throwing my tantrums

I enjoy watching those cliche teeny bopper films where the boy bets with his friends that he can make any girl fall in love with him, they spot a girl who is supposedly ugly but actually very pretty, he befriends her, she is shocked by the attention and doesn't trust him but they fall in love anyway, and then she finds out about the bet and goes ballistic but they end up together anyway. Pretty much nothing left to the imagination. Everything has been mapped out by generations of writers working off the same plot line, incorporating a few new ideas of their own and passing it off as a new movie.

Anyway, for the longest time, I have been wondering why a co-councilor has been befriending me. He would call me, tell me to meet him at some place because it was this persons birthday and he was invited and he wanted to introduce me to them. Or he would say there was this dead guy at this place, and we would drop by to share out condolences. Stuff like that. I just found it weird.

So for a year and a half, I have been wondering why that co-councilor was befriending me. Until finally, a little after lunch, one of the munisipyo staff approached me. He said, everybody knew about the negotiation that was happening between me and the mayor. And apparently, the ploy to befriend me by the co-councilor in order for me to shift allegiances worked. And according to him, it was done under the Mayor's directive.

So is that it? He was trying to be my friend just to get me to switch parties. Suddenly, a year and a half of friendship seems so empty. I know, I know. The girl throws a tantrum, but eventually still falls for the guy.

So I am just throwing my tantrums now, get it out of the way. It just seems to me that everything is politically motivated in my world. Nothing, not even friendship, is sacred.

So after throwing my tantrum, am I supposed to run into their parties arms and shift allegiances. I don't wanna be another cliche movie. But I also don't want to eat my words later. So I'm pissed, that's it. After I cool down, let's just see what happens.

a week of work crap

Time for work angst again. I promised myself less of this crap but I got pissed, bad, three times this week on three very different times so I just have to vent.

Story One: Promil Kids, not!!!

I am working with a couple of people who I just don't understand. No, don't get me wrong here. I learned a lot from them about being a councilor and all, but... but... it's just... the way they think as a group is beyond me. Maybe I still need a little more experience being a councilor to get into their decision making process.

Background story. We didn't receive the IRA for 2000-2001 so Gloria is now offering two payment schemes so that LGUs will get their share. First one, we receive it now less 39% (why, I am just not sure). Second scheme, they pay it installment basis over the next 7 years (in full).

Thirty nine percent is big. That is like Php 1.7 million. After a discussion (which I believe nobody even cared to listen to), we took a vote. Seven vs. one. Wow. What a shocker!!! I used arguments like, "this is the adult version of the classic marshmallow test" and "we have loaned almost Php 20 million from the bank and this is probably one way to leave future leaders of our town a way to pay for the debt we made."

Again I am at a losing end of a seemingly very obvious decision we have to make. Drains the life out of people. Oh well. That was Monday.

Story 2: Boy Abunda strikes again

Well this story still started last Monday. Lou and I visited the Mayor to get him as Ninong for our upcoming wedding. I have served under him for almosttwo years now, we may not have spoken more than 5 sentences to each other since we started working together and I may not have liked (actually, not liked is passive, i actually HATED) 95% of the speeches he made, but still, I think it would be common courtesy to get him as a ninong.

So anyway, we bought him a cake, dropped by the munisipyo and talked to him for like 3 minutes (which I think is the longest time I talked to him). He told me he would cancel his trip to Israel just to attend my wedding. Sure sure... Whatever.

By Wednesday, it was public knowledge that I had changed political parties after that social visit. I mean, duh?! I also got the Vice Mayor and a co-councilor as Ninongs and Ninangs. Give color to that too, please. That would be funny. Oh well.

I don't want to lay blame the Mayor on this one. It's nowhere near his fault. But it just feels crappy nonetheless that people give meaning to every single thing you do, no matter how mundane it seems. Oh well. That was Wednesday.

Story 3: Committee on Crap

The munisipyo staff texted me earlier. I had an eleven o'clock meeting regarding hmmm... I don't even know. Some e-Center crap I think. I told them I didn't get an invite (which is mandatory by the way) so I wasn't coming. And the reply "Konsehal, ikaw ang chair ng lead committee na mag-iimbistiga. Dapat nandito ka."

Whoah!!! I have been waiting for this time my entire councilor life, to actually call a meeting. They have given me crappy committees to head like the Committee on Information Technology (well, if they didn't give me this one, that would confirm they have an IQ of a snail) and Committee on Women and Family. I was asking for Tourism and the Arts or maybe Public Utilities, but those were high profile committees and the publicity I would get heading that committee would be a political disaster in the making on their part. So I got crappy committees which don't have issues. Oh well.

Anyway, what pissed me off was I was waiting to call a committee meeting for like forever and the first one they tagged me as calling, I didn't even call. And if I called the meeting, I would have set the time. And as my friends know, 11:00 AM is waaaaay too early. Hahahaha.

