tired

you have no idea what a whirlwind this month has been. physically, emotionally, mentally.

there were days when I would literally be doing three things at the same time.

there were days when I would have no time to eat lunch because I'd be hopping from one activity to the next.

wuw, ako na ang busy. pero ang kita sa pinupuhunan ngayon, mukhang hindi pa agad agad darating. currently involved in two projects-- one in conceptual phase, the other in pilot scripting phase. in other words, purgatory and hell, development-wise.

tapos, may sumisingit pang deliverables for the little businesses. not complaining, shouldn't complain, i'm grateful and thankful for the opportunity to work and earn eventually. pero minsan sa sobrang pagod ko.. tao lang na kailangang umaray.

kaya salamat po sa isang araw na day off-- sunday. no deliverables. today i don't need to do anything. no meetings to attend, no deadlines, i really should just sleep the entire day away to recharge.

but days off after long periods of busy work days means family time. so... mall day today! at excited akong kumain ng masarap kasama ang mag-ama ko (paano ba naman ako papayat nito. haist. it's a vicious cycle. eat to cope with the stress from working, eat to reward myself after working)

i remember this day clearly. it was a thursday, i think

12 midnight. i was in the middle of finishing cookies due in two days. kelangan makagawa ng as much as i can dahil i would be in a seminar all day. and these cookies take time to dry.

1230 am. HW from project 1 messages, asking me to submit additional revisions. hindi madali para sa akin yung hinihingi. lalo na ang pahabol nya, "dapat swabe, dapat maganda". geez. pressure pa more teh.

so itinigil ko muna ang cookies sandali para harapin ang new homework.  nagresearch ako for about 2 hours for ideas. pero dahil mahaba din ang araw ko earlier at ang aga ko nagising, by 3 am, antokyo japan na.

3 am- bedtime. set the alarm for 7 and 8 am, hoping na pagkagising ko, matapos ko ang pinapagawa before i prepare to leave for the seminar at around 10 am.

9 am - woke up. nagsulat pero di pa rin natapos, 12 noon na. the seminar is at 1 pm. i had to leave na. before lunch ako magsasubmit, sabi ko. so another broken promise.

rushed pagligo pagbihis, pagtawag ng uber. in between, inasikaso ang order ng isang glutathione client from abs.

130 pm. seminar. in between listening to the lecture on personality types for story characters, was trying to finish the script. three frickin sequences. fine, the 2nd sequence is a series-- but STILL. fine, the sequences are not simple--but STILL. Lola, 3 sequences lang. why is it so frickin hard. nasan ang kilig sa katawan ko. naubos na yata. nasan ang lightning sa utak ko. nasaid na yata.

sabi ng co-writer ko, hindi ko kaya ginagawa mo, nagsusulat habang nagseseminar. sabi ko--ako din. i'm not one of those lucky ones who can write anywhere, anytime, while doing something else. kaya nga ang bagal ko. hindi ko kayang magseminar at magsulat nang mabilis at the same time. hindi ko kayang magsulat nang mabilis under ordinary circumstances, so imagine the speed in this situation. so inabot ng buong maghapon ang script. by 7 pm pa lang ako nakasubmit.

frustrated sa sarili. frustrated sa mga bagay bagay, but mostly sa sarili. pero ginawa ko naman yung best ko. hindi ko minadali. when you have done what you can, in the best way possible, all you really can do is let it go.

8 pm. nagmamadaling umuwi. dahil kailangang tapusin ang cookies na due kinabukasan.

4 am. hindi pa tapos ang cookies. 3pm later ang deadline. umidlip sandali.

pagkasiging, buong umaga at maghapon kong tinapos ang cookies. finally, natapos na. made the arrangements for grab express to pick it up.

eto na ang viber message ng CM from project 2-- bakit ang tagal ng storyline mo, i still need it. tunog sermon. mabait ang CM kong ito, minsan lang yan tumalak. kaya sobrang nastress ako. dahil hindi madali gumawa ng storyline. kahit mas maikli sa script, concept creating, character and plot designing, it takes time and lots of focus.

sabi ko, tomorrow po. ASAP po. ang dami kasing pahabol na revisions nung isang project. akala ko pagkasubmit ko ng buong script, matatahimik na ako, makakapagpahinga. but then. that's life. hindi naman nag-uutos ang mga tao just for the heck of it. we are all working towards same objectives.

for a moment, torn ako---- write the storyline na ba now na? dapat sana, pero may 30 pcs ng cookies akong naipangako sa friend ko for her son's birthday party kinabukasan. yun sana ang haharapin ko after this first cookie order. pagod na pagod ako that afternoon. as in. konti na lang, breakdown na. hindi ko alam paano hahatiin ang utak at katawan ko kung ano ba ang uunahin.

kaya natulog muna ako. deadma na muna sa mundo.

pagkagising ko, gabi na. i didn't want to disappoint my friend and back down on my promise. 11:30 am ang party kinabukasan. kaya tinapos ko yung cookies hanggang ...

