Lakers all the Way!

It was a positive day! I was supposed to continue telling you my tattoo story but my day was just super duper and I just really felt the need to share it to you guys that my all-time favorite Basketball team, The LA Lakers had won the 2008 Playoffs against SA Spurs towards the championship series against Boston Celtics or Detroit.. I say Boston! We're gonna find out later this morning.

And also, my brother, between the cheering and the yelling this morning, blurted out a promise to treat us out to pizza if LA wins. And so off we went (mom, lil sis and I) to DaVinci's. At 10:30 pm right after his shift at work he met us there and pigged out on pizza and takeout McDonald's fries and caramel sundae.



(Not much photo of food. It was gone that quick.)


Although dad wasn't able to tag along because he was too tired from the seminar he attended today, it was all in all a positively positive day!

Also, the travel/lifestyle/photo blog I've been working on is officially up! Complete with fancy template, an animated digital clock, a shoutbox and a post! Yep! My first post right there!
Please give a visit if you are not too busy and say hello in the shoutbox.. and be nice! Alrighty!

Next is a follow-up to my tattoo story. I'd be glad to type it all down if only my contact lenses are clear enough to work with me but now, the monitor is looking all white. tehe! And look at the time!

Stay positive everyone!

My tattoo story.

In my early dealings with being an indie events coordinator, I was exposed to the kind of people who were living the alternative lifestyle. But I wasn't a newbie in the field. Even when I was in my teens, I'd always belonged to the not-so-typical social circle. It seemed to me that they were the more interesting bunch. The musicians, the artists, the writers, the kids that the general public consider to be radical and weird. I loved them and felt a kinship with them.

It was all relative anywhere I look at it. Somebody knew somebody. The world got smaller as I grew older living in the same city since birth.

One night in one of our gigs at Club Vudu, an acquaintance introduced us to this guy, Joel who operates a local tattoo parlor called Drakki. His purpose then was to team up with us in organizing a tattoo competition event that year and we were delighted when he told us that.

One thing about it is that we help them advertise the event in our online network. Also, we had to deal with putting the show in order. Picking out local indie bands and hosting the show. In return, we will be granted one free service of our choice from the shop.

Hearing this, Madz and Mirza who are the ones I work with that time for the event went ballistic. They both knew what they want! As for me, I was happy that we were fed McDonald's every day that we were working at the shop. It's not that I wasn't interested. I just didn't ever think it was the right time to get a tattoo job done on me. First of all, I wanted to think it over a hundred if not a thousand times before I decide since it's going to be on me forever.

After the event (which was successful) Madz got her belly button pierced and Mirza got the old tribal tat on her lower back retouched with some colorful additions.



One day we were hanging out at the shop and there were no customers. The in-house artist, Russell a.k.a Insik teased me how I am the only one who did not claim her paycheck. He chose some designs that I might be interested in and I just laughed it off. He said something like I should not over-think my designs or I will end up old without it. I told him I am more inspired in becoming a tattoo artist when I saw him perform on the customers. He offered to teach me for free. All I have to do is show up at the shop.

A few more talk and I found myself sitting nervously at the recliner. Joel and his wife and Russell's wife were both there to witness my first tattoo job. They told me it won't hurt. But the look in their faces said otherwise. I was determined to find out the truth.

Russell drew a stencil of three small cherry blossoms. The ones I picked out without even thinking twice. I've seen these flowers on tattoos everywhere especially on oriental themes. I knew it is symbolic. I just don't know why, until now. Maybe I'll look it up after this post.

So my left shoulder blade was made bare. I felt a knot tighten in my tummy as he greased it with petroleum jelly. He positioned the tracing paper on it and peeled it off in a jiff.

The machine whirred. I closed my eyes.

The first prick of the needle was surprisingly tingly. It felt the same way when I tweezed my eyebrows the wrong way. It is true that you get used to that pain. But it's not true that you totally get numb as the procedure elapsed. It's more like you go through different levels of pain. But I knew then that I will be back for more. Not because I loved the pain but because I can seriously take it without crying.

