And so we're thrown back into the madness.

To the readers of my blog, sorry if I haven't been around lately. My focus on work went into a total and absolute standstill last week, as I didn't even wanna touch Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and CorelDRAW. For the artists out there, I'm sure you'd sympathize with me. These are the exact same softwares we use for our work.

Anyhoo, a lot to update about, but I'll begin with my silent protest to an article I linked last time. Yes, folks, under my Capoeira pants, I wear.. tights. Weird? Yes, I know. Though apparently Lorena and the rest of the girls want to see me wearing it along with tight, neon green briefs (this is a private joke thingee with them and the squad, since they're trying to get us guys to wear that, which I'm sure we'll all agree to). I guess the reason why I really pushed through in wearing them was for the actual reason they're used by burly basketball players: To add warmth and prevent swelling in their legs. And thank God, it worked. My legs feel a whole lot better and didn't ache as much as the first time I attended Capo. So yes, tights are good. Tights are MANLY. Hahaha!

As Lorena had mentioned, we had an awesome time at Fuego a couple of weeks ago (this was around the same time as SEXY PARTY 2). I missed hanging out with Demented, and it was one of those rare occurrances that Mama Jules got to go with us, so yay! Complete cast. Funny, Lorena would always tell me that weird mishaps would happen to this group in out-of-town trips, and by weird I mean "what-the-hell-how-did-this-happen-and-why-oh-well-it's-there-na" weird. Last year on our way to La Luz, the van we rented suffered a really bad overheating problem. A valve in the radiator broke, and we had to get a new valve in town. But that was while the rest of us waited in the middle of Startoll Highway. This year it was a different problem, but same banana. The Starex we rented overheated because of the weather and in struggling with the uphill climbs. It was okay on the way, but headed back was a different story: the reserve blew up. So yes, stranded on the road again. Lucky for us, we got a mechanic to make a temporary reserve, and we were back on the road again.

It made me think at that time: The reason why out-of-towns with this group always came out absolutely fun was because of these mishaps. We all had bonding time trying to solve the problem, or laughin to whatever thing came up. And plus the mere fact that we all stuck together in spite of the crazy instance makes it a lot more memorable. Big Kudos to Monica and Philip for being gracious hosts and helpful aids in our time of mishap. :)

Speaking of out-of-town trips, Sexy Party 3 will be next month. RAWR!!!! Shirtless boys in shorts, yes, that's done na. Shortless boys in shirts.. Well, what happens in Batangas, stays in Batangas (and I think the weekend Lorena and I were in Fuego made for more of those honking laughters as well). But Sexy Party 3 seems set for manly elasticity. Hahahaha!!!

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Put on the apron of humility,
Serve your brother, wash his feet
That he may walk in the way of the Lord,
Refreshed, Refreshed!!!

My family enjoys and looks forward to Holy Week a lot, not just for precious family time, but for really reflecting and stuff. I never really found it in me to go out of town during the weekend. I like just chilling at home, especially the hellish months that kicked off this year, I was looking forward to being home or reflecting somewhere,

That verse above is from the Washing the Feet ceremony that my family attends. Quick thought, imagine this being sung with a bunch of Franciscan priests (tousieurs and all) singing with bars of soap in their hands. That folks, is what my entire family would laugh about every year that we attend the Washing of the Feet.

But seriously, I enjoyed listening to the Thursday and Friday morning recollections. Very insightful talks this year, and quite enlightening, too. And these reco's aren't the ones that make you want to fall asleep in utter boredom. The speakers were hilarious in their own right, drawing up a lot of audience participation as well. Coolness. :)

Another thing I look forward to is Black Saturday, when I get to spend time with my relatives on my Dad's side in BF Homes, Parañaque. At my Tito Louie's, to be precise. My Tito's place is like a resort in the middle of a village. Well-made house, big gates, large gardens, a pool table, and a swimming pool. Don't forget the videoke machine, tv, DVD player and so on. And it's probly the only time that all my cousins get to swim together. If that doesn't sound strange to you, we're around 14. Add the significant others, and it's 17.

This year, Lorena got to go with me to BF, and we had a honking awesome time. Pigged out on banana leaf-covered rice with Pinoy food for ulam, for starters. And since we both love swimming and going to the beach, we were so raring to hit the water. Literally. And I have the small red bump on my forehead to prove it. :P Then of course, Mr. Trillion Bucks (no more Must Be Worth, coz you are, dude) and Mr. Destruction hung out with us with beer and funny stories to last us the entire late afternoon. But most of all, I got to spend that entire day with Lorena, and it was awesome. She made my weekend complete. :) Thanks a whole bunch, swee! :)

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One thing I got to ponder upon during the week was being the "kuya" figure. Not that I don't relish this, but just taking that initiative. I have 5 sets of friends that I hang with. In 2 of those groups, I'm either in the middle or the youngest in age. So with the other 3, being the big brother definitely goes with the age. And in spite of trials and tribulations of being the eldest, I realized that I can only do so much as a "big brother", and that my friends are old enough to make something out of themselves. But of course, I'll always be their "kuya" when needed. :)

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Finally, I've decided to take my photography to a higher level.. Yup, I'm offering up my services for events (documentation, even.. in the artistic sense). Those who want to see sample works, it's on this site.

And now, as I charge in with my Falchion and Katars blazing (and since my Lenten fasting's done as well), I leave you with immortal quotes that embodies the Punksquad (God bless you, Punkradio!)

"HELLO DEARS, I COME BACK FROM WASHING MY BAAADY!"

"RAPE IS HANDSOME STYLE!"

Happy week to all! :) 

Haaay, naku. Guys, read this article.

I will channel Mr.Must Be Worth A Trillion Bucks (in his early days) in this one. 

My God, what is up with people these days? Why do some governing commissions rip away on the very things that are give comfort and warmth to people?

You know, it's sad. Imagine, they pays billions of dollars to organize games. Then team organizations spend millions for all things beneficial to the league, including the health and well-being of basketball players. And they have to make a huge fuss on something so simple, so inexpensive.

They are making a fuss over a pair of tights. 