4 am. almost done. simpleng simple lang sila. at sa party halos walang nakapansin sa kanila. kung alam lang ng mga tao na pinagpuyatan ko ang mga yun.  pero at least hindi ako nakasira ng pangako. nakapagdeliver ako.

10 am. nagready na kami ng anak ko to go to the party. we arrived there at 11:30-- punctual, for a change.

at ang saya kahit papano. nakakarefresh makita ang old buddies from college. sa facebook na lang kasi ako nakikibalita sa kanila. magmamigrate na ang friend kong naghost ng party sa HK for good, kaya kahit pagoda ako buong linggo, hindi ko pwedeng mamiss ito. i was tempted to bail out the day before dahil sa stress ko over the storyline, pero mabuti na lang pumunta ako.

sa mga pumunta sa party na yun na ka-batch ko (we were all film majors), ako lang ang nagstay sa pagsusulat. yung isa editor for film, yung isa teacher for masscomm students, yung isa nasa family business of importing (at sabi ko sa kanya---syet, pangarap ko yan! and i meant it with my whole heart). tinanong ako-- in so many words--- kumusta ang trabahong tulad ng sa yo?

ang sagot ko na lang- anuman ang isagot ko ngayon, pwedeng magbago, kasi sa ngayon, pagod ako.

tumawa yung kausap ko. sabi nya, referring to the hardships of being a writer for mainstream tv - ang hirap siguro ano, yung mga ideas mo may nakikialam, yung iba hindi natatanggap?

dear...that's not even half of it. i have long given up on all those elementary concerns. siguro naman deep inside, mahal ko ang trabaho ko. may fulfillment, kahit papano. pero sa ngayon, pagod lang talaga ako at mas madali sa akin ang bumitaw, emotionally.\

bumitaw physically--- hindi kaya. because i need the money.

wala akong problema sa mga taong katrabaho. sa mga taong boss ko. marami lang talaga akong kaaligagaan sa buhay ngayon, and for a pentium 1 like me, nakakaupos.

kaya lesson learned-- wala na munang cookie orders, teh. focus na muna sa day job. tapos na ang toxic days hopefully. hopefully. well, fine. siguro marami pang susunod, dahil yung piloting script namin ay draft 5 pa lang  (oo, konti pa lang daw yun, dagdagan pa daw ng apat at worst, dalawa at best, pero realistic expectation ko, 3. matatanggap na yun ng puso ko).

kaya susulitin ko ang free day kong ito. disconnected ako today. walang magulo.

yung totoo...

...hindi  ko bet ang mga nawawalang anak, family members separated at birth, akala mo patay na pero buhay pala, mga nang-aapi, mga pumapatay, kidnapan, etcetera. and i'm sure, yung iba ko ring mga kasama, from my rank all the way up to the big guys, purga na rin.

pero ganun talaga. yun ang gusto ng mga "customers" namin. and the customer is always right. magluto ng putaheng angkop sa panglasa ng mga kumakain sa karenderya mo. 

kaya namiss ko tuloy yung tinatrabaho namin nung 2015. it's really sad na hindi uso sa ngayon ang mga ganong kwento. yung light at masaya, kilig, pero in many ways makatotohanan. walang mahirap vs mayaman, walang twist na mag-ina pala o magkapatid. i'm uncomfortable working on a story that operates on a different kind of "reality". kasi sa totoong buhay, wala naman talagang magpapakidnap ng tao basta basta. 

pero pera, pera. kung ano ang gusto ng customer, ibigay na. para may pera, pera. 

and along the way, hanapan natin ng joy ang tinatrabaho natin.

thank you, Lord, for promising possibilities for the remainder of 2017. thank you Lord, for the opportunity to work and earn. 

