bitterbalentayms

Substitute People

Narinig mo na ba sa tanang buhay mo ang terminolohiyang ito na nabanggit sa isang 2005 movie na hindi tinangkilik ng tao at binigyan ng mababang rating? Siguro kasi nung panahon na yun hindi pa nila na realize na nag-eexist talaga sa buhay ng tao na may "Substitute People."

Anu nga ba yun?

Sila yung mga tao na second option. Kailangan mo lang sila kung wala ka ng ibang matawagan. Second best. Sila yung palaging nandyan at handang tumulong sayo pag kailangan mo ng kaibigan. Sila yung shock absorber pag may problema ka. Sila yung clown na magpapasaya sayo pagluhaan ka. Sila yung kasama mo sa kalungkutan pero hindi mo naaalala sa happy hours. Substitute sa taong mahal na wala sa tabi mo sa kasalukuyan. 

Ever been in that position? Well I did. Always. 

They're are not designed to get hurt. They can't stand pain. They are made to cheer you up. Nothing more and nothing less. Safe side, nandun lang sila palagi. Mas masaya, no commitment, no expectations.

Pero minsan nakakapagod na rin mapabilang sa kanila. Minsan hahanap-hanapin mo rin ung taong ituturing ka na espesyal. Sila naman ung makikinig sa rants mo sa buhay, makikitawa sa mga katangahan mo sa buong araw. Yung magsasabi sayo ng "You're awesome!" na para sayo lang... wala kang kahating iba. 

Ikaw lang... at wala ng iba pa...


Happy bitterbalentayms sa lahat ng Substitute People! :)

photographer or hobbyist?

this movie is for you :)

We'll Take Manhattan

ted mosby's clone

Ted: Okay, so just tell me this. Why Tony? …

Stella: He’s the one.

Ted: “The one.”

Stella: Yeah, I know it’s kinda sappy but..

Ted: Okay, I’m going to say something out loud that I’ve been doing a pretty good job at not saying out loud lately. What you and Tony have, what I thought, for a second, you and I had, what I know Marshall and Lily have.. I want that, I do. I keep waiting for it to happen and waiting for it to happen and I guess I’m just.. I’m tired of waiting for it to happen. And that is all I’m going to say on the subject.

Stella: You know I once talked my way out of a speeding ticket?

Ted: Really?

Stella: I was heading up-state to my parent’s house, doing like 90(mph) on this country road and I got pulled over. So this cop gets out of his car, kinda swaggers on over and is like “Young lady, I have been waiting for you all day.” So I looked up at him and I said “I’m so sorry officer but I got here as fast as I could.”

[Ted laughs]

Ted: For real?

Stella: (laughing) No, it’s an old joke. I know that you’re tired of waiting and you may have to wait a little while more but.. she’s on her way, Ted. And she’s getting here as fast as she can.

That's ME... 

Patiently waiting...

He's on his way Cece. And he's getting here as fast as he can...

random seat

I recently went out of the country for a special trip and normally hindi ko gawain magbook ng seat kasi una additional charge at pangalawa I like the idea of a surprise kung sino ung makakatabi mo sa plane. Wala pa naman something special na nangyari sa akin, except for some annoying circumstances na na-wiwi ka na kaso tulog ung seatmate mo. 

This trip was kinda different, kasi I'm seated next to this old man with cowboy hat who happens to be a really paki-alamero and uber talkative. Nung mag take off na yung plane, nag-check na ung mga stewardess if all seat belts are fastened, windows opened, bags etc na sop before flying. Then napansin ko na kilala ko ung stewardess on board. Tinawag ko siya and we're both shocked and cheery. Nung time na yun, hindi pa kami nakapag-kwentuhan kasi busy pa sila. Pero itong si Cowboy man, mega-singit ung question, "Kilala mo?" Gusto ko sana siyang sagutin ng "Ay hindi po... hindi po ba obvious?" But I am keeping myself cool kaya nasabi ko na lang na "Friend ko po."

And that conversation became the start of a much longer you're-digging-into-my-privacy-question-and-answer-portion. Well, I am thankful naman kasi at least hindi boring yung trip ko kaso what gets in my nerves na sobrang nairita ako ay nung tinanong niya if I am married. When I said... "No..." he immediately jumped into the idea na ibenta ang anak niya who's seated within the same line kaso sa kabila ng hallway. 

"Ung anak ko na lang. Divorced yan, anak niya yung katabi niya. He works in US, sa micro-chuchu... blah blah blah." 

Tumatawa lang ako. And I never thought that he's serious until sinabi niya sakin na, "Tawa ka naman ng tawa! Seryoso ako, dali ibibigay ko sa'yo ung facebook niya, hanapin mo na lang. 39 na yan, kaso dinivorce nung asawa niya after makakuha ng citizenship."

