Goodbye 2007

I wanted to write about the year that was but I guess I'm too much in a holiday mode today (although I'm here at the camp, working) that blogging seems to be a heavy task. hehe. :)

(Side joke: Since 2008 is the year of the rat, I suggest you do not put those waving gold cats in your home. hahahaha :))

Anyway, for documentation purposes, here's what my 2007 is all about.

January: Celebrated Padingtun baby's first birthday. :) Bought him small choco cakes. :) yipee! :) Aside from that (and also my Mom's birthday), I don't remember anything big from this month.

February: Being a lovefull, this is my favorite month of the year, next to December. Had my third Valentine's Day with Nixlove, and just like the past v-days, we had a blast. :) Lovelove. :) Bought him a book about Beatles while I bought Mom some perfume. :) Silly me, I can't seem to remember what I got from them. :&

March: Pre-election coverage started. Attended Media Nation 4.1 for the coverage protocol and had to share the table with media bigwigs from here and abroad like Charles Dickenson of Washington Post (an officemate of my writing heroes Woodward and Bernstein). Yipee! :)

April: Out of impulse, Nixlove and I went to LB. It was a very spontaneous trip. Also went to Bicol with Nixlove!! (this one is planned) :) Went to the beach and played with the waves like kiddos! :) I can say this was one of our happiest trips. :)

May: Joined multiply! :) Midterm elections. Again, this was a very busy month but I gained new friends from co-reporters covering Namfrel and Genuine Opposition. :) INQUIRER.net ed staff were all rewarded with an all-expense paid trip to Puerto Galera by the office. :) Yipee! :) Snorkeling fun, sun exposure, and shopping galore! :)

June: School year started. I wish I started my MA too. But that would have to wait. :)

July: Nixlove and I celebrated our third anniversary :D Lovelove :) Also had my first big story of the year: an exclusive about Jonas Burgos' abduction. Before that, I had my first ever super clandestine meeting with a source. It was a terrifying but rewarding experience.

August: Ho-hum. :) Highlight of the year. :) No, I didn't get married but it was more like it. :) Secret marriage? You can guess.

September: Estrada verdict coverage. Sunbathed in a rally with a crumpy face and a hungry tummy. :) The best thing about this month was when I met the rest of Nixlove's family at his Mom's birthday celeb in Leslie's, Alabang.:) All of his aunts and uncles and relatives were really nice. :)

October: Glorietta blast coverage. It was unnerving, depressing, tiring all at the same time. Good thing it didn't happen during Nixlove's birthday. :) We feasted on Nixlove's original pasta recipe . :)

November: Congress explosion. First time ever to see a dying person. Trust me, it was not an experience worth having. Oh, and the most-talked about Manila Peninsula siege. Yeah! One hell of a coverage! :)

December: As I've said, this is my favorite month of the year. :) Celebrated my 22nd birthday and had a series of parties for Christmas. :) Who doesn't love December? :)

It was a great year. :) I hope my lucky stars would stay with me throughout the coming year. :) Happy New Year everyone! :)

Spice Girls in Manila?!! :)

Ohmy, if the reports are true, I'm getting front row seats! haha :)) I actually found out about Spice Girls' supposed concert here in Manila in my friend's blog, where he quoted a celebrity's blog. :p Ohwell, I really hope this rumor is true and their concert could be one of the best events ever in 2008! :)

Gone are the days that I wore platform shoes like those of Emma Bunton (my favorite, Baby Spice) (hahaha!) but hey I still love Spice Girls! I never stopped loving them. :) Imagine, back in grade school and early high school, my room was so full of Spice Girls posters that my grandma even wanted my room repainted when I left for college. :) I also had every possible magazine where Spice Girls made it to the cover. Grabe, my notebooks even had Spice Girls postcards! haha :)) talk about being a die hard fan! :)

I cried when Geri left the group and I almost cried when I learned they got back together for a series of concerts. Hay. How I wish Spice Girls would really be in Manila, Promise, I'll even ask the office if I could cover the event hahaha so I could interview my favorite girl group! hihihihi :) Kahit hindi showbiz ang beat ko! :)

I'm excited, sana lang totoo. :p

Top 10 Most Read Stories, Columns on INQUIRER.net in 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The standoff, led by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City last November 29 and the Chinese teen that killed himself when a blind date turned ugly topped this year’s Most Read Stories on INQUIRER.net.

Meanwhile, Dollywood reigned as the Most Read Column in 2007.

Below are the Top 10 Overall Most Read Stories and Top 10 Overall Columns on INQUIRER.net for 2007:

Top 10 Overall Most Read Stories

1. (UPDATE 18) Trillanes, Lim arrested; Makati standoff ends Nov 29, 2007 Nation

2. Chinese teen kills self when blind date turns ugly – report Jan 5, 2007 Infotech

3. June 2007 nursing board exams result out Aug 26, 2007 Breaking News

4. (UPDATE 19) Mall bomb blast kills 8, hurts more than 100 Oct 19, 2007 Nation

5. 48% pass nursing exams Aug 29, 2007 Nation

6. Cloudy skies may block RP view of lunar eclipse on Tuesday Aug 27, 2007 Nation

7. (UPDATE 3) Estrada guilty of plunder; perjury rap dropped Sep 12, 2007 Nation

8. Bomb rocks Congress; solon among 4 killed Nov 14, 2007 Nation

9. Pimentel son on embattled Abalos: ‘Karma’ Sep 18, 2007 Nation

10. ’07 nursing board results out in August Jun 29, 2007 Nation

Christmas and working (but I'm not complaining :p )

December 24 and 25 have been declared non-working holidays. But it doesn't have much effect on journalists like me. :) Long before I've been hired, I knew I had to share my time with the public.

So, today I had to stake-out at the Camp Crame Custodial Center where Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and his Magdalo followers have been detained since the Manila Peninsula siege. As we watched how sad families of the soldiers are, we reporters feasted on C2, Bravo biscuits and Vinegar Pusit snacks. Hahaha. =))  At least I don't have to help out preparing food for the Noche Buena at home. hehe :)

Ohwell. :)

I'm glad I'm done with Christmas shopping. Now I only have to wait for 5 pm so I can leave the camp, go home and enjoy the holiday with my family. :)

Now, I wonder what life would be like if I'm already married with Nixlove and if we have kids and I have to work on Christmas Day. Hmmm.

----

IN YOUR EYES (George Benson)

:D

I think I finally know you
I can see beyond your smile
I think that I can show you
That what we have is still worthwhile
Don't you know that love's just like the thread
That keeps unravelling but then
It ties us back together in the end

(Chorus)
In your eyes, I can see my dream's reflections
In your eyes, found the answers to my questions
In your eyes, I can see the reasons why our love's alive
In your eyes, we're drifting safely back to shore
And I think I've finally learned to love you more

You warned me that life changes
That no one really knows
Whether time would make us strangers
Or whether time would make us grow
Even though the winds of time will change
In a world where nothing stays the same
Through it all our love will still remain

(Repeat Chorus)
In your eyes, I can see the reasons why our love's alive
In your eyes, we're drifting safely back to shore
And I think I've finally learned to love you more

How mad and stupid people can be

I was sleeping soundly on a Sunday morning (yes, my day-off, but I don't mind) when our editor-in-chief JV Rufino gave me a ring for a story. He asked me to verify a certain radio report that around 10,000 people converged at the Quirino Grandstand because some fool had promised to give them cash gifts.

I assumed it was just another ha-ha or exagerrated story, something not really worthy to write about, especially on a peaceful, sunny Sunday morning. I was dead wrong.

