Tranquil

Something smells "fishy" :-)

Just a quick video blog on a quiet, relaxing evening.
Nighty night!

P is for Palpak

Confirmed! The P in PLDT stands for "Palpak."
Palpak is synonymous with incompetent or failure, in case you don't understand Filipino.

My PLDT land line phone still doesn't have a dial tone after reporting a complaint 3 days ago.
To make matters more annoying, when I called PLDT's customer service hotline for a follow up which isn't toll free since I'm using my mobile phone, their automatic answering machine informed me upon entering my land line number that the land line number is invalid. How stupid is that?

My internet connection is also affected. It keeps getting disconnected and has become as slooooow as a slug.



My basic monthly service fee alone is already P2,348 (around $52) , and that doesn't include the call/usage charges.
I feel like I'm paying so much for such crappy service.
This is what Filipinos get when there is a monopoly in telecommunications.

Repairs

Deja Vu!

The tiles in one of my spare rooms started rising and became loose.

The same thing occurred in another room a few years ago which I also blogged about.

I want to punch my home's original contractor.

I had to remove 29 tiles.
I did so to prevent them from pushing and exerting more pressure on the other tiles.

 Finished! Good as new. Well...almost good as new.

I decided to fix it myself since I had nothing much to do anyway during weekends.

It's good exercise as well.

It wasn't really difficult reattaching the tiles, but the process can be hard on the knees even with pads on.

The part I disliked the most was grouting and applying the waterproof seal.
 It's a messy task and I did not like the smell of the sealant.

Thumbs up! My job is done.

If you need someone to help you fix your loose tiles, you can call me. LOL!

-repair cost-

ready-mixed ceramic tile adhesive: P700.00 

grout: P80.00 

grout sealer: P200.00 

rubber gloves: P60.00

labor: free :-)

Total Cost: P1,040.00 (est. $23.33)

 I also used a trowel, a bucket, a small paintbrush, and some sponges for the job but I didn't include them in my computation since I didn't need to purchase them. I already have them in stock.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy Holidays!

Just a quick selfie to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season.

This season only comes once a year so it's best to make the most out of it and smile.

Look at me, I'm spending the holidays alone yet I'm smiling. At least I try to :-)

Happy New Year as well.

2014 hasn't been my favorite year. Emotionally taxing.

I hope 2015 will be a much better one for me and to everyone.

I think it's time for me to purchase a new smartphone with a more high res front facing camera.
But I'm also planning to purchase a new laptop. I don't know which one to buy as a Christmas gift to myself. Oh the problem with being a Libra. LOL!
OK I'll choose the laptop. I'm not obsessed with phones anyway.
I'll buy a new smartphone in February as a Valentine's gift to myself. Hehe.

I was also planning on getting an S.U.V. before the year ends but the model and specifically the color (white) I want is not available until next year. Hay naku! Gusto ko ng lumarga at magmaneho ng bagong tsikot no!

I was considering a pick-up instead but I realized it will be a pain to maneuver should I drive it in the city, horrendous traffic and all. 
Tricky to park too since parking lots specially in city tend to be tight/small.

If it weren't for the flooding during heavy rains and the usual hassles that come with 3rd world roads, I would have already purchased a hatchback or another sedan.

Good things come to those who wait. I can wait.
Besides, new models of SUVs will be arriving next year from different car brands.
I'm excited to check them out.

That's about it for today.
Take care :-)

Encounter

It's December already. The year went by so fast and we are now on its last month.

So, what news can I share today? Nothing really special happening lately.

I did recently meet someone however.

Two weeks ago while I was at the supermarket buying my groceries, someone I've been corresponding with sent me a text message.

He asked how I was doing and where I was. I told him I was at the mall, in the supermarket.

He informed me that he's at the same mall as well and asked me if I wanted to meet.

I have been corresponding with the guy for the longest period now and I thought that perhaps it's about time for him and I to finally see each other eye to eye.

Besides, I have been living like a hermit for 6 months now. My home and the office have been my constant environments.

I felt like my life has become stagnant, boring and lonely so I agreed to meet the guy. Meet a new face. Just a friendly meeting. Nothing more. Nothing less. No high expectations.

After I was done with the groceries and placed them inside my car, I went back into the mall and proceeded towards Starbucks. So typical a meeting place huh?

First impression? Tall! He's 6 ft. tall which made me a little conscious at first since I consider myself short. I'm only 5'7".

