..............

This milk tea is over the top. What kind of caffeine did they put in here? My mind is so awake at 2 AM in the morning despite the busy day earlier. It's almost like melange (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melange_(fictional_drug)) and my prescience has been opened. Everything's possible. All the end/or gates are open. It's a moment of weakness and strength. And just like any experience that makes you high and elated and weird, one just feels alive.

I must write. To release the bottled up emotions with this thing that lividgabo and the clan is facing. One may think that he's been hit with the worst of challenges. But NO. Nothing ever prepares you for this. There is no handbook for dealing with this kind of pain. My friend just went through this last year. She handled it pretty well I must say. And I gave her all kinds of advice on how to deal with it. I'm able to use those now but it's pretty different when you're inside the pool yourself. The pain of knowing that someone's about to go but you don't want them to go but the only way for them to be relieved of the pain that they're going through is to go. A conundrum that can make your head explode. AND WHATEVER HAPPENS NEXT? He has been the source of our strength, our inspiration and guide. Majority of everyone's decision making has largely been influenced by him. big. small. even trivial. He has influenced our life somewhat. The extent only now I realize. Grateful that God gave us such a wonderful gift of a person. Grateful that I was given the chance to know him and know what a good man should be. I may not be able to accomplish or even remotely be like him. But I can try. Because he would've wanted me to do that. He would've wanted all of us to be good. And happy.

I would've wanted to you to be there on several important occasions in my life but now it's too late. I know though that you would still be there and make it a point to look sharp in your barong and be proud of me. Just like you always are. Even in our moments of weakness. You were there for us somehow. I will not cry because I need to be strong for everyone that you love. And from this day on, your strength is my strength. "Love is patient. Love is kind. Love rejoices in the truth. It bears all things. Endures all things. Love never fails."

We Love you Lolo. It's all up to God now.

Not breaking when you're broken.

It's about having the courage to fail. Not breaking when you're broken. Taking everything you've been given and making something better. It's about work before glory and what's inside of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6h1HjArhQg

Trekking Mt. Pinatubo

Backstory

Thanks to Cashcash Pinoy, the gang decided to tick the Mt. Pinatubo trek off the bucket list. Online research says that the trek would be wet and slippery and would present all kinds of terrain: sand, rocks and mud. I guess we were just lucky with the weather. It was just 5-10% slippery and most of it was rocks and sand. About 20% were streams that you had to cross over so it's advisable to wear something amphibious. I wore a Sandugo Yatri (relatively budgeted @ 1799 php), which turned out to be a good investment since sandals would give you blisters afterwards.

From the beginning

We arrived at the meeting place (Mcdo Shell at the corner of now Ortigas Jr Drive;formerly Emerald Ave and Ortigas Ave) at around 130 am. Access8, our organizers, said that departure was at 230 but we had companions from Davao who might have arrived late that's why we had to leave at 3am. Almost slept through the whole bus ride and was at the DENR 4x4 jump off point by 6am. It took some time before we left the bus because our organizers still had to register us with DENR. We were off by am and arrived at the jump off trekking point by 8am? The 4x4 ride is simply a bucket list ride. Some of the 4x4's did not look menacing enough to conquer the terrain. But you'd be surprised as it took inclined planes and rough roads with ease. The weather was perfect for trekking. Not too hot and not to dreary. The sun would show at different intervals but didn't bother as much. Apart from the light drizzle at the latter part of trip going back, the weather was pretty much cooperative. The trek terrain consisted of rocks of all sizes, sand and streams. It's going to bet wet because of the streams but they only reach up to the knees. Don't attempt to walk without looking at your feet as the terrain is pretty unpredictable and it's easy to stub your toe with a misplaced rock.

















Our friend was wearing Crocs and she was also comfortable all throughout. It's not advisable to wear sandals as it may give you blisters and rubbing at the tension support points.It's also recommended to bring a med kit consisting of bandaids and such. We reached the summit finally after 3 hours of walking and it was all worth it. Simply exhilarating. The sun was shining by the time we had arrived (really advisable to wear sunblock if only to counter cancer). We ate our packaged meal without spoons and forks and used plastic bags with our hands. The view of the water when it's near is even more amazing. We didn't take a dip because it was too windy and the sun decided to hide itself by the time we were ready.

All in all, a trek to Pinatubo is definitely something you'd want on your bucket list. It has tons of lessons to teach you. And its beauty can only be appreciated firsthand. Such a turnaround from spewing ash and lava not so long ago; like a woman scorned. Only goes to show that no matter what nature has been through, time will heal all wounds.

Year Starter

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2012

Two.Zero.One.Two

I was rifling through my notes last year, 2011, in preparation for planning activities this year and found this:

Why Do I write for Tugon

@lividgabo sat infront of his computer at home, not knowing where to end. Several alt+tabs and google searches later, he was still uninspired. He had only till midnight to finish his article. And that is why he writes. The thrill of meeting the deadline and coming up with something apt and beautiful inspires him!

Reading it, I knew that it somehow summarized half of my life and my viewpoint on things. I cram because that breaks out the adrenaline juice. I don't cram as much as I did when I was in College but I still have this notion that things will fall in to place no matter what. If it didn't happen for you, then it's not for you. At the same time I want some semblance of control. Like any walking contradiction, I'm neither here nor there; just somewhere in between. And it does not do well for an aching head. Anyhow, the adventure continues. Hold fast but learn when to let go. Because it's going to be a bumpy ride and sometimes the only way to fly is to jump from that diving board.

Happy 2012!