It turned out to be true, and indeed there were people mad enough to give false hopes during trying times (Christmas is coming soon and we know how sad Christmas can be for the less fortunate). What's more depressing is the fact that around fifteen thousand people actually believed they will be given a hundred thousand each! 

Hay. Last month, there's this guy who had the guts to use media as his human barricade while leading a revolt at the Manila Peninsula. Then there's this woman who had the guts to actually bring along over a dozen lawmakers for her Euopean trip while the country is suffering from its almost all-time low poverty state. 

What's happening to our country? It's irritating to hear all these news. And I'm telling you, it is more irritating to write all about these things. Grr. What an irritating Sunday.

--------------------------------- (Click title to view full story.)

Hope of cash gift brings 15,000 to Quirino grandstand
But go home empty-handed

By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 06:45pm (Mla time) 12/09/2007

MANILA, Philippines--(UPDATE) Around 15,000 people, mostly from Northern and Southern Luzon provinces, arrived at the Quirino grandstand Sunday, hoping for a P100,000 Christmas cash gift from a certain charitable foundation, police said.

But those who came eventually went home empty handed and hungry as the man who had promised them money holed out at the nearby Manila Hotel, said Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales, Manila police district director.

----------------

Transition group eyed had Trillanes succeeded, says document

(I wrote this story during my birthday--yes I was on duty--and a kind police official gave me the document I was quoting in this story as a birthday gift. Don't you think Trillanes was in his right mind when he planned all these? Your guess is as good as mine. =D )

---------------------------

 

By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 05:32pm (Mla time) 12/03/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Had Senator Antonio Trillanes IV succeeded in toppling the Arroyo administration last week, a National Transition Council (NTC), would replace the ousted regime, the Philippines would have been put under a "lean and mean" military and police force, all bank accounts of middle-class families would be monitored, and media outlets would be "freed from the control of big advertisers."

In a five-page document entitled "Proposed Program," which police seized last Thursday from one of the rooms at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City after the six-hour uprising led by Trillanes, the NTC would also implement emergency measures such as to "crush with iron fist all pockets of resistance by remnants of the old regime" and to “mete out severe penalties for acts of lawlessness that usually follow the collapse of an ancient regime.”

VIEW FULL STORY HERE: Transition group eyed had Trillanes succeeded, says document

Happy 22 :)

When I was at the Manila Peninsula covering the hotel revolt, I realized how important simple things are. Until then I didn't know that lack of water and air would bother me at all (you see, i'm a very happy-go-lucky person haha). But as police started their assault, with all the gunshots I was hearing, and when teargas fumes tried to get inside my body, I realized I was not ready to die yet. Not that way.

I still have a lot of dreams to fulfill..dreams for myself, dreams with Nixlove, dreams for my mom, dreams for my loved ones. I said that day, "uh-oh I'm just 21, please let me at least reach my 22nd bithday." I'm lucky heavens listened. :) Now I'm here blogging, on the first hour of my 22nd year. :)

In those hellish times at the posh Manila Peninsula hotel I was glad I had reporters-friends who made me laugh (terrible jokes, really hehe). My desk editors who helped me keep calm and who even prepared a lawyer just in case I'll be arrested. There were also police and military officials who even called just to extend their cares. And of course, there were those heaven-sent people who even texted me to ask if I was alright. Those texts fueled my will to live. :) Thank you, everyone. :)

Anyway, today I'm officially 22--a bad number for some because it's like the " kneeling position." I hope not to encounter bad lucks this year, oh please!! I'm very optimistic anyway so I would not let my age spoil this special day :)

I wonder what happens next. I'm 22; I have a good life, a good job. I have a lot of friends, I have a happy family, and I have Mommy and Nixlove. :) I could not actually ask for more.What's there to look forward to then?

Oh, maybe a masters degree in Journalism..how I wish I have the time. :) Marriage? hmm, you would probably be surprised if I tell you when.. haha :) Kids? Uh-oh, not now. :D Career shift? I don't think so. :)

My ultimate birthday wish? World peace. Really. :) I'm not a pageant candidate now but you have to take me seriously in this one because after covering a close-to-war scenario, I felt the need for a peaceful, worry-free life. haha :)

Ok, I need to get my beauty rest now because in the next hours, it's time to rock the world. :)

Teargas, harassment and Trillanes

It is of great delight and relief that I am writing this entry at the comfort of my home and not in a police station or in a fully barricaded hotel in Makati City.

Thank heavens, thank heavens.

Today's coverage was probably the biggest, indubitably the scariest and the most dangerous I've had so far.

It was just a normal day for me (except for my additional coverage of the Armed Forces to take over Joel who's in Basilan) until the day desk editor asked me to see what Senator Antonio Trillanes' show was all about. A simple show it was not, however.

I arrived at the Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati City just in time (around lunch), luckily several minutes before the heavily armed Magdalo soldiers closed the area to the public. I approached NCR chief, Police Director Geary Barias who was having coffee at the lobby. Barias later tried to get to the second floor of the hotel where Trillanes et al have holed out but he was barred. I knew then it was going to be a long coverage.

I was able to get to the second floor through an elevator the Magdalo soldiers were stupid enough not to guard, hehe. Then the action began.

Former UP President Dodong Nemenzo, one of my favorite sources, told me he would never leave the hotel, just like Trillanes, Brig Gen Danilo Lim, and former vp Teofisto Guingona and the rest of the gang. I was determined to stay too, upon orders of the office and because covering it seemed like a calling, not just a job. To stay calm we reporters took pictures, chatted about how our moms and boyfriends were telling (even pleading)us to go home, and jokingly told each other how we appreciated spending what could be our last hours together.

Around 2:30, we heard gunshots outside the hotel and we saw the Special Action Force, an elite police unit, and the military wheeling their tanks towards where we were situated. It was then that we decided to take the hotel's table cloths. We ripped them off and made it our hankies, as we anticipated security forces to throw teargas. And they did. The next thing I knew I was trying to pour water all over my face from a glass I don't know who last used it.

Then we were crawling like soldiers in a battlefield as we tried to see the hotel lobby. We had to crawl out of fear of being shot. I finally grasp the meaning of the motto "no story is worth dying for."

Later on Trillanes conceded and promised to leave the hotel. We were relieved.

And as security forces tried to ram their tanks through the hotel entrance and as Barias called me and advised me to leave, I knew it was time to go. When the SAF ordered media to go despite the teargas fumes we had to bear on our way out, I immediately conceded.

It was then that I broke down and cried because I was not able to breath or see a thing due to the teargas smoke while I had to shout 'Media' to the SAF personnel who were pointing their long firearms. One SAF even dragged me like I was some kind of a suspect and another was kind enough to (rudely however) pour water over my face to get rid of the teargas.

Seconds after, I was finally out and it felt like the best thing on earth! Ah air! Fresh air! I then made my way out and hid behind a big pillar because the desk editor told me police would arrest reporters inside. Haha, so I now also know what it feels like to be a fugitive. I felt guilty though that some of my friends were not spared from being arrested. :(

It has been a long day, definitely another historic event. And I'm just glad I was able to cover it--and more glad that I was able to come out alive. :)

Happy Tree Friends

http://happytreefriends.atomfilms.com/index.html
Whenever I get bored I view this site. bwahahahha :) morbid but funny :)

Beat chrismas party

Start:	Dec 14, '07 07:00a
Location:	--

Crame reporters with Chief, PNP DirGen Avelino Razon

INQUIRER.net Editorial christmas party

Start:	Dec 15, '07 04:00a
Location:	Hard Rock cafe-GB3

? :) Rock on editorial pips! :)

My birthday!! :)

Start:	Dec 3, '07 12:00a
Location:	:)

And Therese's, Ryan's, Ponso's, Jericho's too! (And dami ko palang kabirthday! haha)

I'll be 22! :)

One more chance and German Franks

I must say this is a very late post since I've seen John Lloyd and Bea's movie "One More Chance" on its second day. haha. :) I was supposed to watch it on its first showing day (beat that! haha) but the House of Representatives blast news follow-ups did not allow me.

