To Papang

Ran a lot of errands today. I was able to squeeze in some gym time this afternoon... really have to do this thing regularly... need to shake my deskbound ass. hehehehe

While I was at the gym I was suddenly overrun by a wave of sadness... I remembered my lolo, who died 3 years ago of complications brought about by brain cancer. The cancer was caused by his excessive chain smoking... yeah, he quit 5 years before his death, but obviously, it was too late.

Me and papang were very close, he was very grandfatherly to all his apos... I was lucky because my family lived a few blocks from them, which allowed him to take me out and treat me to the neighborhood Burger Machine stand... . He would also take me out every other sunday to have a haircut... He'd take me to this really "slummy" barbershop and we'd wait in line for one particular barber to finish and do my haircut. On our way home, he would drop by this ihawan and get inihaw na bangus and lechon manok for the sunday family lunch.

When I got older, he would take me and my sisters to makati to watch movies and to eat at Luk Yuen. I remember one time, when in HS, I couldn't understand anything in my accounting subject and I went over to their house to have him teach me. (He was a dean of the College of Commerce and Accountancy in University of Pangasinan) He made the hazy lessons crystal clear...

I  guess I kinda feel sad, because I didnt get to return the favor. With SM Sucat open, I'm sure he would be a regular... hehehe he'd be the one to open the moviehouse and the grocery. Especially now that I drive, I'd be bringing him places, to Palms, to Alabang... wherever.

Maybe what I miss most is his advice. I think, like all graduates, I am at a crossroads in my life right now, and that I would love to hear his thoughts on a lot of things. On relationships, on my career, and on life in general

Ayala Competition Awarding

People as Buildings

Had a long day... My mom left for Geneva yesterday, she has to undergo training with IOM, in the mean time, I'm left with all her chores. This means... bouncing between banks, paying bills, etc. etc. etc.

Took a short break to watch "Guess Who" ... relatively funny movie... it was funny in the sense that I had more fun observing the people who were watching it... cause some of the "funny" punchlines in the movie, were obviously out of context for a lot of them.

Went around the village again today, there's something I noticed ... with all the new houses popping up in phase 3, I realized, buildings/houses (again) are really so much like people... when the columns and walls go up, with the window openings clearly delineated, without any paint or exterior finishes... the houses, in their toddler stage... remind me of how honest and unpretentious kids are.

But as the roofing is installed, (whether its tile, or tile longspan, etc. etc.) and as the exterior treatments are put in... they start resembling teenagers, with the layers of masks and pretensions on.

As a designer, I've always been intrested in the concept of honesty... honesty of the spaces, the intention of the elements... the finishes and the materials...

Pondering all of this... I realize that in HS, I was a lot like these "noveau" houses... with their pastiche layerings of elements... the fake columns, the fake grilles, etc. etc. etc. I guess, I was (in a way) emulating the houses (and people) that I saw in and around my school...

But then, going to UST for college has opened my eyes to the rest of the world, to new people, and to a much more sensible aesthetic taste... which is why, I would like to think, that in one way or another, I have tried to minimalize my life and become a truer person... I realize that, as a designer, if I want to be minimalist and modern... I have to live my life according to the same ideas/concepts embodied in those philosophies...

College and the real world... they have their ways of changing you...

Random Update

Well its final, I won't be able to take the boards this June... so I guess thats good news din because I feel like I still have a lot to learn... ayoko naman na hinog sa pilit ako pagdating ng board exams.

As for the dubai trip... I still dunno when I'm leaving, the ayala people are telling me they're still fixing papers and arranging the housing for me... baka sa June daw...

In the mean time, Sir Edwin of Ayala Land - CI told me na they'll hire me to work for them... He'll update me next week daw on whats up, kasi he has to coord with HRD.

