The Year That Was..

Finally, the birth of a new year - representative to most as a fresh beginning to work for another 365 days with the hope that this would mark the end of 2005's sufferings. Like that'll happen. It's another illusion which people highlight in order to convince themselves that they can somehow "start from scratch" and remake their whole image, personality - surrendering often before the month is done. Resolutions, who needs them? I guess, change should be from within, not because of this particular day - when you think about it, its not so different from any other day - you wake up today, tomorrow and the day after that practically feeling the same way about the world, thus change when you find it necessary not because its the New Year.

Also, we should not limit ourselves that the year would turn out so bad because it didn't start out right - that is so not the case - this particular date does not define the quality of the entire duration of the year.

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I really don't have much of a brain right now (four glasses of wine and a full noche buena stomach) to be elaborating the numerous events which have transpired in the past year, but I would however like to compensate for the one week of non blogging by pointing out some of the key events which occured during the week.

EuroStar Carnival
Last night, (and I am not pertaining to the Dec 31) dad brought us to the Fort to experience the said carnival. Admission costs 300 pesos which includes some tokens and a 50 peso food stub claimable at the food court. That wasn't so bad, until we saw the rides. Yihee.. they are definitely designed for teenagers - really daring twisting turning, turn-you-upside-down rides with illustrations of half naked women in kinky skirts and breast exposing poses drawn on the booth "billboards". The rides costs ranges from 2 to 6 tokens, 4 being the average. When buying tokens though, one can only buy 4 tokens, which costs 100 pesos. The rides are maneuvered by uniformed attendants, some are even foreigners. Overall reaction - a carnival for the Class A people who don't know any better way to waste their money.

Rides comments:
Booster (4 tokens)
Twirls you around and around like the astronaut training programs we see on television. Overall, I hated it - the blinding disco lights forced me to close my eyes which robbed me of being entertained by the scared look of my comrades.

Joker (6 tokens)
The best ride in the carnival for me and my brother. Its a vertical structure which swings you 360 degrees. 4 times clockwise and 4 times counterclockwise. The first time of each rotation is slow, to give you perhaps a taste of what is to come. The speed of the 2nd, third and last swings though accelerates quickly. And the whole time, I was telling my brother - my poor crotch!

Flipper (4 tokens)
This ride is what I call "earth". Basically, you rotate and revolve - something like the octopus, except your feet doesn't leave the platform. One of the more tame rides compared to the two above. My brother expressed his utmost disappointment when we got off.

Europad (3 tokens)
It's a ferris wheel. 'Nuff said.

Tips:
(1) The rides above (except Europad) are puke rides, ride and puke, puke and puke! Don't eat if you intend to ride.
(2) The most essential and important thing to bring - a comb.

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The Last Moments of 2005...

Nothing could be better than spending the last few moments as well as the first fifteen minutes of my New Year's eve in front of Yellow Cab waiting for freshly baked pizzas from a newly reheated oven with a handful of the slightly, sorta pissed Yellow Cab management , who are anticipating to get home and cuss away at how we managed to ruin their New Year's eve. What a way to start the year.