He looked much better in person than in his photos. He's 3 years older than me. Okay bod. Fair skinned. Pero sabi niya mas maputi daw ako sa kanya. Sagot ko naman, di importante ang kulay ng balat. Basta malinis tingnan at hindi tadtad ng singko at bente singko. LOL!

Natawa tuloy siya.

We talked about trivial stuff, the same trivial stuff we discussed whenever we exchanged text messages. Again nothing serious nor personal which is what I prefer at the moment.

Although he did open about his last breakup which happened a year ago, and that he has been single since then. It's only recently that he had started seeing people again.

After we finished our frappuccinos, I told him that I had better head home before the butter and frozen bacon I purchased earlier begin defrosting inside my car.

He told me he had to go home as well since he's the one preparing dinner for his parents later that night. 

As we were heading towards the parking lot, we noticed something strange.

Of all the areas in the parking lot, areas A B C D and so forth, it turned out we were both parked in the same section, area C. Not only that, our vehicles have the same color and the same brand. He drives an SUV though. I drive a sedan. I forgot to mention earlier that we were both wearing white shirts as well. He was wearing a white long sleeve shirt which I teased him about. I told him he looked too formal for a casual meeting. He didn't even roll up his sleeves. He reasoned that it was his office attire. I on the other hand was wearing a white tee shirt with an image of a 1970s Eric Clapton printed on it :-)

We joked about the weird similarities. Eventually we said our farewells and went our separate ways. I had a nice time.

He texted me last Thursday asking if there's a possibility of a repeat of our meeting.

I haven't replied.

He texted me yesterday.

He said, he's willing to wait.

 He said, he understands.

Home

Home is where the heart is.

Yeah, that's one of my favorite lines from Erasure's "Blue Savannah Song."

Oldie song huh?

My age is showing again. Hehe!

Just a quick selfie taken after I finished replacing the ceiling light and one of the LED's on my wall.

Very happy that I'm also able to fit inside my favorite tiny old shirt again without having to do the "stomach in" technique. LOL! 

I've been working out more regularly now but I think it's time for me to cut down on the whey protein.

Have a nice day/evening :-)

Comeback

So which one is better, the chunkier one on the top (taken a month or so ago), or the less meatier one (more recent) below? LOL! :-)

My belly has shrunk and I'm not even working out a lot.

The number one culprit in my battle of the bulge was/is my addiction to sodas.

Ever since I drastically cut down on my consumption of colas, my waistline became slimmer.

I love Coke, especially Cherry Coke, and I despise the diet version. "Walang siyang lasa!" I'm salivating right now for a drink as I'm typing this blog. Hmmm...so tempted.

I hope I can keep this up (avoiding sodas), so I can be confident enough to wear my thong in the beach. Haha! Kidding.

I have been gone for quite a while. Personal issues.

I am feeling better now.

Time to let go of all of the negativity, along with my fatty bits. LOL!

Now I feel like singing Frozen's "Let It Go" but my ummm..."beautiful" nightingalish (nightingalish talaga lang huh?) voice might cause a snowstorm so I better not. Hahaha!

Have a nice day/evening :-)

Solitary

Honey I'm home! Oops! I forgot, I'm not married. LOL!

 

Nothing much to do at the end of the day than to sweat it out in the gym :-)

A cricket found its way inside the house almost making me burst into a Mulan song number.

♫ When will my reflection show.... ♫  LOL

I wanted to keep it since they are believed to bring good luck but I felt sorry for it so I carefully picked it up and released it in the garden.

Have a nice day/evening :-)

Update

It has been a busy summer here at my home.

The repair and renovation of my roof deck is finally over. 

New tiles. New paint. New skylight. Stainless steel gutters polished.

It rained heavily a few days ago and the additional floor drains that have been installed

worked well in preventing the occurrence of ponding. Neither did water spill over the rails like it did in the past.

What's left to do now is to add some potted plants. Bamboo is the likely choice.

Thinking about placing some outdoor furniture as well, but since the monsoon season (typhoons and all) starts this month, I may have to postpone that for the time being.

For now, I'll just enjoy my new deck and the cool breeze of the wind at the end of another day in a sleepy provincial town.

Heartbroken

Deeply missing a family member, a companion and a dearest friend.

The plan was for us to stay together for as long a time as possible.

I'm heartbroken that you left me too soon.

