… ego so big, you must admit, I got every reason to feel like I’m that bitch…

One need not be baffled as to whose ego Beyonce or Sasha Fierce, considering that the new single, Ego, was taken off the Fierce side of the dual disc I Am… Sasha Fierce, was singing about when it is so obvious that nobody else’s ego is massive enough to warrant a song. Think about it, almost all of Beyonce’s tracks are I-centric. Ego just trumps over everything else. Unsurprisingly, Ego sounds like a leftover track from B’Day and Dangerously In Love, a period when her alter ego was still inexistent. That is why the whole schtick that is I Am… Sasha Fierce is an epic failure in terms of Beyonce’s vie for artistic credibility. Her sound is no different whether she’s gyrating in leotards, or belting out borrowed tunes, or jamming along an easily forgettable upbeat filler like Ego. Until she proves she’s more than a singles artist, she’s only good enough until a better one comes along.

BATTLEFIELD
Jordin Sparks
Battlefield

… can’t swallow our pride, neither of us wanna raise that flag. If we can’t surrender then we both gonna lose what we have…

Like the young Jordin Sparks who is about to release her sophomore album. She may not have Beyonce’s ego but she is massive in her own little way. The American Idol alumna collaborated with OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder to produce one of the finest songs of 2009; hopefully, the song that will command the attention she rightfully deserves. In Battlefield, the first single off the new album, Tedder incorporated the sounds of loud thumping drums, haunting melody from the piano, sparse electronic sonar-like chimes and the chant-y back vocals to update the 80s rock sound to the contemporary. Fronted by Sparks whose vocal prowess is indomitable, especially in the power choruses where she rallies, “I guess you better go and get your armor,” the song becomes a goosebump-inducing epic that goes beyond the usual awesome. With the right promotion, Battlefield should propel Sparks to relevancy.

OBSESSED
Mariah Carey
Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel

… you’re a mom and pop, I’m a corporation. I’m the press coverage, you a conversation…

Going back to the ego talk, if there’s anything bigger than Beyonce’s, it would have to be Mariah Carey’s lady bumps. Seriously, take a look. They could probably launch an airship with those things, much like in Pixar’s Up. In any case, the Voice is once again back; this time, with a little help from auto-tune. Well, maybe a lot of help. It’s auto-tune galore! Highly reminiscent of E=MC²’s club banger Migrate, the hot lead off her upcoming Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel, Obsessed has the diva singing ala-Rihanna and Britney Spears, substituting vocal acrobatics with electronic stuttering which pretty much makes up the song’s damn catchy hooks. This bouncy, mid-tempo summer track, became Carey’s avenue to retaliate against Eminem who has continuously dissed the songbird for denying that they had a relationship. Carey, whose impressive songwriting ability is often overlooked – her clever use of the phrase “Napoleon complex” in the song deserves recognition – delivers one biting remark after another; “You’re a mom and pop, I’m a corporation; I’m a press coverage, you a conversation,” she sings. With all these mentioned, the cherry on this surefire number one is the Mean Girls reference at the beginning when Carey utters, “I was like, why are you so obsessed with me?” So fetch! Oh, and fans who clamor for vintage Mariah should get with the times and stop being obsessed with the 90s. Vintage Mariah won’t happen!

While others culminate with a full resolve,

some -

those that got us drawn into and hooked,

those that we would consider being engaged to in continuity,

those that made us anticipate the good that will happen next -

no matter how badly we want them to just go on and on,

some end in the most untimely and unexpected manner.

Life is a series of short stories.

As a tale ends, another begins; and it could only be better than the last one.

*******

I just wanna open your eyes, and make you realize.
- Taylor Swift, Invisible

While others culminate with a full resolve,

some -

those that got us drawn into and hooked,

those that we would consider being engaged to in continuity,

those that made us anticipate the good that will happen next -

no matter how badly we want them to just go on and on,

some end in the most untimely and unexpected manner.

Life is a series of short stories.

As a tale ends, another begins; and it could only be better than the last one.

*******

I just wanna open your eyes, and make you realize.
- Taylor Swift, Invisible

We were talking on Twitter that Friday afternoon when he posted something about the restaurant. It prompted me to do a little research on JT Manukan’s branch locations and time of operations. After which, I invited him out to dinner, and the plan was finalized over the short-messaging site.

After work, I went straight to the cafe where he was studying. We stayed for a few minutes as he finished one last chapter before we hit the road.

By 8 PM, we were along EDSA, our cab making do with the Friday traffic, worsened by the dreary weather. It took about an hour to reach Sgt. Esguerra, and a few more minutes of coursing slowly through the busy street to see the signage of the infamous JT Manukan. Out of the cab, under the King’s lavender umbrella, we briskly walked to the eatery.

