Uppie AGAY LLANERA invites you to the launch of her children's book SOL. It will be at Artist's Space, 2nd floor, Glass Wing of the Ayala Museum tomorrow, March 20, at 6:30 pm.

Paintings for the story will also be on exhibit. They're done by Farley del Rosario.

The new site looks amazing, all the more pressure to create content. The following entry isn't 5 and Up related, in fact its going to be the first in a long line of non-5 and Up related blogs. It's just a random thought I had and I think you'd be better off for reading it - or not.

As I was cleaning my apartment, as I always do once every three months or when my housemate hasn't payed his share of the rent yet and I want to show him up, I stumbled upon a very large, very dead cockroach. At least I thought it was dead - it had been laying still on its back for three hours - until it finally realized that there was so much to live for in its little insectile existence and began wriggling and kicking its little legs once again with renewed vigor. After bashing it with a dustpan several times (it just wouldn't stop kicking), I bent over to check if it was really dead and couldn't help but marvel at the sheer- horridness ot it. A pointy black head, six hairy legs, a greasy black and brown body, and those little bitey thingees at the end of its beak - it was like something out of an alien movie, though I've heard that many alien movies actually base their designs on cockroaches. It made me realize that when God (or Evolution if you're into that sort of thing) was creating (or randomly evolving - once again, if you're into that) the Universe and the millions of creatures that inhabited it, He not only considered form and function, but He paid attention to aesthetics too. I mean, when you look at the cockroach - ugly as heck. One look, and you'd know that this insect was destined to be a pest. It's as if when God created the cockroach He said "I will make it so ugly that there would be no mistake in knowing that it is a home-invading, garbage-eating, disease carrier. And all the people will look upon it with disdain and/or mild annoyance and will take steps to keep it out of their homes, which will continuously prove futile."

Through the marvel of technology known as the Recent Comments box on the right side of the screen, I have discovered that (as of this posting) it has been 17 weeks and 5 days since my last post. Thank you Recent Comments box for telling me exactly how long I have been lazy for.

Anyway, I turned 21 this past Wednesday, making it 10 years since I joined 5 and Up. I celebrated with the 5 and Uppers last saturday, January 6, 2007, at Yellow Cab Katipunan. Those in attendance were Justine, Atom, Ate Data, and Ate Ian (who displayed her love of hot sauce by drowning her pizza in it). Apparently, Eliza would've been there too if we managed to stretch the dinner until 10:00. Anyway, thanks to those who came, and to those who sent their regards as well. Let's do it again next year!

In a few days, I will start working in ANC (The ABS CBN News Channel) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABS-CBN_News_Channel) as a Production Assistant. It's a new job, maybe even a new career. It gives me the jitters whenever I walk into that mammoth of a building. Primarily because it's really cold inside, and also because there are so many people, it feels like I'm in some kind of maze.

This is in stark contrast to my days in 5 and Up. We "worked" out of a small office, at first in Sct. Tordesillas St., and then on to Matipid st. The 5 and Up gang was a small group of kids and ates, kuyas, and manongs. Tita Cheche or CLL was the big boss who'd never fail to give you a smile and greet you when you ran by her office. And even the Probe Team people would always spend some time to chat with us in spite of their stressful lives. I didn't realize it then, but we were a pretty tight group. Up until this day, I still recall the people I've met at Probe and 5 and Up. And the best thing is, whenever I see them, I always get a warm hello.