Lifechanging event

People may just not notice it, but I am still in the process of moving on from a traumatic experience that recently happened. Yes - now, I can write about it. I got into a really freaky accident recently.

It was supposed to be the usual Friday night. Our office groupie decided to have a feast at a restaurant at Bonifacio High Street (BHS) after a company event. After filling our tummies, we decided to have bottomless margarita at Agave BHS.

It was really fun - we started playing games after several glasses of the traitor drink (note: those sweet margaritas have tequila as their alcohol base). Things even got kind of dirty with the truth or dare games.

The last moments I remembered were some other groupies coming and joining, drunken chitchat with new-found acquaintances and old friends, drinking more and more margaritas, smoking and burning a friend's finger, talking nonsense, losing count of the margaritas, and next thing I knew - I was walking with a friend who escorted me to the parking lot 'coz I decided to go home.

I couldn't remember those moments that I drove my car, passed by Coastal Road and drove past the toll gates without paying the toll. I was literally sleeping while driving!

I was suddenly awaken when my car suddenly hit a post, then some orange plastic barricades and then BAM! - some 2 or 3 concrete barriers. It was like a nightmare - there were policemen, towing trucks and next thing I knew - I was home, crying to my parents in shock.

My chest was in pain. However, x-ray results showed that my ribs have no fractures whatsoever. My chest just suffered from some beating/pressure when the seat belt locked me in my seat during the collision.

My car was kind of a train wreck. I feel sorry for what happened to my car, Britney. She's one of my best friends and I realized I took her for granted. Now I have to pay the price. I'm back to commuting while my car is undergoing repair. But hey - I was used to commuting for many years before I bought Britney, so there's nothing really new.

It's true that sometimes you just have to learn your lesson the very hard and painful way. I am just very thankful to God that nothing worse happened to me. I feel like He gave me another chance to live, to be a better person and to finish the business I am meant to do in this world.

Lovin' Thailand

Last 15-21 February 2011, I went to Thailand for the 3rd time; again, with friends. I am so in love with this country that I wouldn't resist an invitation to go there given I have the time.

We stayed at our friend's posh pad in Bangkok's "hi-so" (high society) district called Thong Lo. This friend of ours (Drew), who has been living in Thailand for more than 2 years already as an expat of my employer's arch rival, shares the place with his boyfriend.

The first few days were spent roaming around the city and nearby vicinities to see temples, floating markets, elephants, street life, bath houses or what have you. The entire Friday to Saturday morning were spent at this very lovely island called Samed. Back in Bangkok, Saturday night was spent clubbing at DJ Station and G.O.D. (Guys on Display) along BKK's Silom gay district. And Sunday was spent shopping in Jatujak and Bangkok's famous malls (MBK, Siam, etc.).

Even though it was already my 3rd time to visit Thailand, I still learned many things about the country and the people (thanks to Drew).

• We learned how to count numbers in Thai.
• We learned the basic conversation phrases needed to order food/drinks in a restaurant.
• We learned how to flirt/hook up in Thai! :)
• We learned that Koh Samed is an island not really famous to most tourists. The Thai people try as much as they can to keep the paradise to themselves. That is why the island still looks virgin and definitely unpolluted. In fact, I loved it - the quality of sand, the resorts, food, booze, night life, everything!
• At first, we thought that Thai gay boys are suplado (snob), but in fact, they are just shy to talk to foreigners as they are not so confident to speak in English.
• There are many Filipinos working in Thailand as English teachers. Learning English is becoming a trend in Thailand nowadays and English language schools are booming.
• There are less poor people in Thailand than in the Philippines. Majority of the society are becoming masses and the gap between the rich and the poor are getting smaller. Unlike in the Philippines, majority are still (very) poor and the rich are far apart even from the masses.
• Thai men (straight and gay alike) are becoming like Koreans - they are becoming vainer and vainer. In fact, the market for vanity products (hygiene and make-up) for men is becoming bigger and bigger in Thailand. Beauty products are being marketed by the quality and not by the price (unlike how they are being marketed to Filipinos), as they can afford these products already (whether consumer goods level or luxurious).
• Thai gay men who have the money love to splurge by going to the beach on weekends (not clubbing) and/or undergoing facial surgery. Yes, I didn't notice it during my first 2 trips to Thailand. But when Drew told me about it, I noticed that indeed, they have facial features that are not attributable to Asian looks. They have pointed noses, square jaws, fake dimples, etc. But these things are not obvious until you investigate and look closely at their faces. I realized that yeah - Thailand is famous to tourists because aesthetic surgery is really cheap. In fact, those who have the money go to the surgeon as often as Filipinos go to the dermatologist just to get a facial.
• I was shocked to learn that the cost of sex change in Thailand is just around USD 1,000!!!

Anyhow, here's a video that summarizes all the fun we had in the Land of Smiles! :)

Saturday night groupie

My Saturday nights are always filled with fun. Thanks to these friends of mine who are there to share my passion to party!

New year, new me

It's been a while since I last posted an entry here. I kept telling myself and even broadcast on Twitter that I'm gonna write another blog post again but no - the year ended without me being able to write about something. Not even about the holidays or what have you.

So what happened to Vinci? I can honestly say that it's been a very chaotic last quarter of 2010 for me. Let's just say I almost totally messed up my career, got really upset with a (former?) friend, and I don't even wanna talk about those things.

Now is 2011. I am getting old, and that is something I just have to deal with. No big promises - but it's going to be a new me. I wanna focus on my career because I know this is one of the very few things that will keep me going through life.

2010 has been a work-life imbalance for me as I have to admit that I've had too much life and lost track of my career goals. I can no longer change the past so now's the time to make things happen.

It's half past 3 in the morning. I have to sleep. Now.