Sun, sand and SURF here I COME!!!!!!!!!! This is just perfect, I'll be escaping this wretched city and will be gone for a week. Can't think of a better way to celebrate my new found freedom. Just found out yesterday that I've passed everything and will finally be graduating! FUCK YAH! Its about time man... I deserve all the waves, good vibes and stoked-ness I can get. I haven't been to Siargao in two years.. Paradise of paradise, Siargao baby, I'M COMING HOME!
Be ready for some radical, awesome and breath taking visual candy and stories of fun, frolic and pure bliss when I come back..
Cowabunga!!!!!!!!!!
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This is how desperate I am in graduating...
* * * * *
Dear Ms. Crisostomo,
I am writing to you regarding my performance in your class this semester. I acknowledge the fact that
my performance in your class was unsatisfactory. As your student, I duely understand that it was my
responsibility to fulfill the class's requirements with the effort needed. However, with my working
schedule, which brought me out of Manila several times, I unfortunately was unable to properly balance
school and work at the same time.
I would just like to ask for your kind consideration in my class standing. I have learned my lesson after a
whole year of being delayed and would like to have the chance to redeem myself outside in the working world.
Hoping and praying for your kind consideration.
Sincerely,
Paulino Servado III
MDS SCL - student number: 00-0122
* * * * *
I was going for a respectful-formal-yet-informal-sugar-coated-begging-but-not-insulting approach. How sad is that? hahaha. Well.. you gotta do what you gotta do. Hope it works... *prays for divine intervention*
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| Date: | 2005-04-07 14:00 |
| Subject: | 1st Radio Ad Payment! |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  Weeee! | | Music: | Bandages - Hot Hot Heat |
FINALLY it's arrived... 6 months after (2 months lang daw yun payment).
The first check I've ever seen with my name on it. I could get used to this... haha. This one was for an X.O. Candy TV ad announcer project ('X.O. Candy, as real as it gets'). I have a pending one for PLDT My DSL ('65.. thats the number of girls I've dated') and Bayan Tel ('Hey.. wanna go bottomless?', airing now). Keep an ear out!
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| Date: | 2005-04-07 10:15 |
| Subject: | Fun Stuffs! |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: | Fun Fun | | Music: | Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds |
 
My parents celebrated thier birthdays together last week. And since thier birthdays are just a day apart, my bro and I decided to surprise them after dinner with balloons, a cake and cute little party hats. Had some logistical problems however, due to everyones busy sked. Kept the cake at my friends house down the street prior to the surprise itself. I wanted to cook a surprise bfast for both of them, but with thier inconsistent coming downstairs times, it was difficult to make sure that they would come down simultaneously. Bringing them bfast in bed was another idea aswell, but again, thier waking times are not consistent either. It's been awhile since I've planned a surprise for anyone, it was so fulfilling seeing my parent's faces light up when we busted out with the surprised. Fun fun!
  
For the past month or so, I've been living in a pigsty. Not my normal pigsty mind you, this ones somewhat of an organized mess (oxymoron?). Since I started painting my room, everythings been moved out of it, leaving only bare furniture and boxes filled with junk. Yesterday, 11amriser and I were finally able to set aside an afternoon to work on it again. After a couple hours of work, we were able to clean and strip off dirt and tape residue from another wall, paint to be applied tomorrow. During our break we saw a dog chasing a buterfly right by my window! Asteeg.
  
Man I wish I was back in highschool. Gone were the days of fun filled campaigning for student council. My little bro is currently running for 'Tech Officer', which is the new title for the P.R.O (Public Relations Officer) in the Int. School of Manila. He has been super stressed out with school work the past two weeks and so the whole family offered to help him out with his campaign. My dad helped out with his speech, as I made his creative executions with some help from mummy dearest. We made tags, posters, flyers and even a 'face poster'! It was a blast to the past.. forgot how much fun one could have with just a pair of scissors, glue stick and paper! Hope he has the balls to campaign around while looking like an idiot at the same time (which was the intention - the 'humor factor' rests high for his schoolmates). I'm suggesting he to go up on stage for his speech tomorrow, dressed up as a computer mouse! haha. Hope they dont bring any tomatos to school tomorrow.. *crosses fingers*
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Finally I have an online photo gallery! For now, here are a couple pix of two stupid people and thier adventures together.
