A Break-up Letter


I never expected I'd be writing you this letter. We've had six years of wonderful memories but I'm afraid it had come to the Read more

Welcome to the New Yoshke.com


New look. New attitude. New experiences. Honestly, I had been neglecting this blog the past few weeks because of my awfully hectic schedule. Work had Read more

Sometimes We Burn to Live


Whenever I meet people for the first time, it always happens. When they start their sentence with "I hope you don't mind me asking but," Read more

Judging By the Cover


Our office is just a stone's throw from where I live. In fact, all I have to do is cross EDSA and voila, hello Read more

Fireworks, Hormones, and this Blog Post


You remember last week when I told you I found it difficult to blog since I met you? Since we became a couple officially, Read more

Do They Read Blogs in Heaven?


Whenever I say that the earliest memory I have is the accident wherein I had my left arm somewhat toasted, I lie. My earliest Read more

Unusual Breakfast


Here we are again. In the usual corner. Usual table. Usual diner. Usual time. And most probably, usual meal. I'm getting tired of this Read more

Top 10 National Stereotypes


Heaven is where the cooks are French, the police are British, the mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian and everything is organized by Read more

EDSA


It could have been a horrible Saturday. I was in the passenger seat. It was a bit raining. Normally, EDSA gets on my nerves. That's why Read more

Why Nursery Rhymes Are So Violent


A few months ago, I was teaching my 4-year old nephew some nursery rhymes with a DVD. After a lot of singing, he slowly Read more

Top 10 Worst Things to Say During Sex


Sex is the art of love. It must be done in the most enjoyable and most satisfying manner. This act of love of two Read more

The Promil Kid Drops the Bomb


Of all the living things created by God, I love my nephew the most. I call him the Promil Kid. He’s the cutest thing. Read more

••••••

Just Did

Posted on August 31, 2007 by Yoshke in Flash Fiction, Love |

Note: I already posted this on my previous blog, click here. I just had to move it here so I could file my short stories under one category. Anyway, usual reminder: blogger’s original work. Please see legal and ethical reminders on the sidebar. Thanks very much. Again, this is fiction.

When one of my bestfriends and I were at a resort somewhere in the south three years ago for his despedida party (he would be flying to London in less than two days), we decided to leave the crowd for a moment and stay on the beach. We were lying on the sand. I was staring at the moon and I was quite sure that he was staring at me.

He was the first to speak. “Have you given it a thought?”

“Not much,” I replied.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to think about it.”

“Why not?”

“I just don’t. Why does it always have to have a reason?”

He didn’t utter a single word. And then he sat up and felt the grains on his palms.

Then he spoke again. “We’re bestfriends.”

“Yeah.”

“And it’s all we could ever be. We’re bestfriends. And we’re both guys.”

I just looked at him while he stared blankly at the sea. Then he somewhat rubbed his palms against his knees, and said, “So you really don’t feel anything for me? Anything more than friendship?”

“I don’t.”

Silence fell.

“You’re too honest, it hurts. You never lie. Never.”

Then the moon caught my attention again. I just stared at it for God knows how many seconds.

“I just did,” I said.

By the time I could even finish that sentence, he was already standing, about to leave. He didn’t even hear what I just said. I watched him as he walked away.

“I just did.” I whispered.

We’ve never seen each other again since.

picture stolen from jakehowlett.com Viewed 936 times by 366 visitors this month

26 Comments

Movie Review: The Invasion (2007)

Posted on August 30, 2007 by Yoshke in Movies, Reviews |

Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jackson Bond

I am a big sci-fi fan. And an even bigger Nicole Kidman fan. For me, there’s nothing more entertaining than seeing a sci-fi film. And there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing moving images of Nicole Kidman (die Keith Urban, die! nah, I love Keith, too) projected on the big screen. So imagine how ecstatic I was feeling yesterday when I was just about to watch “The Invasion,” the third remake of the 1956 film “The Invasion of Body Snatchers.” And when I finally did, ah, it was just heaven. I felt like leaving Earth for an hour and a half and felt happier upon coming out of the theatre.

A lot of people might throw rocks at me now. The movie is not perceived by many as good. In fact, they say it’s horrible. Seeing these reviews, I might be the only one in this planet who actually liked this film. But I really did. It is not the best film of the year, but it’s good.

Read more Viewed 733 times by 276 visitors this month

13 Comments

The Promil Kid and the Hideous Word

Posted on August 26, 2007 by Yoshke in Family, Humor |

I didn’t realise how obsessed my 3-year old nephew had become with Cartoon Network (particularly Dexter’s Laboratory) until I entered MY room one morning. And there he was, sitting on the floor, smashing a scientific calculator on the wall, thinking he could fix it afterwards. When I opened the door, he turned to me and angrily hollered: “Tito (uncle), get out of my laboratory!!!”

This is bad, I thought. He thinks he’s Dexter and this is his laboratory. I knew I had to do something about it.

So I looked at him and bellowed, “Excuse me, kid! This is MY laboratory! Get out of MY laboratory.”

Bloody kid. I am Dexter!!!

