Random update...

     Was having lunch in Enterprise, when I saw
several africans lining up at my usual chinese food counter... it was
their first time to have lunch there and they were asking help from the
other customers on what to order. Good to see people of other races in
makati- makes the CBD more cosmopolitan... I could tell that a lot of
the people in line and in the vicinity were curious and ill-at-ease,
but they better get used to the fact that the word foreigner doesn't
just mean american or european.



     My family is praying that my dad wins a very
important job... pretty big... its going to keep the office busy for
the next 5-6 years depending on the program flex. If he wins the
project, its going to be one of those architect-of-record affairs,
where he'll be the signing architect for a design developed by a
foreign consultant... and as much as he would want to call the shots, I
think his pride won't get in the way of his loyalty to the project.



    My sister Celina is in Vancouver, my parents decided
to send her abroad on her own for her 18th birthday instead of a debut
party. We were never the party types anyway... I bet she's enjoying her
time there...



    As for me, work is fine... busy the past week.
Wasn't able to work-out... im going to have to do extra hours on cardio
this week.



    As much as I would want to attend and participate
more in SFC and GK, I've decided to take it easy and hold back a bit.



    Twas only my 4th time to ride the MRT last
saturday... took it from ayala to cubao and back... had to attend
Archidesktop classes in microcadd... can I just say that those night
train rides can be really surreal and depressing.



    Everyone seems to be
wary/sleepy/tired/on-the-look-out for terrorists/snatchers/salisi-gang
members... the rider mix was amusing too, on my way to cubao (around
lunch time) I was with families doing their pay-dayweekend shopping...
and on my way back to ayala... the train was full of glammed up
gimikeros and gimikeras in full battle gear...



    Nakakahiya for me, because its only my 4th time to
ride the MRT (siguro 5x sa LRT) and I believe that its a good thing
that we have those lines in place... we really need to have those
extended to the suburbs...



    I remember my train rides abroad, on the Paris metro
and the NY subway, despite the dark and dank surroundings, people
seemed civil riding those trains. Its something I can see in Pinoys
too... everyone seems to be well behaved... compared to how we are on
the road or on jeeps...

   

    Its good to be touching base with an old friend,
especially given the different situation/context. Its good to know that
despite past issues, people still believe in me and in what I can do.
Don't worry mar, same here.



    As per my last post, re: Eero Saarinen... I consider
him the patron saint for arki kids. Not to say that I'm exactly like
him... malayo talaga... my dad's an architect, but not on the same
level of connections and stature as Eliel, and yes... I'm only 22, and
heck... I'm not even an architect yet pending my board exams 2 years
from now...



    I did research on Eero back in college, and I really
learned a lot from his life... this guy was the envy of a lot of
people, he couldn't help it... he was a high-profile character, with
the lineage and all... people had the tendency to cast him in a bad
light because of his rep. But at the end of the day... he let his
prolific work and focus do the talking. What's really touching though
is how he worked with his dad in a lot of projects... that's my dream
too. And I hope that it happens despite several false starts... maybe
God is also prepping me further...



    Lastly... bought 2 cds over the weekend...
kanYeWest's Late Registration and DictaLicense's Paghilom... Kanye is
one bright rapper... some of his black social commentary applies to
Pinoy society as well... great collaborations with Adam Levine, Brandy,
Jamie Foxx and Jay-Z

        

    I love Dictalicense's hard nationalist rock metal
music...  great message... these guys could potentially come up
with better music as they evolve and grow. Inspiring work... they talk
to my generation... or the ones who aren't as hopeless and skeptical
with the motherland.