   
Thanks to Summered for teaching me how to do all this funky HTML shit and to 11amriser for making each day so much more worth waking up for..
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| Date: | 2005-03-13 21:28 |
| Subject: | What's In a Bottle? |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  Huh? | | Music: | Let Go - Frou Frou |
Has anybody ever wondered why all these multi-colored plastic portable drinking bottles have suddenly started appearing everywhere? From schools, stores, offices and even construction sites.. they've permeated all sectors of our society. Are we all suddenly becoming more thirsty with the arrival of summer? A sign of our nation's financial status? That everyone has been forced to bring around thier own FREE water/beverage? OR has it just become yet ANOTHER fashion trend to emerge from our oh-so-trend-friendly city? For some reason, I have a feeling that its weighing more towards the latter..
Back in Prague during highschool, I used to bring 2 liter orange juice tetra-paks and would be seen sippin from them up and down the school hallways. Earphones, a skater chain and... a tetra-pak of OJ at hand. What can i say, 'I DO DO DO LOVE ORANGE.. juice'.. ;p (nothing beats Tropicana w/ pulp bits..mmmm). However, from the days of carton-hood, cheap Coke drinking bottles (remember the ones with the round top covers, with bendable straws and caps sticking out of them?) and squeeze bottles - plastic drinking bottles have come a long way. A couple years back portable drinking containers went metal for a bit, as Starbucks made bringing coffee to school so much cooler. It did wonders for the trendy, sophisticated and intellectual look (ok ok, I was one of the culprits too) and now.. its back to plastic. But this time, its transparent, simpler, and odder-shaped. However... still exactly the same as it was before, as a container for portable fluids - wow, what a surprise.
My younger bro has just recently returned from Singapore and guess what he brought home.. another plastic drinking bottle (he has one na)! So its even international! Its a plastic drinking bottle epidemic I tell you. The whole world is dehydrating along with me! (refer to previous entry - yay for public nudity!) To conclude, yes.. I do believe that it is another one of Manila's unfortunate trends. Here today.. gone tomorrow.
Guess all we can do is to sip tight, and find out.. =P
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I think I'm starting to hate the sun. We really should rally for public nudity to be legalized. Imagine how comfortable it must have been for Adam and Eve to be prancing around frolicking in nothing but foilage for clothing. I'm sure the Philippines would've topped the Garden of Eden on the scorching meter anyday.
I'm sweating 24/7, getting dehydrated often and have become cranky all the time. It doesnt help that the aircon in my car is busted and I don't have tint. It's like an oven in there. The beach is calling me damnit *sings 'Pure Shores' by The All Saints as manly as he can*, and I'm too busy trying to graduate to plan or even entertain the usual thought of getting lost in the blissful sun on some far off island - miles away from this steaming, polluted, over-populated hell hole. Sacrifices, sacrifices... *parents lectures echoeing in the recesses of his mind*
I need to go to the beach, surf, zip, bum and do absolutely nothing under the scortching heat. That's the only time the sun should be allowed to be this sweltering hot.. if God could only be so kind. Or maybe we just need to stop fucking up the ozone. For Godsakes Manila's going to be out of water in a couple of months if it doesnt rain cats and dogs this coming rainy season (and I hope it does, I miss my hoodies and comfy sweaters). Maybe I'm just bitter. Because for the first time ever, I'm not planning my summer escape.. my usual annual therapy. Oh woe is me.
And to think that people are supposed to be happier in tropical countries. Aren't we the happiest people in Asia? Well in that case, I'm sticking out like sore thumb.
Make that - burnt, charred broiled and melting... fast.
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It's funny what a few glasses of wine, ambient light and mood music can do to three old friends sharing a cozy sofa on a late thursday night - and Im not talking about a threesome here. Kimpoy, Paolo Picones (who has just recently returned from the states) and I had decided to spend a quiet night at Paolo's place, to watch movies, 're-bond' and have a few glasses (which ended up becoming 'bottles') of wine. Since Pao is on a forced diet and was home-alone with a sister who's on South Beach and therefore had no REAL food - I ended up drinking solely on a nacho-salsa-filled stomach that night, which lured me into the slurry and blurry world of tipsy-ness in no time.