It was nothing.

Less than an hour and I got my first intentional scar.



(My three cherry blossoms)

I kept it from my family except for my sisters who were totally thrilled by the idea. At first they were like 'what are you thinking!' but then they thought it was cute.. as in small.

Little did we all know that we were in for a surprise. Yes, that includes me.

More about it later.

Tattoo time.

Just a little something I found in Youtube today.



FUN! I love the thick accent on Javier. LOL

I've been interested in the art of tattoos long ago having been exposed to drawing at an early age. I am amazed at how a person can get to have something on him forever like a scar, just so much better.

When I was a kid I used to draw stuff on myself with ball point pens and colored markers. I also used to take Pilot .4 pens to draw on my hand or arm or leg or wherever I felt like it. When I was in high school, I wanted so bad to get henna-ed but that time, it was expensive (200 pesos = my weekly allowance) so I bought some henna powder and took matters into my own right hand. I am not ambidextrous.

In my head, I considered all possibilities that someday, I will get inked. But I never really thought that I will get the chance soon enough. And I did, twice, so that makes me a really happy girl. I believe what happened between me and the tattoo machine was fate.

More on that later.

Mimi.

Mimi (Jeramae Amadeo Gacho) had been my best friend since I was 16.
When I was a junior in high school, her classroom was next to mine. I see her everyday but we weren't classmates until the senior year.

I remember then when there was someone who sat between us in class.
It was September Angel.
But because Mimi and I talk more than we ever did with others, she exchanged her seat for mine. That was when we sat next to each other in class for that whole year.
I could never forget the last row.

We were inseparable.












(High school graduation. Something to laugh about. Yes, I meant the photo.)


Ten years = 1 fight

One day in computer class, my classmates were bugging me to help them with the final project. Any program that will run using MS DOS. I haven't even finished my own. In the midst of all the confusion, she tried to convince me to finish my project first before I do theirs.
I yelled at her to go back to our classroom.

That was the fight.















(Me, Mimi in their kitchen. Our favorite spot.)

We had our times apart. Like when I left for Manila to process my travel documents. We both thought that was it. While waiting, I worked there for 4 months.
We wrote letters instead of e-mails. I still have it.

















(We were heartbroken most of the time.)

I couldn't explain the formula to a friendship that works.
All I know is that what we did for each other was a remarkable thing.
If you want to know the secret, I wouldn't keep it from you.

It would probably the funniest thing to reveal and will make you say "you're kidding!"
But actually all we did was...

WE MADE EACH OTHER LAUGH.

(When the boys made us depressed, we wore makeup.. and skirts. It was so funny it worked.)

When one of us is sad, the other takes the job of making her laugh.
We must be doing this subconsciously but this is the part where we look forward to be with each other whether we're happy or in a rut.














(Beauty takes time. LOL)

There is happiness to look forward to.
Then there is love.
And forgiveness.
And kindness.
And trust.

All substantial.

It's not a formula unless you put it all together.





And joy is not the answer to life's problems but merely the reason to keep on living despite life's painful truths.




And that joy is best shared with a friend.

Advance happy ten years mi! haha!

Not babies for too long.

I just got from chatting with my sis awhile ago and there was Tony prancing on the sofa. Wasn't able to print screen the webcam action. Oh my, how he's grown. In a few months, they'll be celebrating 1 year in Switzerland and welcoming a baby girl into the Demirci household!

It's not fair!

We need babies here too, you know!

So I was just thinking how babies do not stay babies forever. They grow up become painful humans like us so this early I want to dedicate posts to them while they're still adorable!



BABY #1: Thomas Seymour Tuban



Looks good in corporate, in casual and in nothing. he he

My first and only godson. Spawn of my good friend Erik.
Since the family used to live in a town a bit far from the city and his travel with mommy to Iligan, I was only able to see him once and that was on his Christening day. I decided to call him Tee Es (like T.S. Eliot? like Seymour Glass? Is that right daddy?).

One of the best-looking babies I've ever seen. You know how a baby looks like a baby in a way you can't identify it when you see it again? Not this boy. What a looker hey? Can't wait to be reunited one of these days!
























