From the opening, the unexpected rising and falling of notes, the meeting of insrumentals and vocals, to the sheer desperation of its lyrics — everything about Beach House’s Better Times (from their latest album, Teen Dream) resonates to how an old worn out part of myself feels. The good thing is that I have control over this closing and opening motion. Valve-like. Makes me picture out a left ventricle and the aorta.

Listening to them reminds me of Mazzy Star and Fleetwood Mac. Alex Scally’s guitars side by side Victoria Legrand’s voice and droning keyboard. Perfect duo for any hippie high on daydream and sometimes troubled by casual heartaches.

Beach House

If I were to die today, you can write on my epitaph, “Death by Repetitive Audio-induced Heartbreak”. I eat drama for breakfast MWF, so FTW.

“How much longer can you play with fire before you turn into a liar?” – Better Times (Beach House)

Victoria and Alex

Oh, and BIG THANK YOU to Masaya for sharing me this 30-day list called, daily meme.

She is thinking of another way to blend the horizon with the moist that is quickly building up in her eyes.

“How long until I am able to move from this spot?” She doesn’t say this out loud for fear of ruining what they already have. Momentum.

Silence.

“We’re only ruining each other’s bloody Sunday. I wish you would just let me be.”

Precisely at this moment, she realizes that there is no way out. Her thoughts are much riskier companions than this heartless bastard.

portia

Day 1 (5 February 2010) – Hi, I’m Sagada. Let me paint your skies. Cover your eyes. This won’t take long.

It was like a dream – the ride up north.

After we settled in our room at the Rock Inn and Café, we went spelunking. Sumaging cave. The ride was roughly 10 minutes away. The cave’s depth is comparable to the height of a 25-storey building.  Stinker Spoiler alert: exhilarating adventure slash leg work. I saw very interesting rock formations: heart of the cave, Queen, female genitalia, a King, a Prince and his genitalia, chocolate marble cake baked by the Queen, a pig pen, a pig’s head twice as big as the pig pen, a cauliflower as big as the pig pen, Princess, the Royal Bedchamber.

The flow of water helped form those rocks. Rock, paper, scissors. Water beats rock. See, it pays to wait.

Slippery limestone. Stalactites. Stalagmites. Right foot first, checks footing, steady enough, left foot fumbles, finds its place. Right hand holds onto a reliable edge, left hand looks for a rough slab, and knee scrapes in fluid motion as planned. We’ll get there, Hi Ho Hi Ho Hi Ho Hi Ho Hi Ho.

Other rock formations I saw using my own imagination: a lion and half of a human skull in side view.

Coleman kerosene lamps. Three tour guides – Ben (Afleck), Daniel (Day-Lewis) and George (Clooney). Ben is a native, an Ifugao. He plays baseball and is a part of another chapter in another story that’s just starting. (I’m still deciding on whether I’m the right person to tell that story.) Anyway, the tour guides were a huge help in convincing me to get back out there and keep on moving towards the light. I have to admit I was a bit skeptic when we were about to enter into the unknown. (Blame the Safety Queen). There were three stages in exploring the Sumaging cave – Slippery phase (most of the rocks were limestone, so go figure), Rocky phase (No pun intended), and Watery phase (Pun intended).

We got out! (calculating) We left the Rock Inn and Café at around 3 o’clock and we managed to get back before seven in time for dinner. Four hours down there didn’t feel like four hours. (into the rabbit hole). Dinner was a scrumptious one, if I may say so. I have never tasted chop suey cooked that way. They grilled the veggies (Broccoli was my favorite) and added yogurt-based sauce. Yummy!

My version of Spelunker must-haves: a brown shirt with supposedly reflectorized monogram, black spandex shorts, trekking sandals, a black belt bag with two bottles of mineral water, a pair of shades, and of course, a pair of dangling earrings made of capiz.

After the spelunking adventure – Deadbeat tired. But it was all worth the effort. Nothing is as fulfilling as physical exertion pushed out of its limits.

Random thought on the ride back to Rock Inn and Café: A jukebox at a corner bar wails, “I left my broken heart in Sagada. On the way back, I changed my mind. I took it back and traded it for some lemon pie and rice hoo hoo wine.”

Some more shots..

on our way to Bumoc-od Falls

Bumoc-od Falls

rice terraces

orange grove

#

When you get to see Sagada, please hug a pine tree for me.

My life would fit in something like this.

life in a suitcase

It would hold all of my precious possessions – some of my all-time favorite albums, copies of my books which I could reread until the end of time, pictures of family and friends, my favorite t-shirt, a pair of Chucks, my handy dandy netbook, my journal, my headset, a hair clip, a headband, a scrunchie, all of my savings in Mr. Cow, a whole month supply of coffee, charcoal pencil, and my sketchpad.

cash cow. literally.

Now, where would I go?

Probably in Cubao. Get on a bus and head up north.

the makings of a good driver.

I don’t remember much about the day when this picture was taken, but I’m sure I enjoyed “driving around”. (Ignore my facial expression; I look like that in most of my pictures).

with my mom at my sister's birthday party.

This picture was supposed to include only myself in the frame. But I think it looks better. See how pretty my Mom is.

flower girl.

This was the first and last time someone asked me to be their flower girl. Funny thing was the ring bearer (my cousin) had chicken pox during the wedding. I had to walk a little slower so I can have ample distance from him. Haha!

J. D. Salinger

Today, the great J.D. Salinger passed away. His book, Catcher in the Rye, made me realize that not everyone needs saving.

baby doll.

One boring afternoon, I decided to check out the room upstairs where we keep all the old stuff — everything from kitchenware to toys. Here are some of the interesting toys I found.

smile.

This is one of the dolls my cousin used to play with. I liked the strawberry prints on her dress.

Lego.

Lego creation.

This was my brother’s last Lego creation. I don’t how long it has been since we last played. Back in the day, we would compete by trying to build the biggest house (with two-car garage and Olympic-sized swimming pool) or coolest contraption.

exploring nature

This wasn’t ours. I think this was my cousin’s, but it sure caught my eye. I wonder how they played with this one.