discovery diving

Monday, February 5, 2007

Scuba diving–CHECK!

Another item ticked off my "To Try Before I Die" list.   Thanks to the  oh-so-generous Sister Extraordinaire Slash Sponsor, I finally had my introduction to scuba diving last Saturday in San Luis, Batangas.  

Intro divers.  Me, Jen, and Nika.

It was quite an experience!  I always thought, why invest on a ridiculously expensive hobby when I can just go snorkling?  I got my answers while I was fish-feeding 31 feet underwater.  The sight was magnificent.  There's a huge  difference between seeing the corals and fishes from above and being surrounded by them.  I felt like Ariel, the Little Mermaid, except I had plastic fins!  I think I was thrilled the most when I saw baby Nemos.

Here we go! 

I was shivering all throughout and kept giving Rob, my dive instructor, the "not OK" sign because I thought I was having a hard time equalizing.  Then I realized the water was freezing!  

After we surfaced, Rob told me that what I saw was actually nothing compared to the sights they encounter when they do check-out dives in other dive sites.  There are more unusual fishes and there are larger arrays of rich corals.

But before I can do a check-out dive, I would have to be certified which means I'd have to take lessons first.  Nowadays, diving lessons costs about 11,000 pesos (and I think that's still minus the equipment).  Oh, how I wish I could take them… (Ehem…ehem…Ate Ains, are you reading this?  Heehee).

Oh well, one at a time.  I'll get a chance to take those lessons someday.  Right now, I still have more items to check off  that  list

 

—–

 

I never noticed how I'm always on guard until last Saturday when I was going through the experience like it was some kind of test or challenge.   When Rob was teaching us how to clear our regulators and masks, I was listening so intently that I was actually tense!  It's the same feeling I feel everytime I'm producing a segment–the pressure of always having to prove myself, to show people my worth.

Even during my check-up this morning, when the doctor asked me to read the letters on the wall, the thought running on my mind was, "Dapat pumasa ako dito kundi…"

My God, what has working for the media done to me?  On one hand, it's an advantage because it keeps me on my toes.  It makes a survivor out of me.   On the other hand, I couldn't even go through a freaking eye check-up without tensing up!  Geez.  I better get a hold of myself.  

 

Diving lessons.  Rob and Joe teaching us -three basic steps:  regulator clearing, mask clearing, and equalisation.

"silhouettes"

  
Taken last February 3, 2007 after my discovery dive in San Luis, Batangas.

a new addiction

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Since they are yet to pirate Episode 11 onwards of Grey's Anatomy (heehee), I made a little detour from Seattle Grace Hospital to a world where ordinary people with supernatural powers exist….

 

 

H E R O E S

*From creator/writer Tim Kring (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") comes "Heroes," an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities.

As a total eclipse casts its shadow across the globe, a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, "Blind Guy Driving") in India is led by father's disappearance to uncover a secret theory — there are people with super powers living among us. A young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, "Gilmore Girls") tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, "Judging Amy") that he can fly. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, "Ice Princess") learns that she is totally indestructible. A Las Vegas stripper (Ali Larter, "Final Destination"), struggling to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, "My Wife & Kids"), discovers that her mirror image has a secret. A fugitive from justice (Leonard Roberts, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") continues to baffle authorities who twice have been unable to contain him. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, "Empire"), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, NBC's "Third Watch"), can paint the future. A down-on-his-luck Los Angeles beat cop (Greg Grunberg, "Alias") can hear people's thoughts, which puts him on the trail of an elusive serial killer. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, NBC's "Scrubs") develops a way to stop time through sheer will power. Their ultimate destiny is nothing less than saving the world…

Joining Kring as executive producer are Dennis Hammer (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") and Allan Arkush (NBC's "Crossing Jordan"). David Semel ("House") executive-produced and directed the pilot. The drama is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio.

I haven't even gone beyond 3/4 of the first episode and I'm already addicted!  Given the chance, I'd want to have their powers:

 

The cheerleader who has the ability to regenerate.

 

The cop who can read minds. 

Then, I'd really be able to rule the world!  MWAHAHAHA! :p 

  

*Source:   http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/about/

keeping the faith

Monday, January 29, 2007

I have to believe in something bigger than me. Because if I didn't, the powerlessness would eat me alive." 