It is well documented that athletes, especially longtime ones, yearn for whatever support equipment can give them added comfort, warmth and protection from the waist down. Especially the knees. Trainers within the organization take special care to the athletes' knees, as these swell up really fast and hamper performance. And c'mon, if it's a tried and tested formula. Tights reduce the swelling in knees, and they provide some great warmth for the legs, especially when the game starts.

And they want to ban elastic leggings, pantyhose or whatever you call it. Leotards. Whatever. 

I can understand the "smart casual" dress code, coz as ambassadors to the game, you have to uphold your image, as kids will emulate you. You're set as an example, and people follow your look.

But wow, tights. TIGHTS. NOT GUNS, NOT KNIVES. TIGHTS. 

It's not like they'd strangle someone to death with it, right? So what if it's a fashion trend? Big deal, it has its purposes. Why deprive players of their well-being, even? What if an entire team is rendered unable to play, because their legs hurt so much.

C'mon, Nike sells these from 35-50 dollars to sell comfort like that. Here, it will cost around PHP300. But for warmth that lasts long? Isn't that worth more than millions of dollars of surgery and therapy?

But no, they take it out because it's a fad daw.

My stand on this? Don't take it out. Fine, make them send a permit from their doctor or therapist saying they have to wear it. That's acceptable. Don't rule it out. For the sake of the basketball players, don't rule it out. Save them from longterm hurt. Let them play out their hearts without thinking of inevitable pain.

Let's not make a big deal on elastic leggings. At the end of the day, these elastic leggings serve a purpose. 

Last night, after weeks of being unavailable, I was finally able to buy the time and schedule for my first Capoeira class. I'm the latest in the Punksquad to have finally decided to take on this martial art. But for a primer, you may want to read up about the history of Karltwheels.

Anyhoo, the guys usualy attend the Thursday class. I would, too, but my commttments to the CLP activity every Thursday will keep me away from Thursday class for the next couple of months. Luckily, I was able to accommodate myself to the Wednesday class.

Enthusiastic as I am to tell the squad and other people about it, I was often greeted with the same reaction from everybody:

"Isn't that for the advanced class?"

"Wow, your first session, with the advanced class. You're gonna die."

Ahh, skepticism. Boosts my enthusiasm even more like shots of steroids for athletes. Well, not as illegal or long term brain-damaging , but a boost nonetheless.

And so, I hopped over to Ayala to meet with Rally and Coco (who decided to watch tonight) en route to Manila Polo. Nugget was there already, using his lola's Echo (which I call the premature version of the Jazz, hahaha!).

Now obviously, I knew I was gonna get my ass whipped or something, but what was a baptism of fire for the 3 last time was pegged to be an inferno for me.

I finally got to see Fantasma (I can hear Coco's snickering in my head) in person. Initially I thought I was gonna see some dreadlocked and dark-skinned guy, with washboard abs. To my intial dismay, he had a month-old shaved head and was built like a soccer player. But hey, I said to myself, he's the master. He can look like Ronaldo for all I care, but he can still kick ass.

So after the intial stretching, and the basic stance/basic evade reviews from Rally and 2 orange belters, on to the actual lessons. Fantasma introduced us to 4 techniques, which were combinations of dodges, spins and kicks. After fumbling a bit, I'm glad to say I got them down pretty well. If you're wondering what happened to the so-called hell part, that came after every technique, where they made us do jumping-jacks, push-ups, crunches and so on. Oh, and the cartwheels and backflips came in, too. Thank God I took up karate and breakdance before. The breakdancing helped me keep my form for each tumble.

Moments later, Fantasma made us gather around for something known as the Hoda, or circle play. Wow, my first session and I get to take part in this! So we have instrumentals and people chanting as the entire class clapped and chanted in unison. And then pairs started coming in and beginning their play. At one point, Nugget and I made eye contact.

Aiyt, boi. Let's hoda then. You and me, lezzgo.

Awesome, awesome, awesome. It was such a rush to be dodging, spinning and kicking in rhythm. Nugget was just as cool, as he did a couple of dodges and sweeps before ending with a headbutt. After the hoda, the traditional shake and half-hug ensues.

I wanted another go after catching my breath, so Nugget and I prepped for round two. That was, until one of the higher belters informed me that I should play with one of the yellow belts. I didn't realize that until the chants turned into a Happy Birthday song. I was to take part in playing with the yellow belt who was celebrating his birthday that day. I cut in, did the stance a bit then proceeded to do a triple spin in place.

Then (comic relief 1)Rally cut in. And turned towards me. Then everyone pointed out that he's supposed to cut in and face the celebrant. LOL. It's all good.

At this point, everything is an absolute blur to me. I swear, in fast or in slow, everyone was flying all over the place. I found myself immersed deeply into part of the Brazilian culture. At times the I'd look at people chanting, and it's as if they were on slow motion. It was so artistic seeing the jumps and turns, and that sudden backflip move by Fantasma. I got absorbed into the world that is Capoeira. For a moment, I felt in unison in a world so artistic, so vibrant, so lively. The chants turned into tributes in my ear, as each word, each syllable became a self-bestowed professing of love to fellow man, to fellow capoeiristas, to everyone in that circle. I felt as if every clap generated energy into everyone's soul. Each clap was part of the art, the skill that is Capoeira. It was a sense of fulfillment, of peacefulness.

Moments later (enter comic relief 2), Rally (who's in play), cartwheels and his foot hits my balls.

Thankfully, I was absorbed into the culture enough that it strengthened my testicular fortitude.

After the hoda, we had a lot of constructive comments from Master Fantasma. And so I hear what Coco had described as the slightly-broken English with accent. He was telling us to "play more.. play more.." and "many times you see people.. they fall.. but after, they get better." Then he said something that sticks to my head this very minute:

"You truly learn Capoeira.. when you learn not to be afraid when you fall."

Of course, the example given of "putting babies on the floor to watch them fall" garnered a bit of laughs from all, his message was as clear as crystal. At times we will all fall. But it's the getting up that makes us learn, makes us better. Makes us want to be better, and when we do, it gives us a sense of accomplishment, a sense of fulfillment, a sense of.. invincibility (yeah, it sorta does when you accomplish something, don't it?). Whether in the office environment, or in the center of a Hoda, the message is the same.

