Palit tubig ng fishbowl

This is the very last photo I took from our flat in Wakefield Street. Halos dalawang taon din ako dun (well from room. 707, 103, G6, to this one in 303).

Time to move on. Sabi nga, the fishies are coming home soon, we need a bigger bowl.



Not anthing like Skytower, but this will do piggy, this will do. One Tree Hill at a distance.

Eto ang panalo. B, ang street namin, A, the office. Lalakarin ko na lang (correction: I-tramp ko na lang) papasok sa office. Tamang-tama, kelangan mag-offload ng taba. And I need new shoes (ehem).

Pam busy putting together our DIY bed (60% off kasi display unit sa BedsRus sa Constellation Nshore).

The Garden of Eden. Mabundok at nung una ko nakita natakot ako parang me ahas. Good news sa may snake phobia, alang ahas sa NZ, ever (ay meron pala, yung lintik na naghahawak ng bond ko sa appartment, inde pa sinosoli't nagtatago! Grrrrr).

Alang tanggalan ng plastic.... Julia wawa naman nilalagnat.

Busy kami kakabuon ng furniture. Peste, yung isang upuan lang, 30mins ko ata binuo!(Ano magagawa ko, I'm a lover, not a builder).

Ang tawag ko pala sa lamesa is "the prayer table." Pano naman maski lumuhod ka lang, makaka-kain ka pa rin (napanalo namin sa trademe).

First morning.

Something has to give

click...

Tsaa.. asan an tsaa...

Hi Ants, good morning! How are you?

I'm good, you?

Good, oh can you come here and help me with a presentation?

Ok

Hi guys, hey Ants can you PDF this for me?

ok, but can it wait? I have press releases to write.

Hi guys, good morning. Hey Ants I want you to do this first thing this morning

Sure boss, btw., this needs your signature

Ants! Something's wrong with my PC, can you help me??

Ants I need that PDF can you do it now?

Just a sec please...

Ants, why aren't we at the Herald travel section today????

Ants, how do you minimize a picture in the presentation?

Ants, where's the PDF?????

Ahh....

Ants this is not good enough, when I tell you to do something, DO IT! Btw., I'm giving you a new role. You have to start...

Ants can you come here for a second? My computer froze...

Ants, are you on the reports? Can you please check them???

Ahh....

Look you missed another feature at Eye Magazine, I think you better shape up Ant.

Ants, can you send me the press release for the visitors bureau?

Hey, there are still stuff to be updated on the website, Ants???

AHHHHHHHHHHH....

Ants??

aNTS???

ANTSS??????

AHHHHEYEEE
QUITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

I quit my day job last Thursday.

State of tiredness

I'm so tired.

I'm so tired all I can think of is being in a state of tiredness and stare at the screen thinking of....

Nothing.

This week was absolute Hell at the office, with monthly reports at its deadest-deadline. And I've been working shows almost every night. And there's the chores, which I'm proud to say I've developed a system (Like washing clothes before taking a bath, so you can hang them while the chicken's cooking in the oven-- Multi-task!). I barely did chores back home, and thank God man invented the washing machine. Imagine if we had to do those by hand.



I also ushered/worked yesterday and today, which means my work week never ended. And it doesn't help that it's MONDAY in less then 2 hours!! I missed a f&%k$#% good sunny weekend which is expected to become rarer with winter coming.

That must be it. I feel awful because I can feel winter coming and it's getting colder and colder. Bring out your thermals and bonnets boys and girls, Jack Frost is coming. Gaano kalamig dito? Read this.

And he can see no reason

'Cause there are no reasons

What reason do you need to be shown
Tell me why - I don't like Mondays

Tell me why - I don't like Mondays

Tell me why - I don't like Mondays

I want to shoot

The whole day down

Once in a lifetime

What makes an experience once in a lifetime?

Seeing a full lunar eclipse today, 30 minutes ago. I honestly don't remember seeing one in my lifetime in the Philippines(could it be that the air is so much cleaner here?). It's gone all red.

Watching The Royal Shakespear Company and Ian Mckellen perform King Lear on stage last Saturday at the ASB Theatre. There were two thousand people watching, and with all honesty, you could hear a pin drop in the last 5 minutes. They were amazing. He was amazing.






And listening to Bob Dylan perform at The Civic last Sunday. What excited me more than listening to him was watching him. He is the Bob Dylan... (~Houwrrmanyrrrroadsmmmurstwalrrrr...~).

I honestly don't remember a word he sang, but nobody cared.

So cool.





Three once-in-a-lifetime experiences in one weekend.

