Sitting here at Teriyaki Boy in Gateway Mall, across from Rej and Oneal, and looking out at the new Cubao, I realize that it’s been quite a while since my last blog post. A real one, I mean. (That meme I posted before this entry doesn’t count.)

I was prompted mostly by the most recent entry on Luna’s blog, where she talks about day 2 of her goings-on at GDC 2008. She talks about solid things, meaningful things, and I got to thinking: when was the last time I was that honest and effusive in a blog post?

I’ve been quiet here because I’ve been guarded and unwilling to discuss what’s been on my mind for the past few months. While I still can’t talk about it (mercifully it’s not some personal drama, but work), I do understand that if this blog is a reflection of what I think about, I seriously need to de-stress and focus on other things. I haven’t even had the time or the inclination to date, which really, really annoys me.

I have found time to still be a gamer and a reader, though. Thanks to a gift from Rej and the proprietor of the paraplanning firm she works for, I recently finished the epic Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Confessor is a tidy finish to an incredibly long-lived and colorful franchise.

I’ve gone back to playing Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions on the PSP, as well as the new quasi-puzzle/rhythm game Patapon. No, it’s not a Filipino game (”patapon” means “disposable” or “throwaway” in Filipino). It’s an eccentric game from some of the same people who designed LocoRoco, so that should tell you something about how unorthodox it is. So, yup, my darling Alessa (my PSP) is back in action.

Ah, and here’s an interesting gaming twist: thanks to an ex-deal with a friend and business colleague, I’m back in Azeroth! Yep, World of Warcraft is once again a feature in my gaming landscape. I hadn’t played since I let my account lapse in December 2005. My return (not at all triumphant; just curious and whimsical) in January 2008 was decidedly unexpected, but welcome nevertheless. I don’t think I’ll ever have the time or inclination to play WoW as much as I used to in 2005, but it’s definitely refreshing to be “back in the world,” as Raffy and I refer to it.

Now, what else can I do to occupy my time and take my mind off of work….

Leave me a comment, and…

1. I’ll respond with something random about you.
2. I’ll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I’ll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle with you in.
4. I’ll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I’ll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I’ll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I’ll ask you something that I’ve always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal.

… with a polite tip of the hat to Luna, Donna and everyone else who loves DCfC.

Me and my best friend Rej at the UP Centennial Celebration, January 8

The year’s been off to quite the start, with my professional plans taking some very good turns. I can’t talk about them right now, but Lord knows I’m dying to, hahaha. Now I don’t feel so bad about the last full-time job that refused me (because I was apparently “not fun enough” in the eyes of the executive vice-president). What I’m working on now looks to be far more fulfilling and enjoyable. And far more fun than that company could ever have been for me.

In other news, the UP Centennial Celebrations were great! Rej and I managed to catch the main program at the UP Diliman Amphitheater behind Quezon Hall along with her boyfriend Oneal, our housemate Paul, and our friends Hector and Alec. It was a spectacular event, and there were more people in attendance than I’d ever seen at any other gathering. More even than at the annual Lantern Parades. The crowd was extraordinarily well-behaved, too, in turns respectful and wildly enthusiastic. If you’d like to see photos of the celebrations as a whole, visit this Flickr pool that Ian Roxas put together.

Oh, one last thing for this post: for the new year and for my new professional endeavor, I got myself an Asus EEE! I’ve named her Kit Fox, as appropriate to her size, stature and sprightliness. I’d tell you more about her features and capabilities, but someone else can do that for me. Oneal got one of his own the same time that I did (much to the happiness of the store we got the units from), and he’s been avidly reviewing the EEE’s functionality on his Multiply blog.

It’s been a fierce, feisty, fatiguing, fucked up and fun 2007!

Well, at least mine has been. It’s amazing how unpredictable life can get, and how it can be sprinkled with both rollercoasters and quiet times. I’ve had some nasty scrapes this year, but I’ve also had some of the best times of my life. I’m glad to have had both, because one means nothing without the other.

Whether you’re glad it’s over or you don’t want it to end just yet, time marches on. Very soon we’ll have a new calendar to think fondly of, resent, and shrug about. Look back and reflect, and look forward and aspire, even as you look to the present and just live.

Season’s greetings, and have a good start in 2008, everyone!

They’re back, with a new album: Girls, Et Cetera!

Read the interview by Luis Katigbak over on Pulse.ph here.

And come to the launch on Thursday, December 13, over at the new Club Dredd in Eastwood! Check out the details on Luna’s blog here.