Its almost time to work that movie magic, almost 1 month till d-day, time to get cracking. Pistahan 2003 -comming soon

I can build pretty much anything, I can move mountains, I could a 2 inch puppet look 50ft tall, I could make a 5k grocery getting into a 40k rice rocket, I cam make the imposible possible, the unreachable reachable, Dreams and wishes into physical reality, Water into fire, Night into day, Sticks of wood into blades of light and save the world before lunch time. Despite all this I can't find a girl that would like me for who I am. I can be anyone or anything and it seems the only me they want me to be is not the one that they see.... just a lonely little asian robot. Oh well.

-Red Ranger, saving the world one show at a time and 2wice on saturdays.

Wow I'm gettin old!

Conference has been getting busy taking up alot of my time, I still dont know why I do it but It just feels right. Like a purpose ya know? When I first worked on pistahan, It ws like Iwas programed for this shiznich and a chance for using my powers for the good of mankind instead of the usual demonicly evil intentions. Im not sure if I'll have time to install my coilovers yet so hopefully it wont snow hard anymore.

Today I eluded the cops again, I really should stop racing int he rolla, but i can't help it. If im going under 100 it just seems to slow. oh well

Broken...

She never contacted me... I guess I 'm not that important. but thats okay. there are people in the area that care about me and thats all that really maters right? I'm just a lonely lil robot.

Sweet Sweet Music

On a happy note, finally soemthing good, The background music is playing again, which mean my website WWW.Ridge-Racer.com is active again. Evil bastards at Register.com woudlnt release my site so im stuck wiht hthem for antoher year, its only money anyway but its almost 5x more expensive than my other sites regestratoins. Its just anoying.

Find2003.org/onsite

Find is comming up and Doc/IT/A&E are gettign ready to give you guys one hell of a show. Im goign all out for this so wish me luck!

SNO N GO?

My car is to low to clear some of the snowcoverd roads from our record breaking snowfall, and were gettign more snow tonight, er right now. I've been using the carolla for most of the time but i need to drive my car to stay sane. I'll have to find time to install the coil overs and raise the front end. Off road rally anyone ^_^?

Too Old?

I'm starting to feel it, age coming in, not as punctual as i use to be, not as active either, I try and fight it but i just sit in this chair more and more. I rember the days before the internet. I would practice martial arts every day and play sports for school, Base ball, Basket ball, Soccer, Hockey, Tenis, and just about anything i coudl get my hands on. Then dad brought home a comptuer from work one day, It wasnt like my comadore 64, only had a green tinted screen and text, every once in a while wed get phone calls and anser to the tone of screatching inhuman noises that were surely sent from the depths of hell. That was the begenning of what we now call the information super highway. The days of prodigy and message boards soom came and people could share tips on how to beat the eveil monsters in the d&d dos game. Then AOL came along, We were among the first people to get it with aol version1.0 a program that wont even be recognized by there servers today. At times we woudl switch service providers but since dad travels alot and often out of the country and the only global internet service provider that will let you use you laptop to connect anywhere is aol. I know alot of you say just use someones cable or dsl connection, but some countries are lucky enough to just have a telephone. The service has greatly improved with 8.0 on my computer but the slower computer cant handele the new software. But to me the biggest internet milestone is EBAY. My goal is to have 600+ positive feedbacks by the time my birthday arrives, Im at 592, i need 8 more.... Member since: Friday, Oct 01, 1999 ... so that meand ive been on ebay for only 3 and a half years. Oh well, I should make it.

Chicken

In the past couple days people have been giving me free food at random. The strangest thing is that its all CHICKEN! Chicken strips, Sandwiches, parts... I guess its good to eat solid food, but its just weird that its chicken, Do humans not value poltry as a food staple? Or is there just too many chickens int he world today? Something to think about till next time, I'm Victor Andre Gabri-Alexander Mira Arafiles and this is my Xanga Page.

Waiting....
Valentines weekend started of dismal and filled wiht an overwhelming sadness till I met Ina. I spend most of the con with her even when I was working and they forced her to clock out and told her to sleep she stayed by me fighting her human flaws. On sunday tho the weekend was supose to end and I had to leave, I was worried that I woudlnt get to see her again But as i was gettign on to the shuttle she was walking out of her hotel and cought up wiht me. I gave her my card and she smiled and then I was off to home or so I thought.