Anyway, Mommy and I watched the movie Thursday night and I can say the movie was worth our money. Back in college, my dormmates and I would watch John Lloyd-Bea movies through a pirated vcd played at Sarah's computer so I can say with certainty "One More Chance" is not their usual mushy teeny-bopper overly baduy movie. :p

For a while, I thought it was MY movie, my story. haha :) Well, sans the Popoy-Basha break-up part. :) They shared five years (only that Nix and I have 3 1/2 so far--and counting) , and they loved being with each other's families. :) I can relate to the funny moments between a couple, the 'pambahay' outfits and the petty quarrels. :p Good thing the movie emphasized this: there must be individual growth. :)

And I realized that unlike Popoy in the movie, Nix is (always) kind enough to let me do what I want, to get the job that I want even if it meant less time for us during heavy-news days. It's a good thing Nix does not choose what I can eat, what I can wear. :) He practically accepted me as I am. :) Could it get any better than that?? :)

So I guess it's my turn to give him more chance to enjoy his other hobbies, most of which I had been jealous about these past few days. hehe

Nixlove has this one hobby though that I really love: cooking. :) hehe :) Although I know how to cook (thanks to HNF 11 and to cook books), cooking isn't what I'm really destined for..so Nix and I are really a perfect match! :) haha :) Back in lb, Nix loved to do most of the cooking while I had to do most of the dishwashing :) hihi. :) And when I went to Banaue for a field trip, Nixlove cooked lunch for me. :p

Anyway, last month, Nix cooked this yummy pasta in Olive oil, had it with German franks and Parmesan cheese and I can say he's the sexiest chef in the world! haha! :) Nixlove still owes me another bowl. I can't wait for Saturday! :)

I'm hungry now. Gotta go. :)

The face of death

In just almost one month, I've seen various faces of death and all of them were tragic.

Nixlove gave me an aquarium last August and I lovingly devoted time and effort to keep all of the fish alive. Unfortunately, two of them died this week. A resident veterinary at the petshop told me my water babies got some fungi (which is hard to accept since I've been painstakingly cleaning the messy, murky aquarium water.) Call me overly dramatic but I love my water babies. I've always loved fish for pets.

On October 19, we all know an explosion ripped the entrance of Glorietta 2 mall, killing at least 11 and injured over a hundred others. And I saw four cadavers. And although it must seem oh-so-natural for me to be seeing (literally) dead people because I'm at the police beat, I still get scared you know. Fortunately work weighs more that my emotions and I was able to continue with the story.

And on November 8, lawyer Rene Saguisag, his wife, driver, and a dance instructor figured in a vehicular accident at Osmena road. His wife Dulce, a former DSWD secretary, died on the spot. Saguisag is still recuperating at St. Luke's Medical center and all the time I was at the hospital for the coverage, I had to bear with the grief surrounding their family.

And last night, a suspected bomb went off at the south wing of the House of Representatives, which killed at least four (as of this writing) and left 12 others hurt. I was tasked to cover the hospitals where the victims were rushed. I was luckily allowed to enter the emergency room of the New Era General Hospital and saw Representative Henry Teves and two others in great pain because of burns and shrapnel wounds. I saw how Julasiri Hayudini, an aide of the late Basilan Representative Wahab Akbar, fought for her life. I left her alive when I left the hospital, athough her vital signs were no longer stable. She died 4:40 pm today.

I don't really care seeing gory images or bloody victims. What really bothers me is this reality: How short life is. 

Keep safe, everyone.

The Salonga dream

In my whole journalistic career, I had a lot of 'dream interviews.' However, I only have two ultimate dream interviews: one with Ninoy Aquino and another with Jovito Salonga. And for obvious reasons the Ninoy dream will never come true (I was born three years after he died). I only had Salonga then to make my ultimate dream interview come true.

I have always been afraid that Salonga, who is already 87 years old, would suddenly pass away. I have always prayed a longer life for him because the country still needs his ideas and mostly because I still want to meet him, to finally shake hands wih a living legend.

Salonga was a good lawyer, a superb statesman this country had been very lucky to have. And I just feel the luckiest today. Yes, I have literally faced my dream! :) Well, it's just sad that my gain was the loss of a great lawyer, Rene Saguisag.

I was tasked to cover Saguisag (who figured in a road accident at Osmena highway). Saguisag's wife, Dulce died on the spot while the former senator remained under observation at the ICU of Makati Med. Anyway, Salonga went to the hospital to visit his old colleague and I just watched him in awe. I could not even ask him questions! haha. :) I was that star-struck. :)

When all of the reporters were done asking, Salonga left. But I knew I must not let him go! So I ran after him and politely introduced myself. Unfortunately, he did not hear me because his right ear was already deaf. Good thing his other senses were still properly working; he then took my hand and motioned me to speak towards his left ear. I again introduced myself, which he acknowleged this time by repeating what I just said. All the time we were talking, he held on to my arms because he needed support while standing. I was almost crying! 

I was finally talking to one of the greatest senators this country ever had! And he lived this long (and hopefully longer)! He's lucky, very lucky, considering the fact that he was almost killed in August 21 Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971. "His doctors' prognoses were grim—he was not expected to live. He survived, however, with impaired eyesight and hearing, and more than a hundred tiny pieces of shrapnel in his body. Despite his inability to campaign, he topped the senatorial race for the second time (Wikipedia)."

Wow! :) I was just super stupid, nahiya akong magpapicture with him. :(

At least now I only have two dreams left to fulfill. But I'll be saving those for another blog entry. :)

:)

Chrismas is obviously near (and so is my birthday)! Yipee! :) Lest I become too mushy or overly dramatic tonight, I will just post the lyrics of the Christmas song that I believe suits me best. :)

Merry Christmas everyone! :)

Perfect Christmas by Jose Mari Chan :)

My idea of a perfect Christmas
Is to spend it with you
In a party
Or dinner for two
Anywhere would do
Celebrating the yuletide season
Always lights up our lives
Simple pleasures are made special too
When their shared with you
II:
Looking through some old photographs
Faces of friends we'll always remember
Watching busy shoppers rushing about
In the cool breeze of December
Sparkling lights, all over town
Children's carols in the air
By the Christmas tree
A shower of stardust on your hair
chorus:
I cant think of a better Christmas
Than my wish coming true
And my wish is you'd let me spend my whole life with you
repeat II
chorus
My idea of a perfect Christmas is to spend it with you

Lust, Caution by Ang Lee

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Foreign

Although I'm familiar with movie reviews, I'm not an expert at writing one.

Anyway, I watched Lust, Caution with Nixlove last Saturday and I could only sigh while watching the movie.

I sooooo love the lighting (very gloomy), the costumes, the sound effects, the location. And even if I don't understand a thing from the characters' dialogues, I felt their words (thanks to subtitles. hehe). I watched in awe, actually. The story's simplicity made the movie almost perfect.

The love scenes, the superb love scenes were very very artistic. I don't know how they managed to do it without making it appear a porn movie, hehe. :)

The plot was simple yet the story turned out great.