We watched Kung Fu Hustle, which was hillarious. Nothing beats Chinese slapstick comedy. The special effects were kick ass and the fight scenes reminded me of the days of when I wanted to become a kung fu master (iron-fist and donkey-kick! haha). After the movie we settled on the sofa and embarked on a long discussion on life and love - the everlasting conversation piece for drunk friends, thanks to a little dimming of the lights, throw pillows, ciggarettes and lots and lots of imported Chilean wine.
This bonding moment may as well have been taped, because we could've topped any love helpline, no sweat. It became pretty heavy, as Kim almost teared after the unbelievable amount of gush and sap that was flowing from our conversation. Topics ranged from mindgames, strategizing, the 'right love wrong time' phenomenon, commitment and the like. Problems, insecurities and advice were shared throughout this hazy night, as questions like "Can a person love INTUITIVELY vs. PASSIONATELY?" dominated most of our conversation, with 'God we're getting old' sentiments on a close second.
Too much 'love' and not enough wine. It was quite the quixotic cocktail that night.
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As usual, I've been busy and havent been able to update my LJ.. (so much for my 'daily digests'). So here's a few things worth mentioning, thats been keeping me away from my beloved computer...
Capoeira Batizado ('baptism' or graduation)
On Feb 26, we (EBC Philippines) had an event entitled 'FOLCLORES do BRASIL', which showcased capoeira, samba and maculelê to a backdrop of film and music. EBC Phils. presented a two-hour show on the history and philosophy of Capoeira, it’s different styles (Capoeira Angola & Capoeira Regional), as well as maculelê (a dance with sticks), samba, batucada, berimbau orchestra and live latin/bossanova music. The event also included our school’s annual Batizado, a traditional rite that marks our evolution as capoeristas. And among the graduates, was MOI! I felt honored to have been one of the graduating students. 'Playing' with my instructor Fantasma in the roda, before being taken down and then given my cordoa.. it really was worth all the time and effort I put into training the past few months. Fun Fun!
11amriser's Short Film
I starred in 11amriser's short film project for school, which we started on about a month or so ago and since then its been nothing but long shoots and tiring editing sessions. But we finally finished it last Friday (hallelujah!). The film is a short 3 min piece w a monolougue (care of yours truly) and is entitled 'Tedium' (noun of tedious). It is centered around a lonesome student, whose daily life revolves around his schoolwork. He lives life each day by fulfilling all his duties as best he can, but yet finds no satisfaction and meaning to the redundancy of it all. The film starts and ends with the line 'Everday is Exactly Like Yesterday', which shows the basic message of the whole film. Bored of his monotonous life, he only has one comfort, one passion that keeps him sane - firedancing. The film shows a short, yet powerful and visually stimulating depiction of a daydream that he has one day in the library. You're bound to get a 1 for this Mands. Congrats for a great piece of flimwork (and for choosing such a talented actor to star in it haha). Cannes here we come! To bad I missed the possibility of an Oscar nomination.. *sigh*
Painting My Room
I've been meaning to do this for about two years now, and thanks to 11amriser, Ive gotten over my fear of taking my room apart and have finally embarked on this enourmous project. It's currently on stage one, as 11amriser and I have removed, cleaned and scrubed all my walls and moved all the furniture to the center of the room. Next on my list, is to scrape and sand all the double tape residue (its as helpful as it is annoying to remove. shit.) that I have left behind from the good ol' grunge magazine poster days. My friend Sly was kind enough to buy me and 11amriser a matching pair of painting jumpsuits - we look like idiots in them, but hell, they are so practical when it comes to not caring about how much dirt and grime we get on ourselves or eachother. Keep you all posted!