These are the days when I feel so alive.

Halaga

Ang isang bagay na patuloy kong ina-apreciate dito sa Middle Earth eh kung pano nila pahalagahan ang buhay.

Si Kate, officemate ko, kakabili lang ng pusa, at ang halaga ay isang makatindig-balahibong NZ$650(that's +P21K to you, Pedro). Turing nila kay Rex ay para nang sariling anak, na dinadala sa office pag matamlay upang mapatingin sa vet during lunch break, at binibilhan ng masustansyang cat food at inuuwian ng laruan sa gabi. Sa sobrang pagmamahal nga nila kay Rex eh binilihan pa nila ng kapatid, si Ruby. Pansin daw kasi nila eh nalulungkot si Rex pag naiiwan sa bahay magisa.

Si Karine naman (amo ko), daladala ang poodle na si Poppie araw-araw sa opisina. Matanda na si Poppie, at balita ko nga eh pinag-gastusan ng NZ$1,800 para lang moperahan ang kanyang tumatandang hip... Naku po, hip replacement para sa aso! Hindi unique ang eksenang ganito dito. Minsan nga may pulubi sa Queen St. na kahati sa nagiisa nyang hamburger eh ang kanyang maamong aso na mas malinis pa yata sa kanya.

Kung gayon na lang ang pagmamahal nila sa hayop, eh i-imagine nyo na lang kung pano pahalagaan dito ang mga bata. Libre ang edukasyon at panganganak, at subsidized pa ang daycare. Pati nga ang batas eh nasa panig ng bata. Naku, wag mong mapalo-palo at iwan ang Ineng at Tutoy dito magisa sa bahay, kundi malamig na rehas ang yakap-yakap mo sa gabi pag me nakita sayo at isumbong ka sa pulis.

Kaya nga hindi ko matanggap-tanggap na nangyayari sa atin ang mga bagay na katulad neto.

Lord, alagaan mo po ang mga chikiting ko at ilayo mo sa lahat ng kapahamakan, lalo na't nandito ako sa Middle Earth at sila'y nasa Motherland. Ms. Visa Officer, aprubahan mo na residency ko para next year eh madala ko na ang mga bata dito.

The Seagull

Nagusher ako kanina sa production ng Royal Shakespear Company, The Seagull by Anton Chekhov. Grabe, nakakalungkot sobra, napa look-up nanaman ako.

It's about Nina, na nagmahal kay Trigorin, pero ginamit at binasura ang puso nya. It's also about Konstantin, kababata ni Nina at nagmahal sa kanya ng lubusan. Hindi tinanggap ni Nina ang pagibig nya kasi mahal na mahal pa rin nya si Trigorin.

Umalis at pumunta sa malayo si Nina para makalimutan si Trigorin. At sa huli, nagpakamatay si Konstantin, kasi hindi nya natanggap na di para sa kanya si Nina.

Click here to read a summary of the story.

Universal talaga ang mga tema ng puso, kahit anong lahi, edad or kasarian ka. Ilan na ba sa atin ang umibig sa isang taong may minamahal na iba? At ilang kanta na ba ang natinta na ganyan ang tema?

Naalala ko tuloy itong kanta ni Edgar:

Halaga

Ang dami-dami naman diyang iba
Wag kang mangangambang baka wala ka nang ibang makita
Na lalake na magmahal sayo
At hinding hindi nya sasayangin ang pag-ibig mo

Minsan hindi ko maintindihan
Parang ang buhay natin ay napagti-tripan
Medyo Malabo yata ang mundo
Binabasura ng iba ang siya’y pinapangarap ko

Bida din po si Ian McKellan (Si Gandalf po!)

PR na ako!

Well... Not that PR(Permanent Resident).

Iba talaga ang pasok ng week na ito. The same day, Monday, after the good news ke kumander, eh timing na pagsara ko ng Gmail eh nag-appear sa likod ko ang boss kong Kiwi at... Hmmm, may hawak na Starbuko para sakin. At abot tenga ang ngiti. Katakot, I smell something fishy. Baka may ipapasa nanamang trabaho at i-istyle-an nanaman ako [Kzzkk... Beam me up, Scotty... Ackk.. Transporter... Destroyed... Must... Flee...].

Kiwi Boss: Heyyy Andrew, who's the good boyyyyy???

Tuny: [Andrew?? Saka na, long story...] Errr.... Me??

Abah, ako nga. Yun pala eh naglalabasan na ang mga press release na ginawa ko at dinispatcha para sa isang client namin, at lumabas sa dalawa sa pinakamalalaking dyaryo dito sa NZ!

