The Script - Nothing

The Script. They never cease to amaze me. They just have those lyrics that you can just relate to, not to count the melody that is sooo my genre. I love them. Here are the lyrics:

Am I better off dead?

Am I better off a quitter?

They say I'm better off now

Than I ever was with her

As they take me to my local down the street

I'm smiling but I'm dying trying not to drag my feet

They say a few drinks will help me to forget her

But after one too many I know that I'll never

Only they can’t see where this is gonna end

They all think I'm crazy but to me it's perfect sense

Chorus:

And my mates are all there trying to calm me down

'Cause I'm shouting your name all over town

I'm swearing if I go there now

I can change her mind turn it all around

And I know that I'm drunk but I’ll say the words

And she'll listen this time even though they’re slurred

So I dialed her number and confessed to her

I'm still in love but all I heard

Was nothing

So I stumble there, along the railings and the fences

I know if we're face to face then she'll come to her senses

Every drunk step I take leads me to her door

If she sees how much I'm hurting, she'll take me back for sure

(Chorus)

She said nothing

Oh, I wanted words but all I heard was nothing

Oh, I got nothing Oh, I got nothing

Oh, I wanted words but all I heard was nothing

Ohh, sometimes love's intoxicating

Ohh, you're coming down, your hands are shaking

When you realize there's no one waiting

Am I better off dead? Am I better off a quitter?

They say I'm better off now Than I ever was with her

(Chorus)

She said nothing

Oh, I wanted words but all I heard was nothing

Oh, I got nothing, I got nothing

Oh, I wanted words but all I heard was nothing

Oh, I got nothing, I got nothing, I got nothing, I got nothing

Pissed: Stackers Resorts World Manager

My family had agreed to have an early dinner at Resorts World today, and dad suggested we go to Stackers. It is located on the fourth floor almost directly across the cinema ticket booth. I wasn't very hungry so I was kind of just playing around with food and looking around observing people and what they ordered.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guy walking from the restroom area back to his table, and in a split second he just kind of disappeared. I tilted my head and saw that he slipped. The guy was about 5'10" or something, medium built, and definitely doesn't look lampa to me. Anyway, he was not just on his butt; I knew he slipped big time because he was on his elbows. Calmly, he got up, brushed his pants off, and shook his hands off of something liquid, I assume.

He then walked towards the manager, who was standing by where the orders are placed and delivered, and motioned that the floor was kinda dangerous and pointed to his pants by the back of his knee to show that it's now wet. I was observing if he will make a big deal out of it and was glad that it was as if he just FYI'd the manager. No complaints whatsoever. Good job.

Now what pissed me off was that the manager, by the name of Rommel Luna, looked at the area that he guy was referring to, and--right after the guy was out of earshot--exclaimed, "Kaya nga may 'Wet Floor' sign eh!" This ticked me off too much. In the service industry, you don't do that! Mind you, I was about 5 meters away and I clearly heard what he said! It is not only rude, but a big dismay for fellow customers at how unprofessional this manager can be. It was a Sunday and the place was full. In between the distance of the manager from myself, there are still a good five or so tables within radius who'd have heard of how he treated the situation.

I feel sorry for the guy who didn't even make a big fuss out of it (I didn't even hear in verbatim what he said) to be treated like that. Implying as if he was stupid or something, without him knowing, in front of other diners. I know morals are learned at home and through experience, but the management may want to consider briefing employees (and MANAGERS, for crying out loud!) on proper etiquette and professionalism in the service industry.

I am so complaining this person!!!

---

Update (12.08.29): I have emailed my complain to Stackers Burgers Customer Service and have received prompt reply from their deputy general manager. To anyone who needs the address, you may email feedback.ppl@gmail.com or text +63917-877-9909.

11 Weeks

More or less, I've been drinking almost everyday for about eleven weeks straight now. "Almost" means I take an alcohol break at least once a week--so that's 6 days a week on alcohol. I started doing so after the breakup turned really bad, and all I used to do was cry. I turned to alcohol because I didn't want to cry, and all I wanted is to immediately fall asleep once I get home. Wandering around the apartment sober, at that time, was just so difficult. 

Eventually, I learned the art of drinking. I enjoy conversations, new knowledge, meeting new people, going out of the comfort zone, observing people, and in due course, partying. I learned how to be carefree, plan less, be worry free, and to just go with the flow. Floating and learning a lot. I also developed my knowledge on how to be careful even when I'm drinking--crediting my increased alcohol tolerance, helping me act sane through bottles and shot glasses. 

04 Aug 2012: Seventh High, Bonifacio High Street

We may have started off on the wrong foot, but I am thankful for having my beer bud. He is very patient in accompanying me on alcohol days, we talk about anything under the sun, he pushes me to go out of my bounds at times. The best part being? No complications. He isn't aiming to be my boyfriend, I'm not aiming to be a girlfriend. We're just two people who like to hang out and learn on a daily basis. (I teach him food, he on drinks.) All the things he's made me do, I won't be able to do if I didn't trust him. 

Like, whatever drink he lets me try, I know he'd take me home in case I pass out, or pat my back if I throw up. He's made me dance to overcome the shyness, and now I dance like I don't care who's watching (he now can't keep up with the dancing, haha). He's placed me in situations that would have been so uncomfortable--like having me seated in a group guys I don't know--all to enhance my 'socialization' skills. He's taken me to all sorts of places: from the poshest super clubs in the Fort and RWM, to residential-garage-serving-beers in Guijo, even to a gay bar in Malate. He's taught me how to enjoy my nights, but still be able to go to work in the morning. He's taught me to observe and know which type of people to avoid.

Yes, it's a very different me. To some it may seem like a negative thing, but for me, it's a refreshing thing. Being out of my comfort zone is scary at first, but I'm having fun. It may just be a phase, but it's a phase I'm glad to have gone through well--safe and comfortable. 