perfection

it's 6:41 am, been up all night working, and just about to go to bed with (visions of) this perfection:

 i may change my mind when i wake up later, but right now, Papa HJ, nothing matters. Gay, bi, tri, pan, trannie, I.. DON'T.. CARE.  You are PERFECT.  from kili-kili to chesthair to that smoldering come-hither stare. just looking at you makes me wanna go to the beach. i can almost smell the salt on your skin. (um, wait. let's not go the "smell" route)

I am SO happy that i am not the only one swooning and sweltering over this picture. posted this on my social media walls and at least one fb friend swooned so much, she just had to PM me about it throughout the day.  (and like me, she started liking Papa Hugh right after "Logan"! i wunder why? is that a phenomenon?)

i like HJ in all his happy, trustworthy, unsexually-threatning handsomeness, but with that pic above? HMM. threaten me, break my trust, just make sure you look EXACTLY like that.

okay, puyat is making sound like a cougar more and more by the day. and to think this guy is, whut, 12 years older than me (you were 12 and i was being born! aww)

have to go to bed now. no, not with you Hugh, sorry. HAHA.

heartheart.

(can't believe i'm turning 37 in 2 days. my post reads like the gushy fangirling of an early-twentysomething!)

cracks in the illusion

it's 6:34 and i've been up all night working. i really should go to bed now, but i just need to let this out.

i think papa hugh is gay. :-(

i have no evidence except hearsay and circumstance. hindi papasa ito sa korte.

but you know that feeling? that gut feeling?

i can't explain it. basta ang lakas ng kutob ko.

kung tama ako, there goes my illusion that a perfect man like that could exist.

may basag na ang rose-colored glasses. huhuhu.

ayoko, papa hugh. ayokong maging gay ka!

i don't know how long this little crush will last, pero nararamdaman ko na.  the first cracks usually omen the beginning of the end.  ayoko pa, papa hugh. gusto ko pang maging crush ka. convince me that i'm wrong about my suspicions.

of course, just the fact na crush ko sya- circumstantial evidence na.  i'm usually attracted to men who, i later find out, turn out to be gay.

there's just something about 'em you know. maybe that "i'm harmless, you can trust me" vibe.

hugh jackman as wolverine, no. but hugh jackman as himself, definitely. those happy eyes, that wholesome aura about him. harmless. trustworthy. non-sexually-predatory. gay?

ayoko pa talaga. gusto ko pang umasa. if someone can be that wonderful, my husband can be that wonderful, too. it is possible.

nananalig pa rin ako, papa hugh.

Procrastinating Tactic (or Why I REALLY Love Hugh. Again. and Again)

got a deadline to meet (and will probably miss, at the rate i'm going), and all i really want to do is talk about ...well, you, Papa Hugh.

i see a pattern here. when i'm stressed, or when there's something i really don't feel like doing (most of the time, work-related), that's when i feel like talking about Papa Hugh. Or youtubing him, or checking him on IG, or watching a movie he's in. He's a jolt of sugar to my blood,  a blast of sunshine on a dreary day.  (and i say that with no guilt--cause my husband knows, how could he not know, i couldn't stop talking about Hugh!). I DON'T KNOW. it's just a compulsion, you know. so now my stress-combat kit includes you. coffee, cigarettes, and Papa Hugh!

i've reached a point where i was seriously wondering if there's something wrong with me (married woman, hello? crushing heavily on some movie star?), but i've been relieved of guilt- it's a perfectly normal thing that happens to many married people. and i'm glad that hubby and i are open to each other about these things (at least, ako open- wala naman kasi syang kinukwento tungkol sa mga celebrity "crushes" nya), so that makes me feel a whole lot better, that he knows and he's cool about me totally crushing like  a highschool fangirl over Papa Hugh.

this is going to be a rave post again. just indulge me. I HAVE NEVER KNOWN any celebrity as seemingly PERFECT as him. Even Keanu, whom I've loved and admired since forever, loses out to this guy in a number of aspects. (Sorry Keanu).

Literally. He's almost too good to be true. Why? here's a rundown:

+ He seems like a really good husband to his wife.

I want a picture like this too, with my husband!