I missed my meeting, intentionally. I ws ready to go anyway, but I decided to miss it. I never called the meeting so I was never lead committee. They should know that. And that was Thursday.

Crap crap crap. Work is crap. I hope the weekend turns out better.

getting into people's minds

I have this friend, well not really friend. I get to talk to her once in a while, casual stuff. A little above "how are you doing?" and "how's the weather?" Nothing really serious, nothing personal. Nothing on love life and family crap and stuff. I don't even have her number in my cell. She's just a little above an acquaintance (though I don't wanna think she is).

I love her blog though. It's not the typical, I woke up 7 am this morning, had breakfast, worked til lunch, ate at McDo, worked til 5, watched tv the whole night, went to sleep 10 pm. It had insights to what she thought of her everyday life.

Anyway, earlier this evening (or late afternoon), I saw her YM status was a johari window so I decided to answer it just based on her blog. I only got 2 of 6 (though I still wanna contest that you are sentimental and reflective more than you are shy and nervous hahaha).

It was just amazing (well not really amazing but for lack of a better term, I'll use amazing) that you could actually get to know a person just by reading their blog. You can actually get into their minds, but of course just the parts of themselves they wanna share with the world. Helps you understand people you never really cared about. One more reason to keep on blogging.

Here's to getting to know you a little better.

countdown

I saw this (or something like it) at Harvee and Joyce's website and I thought to myself that I would wanna make one of my own to remind me (as if I need reminding) of the big day. Let's see if it actually works.

hiatus

I tried accessing my Friendster Blog again earlier. Magically, it worked. For no apparent reason. Hmpf. Quirks of life and technology. Now I don't know which one to maintain. Do I maintain my very first blog which led me to falling in love with blogging or do I maintain my blog which contains the most life changing thing I have ever done in my entire life?

Let's just wait and see...

red with envy

No this isn't a valentine entry. Today is just another day. Same old, same old. yeah, I'm this bitter considering I have a loved one to share it with. Just never believed in Valentines. Its just another excuse Hallmark made up to sell their greeting cards.

Anyway, I was soooo not in the mood to attend the session earlier. The topics for discussion included approving a 10M+ loan for the computerization of the municipality. The programmer in me wanted to approve the loan. All in favor for technological advancement. It was high time and now was the perfect opportunity since I would be able to oversee it every step of the way.But the legislator in me realized that we were seriously throwing our municipality into debt. We still haven't paid up the loan for the market (which was made waaaay before my term) and we had another loan pending to support the new dumpsite we were setting up. Torn between my two worlds, I didn't want to make a decision on which world I favored. Cutting work would save me from that.

So I woke up like 1:30 PM for my 1:30 meeting. Hahaha. told you I was always late. It took me ten minutes to wear a sock (and I mean a sock, not even both of them). I was stalling hoping by the time I got there, that topic would have been over and I didn't have to decide.

But when I got there, I suddenly lost all care about the loan. They were all wearing red. Each and every councilor was wearing red. Hmmm, nobody told me to wear red. But it was the municipality's uniform. I still didn't mind. They gave me my clothing allowance last week. Maybe everyone else just decided to have a uniform made from the clothing allowance they received. And since I didn't, my fault. And come to think of it, if i even considered to order the uniform, it would probably have been locked in my closet for the rest of eternity. It would never see the outside world, just like the black Cursor shirt I ordered with the words "Stop staring I know I'm sexy" printed on the front.

I went up to the SB secretary during a recess. "Sana ako din pinagawan nyo ng uniporme para di naman ako mukhang inapi dito." I was still kidding around.

And the most beautiful reply in the world came "Si mayor ang nagpagawa nyan. Binigyan nya sila lahat. Di ka ba nya binigyan?"

Wow! I wasn't actually red with envy (i know it's green with envy but the shirt was red and well i was red with anger not green with envy hehehe). I didn't like the uniform and I didn't even plan to wear it if I was given one. But hell. To be actually overlooked in this situation. Makes my head ache (Well actually I had a head ache the rest of the day but probably not from that). Some things never change. And some people can never see beyond partisan politics. Haaaay.

I totally lost my focus during the rest of the meeting. Didn't even care to object or second the loan. At least it got me out of making a decision.

happiness seeps through

Again on happiness (well not really, my last entry on happiness was on my Friendster blog so that doesn't really count).

Happiness seeps through no matter how hard you try to hide it. It seeps through the lingering glances you give when you think noone is looking, through your trembling hands you have over stuff that is practically mundane. It seeps through the skips and the hops and the jumps that you do when none is actually required. It seeps through the arm movements and the gestures you do over stupid stuff. It seeps through the songs you sing for no apparent reason to people who you dont think are even listening.

I hope you stay happy quite a bit longer. Well until June 24 at least hahaha...

staring at batman

I was watching tv earlier, Cartoon Network. The usual superhero junk I love. Static Shock, Justice League, X-men Evolution, Batman. Anyway, Batman was talking to Commissioner Gordon (as always). And while the commissioner was talking, Batman vanished, again.

