Post Mortem

I have always been a dreamer. I always believed in happy endings and in true love. That being the case, I always wear my heart on a sleeve hoping that someone will grab it and make it theirs. Unfortunately, in the same process, I have my heart broken so many times and I am left alone to mend the pieces. I’m getting tired of mending my own heart. I sometimes cut myself from the broken pieces when I try to make it whole again. I am left with scars, yet, I end up finding myself in the same pattern hoping that the next time, things will be different. But they aren’t. I wonder if they will be.

I don’t want to be caught in the same nightmare where I have to wake up and find the truth about the real  status of my affairs. For in each waking moment, I tremble as I get close to knowing what is and what isn’t. Then I get my heart broken again. It is more painful to know find out the truth for yourself than having to find it out from someone else. But now, even in my waking moments, I find myself helpless for every instance I figure out the truth. I hate this feeling.

Not because I say I am ok means that I am; not because I smile means I am happy, and not because I say it is going to be alright means that it will be. With a heavy heart, I must go on and hope that things will be better. Through my sadness, I can only hope that the same events do not unfold.

But who am Ito predict the things that are about to come.......

For now, let me be sad.

Comfort Zone

I'm afraid of what lies beyond these walls....

Tanong Ng Bayan!

1] Kung ikaw si Batman, sino ang bahala sa yo? Give three examples.

 [2] Ano ang mas malaki? BAG NI DORA o BULSA NI DORAEMON? Ipaliwanag.

[3] Sino ang kumagat sa logo ng Apple, at bakit hindi niya ito inubos?

[4] Kung may UPCAT, bakit walang UPDOG? Elaborate.

[5] Sa produktong Crayola, ano ang pinagkaiba ng yellow green sa green yellow? Explain using logarithmic functions.

[6] Kung ang 1 kg ay may 1000g, ilang grams naman ang meron sa Instagram? Show your solution.

[7] Kung sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas may “”Panahon ng Amerikano, Hapon, Kastila at Pre-Colonial”, kailan naman matatagpuan ang Panahon ng Kopong-kopong? Ilahad ang mga mahalagang pangyayari at magpakita ng archaeological evidences.

[8] If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, bakit sila nagpunta sa earth?

[9] Should you give up or should you just keep chasing pavements? Expound.

[10] Ano ang meron kay Brand X at galit na galit ang ibang

brand sakanya? Explain.

[11] Masasabi mo bang fair ang Ms. Universe kung lahat ng contestants at judges ay galing sa Earth? Explain.

[12] Gaano kataas ang lipad ng Whisper with wings? Graph your solution.

[13] Kung may mag-imbento ng powdered water, anong idadagdag mo?

[14] Kung walang kamay ang mga ibon, then why do birds suddenly APIR? Ipaliwanag.

[15] Sabi ng iba, napuntahan niya na lahat ng sulok ng mundo. Paano mo masasabi na may “sulok” ang mundo kung Oblate Spheroid naman ang hugis nito? Explain and draw your answer on a 1/4 sheet of graphing paper.

[16] May nalunod na ba sa lalim ng gabi? Kung meron, enumerate.

[17] Bakit ang tawag sa *building* building kung tapos na siya? Justify.

[18] Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy? EXPLAIN.

[19] Gaano kadalas ang minsan? Enumerate.

[20] How did Adele set fire to the rain? Write the chemical formula.

[21] Kapag ang ipis nahulog sa tubig na may sabon, dudumi ba ang tubig o lilinis ang ipis?

[22] Bakit pababa nang pababa ang ispaghetti? Explicate using Newton’s Law of Gravitation.

[23] Does the moonlight shine on Paris after the sun goes down?

[24] Kung ang nakatusok na baboy ay barbeque, ang nakatusok na saging ay bananacue, bakit ang kabayo, carousel?

[25] Ilan ang butas sa isang cracker ng skyflakes? Illustrate.

[26] Kung ang tao nagmula sa unggoy, bakit may mukhang kabayo? Explain.

[27] Nauuhaw din ba ang mga isda? Ipaliwanag.

[28] Bakit pag rush hour tsaka mabagal ang daloy ng traffic? Explain your answer using sign language.

[29] Nasaan ang Edge of Glory? Write your final answer in nautical miles.

[30] In 140 characters, ilahad ang talambuhay ni Jose Rizal.

