layover ruminations

Thoughts while waiting for my flight to Narita...

Its a cloudy day here in Portland and the city was blanketed under a white canopy this morning. It made for a pretty awesome sight while our plane was descending towards PDX. As we drew level with the clouds, the view outside my window was a sea of fluffy, white cotton stretched all the way to the horizon. A further drop in height and the entire view was nothing but white mist before it eventually parted to reveal the city below.

PDX airport in Portland is one of the nicer airports that I have seen here in the US. The wood-panelled walls and columns give it a really comfy, Northwestern US feel. At the same time, the huge glass windows and metal railings that adorn the ceilings give it a modern touch. Best of all, unlike other airports there's free Wi-Fi. :D

My friend Ann and her husband Dondon live just 30 minutes away from PDX. Since my layover here is 5 hours I called her up and they picked me up at the airport to have brunch. Its been over a year since we seen each other and I even missed attending their wedding since I've always been away on assignment. So it was good to get together with her to catch up and reminisce on old times.

Had a bit of a tense moment this morning going to San Jose airport. Had to leave the apartment at 4:45AM to get to there one hour before departure. Con was gracious enough to agree to bring me to the airport but had a little problem waking up at the designated time. I had thoughts in my head of missing my flight during my futile attempts of calling him up. Thankfully, Con eventually woke up and I was able to check in and board my flight with out hitches, albeit a little late.

This Japanese guy sitting a row behind me at the terminal has a face mask on. Either he is extremely paranoid or he knows something the rest of us doesn't. The crowd at the terminal is a relatively sparse so hopefully this wont be a full flight and I'll be able to strech out a bit in the plane.

Reminiscing

'Open laannnnneeee!' shouts Junel as he lumbers unhindered down the paint.

Suddenly, Jody flies out of nowhere and swats the ball out of bounds from Junel's outstretched hand, leaving Junel dumbfounded.

Laughter and kantyawan ensues. Even Junel's teammate, Rino, joins in teasing Junel.

The game resumes and, thankfully, Jody and I grind it out to win the game. Tying things up at one a piece.

As we take a momentary breather to rest our tired legs and aching bodies, I am brought back to five years ago.

Jody and I were just new in SPL then, back when the company was still in the old Erechem building. With the lack of cubicles precipitated by my batch's arrival, I was thrown into this small, no-AC conference room along with Rino and Junel. Jody and Jon would come by often to hangout and it was there that our friendship grew. Guys brought together by common likes and the propensity for fun and mischief. Those times were good times.

The good times lasts up to now, but not with all of us five together. Rino was soon on a long term assignment in SF. Jody would go back to Canada. Junel, Jon and I would be assigned overseas frequently, as is the nature of the business.

We used to talk how it would be the shit if we were all assigned together on a foreign assignment. As I sit here on a bench in Jody's apartment complex, resting, I realize that this game of 2 on 2 would be the closest we'd ever get to that wistful dream of fun times on foreign shores. Sayang lang wala si Tiambeng.

Rest time is over. Time to decide who will earn bragging rights. The strength is far from regained, the legs are still tired and the bodies still ache. None of that matters though. Doesn't even matter who wins or loses. I will enjoy every minute of this game.

Flyback To Do List

Things to do when I go home:

1. Visit Tatay's pet project in Anting.
2. Treat Nanay to spa.
3. Watch Noel with Maye and Pao.
4. Spend a day with Pao.
5. Inuman with tropa (repeat X times).
6. Basketball with tropa.
7. Have dinner with Cathy and Wes.
8. Give J her b-day gift.
9. Inuman with Jon and Junel.
10. Watch Cynthia with Socs and Nanet.
11. Soccer Sunday.
12. Lunch out with SPLers.
13. Gimik with SPLers.
14. Watch Ateneo play.
15. Visit Elo in Bulacan and eat LTB.
16. Dinner with Cookie.
17. Isaw sa UP.
18. Lunch with college blockmates.
19. Play Cranium with Jon and Maine.
20. Watch Encantadia :D
21. Razons.

Tori Amos

Her voice pierces my heart.

Her music stirs my soul.

post-holiday blues

I hate the tail-end of long holidays.

Once the laughter has died down, the ensuing silence is deafening. The loneliness is accentuated by the absence of the happiness and companionship previously experienced. The temporary respite from the mediocre will be over soon and the remaining hours before reality creeps back in slowly dwindle.

Haayyyy....

strange coincidence

While listening to Radiohead's Paranoid Android the other day, I placed the following line from the song as my YM status:

Kicking, screaming Gucci little piggy

The following YM conversation (taken verbatim from message archive, cause I'm a lazy bum) then ensued with Hec, one of the SPLers here in the States:

Hec: pads?
Pads: yo
Hec: yo, ano yung status mong gucci little piggy?
Pads: haha linya sa kanta
Hec: a ok, kala ko may kilala kang gucci na aso eh....
Pads: hahaha
Hec: kapatid kasi ni au nasa san jose ngayon may pug na gucci pangalan, eh nag ssnort yun parang baboy
Pads: hahaha ayos ah sakto pala yung linya
Hec: sakto pa kasi nasagasaan kahapon yata
Hec: kaya saktong sakto yung msg mo
Hec: hehehe
Pads: hahaha putsa freaky ah

Being that I am currently assigned in San Jose, Hec thought that I had witnessed Gucci's accident. How freaky is it that my status message would be so apt for Gucci's plight?

Thankfully Hec says Gucci is okay. He's broken, battered and bruised but he'll live.

As for the real meaning of the line from Paranoid Android, this site provides a pretty good interpretation.