Heavy-Duty R&R

May 31, 2007Noelle De Guzman

After attending the Les Mills 2nd Quarterly Workshop on Saturday, four of my friends and I boarded the earliest Cebu Pacific flight to Kalibo, Panay Island on Sunday morning. Why would we fly to Panay? That’s a rhetorical question; I think you already know the final destination. From Kalibo, an hour’s van ride took us to Caticlan, gateway to the island of Boracay.

Yes, Boracay. I was there a little over a year ago with my family and spent three glorious days chilling out in celebration of finally finishing my master’s degree. This year I meant to do precisely the same thing in celebration of making a clean break from the past. (Those of you who have been reading this journal regularly can deduce what this “past” is. Ü)

Many things had changed in that one year between my visits to the island. Instead of taking 30 minutes to make a beach landing, our boat ride from Caticlan took us in 15 minutes to Boracay’s jetty port on the side of Boracay nearest Panay. From there, we took a tricycle (the island’s main form of transportation) to get to our rented place behind D’Talipapa, the wet and dry market between Station 2 and 3.

It was a long walk from there to the beachfront, and an even longer walk to Station 2’s D’Mall where we had our lunch, and I met up with one of the friends I had made during the last visit. Trondz Cheng owns the pioneer glitter tattoo stand on Boracay as well as the Ice Monster franchise in D’Mall, and I hadn’t seen him in a while because he had been living on the island for almost six months straight. He was about as close to a native guide as we got (hee hee), but since Boracay is very much commercialized, my friends and I were able to get around without a lot of help.

Boracay, when compared with the nearly unspoilt islands of El Nido, is a big disappointment. The heavy influx of tourists uneducated in environmental conservation ensures that the beach is always littered with human-produced trash every morning. I must confess I was glad I had friends around and I could enjoy being with them instead of bemoaning how much Boracay had deteriorated in the span of one year.

Thinking back on the trip, most of it is a blur composed of a lot of laughing, camwhoring, lazing about on the beach and in the water, drinking milkshakes (and maybe not just milkshakes?), being cheapskates and enjoying chicken butts on a stick at Mang Inasal, splurging on Italian food and junk food alike, and letting it all hang out. We didn’t do anything touristy like go island-hopping or get on a banana boat; we were just happy to be around each other and have no work on our minds.

I felt recharged and energized upon our return to Manila, like I’d left a big load behind on that island. Laughter (and a hefty dose of smiling for the camera) is great medicine for what ails the heart and mind. It was our last hurrah for the summer, and it was a great big emphatic HURRAH! at that. It was Rest & Recreation indeed.

Tags: Boracay, Summer Vacation

Heavy-Duty R&R

May 31, 2007Noelle De Guzman

Tags: Boracay, Summer Vacation

Blazing My Own Trail

May 31, 2007Noelle De Guzman

When I said I was going through a transition, I wasn’t being overly dramatic. Last September I trumpeted getting my first job; two months later I had come to the painful realization that I didn’t really enjoy what I was doing. Maybe it’s the fact that after nearly a decade of freedom in managing my own time, I suddenly had to get my head around a 9-to-6 job that had me sitting at one desk most of the day. I didn’t get a frequent change of scenery, which I’d been so used to during my years in UP. There was no variety in my daily schedule.

Now, recognizing there’s a problem is half the battle; the other half means solving the problem. I hate to say it, but for the past few months I’ve been coasting along feeling as if I’d come to a dead end sooner or later. So, when an opportunity to travel and write for a cable television channel came up, I felt a strong attraction to the nature of the work, despite its freelance and per-project basis. At least it’s directly in the field I studied, and if I work quickly enough it will also allow me time to pursue other interests, like teaching group exercise classes and engaging in sports. Also I secretly hope one day to work on Globe Trekker. I want Ian Wright’s job. Ü

Next week is my last week in Genesis. After that, I’m going into unknown territory to blaze my own trail. Figuratively speaking, of course, but if the project demands it, I would be willing to wield a bolo and hack away at the jungle overgrowth. Ü I think it’s gonna be a great trip.