[31] Ang breakfast ba at dinner, pwedeng ilagay sa lunchbox? Prove your answer.

[32] Kung si Corazon ang unang aswang, pang ilan ka?

**Courtesy of Alexis Santiago

Sepia

Copyright Ritche F.Baria November 2012

This used to be a happy place...


Sent from my Windows Phone

Alone again..... Naturally...

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Sent from my Windows Phone

I'm not myself...myself right now.......

X-STATIC PROCESS

Madonna

I'm not myself when you're around
I'm not myself standing in a crowd
I'm not myself and I don't know how
I'm not myself, myself right now

[Chorus:]

Jesus Christ will you look at me
Don't know who I'm supposed to be
Don't really know if I should give a damn
When you're around, I don't know who I am

I'm not myself when you go quiet
I'm not myself alone at night
I'm not myself, don't know who to call
I'm not myself at all

[chorus]

I always wished that I could find someone as beautiful as you
But in the process I forgot that I was special too

I'm not myself when you're around
I'm not myself when you go quiet
I'm not myself all alone at night
I'm not myself standing in a crowd
I'm not myself and I don't know how
I'm not myself, myself right now
Don't know what I believe

[chorus]

I always wished that I could find someone as beautiful as you
But in the process I forgot that I was special too
I always wished that I could find someone as talented as you
But in the process I forgot that I was just as good as you

Haunt Me In The Morning....Then Just Walk Away

On the same day after that beach extravaganza, we passed by an unfinished mansion, deemed already haunted. Hearsay would suggest that this was a mansion built during the Marcos Regime. However, due to certain fortuitous events, this was unfinished and hence, never inhabited.

As much as I would like to go into detail as to what became of the owners of the said house, I cannot (because I might be sued for libel hahahaha!)

Is this house really haunted..... judge by my photos.....

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Child's Play

After a long swim, we decided to nourish ourselves with whatever food we can find along the highway. Since, we were all starving, we decided to check out what's cooking at a pizzeria located in one of the Caltex gas stations.

While the food was disappointing, we were at awe with the collection of "toys" the owner has on display.

I managed to steal a few shots which I also posted on my EyeEm account.

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Copyright Ritche F. Baria November 2012

Of course, there were a lot of other "toys" in there but are too far for my reach. Maybe next time.

Love in Black and White

Copyright Ritche F. Baria 2012

You and Me...

On This Cold Monday Afternoon

Copyright Ritche F. Baria

I wish that the sun will come out SOOOON!

Gratitude

תודה לך אלוהים

Monday Blues

Hanging around, nothin' to do but frown...

Sent from my Windows Phone

Dejavu

Had a dream two years ago that I was having a conversation with someone over what to have for dinner. That someone is my now roomie MJ. This is where that conversation lead us.

Nom nom nom

Sent from my BlackBerry®

As Time Goes By

Sent from my Windows Phone

Care-La-Loo

I have been made to realize my insignificance to a cause I have been fighting for for a time. That made me wonder if, I am still fighting for the same cause, or maybe that request made of me got lost in translation and I am the only one left in the middle when everybody else has moved on.

Maybe it is also time to move on.... 

Runaway : Bruno Mars

Fall in love with me again......

Coffee

I'm pouring my emotions over a cup of coffee, stilll reconciling how today was. Yes, coffee, the same coffee that was the cause of all of this. But that's just icing on the cake. As I was going through the conversations, I realized, I was mislead into believing that there was something special about these conversations, endless threads of conversations that seem to lose meaning.

Maybe because the words I+LOVE+YOU don't mean the same as they used to mean 5 or 10 years ago. Maybe the meaning got lost in translation. Maybe it wasn't there at all.

I was made to believe that when you begin to commit yourself to someone, you give full power to that person to hurt you, but you trust them enough that they won't. But what if they do? What if they do and they don't apologize for it? What if they do, they don't apologize for it and they just shrug it off like some joke and you are left wondering, what the hell happened?

When you begin to commit yourself to someone, transparency is there up to a point that you need not be told to make your whereabouts known, or who you are with. Respect is the driving force that makes you conscious enough to inform your significant other that you are safe, and you are in the company of people who keep you safe.

When one starts to withhold information, it is tantamount to saying that something is wrong, that the same person is hiding something, or has a different agenda that he wishes to be kept to himself. One forgets that he has a responsibility to keep his significant other informed.