So... while waiting for all of this to happen, I've been turned into the official enroller (is there such a  word? ) I did the enrolling for my 2 sisters, with Louisa (the bunso) first... in Zobel, so we had a short kuya and bunso date... she talked a lot... and I was surprised with the depth of her thoughts and insights on a lot of things... I guess she's really bright, maybe she's just not being motivated enough to work harder and be an achiever in school. I guess thats the ego thing na... with boys kasi... parang we feel so compelled to prove our worth and who has the biggest ****, but with girls ... its like... " I know I'm smart, I'm comfortable with that knowledge, I don't have to prove anything to anyone" But then again... ego is the fountainhead of human progress!

Celina's enrolment in UST was hellish... Heck her course sounds hellish... (Biochemistry)... I hope she does well and shows my parents na she can do it.

Oh... btw, I just finished reading the Da Vinci Code, good book, very intriguing read... has a special meaning for me because a lot of the places mentioned I've visited na... especially the Louvre... (great work by master architect I.M.Pei) When we were there, I was so curious as to why there was this huge inverse pyramid hanging from the roof deck, like a huge stalactite... pointing down... hehe

My guess is that the truth is in the middle of the hearsay and the dogmas.

 

Handwriting Analysis - c/o www.handwritingwizard.com

For a graphologist, the spacing on the page reflects the writer's attitude toward their own world and relationship to things in his or her own space.  If the inputted data was correct Leandro has left lots of white space on the right side of the paper. Leandro fills up the rest of the page in a normal fashion. If this is true, then Leandro has  an unhealthy relationship to the past and has a fear of moving forward.   The right side of the page represents the future and Leandro seems unwilling to face the fear of getting started living now and planning for the future.  Leandro seems to be clinging to past events and spending lots of time thinking about what happened.  It would be best to leave the past behind and move on.  Stop crowding that left margin.

Leandro has a healthy imagination and displays a fair amount of trust. He lets new people into his circle of friends. He uses his imagination to understand new ideas, things, and people.

Leandro has a temper. He uses this as a defense mechanism when he doesn't understand how to handle a situation. Temper is a hostile trait used to protect the ego. Temper can be a negative personality trait in the eyes of those around him.

Leandro is sarcastic. This is a defense mechanism designed to protect his ego when he feels hurt. He pokes people harder than he gets poked. These sarcastic remarks can be very funny. They can also be harsh, bitter, and caustic at the same time.

Leandro is a practical person whose goals are planned, practical, and down to earth.  This is typical of people with normal healthy self-esteem. He needs to visualize the end of a project before he starts.  he finds joy in anticipation and planning.  Notice that I said he plans everything he is going to do, that doesn't necessarily mean things go as planned.  Leandro basically feels good about himself.  He has a positive self-esteem which contributes to his success.  He feels he has the ability to achieve anything he sets his mind to.  However, he sets his goals using practicality-- not too "out of reach".  He has enough self-confidence to leave a bad situation, yet, he will not take great risks, as they relate to his goals.  A good esteem is one key to a happy life.  Although there is room for improvement in the confidence catagery, his self-perception is better than average.

In reference to Leandro's mental abilities, he has a very investigating and creating mind. He investigates projects rapidly because he is curious about many things. He gets involved in many projects that seem good at the beginning, but he soon must slow down and look at all the angles. He probably gets too many things going at once. When Leandro slows down, then he becomes more creative than before. Since it takes time to be creative, he must slow down to do it. He then decides what projects he has time to finish. Thus he finishes at a slower pace than when he started the project. He has the best of two kinds of minds. One is the quick investigating mind. The other is the creative mind. His mind thinks quick and rapidly in the investigative mode. He can learn quicker, investigate more, and think faster. Leandro can then switch into his low gear. When he is in the slower mode, he can be creative, remember longer and stack facts in a logical manner. He is more logical this way and can climb mental mountains with a much better grip.

Leandro is not facing something going on in his life today. He is deceiving himself about it. Often, Leandro's opinion of himself is different than those around him. This trait gives Leandro the ability to deny anything that does not agree with his "truth." This trait is not always something negative. It is only a defense mechanism allowing Leandro not to face some reality in his life at this time.

