REQUIESCAT IN PACE - Erwin Bercasio

Around three years ago there was this gangly yet insanely cheerful gay guy that joined our inbound sales team. He was generally liked by the team and had forged friendships.

I left two years ago to join another start up team within the same company and we parted ways. The next time I saw him was early this year while I was smoking outside the lobby of one of the more known BPO's in the country. I had laughed when he asked if I was joining the firm and I reassured him that I thought this new company he was with was fine it was just not for me.

I'd bump into him occasionally and we'd smile and wave, we weren't really on speaking terms but he was always polite to a former superior which was heart warming. Then suddenly I didn't bump into him anymore.

I found out two weeks ago that he was in a coma. Yesterday that he went back to our maker. We weren't really close, I had never been invited to his birthday get together or he to mine, but we were cordial and he was a good person.

Taken too early. My condolences to your loved ones in this time of grief. May your soul rest in peace Wehn and say hi to heaven for us.

7 remittance firm execs charged for failing to remit OFW's money - Yahoo! Philippines News

7 remittance firm execs charged for failing to remit OFW's money - Yahoo! Philippines News

Now this one is something that makes you want to say yes to flogging and public beheadings. For people to do this when Pinoys brave the pain of separation and isolation not to mention the hazards of living as an immigrant (well truth be told we are a second class set of citizens in our own country but that's another story altogether) to try and eke out a decent living and help their families that remain in the country is just downright appalling.

Imagine if you were paying for a house mortgage so you'd have somewhere to retire and you lose it because these people hoodwinked you, or that someone was waiting for it to get himself out of the ICU.

Word of caution here from someone who was a migrant before too. Use the banks. A 2 peso mark-up is negligible when you lose all that you sent. Try and avoid these remittance companies altogether. Get with the program folks, it's the age of the internet and mobile banking. Now for you folks who are aware and receive remittances make sure you educate your relatives on how to go about electronic banking, I've seen countless pinoys living in first world countries and keep the "Saudi Boy" mentality. The door to door padala is so last century.

Enforce total ban on endosulfan in 2009, solon dares FPA - Yahoo! Philippines News

Oh this is fun. Well I know that their father was a great man, which had led them to get hmm, elected after he joined our creator, but seriously they turned out to be irksome with all the blah that they had. Anyway we all know that Pinoys love drama and boy do these siblings know how to rattle the bars.

So two years to election year and we do have to keep the name fresh right? Although, come to think of it - would it not be really beneficial to go after the shipping lines that was at fault (undeclared cargo, didn't heed warnings, etc.) rather than go after a government agency just because you are not with the administration? The two companies who are allowed to use it are well, allowed. So no real issues there right? Makes you wonder what the motivations are doesn't it?

Enforce total ban on endosulfan in 2009, solon dares FPA - Yahoo! Philippines News

The Long Held-up Rant About The Metro Rail System

A minute ago I was enjoying my Saturday, marinating in bed, fussing over the WMP tag editor for my music files and having a generally fine early afternoon.

Like it was meant to stay quiet huh? I got bugged to shave, bathe, eat bitter gourd and do the MRT bit that I've been meaning to do since forever. I find myself being pried from the weekend comfort zone like a slab of meat on a teflon pan.

So what do I do first? What keeps me in bed. So I blog.

This was taken on a normal day way before the X-mas rush. Begging pardon from the Yad Vashem, but it did evoke mental images of those Krakow trains during the Second World War. I had men breathing down my nape, a hard-on from some pervert scraping my thighs like clockwork (did you get your rocks off buddy?), a midget with his face right beside my underarm and my woman facing me, with her face slowly turning into a thunder cloud. I am thinking she had a scraper too.

Like wtf right? Is it too much to get a few more trains and de-clog the railway system? It's not a free service anyway. I wouldn't mind shelling out a couple of bucks more for a little space. The way it looks though, and the way that the trains arrive in always the interval it takes for them to get filled up this way tells you one thing - it is all about maximizing earnings.

Never mind that people are packed like luggage or cattle. It's all about the profit margin for the MRT management. If you ride the bus, it's the same thing. Those buses would just crawl to ensure that they dreg off all possible passengers and stop for unbelievable lengths of time that you get a stubble by the time you get to where you're going.

I hope someone from the MRT management reads this. Folks, are you even confident enough to let your relatives take the rails? How about you get a little compassion here to go along with all the money you are stuffing into your executive pockets? Hey we're just asking for a little space, not fully reclining seats. Who knows right? The judge up there might put in his book as a note - that you weren't always concerned about gilding your wallets.

Coffee on the 25th

So what's up? Everyone's, or most of everyone that is, may well be stone bleeding drunk or stuffed with food right now and in the middle of their after dinner cigars. Gaudy lights, merriment and laughter.

As usual with me, I find myself solitary which I like, as I've given my offspring time a couple of days ago and maybe some more time with the progenitor during the weekend. I told this person why I shunned making plans for these days and why I generally am a recluse after I've doled out the customary and obligatory gift giving. I will not expound on it here as it is too close to my heart to ever be said out aloud and we have to consider that what I said, I said to only one person ever.

