THE SHREDDING

A credit card shredding in Manila.

Such is is the consequence of meetings cancelled, upheld, and meshed into the developing script of a midterm assessment and the emerging end-scenario of Oplan DOH-MIFIP, proxy indicators for a restricted prescription at Ihaw Balot Plaza to mark the 2-day transition from the Book of O to the Kingdom of Pee.  

Lost in the black hole of affiliate migration.

Confusing enough for Phnom Penh to declare helplessness as the missions to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur evolved despite being withdrawn from the uncertainty of Boxed storage and the Joseon's cooperation fund as invoiced to a scoping study before the Vientiane firing was settled with a tokwa't baboy quickie, roused by a twerking squid jerky and an amorous litsong manok gyrating upon a burnt corn dildo.

The Phantom Biker bided his time by partially settling two credit cards after the shredding of the three and attacking only after the roadside crowd has thinned and Binondo was booked before arriving at the week's summit finish in Villa Nati.

Dalin claimed Istak's virginity then picked us at 3:00 AM .

Sleep-deprived, confused why the Salcedo Community Market's taho tasted like Ying Ying Teahouse's oversized siomai but smelled like the coffee brewed from the debris of the Panciteria Macanista de Buen Gusto that infused white Red Planet sheets with Estero's crispy frog legs, wrapped in Dong Bei's steamed dumplings, fresh but missing something, like perhaps the flavors of smoky asado, crunchy lumpiang shanghai, and savory pansit canton at Toho Panciteria Antigua that were canned by Fred's Revolucion as Boondocks craft beer before the night was closed with a curtain of lomi, crispy lamang loob, oyster cake, and adobong atay at a Delicious Restaurant.

Po Heng Lumpia House still stands but Quick Snack, Ang Tunay Beef Beef House, and Ho-land Hopia are gone or has moved somewhere else, so is the Sidcor Sunday Market's classic igado, displaced by loose bowels and the impending arrival of "Sua Maesta la Regina" who may or may not shred the last two credit cards...

BREAKING GOOD

His name is Heisenberg.

And it was the 70th year of the Kingdom of Pee that was commemorated with a spread of kinilaw na tanigue, sizzling kansi steak, baticolon barbecue and sisig seasoned with blue sky meth from a super lab along Scout Reyes Street to heal those afflicted with cancer and carpal tunnel syndrome. 

So Better Call Saul Goodman.

A learning event from The Book of O required legal representation for Tuco for a fee of chicken ass barbecue, inihaw na tuna belly at liempo and sizzling bulalo from Scout Borromeo Street where Gus Fring feted the Englishman who officiated the last rites for Lalo and Howard Hamlin.

Skyler is the MILF of Bakal 2. 

She was close enough and smelled of adobong bibe and litsong ulo ng baboy that lingered until a despedida of sosohong, pink salmon sashimi and a birthday menudo in Bakal 2, the cousins Breaking Bad with Agent Hank Schrader and the unfortunate Gale who came and went in Season 3.

It was Monday when the Phantom Biker hit the trails and it was Sunday when true friends shared a bottle of Johnny Walker Double Black blended scotch whiskey while the traitors stayed away..  

69

Do you like 69?

Apparently I do after attending the 69th Annual Session of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in the Philippines.

Witnessing the exemplification of conferrals of the 4th to 30th degrees in its full form and grandeur certainly gave me a more profound appreciation of the Scottish Rite and its symbolism.

I like the 69th.

It  gave me an excuse to taste test The Aristrocrat's Adobo Flying Saucer and chicken barbecue which I missed during the Supreme Session.

The solemn reception of dignified men in purple caps, the investiture of Kuya Carding's Blue Cap, and our Knight Commanders of the Court of Honor finally getting their long-delayed White Caps were proud moments for me.   

The 69th was awesome.

Beer and brandy flowed in abundance while across the street, ladies dressed to the nines pause  to check on their smart phones as a nearby couple in Table 6 indulged in a torrid public display of affection.

It was indeed a pleasure to see our new KCCHs wearing their newly conferred red caps.

But of ocurse, there was foreplay before the 69th.