Leandro will demand respect and will expect others to treat him with honor and dignity. Leandro believes in his ideas and will expect other people to also respect them. He has a lot of pride.

Leandro uses judgment to make decisions. He is ruled by his head, not his heart. He is a cool, collected person who is usually unexpressive emotionally. Some may see him as unemotional. He does have emotions but has no need to express them. He is withdrawn into himself and enjoys being alone. The circumstances when Leandro does express emotions include: extreme anger, extreme passion, and tremendous stress. If someone gets him mad enough to tell him off, he will not be sorry about it later. He puts a mark in his mind when someone angers him. He keeps track of these marks and when he hits that last mark he will let them know they have gone too far. He is ruled somewhat by self-interest. All his conclusions are made without outside emotional influence. He is very level-headed and will remain calm in an emergency situation. In a situation where other people might get hysterical, he has poise. Leandro will work more efficiently if given space and time to be alone. He would rather not be surrounded by people constantly. In a relationship, he will show his love by the things he does rather than by the things he says. Saying "I love you" is not a needed routine because he feels his mate should already know. The only exception to this is if he has logically concluded that it is best for his mate to hear him express his love verbally. Leandro is not subject to emotional appeals. If someone is selling a product to him, they will need to present only the facts. They should present them from a standpoint of his sound judgment. He will not be taken in by an emotional story about someone else. He will meet emergencies without getting hysterical and he will always ask "Is this best for me?"

People that write their letters in an average height and average size are moderate in their ability to interact socially.  According to the data input, Leandro doesn't write too large or too small, indicating a balanced ability to be social and interact with others.

Leandro can be defiant. He sometimes has the attitude that if someone doesn't like it the way he is doing it, then they can just "go to hell!" This trait may reveal itself in a rebellious nature that is always ready to resist forces which he thinks are infringing upon his freedom of action.

Sid Meier's Pirates

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Video Games
Genre:	Adventure
Console:	PC

This game rocks, the cross-genre blending, the pacing and the overall graphics are just tops. Just goes to show that games really have to be designed and conceptualized... We are far from the days of brainless shootemups ... Sid Meier is one helluva game architect

Houses and People

I really enjoy biking around my village during afternoons, feeling the breeze on my face and my thighs straining to move my mass around the blocks gives me a sense of independence despite my rather "unindependent" state... living with my folks and all.

I remember my high school days, I usually went home on the second trip of our bus service, the  second trip also doubles as a late run for students who live in ayala alabang, during these jaunts around the village, my jaw would drop in awe as we passed by the huge, stately, neo-mediterranean homes. I would tell myself that I would someday own one in this village... so that my kids wouldnt have to take the frickin second trip to some distant no name subdivision in Paranaque...

That was 5 years ago... now, with my architectural/design training, Ive realized that a lot of the houses in ayala alabang arent actually well designed, a lot of the houses are "chop-suey" designs which try to mix various elements which really dont go together.

Heck, you dont have to go to aav to get this picture, just around my village, a lot of the houses are at best, an eclectic mix of elements, and at worst, are just plain ugly.

But then again, who am I to dictate good taste and aesthetics on the owners, I guess if the homeowner decided thats what he wanted, then so be it, its his house. But my view on this is that a house should stand for who the person really is. If the house is a stately Euro-Mediterranean mansion, my read on this is that the owner is a successful person, who likes what everyone else likes, a conformist, with severe colonial mentality, who does not understand that a lot of the design elements involved are completely pretensions of  designers and craftsmen...

See... we have this philosophy in design, that the material should be used and should look as it should be... and not meant to look like an imitation or a fake of another. In other words, exposed the real nature of the material and the work... Don't fake it, don't use it for something else...  G.I. Roofing should look like G.I. Roofing, and not like clay tiles, Concrete should look like concrete, it shouldnt be moulded or painted... etc. etc. etc.