Sunday Star Times

New Zealand Herald

Wahu! Aba naman, feeling ko talaga parang Public Relations professional na ako dito sa Middle Earth. Nagkalakas loob tuloy akong ipagkalat na ang link na ito, hehehe.

Feeling ko eh, I'm....






Nagpapasalamat ako sa aking pamilya, fans(you know who you are), mga dating amo, sponsors at supporters ko, lalo na sayo (turo sa taas, chest pump)... Kung wala kayo, eh wala din ako (tee-heee...)

Ah, sulit ang hirap..

As usual, pagdating sa office, bago ko pa harapin ang ga-bundok na trabaho na dapat tapusin, open muna ako ng Gmail. Regular routine ito, dahil pagdating ni amo, nakuuuu... Iba talaga ito sa iniwan kong trabaho sa Pinas. Kung doon nakakapetix pa ako, eh dito para akong naghahabol ng oras palagi para lang maisingit ang mga dapat tapusin.

Nagemail nga pala si kumander, with good news. Really good news.

Pre school ni Julia, at Chinese school. Yari tayo dyan, buti na lang at
Grand Lolo nya eh Fil-Chi din (Naku sana gumaling sya s Math, di tulad ni Mami & Dadi)

Hay, sarap. Pag ganitong ba namang mga balita ang matanggap mo, feeling mo kahit anong ibato nila, eh para akong pader na di matinag. Di lang sulit lahat ng pagod at sakripisyo, kundi lumalakas pa ang loob kasi napupunasan ng tuwa ang ang lungkot at homesickness na nararamdaman. Aba naman, 65K daw ang tuition sabi ni Kumander, at saan ako kukuha ng ganoong kalaking pera sa Pinas!

Ika nga, pag may anak ka na, wala nang mas importante pa sa mundong ito kundi maibigay lang ang lahat na para sa kanila.

Dahil dyan, kelangan magcelebrate at makapag-prito na nga ng lumpia (and that's another story, abangan sa susunod, harhar).

Playing in my MP now:

So glad weve almost made it
So sad they had to fade it
Everybody wants to rule the world

Sent!

Nung Friday sa opisina, nagpadala ako ng email sa client ko, para ipaalam sa kanya na naipadala ko na yung press release na ginawa ko para sa lodge nya:


Ewan ko ba, at biglang napako ang mata ko sa salitang Sent! Aba naman at ang nagregister sa utak ko eh, pag binaligtad mo ang exclamation point, it would read Senti.

Yes. Tinamaan ako bigla ng homesickness. Malamig kasi at naalala ko ang mga masasarap gawin pag malamig sa Pinas, like kumain ng goto pagkatapos ng simbang gabi, magkulong at magbasa ng songhits kasi umuulan at di makapag-basketball, o matulog ulit pagkatapos maligo kasi signal #3. Pati na rin ang walang ka-kwenta-kwentang pagsabit sa jeep ng madaling araw ay nalala ko, with the wind on your hair, at mapadaan sa mabahong creek sa Recto. Ah, ka-miss...

Na-miss ko rin ang mga iniwan ko sa Pinas, like mga magulang, kapatid, kamaganak, barakada, mga tropa sa bundok(ang sarap umakyat pag umuulan!), mga dating opismaytes.

Pero ang hinahanap-hanap ko ngayong eh si kumander, ang twins, at si Julia. Naalala ko tuloy si Dong, at hinanap ko agad ang lyrics nya:

Senti

Inaliw kita, tawa ka nga nang tawa eh
Sinabi mo, wag kitang iwan, ayaw mong mag-isa
O.K. lang sa akin, abutin man ng umaga
Lahat ay gagawin para ka lang mapasaya.
Ako, mahal kita
Mahal na mahal
Natatandaan mo, ang saya-saya natin ano

Sa zoo.

I can't wait for Christmas at makauwi. 137 days to go.

Filipino English: Bukas!

10AM sa office, while having Tea (naks) and checking my personal emails, biglang lumapit Australiano kong officemate, si Kate:

Kate: Hey Eyn-thony! Do you know what dey is todey???

Tuny: Huh? [Processingggg... ano daw? Ah!] Oh yeah! It's Wednesday!

Kate: Yeah! Time goes so fast when you're busy, eh?

Tuny: Zow True! Can you believe it, it's Thursday na bukas!

Kate: Huh?

Kasi naman eh, binibigla ako...

Kate sa background: May sayad din

NZ Film Fest

Last weekend I ushered a number of shows at The Civic, all films featured at the New Zealand/Telecom Film Festival. It's the equivalent of the Manila Filmfest, except na international ang listing, walang awards night sa dulo , at walang parada sa Baywalk.