 –Dr. Preston Burke, Grey's Anatomy

I think it was my parents who rejoiced the most when they heard I was going on a retreat.  Most of my friends either raised their eyebrows or laughed at the idea of me going on any kind of spiritual introspection.

During the first two months after the accident, I'd wake up everyday three hours before my call time at work.  I'd spend a good hour lying in bed, awake but doing nothing.  I would either be staring into an empty space across the room or crying.  The crying would then turn into uncontrollable sobs.  When the tears finally subside (or so I think), I'd get up, mechanically grab my towel, and walk aimlessly for what would seem like ages down the short corridor leading to the bathroom.   It would take another half hour before I actually get myself to start showering because by then, the tears would've started to flow again. (more…)

standing somewhere between "WAS" and "IS"

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Before January, I blog-hopped and as expected, I came across all sorts of "The Year That Was" lists.  While everybody wrote about how 2006 has been good to them, I cried over how mine has been the exact opposite.  It was the year when:

 

1. I learned the unfortunate way that fairness and justice is defined by power and those who should be the epitomy of objectivity can still be blindsided by friendship.  The people who are at the bottom of the food chain are hardly given any chance to vindicate themselves.
2. I had a complicated relationship which made me cry in frustration everytime I tried to understand why it's so damn hard to make it work.
3. I fought with my bestrfriends.
4. A horrible accident took the life of the man that I love.

But, it was also the year when:

 

1.  I learned to fight for what's right and to stand my ground no matter how big the odds I'm against are.  This may be a battle I have to see through on my own but I'm not alone because of the support of those who also believe that vindication will come at the right time. 
2. His voice, his touch, his embrace, his kiss made everything perfect everytime we're together.  For the first time, I felt what it was like to be truly and happily in love.
3. My quarrels with my bestrfriends made our friendship grow stronger.  At the same time, our space from each other gave me the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.  Now, more than even, I can say that I am blessed with a lot of genuine friends who are there not only for the good but are especially determined to stay for the bad.
4. I had what other people wait for a lifetime to experience and sometimes never do–mad, passionate love.  Even though I still don't understand why we were given such short time to be together, I now know that I have the capacity to feel and experience love that transcends differences, pain, confusion, and even death.

Last week, I lost my iPod.  A few months ago, my Sony Ericsson P900 got stolen. Apart from Ixy, my digicam, I love those two gadgets.  Losing them broke my heart because they hold so much memories of my last year.  Then the ever-so-wise Conrad said, "Someone or something is telling you it's time to move on from things you've lost. And better things will come your way."  Then I cried.  Again.  I think, more than anything, it's all about wanting to move on.  You know what you have to do, how to do it, but if you don't want to, then you never will.  I'm trying to find that place where the bad things from the past are sifted and the good ones are kept.  But sometimes fear makes it so hard for us to separate the good from the bad, the lessons learned from the pain.  But we have to.  Otherwise, the point of the journey will be lost.

I am afraid.  Afraid that if I move on, I will forget.  That if begin to feel happy again, I will leave all the memories behind.  So I just try to keep in mind an incription Gee saw on a tombstone in Ireland: 

"Death leaves a hearteache no one can heal.  Love leaves a memory no one can steal."

Right now, I'm standing somewhere between "was" and "is," but I promise to get there.  I'm taking baby steps, but I will.  Because I owe it to my family whose unconditional love and unfailing support gave me strength when I was at my weakest, to my friends who let me cry and be mad at the world but kept on gently reminding me that there is more for me to go on, and to the man who called me his Pangga and taught me how to love. 

i’m back in the game!

Saturday, January 20, 2007

I haven't watched THE Band perform in months.  Everytime they play, I get transported into another world where nothing else matters except them and the reggae beats I'm dancing to.  Oh, and getting gloriously drunk of course.  Eversince the accident, though, I've been staying away from anything fun or happy because I've been feeling exactly the opposite.  There was a time when I said yes to Jen's invitation to join them in Xaymaca but backed out at the last minute.  I'm just not ready to be around anything or anyone happy when I'm breaking down inside.  

During the start of the week, I popped into their website to check out their gig sked. That's when I felt, this is it.  I think I'm ready to watch them again.  The plan was almost foiled when people began backing out but I was determined to push through with it even if I had to go there alone.  Good thing Djong was still itching for some reggae dancing (more…)

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