And that was two happy days in the bike trail, reconnecting with old friends from PRRM, and reshooting the Regal Parish and National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels between work-related meetings.   

THE LAST GAVEL, probably

I was Master of the Lodge in 2014, a Royal Patron of the Court and a Grand Lodge Inspector in 2015, a District Grand Lecturer in 2017, and a Deputy Grand Royal Patron in 2018.

The power of the gavel came with these honorific designations which also entitled me to the coveted Seat in the East where I will again preside this year as a Venerable Master of the Scottish Rite.

And this my regular "pushers" celebrated by peddling cheap wine and brandy, and a rather expensive line of whiskey.  

Fermenting roasted meat and San Miguel Pale Pilsen rumbled in my ventriculus the next day as I pulled myself to a half-drunk early morning business trip to Quezon City.

Somehow, Microtel's pansit soothed my rampaging gastric juices so I again indulged on cheap brandy in Samal while listening to the amusing anecdotes of a man called Joker.

I got totally cured after so four bottles of my favorite beer later went with my dinner of laing, grilled pusit, dinakdakan and adobo rice at Gerry's Grill.    

Back in the East, I toasted the first of five installation rites with another cheap brandy and marked my first Lodge meeting of the year with loads of my usual beer.

These I concluded with a banquet at Alessandra's to greet my counterpart from the Cabanatuan Bodies and left before my liver gets busted further.   

I have a lot to burn and I only had two biking days...     

SI GESU / ANG PANSIT NG MGA NANGAWALA AT NASALANTA

Ganun na nga.

Naubos ang Fundador at mga beer na binili nina Pareng Dante at Eboy, napagkamalan kong paramdam ni Boss Joey ang Baygon na ini-spray ni Quachin, at natalo ako ng P400 sa bating. 

Nakapagsara pa naman kami ng pulong kinabukasan kahit brownout.

At pinilit na makauwi dahil wala na akong isusuot na brief kinabukasan.

Ganun na nga ulit.

Kinabukasan ay nasa Ateneo naman ako at naghintay ng mga kakumperensiya.

Kasi nga, mabilis ang naging takbo namin

O mas maikli talaga ang biyahe sa mga expressway.

Puede ding maaga lang talaga kaming lumarga.

Whatever, may isang oras akong espasyo para pasyalan ang simbahan ni Gesu sa Ateneo na matagal ko nang planong gawin. 

Ang siste, di ko dala ang pangsimbahan kong kamera. 

Ganun na din 'yun. 

Kahit na nasalag ang panawagan kong "Resign all!" at kailangan naming iwanang mag-isa si N sa pag-upak kay L. 

Nagiging maligalig na ang mundo ng mga nangawala at nasalanta. 

Sa dulo, masarap ang inihaing pansit ni Usec Fred pero nasapawan ito ng inahing isang bandehadong sashimi, isang bilaong sushi, isang palangganang sugpo, at isang wataw ng inihaw na malasuge sa aming hapunan.

Ala-una na ng madaling araw ako nakabalik sa Nueva Ecija.

Ganun talaga yun.

STD AT ANG PAGDATING NI GLENDA

Ang STD ay para sa bayan ng Sto. Domingo.

Katulad ng SCM para sa Science City of Munoz at SJC para sa San Jose City.

Ganyan ko sila isinusulat sa aking mga monthly report para makatipid ng panahon sa pagtitipa na mukhang nakuha naman na ng aming PME.

"Maglalakad muna ako papuntang STD," ang paalam ko para masunog ang limang bote ng San Mig Lights na nainom kagabi nang hindi na dumagdag pa sa mga nag-uumpugan kong mga bato sa apdo.

Sa totoo lang, matagal ko nang plano na ma-update ang mga kuha ko sa Simbahan ni Sto. Domingo noong kapanahunan pa ng aking unang point-and-shoot camera.

Kaya ayan, nagpityur-pityur ulit ako ng simbahan.

Bukas ay sa simbahan naman sana ng San Francisco del Monte ako maglalakad.

Pero dumating si Pareng Dante na nagpabili ng isang bote ng Fundador na dinagdagan ni Pare Eboy ng anim na Pilsen, anim na Lights, at dalawang Red Horse.

