Roda!

It's been a long while since I've been inside a Roda. There's something almost magical about being part of that circle, hearing the call of the berimbau, with the pandeiros and atabaque joining in the rhythm of that ancient music.

We have our monthly Roda today. However, I am home in the province. *sigh*

After one year of being a capoeirista, I don't think I have learned that much. Bo does his best, but I try his patience to the utmost. I've been busy and really tired lately. It's a pretty lame excuse, all in all.

I miss capoeira. Miss sweating it out. Miss muscle cramps and falling down and doing handstands (against the wall). Miss the sound of the berimbau. Miss push-ups and prone cobras. Miss the ginga and esquivas and au sem maus and the meia luas.

The thing is, capoeira is now a part of my life. There's no ignoring it.

I will definitely, definitely be back.

So... Home at Last

So. After fighting with my siblings over who gets to go online, I finally am online. So I browse my FB, open my blogs, tried to write, and come up blank.

There was a time when words flowed out from my brain to my fingertips. Those were happier days.

Anyway. So. I'm home at last. And with my two siblings at that. It's a rare event. Since Ex went to college and Cho graduated, we have seldom been home together at the same time.

It's great that we're all home together. The house is definitely more disorganized now that we're here. And mama gets to yell at us lazybones again. But that's the great part. Mama yelling at us. With all of us in Cebu, this house has been silent for too long.

Yesterday was an ordeal.

A drive which could have taken 15 minutes at most on an ordinary day took me more than an hour. The traffic was enough to drive one nuts. And to think the North Reclamation road was a major highway! It certainly didn't feel that way as I went at an agonizingly slow pace, wedged between ten-wheelers! It didn't help that there was an accident. And to top it all, the electricity was down in the pier area. After I finally got myself a ticket (the last ones!), I had to drive home as fast as traffic allowed, stuff clothes inside my bag, pack my Harrison and laptop, and get a taxi back to the pier. The last part was not as easy as it sounds.

But. All of that doesn't matter now. Because I'm home. Finally. Fighting with my siblings over chores and the internet and television. Just like the old times.

And now, I have to worry about getting a ticket back to Cebu.

x_x

Rabo Day

Sunday was Rabo day! (enter fireworks!)

We started the day with our daily ritual of midnight noodles and canton. I gave him my surprise gift afterwards. Actually, it wasn't much of a surprise. I had ordered customized voodoo dolls but then got tagged in FB so he found out about it. Tsk tsk tsk. At least he had the decency to try to act like he was surprised.



Actually, I wanted to give him something else. However, my poor wallet did not allow me.

I made munchkins to make up for it. Actually, I made munchkins because it was the only thing my culinary skills allowed.

We planned another surprise for that day. But it backfired. Again. (I give up on organizing surprises.) Was going to give him a surprise after-dinner party but then he started inviting people to dinner so people got a little mixed up. Anyway, so it was finally cleared up and we went to the Japanese Carenderia for dinner. It was closed. (Surprise!) So we ended up at a friend's BBQ restaurant.

Dinner. Finally.

Then off at last to another friend's house for the real party!

This is where they started playing dress up. He'd actually make a really pretty princess. Ummm... if it weren't for the biceps bulging.

There was booze (for them) and softdrinks (for me), videoke (again!)and an all-night poker tournament. I kept losing and Rabo had to keep supplying me with coins to keep me in the game. We kept this up until sleep (and Red Horse) finally caught up.

Despite the surprises (on my part), it was a really great day.

And none of it would have been remotely possible if it weren't for the following: Arame & Exquisito (whose house we crashed for the night), Gaivota (who had duty the next day but came anyway, Passarinha (who was supposed to go on a trip but decided to be with the gang instead), Martelo (who had to go home to avoid relieving an embarrassing situation... kidding...), Rato (the big bro), Podim & Barullo (who brought chocolates!), and Papagaio and Cascudo (who came for free dinner... hehe..)

Special thanks to Pristine for the hot pink princess dress.

Looking forward to more Rabo Days in the future.

Thank God It's Friday!

Friday Night. Finally!



And with Monday a holiday (Barangay and SK Elections), what better way to spend a Friday night then with friends and a karaoke machine?



It's been a long, long while since we got together. I remember it was at this Karaoke House where I first bonded with them, the capoeiristas. I was the noob then, the new face. Didn't really realize how much a big chunk of my heart this group finally came to occupy.

Tuesday, with its Module Quiz (which I have yet to start studying) will come soon enough. But I'm glad I had Friday.

x_o