5 posts tagged “life”

What is your daily commute like?  What is the weirdest thing you've seen on that commute? 
Submitted by E. 

Really fabulous question. :D

In my old job, I used to take a taxi cab from our house to the office. I worked at ungodly hours (4am the earliest), which doesn't give me the option to ride the jeepney. When I moved to my current house, the train was my main means of transportation.

I changed jobs last year, and now my daily commute comprises of two parts: a tricycle ride from our compound to the train station, then a long train ride to Legarda, Manila. I suppose I could count a rather lengthy walk as part of the commute.

Probably the weirdest things I ever seen/encountered were my fellow commuters. Off the top of my head, I recall this American teen who, fresh from his basketball practice, applied deodorant and changed shirts on the train. It's an unusual thing here in the Philippines to do that, so we all couldn't help but stare.

For some reason, most people would rather stand in front of the train doors where there's no safety handlebars to hold on to. I guess they think it'll be easier for them to step out once they reach their stop, but frankly, I just think it's plain stupid.

Saturday afternoon I was lazing about in my room, when I heard some kids playing outside. Apparently, it was "Monkey Monkey," because one of them was chanting, "Bantay pari, doble taya!"

It amused me that the kids today are still playing the same games I did years ago. And it spurned a whole set of questions that I probably wouldn't have asked when I was younger.

Monkey monkey, annabel
How many monkeys did you see
(Give number, count)
And a riki-tiki-tik
and a blue black sheep
Is it true, yes or no?
(Choose "yes" or "no", spell)
And out you go

Langit, lupa, impyerno
im, im, impreyno
saksak puso, tulo ang dugo
patay, buhay
alis ka na d'yan

Who thought of these games? Who thought of the words in the chant to figure out who's going to be (or not going to be) "it"? How does it all get passed down to the next generation?

I don't remember anyone older teaching me these games. I didn't have my mom or my dad or any uncles or aunts tell me about it. I just know that one day, my classmates and friends were playing it. When I go to Zambales, when I visted Lucban and Lucena, the kids I met there knew how to play these games.

And even now, children know it. And there's no difference with the way they play it to the way I played it, and the way my mom and her generation played it.

Even with the other games: Ten-twenty, Chinese garter, agawan base... the rules have stayed the same. But unlike formal games, the rules aren't recorded anywhere (or at least, as far as I know it).

Maybe it's something that's ingrained in our genes and gets passed on to the next generation? :D Nah. I'm just watching too much Heroes.

P.S. Kinda morbid yung para sa Langit-Lupa no? :p

Ever notice how a guy would carry around his girl's bag when they're out together?

It has never been my habit to let the guy carry my bag. Not even with my friends or my brothers (unless I'm feeling really lazy). Back in college, my ex-boyfriend would often ask me, "Mabigat ba bag mo? Gusto mo buhatin ko?" Now, my bag isn't a handbag or a small carry-on clutch thing. It's a big, black Jansport backpack. Sometimes it's a green Gap messenger bag. Always, it contained a jacket, my notebook, several Mass Comm books and other what-not. You bet your *whatever* my bag is heavy. But I'm used to it, so even if we walk from UP past the ruins of Pines Hotel (now SM Baguio), down Session Road, it's no big deal. I rarely had him carry my bag. Usually when it's really heavy (like my luggage when he picks me up from the bus station), when he insists, or when he wants to show off his strength.

Seeing guys carry thier girlfriend's bags is somewhat funny to me. *switch to Tagalog mode* Isipin mo. Ang typical na bag ng isang babae ay maliit, kung minsan madaming design like flowers or ribbons. Kung minsan naman gawa ito sa mga glittery material na nakakbulag kapag natamaan ng araw.