Hindi ako kumuha ng papel dahil wala akong balak i-date yung anak niya pero nag-insist si kuya, kumuha siya ng papel at isinulat ang pangalan nung anak niya. Iniabot niya sa akin yun sabay sabi, "I-add mo na agad ha, para masundan na yung apo namin!"

Dumaan ulit ung stewardess friend ko at inofferan ako ng snack, ang tanging nasabi ko na lang, "May bakante pa ba dun sa may harap? Lipat sana ako para madali lumabas mamaya."  

I'm saved. 

anti-Longchamp

Hindi ko ma-gets kung ano ba ang ikinaganda ng Longchamp bag at bakit hit na hit ito sa Pinas ngayon. Mapa-peke or imported, kahit saang sulok ka tumingin, makakakita ka ng lima sa bawat sampung babae na may dala nito. 

Kung titignang mabuti, hindi naman talaga siya chic at mukha lang syang ordinary shopping bag na ginagamit nung nanay ko tuwing namimili kami sa Divisoria. Wala rin siyang extra-ordinary compartments sa loob at napaka-friendly niya sa mga snatchers.

Uso. 

Nakiki-uso!

Hindi ako galit sa henyo na nagdisenyo ng bag na 'to, naiinis lang ako sa mga trying hard magmukhang elite sa mundo. Kahit fake, masabi lang na naka-Longchamp ako, galing 'tong Paris, keri na! Kahit hindi naman kagandahan, may I sukbit na nga my bag to my shoulder. Ang chaka!

Sarap lang sabunutan.

flying shoe

Naranasan mo na ba pagtawanan yung sarili mo?

Fresh from a hot plate... syet! Ginawa ko 'to kanina.

Habang kainitan ng pagsasayaw dahil may sasalihan kaming dance show down at todo bigay na bigay naman ako sa mga "the moves" ko, pag dating sa step na flying kick kasamang tumilapon yung suot ko na sapatos. Hahahhahahahah. Hanggang ngayon, natatawa pa rin ako at natatawa ako sa reaction ng mga nakakita. Pati yung partner ko, kulang na lang ma-ihi na kata-tawa.

"Ayan, hahataw ka pa ah!"

Nahiya ako. Pero pinagtawanan ko lang yung sarili ko. Sinu-sino nga bang magdadamayan kundi tayo tayo lang din. Hello self, I'll stay with you thru thick and thin diba? Hindi kita iniwan sa ere, kahit na yung sapatos natin lumipad na sa ere. Haha.

Subukan mo minsan pagtawanan yung sarili mo, gaan sa pakiramdam, let loose... it's not a perfect world after all.

hungry as a bear

Kung nagsabog siguro ng "Pasensya" si papa God, nasalo ko ang siyamnapu't limang porsyento nito. Ako na siguro ang taong napakahirap inisin at hindi kakayanin ng powers mo na pa-iyakin ako kahit pa bigyan ako ng napaka-imposibleng trabaho. Yung tipong kauupo mo pa lang sa station mo may lalapit agad sayo at sasabihin na deadline yan ng alas dos. Tapos sasagot ka ng "I'll try my best..." tapos magrereply ng "Sorry but you need to give that to me by 2..." tapos titignan mo yung trabaho mo na wala pa sa kalahati, then titingin ka sa oras... cuckoo, cuckoo... 1 o'clock. Ang ganda ng senario. 94.5% patience level. Red alarm activated. Ganyan ako kanina.

"You goin' for lunch?' Sabi sakin nung bago naming secretary na itago natin sa pangalang Madonna (like a virgin!)

"No, have no time to eat..." Sagot ko sa kanya with sad face.

"Do you want me to buy you anything?"

"No thank you, I'll just grab something later."

"Ok..." 

Pagtalikod niya, naluha ako. Una, dahil na-touch ako sa sinabi niya. Those were the sweetest words I've ever heard in my stay sa company. And the fact that she's new and alien, she's the least person I expected to do that. Pangalawa, dahil yung level nung pasensya ko lumagpas na sa ceiling line. Mahaba ang pisi ko pero wag na wag mo lang akong gugutumin. Dun ko naramdaman na nagwewelga na yung mga alaga ko para bang isa na lang sa kanila ang hindi pumipirma, bibigay na.

If you want to test who your true friends are, do it when you're hungry. But seriously, You'll see goodness in a person's heart with those unexpected gestures, people who has the initiative to ask and those people who do not expect anything in return. Simple and sincere acts of kindness that will make your burden as light as a feather... truly an angel without wings.

From now on, I think I should put a banner in my station... 

"Wag Gutumin, Nakamamatay!" :))