The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 3,200 times in 2013. If it were a cable car, it would take about 53 trips to carry that many people.
Click here to see the complete report.
Not many people know about her.
As a matter of fact, very few people seldom remember. It was one night of good brew and great camaraderie among people who are rarely together but when they do, it seems like they know each other pretty well. It was something I treasure every time I went. There are quite a few times, and I mean really few times I went to the gathering of people who have cameras for eyes and art for hearts. Heck, I don’t even see myself as a photographer, but these guys accepted a stray, so that makes these gatherings worthy of their own stories.
And he knows about Angela.
With Jojo, it was pure wit and humor, with Darrell, it was profundity, Mike, Buboy et al, a learning session about stuff I don;t know about lenses, and most of them I still don’t know shit. Tony, the wide variety storylines one can delve into with just one topic.
But he knows Angela.
Okay, time to stop being all cryptic. Angela is a song from Vitamin Z that we hit off on at one time. An obscure 80s album with a couple of radio hits and some great music in the roster. I made a quip about it, firing a slew of high points for a song that practically no one heard of, unless you bought the tape, or vinyl, and listened to the album in its entire glory. I remember singing a few lines that made him remember the song . . . .
AND I REALLY LOVE HER,
SHE’S MORE THAN THE WORLD TO ME,
AND I REALLY WANT HER,
WOULD SHE GIVE ALL HER LOVE TO ME.
ANGELA DON’T GO AND LEAVE ME TONIGHT (LEAVE ME TONIGHT),
ANGELA PLEASE BE WITH ME (ANGELA),
ANGELA DON’T EVER WALK THROUGH MY LIFE (WALK THROUGH MY LIFE),
ANGELA PLEASE BE WITH ME, CAUSE I LOVE YOU.
He pointed out something about the intro, being all too techno but with a touch of good old pop rock. I said it was one of the best songs in the album, even though Burning flame was the more popular one.
And we both agreed Hi Hi Friend is the best song in that particular album.
From then on, it was music all the way, the nuances, the stuff I regret never following up with my guitar playing, and the envy we had for Tony’s Fender.
From left – Jojo, Tirong and me. (Photo by Darrell Sicam)
As I sit here, still sleepy from the lack of it. A two-hour bus trip back this morning from Sucat, Paranaque, was worth the several hours staying with Tirong’s bro, singing some songs, and joking about stuff Tirong might have something to say to. Turns out I hardly know the man, there were stories I need to hear, adventures I had to take in, and Momma Orbase just felt like she was glad Tyrone had more friends than she ever knew. She took some much-needed rest at about 2am this morning, and I wish I could have picked her mind about Tirong. But the fretwork of long-haired bro Orbase made it worthwhile to shoot some musical topics and what little bit of history I could glean from him, even while gin was being passed around and I tipped the jigger like cacti thirsty for water.
I hardly know the man.
But he knows Angela.
The interment is tomorrow. I can hardly bring myself to go there and bear witness. I have issues with death and goodbyes. I just like to think he just went off somewhere.
And he knows about Angela.
That makes him one of the few friends worth keeping.
Before I go further let me me refresh your memory about this issue with water, and refer you to two previous blog posts I did
https://screamingmango.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/wrong-timing-bad-timing/
https://screamingmango.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/wrong-timing-bad-timing-reprise/
Now, like any service-related complaint, people start out asking nicely, because, popular knowledge has taught us that when we complain about utilities like electricity, water, mobile communication, you need a lot of patience and good nature , with hopes of actually being able to talk to someone who will be gracious enough to really listen and pass along the information to the necessary department or section, for the complaint to be acted upon.
I do know the drill.
August 16,2012
I called Maynilad Hotline 1226 and that sweet voice telling me that my call is on queue and a customer service representative will soon be available to answer the call. For about 12 times, or so. Nevertheless, I tried calling again. Still that same sweet voice, that I know If I had held on a little longer, I would probably try to get details and ask her for a date. But no, no one human did answer the call. Maybe I’ll try email.
August 17, 2012
I got into the website and posted a complaint about the “intermittent” “dirty” and “odorous” water. Tough luck if they reply promptly. The last email I sent them needed a week for a response to come back to me.
Tried Twitter, that omnipresent socia-microblog-turned-gossip-cum-troll-medium and looked for @maynilad and @MAYNILADWATER so that at least people on the other end might be able to see the post and maybe, just maybe, able to reply. But someone did call me, but only to ask fopr the details, of which, I can clearly remembered including on that email. Oh well, might as well repeat the process orally. And also I got an email saying they will get to it.
IMMEDIATELY.
August 18,2012
Nothing. Stayed at hoe all day Saturday . No Maynilad knocking at my door.
August 19,2012
Still no one comes a-knocking on my door.
August 20 and 21, 2012
Now, I am employed so I won’t stay at home to wait for a spiffy Maynilad personnel to knock on my door and as k about the complaint. Scuttlebutt says there was someone looking around but only asked Aling Rose, at the sari-sari store about the water being murky and intermittent. Said person made snide comments saying I was makulit about the complaint. These and the snide remark will be logged as August 22,2012
So here goes:
#whatsthepoint 
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