I had made plans, and boy oh boy as I had expected, things fell apart What's new? Nothing. What's odd about it? Nothing as well. Why am I miffed? Because I hoped. Built around it, and canceled any plans the kids had made. To end up blogging at Starbuck's West Avenue was not in the plan at all. It makes me wonder sometimes why I even bother.

Anyway, in the spirit of it, a Merry Christmas to one and all. Here's to hoping you have your loved ones near and you have happiness in your hearts.

Coffee on the 25th

So what's up? Everyone's, or most of everyone that is, may well be stone bleeding drunk or stuffed with food right now and in the middle of their after dinner cigars.  Gaudy lights, merriment and laughter.

As usual with me, I find myself solitary which I like, as I've given my offspring time a couple of days ago and maybe some more time with the progenitor during the weekend. I told this person why I shunned making plans for these days and why I generally am a recluse after I've doled out the customary and obligatory gift giving.  I will not expound on it here as it is too close to my heart to ever be said out aloud and we have to consider that what I said, I said to only one person ever.

I had made plans, and boy oh boy as I had expected, things fell apart What's new? Nothing. What's odd about it? Nothing as well. Why am I miffed? Because I hoped. Built around it, and canceled any plans the kids had made. To end up blogging at Starbuck's West Avenue was not in the plan at all. It makes me wonder sometimes why I even bother.

Anyway, in the spirit of it, a Merry Christmas to one and all. Here's to hoping you have your loved ones near and you have happiness in your hearts.

 

What I'm Running After

Part of the quest for the lost talismans.

Hoping to buy it soon.

What I'm Running After

Part of the quest for the lost talismans.

Hoping to buy it soon.

Hats Off To The Colbert Report

From the show: "Personal massagers were originally invented for your shoulders, and we all know how that turned out." Oh and that in this season, he had a "raging pardon". If you haven't caught it yet, you better get the Comedy network. Go and dial now.

For a CNN and BBC junkie, this show is dang fresh baby. Makes you laugh and forget your consternation about the news in general. For a former segment of the Today's Show, these folks have come a long long way.

How in the hell do these writers think of that freaking funny sick sh*t anyway? One thing is for sure, along with the new year, I'd like to see how these folks spin on the new U.S. head honcho. Ought to be tons of fun.

Anyway, I'm off to relax and wait for Santa so toodles. Y'all have a merry one now!

Mount-ed Everest

Oh this was so damned fun (which incidentally turned to the exorcist and the poltergeist rolled into one small pita bread in the early evening). Spent the day on the road traversing the near southern areas of Luzon, including those almost vertical pineapple farm plots tucked in the rolling hills of Tagaytay. It was a suspenseful ride reaching them using those oh so narrow roads (kind of like those that lead to the pearly gates eh?) with a full sized SUV.  If you are one of those who in your childhood needed nutri-buns, yes the title means we rode (mounted) on a Ford SUV (Everest).

We were actually afraid of being covered on pineapple needles and not severe concussions and or a slow agonizing death which was so hilarious considering everyone on board was stone cold sober. Too bad we did not have time to go grab coffee.

I'm having breakfast at the moment, and juggling Helga (my laptop) a loaf of bread, a pot of Folger's, sauteed corned beef and cigarettes. Nifty eh? 

Windowsills and A Flowerpot Falling Into Your Noggin

Which actually should be the first line and not the title. Anyway, I haven't had this surge in a long time so I will jut tap tap tap on the keyboard until I am exhausted or the idea is.

I was starting my day when I realized it... The reason why I have not been writing or have had the urge to pen it down - my thoughts, my angst, those rants and raves and railing and wailing and all of that rot that swirls around my universe.

There is no need to. Where before there was this void that needed validation, this fondness for writing borne out of the need to converse and say things that I felt strongly about and not finding either the venue or people to express it through.

I had walked under countless windowsills and always had come away disappointed and/or disillusioned when I get invited to come in the front door. Or when rebuffed and denied entry. So the escape became like a lover, the faceless woman. Companion, friend and lover.

I lost her a year back and didn't fully grasp the idea that she was my muse. I've been so enmeshed in the rebuilding that I didn't notice or give the due introspection I usually did. My muse is alive and in the flesh. I can talk now, to her. The trick here now is - To still keep writing because I love doing it, and make it work. Maybe I should carry a voice recorder. Here we are, after the jump.

The Thirty Third

So I haven't really been writing for a while now and the brain is getting stale. The itch is not there to begin with, plus I have been so preoccupied with all the restructuring entailed.

Well it's hours past my thirty third birthday and believe it or not kiddies, I spent most of it tucked under blankets. I still am right now and thank the geeks for wi-fi eh? I have Alanis Morissette singing her cover of King Of Pain and yes, everything is dandy in the Derck's universe.

I like the solitude. Which was hard for a some folks to deal with. I am not big with syrupy closeness like what this current season entails. Not a freaking scrooge mind you, just not hung up on it. If you like it then by all means, enjoy.

So here starts a new year for me. Have no idea of where I am leading my life to or whether it's leading me. I am sold to the conviction though, that I will live this time to the fullest. Have a merry blasted x-mas everyone.