# # #

My nephew is the only pupil at his school (a community pre-school) who can speak English so fluently. That’s because we train him at home. We always encourage force the kid to answer in English when asked in English. And because when he’s with his playmates, he speaks Tagalog (our native language), we make sure that he talks in English at home.

So what happens when he fails to respond in English? I usually give him “the look” — you know, the kind of look that our parents used to give us when we were little to let us know that we were doing something bad and that we must stop it right at that moment. Whenever my nephew realises he’s being given the look, he switches to English immediately.

Last week, I was shopping at a local mall with my nephew. He said he wanted a kiddie drum set. So we entered Toy Kingdom and began looking for one. A sales crew approached us and showed us two gorgeous sets: yellow and blue. The sales crew and I shared the same thought that the yellow one was better (but yeah, a little more expensive). But my nephew seemed to have made up his mind already.

“I like the blue one.”

But the sales crew was being persistent.

“I told you I like the blue one. I hate yellow!”

The sales crew was astonished by how my nephew speaks in English faultlessly. So he talked to the kid in English, “But this one is better.”

My nephew, being his usual self — stubborn and annoying — began shouting. “I said I don’t like yellow! It’s hideous!!!”

Even I was surprised to hear the word “hideous.” That’s a very big word for a 3-year old Filipino kid. So I asked my nephew, “Do you know what hideous means?”

“Yeah. Like him.” He pointed at the sales crew and turned to me again. “He’s hideous.” He said as-a-matter-of-fact-ly.

I felt embarrassed for the sales crew. So to tell my nephew he was doing something bad, I gave him the look.

His eyes narrowed. His brows met. Confused, he protested, “That was English!”


Pictures courtesy of mysimon.com, istockphoto.com and cartoon-secrets.com
 Viewed 1145 times by 344 visitors this month

35 Comments

Movie Review: A Love Story (2007)

Posted on August 26, 2007 by Yoshke in Movies, Reviews |

Genre: Drama, Romance
Director: Maryo J. Delos Reyes
Stars: Aga Muhlach, Angelica Panganiban, Maricel Soriano

This was the first local movie of the year that I swore I would definitely watch. Although I already knew what the twist was weeks before its first screening, I was still as excited as hell. In fact, I promised Tonet to watch it with her but since she couldn’t find time, I forgot about the promise and saw the movie alone. And when I went out of the theatre after watching this latest Star Cinema offering, all I could say was “WOW.”

The film is not just impressive, it’s excellent. And there are many factors that contribute to its brilliance. First, the story is simple. As the title conspicuously tells us, it’s a film about love. But more specifically, it carefully discusses marriage. It’s the usual couple-mistress story but tackled in a way that will make you think and ask so many questions. What is right? What makes me happy? Will the right make me happy? Is choosing what makes me happy right? What do I choose? This film is a great proof that sometimes, it’s not the story that matters but how we tell the story.

Read more Viewed 767 times by 233 visitors this month

14 Comments

Hollow Life

Posted on August 23, 2007 by Yoshke in Emo |

Status: Empty
Music: Welcome to my Life - Simple Plan

This is a (handwritten) journal entry I wrote on February 19 this year. I just came across this page and it’s just nice to look back into my thoughts:

It’s not that I lack dopamine right now because I swear my cigarettes make sure I get my daily dose, but I really feel empty. This is not one of my drama moments. I just feel there’s something missing in my life, or something I still haven’t got. And I need to have it badly. I don’t know what it is exactly — or what they are.

The problem with me is that I want so many things and I want to have them QUICK. I want to do many things. I want to achieve so many things. I want to be so many things. Not that it’s bad. But the thing is, all my plans pile up that I don’t know what to do first and I tend to forget some of them.

Oh well. I don’t know what to do anymore. And it doesn’t make me feel good.

There. And guess what? I still feel like this. Aaaargh. Viewed 528 times by 182 visitors this month

12 Comments

A Tale of Two Aussie Farmers. Or Two Tales.

Posted on August 19, 2007 by Yoshke in Public Affairs, The World |

Status: My legs are numb.
Music: Sober – Kelly Clarkson

After getting stuck in the capital city for more than two weeks (I don’t have cable TV there), I’m finally back here in my hometown where I get to have my daily dose of HBO, National Geographic, and the most important channels for me right now, CNN and BBC. And it’s not just because of their hot correspondents. (Oh don’t get me started with that, I can talk about it all day. Max Foster. Colleen McEdwards. Hotness. And John Vause, marry me. Hehehe.) Of course, I need to be completely aware of the going-ons in the international scene for my Foreign Service career path.

Anyways, besides the devastating quake in Peru, two things caught my interest and they’re about two different farmers in the land down under, Australia.

OK, the first one. David George, a 53-year old farmer was forced to spend an entire week (yes, every minute of every day of it) up a tree in a remote crocodile-infested swamp where crocs stalked him until he was rescued. Wow. Talk about patience. Everyone, give him a round of applause. I can’t even imagine myself being stranded in an island! But this guy, he spent a week up a TREE. Damn! Very admirable. But no, I won’t try it. I mean, take away my TV and I won’t stop ranting. But up a tree? Where you can’t do practically anything pleasurable. (Other than jacking off, that is.) And not to mention the hungry maneaters waiting for you to just give up and fall. Gawd. And he’s 53-years old.

