Spirited Encounters with the Third Kind

Am presently slaving the hours away waiting for a video editing session to commence here in a relatively secluded internet cafe in Katipunan Avenue. And though I do like that the airconditioning unit is 5 meters behind me chilling my hands until typing becomes such a chore and that the ambience is rather ambient, subtle, and encouraging, I can not escape from facts of my life that call out from the Third Kind. What is the Third Kind of Paolo Sanchez? Amusingly the Third Kind refers to a side of me I've known since time in memoriam. What is of interest to me is that it has never been a part of me for the longest time. Do you get my meaning? This is the phase of my life I dare not call teenage crisis or adolescent penance for the wrongs of the past because frankly I can not recall one of that gravity to impact my being. It's the lull I suppose between youthful childish play and all the reverence granted to adult life. Not but recently have I been able to feel this.

Call it the calm before the storm. Call it calm in the face of pressure. I feel so unfazed by so many things that mount around cluttered in my mind waiting for godsent attention to save me from them. Funny is, I force myself to get a grip of them and do something about it but I can't. And I'm actually smiling because I don't want to do a thing about these papers, these exams, these issues, these other work. Truth be told, I don't want them tonight. I don't want to do a thing about them.

I want to be all light and bubbly this day. I want to drape around me an aura of youth unbent by compromising with the duties set forth by the world. But I can't force myself to. And though there is much energy, perhaps my reserve fuel for the last semestral push, I can't seem to find a way to channel them to work. How can this be?

I start the day right. Iced chocolate drink and longanisa and eggs to kick things off. I browse through the daily paper. Upon getting dragged around by the Subic Rape Case and a bit on Ashton Kutcher and The Guardian, I get garlic toast and watch tv. Seeing that Van Helsing, one of my more favorite movies, was to air in Cinemax sometime lunch time made me snap my fingers in disgust. I scan the entire lineup of channels before landing CNN. Nothing new. All Republican trouble in the US and more nuke tests for North Korea up north. Hitting the second enclave of boredom, my mind tells me that there is another idiot box in the Personal Computer. I go online, thank Dr. Carlos for taking in my paper at first submission and then check a number of my Internet accounts. Nothing new. Everything a routine. The third enclave is fast approaching. I hit the breaks for more and look into my scribbled and disorganized planner. "Meeting with volunteer org 10am" I become so abnoxious about things that I find no reason to include the name of the org. To me, too many names and too much to do about everything is all and fine enough for anything else to be established in my faculties. This will be a day for reckoning anew.

Then my sister's poster of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire's image popped out of nowhere. Geesh. I was hit hard. I look outside, my usual antic to get a grip of my thoughts. I go to Google and search up Emma Watson images on the net. I take a look and sigh. I need not maximize the shots. She looks dazzling and so beautiful from afar. God I love to just stare at the screen and my crush. I've loved that girl since the first flick when she was this cute smartypants. I understood thenon she would be some woman someday. She had character. She had brains. She had a humble and selfless attitude. I should know, I read through her profile in fan sites and news articles. When I saw pictures of her drinking alcohol at sucha young age I told myself that she must have understood what she was doing. Paparazzi does this to celebrities. When I learned her parents divorced, I felt sorry and knew something like this or worse may happen. Time flew by so quickly. But while staring at Emma, I was like totally out of touch with everything. Mom went out to do the grocery. Pa was attending to the car. But all that matter then was Emma. I don't know why. But I felt so good about it. Bah, but I had a meeting come 10! I spent an hour playing NBA Live 2007 beating the hell out of Seattle with my Lakers (though I'm a fan of both teams)with Kobe, Lamar and my newly acquired Dwight Howard. Ha, take that! I was so into it that at times I paid no attention to what Marv Albert and Steve Kerr were repeatedly ranting about with Seattle's defense. I did commentaries myself. I was ACTUALLY TALKING TO MYSELF FOR PLEASURE AGAIN! I talk to myself occassionally to utter something to myself or to say a prayer on the road. This was absolutely something of the Third Kind! Damn it! Then let's go reinforce this happiness when my Atenean friend called up again. That short but really outright heartwarming conversation was followed up by another Atenean, this time, one I met in summer camp back in high school. I told him I had to pass on another hoop game because of my bad knee and well, my out-of-condition state. I mean, I don't know how to dribble anymore. I think rebounding is still there and my running one-man-hit-you-down-pressure defense is still in my playbook. But no more spin moves. No more diving for the ball. Shucks!

I spend lunch in Greenbelt, taking a peak at the latest Sony Ericsson phone models and Acer laptops. Okay OKay. Am a brand conscious, no money techy guy. But hey, though window shopping is one thing I can not put up with (I don't like going to malls without money and purpose); I can live with eye candy. Then I end up the meeting and go to KFC for a burger. I take a smooth MRT ride thinking of my EEE project. Yes, it's all coming back again! Third Kind save MEEE!!!! YES! I buy damn adobong mani and eat them walking out Araneta Center. Last time I ate on the road? Don't ask. Last time I ate adobong mani? Recently naman pero heck, iba feeling pag nilalagok mo yung mani sa wrapper. Sure I know they put preservatives on them peanuts to give the crunchy effect and all, but I'd rather take in the oil!!!!