I don't want to rant about how I was mislead to believe that I was special, or why a free cup of coffee ruined something beautiful, when the least that could have been done was to be honest, ask permission, and be respectful. But I guess, free coffee isn't easy to come by and the opportunity to date and fool around is just too hard to resist, which is why people lie about it, or if in fact they decide to be truthful about it...., they use selective honesty.

I refuse to be used again....

An apology could have been appreciated, but hell no. What good is an apology when someone is being self righteous and talks about you with friends on Facebook walls, posts screenshots on Twitter and calls you PUTANGINA. Yes, I read that.

Well, Putangina ka rin.

Sent from my BlackBerry®

American Idol 2012 Live Stream

Analyze This!

Today, I read about an old article published in the online edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer sometime in 2007. The title, while being obvious hit home. I never really thought about it, but it seems fair that with the prices of commodities, inflation and all other factor taken into consideration, one can't help but wonder, why am I not earning a salary that is four times my age.

As the article "By The Time You're 30, Your Salary Should Be P 120,000" by Dan Magallanes reads, one should never stop evaluating possibilities, goals, even opportunities and one should always strive to be his best despite the odds. I have to admit, my jaw dropped when I read the title and to my disbelief, here I am exchanging emails with the author.

I guess it is not too late to evaluate our lives.

Here's a link to the article http://business.inquirer.net/money/features/view/20071006-92964/By-the-time-youre-30-your-salary-should-be-P120000

Happy 34th Birthday

Today is my 34th birthday.... Nothing out of the ordinary. Typical Friday....
However, I would like to thank those who remembered. I appreciate your greetings and well wishes and I am truly honored to have people like you in my life.


Sent from my BlackBerry®

When Clowns Make Fun Of You

When Clowns Cry

Along the journey of life, we encounter people whom, though we may not have the privilege of meeting, touch us in certain ways unimaginable. Maybe they have a story to share, a lesson to teach us, or just a friendship to share. And once in a while, we are given the opportunity to encounter certain people.

Knowing @Arisushen was by accident. He ousted me once as mayor of LRT Araneta Cubao, (yes he's a Foursquare addict too) and the rest they say is history. Incidentally, Aris is also from Marikina, a city near where I work. So near yet so far.

The funny thing about Foursquare and Twitter, you know where people are and what they are up to, but I never got a chance to bump into Aris, not even once, in the places where Twitter people frequently hang out in - TriNoma, Gateway, you name it.

Nonetheless, Aris has been a very kind person - an advice here and there, a reply to my rants or questions, and even an endless exchange of jokes and what have yous. Yes, I'd say, even if I never met him, he has been a good friend.

I've seen Aris' life unfold thru his many Foursquare check ins, his rants on Twitter, his promos for his followers. But what caught my attention was a tumblr blog with a picture of sad clown. Yes, he wrote too, and he writes with passion, with depth as any seasoned blogger would. Whenever I see any clown, I'd immediately associate it with Aris. Whatever happened to his story, maybe he'll tell it the way it should rightfully told and in his own terms.

Today, I got a BBM Notification that Aris is at the airport on the way to Detroit. I immediately tweeted to ask if Mr. Clown was leaving, and for good. No reply - neither my BBM nor my tweet got any reply.

Maybe I had too much chocolate last night, or maybe I'm just an emotional wreck that I realized, a tear was slowly racing down my right cheek. I was sad, I instantly became sad, for reasons I do not know.

It got me to ask, why are people whom I have been accustomed to leave. Whether they choose to come back or not, why do they leave anyway?

Maybe it is the thought of not being able to say goodbye that saddens me. Maybe it is the thought that I will never ever cross paths with my friend Aris, or maybe because I am scared that the remaining friends I have will soon leave me too.

You may not understand my sadness. You may say I am overreacting considering that I haven't even met the person I call friend, and here I am on drama mode. But I don't care what you think.

My friend left.... I haven't even said hello and goodbye.

I have every reason to be sad.

Unsung Heroes

For over a year now, these gentlemen have been working hard everyday for the cleanup of Estero De San Miguel, and look, they have done a remarkable job.
These unsung heroes have done great service to our country, and to them, our sincerest thanks.

So Sad, So Quiet...

Varicella Err...

I actually lost track of the time. But thankfully, my chicken pox is healing now and I'm left with a few scars to deal with. Booyah!