         My companions were Joey, Alice and Arin. My father was supose to pick us up frm crystal city but the weather was too rough so he sugested we get to greenbelt station where he coudl have a better chance of retreving us. Joey was with us becuase his roomate/ride went criminaly insane and we had to escort him on a rollign bed sedated from his room to the ambulance. We made it to green belt station but my dad said there was no way he coudl drive to get us because the snow was tooo deep. The thing was right when we got there the trains went from a 20 minute scedule to an hourly one and we were stuck at green belt for over 3 hours between watign form my dad and waiting for the train. Green belt is just a series of caves made of concrete open to the elements causing a wind tunnel. Arin said he was never so close to death in his life. He had taken a blanket out of his luggage and curled up in a ball in the corner of a ticket machine. We fed him seaweed and snacks pelting them into his mouth for he would not take his hands out fo the blanket. We finally decided to go to union station because it will be warm there. We got tickets for penn station and i bought everyone pizza. After sitting down i noticed a cute asian girl wearign a hat that was to big for her, it was Ina. After she was me she brought over all her stuff and made joey move over so she coudel sit next to me, then she called her friends over and everyone piled all our luggage and food in the center and had a very nice and odd but hot meal. The station finally anounced at 6:40 that our 4:05 train is ready for boarding.... All of us gatherd our stuff and then inas gorup went ahead, we thoguht it was good bye again at that point. There were 9 cars on the train so by the time it was my groups turn to board i figured there was no way I'd see her agian. We boarded one car btu it was full so we made our way back to the next and found seats. I was sittign near the middle of the car but there was no place for my lugage so I wnt to the back and started loading my lugage there and Ina said could you put these up there too please and I realized I was loading lugage on top of her seat. Stuff like that doesnt happend every day. But the sad fact is shes going to philly and im going to baltimore. I Stood up and was gettign ready to leave because my stop was comming soon and then ina came up to my seat and just hugged me. It seemed like forever, I forgot how it felt to have someone in your arms for so long. That feeling of never wanting to let go. But i had to get my luggage and it was time for the stop. After I got everything Ina hugged me again and tried not to stop saying I should stay on the train and go to philly. When I got off the train I knocked on her window and waved good bye. I told her to call or write and she nodded and then waved goodbye.

Our journey wasnt over just yet. We had a 30 minute wask in the 26" of snow throguht baltimore, In the center of the circle at penn station was a pile of snow over 15' hight, In the center of the pile of snow are several police cars eternally buried. as we walked on what use to be main roads but now endless paths of snow we was streets or what use to be streets blocked of by snow dunes causing dead ends and ramps. there were only 3 or 4 cars that we saw moving, all of which were huge monstrous suvs and hummers. There wasnt much in the wasy of food at the apartment. and the dining hall only had sandwiches. I forgot what we ate that night except for chocolatethat emi and alce made from valentines day. The second night of being traped int eh apartment I cooked pasta with chicken and vegitables in a creamy tomato and cheese sauce, Emi made a soup out of carrots onions peppers, rice and several spices. The main thing was we were alive and there was food. Finallt tuesday Joeys mom was able to pick us up, we had to walk back to penn station but we made it to out homes. The first thing I did was to check my mail. 382 emails, none from Ina... and still none to this day..

There are only 2 explinations, 1 she lost my card... or 2 After tey got home to philly they were traped at teh staion with the same situations as me. some how they made it to a house where they are scavanging tfor food and the snow because so bad it cut out the power. Ina attempted to make a generator inorder to get the computer to start back up again but failed miserably. Because of hte depleating rations they had to dig there way out of the house and Ina used the Red Led Glowstick I gave her as a beacon to summon wanderign nomades who decided to help her and her friends, the nomades led them on a journey to a distant house that was filled with food and water but no phone or computer would be redally available. Being stuck there for an undetermined amount of time she and her friends will have to knitt mittens as a form of payment. And due to her new job and responsiablitities she has forgotten about me. I guess thats how life is.

My mouse is getting fat..
All it does is sit on its wheel and get fatter and fatter. oh well. 

Its been a long ass time since I've updated here and on livejournal so lets recap the past month or so.

Nyc
Another 2 trips to nyc because emi decided she didnt want to go to school there anymore so helped move her back then on chinese newyears went to chinatown in nyc and went shopping. EZPASS F%^#(#* RULES!!!!!