Carpe diem.   

Locked

Last Saturday, I attended my ex's mom's civil wedding in Manila. She has been a widow for quite some time and we are really glad that she's found someone to be with her. That being said, it also meant for me to see my recent ex, whom I haven't seen for three months, I think. I last saw him when I was still in my suicidal mode. 

People were teasing us that we'd get back together but I was just brush things off. I'm doing good, I looked great (compared three months ago) and I am in no way wanting him back nor hurting seeing his face. He was his sort of usual self, taking photos of me like he used to, and smoking together. At one point he had someone take a photo of us and ended up camwhoring like the old times.

Come Monday, he was already browsing through the photos and had sent me a photo taken from his Canon. I thought, this is by far the best photo we've ever had. It almost looked like...a prenup. On my way home, I found myself unable to concentrate driving. My mind was wandering far off, and with the rush hour traffic, I thought I may not make it alive. I swerve and turn at the nearest corner, found a parking lot and parked. It may have been my hormones, but after a few minutes I was crying. 

I cried for, I think, about a couple of hours, inside my car, parked in pouring rain...how dramatic. I was getting pissed at myself for crying. Why am I crying? What am I crying about? I'm sure as hell don't want him back, but just the image of us looking great, as if no hurt ever happened--just kills me. And, you know that feeling when you just know that he loves you still? I felt that. It hurt me that he had all this love and yet he had to let me endure all that pain. He's probably indirectly turned me into something I'm very much not, at least three months ago. Because right now, I don't care, about anything, about anyone. Heck, I don't even care about myself, my career, or whatever. xx

Surfing for Eats

If you've been reading my blog for several years, you'd know what my answer is to this question: What's one thing/invention you're most thankful for? To the others who don't, my answer is "The Internet."

I mean, c'mon, who doesn't? Life just got a lot easier with it. You send emails almost real time even halfway across the world; in the era of snail mail, it takes a week or so. So much information can be Googled; I tweeted that we all used to turn to our radios during stormy weathers, but now we check Twitter for updates. I'm sure there are parts of the population who can live without a TV, radio, and newspapers nowadays. Calling overseas had also become more affordable with the emergence of VoIP services, and instant messaging with voice features, a.k.a. Skype.

Technology never runs out of ideas to make our lives more comfortable and within reach. Today I signed up for OpenTable. This website allows you to browse through restaurants (US mainly, but is expanding to other countries as well) by name or by area. The best part of it is having real-time restaurant reservations. You no longer need to call in one by one to check which restaurant can accommodate your party at a specific time. The bestest part, it's free for users!

So why am I so thrilled? For one, I'm in the Philippines, and I have very limited idea on restaurants in, say, Sonoma. Put the area in, date, time, number of party and, voila! It gives you a list of available timeslots, with brief descriptions about the restaurant, a photo, and price category.

Though the Filipinos are not used to making reservations for restaurants in general, we're getting there and I'm sure this feature will soon be available too. After all, we do have MunchPunch, which offers lists of restaurants and includes a menu too (if available). There's also the trusted ClickTheCity.

Yay for Internet! 

Hell Weather and Bulalo

The past few weeks have been rainy, but the last few days had been hell. Heavy rains, strong winds, dark skies and even very low fog kept engulfing Metro Manila for hours on end. To top it all off, there wasn't a storm. No name to call it, unlike say, Ondoy a few years ago; or Katrina in the US several years back.

Last Tuesday, I woke up and felt I didn't want to go to work. My home is a studio apartment, I'm sorry but I don't measure well so I can't give the dimensions. It has all the necessities I have, nothing lavish, my most prized possessions would have to be my personal fridge and my TV. Still, I couldn't bear the thought of leaving my place for an entire day with the rain pouring like crazy, thinking I might come back and all these would have been floating. Okay so maybe I was overanalyzing, but hey, my landlady did say it was knee-deep flood inside my pad during Ondoy weather.

After a few more snoozes on my alarm clock, I finally received the work suspension SMS from our HR department. Nice! I have no plans on being the employee of the month and report for work and pretend like I'm busy anyway. I'm very sure my way from home to office isn't flooded, but still, it's bed weather, water's rising in Marikina River, and it's officially a no-work day as announced by the national government. By noon, I'm hungry. Beer bud's hungry too, so off we went. Don't tell my mother!

Photo credit: sinabawangmedyas.blogspot.com

There's this good bulalo (Filipino Beef Marrow Stew) place, R&J Bulalohan, that I have just discovered the previous Saturday, er, Sunday morning. After partyin' at 7th High on an Indulgence Saturday, my officemate Karen was craving for breakfast. There'd probably be no other breakfast place in the Fort but McDonald's so we went here. (Yes, in party dress, make up and heels!) It's open 24 hours! How cool is that? 

We ordered, of course, bulalo and fried tawilis. I can never be a food blogger since I don't know how to describe it, but it's good! Bulalo is not as good as if you're in Batangas, but probably good enough knowing you're in Manila: marrow and all. The tawilis--I'm not a fan of eating fishes completely (head and tails and all)--but this one I must say I really like. It comes with a plate of sliced tomatoes in fish sauce or something. Maybe next time I'll try other food items too.

This is typically low budget--semi open air, monobloc chairs, bamboo walls, faulty karaoke and all--which makes it even more encouraging. So for my beer bud and I's rainy day fix: a bowl of special bulalo, two cups of rice, fried tawilis and two bottles of soda...just about PHP 400! This is recommended to food lovers who aren't picky with location and ambiance. 

R&J Bulalohan is located along Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong. If coming from Pioneer side, it'd be on the left before you reach the roundabout, right across Mandaluyong Medical Center.