Transition

May 24, 2007Noelle De Guzman

Sorry I haven’t written in 12 days. There has been a lot of stuff going on in meatspace — personal and work issues. I’ve been stressed out and sickly and don’t really have my head on straight. I’ll be back this coming Wednesday to tell you all about it. Thanks for bearing with me.

Dancing Up a Storm

May 12, 2007Noelle De Guzman

Sometimes you do things for fun, most times you do things for work. But I really love it when I can get paid for doing something I love, and dancing is one of them.

Last Sunday I had an opportunity to join Gelli and four BodyJam instructors in Robinsons Place Dasmarinas (Cavite) to present some BodyJam hiphop blocks. This was part of Solar Sports’ Summer Training Camp: a free program held in Robinsons Malls to get people moving their bodies and engaging in sports and other like activities, dance aerobics being one of them (in a promotional tie-up with Fitness First Ortigas).

Our meeting point was at the RX 93.1 station, where Gelli was boarding for HIP 21 from 8 to 11am. I arrived there around 9:30am just in time to watch her train Bea (from Radio One) on how to program music, commercials, and stingers. I sat there watching them and trying to learn through osmosis (always take the opportunity to learn new things!) while answering crossword puzzles, reading Hollywood gossip magazines, and listening to some really great R&B; and hiphop music. The time went swiftly by and soon the other instructors Brian and Menchu Peralta and Clark Amaba had arrived. We were on our way.

We got to the venue in an hour and had some time to grab food for fuel. I ended up eating a burger, a strawberry sundae, and a bag of chips. That might not possibly have been enough to keep me going, because I found myself dancing for the next two hours!

We did an opening number composed of the steps from Jam 37, 35, 36, and 34. Then Gelli, Menchu, and I warmed the assembled crowd up to “Tamale/Move Ya Body” from Jam 37. Clark, Brian, and Gelli took to the stage next and did “I’m Really Hot/Like I Love You/Lose My Breath” from Jam 33 and proceeded to the “King of the Dancehall” tracks from Jam 35. I joined the people down on the floor since I was more familiar with the routine from the participant’s side. I hope I was able to lift the crowd and encourage them to keep going.

We segued into Jam 36’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” block led by Brian, then gave the crowd a breather via “My Love”, the recovery track from Jam 40. Then it was back on stage for me and Menchu as we backed Gelli up for Jam 34. I had my doubts whether I could actually pull off the instructor’s side of that routine, but thankfully it was believable enough and I took some performance opportunities trying to hype the watching bystanders up as well.

All of us stayed onstage for our final groovedown: “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” from Jam 40. I didn’t feel exhausted and probably might have carried on dancing if given the chance. Once offstage, however, the sweat started pouring out from every pore. I found it quite embarrassing that the audience had us sign their giveaway fans in the “Sports Celebrity Autograph” box. Sure I signed a few, but I managed to pimp Brian and Clark, since Brian does international and national gymnastics and sports aerobics tournaments and is even a SEA Games medalist, and Clark is one of BodyJam’s presenters in the Philippines.

Post-event we wanted to make a quiet exit, but to our surprise five of the mall’s guards accompanied us to the parking lot as a security escort! We must really have made a positive impression. Or maybe because we looked so gangsta that they wanted to make sure we left the mall without doing any damage to property? I’m kidding, of course. The last time I was in a mall with a security escort, I was part of an entourage. This time around, I was one of the people security was protecting/escorting. It made us all feel really good about what we did.

I totally smashed myself that day, and on our way home I started coming down from the endorphin high. It was great seeing all those smiles on the faces of the people watching and working out. This is why I love being a group exercise instructor: it’s knowing that in some way for maybe even just an hour, I’m giving the people attending my class a great experience. It’s worth the exhaustion from all that effort.