The place looked better than how I imagined it. It was a little small, a little too open and a lot less cozy than the places I’m used to. Well, it was probably because of the rain, or because I was a bit tired, or because of the loud house music blasting from the adjacent bar.

In any case, we settled at the middle table by the wall; and with much anticipation, we ordered. We were both hungry, as clearly evident when our food was brought in. The King and I feasted on the scrumptious servings of pecho. I don’t know if it was the hunger talking, or if it was really that delicious but halfway through my meal I already wanted to have another round.

Through the course, the King and I talked about frenemies, acquiantances and common friends; how X met Y, how B knew J, and how A is connected to everyone else. This eventually led to him recalling, “Ang tahimik mo nung una tayong nagkita.“

“Hindi kaya,” I said as I clearly remember what happened that afternoon of August 31st.

TO BE CONTINUED.

In our four-hour stay at the cafe, the King and I managed to discuss the last episode of the television special, Breaking the Magician’s Code. I’ve seen the first few installments but not the most recent one as I only turn the set on to play video games, or to watch movies. Anyway, with much zest, he explained this one trick that the Masked Magician pulled off which involved pipes. Through the tiny space between the two huge pipes, one laid on top of the other, the Masked Magician was to slip from one end and emerge from the other side. The King explained this through an illustration on a tissue paper.

Similar to what he did when we tried to scrutinize the nitty gritty rules of time travel;

and when he summarized the entire Dark Tower series by Stephen King.

Admittedly, it was a lot more fun to discuss these kind of things than say, how pretty Vanessa Hudgens is, which I quoted earlier that night. It was refreshing because it was unconventional.

By thirty past ten, the King went back to his review materials, “May pasok ka pa bukas. Tapusin ko na lang itong isang chapter.”

I was left feeling guilty that our chat ate a lot more than the usual time alloted for study breaks.

“Sige lang,” I said.

TO BE CONTINUED.

I could, should have said no but I didn’t. There was a heavy downpour outside. While logic dictates that I should just stay in, I found myself reaching for my jacket and heading out. Halfway through the gate, the King texted:

“Lakas ng ulan! Kulog kidlat the works! OH EM GEE! Halaaaaaaaaa stranded na ako dito sa Starbucks Jungle.”

I replied, “Wait lang. Patilain ko yung rain. Paalis na din ako sana eh. Wala kang dalang payong no?“

I hurried out and boarded the first jeepney that came my way.

“Meron. Hehe. Kaso lavender. Hahahaha,” he said.

Not more than three minutes after, I arrived at the mall. I went straight to the grocery and searched the junk food racks for a Kettle chips. I wanted to bring some and I, initially, refused to buy at Starbucks since they sell the same for a very hefty price.

“I’m here just buying some stuff. Hehe,” I informed the King after which I found out that they don’t have it on stock. Saddened, I opted for a bucket of fries from KFC instead.

“Where there? Haha. I’m craving for inasaaaaaaaal!!!”

“Ala naman inasal dito sa Power Plant ah ,” I texted him while waiting for my order to be served.

A few minutes later, the King replied, “Hahaha. Yup. I know. Di na ako magdi-dinner because of that. I want to try out White’s suggestion, JT Manukan. I’ll look for it tomorrow. Hihihi.”

“Aw. Kain you,” I said while crossing the street that separates the Jungle from the mall.

“Hehehe. Busog pa me. I ate lunch sa Grams around 4 PM eh. Kumain ka na ba?”

Yep, I already had dinner. I didn’t bother replying for I was already there. “Hello,” I warmly greeted the King as I walked towards his table.

“Ayan…,” he smiled and took a break from his review for the usual catch up. After a few minutes of chatter, he went back to his study notes while I brought out my book, the same book which I have been trying to finish for over fourteen days now, and attempted to cover at least a chapter.

TO BE CONTINUED.

The sign on the door of the store by the street says. I was puzzled though since the store doesn’t exactly resemble a restaurant. It was more like a souvenir shop. So I asked the guard in a confirming tone, “Kuya, dito yung Bag of Beans, right”, while pointing towards the nearest gate. I wasn’t sure if the King knew but I sure hell didn’t, but I was right.

The gate led to a steep descent with flora to the left, right and center. It was an alfresco restaurant, Bag of Beans. Laid out in the garden are sets of wooden tables matched with wooden seats that wouldn’t move, unless brute forced is used.

The place was kind of creepy. It was dark, really dark. It was like being in a jungle. It was only the presence of the couple on the table beside us, and the unruly group of four who chose to sat at the cabana that assured me that the place was still operational. Nevertheless, I still half-expected for a panther to pounce from the trees, or a half-bodied creature to dive in and have us for dinner.

And then there was light.

A waiter, fully human and breathing, brought us a candle, and lit it. By then, our spot was softly illuminated by the flickering flame; much like the table behind me, the one where the couple was. I’m pretty sure I did “aww”; out loud, I don’t know.

