Ondoy aftermath: September 27, 2009

NOTE: This was a post I made in my old blog the day after Ondoy hit. I was in Calumpit, supposedly to celebrate Tatay's birthday. We were supposed to leave in the afternoon, but when we learned that NLEX pulled off a Gandalf (YOU SHALL NOT PASS!), we had no choice but to spend the night there - without change of clothing or extra toiletries.  Just now, PAGASA announced that the accumulated rainfall is 472mm in 22 hours, greater than Ondoy's 455 mm in 24 hours. 

[ETA] I'm home. Aside from Twitter, Wikipedia has the the storm on the main page. I see CNN also has it. Facebook is full of it. It's one of the worst we've had - a month's worth of rainfall came down on us in 6 hours. Not as epic as the one in Turkey, but for a country that's so used to storms hitting us month after month, this storm was something. Below is something I wrote earlier today, half-expecting that I won't be home early today, but I got home while the sun was still shining. Whew. Thank God.

Writing this down on my notebook, to be posted online once I touchdown in Manila. With "Off The Wall" playing on The Green Menace, I write this. Mark is sleeping beside me - it is 9:20 AM. He and the other guy cousins stayed up all night - mosquitoes, among other factors contributed to this.

There is no electricity. Murasaki-chan's (note: Sony Ericsson P1i) running dangerously low on battery, which is partly my fault because I've been updating like crazy on our situation there. I decided to use Barahime (note: office phone) as my primary phone late last night, so I can let various people know that I'm fine.

Even if Bulacan was hit with Signal #2, our house in Calumpit is on high ground, so it would take one heck of a rainfall for it to reach the house. Aside from this, when we woke up this morning, we saw how much the damage was from last night. A banana tree fell. Pampanga River - which is literally steps away from our backyard - overflew, the water lilies now beckoning at our gates.

At front, the flood was thigh deep when we woke up at 6 AM. Three hours on, it's just a little over the knee. The elevation leading towards our house is completely submerged till the second gate. Outside - beyond the first gate, people are fishing. We got some fish from them, probably for pangat for lunch later. Papa is fishing for pangasius - the idea of fishing in our own (overflowing) fishpond amuses me.

Back home, our house didn't get flooded (thank God) but it's pretty much a waterworld outside - which is expected for Manila. Listening to the radio I hear that NLEX is starting to become passable. If we spent the night in the expressway, it would have been a nightmare.

I'm wearing my lola's duster. It completes the whole farm look, I think, which adds to the amusement of the current situation. I imagine that this would have been harder if not a lot of us were here. Cousins, titas and titos who have the same wacky wavelength - all of us together somehow managed to take a disaster like this in stride.

We estimate that we'll be able to go home by late noon earliest, dinnertime latest. By that time, I hope all roads are moderately passable, and we can manage to sleep on soft beds and pillows tonight! Plus, I have a ton of pictures to post to show my own take of yesterday's storm, which will surely amuse family members that were lucky/unlucky enough not to be here.

What an interesting weekend.

Intense

We aren't doing any better from last night's rain. We're doing much worse now.

Metro Manila is flooded all around. I'm grateful that my house isn't flooded yet (given Manila's rep for flooding, in general), but I'm sure the story outside will be very different.

Click image to biggify =)

This was how Project NOAH saw my part of the city as of 1:20 PM-ish. By the way, Project NOAH is awesome, and much props goes to PAGASA-DOST for making this happen. We're at an intense level of rainfall, not to mention a RED warning being raised over the whole metro. 

If you're reading this, and you're outside the Philippines, please keep the people here in your thoughts and prayers. If you see tweets from the likes of @MMDA @PAGASA-DOST, @govph and the major media outfits, please retweet them so news about floods and rescue efforts can be spread. I think right now, the most immediate need for evacuation centers are food and drinking water, not to mention clothing. Rubber boats will come in VERY HANDY for rescue operations as well. 

This has been posted like crazy, but duplication is key for a crisis:

Ayala Malls and MOA are also open for people who are stranded due to the rain.

At this point, the key here is to just stay put and be vigilant, keeping ourselves abreast of what's happening around us. Also, don't goout unless you really need to. 