Ngayon, imagine mo nalang ang isang lalake na ganun ang dalang bag. Let's say he looks like your average guy who wears the typical guy outfit of: clean if slightly rumpled t-shirt, a few days old jeans (un-ironed), and sneakers... with slightly mussed hair tamed only by a splash of water. Just imagine that kind of guy carrying a frilly, glittery, flowery bag over his shoulder. Di ba nakakatawa?

I understand the need to be a gentleman and that you're doing it for love and all. Nothing bad about that, in fact, I think it's cool. But it really looks funny. Especially if they were the "metrosexual" type of guy who primps as much as the girl. If it was of the Jansport-Eastpack-Nike variety, why not?

I can just imagine a pre-date scenario. Girl is preparing for the date. She calls up her boyfriend and asks, "Honey, anong suot mo tonight? I want to make sure my bag fits your outfit kasi ikaw naman magdadala nun."

So I've finally joined the hoardes of people who commute.

I don't own a car, nor do I have a carpool group. I used to live near the place I work, that often I just need one jeep ride and I'm home. Sometimes, on days when I feel like it, I'll walk the whole length of it. I'm not sure how it is, but if anyone is familiar with the distance between RCBC and Shopwise on Chino Roces Street (or Pasong Tamo)... well, it's twice that far.

And yes, I do walk that far. See now why I don't wear anything but sneakers, flip flops and beach sandals?

So I've never had to compete with the rest of Metro Manila when it comes to going to and fro work. The last time I did was when we were temporarily assigned to KPT. But since we've moved houses, I have to commute. In a way it isn't so much of a hassle because I go to work and go home at hours where there's still no traffic. Going to work is scary though, because my current schedule starts at 4:30 AM. Taking into consideration travel time, and the time that the bus takes to wait for passengers, I have to alot about an hour and thirty minutes.

My route to work is like this: From outside our place, I take a tricycle to LRT Santolan. Then I cross the pink and blue walkway, and ride a jeep to Cubao. Then I walk to EDSA, and wait for bus that goes to LRT/Ayala. It isn't so bad but at 3:15 AM, it is quite scary.

I am so thankful that for the last two days I've done this, I'm arrive save and sound at the office. I pray that it'll always be so.

Going home is easy. Since I'm out by 1:30, there's really no crowd to compete with. Usually I walk from the office to the MRT station, then ride the train to Cubao. Then I walk a little from Farmers to Gateway and ride the train again to Santolan. When I get there, I just ride the tricycle and get off in front of our place.

My dad says that this place is more expensive since we have to pass through malls to get to our rides. Eh pano kung madistract ka at mapabili ng kung ano ano? And I pass by Fully Booked in Gateway and there's this big National Bookstore nearby too. Wohoo. Well, I've got pretty good control over buying books anyway... as long as they're not in Booksale ahaha! Now that's a different story :)

It really isn't so bad. Normally, I'm not in a hurry to go home. If I see the train is full, I'll wait for the next one. If it's full and I really have to go home, I'll squeeze in and say this chant in my head, "I'll be home soon, I can rest. I'll be home soon, I can rest." And it really isn't so bad. Maybe I've adjusted faster than I expected?

Anyway, no matter how I look at it, I'll still be commuting. Unless I get a car (but then I have to deal with the hassles of gas, parking, maintenance etc). What I'm just glad about is I'm getting a new schedule next week (yay! I can finally use the train!) and when I move jobs, I'll be working "normal" hours.

Oh, and here's something interesting I've heard on the LRT the other day while on my way to Trapik. A woman --- who was obviously a balikbayan from the way she spoke --- stepped into the train and said, "Wow! It smells like fart in here!" Sabay sabay tingin sa kanya ng mga tao. Ano akala niya? Di namin alam ibig sabihin ng fart?

Hope your weekend was a good one!

...my family is on the road to Zambales. My uncle and is family would have gone to mass an visit Lola Lilay's grave.

...I should clean up and straighten out our place, or maybe do the laundry.

...I don't have training.

...I should start writing the novel that I'm supposed to for NaNoWriMo.

...I should sleep earlier.