I am definitely a late bloomer in all sorts and freakin angles. Oh wait! That should have been late boomer because BOOM! Lazying over summer took its toll and I lost all of my best angles. Fortunately, I didn't lose anything else than that, especially my vir...tual presence and my grasp on leadership trainings or the things I brought with me for this year's UIC-SSG Team Building activity.

It's been a long time since my last team building so I was kinda lost at the start of the program. Until came such time that we got to meet our fellow legislators, the execs and the creative team and finally my past experiences haunted me the harsh reality that I will have to go through some back-breaking obstacles, again!


Well, it's not like I went there for leisure but for a moment I forgot the things that makes a team building - a team building! Just so you know, a team building can't be without me! Char lang. It can't be without some serious challenge. Well, silly looking obstacles for that matter but not as easy as they look. And dude! I was not prepared this time. Perhaps, time and my other interests got into the way that I got used to less strenuous activities which gave me a jolt of shock upon realizing that this time I'm going to lead a team.

Whaaaat? So there I was in a position I have not yet mastered because I used to be in the support side of things. But what do you know? During some of the activities, all the things I've learned or once forgotten came back to me while adrenaline and the pressure of competition called all of the saints and pumped up all of my cells, both the living and the dead. But I couldn't have done it without my powerful team of sugar, spice and everything nice! You know that, don't you?

Obviously the highlight of the Team building was getting to know the people that I will be with in SSG for the upcoming semester but it's hard to say that the Amazing race or the Intimate candlelit Sharing by the Beach cannot be counted as highlights. So yeah, this is the best of my year so far with more than one highlight in a single event!

Anyway, this post is just a brief introduction of the amazing things I've experienced from our activity. Don't worry I'm preparing a narrative of our 2-Day team building and stay at Mahan Beach Resort, Island Garden City of Samal. There will be more details and photos next time I promise! ^_^

I'm writing this not because I wanted to, I'm writing this because there are times like today when I feel like the world is trying to get me and I want to blame others, hurt myself, let depression slip in, shut people out and destroy everything I see. Fortunately, I can get past all that but this is my way of coping up with the bad things that happened.

They say this is a good exercise and it's quite true. Expressing yourself and releasing the tension by writing about your 'Worst day ever!' actually helps. Crying yourself to sleep also helps too! You know, emo shit like that. A moment you regret telling to your hypocrite friends who act like they've never been to the weakest points of their lives. And yet you still count them as friends! Hoo-hoo!

But just because it works fine to me doesn't mean it would work well for you. Remember that we react differently on different fucking situations but don't forget to ask this whenever you feel like the world is plotting a murder against you - "Where, how and to whom do I share my woes, my frustrations and my anger?" You can start there! As for the rest, well, fuck you! Figure it out yourself.

Hindi lahat nasasagot ng World Peace!

So, what the hell happened to me this time? I don't want to go into details but the last straw of my agonizing day was my phone getting fucked up with a moist on the front camera and its fucking touchscreen freezes from time to time. And just to clarify, I DID NOT DO ANYTHING that could have resulted to this madness! It just decided to go batshit crazy! You know, I can deal with the front cam being foggy because honestly I'm not a fan of selfie. But damn it's a new phone! I bought it 3 weeks ago. It's my hard earned money and fuck whoever made Cloudfone!

I never consulted my friends - well, I did but I didn't listen - I know right! I'm a fucking moron and now I'm too embarrassed to even tell my friends what happened because I know their response would be 'I told you so...'. Like that would help me!? When bad things happen you would want someone who has big ears and a small mouth. I maybe describing a mouse but if a mouse could listen and not criticize then why can't you? Char lamang.

Fortunately, a service center for Cloudfone will open this month here in Davao. Probably, on the 28th of May because of some stupid superstition that 28 is a good day for openings. So that means starting today I need to fucking wait, if my assumptions are right, 10 fucking days.

I don't even know what's the point of this post, I should have just posted this on facebook so that my friends would see how terrible my writing is when I'm on the verge of an emotional outburst. So that people who don't like me would be happy about my little misery. That while some people are sharing their comfortable lives through their smartphones here I am belching about not having both - AGAIN!