I found it sooo awesome an experience. Rally, Coco and Nugget, thanks for going with me. I now have a reason to always look forward to Wednesday nights. Also, to sweetie, for the awesome cardio and quick weightlifting at the gym the other night. All in all, it makes my body feel good. :)

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go through this day proud of my total body pains. :)

Blogging, hehehe. :P

But since Lorena tagged me, I will oblige. :) 

Let's play TAG!

4 jobs I've had in my life:
a. Freelancer/Monthly Illustrator (Modern Teacher Magazine)
b. Artist/Corporate Image (Philtranco Service Enterprises, Inc. - Marketing Communications Group.. phew! yes, the bus company had a marketing group)
c. Graphic Designer/Layout Artist (Grafikoncepts and Designs)
d. Senior Artist/Copywriter (Robinsons Land Corp)


4 films I can watch over and over:
a. Brain Donors (Where can you find a movie that combines slapstick with intellectual quips?)
b. Dead Poets Society (Oh Captain, my Captain!)
c. Wayne's World (Sheeeeyuh!)
d. A Walk to Remember (Sweetie, you remember what I said about this movie! Ep, ep, I know about what this movie did to you, ha! ;P)

4 places I have lived:
a. San Juan, Metro Manila (I've lived here forever)
b.
c.
d.


4 TV programs I love to watch:
a. American Idol
b. Rockstar
c. One Tree Hill (yes, folks, I watch this show)
d. Friends (reruns)


4 places I would have visited had I had the money:
a. Australia again!
b. New Zealand
c. England
d. Ireland (So I can forever abuse the phrase "Aye neeed that mohnee, Tom!" or "Aye, are you from Belfast, ye?")


4 websites i visit daily:
a. My blogs
b. Multiply
c. Wikipedia (for every pop culture-based trivia that infests my head)
d. NBA on ESPN


4 of my favorite foods:
a. Italian
b. Japanese
c. Mexican
d. Pinoy


4 places where I would want to die:
Either in bed or in a hospital bed with my loved ones beside me. Can't think of anything else.



4 people (living/dead) who you want to meet:
a. Michael Jordan (His Airness!)
b. Robin Williams
c. Color Me Badd (yes, they will always be my favorite group no matter what)
d. Patch Adams (because of his uniqueness, I give him absolute props)

4 Places Ive been on Vacation (the last four)
a. La Luz (oh my God! Do you know what this calls for? A sexy party!)
b. Baguio
c. Tali
d. Baguio again.


4 Places I would Rather Be Right Now
a. Beside the girl I love :)
b. Somewhere in Europe.. or probably the Oceania
c. Boracay
d. Tali.. I want to go to the beach again!


6 People I Wanna Tag 
a. Lorena! (wait, she tagged me already.. oh well)
b. KarlPuzonMustBeWorthATrillionBucks!
c. Jamie (aka SP01 Cheese Lumpia)
d. Rio
e. Yapi
f.  Miggy

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I'm actually stoked this week. Work aside, I think the reason for my surge in vigor and enthusiasm can be derived in job interviews that are so promising. I mean, I will always enjoy my time here in RLC, but my learning curve is already in the dust, and I feel it's really time to move on.

I guess what drives me even more right now is the thought of having fun for every single weekend that comes. Can't help it, it's summer! Any way that I can get myself swimming in water and burned.. rocks. :)

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As everybody knows, the sexy party rocked. More sexy parties to come!!!! Please. ;P

Interestingly though, I'm still pretty amused that my squad and Lorena's HS friends get along pretty well to the point that they hang out without us! It's crazy, yet I'm amused like anything. Mr.TrillionBucks and I were talking about it last night, and he's actually more weirded out than I am. But hey, I'm cool with it. They're such a nice bunch of people. With a multitude of sexual inuendos bunched into our heads. Haaay, fun fun fun!

And I've also decided to take up Capoeira for real. Seriously, I love the exercise, and I need to brush up on anything to improve whatever is left of my breakdance skills. So Wednesday, prepare for some Capo, Trees style!

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I'm just glad that my head's out of the weekend mode it's been on since 1am this morning. I love the focus on what I do for the future with my GG. Rest assured, and God-willing, am gonna make it happen. :) 

I was reading up on updates on the next season of RockStar, to see who they had decided to get as the band in search of a lead singer. What was going through my mind ranged from "Which band could make it into this show? Van Halen? Naah, they've always had issues with their vocalists. Mr. BIG? Naah, the groups disbanded a long time ago. Instead, they decided to put together their own group.

I'm actually happy with the lineup that they've chosen. Motley Crue's Tommy Lee, GNR's Gilby Clarke, and former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted. But interestingly enough, I never expected the rest of this to add up. 

Seriously, I never thought that this strange occurance would happen. Dang, I had that name up even before they had went public with theirs.

But if the group rocks, I'm okay with it. In fact, maybe I'll even get a copy of their album.

But if they suck, that's an Armani briefcase-full of WTF. Hahahaha!!!

Details of the weekend (I think it's time for a Sexy Party) to follow. :) 

So here I was, relaxing since the weekend's here, and I thought I'd do something to catch my interest by logging on to Wikipedia. Now usually when I go here, it's really just to read up on one of the things I enjoy talking about with people: Pop Culture.

The results of these are what I found quite interesting, or even hilarious to some point. More often these are subject to the interpretation of those who read my entries. But all the same, it's interesting and will always bring about the usual Death of a Manila Folder reaction (All together now!):

WTF WERE THEY THINKING?!?!? 

For instance:

While many were already alive during the battle of teen pop queens in modern times (featuring primarily Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera). But back in the late 80's-early 90's, there were two girls who fiercely competed for radio airtime and magazine covers: Deborah "Debbie" Gibson and Tiffany Renee "Tiffany" Darwish. Both received major sucess during these times with songs like "Electric Youth", "I Think We're Alone Now" and so on. Later on in their careers, the albums they churned out killed their mass appeal but literally pwned for the sake of their eclectic fan base. This showed that they couldn't ride the mass appeal they received from their teen days.

But with all those happenings and occurances, at one point of their careers, they did something to put them back on the map.

THEY BOTH POSED FOR PLAYBOY

I'm serious. Run Google and add playboy to their names. Yup, they did.

I found this hilarious to one point. But hey, I think people will agree that as they grew older, their bodies started maturing and made people (particularly the perverted ones) drool over their looks and, er, assets.