I hate the ending though. We left the movie house with a heavy heart, actually. But we knew it was worth our money :)

What my name means--http://www.paulsadowski.com/Numbers.asp

Freaky but every detail is almost true. :) hehe. :) Try it and be amazed! hehehe :) (I opted to use my nickname because I rarely use my full name. hehe)

http://www.paulsadowski.com/Numbers.asp

You entered: Thea Fuentebella Alberto

There are 22 letters in your name.
Those 22 letters total to 84
There are 10 vowels and 12 consonants in your name.
 
What your first name means:

Greek

Female

Goddess; godly. Also as abbreviation of names like Althea and Dorothea. The mythological Thea was Greek goddess of light and mother of the sun, moon and dawn.

Your number is: 3

The characteristics of #3 are: Expression, verbalization, socialization, the arts, the joy of living.

The expression or destiny for #3:
An Expression of 3 produces a quest for destiny with words along a variety of lines that may include writing, speaking, singing, acting or teaching; our entertainers, writers, litigators, teachers, salesmen, and composers. You also have the destiny to sell yourself or sell just about any product that comes along. You are imaginative in your presentation, and you may have creative talents in the arts, although these are more likely to be latent. You are an optimistic person that seems ever enthusiastic about life and living. You are friendly, loving and social, and people like you because you are charming and such a good conversationalist. Your ability to communicate may often inspire others. It is your role in life to inspire and motivate; to raise the spirits of those around you.

The negative side of number 3 Expression is superficiality. You may tend to scatter your forces and simply be too easygoing. It is advisable for the negative 3 to avoid dwelling on trivial matters, especially gossip.

Your Soul Urge number is: 1

A Soul Urge number of 1 means:
Your Soul Urge is the number 1. With a Soul Urge number of 1, you want to lead and direct, to work independent of supervision, by yourself or with subordinates. You take pride in your abilities and want to be recognized for them. You may seek opportunities to display your strength and usefulness, wanting to create and originate. In your desire to manage the big picture and the main issues, you may often leave the details to others.

The positive 1 Soul Urge is Ambitious and determined, a leader seeking opportunities. There is a great deal of honesty and loyalty in this character. If you possess positive 1 Soul Urge qualities, you are very attainment oriented and driven to success. You are a loyal friend and strictly fair in your business dealings.

The negative side of the 1 Soul Urge must be avoided. A negative 1 is apt to dominate situations and people; the home, the spouse, the family and the business. Emotions aren't strong in this nature. If you possess an excess of 1 energy, you may, at times, be boastful and egotistic. You must avoid being too critical and impatient of trifles. The great need of the 1 Soul Urge is the development of friendliness, and a sincere interest in people.

Your Inner Dream number is: 11

An Inner Dream number of 11 means:
You dream of casting the light of illumination; of being the true idealist. You secretly believe there is more to life than we can know or prove, and you would like to be provider of the 'word' from on high.

The most simple things matter

A loving stare and a genuine smile are all I need to make this day memorable. :) Naks! Of course this one is truly a special day since Nixlove just celebrated his 25th, and it's exciting to see us growing old together. Yes, the lovefull is back with 'mushier' entries! hehe :)

Anyway, Nixlove cooked the yummiest, experimental pasta I've ever tasted, we had the tastiest cake today, and sang our hearts out..thanks to his mom's magic sing. :) loodidoo didooo. :) Last year we had dinner at Italianni's Glorietta and for obvious reasons, we did not dare do a repeat. :)

I'm so glad Nix loved the polo shirts I gave him.:p It was a great day..to be with him and his family. :) But my favorite part was the long drive home. :) We were quiet most of the time, but there were seconds of lovefull moments. :) You know those moments when you just stare at each other and smile. And you know both of you are thinking of the same thing. :)

And today, Oct 29, is our 39th month together. :) And every day, my belief that I made the right choice last July 29,2004 is just getting stronger :) Every passing day proves that we're on our way to being together forever. :)

Erap has a new fan. hahaha :)

Some of my previous blog entries related how funny, how tiring, or how exciting are my coverages about Estrada. And after getting an answer from him (addressed to yours truly) about two weeks ago, I finally have a photo with the former president. (Well, not really just us. hehe) :)) Yikee!

Seconds after Pres GMA, thru Press Sec Ignacio Bunye, announced the approval of executive clemency for Estrada on Thursday, the desk editors tasked me to get the reactions of the Estrada family. And I took the assignment by heart. After all, I've been covering Estrada since my day 2 at the job and have since 'bonded' with his family. Jinggoy and JV are my usual interviewees and they admit hating me because I was from INQUIRER.net, whose parent company is Phil Daily Inquirer, which they also blame for the downfall of their father. Still, they were nice. Every quote was a story already. Jinggoy, who was in Geneva for a conference, was unusually nice when I talked to him yesterday.

Today, while waiting for Estrada get down from his resthouse-detention in Tanay, Rizal, I stayed at JV's (but he was very busy, did not even grant interview) office and once in a while went outside the city hall, where hundreds of Erap supporters gathered. It was heartwarming to see all those supporters, and you know that some of them went there not for money. Indeed, Erap was the father of the masses.

It's been a really tiring day (I worked from 8 am to 10 pm! that's not new anyway hehe). I had to (again) engage in a word war wih guards but the coverage was really worth it. :) It was another historic day for me, and of course for the rest of the Filipino people. I now have more to tell my grandchildren later on. ;)

And yes, I would rather talk about my experiences than discuss my take on politics. 'Politics' is such an ugly word. Sure, Estrada and Arroyo both gained from the pardon. I don't care, really. It's nice to be happy. And everyone;s happy. hahaha :)

PS: (photo by John Javellana, who is now an intern of Reuters. Thanks John!) :)

Yoko Ono becomes a journalist

This photo was taken during a press conference at the Glorietta mall a day after the explosion that took the lives of 11 people and injured over a hundred. And although I'm such an addict for coverage photos, I did not have the heart to take pictures of myself and my media friends during that traumatic, tiring coverage.

Thank you, however, to JJavellana, a former photography intern of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Meron na akong remembrance! hahaha :) Kahit mukha akong Yoko Ono (which is not a bad thing at all since Nixlove is my John Lennon haha) at haggard sa picture (mahangin sa labas.haha) at may backpack effect pa, parang si Dora The Explorer. hahaha :)

 

I need some debriefing

Call me an overacting, depressed reporter if you want but I think I need some debriefing. No, I don't need some session with a psychiatrist. I think I just need some outlet to let it all out. (And I think it's what this blog is all about. hehe)

After the tiring and depressing coverage of the Glorietta 2 explosion, it finally dawned on me: I could have been there, I could have been killed. Worse, my loved ones and friends could have been there and would probably be gone by now. Fortunately, I know none of the fatalities and injured persons I wrote about.

Post-blast investigation results show that the explosion was an "industrial accident." The diesel tank located at the basement, which was the seat of explosion, also "did not follow the standard cylindrical structure of a gas container." And yes, funny as it may seem, methane gas from the septic tank made the explosion bigger.  My editors would jokingly call it an explosion caused by one big fart. (See related story here: PNP: Accident in Glorietta becoming more and more likely) 

How many more diesel tanks are there in Glorietta? Or in any other mall? I think I would have to stay home more nowadays. I intend to keep safe, although my job provides the contrary. hehe.

I got hold of post-blast pictures only today and they really scared me. I know I've been to Glorietta 2 before because I usually take the walkway from our office (Rufino Plaza) to Glorietta. But I never thought I've been to Glorietta 2 many times.