How can someone be famous, achingly handsome, filthy rich, and be able to resist extramarital temptations? SERIOUSLY, THIS COMPRISES 40% of  my admiration for Hugh. Definitely #husbandgoals. I have a really good man for a husband, but he's just a regular guy. And I really really hope that should he become rich, famous, and movie-star handsome like Papa Hugh someday, he'd still be the same faithful, wonderful husband that he is to me. Cause that's the acid test, you know. Fame and fortune and good looks attract a lot of  husband-snatching beeyatches out there, among other things. Kaya SOBRANG NAPAPABILIB TALAGA AKO sa devotion ni Papa Hugh sa misis nya. (at least somewhat sure ako na hindi sya babaero--  yung possibility na lalakero.. under investigation pa. haha).

I love the way he seems to love her!

Aside from the fidelity thing.. there's also the sweetness thing. He's been very vocal about his appreciation of his wife in  interviews. Who doesn't want a husband like that?

+ He seems like a really loving father to his kids. 

Maybe it's because I'm a mother, but I'm particularly moved by a man who makes an effort to be a good father to his children. Plus 100 pogi points yun for me. For me, being a responsible, loving parent is a measure of a person's character. You can't be a good person if you don't give a shit's ass about your kids. So Papa Hugh has pictures with his kids all over the internet - playing with them, swimming with them, going out to Disneyland with them, etc- but I've seen interviews wherein he talks about his kids and I could see that he likes talking about his kids, and that there's a lot of affection there.

I also like his views about raising children:

"I constantly talk to them about respect and gratitude. I say 'Unfortunately I'm going to be tougher on you than I would be if I wasn't famous, because people are actually going to be less tough on you in life'. In a way they have to be better-behaved, be more respectful, have more gratitude than other ids. I try to keep their life as down-to-earth as possible. I really do." 

Grabe, Papa Hugh. You have your feet on the ground and your heart in the right place.

+ He loves dogs. 
I'm more of a cat person, but if a guy loves dogs, or animals of any kind, that must mean he's capable of caring for something other than himself. But if you're a pet-loving guy and you look like Hugh Jackman, that's plus pogi points times ten. :-D

+He seems like a good son. 
Talking about his father in one of those TV interviews, he broke down in tears (grabe. imagine Wolverine, crying?) He was talking about his mother having left them when he was 8 years old, and how his father became his "rock" and helped him deal with the devastation. Having gone through that kind of trauma, one would understand if he's distanced himself from his mother, but no. He seems to be in good terms with Mum now (IG reveals she visits him every so often and they make her homemade recipes together). No grudges there, it seems. It's hard to forgive when people have scarred you as a kid, but he seems to have done it. Love you even more for that Papa Hugh!

+He has a sense of humor.  
THIS. Nothing like a guy who can laugh at himself. Even better, a guy who can make you laugh. It's disarming. You let your guard down, you instinctively like the person.

Yas, Papa Hugh is funny. Witty, even-- this interview made me LOL a bit!  Also I found this in the youtube baul, and I methinks I was smiling althroughout :-)

+He seems like a REALLY nice guy. 
He seems to be the opposite of intense, angst-y, always-snarling Wolverine. Parang lagi syang good mood when he shows himself to the world. Laging ready for a smile or a laugh. Down-to-earth. Positive. Good-natured. Humble. An easygoing kind of person. Everyone who's ever worked or met him seems to agree-- there's nothing bad one can say about Hugh. (This article on "How to be as Nice as HJ" condenses all that). And those eyes somehow reflect that kindness-- they're the eyes of a happy, grateful person. For this quality alone, this human being has my respect. #charactergoals, bes. Not only do I (occasionally dour, sulky Wednesday-Addams-on-a-bad day) need a person like this in my life... I want to be this kind of person, too. HOW TO BE YOU PO, PAPA HUGH? Crush na, idol pa. Hinakot mo na talaga!

+He appreciates his fans. 
He often video-greets his fans on IG. Always seemingly ready for a photo op or a video greet. Never heard of an incident where he shows anything less than pleasant towards a fan.  (AND I LOVE YOU MOSTEST FOR THIS, PAPA HUGH! Please, come over to Manila. Please pleaaase!)

+He can actually sing and dance--- and he is damn good at both.