What do you all think? I bet none of you can imagine them singing their hit songs as they gyrate with as little clothing possible.

Man, that's so WHACK! 

Wow, I can't believe I finally found the time to blog again!! I've been so busy lately, and I'm actually fortunate that this lunch break didn't require me to work on Job Orders!

Okay, a couple of shout-outs before I carry on:

- A Very very VERY Happy Birthday to my sweet girlfriend Lorena. You're the coolest, most awesome girl in the world. I love you, pretty lady! :)

- Congratulations to my cousin Gino and wife Anna for the birth of their daughter, Amelie Louise, last Sunday at Asian Hospital. I swear, early on my cousins and I already knew how adorable a little girl she'd be. And look at her now!

I think that picture just says it all. :)

- Rally got pwned, Trees style last night. You know it, mister. You know it!

- I'm in a magazine!! Check out GAME! for my reviews. I'm gonna pitch my new segment/article for next month na. Won't mention it here, I don't wanna jinx it.

That aside, I want to share that I've noticed something as of late. Lorena's barkada and the Squad have grown pretty close, particularly Tyke and Yapi on Lorena's side, and Fish, Peanuts and Coco on the side of the Squad. Not that it's creepy or anything, it's weird in a good way. I never expected both groups to connect so fast in only a matter of months. Oh well, it's a blessing then. Heck, they even comment on each other's blogs!

I guess another reason for their added exuberance for constant blog-checking and commenting is the mere fact that we're all hitting the beach this weekend. It's a triple birthday bash thingee, and it's gonna be a crazefest. My God, I swear, after practically 2 1/2 weeks of going home late and getting more swamped than the shady areas of the Bayou, I feel I deserve this break. La Luz seems so far away right now.. who am I kidding, it's just around the corner. HUuuuuzAAAAAh!

Okay, that's really all I want to blog about right now, I'm actually 3 minutes away from my often-mandatory and always-welcomed afternoon nap. Foootah, I never knew that what our helps/nannies/yayas made us do when we were younger is such a welcome addition right now. Wahahaha!

And finally, I have two more entries that will come soon, depending on my workload:

1) My American Idol Top 12 Commentary: What They Need To Win, and

2) The-Long-Overdue-Yet-Very-Meaningful Jimmy Santos Analogy!!!

I'm out! Laterz!! :) 

I swear, if there was any sort of indication that anything is or can be possible if you put your mind to it, here's one of those really concrete examples. As in, "C'mon-I-don't-think-holy-shit-what-the-hell-that's-farkin-awesome!" example.

At one point, I thought I was gonna tear up or something. :)

I think it's safe to say that we all try to follow the 5th installment of the phenomenon which is American Idol. And for those who followed the Right Before Your Eyes version, you saw my 10 cents about the 4th ed's contestants. And although my bet lost, what I had said about Carrie proved true.

So once again, I've decided to write another one. But this time, I'm going to attempt and give some ways as to how each contestant can win the competition. This is based on my perception of each singer.

Without further adjooju, I begin.

Girls:

Ayla - She's got a strong showing so far. Not quite as mindblowing in terms of performances, but nonetheless she's good. Look for her to last long if she carries on with pop ballads and an occasional upbeat song. In fact, I hope she goes upbeat in the upcoming show. A plus for her: she knows the limits of her voice and uses it to her advantage.

Paris - Paris' strength is not just in her energy as a young competitor, but as a great singer. If she decides to sing slower songs, it will be a plus for her if she can channel her enthusiasm into her songs.

Mandisa - no doubt, she can sing. If Mandisa can channel the voice that is Queen Latifah-ish, adding her fashion style can make her even more sellable to the public. A plus for her: She's comfortable with the way she is, and that's confidence to the max.

Lisa - Lisa comes across as a power singer, in the Whitney Houston-Tony Braxton sense (but with a higher base singing voice). Lisa, if anything, should work on song selection more. Maybe a fast song for the upcoming show could work to her advantage.

Melissa - Country girl has potential, but her biggest setback is that she has no likeability and charisma. She might have to work on a look that'll make her become even more of a hit. Plus for her: She's under the radar, so she's a sleeper to win.

Kinnik - Kinnik is someone that I refer to as a "token female power singer", a cliche seen way too much in all seasons of the show. She needs to break away from what makes her such, so that her likeability will grow.

Kellie - I think it's safe to say that from all the girls, she has the most charm. However, I noticed something from her since day one. And that she's a merger of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Hence, towards the latter part of the competition, she must discover her own sound, which I think is modern pop/pop rock. Coz if America realizes what she looks like and sounds like, she'll be in trouble. And she should kill the nerves as well.

Katharine - The sweet sounds are her strengths. She has a sweet sounding voice that can channel all eras of music. I think song selection is something that she can work on. She must choose either "dreamy" songs to showcase her sound, or go giddy upbeat.

And now, the guys:

Will - Will has a 70's kid feel to him, and that could mean trouble. His songs are tried and tested. If he can infuse that with more modern music, he's in. And a bit of wardrobe change could do him good.

Gedeon - so far, he seems more like a wildcard, coz you wouldn't know what he'd sing next. I think for Gedeon to go far, he should channel more of John Legend rather than Richard Pryor. He has the look and the potential sound to be a soul singer, so he should harness his energy into that. That will make him more entertaining and interesting to listen to.

Kevin - This one, folks, is the true underdog of the comptetition. No one actually sees this guy going far. But I think he just needs to play the right cards. No doubt, he has the Clay Aiken angle going for him. If Kevin utilizes his theatre voice for popular musical songs, or if he borders towards 80's pop, he may have a shot. He shouldn't be afraid to turn to fast songs. It will make him more aware of his capability.

Ace - Ace definitely leads in terms of looks. He has the hypnotizing glare that makes people remember his performances. What he needs to work on, though, is finding the POP/RNB sound which really highlights his voice. Less of the balladeering, I guess. For a finishing, expect him to continuously abuse his hypnotic glance.

Chris - he has the strongest voice in the group. He's got a lot going for him right now, as he's slowly building up charisma. What Chris needs to do eventually is prepare himself for other genres. No doubt he has the rock thing going for him, he just needs to slowly work the pop aspect into his songs.