Gameplan Shoot
Every saturday, I hold zipping lessons in my park, Valle 1. I have a variety of students, ranging from kids, common friends, complete strangers who saw our site, to Manolet Dario (the DJ) and Rachel Lobanco! Planetzips has been going strong with our distribution (were selling in Bora now!) and we are currently concentrating on strengthening our performance group and innovating our product. Last Sat, I had a shoot for Gameplan, where I taught the host, Tricia Chiongbian how to zip as well as showcase my lessons and my extremely talented students. Our segment will be aired on March 20. So please keep an eye out!
6 Underground
After my Gameplan shoot last sat, I had diner with 11amriser and after we went to our friend Pope's gig at Localdero (an overpriced grill in my opinion - Chicharon Bulaklak for P160?!) and then to 6 Underground, Palanca St. Makati afterwards. Having heard so much about it, I was pretty excited to see what all the fuss was all about - and I wasn't dissapointed. As those who were there with me, I was mesmerzed with the ambience and feel of the whole bar. Like many bars and clubs back in Europe, this one was also underground. It had that dodgy, rocker, hell hole feel.. (with the Sneaker Pimp's 6 Undergrounddark, gloomy, dreary yet it felt empowering to be there. The energy flowed, the vibe was good and the pretentions were at an all time low (as compared to night out in Ponti just a week before). People were there to enjoy the music and eachothers company. The Mongols covered a lot of old school Eraserheads song such as 'Pare Ko' and 'El Bimbo', classic songs that I had unfortunately missed out on before I came here to the Philippines - much to my dissapointment. However when they covered 'Princesa' and 'Lak Lak', I enjoined happily going spastic, screaming and head-bopping through each riff and stanza (Teeth's first album was my first local rock album that I bought way back in 96-97'). Well anyways, had a great night.. can't wait to go there again. See you all in the moshpit! ;p
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I'm still trying to figure out how exactly I want to use this thing. Obviously I've been using it as somewhat of a personal 'column', where I write about things and topics that hit me during the day. However I find myself spending WAY too much time on here, practicing writing/editing organized, text-heavy articles, which might be fun to do, but extremely time consuming. And since I'm O.C. when it comes to stuff like this, its been hindering me from writing anything that comes to mind. Sometimes I have a whole topic to write about, but more often than not I just want to keep an update of all my daily happenings.
Too keep my blogging more updated and less heavy on the eyes and the gray matter upstairs (for both reader and myself). I've decided to distinguish my 'articles' from my daily updates by naming them differently. From now on, if it's an 'article' entry, it will be self-titled by its respective title (ie: Daily Digests vs Article Entries), but if it's a 'whats going on in my life' update, I'll be titling it with a 'Daily Digest' followed by a number and the theme for that entry (ie: Daily Digest 12: My Valentines Day).
So there. Just a clarification for whoever reads my brainfarting and blogwhoring babble. This should make it a lot easier for me to update, and a lot less daunting a read for those who have short attention spans or find my entries too verbose and text heavy.
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I've found THE country that I have to visit before I die. Brazil. I've always known it as one of the coolest and most interesting places to visit, but ever since I started Capoeira (Brazilian martial art/dance), I've been awed by the beauty of it's people and culture. It's not hard to appreciate something so lively and positive. I've fallen in love with anything Brazilian, its people, culture, the flag.. as I increasingly find myself being drawn towards anything bright green or yellow (and that's quite a feat for someone who use to be pseudo-goth/skater/punk). It was an addiction that I was warned about by my Capoeira friends prior to my joining the team. Well here I am - blissfuly addicted.
Being a part of Escola Brasiliea de Capoeira (EBC) doesn't only fulfill my need for physical exercise, but also my thirst for cultural knowledge and good company. EBC itself is great, but it's really the people in it that makes it as wonderful as it is. The vibe is undescribable. It's nothing I had ever expected or experienced before in any team or club. Everytime I go there, it feels like I've been transported to Rio De Janeiro, with all it's magic and mystical beauty. The exchange of stories and information from our Brazilian mestre (Batata) and instructor (Fantasama) is another lesson all on its own. Aside from learning the movements of Capoeira, we're also taught how to do the Makulele (a dance with sticks), the Samba and sometimes (when the mats are around) jujitsu (another Brazilian martial art). In the process of learning all that, we're also taught how to you play the different instruments of Capoeira, such as the Berimbao (looks like a bow and arrow attatched to a round wooden shell) and how to sing it's songs in Portuguese. And whenever there's a festival in Brazil, we celebrate it here as well. Like we did today, to celebrate the Batucada (a one week festival in Brazil) we played instruments (members of the filipino perc group Pinikpikan were invited and jammed with us as well), drank, ate and were very merry!
