mall. Makes sense. The mall is operated by another arm and Robinsons Department Store by another business unit, so it is not surprising that they rent space from Shopwise too, at the Festival Mall in Alabang.

I did my Christmas shopping for '06, at the 11th hour, in fact, at their department store, before they made their swan song, and (don't you just notice my figures of speech there?) I enjoyed it so much. No large crowds, check out's a breeze, and there are shirts that I don't normally see at SM department store.

At Robinsons Lipa, you can say it's the usual Robinsons crowd. Not so many people there. Which surprised me as where did all the people in SM Lipa came from?? Mallers simply doubled!! 

What I like with Robinsons is the boutique called Sand. Good casual business clothes great for office dress ups. I don't think SM City has them. Haven't tried any clothes from Sand though but design is good.

I think that's nice. You know, if I have my own clothing line, I'd like to stay away from SM. I know that's not a good business decision. But just the same, I would like to have a certain exclusivity on my clothing shop. Again, not a good decision. I'm just being partial. I simply don't know why suddenly I found myself a Gokongwei loyalist. Same with C2. When I learned they had to open up more factories due to the demand for C2 Iced Tea, I admired how the Gokongweis can come up with a brand and made it click so fast.

It's something freaky I know, being so loyal to a company or a tycoon who doesn't even realize I exist, but I'm known for my strange loyalties (or loyalties with unknown origin, like my being a Kapuso loyalist!!!).

Ok, enough of this. My YM status says, "E-mail na sa trabaho, intenet pa sa bahay!!" My eyes are complaining, my fingers are numb! And here I go, surfing and blogging!

9 more e-mails and I won't need the help of those a-holes who sit there and text simply because they're wearing high-heels!!! Some kind of mentors!!!! 

- Screen capture of the movie Paano Kita Iibigin. 06/3/2007.

Mea culpa

I am the lonely I.
Caught in the middle of warring time.
Past overpowering,
Present so fleeting,
Tomorrow so deceiving.

The lonely I, I am.
Trapped in the middle of a sham.
Me so arrogant.
I so defiant.

Title: The Lonely I, I am
Date: c 2001 (poem untitled and unfinished; I'm quite unsure why "me so arrogant" and "I so defiant" was written that way… hmmmm… arrogant to claim poetic license??? heee heeee)

See that entry yesterday? The fine prints to describe the photo? I said stupid theft….

Yikes! Stupid thief!

My bad!  

- Photo taken by Rucci at Laiya, San Juan, Batangas on May 5, 2007. Stolen shot of "Zanjoe", Alex's 174th crush at CVG!

Slippers

i will never
say "everything
for you,"
because we started
out with nothing
and nothing came out
of it,
i had something
going for you,
but nothing coming
for me.

but i welcomed
anything, but nothing,…

"and everything was for you."

Title: And Everything Was For You
Date: December 5, 1994

Aside from my eyes, my wrist is also calling my attention! Moving to CybeResponse means you're fingers are all sore and you go home with a headache from reading too many mails shown on our monitors in a very small fonts. And since only and administrator can change the PCs display settings, we're left to just grin and bear it!

During a lull in our work, we were called to gather in the Conference Room, our team leader recalled one initial interview for one of our teammates. During the initial interview, she was asked, "So, why do you want to transfer to the e-mail program?"

She answered: "Because I work better with my hands than with my mouth!"

Cool answer!! Mine was too predictable and too professional and too.. arrogant? Or something that would sound so rehearsed? I don't think I did rehearse for that particular question but when I was asked why they should pick me for the pioneer group, I replied (since prior to this question the interview went to my experience in the public relations industry as a copywriter/account officer), "I know how to deliver bad news in a not so negative way."

And so in my fourth day, it seems I am averaging 11 e-mails a day. The company standards? 7 e-mails per hour! At the rate I'm going, I'm going nowhere.

- The picture in this entry is taken from one of the team huddling (is that even a word?) in the conference room. The team mate had to use her dad's slippers stocked in the car as the strap on her sandals broke. Which is far better than what happened today at work. An agent was hysterical as she lost something when she was taking a nap in the Quiet Room. Everybody waited for an idea what the lost item was. Is it a cellphone? An iPod? Wallet? It was one of her slippers. So there! She has to continue with her work with just one of the pairs! Stupid theft! As you can see, I'm running out of titles!