I mean, why does he ever turn his back on Batman knowing that at some point during the conversation, Batman will suddenly vanish. I mean Batman has done that for the past decade or so. The Commissioner should learn from his mistakes. Always look Batman in the eye while talking to him to avoid the sudden shock (I also don't get why he still gets shocked) that he is alone in the room, talking to himself. Stare at him. Is it that hard to look at the person you are talking to?

Are we really that in capable (some more than others) of learning from our mistakes? I mean, even Superman with his super heightened sense of hearing turns around while talking to Batman and doesn't hear him leave in the middle of their discussion. He can hear a scream for help a mile away but he can't hear someone leaving the room behind him. Duh?!

Maybe Batman really has the superpower to absorb the sound around him so that no one hears him come or go. Or maybe, I should stop watching cartoons and do something a lot more productive with my time than being a couch potato. Hahaha. Oh well. Just thinking out loud.

At least I am no longer ranting about wedding preparations or my job. This is something new. Because by next week or so, this blog will be over run by wedding crap. So enjoy non wedding related stuff from me while you still can.

decisions decisions

The time has come to make the first major decision for my wedding, reception venue. We have three choices as of the moment, Manila East Clubhouse, a ballroom in East Ridge and a vacant lot that my aunt rents out for weddings and stuff.

I love the ballroom in East Ridge. It has a very scenic view of Angono and if I can't have the classy and elegant wedding I always dreamed I would give my bride-to-be, this is what comes closest to what I pictured. Problem is, it's like 4 km away from the town and the road that leads to it is long and winding not to mention uphill. And the road seems to be a perfect setting for the taping of Blair Witch Angono. Hahaha.

The Manila East Clubhouse is along the major road. It's not that spectacular but its cheaper and a lot easier to reach. It has a bigger capacity than East Ridge. But it just isn't pretty and classy enough for my taste.

And the vacant lot we so fondly call Julia Marcela. I had my birthday party there last July. Hmmmm... How do I describe this place? To put it simply, if I were invited to attend a wedding reception there as a guest, I wouldn't even consider coming. Hehehe...

Both set of parents like Julia Marcela. My mom and dad's main consideration is the guest list. They seem to want to invite the whole town to the reception. Guests arrive, eat then leave. And I wouldn't even know half of the people who arrive. Jologs wedding of the year. Ughhhh... So to make things a little more acceptable to me, my dad offered me 300K and a trip to the US if we have the reception at Julia Marcela. After playing a ten minute version of pera o bayong, it became a trip to Europe for the honeymoon. Hmmmm...

On a side note, as of 8 PM yesterday, I was leaning towards accepting the jologs wedding and the trip to Europe. But I talked to a friend and he made me realize that that decision wasn't me. He said he knew I always wanted the best for me, my friends and Lou, specially Lou. And that jologs wedding wouldn't fit in anything he envisioned me in. A two minute talk changed my entire point of view.

I wouldn't get bribed into something I never really wanted. I have always stood by what I believed in. And I have had 2 years of practice standing alone for what I believe is right. So maybe I should just put all that experience to good use.

I just wanna put my foot down and declare that I want the reception at East Ridge. But I can't. I don't think I should make a decision alone. And, If i remember correctly, I said, none of my dreams matter in this case. Everything I will be doing will be for Lou. So if she wants to have it at Manila East, then Manila East it is. Europe will still be there in 2008. I will have a million other opportunities to visit it. And hopefully this will be the first and last wedding I will have so I don't plan to compromise it in anyway.

I wish life were simple again and decisions were limited to what I would wear today and what will I have for lunch. Ughhh... I was never good at decision making. Oh well. The next 4 1/2 months will be full of them. Should start getting used to it.

a day for shane

I attended Lou's supposed confirmation earlier along with her mom and her chosen ninong and ninang (names witheld to protect the identity of the chosen two hehehe). That was the better part of the morning. In the afternoon, we went hunting for possible reception venues. Long, tiring day (no, I don't plan to describe my day to day life in my blog. I still prefer to describe my day to day thoughts).

Anyway, I was with Lou, her mom, her sister and my parents the whole afternoon. I DIDN'T GET TO SMOKE THE ENTIRE FREAKING TIME!!! Hahaha... What a rant. I average about two packs a day (around 40 sticks). Given i'm awake only 16 hours day, I smoke a cigarette once every 24 minutes.

I missed a total of 34 cigarettes today. And weirdly enough, it wasn't that bad. I wasn't like thinking about it every single minute of the day. I didn't even notice. Maybe, I dont really need to smoke (hmmmm... nope, don't think so. I already smoked 4 sticks in the last hour. Making up for lost time hahaha).

Anyway, this day is dedicated to Shane of Survivor: Panama. He smokes three packs a day and now he is detoxing in a deserted island. He is thinking of quitting Survivor just to get a smoke. I hope he lasts long. I hope he wins. A toast to the smokers of the world.