See that 'Must Have' sign? That's where I used to shop in Glorietta 2! Near that shop were boutiques where I usually shop too. Had I been there that fatal day, I could have fallen all the way down, or I could have been thrown somewhere else, and I would end up either bloody, in a daze, or lifeless. And I would not be here blogging.

Of course, a lot of people I know have also been in Glorietta. And don't should we feel lucky?  I am just so thankful that I was given the chance to live and I hopefully would have a thousand or million days more.

Oh well.

I think I will be posting more pictures (courtesy of the PNP and Bureau of Fire Protection) soon. I want my much needed rest now. :)

More links: Metro Manila cop chief: ‘Bomb theory hard to sustain’ 
                    Trillanes won’t cooperate with PNP over blast claims--Razon
                    Solon throws in another 1M for arrest of mall bombers

Glorietta blast coverage

I was about to eat my lunch when the day desk editor called and was panicking when he told me that an explosion happened at Glorietta. And much as I wanted to panic too, I merely stayed calm. I immediately got out of the Crame press office, left my just-to-be-eaten yummy lunch and took the MRT.

Fifteen minutes later I was at Glorietta 2, and as usual engaged myself in a brief word war with security guards. Hohohoho hahaha while I tried to get to the other side of Glorietta, with all luck..my heels broke. So I went to SM and bought a pair of cheap flipflops to get me through.

Finally arriving at the area moments later, I saw how the Glorietta 2 entrance was reduced in rubble, and all those shattered glasses, and the cadavers yet to be brought to the morgue. Sure, this one was a very memorable coverage for me. It was I witnessing yet another part of history unfold.

But it was really devastating. I held back tears. I knew I had to work. I knew I had to do away with emotions. I knew I had to accept that this world is cruel.

Although I had the by-line for the top story, the most-read and most-emailed story of the day, I was not happy. I was not happy to witness what I would like to call an act of evil. Whoever did this, either enemies of the state or those from the state themselves, only one name suits them: evil. Very very evil.

I've covered all sorts of news stories--from shabu raids, rallies and fire incidents to Congress sessions and Arroyo speeches. And today, obviously, was the most devastating of all. (Imagine seeing cruelty for 8 long hours. I wish I could get a good sleep tonight.)

But the dust have yet to settle. Tomorrow is yet another day, and for the first time, I am not complaining that I have to cancel my day off. :)

---------

Click the titles to view stories as posted in INQUIRER.net.

(UPDATE 19) Mall bomb blast kills 8, hurts more than 100

PNP, AFP on red alert in Metro after Makati blast

List of dead and injured in Glorietta blast

Search and rescue operations at mall end

3 Makati hospitals get bomb threats after mall blast

INQUIRER.net special site:

You are.. :)

My sunny sky,

my favorite high,

my bed so warm,

my port in a storm,

my sweetest gift,

my emotional lift,

my best friend until the end;

My inspiration,

my destination,

my shining light,

my day and night,

my heart healer,

my anger chiller,

my pain reliever,

my spring fever,

my gem so rare,

my answered prayer,

my heart and soul,

my life made whole,

my merry go’ round,

my “up” when I’m down,

my best chance,

my last dance,

my best shot,

my energizer,

my appetizer,

my morning sun,

my evening fun,

my dancing partner,

my heart’s gardener,

my source of laughter,

my ever after,

my heaven-sent for who I am meant.

My burning desire,

my soul mate,

my sweet fate,

my dream lover,

my confidence, my reason why..until I die. J

 

- David Weatherford, Chicken Soup for the Couple’s Soul   

Advance Happy Birthday myNixlooooooove! :D Oh, did I just say I love you? :)

To the moon--AND BACK. :)

I'm supposed to sleep now (it's already 1:00 am and staying up this late when I know I have to monitor the 7 am news means I will be doomed tomorrow hehe.) but I saw a friend's blog (Hi May! hehe) and she mentioned the "Guess How much I love you" book Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, a children's book which really brought me tears. :) I'm just sooo inspired again to blog. :)

Read this:

Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare's very long ears. He wanted to be sure that Big Nutbrown Hare was listening.

"Guess how much I love you," he said.

"Oh, I don't think I could guess that," said Big Nutbrown Hare.

"This much," said Little Nutbrown Hare, stretching out his arms as wide as they could go.

Big Nutbrown Hare had even longer arms. "But I love YOU this much," he said.

Hmm, that is a lot, thought Little Nutbrown Hare.

"I love you as high as I can reach." said Little Nutbrown Hare.

"I love you as high as I can reach," said Big Nutbrown Hare.

That is quite high, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. I wish I had arms like that.

Then Little Nutbrown Hare had a good idea. He tumbled upside down and reached up the tree trunk with his feet.

"I love you all the way up to my toes!" he said.

"And I love you all the way up to your toes," said Big Nutbrown Hare, swinging him up over his head.

"I love you as high as I can HOP!" laughed Little Nutbrown Hare, bouncing up and down.

"But I love you as high as I can hop," smiled Big Nutbrown Hare - and he hopped so high that his ears touched the branches above.

That's good hopping, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. I wish I could hop like that.

"I love you all the way down the lane as far as the river," cried Little Nutbrown Hare.

"I love you across the river and over the hills," said Big Nutbrown Hare.

That's very far, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. He was almost too sleepy to think any more. Then he looked beyond the thorn bushes, out into the big dark night. Nothing could be further than the sky.

"I love you right up to the MOON," he said, and closed his eyes.

"Oh, that's far," said Big Nutbrown Hare. "That is very, very far."

Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night.

Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon - AND BACK."

That explains my relationship with my mom. :) She filled me with love and I eventually grew up with so much love to give. :) When I say I love you to her, she'd say she loves me more. And I'd say I love her MORE. Then she'd say she loves me MORE than MORE. And that game never stopped. :)

Nixlove and I also play this game. :) He now knows how to play my language game. hehe :) So when I'd jokingly ask him to rate his love for me from 1 to 10 (10 being the highest) he'd say (he must say! haha) 11. :) Or more. :) And so I learned what Googolplex is. :) One day he just said I love you Googolplex times. Then I googled what Googolplex is and it turned out to be the largest number in the universe, actually bigger than infinity. :) Yet, I told him, "I still love you more." :)

Yes I love them very much. My mom and Nixlove :) I love them so much like Big Nutbrown hare loved his little Kiddo. I love them to the moon AND BACK. :)

(And someday, when Nix and I already have our little Nutbrown hare, I know I will say only this: I love you to the moon AND BACK. :)

:)

Funny funny :)

FILIPINO SIGNS OF WIT: (snagged from Tetch's wordpress blog. :) ) 
 
The sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction; 
a 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day & Night; Barber shop called:
Felix The Cut; a bakery named Bread Pitt; fast-food place
selling ‘maruya’  (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey. Then, there are Christopher
Plumbing; a boutique called The Way We Wear; a video rental shop
called  Leon King Video Rental; a restaurant in the Cainta district of
Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken; a local burger restaurant called Mang
Donald’s; a doughnut shop called MacDonuts; a shop selling ‘lumpia’ (egg roll)
in Makati called Wrap and Roll; and two butcher shops called Meating Place
and Meatropolis.

Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to 
unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the ‘Taglish’ (the 
Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a
heavy Filipino such as, at a restaurant menu in Cebu ‘We hab sopdrink in
can an in batol’ [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle].
Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises 
[translation: Beads and Pieces –or– Bits and Pieces].
 
There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled
words, but  they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake
to ‘correct’ them like…….