Sumunod na dumating ang umaalulong na si Glenda kaya nagsumpahan na lamang kaming mga tiga probinsiya na magkitakita taon-taon kahit wala na kami sa PRRM.

THE FREQUENT RIDER

It's been a rough two weeks.

I would easily qualify for a frequent rider or platinum card reward if provincial buses plying the Manila-Nueva Ecija route issue travel points to their passengers.

4 am wake up calls, a cigarette or two until the bus comes, breakfasts at McDonald, taxi rides to wherever and then the bus station, and bland dinners in La Paz have become a way of life.

Candy Crush kept me company most of the time.

Still, a box of freshly cooked Goldilocks bihon guisado washed with Coke during a high rise meeting somewhere along Panay Avenue miserably failed to assuage the routine-ness of it all.

After another early trip to Manila and another meeting along Elliptical Road where a mother-and-son-in-a-taxi was just ambushed by a riding-in-tandem, I flagged a cab, hauled my luggage that was intended for a 4-day road trip, and absentmindedly told the driver to take me to the bus station for the trip back to Nueva Ecija.

The round-trip routine has become a hard core habit.

Thus was a British knight and a forum at the National Museum got snubbed.

Should I join a 2-day assessment and planning session in Batangas?

I decided it was more likely not while I nibbled on the fried corn served at the wake of somebody else' dead mother.

But that night, I dreamed of the band and the dancers who perform at funerals. 

So early morning the next day, I was back on the bus after killing a cigarette, worked the Candy Crush, took a taxi from Quezon Avenue, had breakfast at Kenny Rogers' for a change, and endured an uneventful 2-hour trip to Talisay.

The sotanghon guisado served with sweet-and-sour tilapia steaks, buttered vegetables, beef kaldereta, and pork asado was an omen of the good choice I made. 

Club Balai Isabel is a blast of fresh air.

I'm glad I'm here. 

KALAG LUKSA

Nanundo at naghatid ako ng patay n'ung huli akong bumiyahe sa Nueva Vizcaya.

Halos isang taon na pala ang lumipas.

Siguro puede na ulit akong bumalik. 

Kaya na marahil pumasok sa bahay kung saan huling natulog ang isang kaibigan...

...at kunan ng pityur ang mismong lugar kung saan siya kumatok ng saklolo [na isa na palang opisina ngayon].

Heto ang aking atang para sa nalalapit na pagtatapos ng isang taong pagluluksa...

THREE AND A HALF DAYS

LINGGO,

mabigat ang loob kong sumakay sa Five Star bus matapos ang lingguhang ritwal namin ng pamamalengke dahil obligado akong dumalo sa pagpupulong ng AK politburo --- batas ko kasi na natatanging pampamilya  lamang ang mga araw ng linggo --- na hinimas naman kahit papaano ng pag-level-up ko sa Candy Crush habang nakabiyahe kaya namili na din ako ng sitsarong-may-laman sa La Paz bilang pasalubong at naghimagas ng isang double sundae with double hot fudge sa Mcdo-Panay na agad kong naubos habang inihahatid ako ng berdeng traysikel sa Casa Pura kung saan inabutan kong ganado nang nagkukuwento si Matthew at hinainan ako ng late lunch na inihaw na salmon na pinatungan ng late dinner na callos bago kami sumakay sa susugaksugak na taxi papuntang UP Kapit Balay kung saan inabutan kong pinapayok ni Chito ang isang boteng red wine.

LUNES,

natuklasan kong may isa pa palang simbahang pamprotestante ang UP habang naglalakad para mag-almusal sa University Coop na ang pagkain ay inilalakong katulad ng mga pansit na nakapila sa bangketa ng Hidalgo at napagtanto kong ang adobo nila ay maasim at lasang panis bago ang kalahating araw na presentation ni ComYeb tungkol sa GDR na sinundan ko ng pag-uulat ng adaptation cluster na sinundan ng mga pag-uulat ng mga tiga technology, mitigation, at finance na natapos sa isang plenary-na-break-out-group-sana bago kami naghapunan ng chop suey, sisig, spicy shrimps, adobong kangkong, pinakbet, at sinigang na tiyan ng bangus sa Trellis na tinuldukan namin ng mga pagtatanghal sa isang videoke bar sa may Matalino kung saan bumirit ako ng "Bed of Roses".

