The End of Misery

I've quit my office job for the following reasons:

• Repetitiveness and boredom
• 2 new full time members will be joining our team and will be kicking me out of my office
• I will be shuffled around from office to office, forced to board with a stranger who probably won't want to listen to my CD's and with no desk to call my own
• I'm never included in any social events
• I hate working 2 jobs
• My own personal free time is at a null

This Thursday will be my last day at Canadian Natural Resources.

Ahhh.. I feel much better! Now, what to do with my other shitty job?

Sharing Live 8

I normally don't use AOL, but the other night Jeremy and I sat in front of the computer in the dark watching different Live 8 performances. The website is divided into cities and performers. How cool!

LIVE 8 LINK

100th Blog Entry

I'd like to dedicate this 100th blog entry to my uncle who just passed away a few days ago. He's my Mom's brother to be exact or Tito (uncle) 'Spanky' as everyone knows him, aka Roberto Sanchez.

All my life I've heard stories of my Mom's older brother who lived all his life in the Philippines. Your Tito Spanky this and your Tito Spanky that. Not until this past December to March did I really come to understand whom my Mother was always describing. I'm glad to say that I actually got to know my uncle.



We spent a lot of time playing scrabble, Ma Jong and watching movies. He lived next door to the house I stayed in while in Manila (my Mom's house, where my Aunt and her family resides) and would walk in and out of the house periodically throughout the day to see what the happenin's were. He often reminded me of a bored child looking for some one to play with. Whenever I'd ask if he wanted to play a game he'd never hesitate to say "Okay!” And at 3am in the morning when I'd be tired and anxious to go to sleep, my 68 year old uncle with failing health would be the one to urge all of us to play one more game.

I'm not sure exactly how he got the nickname of "Spanky". However one of his traits was to follow around my naughty young toddler nephew Andre around the house, spanking the floor with his slipper and enforcing Andre to behave. Poor Andre would always look up to him with these innocent "what did I do?" eyes, walk away and continue on with his routine. Tito Spanky never spanked him.



He'll be truly missed by numerous family members, including myself. God rest your soul Tito. Go get some free tickets to Luther Vandross' concert and enjoy heaven! And oh yeah, give Lola a big hug for me and tell her I love and miss her.

Luther Vandross 1951 - 2005

Farewell to a talented and well loved singer. His voice was smooth and slick, his songs could bring you to tears, his expression brought lovers closer together, overall he'd just make you get those chills and quiver all over. Every now and again while Luther's on the beat box you just have to slap your knee and shout out "ummph!", cause its so sensational and almost tangible. Hitting your knee and shouting out is like bringing you back down to reality.

Don't you wish that music could embrace you like a blanket and smother you?

God bless you Luther. Heaven's in a for a phenomenal concert!

BBC Newslink

"Here come the grooms, both dressed in suits..."

Growing up, much like other young girls that I knew, I used to think of what it would be like to grow up, get married and have kids. I'd dream about what I'd wear, what music would be playing in the cathedral, and how many people would be at my decked out reception afterwards to celebrate and congratulate me and my beautiful newly wed bride.

As I got older, I realized that I'm not into having a bride. Hell, I don't like girls at all, other than to hang out with. Then on one destined night at the age of 19, me and two of my dearest friends (girls) were having a deep talk under the chilly September starscape. A lot of it was geared towards the topic of weddings and marriage.

As I grew more and more introverted throughout the conversation I was urged to speak my peace. And that I did. "I'm gay!" I blurted out in a frenzy, as tears welled in my eyes. For the next 2 or so hours as we stayed up in an old elementary playground engulfed by the night, I felt different, I felt comfortable, I felt relieved, but most of all I felt free.

The next morning, my perspective of reality had hit me. 'Holy shit, I'm gay, my secret's out, there's no more hiding from here on in'. What that meant to me was that I could no longer have my fantasy wedding come true. 'Faggots don't get married and have kids,' I told myself, or rather, drilled it into my head, 'they aren't normal people, they're a shameful subculture hated by the rest of society'.

Well here I am almost 7 years later, but now with a much different perspective. I find myself in a country that has opened it doors to all cultures, and all aspects of life. I find myself a proud, gay man with the freedom and the right that every other human being has. And what that right is, is to live my dreams!


PS - I'm not getting married... yet.

The Chain Reaction Whistler

Why is it that when someone starts whistling, someone else will also begin to whistle. Its almost as if they're trying to compete with you, they'll whistle a more popular song, or an abstract one, really loudly. Isn't there some kind of etiquette to this? Shouldn't the person who whistled first get the play time. Or perhaps they do it to discreetly say, "shut up, no one wants to hear you whistle, listen to me and see how annoying it is for yourself!".

I think that if the person began to join me and whistle the same tune... now that'd be cool. A whole band of whistlers uniting in a delightful chorus! How sweet it would be.

The Finals Part I: Closing the symbolic door.

Here goes... my final travel blog. In pieces. Its way too long, nor is it 100% complete to put it all into one entry. Thing is, I started writing it a couple days after I got home. Actually I even started writing some of it while I was still traveling. So its going to have different perspectives.