In a restaurant in Baguio City , the ’summer capital’ of the
Philippines : ‘  Wanted: Boy Waitress’; on a highway in Pampanga: ‘We Make Modern
Antique Furniture;’ on the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan : ‘We
Shoot You While You Wait;’ and on the glass front of a cafe in Panay
Avenue in Manila : ‘ Wanted: Waiter, Cashier,Washier. ‘

Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression, such as, a
shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: ‘We Sell Imported Robber
Shoes’  (these could be the ’sneakiest’ sneakers); and a rental property
sign in  Jaro, reads: ‘House For Rent, Fully Furnaced’ (it must really be
hot inside)! Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly
unique–if not altogether odd. City in southern Philippines , which
said: 
‘Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to 
negotiation. ‘
 
European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing
shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland
Hopia, which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs,
Mr. Ho and Mr. Po respectively- -(believe it or not)! Some folks
also ‘creatively’ redesign English to be more efficient ‘The creative confusion
between  language and culture leads to more than just simple unintentional
errors in syntax, but in the adoption of new words,’ says reader Robert
Goodfellow, who came across a sign …..House Fersallarend’ (house for sale or rent). Why use five words when two will do?

:D

Erap and havaianas

Today I woke up early (uncanny! hehe) and since I was in holiday mode, I wore a plain blue shirt, pants, and my havies to work.

Hohoho hahaha I later went to San Juan to cover Erap's visit to his Ma in San Juan Medical center--in my plain shirt and flipflops. hahaha. Nagmukha akong yagit. And now I know why my mom gets mad when I don't dress up for work.

Anyway, let me just brag: wala iyan sa damit. Because had I been in my real working clothes, I would not be able to get a soundbyte from the former president himself. (Thank you to my really comfortable  slippers, it wasn't hard for me to chase him.)

Yes, my list is now (well, almost) complete! I was able to corner Cory Aquino for a rally interview last year, I already experienced Fidel Ramos' wrath towards pressing reporters in Camp Crame, and now Erap. (I tried asking Arroyo several times as she passed by during Crame programs but she's such a snob.)

I've been to many Erap coverages before but today was really special. :) I was able to ask him face to face, I less than a meter away from him and he addressed his answer to yours truly. (Close na kami! haha) Although his sons JV and Jinggoy and son-in-law Beaver Lopez had been my sources for 'reactionary' stories, I was still star-struck. haha :) You can't really say I was awe-insprired. I can only say I was happy. :D

Maybe too much work (on second thought maybe none of it..you know the feeling that you are useless because nothing is happening in your beat) almost brought disenchantment about my dream job. But things have gotten better now (thanks to the 14th month bonus I will be getting this payday haha kidding). :) I now feel excited again. :) And so I was able to write a lot of stories today!! :)

Click them to check out the stories. :)

Estrada: What Pardon?

Palace stunned by De Venecia's move, says Puno

Estrada to ask court for 3-day pass to visit Ma

Other stories:

Truck driver killed in Pasig road spat

Terror threat in Mindanao remains high--NICA

Eksenang press office

If you think journalists and reporters are serious all the time, you're dead wrong. :) So on a slow news day and a holiday like today (yipee double pay!!) we get really crazy. :)

------------------------------

Thea Alberto (INQUIRER.net): Huy ginawa niyo na ba yung sa Task Force Usig kahapon?

Aris Ilagan (Manila Bulletin): OO lumabas na yun sa akin. Front page.

Cecille Suerte Felipe of Phil Star: Di Bale Faeng (his monicker), wala namang nagbabasa sa inyo. Tsaka kami naman number 1 according to surveys.

Alcuin Papa of Philippine Daily Inquirer (laughs): ay hindi na ako magsasalita, pero basta kami..

Cecille Suerte Felipe of Phil Star: Number 1 kayo kapag kayo ang nagpasurvey. hahaha.

Thea Alberto of INQUIRER.net: Ganun? Basta kami most read lagi. hihi.

Christine Roque of NBN 4 (government-owned network): Basta sa amin walang nanonood. haha.

Benjie Liwanag of GMA7 dzBB: (eating) (Hindi ko maalala sinabi ni Kuya Benj. hehe)

----------------------------------

Who should you thank today? :)

If last week Japanese volunteers revived the lost art of giving embrace, I think we Filipinos must revive the lost art of sending out our Thank You's. :)

Well, here's my Thank You list. (Can this just serve as my christmas gift? mwahaha)

    My teachers. Of course I wouldn't know what ABC's are and I wouldn't realize that the earth isn't literally round if my patient teachers weren't alive. I wish I still know the name of my nursery teacher. :p hehe. I think all of my teachers from La Consolacion College and UP Los Banos deserve some Thank You from their sometimes diligent but most of the time sleepy student. hahaha. :) Thank you for the praises, the reprimand, and all the challenges. Special thanks to Mam Teya Tirol (my thesis adviser) and Sir Cardona who shares my passion for reading and friendship. :)

   My gradeschool and highschool buddies. Although I have not seen some of them in years, I know the friendship is just there. :) And it's always a comfort to know that they're just around...just a friendster click away. :) hugs :) We'll someday bring the old days back. :)

   My college roommates and dormmates. For someone who owned a bedroom all her life, sharing a room (and a house) with strangers is a nightmare. Thank you, however, to my roommates who managed to keep up with my weird sleeping habits (teeth grinding and snoring. haha!). Special mention to Ate Len, Sarah, Bons, Val, Pam, Ate Kresta, Jamie, and KP who either shared midnight oatmeal bowls with me or joined me in hell-week studying nights. :) I miss LB dorm days! :)

   My UP Sibol brods and sisses. Because of UP Sibol, I learned that ketchup does not really hurt a plain white shirt. Talk about org finals! haha :) And to strip is better than to quit (haha, just kidding.) Although I failed to be always there for UP Sibol, I know I will be able to give back to them someday. Someday, diba Batch Kaizen? :)

   My UPLB Perspective Family. My first family in UPLB. With them I learned the true meaning of friendship..and sarcasm. hahaha! Aside from helping me accept criticisms from annoying [p] readers, UPLB Perspective gave me a glimpse of what I really wanted to be. And yes, for all those sleepless presswork nights over tasty bread and cheezee spread and happy videoke gimiks, I will forever be thankful. :)

   My media family. Work will never be fun without these people! Thank You to all my editors (all heaven-sent, promise! haha) at INQUIRER.net for all the guidance, the tips, and the every day bloopers. haha :) My INQUIRER.net co-reporters for the ym chismisan and for the after-meeting gimiks. :) And my beat and coverage friends who never failed to inject a laugh in work-stricken days. :) Iskoopan na! :)

   Nixlove's family. Although I have yet to become formally a part of the Masakayan family, I know I already found the best future in-laws in the world. :) Thank you for always being warm and for making me feel at home. :)

   My family. With the Fuentebella family, it's all about love at the end of the day. For all the wacky get-togethers and for all the memorable growing up years, I know Thank You will never be enough. Lolo Mama and Lolo Papa, thanks for taking care of me all these years. You are the best grandparents in the whole world. :)

   Padingtun, my bear-son. I don't care if people see me silly when I tell them I have a son, a cuddly, big bear named Padingtun. After a long tiring day, Padingtun serves as my therapy. :) He is my huggable baby and he keeps me happy. And he gives me a chance to be a mother. :) 

   My mom. Celia Fuentebella is the strongest woman I know. :) And although we share a love-hate relationship (like most mothers and daughters do), I will forever be thankful she's my mom. And if I'd live another life and get to choose my next mom, I would still pick her. :) Love you mommy!