MARTES,

tinapa, itlog, at babecue ang pinili kong almusal sa mga inihain ng University Coop na inilalakong parang mga ibenebentang ukay-ukay bago ko kinunan ang protestanteng Church of the Risen Lord sa unang pagkakataon at katolikong Church of the Holy Sacrifice sa pangalawang pagkakataon habang naglalakad kami pabalik sa Bahay Kalinaw, magmerienda ng lomi at pandesal sa kalagitnaan ng mahabang diskusyon sa organizational development, sumakay ng taxi papunta sana ng Central Office na pinderetso ko sa terminal ng Baliwag, at nakauwi sa bahay namin sa Bacal 2 ng bandang alas-9 ng gabi.

MIYERKULES,

alas-4 ng umaga ako nasakay ng Five Star bus pabalik sa Maynila at alas-7:30 ng taxi sa ilalim ng tulay ng EDSA-Quezon Avenue papuntang UP Bahay Kalinaw na ginalugad ko ng mabibiling yosi habang hinihintay si Lot at ang kanyang ipapahiram na winter overcoat bago ako nag-almusal ng humba-na-napagkamalan-kong-adobo sa Rodic's at nag-preside sa mga presentation nina Ate Alice tungkol sa loss and damage at Riza tungkol sa adaptation with co-benefits na kagyat kong nilisan matapos isara ang RTD papuntang Central Office kung saan nalaman ko kay Amor na nandoon pala sila ni Eboy kagabi, tinawagan si Goyie tungkol as pag-advance ng retirement benefit at kung ano na ang nangyayari sa pondo ng OP project bago hindi sinasadyang turuan ang tatanga-tangang taxi driver sa daang matuwid papunta sa terminal ng Baliwag sa Cubao, nakatabi ang lalaking may kakaibang amoy, at makauwi ulit sa wakas sa Bacal 2 ng ganap na ika-9 ng gabi...

UNTANGLING BOHOL

Bohol after 10 years is more complicated than the distant memory of a topless Caucausian tourist flirting with the fine white sands of Alona Beach, her feet teasing the small clear brine, her glossy tanned skin in heavy intercourse with the early morning sunbeams. 

But I might have been expected because tucked in an array of seafood buffet is a soggy and oily version of the bihon guisado which only a pansit fanatic like me can appreciate.

We came to Bohol to work so right after lunch, Mayor Boyito convened a plenary of his department heads and gave them stern marching orders for the next three years of his last term in office. I was there to present what I thought the Mayor wanted done and possible ways of doing that.

That night, we settled in a beachfront bar with buckets of beer and enjoyed the music of a band of a gyrating female Black Jack, her chubby counter alto, and their Ref Valera guitarist. I thought the fire dancer is trying too hard and wished he should just stick to the classic routine of drinking gas and blowing fire.

Bohol don't happen often and I was determined to go beyond the tarsiers and chocolate hills this time. So early the next morning, I rented a motorbike for P600 and with Brod Moi driving, we headed for the old church that a blog informed exists in Panglao. And there it was, 19th century and its importance as a cultural property etched in the old gray stones, the nearby ruins of an earlier church a testament to the fires that destroyed many other colonial churches. But as usual, I forgot to do an advance research and would only learn later that the old municipio, the school, the archway, and the church in the camposanto are also worth shooting too.

But that's going fast forward. 

After Panglao, we next headed 12 kilometers to Dauis that I first heard from those MDG articles of Social Watch Philippines and which I first thought is in mainland Bohol. I had a feeling it has an old church too and it does: 19th century, a declared catholic shrine, and designated national cultural treasure. The convent too has earned a plaque from the National Historical Institute. But the morning mass was still in motion and we have to get back to Alona Kew before 8 am. That means the church's fabled freshwater well in the altar area will have to wait for another trip. 

But not after another 10 years I hope.

Bohol definitely needs a lot more untangling.