One of my most surprising discoveries.  At late ko na rin nadiscover. I think I'd known before that he could sing, but it's rare that a guy as tall as he could possess the nimbleness and grace of a dancer, but he actually does.  I was floored by this video! Lakas makangiti. :-) :-) 

+He is a disciplined professional. 
I've read a lot about people saying he's grounded, disciplined, a true pro, and it does show. For someone to be able to drastically change their physique (not once, but many times) for the job, that says a lot about the guy's self-discipline. I for one, might not be able to do that. I LOVE FOOD TOO MUCH. I'M TOO LAZY. (But tell me I'll get at least a million bucks to work it and shape up? I don't know. Maybe). He himself admitted that he had a disciplined, frugal upbringing (PARENTS! we indeed shape our children!), so it's not improbable that part of his character reflects on his attitude towards work. (AND I'M SURE, KUNG NAGING WRITER SI PAPA HUGH, KAPAG MAY DEADLINE HINDI NYA UUNAHIN MAGSULAT NG BLOG ENTRY LIKE THIS!)  So again, Papa Hugh...  #charactergoals. How to be you po? You are a true inspiration. In more ways than one.


+He helps people. 

He and his wife do a lot of charity, but aside from that, parang sya yung tipong Good Samaritan by instinct (haha. of course I can never be sure, but he sure strikes me as someone like that!) Yung tipong, kapag nalulunod ka, ililigtas ka nya. O kapag kailangan mo ng tulong he wouldn't turn you away (a lot like Keanu Reeves, in this aspect!). 

+He's proud of his home country. 

He always mentions Australia every opportunity he gets. He seems mighty proud of his roots. :-) 

+He seems like a smart guy. 

You can tell, not only by the way he expresses himself (very articulate!), but also in what he's actually saying. In most of his interviews, when he's not injecting humor in a convo, he's sharing some life insight, a few words of wisdom :-)  Not kidding, I think I picked up a couple of  life tips. Haha. Here are just a few of my favorites. 

 I believe actually the more you do something, the less frightening it becomes because you start to realize the outcome is not as important as you think. (NAPAISIP AKO DUN AH. IN FAIRNESS. I HAVE YET TO TAKE THAT CHALLENGE, THOUGH. LIKE WRITING THIS SCRIPT EVEN IF I'M DREADING THE DISCOMFORT AND DIFFICULTY I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH JUST TO FINISH IT)

Becoming a father, I think it inevitably changes your perspective of life. I don't get nearly enough sleep. And the simplest things in life are completely satisfying. I find you don't have to do as much, like you don't go on as many outings. (I CAN RELATE TO THIS! APIR.)

Your wife is always right. Very simple. I think I'm going to get it tattooed on my forehead. (YOU AND MY HUSBAND NEED TO HAVE A LONG TALK ABOUT THIS, PAPA HUGH)

+He seems like your wholesome EveryGuy.

He seems the kind of person na gugustuhin mong mapangasawa ng anak mo (pero hindi ang anak ko, kasi ang layo ng age gap haha). You would want him to be your husband, your son, your father, your kuya, your tito, your bestfriend, your boyfriend, your teacher, your boss. You would want him to be part of your family, part of your circle of friends. Kasi parang ang bait bait nya. Parang ang gaan gaan kasama.  FINE, I KNOW I'M BLINDLY INFATUATED, but if you don't believe me, hear it from his co-actors, Amanda Seyfried and Jake Gyllenhal

+He looks hot. Alpha-male hot.

Dahil kay Papa Hugh, naa-appreciate ko na ang abs at muscles ngayon. :-D And it's the bone structure- the broad shoulders, the tall athletic frame. God was in a good mood when He built Papa Hugh.

I usually find men with softened faces more attractive, but there's something about that face.

The brown eyes that shine when he laughs or smiles. Those perfect teeth (Mygawd, seriously). The Roman nose. How the crow's feet crinkle around his eyes when he smiles. I don't like his Wolverine look. But the Papa Hugh face I lablab much. Parang ang bait bait nya. Parang mapapagkatiwalaan.

my only regret is that i wish i had appreciated Papa Hugh 10 years earlier.  kasi that was his peak. he was the Sexiest Man Alive for People Magazine in 2008. He was at his most achingly handsome then. pakatotoo na ko, kahit ang dami nyang good qualities syempre malaking bagay pa rin yung "He looks hot". haha. Pero kahit na 48 ka na, Papa Hugh, even if your years have started to catch up with you (just a little slightly), I still love you! I don't know for how long, pero sa ngayon, super lablab kita. Heart heart. Mwah mwah.

OKAY. that out, i can now go back to work. hay. :-( i really need to finish this para bye-bye na, current project. bye-bye na for reals.

HUHUHU. I just spent the entire night dredging all this out. Last na ngang script for this show, nagpakapasaway pa. :-(