Bucky - Bucky is the sleeper from the guys, as well as the underdog factor. I'd like to see him attack songs like his idol, Kid Rock. With reckless abandon. Sing the South, but attack his songs with the Kid's energy. If they see that, his genuine personality will shine.

Elliot - By far, he has everything going for him as well. He's coming across as the Mario Vasquez of the group in the sense that he doesn't force the issue. The only thing he might have to work on is his (I don't wanna touch on this because I read that his diabetic nature may do him in) look. Elliot looks like RNB producer Jon B. If he can use that look and go uptown street, he's got a ready made look indeed.

Taylor - The "father" of the group can surely channel Joe Cocker any night. If he can channel Joe Cocker in a younger aspect (Woodstock style, y'all!), he has a better chance. People are starting to believe in his capabilities, so all he has to do is show flexibility to augment that. Look for him to rock and go upbeat this week, as that will kickstart his Joe Cocker feel even more.

So there, I still think that the guys are more talented this year. But the girls have brighter spots compared to last year. Let's just hope that the producers decide to think of waaaay better themes for this year's weekly song theme. And no, nursery rhyme bullcrap either.

Well whaddya know? Something that actually ushered in more intrigue over the millions of controversies and speculations about rallyists and State of Emergency hoopla.

Too bad we all saw this coming a long time ago. :P 

For those who were still following my ramblings all the way back to early last year, most of you already know that my cousins and I have a pact to create something substantial from our creative minds.This would later on be dubbed the Beltran-Gellar Pact (Gellar because of our shared interest in Friends, and coz my brother, who heads the pact, is the Ross of the group).

At this point, I feel as if the pact has become very motivating. Well, aside from the consequence of treating everyone should the pact be neglected. But I digress.

Lately, I've found myself so stressed out about work, that I needed a way to bring a bit of recreational fun to my brain. So, I went about rewriting the original script (which is still unfinished, by the way.. Hahaha!), and made it snappier in terms of dialogue.

Another reason for this tenacity was it allowed me to better analyze the people whose characteristics loosely resemble the players in the musical: my friends. It's not foreign to people around me that Nugget happens to be the main character because of his potential to be the best, but is often neglected due to a demeanor that makes people blend him into the background. Or something like that. LOL.

So far, it's him and Coco whom I've had a chance to know better. And it's quite an enlightening experience. Needless to say my musical's storyline now has the "STIFLER COMPLEX" rolled into the fray. This is gonna be fun.

I hope that I get to finish the first act soon, coz the second act will be more of a breeze to get through.

Anyways, my munchies are done. I'll be back to blog some more. :)
 

If anything, I was quite hopeful about one occurrance in my day today. I realized that before they could leave after this weekend, I wished to at least meet one of them.

As the day went on, my chances of meeting them became very bleak. Bleak to the point that I didn't mind not seeing them anymore. Plus the fact that my office camera wasn't available to document it didn't really make things better. What sucks is that I was already right smack in the vicinity, and I couldn't pull strings to get in.. Actually, the string I pulled couldn't accommodate me then all of a sudden got a shot with one of them. Boo.

Thank God for giving me a knack for tenacity and never giving up. As soon as I got a tip from someone on one of those people, my officemate Jim and I pounced on the opportunity. Armed with my officemate's uber-kikay K750i, we marched to Starbucks.

Then we had stumbled upon a roadblock: Bouncers waiting outside the store's vicinity, and uncertainty of how to approach the person. Fortunate for me, I knew his real name. And using his real name would actually prevent me from bringing any intrigue to someone who was just minding his own business, reading the newspaper over a cup of coffee. So with enough courage, Jim and I went up to him.

"Excuse, are you ------ ------------" (In all due respect, I will not reveal it here.. suspense! Hahahaha!)
"Yup, that'd be me"
"Hi, I was wondering if I could get my picture taken with you."
"Sure, no problem!"

I think the thing is with being starstruck, particularly with people who purvey a sense of toughness gives you that fear of being turned down painfully, but surprisingly, he was very accommodating. He was hella nice! We even got to converse with him for a while.

So there, though not one of the higher-billed names, a billed name nontheless. Who am I talking about? Well, here's the pic:

Thanks, Val. Mr. Venis, rather. May your towels always bring warmth to wrestling fans like me, and may all your Money Shots hit their mark.

:) 

So I've finally decided to blog again after weeks of being swamped with work in the office. Damn, I'm just glad that I'm back here blogging again. Pota, seems like there's so much that has been happening lately that I'd wanna put it all in one entry. But naaah, I don't think the essence of writing about it would be fun if I did that. :P

Well, we celebrated my Lola's birthday yesterday by throwing a giant surprise at her house. Well, not exactly giant, but fun nonetheless. It was a plus that she had just arrived in Hong Kong with my folks and relatives, as it made the surprise easier to orchestrate. Needless to say, her facial reaction was priceless. Belated Happy Bday, Lola. :)

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I had actually been thinking about what Punkfish wrote about life being a bitch and how to cope with it. Yes, it's true, there are times that life can be a bitch and make you feel as if you're reeling from getting speared in the chest by a giant bear, knocking out your two front teeth and perfectly splitting your spine right down the middle. Pain.

And as I thought about it, I remember that I'm cutting out my silkscreen design, and it says "NEVER QUIT"  (Fuck, I think I just set myself up for another Brokeback reference. Hahahaha!)

But if you think about it, life will always be a bitch. You just have to accept that it is, and adjust.  Live on, and keep up the fight. And after that, when you see how you lived through that, pop a cork off your favorite bottle and toast to glory.

I remember watching "READY TO RUMBLE" , and the Sal Mandini character gave one of the most important lessons in the movie: "Attack the enemy's strengths. No, not weaknesses! The strengths. Nobody will expect you to go for that. Right in the middle, that's where the action is. It's the same with life."

Lord knows we've alll had our share of downs, but it's the number of times we get up to achieve our goals and dreams that matter more. And it's always worth it, no matter how small or simple the dreams may be.

If it helps, this was a small dream come true that happened to me:

Yes, I know it seems lame, but this picture was taken in front of a crowd seated in the bleachers, who for cheered me after the picture was taken. Sweetie, thanks for the pic!