A Mouse in the house
My dad has been trying frantically to cath a littel mouse that was running arround, he even set up mouse traps arroudn the place. The mouse would kick the traps settign them off and then eat the food that was there. One day i was cleaing the garbage after a small little oil/chemical fire... and the mouse was standing beside me and then started wadeling in a circle. then the mouse started following me arround the house so I built a wall arround it and plced an elaborate trap for it consisting of a mayonaise jar, bread crumbs, a cardboard tube and a box. Well of course it didnt work can i got bored so i just shovedt the mouse int he jar and then put it in the empty aquarium in the bathroom. I think the mouse was injured int he explosion because its right eye is compleatly shit and there no fur arround it... anyways when my parent came home fromt he philipeans my dad got it its own little cage wiht a wheel and feeding dishes and the whole kit and kabootle so its happy now. F#%^!!!!! I forgot im cookign dumplings.....

MMM yummie fresh hand made dumplings boiled in chicken brothen then fried in mongolian fire oil. Anyways the mouse it happy now.

Countdown to Conference
Its time for Find 2003 Conference at UMBC, http://www.find2003.org, Today is the last day to register with the $10 discount. after that its full price of $30 for distric school and $35 for non district schools. Lots of work for that with me and irene in charge of documentaion and then cunstrucion of props for pistahan night live which is gonna rock wiht lots of fun fun entertaing funness to be had, I cant't say much right now cause that woudl spoil the suprises but it will be fun.

VD BLue
Although I'm still single and alone for valentiens day, its not that bad. Emi made me these littel choclate truffle thingies which are f#$%^(! awsome, there loke solid cholate and hten you bite into them and they melt in your mouth, and i dont particilarly like choclate but there like really really f#$%^(! good. I did think about gettign people stuff for today but i didnt think it woudl be a good idea. Plus i wont really be arround today anyway beauce of katsukon. I remember the old days though when every year i'd give all my friends a fresh rose for valentines day and then id spend the week carving a rose out of clay, firing it and then painting it for that special someone. Its been a long time since I've done that... maybe obne day agin.

Rollin Rolla 
After working on the silver and green carolla's ive been getting the mod bug again. It was just supose to be some simple things, dress ups and exhaust, high security log=cs, neons, raido upgrades and such... but parts are so cheap on ebay and so tempting, Coil overs, intakes, custom body panels... yeah i know i have problems but I jsut cant stand the look and feel of soemthing stock. The body roll and sound are enough to justify an engine transplant and new suspension/roll cage arent they? Who needs girls when you got cars? hehe

Okay thats enough for today, next time will be after this weekend some day.

Dad: Dr. Soriano delivered attached eulogy for Grandpa Catalino. Dennis and I also delivered our remarks/eulogy for the family and we are getting a VCD of the whole ceremony. More than 250-300 people in Manila came to say their respects.

A TRIBUTE TO A GREAT FILIPINO WEATHERMAN 1

By

Bernardo M. Soriano, Jr. 2

In the acknowledgements in my doctoral dissertation in 1992, I thanked Mr. Catalino Perez Arafiles, former Chief of AGSSB and Deputy Director of PAGASA, for being "very instrumental in my growth as a responsible official of PAGASA" and, together with Mr. Juanito F. Lirios, also a former Deputy Director of PAGASA, for serving as "my model of a good supervisor." Indeed, I am one of the very fortunate employees to have been under the tutelage of the most brilliant and one of the most dedicated employees in the weather bureau. Among the officials of PAGASA who were beneficiaries of his excellent training are the current directors Dr. Leoncio Amadore, Dr. Rolu Encarnacion, Mr. Claro S. Doctor, and others. Most of the 12 PhD’s in meteorology in the agency were products of his vision to professionalize the PAGASA thru the scholarship program that he initiated in 1983.

I entered the Weather Bureau in 1964 and became associated with Tatang, as we fondly called him, when I was transferred from the Hydro meteorological Division, which was headed by Mr. Lirios, to the Institute of Meteorology, where Mr. Arafiles was officer in charge in 1972. I became closely associated with him when he recommended me as his assistant in 1982 until his retirement in 1989.