   Nixlove. If everything else fail, I know I'd still have you....and you'd still have me :) You are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, my calm after a storm. You know that I will always be here for you. :) For the love-filled years and more love-filled years to come, Thank you mylove. :) Family hug. :)

So there goes! :) Being thankful made me happy. Join the gratitude fever now! :)

(From Ate Sara's blog:)

Join the rest of Metro Manila in reviving the lost art of saying thank you.

Come to the SM Mall of Asia on October 20, Saturday, and see live THANK YOU performances by Hale, The Dawn, Cynthia Alender, Reggae Mistress and upcoming bands. Let's all come together to thank one another on National Thank You Day! :-) (For tickets, please contact Alma Buenviaje at 0917-5344624)

Visit www.thankyoudayphilippines.com for more details about National Thank You Day.

Either they're getting married or breaking up

My college batchmates and high school buddies are either getting married or breaking up. hahaha. And I'm nothing in between. Well, I'm more bent on the marrying stage. haha :)

Of course I envy those who already settled down (congrats pam and aiza!). I heard they will be having babies soon and probably if I don't know how hard child-rearing is, I'm a real mother by now. haha :) But since I want to make sure that my child will have a bright future, I will wait until Nix and I get married..and the baby will come after we've totally enjoyed the honeymoon stage. mwahaha ;)

I am not in any way near the breaking up stage like some of my closest friends and for that I should be really filled with gratitude. I should be thankful that Nix is patient enough to keep up with my moods, rants, paranoia, and fickle-mindedness. hihi :) Mylove :)

Anyway, I'll stop blogging for now. I'm sleepy.

Nightmares

I've been having really weird dreams lately and they're just so repetitive I don't know whether I should be amazed or scared.

Anyway, these dreams are usually about tsunamis. They'd be about I running away from one, or I fighting one, or I simply going with the flow. These dreams had been very vivid, in full color, and almost real. The thought that I escaped all these tsunamis was relieving enough. But will I be able to escape these huge waves the next time I go to sleep? Errr.  I was never afraid of nightmares, until now.

I don't have any emotional burden (except for occasional stress because of my job) that's why I find these visions (?) odd.

An online dream dictionary however said that dreaming about tsunamis means the dreamer is "being overwhelmed by some repressed feelings or unconscious material that is rising up to the surface. You are experiencing some unhappiness and emotional instability in some waking situation." Err. Creepy. I can't say this is so-so true but I can't also say this interpretation is entirely false. Hmm.

Maybe these dreams have something to do with my upcoming visit to the dentist. Again, I was never afraid of dentists, until now. Argh. I'm doomed! I don't want them to extract my tooth and I don't want to undergo a root canal either. What shall I do? I hate these impacted teeth! The pain is killing me! And I could not eat well (which is another nightmare since parties are everywhere nowadays!). Huhu. I only had occasional visits to the family dentist when I was younger and I don't remember anything traumatic about those trips. Tsk tsk.

Oh well I am still thankful. Despite my difficulty to chew, at least I still have something to eat, unlike thousands of civilians in war-torn Afghanistan. At least I'm still in a peaceful (?) country unlike Myanmar where a Japanese journalist recently died while covering a violent rally dispersal.

Going back to nightmares, maybe these tsunami-infested dreams are caused by reading Anita Pratap's Island of Blood--a good read for aspiring journalists. Imagine covering Afghanisan and Sri Lanka at the height of a war! Pratap's accounts were really devastating, scary, and exciting at the same time. (Pratap was the bureau chief of CNN. She also worked for Time). Her book is more exciting than my previous favorite, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward's All the President's Men, which tackled the Watergate scandal that eventually pushed then US Pres Nixon to resign.

Anyway, I should cut short this entry. But writing too much permits me not to go to bed first. And avoid that Tsunami dream.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Nixlove's birthday! :)

Start:

Oct 28, '07 04:00a

HMM. Ano kayang birthday gift ko sa kaniya this year? :)

This time, I will speak. (On bribery and other annoying rumors)

For the longest time, I opted not to comment on 'rumors' that I accepted an expensive watch from the highest ranking police official of the country. Lest I be accused of being defensive, I opted to stay silent.

But defensive, I am not. I simply choose my battles. But I could not and would not let it pass this time.

For the record, several concerned (and true) friends from the media asked me early this year if Director General Oscar Calderon (who will retire October 1st this year) truly gave me a Rolex watch. I laughed at the idea. Why would he give me an expensive watch? And why would I accept such an expensive gift if he really tried to give me one?

I wanted to keep mum because I don't want to waste energy. But this whole bribery (or to malicious minds--courtship) issue already annoyed me to the highest degree. It came to a point that I wanted to file oral defamation (because although she did not identify me in her blind item, she verbally told people it was I she was referring to) charges against the writer.

I asked her to issue an apology, which she refused to do. I then asked her to just clarify it was not I she was referring to in her blind item, which she also refused to do. Tsk tsk.

I have strongly condemned bribery since my first day as a journalist. I've always regarded this job as noble and I don't want to taint it in any way so you must know how irritating it is for me to be accused of accepting money, favors, or expensive items from my sources.

If I accepted every offer that came my way, I am really rich by now. But no! I'm still a poor little girl! haha. :) Honestly, I earn more than what I need! INQUIRER.net is generous enough and I don't need money from members of this ill government. And certainly I don't want to align myself with media practitioners who tarnish this profession! Do what you want, amass all the money in the world if you want..just don't drag me to your dirty game!

The exchange of jokes between me and Gen Calderon in this morning's TSIP (for more info, see NBN 4 tonight) was not, in any way, geared to revive the issue. If that's how you perceived it, I pity you. For me and Gen Calderon (and the rest of the PNP press corps), the issue you made was just a big joke. Turns out you took it seriously that you had to devote an entire blog entry for a long-dead issue.

It's also a pity that you had to delete Alcuin Papa's reactions in your latest entry. Do you think deleting his replies made your claims valid? I don't think so. I thank God that I have a friend like Alcuin (and several others who believe in me). I wish you had friends like them so you could lead a peaceful life. Really.

Muckraking and mudslinging is an act I am not destined for. So I hope this one's my last.

CONFUSED? CHECK OUT HER BLOG: HERE

____________________________

Here's her blind item purportedly referring to yours truly.

(FOR NOVEMBER 29, 2006 ISSUE)

HULI KA, NO?

Ni DIVINE REYES

GENERAL SUITOR

MUKHANG nagmumurang kamyas ang isang Heneral kung makasuyo sa isang batang-bata at baguhang reporter.

Bulong ng ating tagahuli, laging excited si Mr. General kapag may press conference dahil masisilayan nito ang ganda at kaseksihan ng kinahuhumalingang mamamahayag.  Todo smile at pagpapapungay daw ng mga mata ang heneral kapag ang paborito na niyang reporter ang nagtatanong.

Kung minsan, mismong ang kampo ng opisyal ang gumagawa ng aktibidad upang madaluhan lang ng babae?

Hindi rin napigilan si Mr. General sa labis na pagkatuwa sa babae at niregaluhan pa umano ng mamahaling relo kahit walang okasyon?! Totoo bang may exclusive chopper ride pa ang babae?! Hanep..

Sobrang espesyal na trato ang ibinibigay daw ng heneral na ito sa reporter na tila sinasamantala naman ang pagkagusto sa kanya para makakuha ng eksklusibong istorya (hmmm…wala pa naman akong alam na nakakuha ito ng magandang istorya mula kay Mr. General). Tila lunod sa tuwa at nabubulagan ang batang reporter sa atensyon na nakukuha nito sa Heneral at hindi na alintana ang pagseselos ng kanyang boyfriend? Tsk..tsk..tsk..watch out, gurl!