Tags: Dance, Exercise, BodyJam, Les Mills

Let’s Do Launch

April 24, 2007Noelle De Guzman

It’s April, which means one thing for Fitness First Philippines: it’s the season for launching new Les Mills choreography and music for group exercise programs. Since I’m new at this and still wide-eyed, fresh-faced, and eager, I decided to go for a place on one of the launch teams for BodyBalance. This means that on the very first day the new stuff is given to members as a class, we’re the people conducting the class.

I initially thought I would only be launching at my home branch, FF Ortigas, but as other branches began launching the week after the Ortigas launch, I found myself recruited to launch at Eastwood and ABS-CBN as well. I attended the Greenhills launch just to kill time that Saturday before a meeting for my other job (the executive assistant position).

I find teaching this program really addictive. Sure it’s not dance cardio like what I’ve been raving about on this journal since last July, but BodyBalance has its own charms. It’s almost like slow dancing and ballet, and I just love it when I get that smile from participants when they’ve gotten a move or pose correctly, or when I realize that hey, these people are listening to what I’m saying and it’s my job to make sure they have a great experience with each workout.

I’ve also kept learning new things about myself as I’ve come out of my shell. Meanwhile, the people I’ve met within this program have really enriched my life. We share a common passion and I think that’s a great thing to have in a group of friends. Particularly when you all strike upon the same goofy ideas.

I can’t wait to do it again!

Tags: Fitness First Philippines, Les Mills, BodyBalance

iLove

April 17, 2007Noelle De Guzman

Let me tell you about my new best friend, who accompanies me everywhere I go, at times whispering soft words into my ear, other times rocking out and making me dance. This companion commiserates with me when I feel down, helps me learn new things, and is always there for me.

I’d like to introduce Prissy, my new iPod video. Ü Sure, she may be heftier than Kermit, my previous iPod (shuffle), but she also packs way more. I’ve currently loaded more than a thousand songs, about 20 videos, and about 300 photos — and I’ve got 50 gigabytes left on her. (Kermit has been adopted by my sister, by the way.) I’m currently paying my parents about P1,750 a month for 12 months, since they helped me get the iPod through a 0% interest plan on their credit card.

I wasn’t originally going to get one until a few months down the road, but now I’m glad I have it. It’s one of the little things that make my life easier. Now that I’m a BodyBalance instructor, I have to learn new choreography every three months (we’ve just started another cycle, but more on that in a later post) as well as refresh my brain with previous choreography. Having the video function means I can watch my instructional videos wherever I am and whenever I need to. Also, I don’t need to bring my audio CDs anymore when I teach a class (although I keep some CDs in the car just in case), so I can just plug Prissy in, create a custom playlist of BodyBalance tracks, then Push Play and Go.

BodyBalance aside, I usually listen to my own favorite music while at the office. I don’t know what it is with my officemates, but let’s just say they and I don’t share the same musical tastes. Also, I hate most radio stations and really can’t listen for too long (commercials, overtalking DJs, and some songs playing at least 100,000 times a day), so Prissy and I end up being lost in our own little auditory world. Ü Now excuse me while I go download some full albums. Hahaha. If I like them enough I’ll buy the CDs, don’t worry, Big Brother RIAA.

Tags: iPod

El Nido, Palawan

April 10, 2007Noelle De Guzman

It was practically a spur-of-the-moment trip planned by my mom, so I barely had two weeks to inform people at the office that I would be taking a pre-Holy Week vacation (which I think I very much needed anyway). So, very early on March 30 (a Friday), I found myself with my mom, my dad, and my sister at a small charter company waiting for our plane to El Nido, Palawan. We took a 19-seater (?) airplane with propellers (!!!) and landed in El Nido Airport some time around 9am.

We had been booked on Miniloc Island, but since check-in was at 2pm, we opted to take a day trip to sister resort island Lagen, which boasted, among other things, of a saltwater pool. We were welcomed to the strains of a little jingle about Palawan, then had the first of our many buffet meals. Our package included three buffet meals a day, and to my waistline’s regret I think we overindulged. Ü

Most of our first day had been spent traveling in the air and on the water, so I was glad when I got the chance to relax on one of Miniloc Island’s beach lounge chairs. Sun exposure was limited in the afternoon since the beach faces east, so I didn’t get a chance to work on getting a tan that day. Instead, my sister and I perfected our kayaking technique, which would come in handy for the next day’s island-hopping tour.

