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the mid year and year end reports are the two main reasons why i go to manila. i view it as a necessary evil, a thorn on the side of being employed. but somehow, no matter how i rant and get angered by this, a strange hint of simple enjoyments pervades this otherwise, seemingly sad (because i am away from home) situation.

one such glimmer happened last night. we wanted to watch noel at conspiracy, but the time between end of office and the end of happy hour, which should also be the time that noel starts his gig, seems to be in two opposite sides of a ballpen. with the butt of the pen as the flat and utteringly ugly part of the pen and the point signifying the time that the day picks up.

i was wondering how i can shorten that distance. then the idea to visit UP came around. why not?

so there we were, sitting at the edge of sunken, glaring into the facade of the main libe that stood as an edifice in the mystery of what the night holds for us. ba, with the imagined sounds that the spirit of business makes stands well lighted guards our backs. i was munching on the last few pieces of the greasy liempo that i had as an addition to the shawarma for dinner, i realized that i have not sat at this exact same spot for the longest time already. i could not even remember when was the last time.

and the air of nostalgia reached my nostrils. it blew a light touch of lemon that made the liempo taste so much better. and i realized that it has already been almost 10 years since i left this academic institution. i may have sat like this during my undergrad years, but never would have thought that i would be in this position around 10 years thereafter.

then i remember, where my ideals have started from. i remember how it was born out of ed's, marlboro lights and gin bulag. i remember the nights and midnights at lbh. i remember the long walks around the academic oval, with myself or with a buddy. i remember how i used to feel about serving the people about being one with them in their struggle.

and so it is. 10 years thereafter, i think i've moved closer to that dream. albeit an insy winsy step that is made more heavy with my passion for a good time and self interest, at least i have come to turn myself into that direction that i wanted to be headed for.

i ditched the last of my ciggy, and went with the gang. its now time for noel, its almost 9:00pm. i leave my dreamworld and face the canvass of this reality that i choose to believe in. asking myself, 10 years after, or a year from now, what would i be thinking.

well, i guess that is for me to find out.