Anyway... I'd love to expound further... but mark this down, If I'm going to design a house for anyone, I want my design to embody who that person is... I want it to be an honest portrayal of all the good in that person, so that the person feels complete ownership of the house, as if he was the house itself... unlike now, where people usually end up with something dictated upon to them by a society with severe aesthetic and cultural disfunctions.

Graduation !

To my batchmates: CONGRATS!

To my Family: SALAMAT!

To Monica: INGAT ANG SPAIN SAYO!

To myself: MAGPAPAYAT KA NA!

To the rest of the world: Galaw-galaw, parating na kami!

 

 

Saw it coming...

 

Today is April 4, 2005, Monday, exactly 315 days since I "met" Jem, and now, we called off the relationship. I honestly, truly, loved her. And, despite the many differences between the two of us, along with some conflicts with my personal convictions, I decided to give the relationship a chance.

I learned a lot from her, I hope she learned from me too. She was there and supported me during my thesis, and I really thank her for that, its really true that behind every successful man is an exasperated woman rolling her eyes . We both agreed that there would be no sorrys and regrets, but I feel saddened, I mean who wouldnt?

Honestly, I had my doubts early on, but maybe because of my work, and also because of our short moments together, these doubts get cast off to the back of my mind. But sometimes, glaring differences surface, and maybe, thats why I might not have been the best, and most committed boyfriend. 

I loved her, still do, but as a friend now. I know we will still be good friends, in fact, possibly design collaborators and partners. I know its a kick-ass duo. I figure, you don't have to be married to be a powercouple diba?

 

Board Review First Day

Well... its April 2, today, exactly a year after the Ayala Land Awarding Ceremony in Glorietta, and what a difference a year makes. From Ayala, to the States, to thesis hell, ngayon naman... Board Review. I just got back from JPT, the review center I enrolled in for the Board Exam this June, and I have to say... sulit yung review. The engineer teaching us about statics and theory of structures actually taught better than any of my former engineering professors in UST.

Some random thoughts:

My skull's circumference is 26", 2-3" larger than the average size. The "manang" who measured it for the toga cap was amazed and surprised... I explained it to her... Manang, yung noo tsaka harap... grade school... ung bukol sa gilid... high school, ung bukol sa likod... college po yan.

I'm really interested on how much those food stand franchises make in a given day, actually, I've been thinking about a nice sideline/business different from arki/design...

My car needs a new set of engine supports, bushings and shocks... and i dont have the money to have them replaced. I guess I'll just have to drive extra careful to make iwas the bumps on the road.

I feel compelled to explain to my reviewmates why I'm one of the youngest taking the review classes/board exam this june. (The Arki board requires a minimum of 2 years of experience kasi) But then, if do elaborate on this, I'll probably end up just being mayabang... so di bale nalang...

I love this song by Bono, performed by U2 during the Grammys (Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own) - He wrote it about his father, who was a postal worker, who sang operas at night, and to whom he owes his singing voice, and his passion for music:

Tough You think you got the stuff

You're Telling me and everyone

you're hard enough

 

You dont have to put up a fight,

You dont have to always be right

Let me take some of the punches

for you tonight

 

Listen to me now,

I need to let you know,

You dont have to go it alone

 

And its you when I look in the Mirror

And its you when I go pick up the phone

Sometimes you cant make it on your own

 

We fight all the time

you and I, thats alright

we're the same soul

I dont need, I dont need to hear you say

that if we werent so alike,

you'd like me a whole lot more.

Listen to me now,

I need to let you know,

You dont have to go it alone

 

And its you when I look in the Mirror

And its you when I go pick up the phone

Sometimes you cant make it on your own

 

I know that we dont talk

Im sick of it all

Can You Hear me sing?

You're the reason why the opera is in me...

 

This song is so apt for me... hehehe...