We were first taken to some caves, where I would have loved to go bouldering and caving — but it’s pretty hard to do that when all you’re dressed in is a bikini!

We then proceeded to Snake Island. There aren’t actually any snakes on the island, which is named after its sandbar, which stretches out from the island’s foundations and zigzags for what seems like a few kilometers before ending several yards away from another nearby island.
Although the sand was still powder-fine on Miniloc, the beach there had some pretty bumpy coral and shell fragments, so it was a relief to walk on Snake Island and wade offshore for a bit without worrying about injuring my feet.
The next destination on our itinerary was Entalula Island. Despite the numerous jellyfish which had washed up on shore after the night’s high tide, we found that the waters around the island were perfect for swimming. Entalula was not as developed as Miniloc or Lagen, and I think that was part of its charm for us. We definitely felt like the island was solely ours for the enjoying.

The last stops on our tour were the Big and Small Lagoons. We took kayaks through a small gap in the rocks which led into an eerily quiet lagoon (this was the Small Lagoon). The water was enclosed on all sides by towering rock, and the water was so deep that we couldn’t see the bottom. We were able to take a speedboat through the Big Lagoon, where we were shown a small platform where weddings and other occasions were sometimes performed. Our guide explained that thousands of years ago, the lagoons had been underneath a rock ceiling and were limestone caverns that had eventually fallen in.

After returning to Miniloc, my sister and I still found some energy to go snorkeling and kayaking, this time using solo kayaks. On our last day we took our kayaks past Miniloc Island’s breakwater and stared in awe at the reef beneath us. The water was so clear we could see where the reef ended and dropped off into the ocean depths. In the distance we could see a beach we could very easily reach by rowing, but we decided not to brave open water. Instead, we did a few more rounds disturbing the floating pink jellyfish and making small slow ripples on the water’s glasslike surface before returning to our cottage and packing up.

There were some activities arranged by the resort staff we didn’t get to do during our stay, such as the sunset cocktail cruise, rock climbing, bottom-fishing, or introduction to diving, but I think that gives us something to look forward to on our next visit. And maybe next time I can really laze in the sun and work on my tan, too; I used an SPF 50 sunblock and barely gained any color in my cheeks!

Sojourn

April 2, 2007Noelle De Guzman

In case you were wondering about the lack of an update last week, here’s a sneak peek at what I will be writing about as soon as I come down from the vacation high.

If the Shoe Fits

March 22, 2007Noelle De Guzman

I love shoes and wear ’em to bits, so from time to time I find myself shopping for new ones. I don’t really like buying shoes in boutiques or department stores, though (I only make exceptions for athletic footwear), since shoes that are sold at tiangge sales (bazaars) are usually 100 to 300 pesos cheaper.

However, has anyone else noticed that half-sizes are–more often than not–unavailable? I’m not sure whether it’s because the world’s shoe producers have decided by fiat that they will no longer make half-sizes, or if it’s because the people importing these shoes for sale don’t acquire the half-sizes. It’s the consumer who’s on the losing end here because she will either need to squeeze her tootsies into a pair that’s too small, or pad out a larger pair with shoe corks and additional insoles. And if your feet are alanganin (in between sizes), it can be murder trying to find a pair of shoes that don’t cut into your feet with every step or threaten to fall off if you so much as move your toes wrong. Ü

I hope this trend reverses itself; even though each person has individual differences in foot shape and size, having a lot of options regarding shoe fit helps people acquire a shoe in the size that fits.

Tags: Shoes, Shopping

true tales as told by Noelle

Year: 2007

Heavy-Duty R&R

Heavy-Duty R&R

Blazing My Own Trail

Transition

Dancing Up a Storm

Let’s Do Launch

iLove

El Nido, Palawan

Sojourn

If the Shoe Fits