Well, I shouldn't be like this considering my smartphone experience was rather short-lived but I've got 4 more reasons to foolishly post something like this, but as I've mentioned earlier I won't go into details this time. I think I'm going to blog about the one that involves 'hairs' though. Just so you wait! I'm telling you, that is something.

Patience is indeed a virtue! But I swear if my phone won't get fixed, I will go in my way into making the lives of those who forced me to buy that crappy phone (because the one I wanted was out of stock) live miserably as well. Just kidding! But if I could I would but I can't so I shan't. Pero ibang klase sila mang jamming about sa specs and warranty! Bantay lang! You know how I easily submit to peer pressure right? You probably know that I hate myself every day for that, I never learn and this just makes me hate myself more.

This may sound too forced considering my tone in this blog post but if you ever feel the same way. If you ever feel like the world is conspiring against you. I want you to know that you are not alone. Char. And if you're faced with the same phone problems, I'll update this post the moment I get to the service center aaaaaaand here are some tips to not make things go worse.

1.) If you have tried everything to recover your once well-functioning smartphone - reset, restore factory, reboot, take out the battery - and impatience is trying to kill you, prevent yourself from seeing the phone! lol. You will just feel bad and helpless and you're gonna try to do a lot more things that you think 'MAY' work but could also worsen the situation. If you're not an expert on the matter don't push it! Keep it away from you.

2.) Don't blame yourself for everything. Sometimes things just go out of your control but you can always control yourself.

3.) Don't be sorry for the f-words in times like this. That word isn't restricted to coitus so use it if it makes you feel any better. Yeah, like pretty much the way 'The Hound' used it in Game of Thrones! Fuck the Kingsguard. Fuck the city. Fuck the king.

4.) Accept that these things happen and don't 'always' blame the world. In fact, make peace with the world. Hindi lahat nasasagot ng World Peace, minsan dapat baliktad - Peace World! Whether it be genuine or with spite at least it has a positive light. The world is old as fuck so Karma and Yin and Yang is probably some serious fact! Mahirap na, baka seryosohin ka ng mundo.

5.) Try to do good things on the side so you'll feel lighter. If you still feel heavy try Dulcolax!

So I guess this is another post which I'll read and regret many years from now. But the thing is, I wrote this not because I wanted to, I wrote this because I needed to.

Summer in the Philippines is best enjoyed with a tall glass of special Halo-Halo. One with ice cream, leche flan, sweetened jack fruit, banana, ube halaya and macapuno! You can have red beans or sago in it if you like - which I don't - but wouldn't it be so much better if you are given the right to choose the contents of your Halo-Halo?


It's Summer once again and the sun will emit all sorts of frequency, light and radiation to helpless humans like us. Be it infrared, visible light, ultra-violet; there might even be bluetooth or wifi! The sun's very unpredictable the past few days that every now and then you don't know which SPF number to use. And who knows, you might even get a heatstroke? *knocks on wood*

I know right? Summer heat can be a bitch. And do you know the best way to cool down bitches? The answer, a vengefully sweet and icy dessert. Yes! There may be lots of other ways and places where you can cool yourself down, but, ah-ah! Nothing beats a Halo-halo! And when you're here in Davao, there's only one authority when it comes to our country's most popular dessert and it's none other than Aling Foping’s Halo Halo Atbp!

Now on its 12th year in the business, Aling Foping's Halo Halo Atbp continues on providing Davaoenos the most refreshing escape to hot summer days. And take note that their name has "Atbp." in it, meaning, you'll also get to taste the best out of their menu. Just like the Bibingka which my friends and I have all agreed of calling a "Winner!". They also have the Chili Con Carne which was not too spicy but zesty at best. No wonder it got a nod from PNoy himself. Yeah, we were told they served it to the President during one of his visits here in Davao. But enough namedropping! Here's are some photos I grabbed from their Facebook page featuring the Halo-Halo, Chili Con Carne and the Bibingka since I can't find my photos of them.


So going back to the Halo halo, the thing about Aling Foping's is that you will be the one to choose the contents of your Halo-halo. Upon ordering, they have this form which obviously you need to fill-up. On that form, you'll come across the hardest decision of your life. Regular or Special? Special or Regular? Hmmm.. The special Halo-Halo comes with a scoop of ice cream but that's not the best thing about it. The ice cream just adds to the ube flavor and the texture but then the regular Halo-Halo is creamy enough and they didn't make the ice cream so...why settle for regular when you can have it espesyal?