So yes, accept and adjust, and keep fighting. It's worth it. :) 

For lyrics that are often misunderstood and a cause for excessive humor?

Seriously, if you listen carefully you can get it right. But if not, prepare yourself for what Karl (and this is a term he coins for the heck of it and in description of the appropriate person) refers to as "dumbfuckery".

In retrospect to what Jamie wrote, Fall Out Boy just plain rules.

Enjoy.

Translate.

Hahahahahaha! 

Currently Listening: That darn Cali commercial

I will once again postpone the Jimmy Santos thing. Funny, by now most would think that I'm hyping the whole analogy. Hahaha! If your curiosity is there, that means it did work! :)

I have a deviantart account already. I figured it's about time that I did get one, so that I can make myself more sellable in the arts. Already I have 10 works online. Please check it out, leave a note, and so on. Just click here to see it.

I had a helluva fun time at Tali last weekend. Thanks to Lorena, Rio, Miggy, Karl, Jamie, Tycel, Pia, Jayvee, Cathy and Adrienne for making it. Man, that beach was incredibly awesome! And that raft, too. Imagine 8 people on a solitary bamboo raft trying to stay onboard (bye bye bye bye bye.. :P). Highlight:

Jamie: Waaah! Pia molested me!
Pia: No! It's okay, I didn't feel anything!
(slight pause)
Jamie: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Hahahaha! And another:

Rio and I (when the game commenced): I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive!

Questions Only was fun, too, with Karl getting most of the swigs early on. But man, the questions were funny. Sample:

Me to Rio: Can my nipples cut grass? (Pia starts giggling at this point)
Rio to Miggy: (i forgot the question, LOL)
Miggy to Pia: Are they sharp?

Miggy to Rio: Am I Lipton? (does the Lipton billboard pose)

Rio to Pia: Do I have more armpit hair on my left or on my right? (Rio flaunts his armpit about a good 10 inches away from Pia)

Another highlight was Jamie's antics, particularly the Cheese Lumpia, which had me laughing non-stop. Crazy. And of course, the song inspired from "Death of a Manila Folder" by Rex Navarette:

What were you thinking, Narding?
What were you thinking, Narding?
What were you thinking, Narding?
You died in a box.


Hahaha! Crazier stuff! :) Man, that was a fun weekend. Diving of a cliff with many slight casualties along the way. Award goes to Karl for the nads-first landing, and the pebble-scratch before hitting the water. LOL!

Pics? Pics? Find them here

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I think one of my friends is rising in notoriety as of late. In fact, a lot of people have been commenting on most recent entry. It's all good, ain't gonna stop him at all. Good luck to you, man! :)

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Yes, I will be ending this post with something so dear to me: My Girl. We've been together for a year and one month, and each day still feels as awesome as the one before. She's wonderful. I love her.

Sweetie, each day feels so much better with you in my life. Thank you for being my inspiration in life. As the song goes:

"Because you live, girl, my world has everything i need to get by."

Mwah! :) 

Hahahaa! I just had to blog about this.

Was reading about a Whigger who always makes me laugh (Ali G), when I got to read his 2004 Harvard University Commencement Speech:

"Booyakasha - Professor G indahouse aiii. Big shout out de Harvard massiv I iz done a capital 'H', coz Harvard iz a place innit - u see I ain't no ignoranus. Things like 'apple' and 'orange' do not start with a capital letter, unless dey iz at de start of a sentence - but some of you brainboxes probably know dat already innit.Me name be Ali G and me represent de UK. For those of u who didn't study geography de UK is a place over a 100 MILES away from here, de capital of it is? Anyone? Not u geography square! ....yes, it is Liverpool. U iz clever and quite fly if u don't mind me sayin.

First of all, I iz got to say I iz a bit nervous speakin to so many of you - at least me would be if I weren't totally mashed. Normally de only public-speaking I does is to 12 people - and it's well easy all me has to say iz me name and de words 'not guilty'.

Checkit, me agreed to speak here today coz me wanted to talk to de brightest minds of our generation, to see what makes Harvard de most special university in de world, and also coz dey agreed to pay for me flight over here and hotel room. Sorry to bring dis up now, but when u iz told dat your hotel bill is bein paid for, u naturally assume dat dat includes essential extras like breakfast AND special interest pay-per-view movies. Imagine my surprise den dis morning, when I was given a bill for $164. Me was actually tryin to SAVE Harvard money by buying the 24-hour 'slutfest' packages at $19.99, rather dan paying for individual films at $11.99 each. Which would have cost u - [go thru them] Young and Tight....Backdoor Burglar 2......Backdoor Burglar 3.....Campus Confessions....Asian Fever...Shaven Buffet [get lost] twice dat one... Cold Mountain - dat was a mistake, Backdoor Burglar 4 ....almost 490 bucks. I mean come on, some of it was even research for dis, I iz sure one of de cheerleaders in 'Ivy League Amateurs' was wearin a Harvard sweatshirt.....infact allo darlin, respek - I expect u need a cushion to sit on, aiii.

Anyways I digest. It iz a well big honour to be arksed ere today. To fink dat so many great people has been educated ere like Lyndon Banes Johnson, or as he is better known - JFK, George Clinton was also ere I fink , and de one before him, and also...William Tell - is he one of your lot, probably, and dat bloke wiv de hat, but most importantly dat really fit honey from Star Wars - if u iz out dere, me'd love to - me iz stayin at de Best Western Hotel - me's got a really nice room, altho since dis morning dem has put a parental lock on de tv.

As I stand here today lookin at all of you, on this, your first day of university - I fink of all de fings me can offer you - wisdom, experience but most importantly of all 22 ounces of de finest Morrocan chronic. Well, Dat iz if de Ex-Lax works - to be honest I usually go at 11 in de morning - but nothing dere - infact me'd appreciate it if one medical students here wouldn't mind takin a look. Don't worry it's clean as a whistle, u could eat your lunch of it - infact meJulie has. I know u don't mind dat kind of fing does u.

Hearmenow, u iz de most cleverest students in America - some of u iz probably brilliant at counting - ye know...1,2,3...4.... I could continue...easy. Others of u will be brilliant at English - have memorised de whole alphabet 'a to x' and even be able to spell words like 'hippototamus'.