Sweet Tooth.


Recent updates: I heard he's teething. He turned uno last April 11. I wasn't able to do gift-giving like a good godmother should but hooray for Christmas. Erik said I can see him in July. Yes please! Cuddles!


Baby #2: Kenshin Himura



Another one with the cool name not from the literary world but from one of the world's favorite Anime of all time, Samurai X! I met this 7 month old through his dad, Alvin, the lead guitarist to the band Jewels of Delilah where i play keyboards for. Alvin left the band to provide for the family but came back with this tot in tow anywhere. In practice and in gigs!

So we all can envision what Kenshin's future is going to be like.


Photos to help you envision.

It's awesome I can't wait to see that! And it's not going to be long before that happens but for now, he's for cuddling purposes only.


I fail. He's way cuter.



Baby #3: Maki Hamano


Fun fact: She never smiles.

She scared me the first time I saw her. I went to my friend brothers' Dexter and Roi's place (her uncles: I forgot whose birthday that was) and at one point I stood alone at the corner when she sneaked up behind me. Cute little thing almost gave me a heart attack. She was looking up and just staring at me like I'm made out of something she couldn't figure out. I hate when kids do that to me. So I didn't really like her except she was totally pretty like the half-Japanese doll she is.


Her signature move.

Our last encounter totally changed our relationship. She actually spoke to me and let me carry her around. She also explained that her doll only had one eye and I thought about the movie THE EYE and I also thought about how the Japanese are so effective at scaring people. Then it was time for her to get inside the house. But she managed to get up on the couch and talk to me through the window. We are now friends and I want to give her a toy the next time I swing by.


Baby #4: Ssethia Ari Cirujales

I would really love to show her photo to the world but mommy would kill me! So I just want to share that she is a very pretty baby. A delicate porcelain doll. Spawn of my very good friend Winsse and Thay Rian. I also have a video of her. I have 4 videos of her. It pains me not to publish it but I will someday when Winsse changes her mind! XD

Truth is, I have never seen her in person. I got a text yesterday that we are all going to meet on Thursday. It's incredible news. Photo op! LOL. I love the family to bits.


Baby #5: Simon Lim



Another one I want to meet.
Debbie's baby is already a businessman. Tending to a store everyday is serious stuff you know and he's got tons of good photos in multiply and his mommy's friendster so here's one with a bright future. We're supportive all the way, baby!


Piolo, watch out.



Baby #6: Joaquin Carlos




My twinnie friend Mirza's nephew is super duper cute! It's too bad they're based far away in Laguna. It would've been awesome if they're here. But someday I'll see this kid for myself I hope while he's still a baby! LOL



He looks just like auntie! :)


So that recaps the whole baby mania
That I'm going through
There are just no words when I get to hold a baby
That one's true

*tear*

You make me burst into prose, baby!

I promised babies...

But I just couldn't help but think about my day.
Today was a typical Friday. I went online at noon when I woke up and was alone because everybody seemed to find their way out of the apartment early.

So I had the ground floor all to myself. Cooked pinakbet for the family. Folded some clothes from the hangers. Checked blogs. I found Adam Sachs' blog too and I linked him there at the right side (More people to love). Thanks Blogger for thinking up Blog of Note. I read a lot from the monitor today and my eyes are strained.

My eyes are strained.















(Me, Don)

My good friend Don is leaving for good (kind of) to Canada on Thursday (May 29). I know it is easy to say that he will be back. We joke around a lot about it since we knew months ago when is the exact date he's going. He said he'd be back in October. But who knows right? It's not easy. But I do hope he'd come back that quick to visit. I am not very sentimental but he is one of the few true friends that I have. Never judgmental, very sincere and very very generous. I wish him all the best away from us because he truly deserves it. Apart from Don and his two brothers, we are truly going to miss his apartment where we used to hang out and sleep from a night's alcohol binge.

Don, I'm going to miss the Beef Tapa and the Red Wine Cork-Popping nights.