And for those who are associating the rain with the RH Bill, I feel sorry for the lot of you. I feel sorry that you didn't even consider that maybe our trash problem contributed to the flooding that's happening now. I feel sorry that you had to use your God as a cover for your cause. Most of all, I feel sorry for you because you see this "God" as a god who punishes people and takes pleasure in doing so. It's just...ugh. The least thing you can do is put off all of these banters and look out for your neighbor, whether he/she is pro-RH or not. 

Rainy days and Mondays (not connected to The Carpenters at all)

"The reason why people sing songs for other people is because they want to have the power to arouse empathy, to break free from the narrow shell of the self and share their pain and joy with others."- Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

I find that whatever frustration I have with work and life in general, I can always let loose with music. That is why I love my weekends, even if they are so taxing.

Last week was especially hard. Stuff at work didn't go as planned, and along the way I have lost all interest to watch The Dark Knight Rises (unless it's for free). I've had to battle a teeny bit of depression early Friday morning as well (no thanks to U2 sound tripping, but I still love their music to bits). 

But when there's music - especially if you're creating the music yourself, and not just listening to it - there's no other high I'd rather have. Of course, there's the high of watching a good movie, or reading a great book, but a music high is the ultimate high. If I'm involved, I always give 120% of myself, even if it means falling flat on the floor and getting bruised on one side, or getting cramps, or looking like a loon. When there's music, ever inhibition is thrown out the window. It's just me and my audience of One.

--- --- ---

So, everyone remembers Ondoy and Pedring, right? And, if I may go further back, Milenyo? All of these storms had one thing in common - they happened towards the last week of September. 

But tonight, we got a RED warning over the whole of Metro Manila. After tonight's class, I had to brave a flooded Taft Ave just to get home. I walked 50% of the way, then when I realized I couldn't go any farther due to the flood being above the gutter of the island along Taft, a tricycle came. I got a ride from where I was to San Andres corner Quirino Ave for P40, then took a sidecar from where I was dropped off going to Leon Guinto.

My feet got WET. I hate it when that happens. When I got home, I got the Lush shower gel and used it to scrub my feet. LUSH TALAGA ANG GINAMIT KO (your arguments are invalid XD). It was that hardcore. XD

Tonight, the rain comes and goes - which is a good thing. It's not an Ondoy, but I'm sure for a lot of people now, it may be a repeat, and my heart goes out to them. But all of this rain on August makes September even more unsettling. I really hope that the government has prepared. I think we have learned immensely from the past few years, and there are systems that are now in place that make dissemination of information faster than it was in years past (special mention goes to Project NOAH; I've been tinkering it and it's AWESOME). I just hope that people don't take warnings for granted, cause strangely, some still do.

--- --- ---

And, in light of this week's most anticipated vote, I leave you with this quote from my awesome great-grandfather (I wish!) C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity:

People say, 'The Church ought to give us a lead." That is true if they mean it in the right way, but false if they mean it in the wrong way. (…) But of course, when they ask for a lead from the Church most people mean they want the clergy to put out a political programme. That is silly. The clergy are those particular people within the whole Church who have been specially trained and set aside to

 look after what concerns us as creatures who are going to live for ever: and we are asking them to do a quite different job for which they have not been trained. The job is really on us, on the laymen. The application of Christian principles, say, to trade unionism or education, must come from Christian trade unionists and Christian schoolmasters: just as Christian literature comes from Christian novelists and dramatists - not from the bench of bishops getting together and trying to write plays and novels in their spare time.

No truer words have been spoken. 

On rainy days and Hollow Crown feelings

Ang saya-saya talaga kung umuulan, diba? (I'm not being sarcastic here.) Okay, di bali nang baha sa paligid mo, di bali nang hindi ka makakalabas ng bahay kasi baka hindi ka makabalik (o hindi ka rin makakarating sa pupuntahan mo). Basta ang importante ay nasa bahay ka kung umuulan.  Sapat na ang lahat. 

Alam mo kung bakit? Kasi, panay na bukambibig ng tao kung umuulan ay "sana nasa bahay ako ngayon, sana nakahiga ako sa kama ko, sana meron akong champorado (at tuyo)..." Kaya, kung nasa bahay na kayo at umuulan, i-enjoy niyo na lang! Wala nang drama na "OMG hindi ako makakalabas", lalo na kung nung mga araw na may pasok ay nagsasabi kang "sana nasa bahay ako, ang sarap matulog kasi". Tama na ang drama - mag-enjoy ka na lang!