I iz also well clever - me was so brainy dat me finished me education 6 years before any of u - at de age of 15 - de teachers had to admit dat dere was nothing else dat dem could teach me. U students has come from every corner of de US from de rainforests of Arizona to de deserts of Alaska. Some of you iz probably never even seen a black man before.......allo

Dere is all types of people ere, and it's fantastic to see dat Harvard has finally let in so many women. A lot of u iz probably feminists or as we call dem in England 'lezzas'. I agree wiv u, dat u gotta treat women wiv respec - its de least dat bitches deserve.

Relationships should be brought into dis -de 20th centrury - u women out dere shouldn't have to do de cookin and de cleanin when u come home from work - u should do it before u leave in de morning.

But more importantly it's wikid dat in Harvard young women and men gets to learn so many amazing subjects.

Some of u here will have been studying medicine...dat knowledge come wiv a lot of responsibilities. Remember, doctors is some of de most powerfulest people in de world - u can give life, u can cure disease and u can ask to see a woman's [whistle] wivout getting slapped.

For those of u studying history, u probably learnt a lot about de Presidents. Like who was Jefferson, and what did Lincoln give America - apart from de town car.

Some of u iz de best legal students in de country. U would know wivout even thinking, how to get someone off a charge of possession. And if any of u do, then can me remind u - Room 204 at the Best Western. Just do me a favour put your ear to de door, and don't come in if u hears me shouting 'Natalie, play wiv me light saber'.

Let's talk about de finances of all dat k-nowledge dat's been dropped on u. It costs $38,000 a year to go to Harvard. Now I don't know how u lot has earnt dat - apart from u - and u iz earnt every penny, but most of u iz got dat cash from your parents.

All you fathers out dere u iz made choices - wiv dat money u could have bought top of de range Lexus but instead u chose to invest in ya kids future. IZ U MENTAL? If u iz got other kids me hopes u don't make de same mistake again innit. Does u realise how many honeys u can get wiv a Lex. 'allo sweetness my son's got a Harvard degree' [FEMALE VOICE] 'wot, who cares'

Or allo darlin, wanna check out de dvd player in de back aiii.' [her] 'wot's dat?' [me] 'it's ostrich leather' So students give it up for your parents.

Let's talk bout de future - your future. A lot of you iz probably worried bout employment. Unfortunately most of u WILL end up gettin jobs - especially now u iz got de burden of a degree.

You iz de elite, u will be tomorrow's captains of industry. Sittin infront of me is probly da next Bill Gates, Donald Trump...or even Ronald Mcdonald. And even if you can't all be Ronald himself, most of you iz probably McDonald's Team Leader material. By da way, if any of u ever gets to do business wiv Sir Ronald, a word of hadvice - don't mention de size of his feet....him iz well sensitive about it. Me mate Dave hactually met him, and he said dat even tho him may seem like he's always smiling, dere's a sadness in de eyes...coz of dem feet. All de money in de world - and science still can't do nothing. Maybe dat's something dat some of u M.I.T. nerds can fink about innit.

You lot will become powerful people who can change de future - and you need to, coz de world at de moment iz totally f-blank-blank-blank-ucked. Yeknow de word - I been told I ain't allowed to say it - u know - u know de rude word. U know U definitely know...wiv de whole team.

Anyhow, u iz gotta fink bout de problems in de world coz u iz gotta sort dem out innit. Look at da envirolment - global warming is so bad, dey say in 100 years time, all de rainforests will be gone and all de ice caps will have melted. Actually, 100 years time, we ain't gonna be around den, so don't need to worry about dat one.

But dere is other fings - look at de state of family today - girls is havin sex at younger ages, dere's an increase in absentee fathers and more and more people is havin affairs - but we shouldn't just concentrate on de good fings.Believing in something is easy. Actually doing something is harder. Actions speak louder dan birds.

U has all got de potential to become great americans. And remember America is de greatest country in de whole world ...apart from Jamaica...and Holland.. oh yeah and Thailand coz u got dose girls who do all de ye know and probly some others - but u iz definitely in de top 20.?U people iz de future, u has de chance to change de world, to hactually improve de life of de poor, OR U could goto Wall Street and earn millionz - get plasma screen, chinchilla coat, a series of relationships wiv gold-digging hoes happy to de de most disgusting sexual favours for some bling. Don't waste de opportunity dat g-d has given you - see u in Wall Street.

Let's rap dis up now, coz I fink me feels somethin movin down below. So, what iz I hopin to take away wiv me from dis time in Harvard? - new friends, different ways of finking about de world, and as many laptops as me mate Dave has managed to nick from your dorms, while u has been sitting ere listening to me stalling.

But I has got ideals too. Just like de great civil rights leader Martin Luther...Van Dross, I has a dream...of little black girls and little white girls...playin wiv each other. Let's make it happen I look out and I see 1000s of people wiv different hopes and different dreams - but it is important never to forget where u all came from - becoz black, white, brown or pakistani we all come from de same place - de punani. Jah bless - bigupyaself Princeton...and keep it real... wesside."

Tali beach this weekend. PPPPPfffarteh!!!! :)

The Jimmy Santos thing will have to be postponed to another entry, as I'm currently researching his other movies. And analyzing them.

Today was pretty interesting.. Well, this morning, in particular. Ging, my officemate, asked help in scanning some of her pictures from her Spongebob Squarepants events last year. As she asked me for help, she also asked if I could scan her 1x1 ID picture. What for? The curriculum vitae, what else. Luckily she had roughly 30-plus photos to scan, so I was happy to accommodate it. :)

As we scanned the pics, we found ourselves talking about careers. Apparently, as a married 27-year old mother of one, she felt that her work as a Senior Events Officer is taking a toll on her, to the point that she just wants out. For those of you who may not know, Ging works weekends (since most events extend to weekends), so that's another 9 1/2 hours each day of the weekend. And for some people, the weekends are sacred for the family. I vouch for her workload, for the times that I'd be in the office on Saturdays, I'd see her in the office. So yeah, I understand her wanting to leave the office, especially when she wants to have more time with her son.

So there I was, giving as many suggestions as I could. Marketing, Writing, Events, Research, Strat Planning. Heck, I even suggested ground control for an airline. Most of the suggestions she did like, and I even decided to send her some openings that I've found. Talking to her even made me realize a couple of things a tad bit more:

I realized even more that this office won't pay me enough to raise a family.