At first I wanted to put it out straight away, but now I'm scared that once I put it out its all over. Time to move on. Well, I already have in some ways and in others its just so difficult to let it go. However, I don't want to be branded the 'guy who won't shut up about that time he went traveling.' I gotta stop dwelling on it and make some new memories.

Geez, after that build up this blog better be damn good. Well, tough shit, its not.





Daily Tracking: October 13, 2003 - March 12, 2005
Below is a list of the various cities and countries I went to. I actually spent some real time in these places, if I were to list each and every little town that I passed through or had a rest stop while on the bus, the list would be doubled. Some places are listed more than once because I had to either back track or because I chose to return. You'll notice Bangkok on there 7 times, I think in total I spent at least 16 days there. Not by choice, but not regrettable either.

U.S.A.
14/10/03 - Los Angeles

Taiwan
16/10/03 - Taipei
17/10/03 - Taroko Gorge Nat'l Park
19/10/03 - Jhong Li

Singapore
22/10/03 - Singapore

Malaysia
24/10/03 - Melacca
27/10/03 - Kuala Lumpur
29/10/03 - Cameron Highlands
02/11/03 - Penang
04/11/03 - Langkawi

Thailand
06/11/03 - Koh Lanta
09/11/03 - Koh Phi Phi
12/11/03 - Bangkok
15/11/03 - Ayuthhaya

India
16/11/03 - Calcutta
20/11/03 - Darjeeling
23/11/03 - Indian Himalayan Mountains
27/11/03 - Darjeeling
30/11/03 - Varanasi
03/12/03 - Agra
05/12/03 - Pushkar
08/12/03 - Jodhpur
09/12/03 - Jaisalmer/Thar Desert
14/12/03 - Udaipur
18/12/03 - Benaulim, Goa
21/12/03 - Palolem, Goa
28/12/03 - Gokarna
29/12/03 - Om Beach
02/01/04 - Cochin
06/01/04 - Bangalore
10/01/04 - Calcutta

Thailand
13/01/04 - Bangkok

Cambodia
16/01/04 - Siem Reap/Angkor Wat
20/01/04 - Phnom Penh

Thailand
09/02/04 - Bangkok

Malaysia
11/02/04 - Kuala Lumpur

Singapore
13/02/04 - Singapore

Australia
14/02/04 - Adelaide
06/03/04 - Port Ferry
07/03/04 - Melbourne
12/03/04 - Dandenong
14/03/04 - Phillip Island
18/03/04 - Wilson's Prominotory Nat'l Park
19/03/04 - Yarram
20/03/04 - Lakes Entrance
21/03/04 - Eden
22/03/04 - Batesman Bay
24/03/04 - Canberra/Queenbeayan
28/03/04 - Wollongong
01/04/04 - Sydney
07/09/04 - Byron Bay
09/09/04 - Hervey Bay
10/09/04 - Fraser Island
13/09/04 - Hervey Bay
14/09/04 - Airlie Beach
15/09/04 - Whitsunday Islands
18/09/04 - Airlie Beach
19/09/04 - Cairns
22/09/04 - Brisbane

New Zealand
24/09/04 - Auckland
25/09/04 - Rotorua
27/09/04 - Taupo
28/09/04 - Wellington
29/09/04 - Nelson
30/09/04 - Greymouth
01/10/04 - Franz Josef
02/10/04 - Queenstown
04/10/04 - Dunedin
05/10/04 - Lake Takepo
06/10/04 - Christchurch

Singapore
07/10/04 - Singapore

Thailand
10/10/04 - Bangkok

Cambodia
14/10/04 - Siem Reap/Angkor Wat
16/10/04 - Phnom Penh

Vietnam
05/11/04 - Chau Doc
06/11/04 - Can Tho
07/11/04 - Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City
11/11/04 - Da Lat
14/11/04 - Nha Trang
17/11/04 - Hoi An
21/11/04 - Hue
23/11/04 - Hanoi
26/11/04 - Ha Long Bay
29/11/04 - Bac Ha
03/12/04 - Hanoi

Laos
04/12/04 - Vientiane
06/12/04 - Vang Vieng
10/12/04 - Luang Prabang
16/12/04 - Nong Khiew
18/12/04 - Muang Ngoi
20/12/04 - Luang Prabang

Thailand
23/12/04 - Bangkok

Philippines
25/12/04 - Quezon City, Manila
07/01/05 - Paranaque, Manila
09/01/05 - Tagaytay/Cavite
10/01/05 - Balanga
15/01/05 - Subic/Marong
17/01/05 - Quezon City, Manila
23/01/05 - Antipollo
24/01/05 - Puerta Gallera
28/01/05 - Quezon City, Manila
29/01/05 - Nueve Ecija
31/01/05 - Quezon City, Manila
02/02/05 - Cebu City
04/02/05 - Malapascua Island
06/02/05 - Bohol
11/02/05 - Cebu City
12/02/05 - Quezon City, Manila
15/02/05 - Balanga
16/02/05 - Quezon City, Manila

Thailand
01/03/05 - Bangkok
04/03/05 - Koh Samui