While waiting for the food, the King and I talked. It was different. The chat felt unrestrained, unbound by the invisible pressure of his impending examination. Perhaps, this is because we were not with the usual – review materials, books, laptops, and even Starbucks itself. Well, it felt like that to me anyway.

We gave updates on our workplace happenings. We talked about frenemies. We touched on stories of recent past, I-Nevers, and other subjects that I seem to have forgotten as of this writing.

And yes, we ate; and took more pictures, of course.

If we weren’t constrained by a lot of factors, time being the most crucial of it all, it would have been a lot more fun to stay and talk a little bit longer. But it was pushing past nine, and we were in dire need of a means to go home.

Along the dimly-lit and deserted, foggy and cold highway, we walked in search of a proper bus stop. If one, ever existed in this country.

TO BE CONTINUED.

It was the perfect circumstance to be cozy in a corner nook, reading a book while having a warm Grande Cafe Mocha; or studying, while having a warm Grande Cafe Mocha as well, which the Sunbaked King did until the clock struck five.

By sheer luck, the weather was generally docile when we went out; save for the wind which was blowing, hard.

The King and I took advantage and headed to the area which overlooks the Taal Lake, and took pictures. After all, the adventure would be incomplete if we lack pictures. So we took a lot. Probably closer to a dozen shots were taken. For each person.

Yes, even if our hair, my hair was all messed up. Wind effect. NTM material.

And then it was time for dinner. We went back to the main road deliberating on where to eat. It was a toss between Verbena and Bag of Beans. The former serves contemporary country cuisine and is in Discovery Country Suites which was apparently quite a distance from where we stood. The latter wasn’t exactly within spitting distance, but it was closer; or so the trike driver said.

Aboard his three-wheeled vehicle, we travelled the now-foggy streets of Tagaytay; and I found myself grinning like hell throughout the trip.

“This is really fun,” I remember thinking.

TO BE CONTINUED.

A few minutes ago, the King, after waking up from his short nap, realized that his glasses were missing. We tried to trace back our actions and ultimately deduced that it was probably left at the eatery.

After eating a hearty meal of Adobong manok and the oh-so-creamy Mutya ng Cavite, we went to the restaurant’s garden which has a scenic view of the Taal lake. We remember him taking his glasses off for a series of shots. He must’ve left it on the bench, and overwhelmed as we were, forgot about it as we left for Starbucks.

The King was nonchalant about losing it. However, I told him that I might as well check it out as I need to go back to the area to withdraw anyway. So after eating the cookie he bought, I put down the Skeleten Crew (I had barely started with The Mist), and told him that I’ll go ahead and look for his glasses. He stayed to study.

The journey back was easier and quicker than I initially thought. Archie was on his third song when I distinctly remember walking towards Josephine’s front lawn, all the while thinking that the chances of finding his eye glasses were bleak; though I did pray that it was there.

“May naiwan kayo kanina, sir.” A waiter warmly greeted as I approached the front desk. Surprised, I told him that we might have left my friend’s eye glasses there.

“Ay opo. Sandali lang po ha. Inabot ko na kanina kay…,” he said as he walked out of my ear shot. He came back with another staff who hurriedly went behind the counter and took out a pair of glasses that most certainly belonged to the King. Relieved, I took it, thanked them, and promised myself that I shall go back one weekend to try their buffet, thinking that it was a better gesture of gratitude.

I crossed the street, took out some cash from the ATM, and quickly made my way back to Starbucks. I made a beeline to the corner table and handed the King his glasses. Though I wanted him to be, the King wasn’t really surprised that I got it back. Meh. I guess he was really keen on buying a new pair.

After taking a snack break, munching on yummy Kettle chips, the King resumed with his review. I, on the other hand, settled on my comfy chair and went back to my book –

“That was when it started getting dark… but no, that’s not exactly right. My thought at the time was not that it was getting dark but that the lights in the market had gone out. I looked up at the fluorescents in a quick reflex action, and I wasn’t alone. And at first, until I remembered the power failure, it seemed that was it, that was what had changed the quality of the light. Then I remembered they had been out all the time we had been in the market and things hadn’t seemed dark before. Then I knew, even before the people at the window started to yell and point. The mist was coming.”

Outside, the fog thickened as it started to rain.

TO BE CONTINUED.

“… in the midst of showing concern for these people whose lives I am trying to meddle with, I was suddenly struck by the thought that none of them, as it were, will ever mention that word to me. Will any of them ever care enough to give me a reassuring pat at the back when times get rough? Will any of them ever go out of their way to say how much I mean to the world when all I can think of is cursing it back…”

I really want to believe that this is not true, but right now, it’s just too damn easy to feel otherwise.