Parang anak daw ang tingin ni Mr. General sa dalaga kung kaya't kinatutuwaang makasama. Pero sa ibang nakakapansin, naamoy nilang may iba pang interes ang opisyal.

Ang ganda-ganda na ng puwesto mo, Sir. Huwag mong abusuhin, ocay?

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Love laboratory

I have had my share of heartaches before my one true love Nix came. And those heartaches had been totally painful. Corny as it may sound, I felt then it was the end of the world. You know how it feels.

First, the pain of parting with your 'first love.' Although I'm certain now that what I felt for him was mere admiration, I have to acknowledge that it felt different then. He was my first boyfriend (I was in 2nd year highschool haha), the first ever to give me a long, sweet love letter. He was the first to give me a ring, the first to utter promises of forever. (Yes, we were that serious! Crazy puppy love). After over a year of fickleness (it simply didn't work), I broke up with him. And haven't heard from him since. (Thanks to friendster though I know he's still alive hehe)

Then my childhood sweetheart suddenly showed up when I was in 2nd year college. He admitted liking me since we were in Grade Six. He was really down to earth although uber rich. Back then, my friends teased me that my future with him was already secure. After all, he lives in the posh Wack-wack subdivision and drives a Black Safari. But I wasn't really into him. I simply wasn't into him. There was no magic, not an inch of head-over-heels type of love. I merely saw him as a saving grace for a relationship with he-who-must-not-be-named (not Voldemort! hehe) that never flourished. The relationship lasted for over a month. Yes, just over a month. haha. I saw him unexpectedly at a mall recently. It's amazing how you can just laugh at your mistakes. hehe.

I think there was nothing wrong with them. They simply weren't for me. And I consider them mistakes because they were not the right ones. I'm very certain of that. Although I still have to be thankful because I've been somehow shaped by these people.

Keeping a relationship work is an experiment. And you must find the perfect partner, else you end up blowing the whole laboratory. It is not just about chemistry and looking good together. A relationship is a theory in practice, where senses must work, where conclusions must be grounded on facts. Tried and tested formulas may not always work and so patience is the key.

And although experts find it hard to explain how people fall in love, we don't really need a genius to tell us what or who our true love is. :) As Jose Mari Chan's latest song says, "only you will know."

I now know. :) I've never been this certain. I've never been this sure. :) Woohoo! I Love You Nicolo! :)

(Nakakasuka na ba pagkamushy ko? hehe. Sorry, ganiyan talaga ang buhay. :p )

Less rants, halo-halo, Googolplex and ZTE

I regret that I had to rant about having this job. (See previous entry). I regret complaining when in fact a lot of Filipino graduates are still unemployed or underemployed. I think I just needed a little poke or I just had to let it all out. Well at least I had my thoughts immortalized. Where else in the world will I get a free laptop, blackberry and a phone line, a camera phone (and a digicam soon)? Nowhere but INQUIRER.net! haha. Above all these expensive gizmos, I should be thankful because a lot of young Filipinos are still working their way to the world of media while I'm already here. So now I'm happy. I've never been happier. :) Happy and working. And it doesn't feel work at all. :) 

I think I just needed that one glass of Razon's halo-halo to make me fine. haha! :) (Yes, I had one today and I even had to drag several of my Crame colleagues just to complete the minimum price for the delivery, hehe) Yumyum. :)

Dumdidum.

By the way, do you what a Googolplex is? According to Wikipedia, "One googol is greater than the number of elementary particles in the known universe, which has been variously estimated from 10⁷⁹ up to 10⁸¹. Since a googolplex is one followed by a googol zeroes, it would not be possible to write down or store a googolplex in decimal notation, even if all the matter in the known universe were converted into paper and ink or disk drives."

Imagine just how big that number is! And what would you do if your boyfriend told you that his love for you is as big as Googolplex? Hihi. Kilig :D Mylooooove :) If there's a number greater than Googolplex then that would be the measure of my love for Nix. :) hehe :)

I'm about to go home any minute now but primetime news pinned me to my seat.

Oh well, Jose De Venecia III should become the person of the year. haha :) Who cares if he's got thinning hair and that he was once a Marijuana addict? I just hope he's got hard proof that FG Mike Arroyo told him to "back off" from the multi-million National Broadband Deal with China's ZTE corporation.

But I do care that presidential daughter Luli Arroyo is guilty of ad hominem. "I dont know if his old drug use affected his thinking," said Luli of JDV III after his expose. hahaha. Look who's talking. :p

yUPieLBi online community :)

http://www.yupielbi.org/news.php
I heart UPLB!! :)

What I hate about this job

I’ve always bragged about my job. That to become a journalist is a dream come true, that this profession is noble, that this is somehow high-paying, etc etc. Maybe I was just painting the wrong picture.

 

First, to be a journalist means you have to deal with people. And before you deal with people within or outside your beat, you have to face the hair-raising, traumatic, and horrifying experience inside the editorial office.

 

Editors are probably the most ruthless people in the world of media. Just so you know, I did not spend all those sleepless nights studying at the country’s premiere University just to be shouted at, cursed and reprimanded. Yes, I admit I had occasional (and ehem, minor) errors in my news stories but I believe that doesn’t warrant them from saying what I would like to call “hurt words.” Call me sensitive, call me infantile but I think I’m just human. I hurt, I bleed, I cry. If one story in a day doesn’t make much difference with six stories (or more) in a day, then I’m doomed. What do they want then?

 

You obviously can’t get an exclusive story everyday (unless you are the President of the Philippines, thank you very much.). And you can’t possibly beat all news wires with every crime or political story this over-populated country has—especially if you’re the lone reporter for a nationwide beat. If skipping meals and running in high-heels just to be able to produce a story aren’t enough, then I might as well kill myself. Haha J I know I am a slave of the most-read (ehem.hehe) news site in the country, but I need no reminding that I am. Alila na ako, huwag niyo na akong apihin! Haha J

 

Thank God though for the endangered (hehe), heaven-sent editors. They keep the balance. And that’s why I’m still here.

 

Rant number 2.

 

We in the media obviously don’t know what a holiday is. Holiday does ring a bell (cleng cleng!! Double pay) but I don’t think I would experience what 8-5 workers have (read: rest). And I’ve been missing too much with this no-holiday scheme. While my family and friends are getting busy filling their bellies with yuletide food, I was at the beat trying to figure out if any crime occurred on Christmas day.

 

And my day-offs (yes, day-offs) have not been spared. For six months in a row, the weekend desk editor never failed to cut short an anniversary date, or a movie date, or a sweet weekend getaway. I think my blackberry already had a thousand (seriously!) registered calls since I acquired it June last year. Only when I had the courage to cancel the calls and to remind the editor that it was a Saturday or a Sunday that the weekend calls stopped. But those calls did not really cease.

 

On weekends like Julia Campbell’s autopsy and during the election week, among others, I had no choice but to drag my boyfriend or my mom or my friends to a coverage. They enjoyed it but I don’t think they would if it happened all the time.

 

Rant number 3.

 

Cruel sources, insecure police officials and rude politicians will always haunt a journalist’s career. They will either scare you, tease you, at times hurl green jokes (which I hate most. Thank god I don’t own a gun—yet.) And like editors, you have to deal with them most of the time. It’s a good thing though that there are people professional enough to make you stay in the game. Else, if everyone is a monster, then I’d have to say bye-bye.

 

With all these (and more) I don’t know why I’m still here. And why I still want to be here. And why I would rather die here.

 

Tsktsk. Addiction na ata ‘to.