An Ode to Erza

"When dawn came, the fields were embraced by the scarlet light of the morning, beautiful as her hair. If she'd look up, she'll see how beautiful it is....only, if she'd look up...."

- Wendy of Cait Shelter on Erza Scarlet

I Just Can't Stop Loving You : Michael Jackson

Forgive Me..... But I Really Miss Work

I have a perfect and ideal way of coming back to the office on Monday.... assuming that my pox will be completely cured by Saturday. But the way I see it, all traces of hopes are going down the drain. No hope even for Gretchen Wieners! Even if she's that fetch! (And fetch, isn't gonna happen soon)

I have seem to outgrown tracing my scabs and drawing lines to form constellations. Maybe the stars have abandoned me, and the only visible heavenly body looking out for me is the moon -- but even that is about to go buhbye soon. My source, Sandies, for my Sailor Moon clips must be in limbo. Girl practically stopped at episode 30 and must be enjoying a slurpee in a hip Seven Eleven in her neighborhood, enough to freeze her brain so sanity may escape. God bless her soul.

Enter Sydney Bristow and the cast of Alias. And thank God for DVD! But pretty soon, my luck is about to run out and I'll probably rummage through a pile of old DVDs searching for films starring Reese Witherspoon, Amanda Bynes, Hillary Duff and Anne Hathaway. I'm sure, I could throw in a little Meryl somewhere along the way.

I really should go back to work... I wonder, is an epidemic out of the question?

Decisions, decisions....

Suroy Suroy sa Sugbu : Tops

Of course, Cebu prides itself with its own version of Tagaytay --- Tops! Located approximately 2,000 feet above sea level, this attraction situated in Barangay Malubog is sure to attract families but mostly couples. While the view is breathtaking during the day, I believe that this is the view to be on Cebu on New Year's eve.

What attracts couples most is the arch that houses a small bell. It is said that when couples stand under the bell and ring it, their love will last for a lifetime. Personally, I have proven it to be untrue. But you be the judge!

Enjoy.

ALIAS Revisited

Okay, it is 11:32 and my neurons are active like mosquito larvae. I am not sure if this is an effect from too much exposure to reruns of Alias where I had to watch Arvin Sloane be good, then bad, and good... common people, don't you get it? Sloane = EVIL. That's a simple equation for you. Now I understand how the producer(s) have milked this baby for five long years of cat and mouse hunt.

But ALIAS had a cult-like following during our time (during our time talaga?). I do remember rushing home once a week just to make sure I never miss an episode, well, until I learned that the debedee boys of Quiapo could actually provide me with an entire season to watch. No, I am not promoting piracy. I am merely being ecstatic about it.

As I join Sydney Bristow, Michael Vaughn, and the gang save the world many times over, I couldn't help but wonder, it must be fun working for an agency..... not the one that books travels of course, but you get my drift. As I witness Jack Bristow and Irina Derevko fighting over and over again, I am glad I never got married.

Courtesy of IMDB

If this were real life and by the looks of it, war has become a business, terrorism a driving force of any economy, and the men and women risking their lives to save the world are merely pawns in the endless display of power.

To all the Sydneys, The Michaels, the Dixons, the Rachels, The Marcials, and the Jacks of the agencies you represent, thank you for making this world safe.

Sailor Moon Episode 32 "Tuxedo Melvin"

ABS-CBN - Sailormoon - 32 by theSandies

"Tuxedo Melvin" / "Umino's Resolve! I'll Protect Naru"
"Umino no kesshin! Naru-chan wa boku ga mamoru"

Sailor Moon Episode 31"Kitty Chaos"

ABS-CBN - Sailormoon - 31 by theSandies

"Kitty Chaos" / "Loved and Chased! Luna's Worst Day Ever"
"Koisarete owarete! Runa no saiaku no hi"

Suroy Suroy sa Sugbu : Magellan's Cross

Right next to the Basilica is another landmark, perhaps, one of the more famous landmarks of Cebu. Magellan's Cross is housed in a chapel where the original cross is said to be encased in a wooden cross erected in a chapel. This is said to be the same cross that Ferdinand Magellan planted upon arriving in Cebu. The cross is said to have miraculous powers though some believe that the original cross was destroyed and that this is a mere replica.

I have included below shots of the Shrine plus shots of the courtyard of the Basilica, and the Basicila from across the street.

Enjoy!