As far as I know, until now, he still holds the distinction of being the only summa cum laude and recipient of the President’s Gold Medal in the agency when he graduated as an electrical engineer from Feati University in 1955. Since he joined the bureau in 1950, he never left it until he retired in spite of attractive offers and opportunities for high paying jobs overseas, including the World Meteorological Organization, which pays thousands of US dollars even during Mr. ArafilesEprime years. His dedication to his work was most evident when he chose to stay in the PAGASA in the early 80’s after most of his family migrated to the U. S.

Mr. Arafiles was an intense but quite logical official of the PAGASA. He was forceful for what he thinks is right and just but humbly accepts his mistakes, which are very rare. He was very convincing when he propounded on certain issues and concerns of the agency. I’m sure that these qualities were the main reasons why the Director of PAGASA always wanted him by his side to present the budget proposal of the agency in both houses of Congress.

Mr. Arafiles was very strict but benevolent boss. His exacting nature kept us always on our toes, very productive and well disciplined. His rigorous standards compelled me to work harder to complete my master’s and doctoral degrees. He is kindhearted and sympathetic to his subordinates and his peers. May PAGASA employees have enjoyed the incentive benefits of the projects he managed. I am one of those employees who have personally benefited from his kindness, when in 1979, he referred my mother, who was suffering from a swollen foot, to his son, Dr. Ruben P. Arafiles. Dr. Arafiles then was already a noted orthopedic surgeon but did not charge us any fee.

Before he informed me, when we were alone together in his room, that his daughter-in-law (wife of Virgilio, his eldest chilled) in the states had passed away, my impression of Tatang is that he is without human emotion. But this impression was totally changed when I saw him shed tears as he told me the news. I thought then that he was after all a human being.

Mr. Arafiles was a very warm and jovial person. When he laughs, he always gives a hearty laugh. He loves to be with friends singing, drinking and playing bowling. His favorite song is "Dungdungwen can to" and his favorite drink is White Castle whiskey.

Mr. Arafiles had an M.A. in Physics but could easily have obtained a doctorate degree if he wanted to. He said that it is enough for him to see his children through college. And this he did for six children through sheer hard work and paltry salary and allowances at the Weather Bureau/PAGASA.

He held various prestigious posts outside PAGASA, among which as President of the Philippine Meteorological Society, Chairman of the National Committee on Marine Sciences, and Chairman of the Division on Earth Sciences of the National Research Council of the Philippines. He wrote several scientific publications and was given the Civil Service Superior Honor Award in 1967 and the NRCP Achievement Award in 1985.

Today, I pay homage to a great man who chose to serve his country than be with his loved ones, not because he had passed away but because he still lives in my heart. His work ethics are still my guiding principles. His integrity is my ideal and the honor that he has attained among scientists and his co-workers is my aspiration.

Goodbye, Tatang! May you be with God Almighty!

1 Eulogy delivered at funeral rites of PAGASA Deputy Director Catalino P. Arafiles, Sr. (Ret) at the Holy Trinity Memorial Chapel, Sucat, Paranaque, Metro-Manila on 25 January 2003.

2 Weather Services Chief, Atmospheric, Geophysical and Space Sciences Branch (AGSSB), PAGASA.

3 An Ilocano song which translates to "I will love you forever"

My hellish day of crap is finally over. My parents left in the morning for the philipeans to go to grandpas funeral. Naturally Mom was running late so we had to rush out of the house. the day before dad had the car taken in for inspection so he to out the garage opener. we rushed to the airport and arrived at 840, there international flight was for 920, definately not the sugested 3 hours prep time. driving home I was asked to drop mail off at teh post office and right when i pulled intot he driveway i rembered to and decided to go. Thats when i realized i was #$%&ed.

Normally if i go out wiht friends and I dont drive i park MY car outside and use the intergrated garage opener to enter the house. Since i was useing the carolla it had a garage opener and we were in a rush, needless to say my parents inadvertently LOCKED ME OUT OF THE HOUSE. normally this wouldnt be suck a big deal cause i woudl have stuff to break in, but durring the rush and lack of me not driving my car everything i needed to get into the house was well, in the house. Added to this was the cold weatehr today, i had a botole of water in the car with me before we left for the airport and now the bottle was a frozen solid block of ice. arround 1 oclock keith stoped by and let me in the house so i decided to cook food.  mu luck/ life hasn't been so great lately. I feel drained, useless and above all else weak. I feel like im dying emotionly and physically. poopie.

what my dad and sis have to say about grandpa

sis:

"I have told some of you already.  For others, this is
new.  My grandpa, Catalino P. Arafiles, died on
Monday, January 13, 2003.  He was 78 year old.  He was
having medical problems, so I’ve known this was coming
for almost a year.  It’s still hard to deal with, but
I know he would want me to move on, especially with
school.  To Grandpa, there was always something new to
learn in life, a new challenge at every level.  Seems
like every day is a new challenge in dental school.  I
just have to keep up with it.