Katulad ko - dapat pupunta ako sa YC, eh dahil baha hanggang tuhod sa Leon Guinto, at malamang mas malalim sa Singalong, eh di nag-ayos na lang ako ng hard drive at nag-marathon ng Lord of the Rings Extended Version! Ang saya, diba? Nakipag-drinking game pa ako sa sarili ko (sa bawat headshot ni Legolas, sumigaw ng "WOOOO!" sabay inom ng hot choco). 

So yeah...masaya ang weekend ko. Saksakan ng saya. Tuwing umuulan at kapiling...ang sarili mo. XD

--- --- ---

Okay. That's enough Tagalog. Hahahaha! Ang sagwa ko talaga mag-Tagalog! Mea culpa. 

I think time spent to write about The Hollow Crown (and all the feelings that have surfaced from watching the same) is time well spent.  So, I shall!

Before I begin, let me just say that prior to watching this, the only Shakespeare play that I seriously studied was A Midsummer Night's Dream from grade school (one of the very few things I'm thankful for when I studied in St. Scho, now that I look back on it); and quite indirectly, Hamlet (cause The Lion King is Hamlet). I'm not going to go all lit-freak on this (cause I'm not going to try to be someone I'm not...lest I embarrass myself!).

Let me begin by saying this: Richard II = Henry V > Henry IV, Part 2 > Henry IV, Part 1.

Breaking the kuripot rule and midterms, among other things

I AM ALIVE.

Just like that, we're halfway through the year! Midterms are officially done (I think my grades aren't too bad), and the job's keeping me busy. My job is evolving into a creature (LOL) that I never expected it to become, and I'm just taking everything in stride. Yup. Striding is key.

And now, on to a QUALITY POST.

--- --- ---

NEW GLASSES. The last time I bought a pair was six years ago, and I wouldn't have changed it if weren't for the screws becoming loose just days after I have it fixed. So, ayan! I bought these last Sunday and got it with my grade an hour and a half after. Somehow, I've always preferred glasses over contacts because they have more appearance-changing powers (LOL, that was a weird way of putting it). Tsaka I'm not really into changing my eye color anyway. =/

--- --- ---

I am really excited for Cinemalaya! Haven't read the summaries of the movies this year, but I'm happy that I'll probably get to catch a few of the movies with some friends. =) Cinemalaya is probably the only time I get to watch homegrown stuff. And...le sigh, I can go on with this topic forever, but I think it's going to be this way for a while. 

--- --- ---

I am NOT DONE with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. /ashamed It's taking longer than expected due to the immense amount of spy jargon. I honestly have to stop and try to remember my trail of thought whilst reading the book whenever I encounter something unfamiliar. 

This book should have started with a glossary, in my opinion. XD

Speaking of books, let me just detail what's in the pipeline:

1. Spirit-Controlled Temperament, by Tim LaHaye. More of a required reading, but will also consider it for leisure =D
2. Bram Stoker's Dracula. Catching up on my classics, especially on the vampiric. I've honestly stayed away from that part of the bookstore ever since the Twilight movies came out, but a classic is a classic. I'll probably also re-read The Vampire Lestat, and get a copy of The Tale of the Body Thief (my UBER-FAVORITE among The Vampire Chronicles). Have I ever fangirled in this blog of how much I LOVE The Vampire Chronicles? Okay. Now you know. =D TVC is the standard for me for vampire stories, in spite of its...errr...decline (read: Blood Canticle. What.)
3. The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. I thought this would be an interesting read for the future book club. (I REALLY WANNA PUT UP ONE, MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT)  And in relation to #2, I wish I can insert some TVC books in that book club (libre mangarap!) 
4. Lady of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Bought this book for a whopping FIFTY PESOS, and it's in near-mint condition (near-mint because it's been on their shelf since 2007 and for some reason, no one really cared to buy it. NO ONE CARED FOR A MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY BOOK. Unbelievable.)
5. (lest I forget) Elements of Style, by Strunk and White. Nothing screams REQUIRED READING more than this book. Yes and Amen.

--- --- ---

Epic: when someone you looked up to when you were a kid tells someone that they should get more people who are like yourself. Did that make sense? 

June 20 marked the proudest moment of my career so far. Like, seriously. I shed a tear. 