Click the title for the plot.

Conversations With My Gardner
- My favorite so far. Talky sya, medyo drama, medyo comedy. Its the type of movie you would want to invite your nililigawan(malaki ang chance na sagutin ka nya after), or your best buddies kung medyo nababading kayo sa isa't-isa (hehe). Kidding aside, it has the same effect as the coming of age movie Stand By Me, only you have two guys in their late 40s sharing and learning from life experiences.
Rating: Apat na palakpak (out of 5)

Death at a Funeral
- A typical Brit comedy, light, refreshing, totally amusing. Its the type of film na mapapatawa ka sumigaw ng "Ay ang gago, hehehehe!"... Buti na lang walang nakaintindi sa kin( Which reminds me, is there such a thing as Hehehehe sa mga puti? Hahaha lang ata, diba? Baka akala nila nabubulunan na ako). You should watch this with friends, para makatawa ka ng todo-bigay.
Rating: tatlot-kalahating palakpak(at isang mahabang piggy snort, snorkk...).

Manufactured Landscape
- Inde ko ito masyado napanood, kasi nilagay ako sa pinto (asar, um!). But from what I saw from the door(I left it ajar, enough to see half the screen), its a documentary about the industrial revolution in China. If you're a photographer, you'll love this because of the imagery. Medyo mahaba lang, about 2 hours, to prove his point (And he could have done this in about 45 mins). Then again I only saw "half" the film, so who am I to judge(aruy, sumakit ang ulo ko).
Rating: dalawang palakpak, at isang mahabang hikab.

Golden Door
- I was drawn to this film because of its plot, the fact that I'm an immigrant as well. The imagery reminds mo of the film Frida, with its surreal overtones(naks, maski ako inde ko naintindihan yun ah). OK lang, ika nga, so-so... Ika nga, pang DVD sya.
Rating: tatlong palakpak at kalahating pirated DVD

After the Wedding
- Walanghiya, hinid ko inexpect ito, pinagbabawal dapat ang mga pelikulang ganito kasi masyadong heavy drama. May mga part nga na para akong nakalulon ng bayabas.. nanikip ang dibdib ko at.. aaminin ko... napahikbi ako(aguy, napa-look up nga ako kasi tumutulo luha ko, nakakahiya sa mga guest). Pinagbre-break nga ako ng supervisor ko, kaso sabi ko "noo.. I want to know what happens to Jørgen..". Kung may kasalanan ka sa misis or GF, isama mo. Syento-por-syento, bati na kayo paglabas nyo(uyyy).
Rating: apat na palakpak at isang malakas na hikbi

Rescue Dawn
- Tangna (excuse my French), eto ang pinagbabawal talaga. Para syang B-movie na may konting budget(Na I suspect napunta lahat kay Christian Bale). Napanood nyo ba yung Megiddo: Omega Code 2? Medyo kalinya nya, medyo ka-atin-atin lang ng konti. Maski nga ayaw ko magbreak, napa-tea ako ng 30mins para mabawasan ang parusa. It's a case of bad amateur actors, a bad script, bad cinematography, led by a terrible lead star. Puro cliche'. Akala ko nga sa Pilipinas ginawa at hinihintay ko lumabas si Rez Cortez at si Bembol Rocco (as Henchman #1 and #2), at magkaroon bigla ng dance scene. Nalaman ko lang na hindi dahil, pag may tinatamaan ng granada, hindi sila napapata-tumbling. Bumilib lang ako kay Michale Bale kasi bawat eksena, papayat sya ng papayat!
Rating: Not even kalahating palakpak, at isang eye roll(sosyal).

Well, I worked for a total 12 hours yesterday, and totally knackered. I'm doing it again this weekend, and hope to see good ones like Eagle vs. Shark and I Served the King of England.

Hay, so many films, so little time. Sa next weekend uli!

Scene: After the Wedding

Scene: Death at a Funeral

Dapat iwasan: Rescue Dawn (Check out the bros,
mga Pilipino yan ehhh... aminin)

My 15 seconds with PM Helen Clark

In my short career here in New Zealand, I have been fortunate enough to meet and talk to some amazing people. One those is none other than the boss herself, Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Below is a transcription of this once in a lifetime, one-on-one interview, which actually happened not longer than two hours ago:

Tuny: Good Evening Madam Prime Minster, how are you tonight?

HC: Good evening, I'm excellent, you?

Tuny: Very well. Well Prime Minister, before anything else, thank you for hosting our president, I hope everything went well during her visit last week.