I realized that my growth in this office has stopped very very significantly. It's been a week in the office and I'm just doing minimal copywriting work. Heck, today, I got to finish one of my magazine reviews! I was quite productive in spite of lack of Job Orders.

I guess it doesn't help that my ID, which I left in the office, hasn't been found. I think it's a sign. Lol.

So yes, I could totally relate to what Ging was talking about. So I shared to her that I, too, am looking for other jobs to transfer to. And I really think that my growth in creative arts and copywriting will flourish a lot more in Ad agencies.

So there, I had a nice discussion with an officemate about career.. and even life. I got to share with her my near-future plans with Lorena, something I'm working as hard as I can to fulfill (with my investment and with my career path, God-willing).

So yeah, a nice conversation about the future.

In other news (just to change the subject and keep it light like I always do for most of my entries), if there was ever a Whigger (this is Punkcoco's term for white niggers) that cracks me up each time, it's Ali G. Hahaha! I found myself watching excerpts of Ali G in Da House yesterday, and I was just as amused as I was the first time I saw the movie. :P

More to come, and the overdue Jimmy Santos thing in the next entries.

Booyakasha!!!! :P 

Okay, I was supposed to have blogged about my holidays, but then I realized that I wanted to make sure that I was in the proper frame of mind to actually write about it. Having said that, my holidays started interestingly this year. And I will sum that up in a word (with obvious sarcasm, to say the least):

~DEEEEATH.

I stepped out of the office to have dinner with some friends at Seven Corners, said to be one of the Top 3 buffet restos in the Metro (along with Circles and that place in the New Hyatt). So anyways, Karl and I met up first to talk about updates on the Punksquad, podcast (now dubbed the Punkcast), as well as the first set of merchandise (the shirts, which I'm still under the process of doing.. my officemates are on leave, so I don't have the other important elements to make them). Nena soon followed (yay!), and off to Crowne. After a brief visit to Elai's office (where I got paid for a side project), which led to her sneaking up on my girlfriend in the ladies' room, we met up with Jayvee, Tycel and Pia at the resto. The rest of that evening was very elementary (hungry people + buffet = what do you think?) as the rest of our friends arrived. All in all, yummy dinner, big tummies. :P

The day after was the start of what almost spoiled my holidays. At around lunchtime, my stomach went berserk. I crapped like 4 times that afternoon, and I had an awful fever. I had to be sent home from work, and tried to rest for the evening, with the occasional food and juices. Didn't work. Puked. Got rushed to the hospital to receive medication and dextrose. At least I started feeling better in the morning of the following day.

24th at my dad's side was cool, though I couldn't really take full advantage of the pigging out session we usually have there, but ate well nonetheless. I was glad to see that Gino and Ana were doing well as they anticipated their kid coming in March. They're calling her Amelie, after the girl of the movie of the same title. Hahaha, I remembered a time before that we asked Gino how he'd be when guys would try to date his daughter (given it was, and actually is, a daughter). He'd ask questions like, "Do you surf? Or skate?" (Hahaha! Gino is into extreme sports, particularly these 2) "What?!? You play chess?!? Get out of my house!" Hahaha! Don't get me started with the branding, that would make me laugh more. :P

So we did the usual gift giving, with the usual exchange gift. Tess was my ninang this year, and she gave me some soaps. Cool body care products! :) We capped the night with some cookies and liquor for my cousins. The quote of the night goes to Lee, who said something (this is not verbatim, mind you) like: "Man is born with free will, let the will be part of love, and it will come freely to you" <--------- I leave that up to everyone else to comment on. :P

(At this point, I will also stress the usual gift giving that my family has, then the rest of the morning and afternoon together, which is commonplace, so I'll skip this, lol)

25th of the evening was with my mom's side. I decided to do something different, as I brought my girlfriend along with me. It proved to be lots of fun, as we enjoyed the multitude of laughs that lasted all night. Tak was there, too, as he took part in the laughter. We had two highlights for that evening: (1) The boys receiving bandanas for Christmas, where Rio wore it as a ninja mask. I couldn't stop laughing coz it was hard to imagine a Ninja with a smiling mask. Seriously, the guy was smiling! (2) The Ortiz family dancing to that overplayed song "Pinoy Ako" which generated the most laughs coz of Punkrally.. Trust me, it's rare that you see this guy dance, and when you do, riot. Literally. The world may as well end then and there while he makes your funny bone grow 10% every 10 seconds. I think I had laughed more than I had eaten that night.

I was actually aliw this Christmas, coz Nena got me this awesome red jacket. It's perfect for the cold, especially when I'm going to Baguio this weekend. She also gave me a small album containing pictures of our time together this year. I gave her a butterfly necklace, and a red shirt with the Phantom's mask and says "broadwayfreak". Not only was I already touched that she had gotten me a jacket, but the mere fact that she liked the shirt made the gift-giving even better. I made the design by myself, silkscreen and all. Yay.

26 was rockingest, as we headed to watch Day 1 of the PyroOlympics. Awesome, stuff, I tell you. Minus the long and dreaded trip that we took (kudos to Punkcoco for driving the entire time.. you are no noob anymore, you are pwnage). And I want to say thank you to Mr. Epi Quizon (yes, Epi Quizon), whose celebrity stature came in at the right moment and allowed us to enter the VIP area. We all promised to watch every movie he made as much as we can. Epi, thank you!!! :)

I was quite disappointed with China, actually. C'mon, they made the frickin' fireworks thousands of years ago! You'd expect dragons, or even frickin'  Huang Fei Hung flying through the air. Or like the fireworks taking the shape of Zhang Zhi Yi's face. Seriously, they got PWNED by Australia, who had the most triple-exploders with star glitters even. multi-century PWNAGE!!

And thus, my holidays.

I'm actually typing as much as I can, as fast as I can. I'm' leaving in a couple of minutes, so I wanna get home for the rest of my evening of fun, relaxation and anticipation for Baguio! :)

But this, I'll promise to those reading. I have an interesting entry coming after this one.

I promise, it will be interesting.

Think.. Jimmy Santos movies.

It's gonna be good, promise. :)