--- --- ---

There's stuff I want to write about...like seriously write about. There are stories in my head that are begging to be written on the page, but there's just no time. Basta. Abangan niyo na lang. A time for everything; a season for every activity. 

Yup. Still Alive.

I have been remiss in updating this place. But I haven't been really away, because if you looked hard enough, you'd notice that I have two new static pages above! *points*

• Seen/Written is my humble, short collective of written work, posted in some shape or form online - Seen for photography, Written for prose. 
• Books is my growing list of books that I'm open to lend out (to close friends, initially). I was supposed to put up a book club with this person here (AND I HAVE BEEN REMISS ON THAT AS WELL, I AM SO SORRY) but stuff happened that made us unable to do it. Anyway, in an effort to get something started, I've put up my own list of books for loan. This list is still a work in progress; I'm sure I haven't included everything that I have at home.

--- --- ---

So, what has been happening the past few weeks?

• I've been meeting a lot of new people (if I've met you the past two weeks or so and you're reading this, hi!)
• I'm getting required book readings again, and I'm so delayed with finishing them. Required book readings, by the way, aren't the same with wala lang book readings (Read: stuff I want to read)
• I co-composed and arranged a song (emphasis on co- because there's no way I can do it from the ground up). We have this ongoing workshop-slash-book report thing for Music that required us to make a song. I got the recordings of all the songs through email this week, and yeah...hearing my own voice is sooooo awkward *goosebumps* 
• I got paid to do graphic design work in exchange for books (best payment I ever received aside from cash [duh]).
• I ventured once more into snail mail! I called this Operation Liham. The details of the letter can be found on that link. I can't even remember the last time I sent snail mail. It was probably even before 2000. YEGADS

In class, I'm starting to see my most favorite line of Yu-Gi-Oh! Abridged in an entirely new light. (Read: SCREW THE RULES.) I'm also seeing a very significant shift in my responsibilities at work, and once again, I find myself hardly prepared.

--- --- ---

This Wednesday, when I went to midweek, I was told by two people that they really like the way I sing this particular song. I am really floored when people say nice things about what I do, whether it's with singing or with work, because more often than not, I am harder on myself than most people are.

But, what I find really funny is that there were other people who told me the same thing for the same song. At first, I was thinking, "Teka, nag-usap ba kayo?" Hahahahaha! But, it seemed highly unlikely because the interval between this Wednesday and the last time I got a similar compliment was more than a year. So...yeah, I don't think nag-usap sila. XD

I guess it's because [1] I love the song; [2] I absolutely LOVE Brooke Fraser (read: girl crush); and [3] there are many ways to sing a song, but very few ways to sing it right. I consider #3 to be the most important, because you can have less of #1 and absolutely none of #2, and still do justice to a song - as long as you sing it right.

Truth be told, I remember messing up Hosanna so many times to the point of not wanting to sing that song in public again, so to hear these things out of the blue is so uplifting.

I must be doing something right. It may not be as bad as I think it is. (Applying the temperaments, the melancholic in me has to seriously chill. XD)

And on this note, gusto ko na uli magkaroon ng raket! Nakakapagod din ang work-school-church lagi! Wala bang mga ikakasal diyan? (Bwahahaha tama ba ito? XDDD)

Celebrating freedom, #RP612fic style

For the first time, I celebrated Independence Day by participating in #RP612fic! At first, I thought it was going to be hard, but once I got my first tweet down, everything else fell into place like clockwork (thank you EK for giving me that much needed pep talk. =D).

You can go through my Twitter feed to see all of them (they've all been conveniently hashtagged with #RP612fic). Alternately, I've also compiled everything I've done from close to midnight until tonight through Storify, which you can view here.

I'm so happy that some of the stuff I posted got retweets from respected Twitter accounts (i.e. the halo-halo fic and that one bit about Quiapo Church - both of which have references to Avengers). It let out my inner fangirl, and it was understood. I was trying to make references to other fandoms, like Dragonball or RuroKen, but I couldn't churn out anything I'd want to publish. /sigh 

There will always be next year. I'm definitely going to be part of it again.

Some sites are starting to compile the microfics. I'll be posting below where some of the stuff I've tweeted were included (and I give also my humblest of floorbows to them):

• Katipunan Magazine (The Lasallian in me is delighted with this =D)