6 years were too short a time.
Why did you have to get sick?

Whenever I'm down, you were the one who brought smiles on my face.

I miss coming home, and you running towards me to greet me.

I miss the company that you gave me whenever I had my midnight snack.

I miss walking you around the compound.

I miss taking you out at night in the front yard so you could do your "dirty deed" before you went to bed.

I miss that cute raspy voice whenever you bark.

I miss your big expressive eyes and wrinkly face.

I miss everything about you my dear friend.

If the heavens would accept tears as payment for them to return you back to me alive and well, I know that the tears I had shed and are continuing to shed are more than enough.

I'm sorry that life is unfair. 
Bakit hindi na lang ang mga masasamang tao ang bigyan ng sakit?
I'm sorry that I couldn't save you.
I love you Enzo.

You are forever in my heart.

Renovation

It's been 10 years since I moved into my house.

I decided that it's time to have my home renovated and address the areas that need to be fixed.

My major concern is my roof deck. The flooring on my roof deck used to be plain concrete that was smoothened and made to look like tiles.

Problem is, my former contractor did a botched up job and in a span of a few years, the concrete "tiles" developed cracks. I've made the decision of using real ceramic floor tiles this time.

I also had a new skylight installed because the old one already had cracks and leaks because again, the former contractor did a poor job of installing it.

The house will be repainted as well. That isn't the final color in the photos. It's merely the first layer of coating. The gutter also needs to be polished.

So many things to do.

Iisa lang ang bahay ko. Dapat lang na ayusin, iimprove at gamutin kung ano mang sakit meron ito.

I'm hoping that it will all be finished before the end of the month. Fingers crossed.

No grand vacation getaway for me this summer, I can't afford it at the moment.

Friday Flashback

LOL! Found this image when I was organizing and deleting files in my laptop.

I think this photo was taken during the 1990s with a camera that still used AA batteries to power it and a roll of film to save images in....and afterwards you have to go to a photo processing store and pay someone to "develop" hard copies of the images stored in your film. So much trouble back then just to get your photos huh?

I was probably 20ish in the pic.

I'll be 39 this year.

Yeah! Yeah! I looked blah! in the photo. LOL!

But what am I gonna do? It is what it is.

Ganoon talaga po itsura ko noon eh. Wala na tayong magagawa ;-)

The 1990s. Time flew by so fast.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Minor Problem

What will you do if a minor flirted and continuously nagged you into meeting him?

How do you turn down his advances without hurting his frail feelings?

The twink contacted me through a mobile "social" app.
Here's a translation.

Toyo : But you're a minor.

Twink : Can I see your face?

Twink : Hey! Please send me a facepic :)

Twink : Nobody will know anyway.

Twink : Hey!

Twink : Let's meet already please, nobody will know anyway.

The young man is only 16 years old.

I do not show my face pic on my profile in that app site which explains why he was requesting for it. The only time I disclose an image of my face is if I'm about to set meeting. I very rarely meet though.

The twink is really adorably cute, BUT I do not want to get into trouble so he's off limits.

Wala akong balak maging Freddie Aguilar junior, o ma DSWD. Hehe! 

I told him that when he's already 18, daddy Toyo will be more than willing to pop and drill his cherry.  LOL!

I was thinking of blocking him in the app site but that would've been too harsh of me to do. I know guys his age tend to be very emotional when their feelings are denied so I instead ceased from replying.

A silent treatment will be a diplomatic way of stating that I cannot reciprocate his interest, urges, and so forth...until he becomes of legal age ;-)

 Drop me a line 2 years from now twinkie and I might reconsider

No-strings-attached of course.

Sentimental Sunday...Tease

Back in the days when I was still a 130 lbs. skinhead.

I miss my size 29 waistline.

Though I'm not that much of a tease anymore, age has "mellowed" me down I guess.

This is my favorite of all of my videos in YouTube, since I am an insomniac.
I made a mistake of recording parts of the vid a week apart.
Notice how my hair in some scenes is thicker?
I was too lazy to re-shoot it.
My bathroom still has its sliding glass doors in the ummm...shower scene ;-)



Now fast-forward to 5 years later, if I remade this video, there'll probably be no side-view shots. My stomach isn't flat anymore as you can see from my photo.
A tummy comes with aging.... Yeah! That's what I keep telling/lying to myself. LOL!
I wish I could turn back time.