I hail a cab and go to Katipunan for video editing, 4pm. Na-virus sila! Balik daw 7pm. Third Kind save me!!! And here I am. A rather productive and mind-easing Saturday about to unwind. My parents were inviting me for a movie trip to watch The Departed. I want to see the movie. DO I need it? Yes, been a long time since I've been inspired by a film. I here the acting's intense. OK. That's enough reason to. Martin Scorcese films always earn that ooohhhhh factor from me.

Am looking forward to more of the Third Kind tonight. How sure am I? I'm listening to the Spirit of Christmas by Jose Mari Chan! And am humming with a smile. For some reason, am getting the second wind. Exams. Papers. Council work. Org work. BUndok lang sagot ko sa inyo. Our youth ministry is looking to sponsor a filming of Happy Feet on the 24th sa Blue Wave cinemas, Marikina. I sure want to seet that baby! They're so cute. I like the animated choreography. I go join a prayer chain thereafter. Council goes up or down to Tagaytay to planning on the 27th. November? Guess what? Adidas sale and registration week preparations.

I sigh and take a good look at things I've done and failed to do. God, definitely not me or anyone else, is telling me the beauty of things from the Third Kind. Issues are corny in this realm. Politics is just something out there. Work is a dead man's curse. Ang look o, am typing another long blog. Isn't this me or what?

I'm having a spirited encounter with the Third Kind. This is definitely and by all proportions more than that corny clicheish concept of "moving on". There's this question as to from what. From what am I moving on? Uhm, nada. I qualify things according to substance and significance. Aside from one very small thing I should have let go at first point, but did not, I can't put to mind another straining event I can use as reference. And though I have my opinion on that matter, I'd prefer wearing a smile and thinking that it ain't right. The timing, the context, the crime...foolish impulsive me. But then again, I profess my hopeless romanticism and say that it was all worth it. To me it was. Basically, my emotions were just clouding the sharpness of my mind, the response of my body, the control of my soul. Emotions, emotions, a curse at times to be a sensitive person.

For now, am looking at Emma Watson again. She could be my daughter...but now, God, she could be my wife! WAHAHAHAHAHA! Pulling my leg again.

I LOVE IT. I am able to stare people in the eye. As I told Kristian and Patrick , I am on higher ground in this issue. Now I know, this perfect position isn't so in only one area of my life. And people can start making the difference only when they have sorted these things out. To my happiness, I've been able to make the difference and mean something to many people while I've struggled with the realities I have to deal with. And if this be the measure of my fortitude, so be it.

I 've always had my fortress and my tower. I was just too busy looking around to not seek shelter in it. Now my Third Kind calls to me. I know I can be someone to anyone. And as my Atenean gal pal told me: "Just believe that what you tell yourself is more than pleasant fiction. Believe Pao because I'm pretty sure that things will come to place for you. Awwww Pao, I'd hate to leave for America with you like this. I'll call you ayt? " I tell her that I do believe and she need not worry that at times I look tired and lost. She replies: "That's good to hear Pao. Listen, am not saying these things to make you feel good about yourself ha. I'll pray for you bro, and sana, kaw rin kasi tingin ko I'll need a lot of it." We end with a few jokes and stuff...

And Kristian, there can be no better position in a relationship than this. What you think I should do, we have deemed unthinkable at the present. Hahaha. Just laugh when you see my eyes drifing afar ayt?

Dedications:

Grai---seeing you perky and sweet makes me perky and sweet and huggable.
Mau---yes, I did use qualitative but to back up my quanti. God bless.
Kristian---nasabi ko na lahat sa blog na to
Jason---gumimik tayo sometime
Nyl---isa ka pa bro, usap tayo
Zen---high (isipin mo na lang ako si Sir Butch)
Catya---CAPTAIN SMITH!!!
Isha---gumaganda ka
Faiva---kaw rin...ganyan talaga pag genuine ang saya
Celine---sweet sweet Celine, kawalan niya yun
Malou---go econ!
Louie---awww, buwee!!!
Mayette---hmp, reformat ng cel? baka bago?
Ann---new move, new move!
Farrah---magna ka na after this sem, teka...since day one pa pala
Patrick---how's 186?
Val---ooohhooooo!!! balita ko tooooot
Jal---nice pics
Dom---am one with your cause, go lang nang go in the defense
sa iba pang mahal ko--- GOD SPEED SA MGA EXAMS!!!and i mean, speed wahahahaha!!!
sa KONSEHONG MALUFET---alam niyo na yan. mangabog tayo sa GASC...wahahahaha!!!!
sa mundo---keep on spinning, kasi pag hindi, deadbol na tayong lahat wahahahahaha!!!

God brings rain to the driest of ground. While the rain isn't around yet, wait and appreciate that underneath there is ground water.







Here's to a long night of editing video.