*sobs*
















(Zzubu Rockbar - Cebu City, Philippines)

A few hours ago, we had our last show in Zzubu. It was two goodbyes sort of. I feel pretty low right now and I couldn't find anything sweet to gobble around here.

It's just that I couldn't handle school and organizing gigs anymore. I'm getting old. My mentals process slower than it used to be. It's a struggle for me to memorize chapters and chapters of lessons. Must be because of years of drinking and smoking (which I quit- - but that's another blog post). I know it affected my brain. 8 years of partying. I owe a lot to my parents. The least I could do is get rich, not get married and take care of them till the end.














(Me, Ritze (the manager), B.J. -not fellatio hehe)

So goodbye Zzubu Rockbar. You've been good to us. Yes. You've been!

A lot of people had been asking me what is going to happen to Harakirimosh. Is it the end? I tell them it's not. I could not let that happen. All I need is some sort of plan to continue without getting distracted from school. I might tell it here or not. Soon or not. Not making promises here but if I feel it right, then I might.

My Friday was a good riddance to a friend that I will always remember and a huge passion that had changed my life.

The babies will come next. Promise.

Babies.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about babies.

Babies are super duper cute. They're cute when they do old people stuff too like barf and shot in their tiny pants! I love it.

Back in the day, I never liked babies. I don't hate them either, it's just I don't really care much when I see some. But I really hated it when they cried. It was a huge pet peeve. I even swore to never have one, yeah, once I told myself never have babies! They're too much.

When I was 9 and the youngest, I waited (though not expecting) a little sib to come along in the family. That was something I never told my family. I was this old person in a young body. I didn't like being treated like a kid. I didn't play with kids. I didn't like kids at all. I thought my older brother and sister are both immature. I enjoyed Thirtysomething and Beverly Hills 90210 (at 9 years old) and they enjoyed Miami Vice very very much (nothing wrong with it noh?). We all liked Baywatch.

Then it happened before I turned 10. My little sister from the big white stork. I don't have pictures to prove it but from what I remember, she was way too cute. I sneaked to my parents' bedroom every now and then where we aren't always allowed coz we were a rowdy bunch of kids me and my older sibs.

Finally! A little baby to keep my parents' and yayas' attention away! haha. I thought that was really cool. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to be a grownup and be talked to and treated that way (my family was super fond of babytalk and smothering).

So I liked my little baby sib until she turned human.
A walking (almost), talking (almost), throwing, puking, tantruming human!

I never liked babies.
Then a few months before my 21st birthday my big sis had one. His name was Ariestony (in our family he had a handful of nicknames).


(Tony a few months old. Spot Johnson's baby oil. lol)

Now, he's four and adorable and far away.
(My big sis got married. They are now living in Switzerland)


(Tony blowing 4 candles! He is all grown up now. *sobs*)

BABIES ARE AWESOME!

I don't know yet if I want to have one. But I am really liking babies. It's one of the biggest surprises of my life. It's like hating fish all your life and finding yourself addicted to it years later. Haha. Weird example but it sort of makes sense, don't you think?

More adorable babies that I know in the next post.
And more reasons why I used to not like babies.
And and more reasons why I do now!

Yes!

POST NUMERO UNO!

I've been keeping a diary since I was in 3rd grade and being the big curly-haired geek (not Greek... and my curly hair was a perm courtesy of my aunt granny), it was my solace. It was where all the action took place. I told it everything that bothered me in my day. May it be good, bad, happy or sad. No matter how ordinary it is too.

So I have to say that early on I was set to document my life only before, I was the only who had
access to it.

When I turned 20 (I think), I lost interest in paper and went electronic. I kept 4 blogs.
It's a whole different world because it made my life out in the open but the fact that I can choose what to post and what not to post made it super duper seductive.

So why do I blog?
I WANT TO SHARE.

Because I know how I learned some important things from other people's blogs too.
I feel I need to give back.

WELCOME ME.


I would like this time to thank BLOGGER for this incredible space.
And my good friend and photographer, Jan Sunday, for the photos on my layout.