Hello, Lovine.com

Took the car out for a long drive to Pampanga to finally visit Alexis. Armed with vague instructions (and Firefox in offline mode), I actually had no problem finding the place. It was a small cemetery, and I found their family vault (the largest in the area) emblazoned with “Tioseco – Pamintuan”.

It took me a while to confirm that it was the right one, since I couldn’t find his name plate. I always replayed in my head what it would be like to see it – but this time it was going to be for real. My heart always thought about the vagueness of its loss, about the disconnect of my reality, of my distance. And here I was, two hours away from the city, no further away from my friend than I had ever wished to be. Then I saw a little prayer card, tucked into the corner of a picture frame.

I stood under the sun for awhile, my head against the dusty black gate, trying to transform my grief into some form of acceptance. That I wished the universe to always give us the strength to overcome our losses, and the gift to love the world to whom we truly belong.

Eggy, I miss you terribly.

The bigger versions on Flickr are nicer. But never as nice as the real thing.

I must tell the tale, when a few weeks ago my brother took me to this shop to look for a new suit. The one I have is actually from 10 years ago, the same one I wore to my HS Senior Ball.

I ask for the smallest size available, and try it on to much fan-fare and amusement. It comes as no surprise that I found myself swimming in it.

Then the saleslady goes “Sir.. pang-prom?”

The hamster wheel is starting to spin faster, with less steps to hang on to. I mean, shit, it’s only a spreadsheet. Can you imagine taking over the world? I’m trying very hard to convince myself that anything other than aiming for total world dominance, is boring.

… is a goddamn giant brown flying cockroach.

From 2007, starring my friend Joy.

Security Nerd C-Net Superstar! Hahaha awesome!!

So I spent a good two hours surfing the internet for the usual garbage, since I’m stuck at the company apartment in Guam without a couch and working TV.

I chance upon this website: http://planetoddity.com/the-mysterious-sailing-stones-of-death-valley/ – because I was curious how other people’s photos of the Racetrack came out. I let out a chuckle at the first few photos because objectively, they’re pretty crappy. But the pictures kept going, and then one picture looked really familiar.

Also posted here: http://izismile.com/2009/10/23/the_mysterious_sailing_stones_of_death_valley_46_pics.html

I know its harmless image farming at the end of the day, but if you’re not going to give credit where it’s due, I wish you all the karma that you deserve, jerks.

PS – The first time I passed Death Valley, was on a 150cc Vespa scooter en-route to Las Vegas in 2007. We’ve been back every year since.

Life is too short to act like you can put it off till tomorrow.

Hafa Adai, early morning greetings from Guam. Time for a power nap before heading back into the grind.

Click for the larger version. I really need to re-do this layout, and do 1024px or 900px pictures.

Hope yours is lovely as well, wherever and whenever you may find it. Eventually.

Just got home after a 15 hour leg from SFO to Manila. One of the things I noticed compared to the normal LAX route is the cleanliness of SFO, and general lack crazy bus drivers plying the roundabout and chaos inside the terminals. My only complaint, though not warranted, was the lack of arroz caldo in the Mabuhay lounge.

Just finished a plate of Dinuguan from Pampanga. Nothing to start the day off right, than filling up on coagulated pig blood. Nom nom.

Vanessa is sitting in the garage on jack stands, ass in the air, without her rear wheels.

Rudy came over and hooked me up with a floor jack, and jack stands, even though I picked up a used set on Craigslist a few days ago. Since the clearance of the bus is so high, the 2-ton jack and stands I got would not even raise the bus an inch!

I got as far as removing two pieces of engine tin, and was working on loosening up some more bolts with the ratchet when the socket adapter blew out on me and essentially made me dead in the water. Not a big deal, since we already knew that I needed a 12/13mm wrench to take out the heat exchanger boxes completely anyway. Them nuts look rusted pretty tight.

I’m a complete mechanical n00b. The most exciting thing I’ve done is change a flat tire, second to replacing a valve cover gasket (which failed miserably and continued to drip oil on the exchangers). Somehow, I hope this would change slowly. As long as it doesn’t kill me, I’m good with that. Which is also a good reason (staying alive) I’m looking over the heating system – remember kids, carbon monoxide is a silent and odorless killer!

Alexis, there is no day that passes that I don’t think of you, and how much it weighs on my heart to realise I will never hear your voice again except in the fondness of the past, that the laughter we share and the bright excitement of the world to come was taken away before its time was due. I know for a fact that I may never know a man as real as you were with me, in sharing our secrets of family and friends, that my world, and everybody’s world, would never be the same without you.

It’s shattering to realise that the life we hold so precious could slip away at any given moment, especially when you trust the world to hold your expectations. That I said I would see you again soon after the New Year, and gave you and Nika a hug, would still cloud my mind with disbelief it would be our last. My burden remains on the love that you’ve left behind, but the gift you have given me, to realise that you can love the world for what it is, and what it could be, I will forever be grateful. As Ping said, see you soon, Comrade.