HC: Of course, she was nothing short of astonishing. I enjoyed her company.

Tuny: Well she is short and astonishing, este, anyway.... Would you like a programme for tonight's event?

HC: Yes, that's wonderful.

Tuny: Would you need anything else? Do you like your seat? Ice cream?

HC: Everything's fine, thank you.

Pagkatapos nun, umupo na sya. Well OK, inde ko actually tinanong sya about the visit, pero binigyan ko nga sya ng programme, and we made eye contact (Kamukha pala nya si Fanny Serrano!). Na-assign kasi ako as usher sa isang violin competition sa VIP section ng Auckland Town Hall, guest of honor sya eh.

Kala nyo noh. I love my ushering job. next week I'll be doing Swan Lake. Who knows who I'll meet next!

Helen Clark


Tita Fanny (Magkamukha sila noh?)

To the office!

I took photos using my Siemens M65 on my way to work today.

I usually take the car, pero kasi nga andyan na ang twins at mahal ang gas, bus at jeep muna tayo para makatipid ng konti. Mausok, mainit man o masikip, I actually enjoy it since I see a lot of things that I miss when driving.

There are a number of bus companies that ply the Las Pinas-Lawton-Sta Cruz route. There's RRCG, Bensan, Al Transco, Taz Trans and Arabia Boy(Siguro balbas-sarado ang me ari nito). However my favorite is Igan, the one I'm on right now.

Good thing about Igan buses are their seats. They only accomodate 2 per bench seat. Compare this to three-and-two-seat buses, na pag mataba nakatabi mo, kalahati lang ng puwet ang uupo. Not only that, pag nakaupo ka sa bandang likod at tayuan, pati ilong mo magkaka-gasgas sa sikip ng aisle.

Sayang sira ata ang TV, hindi ko makikita si Love Annover(?) magsayaw today(Thank god!). Question: bakit ba lahat ng buses sa Las Pinas sa GMA7 naka tune?

What's more refreshing than riding in a bus with curtains with rose patterns in the morning?

Flyer pasted on my window. Bakit nga ba gustong-gusto ng tao ang mga tele-novela na puro sampalan, iyakan at awayan? Nakita nyo na ba ang role ni Cherry Gil sa Gulong? May tao nga bang ganun kasama ng ugali? (Btw., hindi ako nanunuod nun, nadadaanan ko lang kasi lahat sila s bahay tagasubaybay ng Gulong.. peks man!)

MP3 player, the new cellphone. Deadma sa katabi nyang mama na naka-sando lang (buti na lang si lola nakatabi ko).

Sa tollgate.

Punuan na.

A caucasian riding a jeep.

Yikes, 7:25 na, malalate na ako (Faster Mr. bus driver, faster!)

Mr. Smiling face kunduktor. Paid P15 and got off at Coastal mall.

From the corner of coastal mall and sucat, I walk 5 minutes to get to the jeepney stop. Good thing they changed that billboard. Its Cesar Montano now, but it used to be a guy wearing just briefs, with a pose as if he was dancing and clapping to a song(nai-imagine ko tuloy ang pictorial nun, hehehe).

My jeepney ride's name is Mhai Mafel(probably the name of the driver's daughters), with a cool benz emblem in front.

Bayad po stories...
Story 1
Tuny sumakay sa jeep, inaantok:
Tuny: Ma, pabili... (ack, tinawanan ng mga kolehiyala, pahiya!)
Story 2
Tuny: Ma, bayad [nagabot ng "pera"]
Driver: [Kinuha, tinignan, sabay kamot at soli ng pagalit] Hindi ako tumatanggap nito!
Tuny: [Nagtaka pa, e nabayad nya e maliit na sobre na may 1x1 picture nya sa loob]

Just made the 7:45 company shuttle. Tayuan na. As usual, corporate chismis habang bumibyahe (may bonus na ba? Sino yung nahuli sa fire escape naghahalikan kahapon?).

I might ride a helicopter to Pinatubo tomorrow

I might ride a helicopter to Pinatubo tomorrow, I might ride a helicopter to Pinatubo tomorrow, I might ride a helicopter to Pinatubo tomorrow.

I can hear the theme of Airwolf(1984) playing in my head.




I've never been on a helicopter. Will you cross your fingers for me?

Monday Blues

Spent the whole day contemplating what to do at the office, which is harder than it seems when you ARE at the office.

There's nothing easier than Sundays, and nothing harder than Mondays.

****

Btw., in an attempt to look productive, I opened Google Images and typed in "Monday Blues". Here's what I got.