I smell a meet up as Paul Ark (Polapat Arkkrapridi) of the Bangkok Metro Blogs is in Manila this week. Now if I only knew how to setup one of those meetup.com things. Anyway, if you’re interested in meeting Paul, feel free to post a comment here.

I got the chance to listen to Out of the Box and M.Y.M.P perform last night at my college. I was one of the people in charge of the event and even got to talk to them for a bit (paltry conversation, but still lol).

M.Y.M.P isn’t really my sort of music — they’re more on slow songs. But if you do like songs like those, then they’re a pretty good band to listen to. Two of the members are alumnis from my college. :) (gods, I’m not bragging, I’m just mentioning this, I swear)

Out of the Box are comprised of eight members — seven guys and one girl. They’re an acapella band (or at least, I think that’s what you call them) from Ateneo de Manila University, and plainly put, they’re fantastic. They sing mostly the latest songs (with an exception of a mix of Micheal Jackson songs) and are purely acapella — the drums, the guitars, all the instruments come from their vocal chords and sound like the real thing, sometimes even better. The guitar riff one of them did for Maroon 5’s “Harder to Breathe” was fantastic.

I’ve run out of adjectives so I’m ending this quick.

On the MRT this morning, this Landmark saleslady suddenly began singing/moaning/wailing and after a minute or so I finally figured out the song: Simple Plan’s “Perfect.” Or should I say, “Ferfect.” Ack!

Speaking of traffic, I’m now considering other modes of transportation. Jeepneys are out as I get too confused about which route it’s taking. Ditto with buses. With all those email warnings I’ve received, taking a taxi now scares me, unless I’m with a bunch of people. That leaves LRT. Or MRT. I used to think they’re both the same animal being saddled with two names until someone pointed out that that there is an LRT rail while this here is an MRT rail, etc. so yeah, you can imagine how dumb I felt.

What’s the difference anyway? Is one more high-end than the other, and thus more expensive? How much exactly? Do they take different routes? If I were to go from Binondo to the Ayala Center, Makati, which one would be wiser to hop on?

Any comment, comparisons, etc., will be more than welcome. I’m already getting so excited about this that I keep having romantic visions of myself writing in a journal and taking pictures of the other passengers while riding the train. Heheh.

This wouldn’t be a Manila blog if no one complained about the horrendous traffic we’re infamously known for. Traffic yesterday was worse than usual, and now I know why. Thanks for the info, Kyameel. She’s beaten me to talking about it first though, so I’ll just agree with what she said and throw in my part.

Yesterday, I was sitting in a trike in Katipunan on my way home from class when I took the picture posted at the beginning of this entry. My friend and I were stuck in a goddamn trike for 25 bloody minutes. The other girl we shared the trike with got off in the middle of the road and walked the rest of the way.

I promised that the next Metblog entry I’d make would be more positive but Manila keeps thwarting me!

No day will pass that you won’t encounter congested traffic on your way from the suburbs to the city. It’ll be a a wondrous day if there is a chance that the roads are clear which only happens when it’s a non-working holiday or pure luck.

Today, however, the traffic is more congested than usual. The sudden rerouting of the main road EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue) clogged the other roads that lead to and through it. It is because because of the Edsa People Power Commemorative Celebration this afternoon, where supposedly 30,000 people are coming so they have to close 1 of 4 lanes of EDSA. Which may I add, the organizers didn’t inform the public, or the traffic authorities at least.

And to think that for this same reason Friday (February 25) was declared a non-working holiday. Why couldn’t they do the celebrations then, so they won’t delay people who need to get to work early?

The whole meaning we celebrate this event will be put to waste, simply because people don’t coordinate very well. And the commuters now will look at the event with hate and disgust just because of this hassle they went through.

*sigh*

At least this changed the pace how I go to work every morning.

Right.

When I was about 7 or 8, my sister used to take me to Greenhills. I can’t remember ever relishing the experience then, but what I do remember is that Greenhills is this place where she frequent to buy good quality products at very cheap prices. There was a train, a fountain, a lagoon. The stalls are bundled up in the center, colorful then as it is now.
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I have a love/hate relationship with cabbies. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.

While they are essential to my existence (shuttling between Makati and Quezon City), I hate how they 1. refuse to take passengers whose destinations they deem “far,” 2. ask for extra even though the meter is running because traffic is heavy, 3. time #2 while you’re in the middle of an Edsa underpass and can’t refuse and get off.

I wish all Manila cabbies were like Baguio cabbies who are not only helpful, but also give your change down to the last centavo. *sigh*

I went to the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) last Saturday with a few of my coursemates as volunteers of Kythe, a non-profit corporation that provides psychosocial support to pediatric patients and their families.
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Despite my attempts to belong to it, the night hasn’t always been nice to me.

It was 2am and I was on my way home from a night out with friends. As I turned onto my street, I noticed a commotion ahead. A red CRV was parked on the curb, its hazard light blinking. Another car was parked in front of it, some tricycles were parked, and a crowd gathered around. At 2am, this was not a normal sight.

I initially assumed the neighborhood kids were drag racing on my street. I didn’t need this. I immediately signalled I was turning right when I really had to go past the crowd. As I got closer, I could make out what they were all focused on. A man was lying on the street, his arm outstretched, his body awkward. He was lifeless.

Just a few moments before, I went past a taxi with a guy forcibly shoving a girl in (which I hope I don’t have to worry about. I just felt I had to mention it). And even earlier in the night, I passed a white car rammed into flyover railings. It didn’t fly over but the car’s front was totalled.

Jump two months back when I encountered a crazy (and possibly drunken) driver. And just the same, it was at 2am. He was going in zigzags and he knocked over some street illuminators/dividers. It was a car chase, really, that car being chased by cops by foot. And not only that, they began open-firing while my friends and I were in the middle of it.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter how sober you are on the road. It doesn’t even matter that you drive safer than a tortoise racing with a hare. More often than not, it’s the other road rats that need a good spanking. The roads in Manila are different at night. The congestion may not be there, but the dangers are increased a notch.

So Manila people, be careful and drive safely.