In today's episode of Bizarre Jobs...

I saw these for the first time at a marathon event last weekend. Of course, I'm not among the runners. Instead of committing to race and climb for the environment, I used my "I'm one of the organizers" hat to excuse myself from participating in the activity. I'd like to think I've done my part in helping put this together in my own little way. I helped make a difference without getting jabar and panting for dear life. 25 flights of stairs? Are you kidding me?! There are things that you can do which I can't do and vise versa. Haha. If I get the determination to be fit enough for a vertical marathon, I'm sure I can do it but why bother if it means giving up the finer things in life? hehe (what a twisted health philosophy)

So what to do when the event is underway and the only thing left to do is wait for the runners to finish their... uhm... running? People-watching. Always a favorite past time.

And here's what I saw. Innovative Pinoys have found a way to come up with more cost-effective blimps. Makes sense. This will work for people who love to people-watch or oggle anyway.

Got me wondering how much these guys make by alternately standing or walking around with a branded balloon strapped on their backs. An innovative twist of making something out of doing nothing. Since these things contain gas, it should be light, right?

I'm sure it's difficult to a certain extent but it's really funny to observe. What if he needs to go to the restroom, does he leave the balloon outside and then wear it again or just wear the balloon inside the toilet? He does his thing standing up facing a urinal anyway. So it's okay. 

I assume he's not allowed to walk with his other balloon-carrier friends because the idea is to spread out. It would also look bad if the walking blimp man texted, smoked or ate popcorn while doing this... so what can he do with his free hands? Ah, pick his nose.

And if it gets really windy? Wahahahahaah! My colleagues and I were so amused, we probably spent like half an hour staring at them by the curb where the runners are supposed to pass when they're done, imagining all these scenarios.

Like, really, what goes through their minds? After a few hours of doing this I'm sure they're bored as hell. So yes, don't expect them to be walking around with a smile on their faces. They are not mascots. I think the red blimp man got excited in one instance where a group of girls asked to take a photo with him... until they asked him to kneel and hide behind them so only the balloon is included in the photo.

Landslide

There are songs that you love to sing over and over, and there are those that you love to listen to over and over because it touches your soul. Just because.

I imagine myself alone on the beach, staring out to sea. There's not a lot of people in this area. Shades and earphones on, I'm watching the waves crash onto the fine white sand. It's 3 p.m. and I have a beer bottle in hand. And then Landslide by Fleetwood Mac plays from the iPod.

Suddenly, I have the perfect music to feed on this pensive mood.

There's anxiety in knowing that nothing is certain, except change. For some of us, we're still wondering what's the next phase that we'll have to go through in life and how far will life take us. At times we also think about the worst that could happen to us -- and we know that the things that we've gone through at this point aren't the worst yet because we're out here, alive.

If we're in a good place now, are we afraid of change? Perhaps -- because we'll never know if it's for better or worse until it happens. And if the time comes when something big happens or a major step needs to be taken which will change our lives (for better or worse), would we be able to cope?

And what if we refuse change? Will we live our lives wondering what might have been or what we could have been missing out on all along?

"Time gets bolder, children get older, I'm getting older, too."

There's just something about nature and music (and alcohol) that makes me stop and think and take life a little more seriously.

But in lieu of the beach, I'm lying on my back in the wee hours of the morning, staring into darkness while listening to my playlist and waiting for sleep to come.

How ready are we, really, to take life as it happens?

(Hmmmm okay. I think my brain still holds some residue from our philo classes back in college; a fragment of that neverending quest for the purpose of life.)

Just listen to the song and close your eyes.

That, at this time, some people still don't know BASIC PowerPoint makes me want to cry.

It's more accpetable for an empty nester but if you're right out of a reputable college or something... Seriously, naiiyak ako!!! But I will help you, I just wish you gave me more time. Haha. Fine. I love you.

Don't assume that I can read your mind because I can't, you fool.

Yun lang. Good vibes! Thanks!

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Minsan

Pag feel na feel mong maganda ka, gumaganda ka nga talaga. Aura ang tawag don. Nadadala ng self-confidence. Pero lumevel up ka based lang dun sa dati mong itsura. Kumbaga, mas maganda ka kaysa sa itsura mo dati. Hindi ibig sabihin na maganda ka talaga, dahil feeling mo lang yon.

Pero malamang masgaganda ka pa kung mabait ka rin. Dahil kung mabait ka, pagbibigyan ko na yang pagfe-feeling mo. Suportahan pa kita.

Gets mo ko, 'teh?

 

I'm happy like a hippie.

Long talks about life. That's what happens when you have one of those quiet nights with friends. One of the things I realized is that I think I have everything I need to get through this particular phase in life (not sure what phase this is though). I mean, when I was asked what I thought was lacking at this point, it took me a while to answer. Sure I'm alone but I'm not lonely. I WANT a lot of things but needs are different.

Am I happy? Yes. Not in a cloud nine kind of way, but happy in a peaceful way. God's been good. We still have mom, I have a job that I like (on most days), and I'm surrounded by wonderful people. If you feel the love, what else do you really need? I'm happy like it's my birthday. Haha

I know some people go through worse in life and that's when I get to appreciate the things that I have and the people around me.

Hmmmm. If I have bad days, I also have good days. So this blog wasn't made for rants alone after all.

I love my life. :) Good MorningN Makati!

I'm not on your feed but I'm on the social network dot com.

My cousins have been teasing me for having a dormant Facebook account saying I should rediscover how to post pics because I've forgotten.

So I've been inactive on Facebook... NOT! See, I've been busy (because I have a lot to say haha), but I just don't post photos, videos or status updates as often.

And why should I bother posting when other people can do it for me? hehe.

Outfits for all occasions!

Saw photos of spontaneous Friday. One thing I realized -- I wore the same thing all day, which should be fine because I'm not a celebrity.

Jeepney in the morning, clubbing in the evening? So I already have Manila's grime before noon, which by late evening was layered with the scent of smoke, alcohol, sweat and whatever else you pick up from a club, and then a friend threw up -- not on me -- but I had to carry her. AMEN. Good thing I knew I was gonna sleep over and was sober enough to wash my face, brush my teeth and change clothes so I wouldn't have had to sleep in my Friday clothes! (It would have been okay without the jeepney ride in the morning, really.)

Saturday was no different. I wore a dress to a wedding reception, went to Podium and met a friend for a late lunch (so that's okay, I'm still clean), headed to SM Mall of Asia where it rained really hard on an uncovered street party -- that we're dripping wet was an understatement --, headed to Gumbo for the media dinner where we dried up because of the aircon (++ increased chances of pneumonia), afterwards went straight to a friend's party in the same dress and once again, I went home bathing in grime, dried rain, cigarette scent, sweat and whatever else you pick up from home garden parties. (It would've been okay without the rain.)

So to those I hugged and who hugged me back those two days, thank you for not complaining. Either you guys are true friends who love me for who or what I am - or talagang mabango ko kahit ano mangyari. Or parang tissue, puedeng unscented. Hahaha

You can't blame my mom for always asking me in different ways when I greet her with a kiss upon arriving at the house: O, saan-saan ka nanaman nagpunta? Para kang pusa.

Wooooshoo, kung di ko naman sinulat sa taas, di naman ako mukhang madungis e.