Let me tell you a little bit about Grandpa Catalino.
He was married to my grandma Connie.  He was the
father of six children: Vil (Virgilio), Ruben,
Mildred, Jun (Junior), Jimmy (Jaime), and Dennis with
my dad, Vil, as the oldest.  He was the grandfather of
eight grandchildren: Angel (Maria), Vik (Victor),
Becca (Rebecca), Koko (Ruben, Jr.), Claribell,
Jimuelle, Clarissa, and Jileny (Jilenymarie) with me
as the eldest.  Yes, I have a big family.

Grandpa was the first in his family to go to college.
He was flown to MIT from Vigan, Philippines and got
his bachelors degree there for free.  He later
attended the University of Toronto to get his masters
degree in physics.  Then, back in the Philippines, he
obtained his masters degree in electrical engineering
at Feati University.  He eventually climbed the ladder
to become a top notch meteorologist.  The funny thing
is that many Filipinos around the Manila area,
including my mom’s side of the family, knew him as the
weatherman who told them when school was out, etc.  He
was not only known locally, but he also traveled the
world on business trips.  He also had many research
papers published.  He was a man dedicated to his work,
and made many people happy through his work.

His children have followed in his footsteps.  All have
completed at least a bachelor’s degree.  Some have
gone beyond.  My generation is spanning from high
school to grad school, with me being the only one old
enough for grad school so far.  We are all very
fortunate to share some of his genes.  Sadly, one of
us is deceased (we miss you Koko), but I am glad
Grandpa is there with him now.

I remember Grandpa being very nice, and cheerful.
He’d bring Vik and I presents.  He enjoyed it when I
played the piano.  I only wish I could have seen him
more, but it was difficult with him living in the
Philippines and me in the States.  I miss him."

-Maria-Angelica

Dad:

"Maria's Grandpa, Catalino P. Arafiles (1924-2003), was one of the founders of the Philippine Meteorological Society and have served as the third society President around the 1984-1989 time frame. He also served as the Director, Operations Organization of the Philippines Weather Bureau (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, or PAGASA, an acronym that means "hope" in Tagalog) before he retired in 1989. He is well known in the World Meteorological Organization for his research in tropical storms, cyclonic, and hurricane storm surge modeling and prediction.

Undoubtedly, the results of his work have saved, or affected countless of lives worldwide. He was presented the first "Founding Father Award" (plaque and cash) by the PMS in March 2001.

Examples:
1. C. P. Arafiles, "Tropical Cyclone Coastal Impact," Chapter 12, Proceedings of the WMO International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones (IWTC), Tropical Meteorology Programme Report Series, Report #21, Bangkok, 25 Nov to 5 Dec 1985, pp 99-111.

2. C. P. Arafiles, J. G. delas Alas, R. P. Encarnation, "A Simple Numerical Model for Storm Surge Prediction," Proceedings of the Joint International Conference on Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Philippine Meteorological Society and American Meteorological Society, Manila, 18-22 Mar 1985, pp 285-302."

-Virgilio P Arafiles

Me: This is all that i can do after everything has gone to hell and back everything i tired to do in the past couple days has failed misserably. posting messages failed, my webpage failed, and sometiems it seems like my lugs failed. Copy and paste the following links, its the only way i can get anytihng to work, my webpage is down somehow and geocities is being a little bitch. but if you copy and paste it will work

Old picture of grandpa http://www.geocities.com/plutofire7/dad.jpg

Recent Picture Of Grandpa http://www.geocities.com/plutofire7/hughheffner.jpg

Recent Picture Of Grandpa # 2 http://www.geocities.com/plutofire7/superlolo.jpg

Grandpa and Grandma http://www.geocities.com/plutofire7/loloandlola1.jpg

Grandpa making lechon http://www.geocities.com/plutofire7/loloandlechon.jpg

Grandpa and his pet CARABOU!!!!!!http://www.geocities.com/plutofire7/loloandbaka.jpg