Now it's time to choose the content of your Halo-Halo. Remember that you're not supposed to choose everything on the list. Don't be greedy! At P105 you're only allowed a maximum of 6 ingredients to your Halo-Halo. If you want everything or you want to double the amount of a particular ingredient then go ahead! No one is stopping you! You're gonna have to pay a bit more of course.

My cousin and I trying their Halo-Halo! :D

My Halo-halo is usually composed of leche flan, sweetened jack fruit, banana, ube halaya and macapuno. That's five out of the six I'm supposed to add. The sixth ingredient to my Halo-halo is still the ube halaya because of its melt-in-your-mouth texture and strong taste that is so good I always ask that it'd be doubled.

Halo-Halo may be a hodgepodge mess with 'everything nice' mixed all together. But if you know, you get to choose and you like what's in it then you're off for a delicious treat that will beat the summer heat! And it rhymes with eat so cheat and tweet and be complete while it's not yet time for Trick or Treat. Hahaha ^_^

So go out there! Halo-Halo is our country's most popular dessert for a reason! :D

Aling Fopings is located inside Matina Town Square, Matina, Davao City. You can visit their facebook page here!

I am someone who doesn't really like to drink alcohol. To tell you the truth, I self-diagnosed myself with an allergic reaction to it. I tell you it's the best excuse out there if you're not really into drinking. If not, then you can always tell your friends you are on a beer diet or you don't wanna end up like King Joffrey. lol.

Anyway, when I told people about it I heard them say it's awful. Well, they mean different kinds of awful. It's awful because I can't get to drink as much as they do or it's awful because it's an allergy and they think I'm sad about it but I'd rather have them think "If he can't drink there's more for me then!". I never really liked drinking.

But I will never forget that person who grimaced in disbelief when he heard me say that I'm allergic to alcohol. That person even told me that I can never have fun and that it's the worst. Maybe for him!? But seriously? Well, if that's his idea of fun then maybe....hmmm...friendship over? Just kidding. Maybe I should respect that. But fun? Hahaha.

The first time my tongue touched a glass full of beer was on a glorious Summer night when I was little and then I shrunk into the size of pea. It was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted. It's bitter and its nasty taste leaves your mouth foul like FOREVER. And I'm not exaggerating. I did the 'face'. Just thinking about it makes me remember the taste. And I disliked it ever since! Now, I can tolerate the taste of any alcoholic beverages but I go by with little amounts and gulps and sometimes nothing at all because my friends are too drunk to notice I skipped a turn.

About my allergy, I know I should have consulted a doctor just to be sure but anyway whenever I drink - which is rarely - I itch, I get red spots and the first time I got drunk - It was Freshmen Night! - my back felt sore as hell I told myself to never drink again. But of course, that's what most first timers tell themselves. You get a bad experience and you say 'never'. Please don't make the same mistake and never say never. You're not Justin Bieber! Zzz. I know I can do better than that. 

In my case, of course, and my age who wouldn't get to drink when you're surrounded by people who would goad, cheer and egg you to drink more than your threshold. I called it beer pressure. Apparently, everyone does! I thought I've finally invented a word. And it's really frustrating because you have to drink in the spirit of fun, camaraderie, friendship and all that. I mean yes it can get fun but the thought that you ought to do it because, I don't know, you ought to do it? It's so complicated.

I know I can always say no but then suddenly I'm boring and all. Who wants to be labeled boring? So this is just a random post I did after the most 'drink' I had in one sitting. I had a bacardi, jager meister and fortunately one tequila shot. Apparently, one of each and I'm tired, I'm dizzy, I don't know, I may never get to try those drinks again, or I will never drink again ... or maybe this is a drunk blog post? What the hell!? This is a BUI.

So, I don't really a have point to make or maybe I made some, somewhere in the post, you do the thinking. I'm just you know, gonna drink lots of water, be boring and let my friends tell the story of how I succumb to beer pressure - again!

I have no regrets though because I did have fun! Like I said, it's complicated. Thank you for inviting me to your party last night Coffee Chic! :D