I used to workout regularly because I wanted to look good whenever I go out. Whenever I'm out clubbing, I can take off my shirt partying on the dance floor together with the other guys.
But I'm already retired from the "gay scene." 
I have to get motivated again to workout religiously, especially for health reasons.
I'm not getting any younger.

Helping Hand

By now,  the whole world is aware of the devastating typhoon that recently hit the central region of the Philippines including the provinces which were also hit by a very strong quake last month.

Super typhoon Haiyan, known as Yolanda here in my country, is one of the most powerful typhoons in recorded history causing widespread damage and loss of human lives.

I am appealing to anyone reading my blog right now for your kindness, generosity and helping hand towards my countrymen.

The Philippines isn't a rich nor highly-industrialized country and it needs all the aid it can get.

I'm encouraging people to give aid to legitimate organizations that they know of that are actively providing relief operations towards the victims of the typhoon.

"Salamat" Thank you for your kindness.

You can also send donations to the Philippine National Red Cross.

www.redcross.org.ph/donate

Quake

A very powerful quake recently hit the provinces of Bohol and Cebu causing widespread damage and greatly affecting the lives of the families living there.

Bohol and Cebu are some of the most beautiful provinces here in the Philippines.

I say so because I have been to those provinces and experienced the sights, sounds, and the hospitality of their people. I was in Cebu in 2003 and I was in Bohol in 2006.

The photo above presents but some of the images posted by people over the internet.

If you are interested to help the victims of the earthquake, one of the ways to do so is by

visiting the website of the Philippine Red Cross.

You can make a donation through their website.

http://www.redcross.org.ph/

Baclayon Church back in 2006

It's sad that this once majestic piece of religious architecture has fallen victim to the forces of nature.

The bell tower back in the day when it was still standing tall.

One of the wonders of the natural world, the Chocolate Hills of Bohol.

These are very tall limestone hills that look like Hershey's chocolate kisses whenever the grass covering them turns brown during the summer season.

There are reports that some of the hills were also damaged by the quake.

I wish the provinces of Bohol and Cebu a speedy recovery so that tourists can

finally visit them again and experience their natural beauty and the warmth of their people.

Below is a short video clip of my vacation in Bohol.
It's one of my oldest videos in YouTube so please excuse the quality.

Throwback Thursday

Just jumping on the "throwback Thursday"  bandwagon.

This photo was taken 10 years ago.

My bangs were still thick back then. LOL!

I miss my bangs. Why did you have to ummm..."run away" from me? Haha!

Parang nagtampo na siya at unti-unti na akong iniiwan ;-)

Reminiscing

Spent my 38th birthday last week. My goodness!

Had dinner in a nice Chinese restaurant.

It was a quiet celebration with my family with lots of food. I loved it. I enjoyed every munching moment with my shellfish, prawns and crabs. LOL! :-)

YOUTUBE VERSION



VIMEO VERSION

Now that I'm really in my late 30s, I wish to reminisce on my youthful years though a countdown of my favorite movie theme songs from the 1980s.

I love the 80s because I spent my childhood and early teens in that decade, and it was a fun and happy-go-lucky decade.

The only thing I'm not fond of the 80s were the bad hairdos and the often horrendous fashion. Mullet hair & acid washed jeans anyone? LOL!

Have a wonderful time watching, listening, and reminiscing with me :-)

PS

Thanks to my blog reader Terry,  for greeting me last week :-)  

Home Improvement

It was the middle of the night and I was suddenly awakened by the sound of falling glass coming from my master bathroom. I was surprised by the appearance of cracks on the glass sliding panels of my shower area. By the time the sun came up, nothing was left of the entire glass sliding door and panels but shattered glasses. 

I searched the net on the probable causes and what I found out was that is was probably the house setting in or old age.

The photo above was taken a few months before I moved in my house in 2004 almost 10 years ago. Time flew by so fast.

Glass blocks were used as partition for our shower area. They are easier to install.

-total cost-

Glass blocks : P4,760 (56pcs. P85.00/pc.) 

Adhesive Cement : P250.00

Grout : P50.00
Water Proofing : P200.00

Labor : Free :-)

Total Cost : P5,260.00 (US$119.54)

Palawan

A short video clip of my summer vacation in Palawan.

I always bring that white striped shirt with me during my travels. It's my "lucky" shirt :-)

There's an HD option if you have a fast internet connection.

I used a new HD cam for this video.

Have a nice time watching :-)