Read more Viewed 531 times by 192 visitors this month

3 Comments

Everything Comes in Threes

Posted on August 12, 2007 by Yoshke in Love, Poetry |

The Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost;
The Wise Men who visited Jesus;
Hades, Poseidon, Zeus;
the heads of Cerberus;
The Godfather series;
The Lord of the Rings;
Harry, Ron, Hermione;
Tito, Vic, Joey;
Randy, Paula, Simon;
Hanson;
Destiny’s Child, TLC, Dixie Chicks;
the musketeers, the blind mice, the little pigs;
papa bear, mama bear, baby bear;
I came, I saw, I conquered;
core, mantle, crust;
solid, liquid, gas;
protons, neutrons, electrons;
the King, the Queen, and Jack;
the number of strikes before a player is out;
I, love, you;

It was just my second chance I blew. Viewed 752 times by 290 visitors this month

11 Comments

Mahal Na Yata Kita Mahal Na Nga Yata Kita

Posted on August 12, 2007 by Yoshke in Blurts, Love |

…

…

…

… I just freakin’ wish you feel the same for me.
Whatever it is that we have, it’s officially dead. I killed it. OK. It’s resurrected. Hehehe.

But I know, it’s never really over. And it’s not over. I hope it won’t be. Viewed 540 times by 227 visitors this month

15 Comments

My Eyes and Nature Drive Me Crazy

Posted on August 7, 2007 by Yoshke in Emo, Health, Public Affairs |

Status: My eyes are in pain
Music: Miss You Like Crazy – Natalie Cole

It’s been a crazy week. And everything’s driving me crazy. But first, I would like to apologise for my unannounced week-long hiatus. I have a pretty good explanation.

Last Friday morning, I woke up and realised that my left eye was sore. And it was itchy. And teary. And sooo red. And it dawned on me: OH.MY.GOD! I got a “sore eye,” or pinkeye or bloodshot eye! What’s the medical term? Aha! Conjunctivitis. Whatever. And that simple realisation marked the beginning of a terrible week for me. The next day, both my eyes were infected. (I’ll be posting pictures soon. Hehehe). I officially became a walking viral infection. Read more Viewed 824 times by 249 visitors this month

5 Comments

Never Mess With Kids (Especially Promil Kids)

Posted on July 29, 2007 by Yoshke in Family, Humor |

Status: Tonsilitis… Waaaah!
Music: I’m Just a Kid – Simple Plan

WHO’S TO BLAME?

This happened more than a year ago, you can see the original post here. I was with my then 2-year old nephew in my mum’s room when I accidentally broke the lamp on the side table. Of course, the only witness was my dear nephew. So I decided to talk to him.

Yoshke: When they ask you who broke that, you say MIMI (name of his cat). Understand?
Nephew: *nod*
Yoshke: Yaya (the maid) forgot to close the door so Mimi entered, sat on the side table, and broke the lamp. Understand?
Nephew: *nod*
Yoshke: Who entered the room?
Nephew: Mimi!
Yoshke: Who sat on the side table?
Nephew: Mimi!
Yoshke: Who broke the lamp?
Nephew: Tito (Uncle)!
Yoshke: Who broke the lamp?
Nephew: Tito!
Yoshke: Mimi!
Nephew: Tito!

The poor kid did not have any chocolate for the rest of the day. Nyahahaha. Child abuse, anyone?

# # #

HE WAS RIGHT, ANYWAY

Last night, when I came home, I forgot to close the gate. My nephew, now 3, was playing on the porch.

Nephew: Tito! Close the gate! What if my ball went over there and I would fetch it. I might get hit by a car.
Yoshke: So don’t go out!
Nephew: But I’m a kid. I don’t know what I do.

Yeah, right. I shut the gate.

# # #

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Most of the time, my nephew and I get along really well. And the times when there are chocolate bars in the fridge are not one of them. We always end up fighting about who gets what. And it’s agreed upon that Snickers bars are mine like it has always been. So a couple of months ago, when my nephew was throwing tantrums, I was pissed that he wanted my Snickers. I mean, whaaat? Those were mine.

But being a kid, of course, he could get away with it. And I was the one scolded for acting like a kid. But I’m sure you get me. Those bars were mine! Mine! Mine!

So when my nephew was climbing up the stairs to his room, displaying the bars of Snickers, mocking me (I was lying in the couch), I prayed, “Oh God, please, do anything so I could have those Snickers. ANYTHING.”

Seconds later, my nephew lost his balance and came crashing down the stairs. I was appalled and befuddled. The blood all over the floor made it hard for me to move (coz I’m extremely afraid of blood). My brother hurriedly approached my nephew and drove to the hospital.

I didn’t go with them to the hospital. When the maid asked me what happened, I couldn’t utter a word. I was feeling incredibly guilty. Besides, I really couldn’t talk because my mouth was full. Of Snickers bars. The bloody kid left them on the floor.

Picture courtesy of newciv.org Viewed 1075 times by 321 visitors this month

34 Comments

« Previous   1 2 ... 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 ... 46 47   Next »