There is also a group dynamism in the team that I love. It's a Latin vibe that I find totally amazing. Latin people are known to be very 'malambing' (affectionate - for my non-filipino friends) and likewise, the team seems to have the same carino vibe. It feels like one big happy family. The friends I've made in EBC are some of the most genuine people I've met here in Manila (and it's whole group of them!). From common surfer, zipping and ultimate frisbee friends, it's a great bunch of people who just enjoy being themselves and sharing new experiences, all joined together for thier love of Capoeira. It's almost as if we assimilate Brazilian culture into our own by just being around each other. Our mestre and instructor also gives us Brazilian nicknames as a sign of endearment. Mine is 'FAISCA' (pronounced Fa-yeesh-ka), which means 'firespark', for all the fire-spinning that I do. Our recent trip to Boracay for new years was surreal. With the sun beaming down on you, the sand under your feet and the wind in your hair.. nothing beats Capoeira on the beach.
I've been doing Capoeira for about 8 months now and its not like anything I've done before. It not only becomes a part of your life, but a way of life. It embodies peace, love and unity - things I hold very close to my heart. If I were asked to describe it in one word, that word would have to be 'free'. I feel 'free' when I do Capoeira. It's an exhilerating and liberating fusion of physical and spiritual release. It differs from other sports and martial arts because its NOT competitive. You're in competition with yourself. You want to better your skills, not to kick somebody else's ass or to showing off. Unlike other martial arts that thrive on competition and fuel aggression. It's a shared experience with all those who you do it with. In Capoeira, you (as gay as it sounds) 'play' with other people. It's a dance, or it can even be described as a 'game'. An exhange of movements that comes to you freely (the better you get), as you play with the other person in the 'roda' (pronounced JODA, meaning circle) while people clap, sing and play instruments around you. When you're inside the roda, nothing else matters, not even the test that you failed that day or the fight you just had with your parents. It's just you, the music and the person you are 'playing' with - a beautiful combination of art and motion.
I welcome anybody who is interested to please check out our website. All the training schedules, events and details of EBC are all there. We will be having a demo with my zips/fire-spinning (aka POIS) group, Planet Zips, at The Loft (outside rockwell, by Starbucks) this coming Saturday, Feb 12 at 9pm. On Feb 27, at RCBC, we will also be having our annual 'Batizado' (graduation), where 'cordaos' (rope level attatched to our pants) will be given out to students who have earned them. It will also be our biggest exhibition this year and you're all invited to go! Keep you all posted. =)
Obrigado! (thank you in Portuguese)
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| Date: | 2005-02-09 02:02 |
| Subject: | Karma and 'Causality' |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  Thankful | | Music: | In My Life - The Beatles |
'CAUSALITY' 1. Principle of cause and effect - the principle that everything that happens must have a cause 2. Quality of causing effect - the action that causes an effect, or the ability to cause an effect
Due to the many 'coincidental circumstances' that have come my way recently, I can't help but start believing that things really DO happen for a reason. I don't why, or what keeps connecting all these different aspects of my life together, but somehow, pieces of the puzzle have just been falling into the right places, all at the right time. Some vague but most extremely blatant - short of a signboard written in big bold letters posted in front of me everywhere I go. It would be too tiresome a feat to try and name all of these recent happenings, but for Godsakes, if I never believed in signs before, I think I do now.
Allow me relate all this to the saying 'when you do good, it comes back to you twice-fold'. This may be too idealistic for some, but I'm a strong believer of it and this year so far stands as a testament of just that. Not saying that I'm some holy beam of righteousness (far from it as many of you know), but I'd like to believe that I do try my best to treat people as I myself would like to be treated. Luckily I've been blessed with endearing friendships that have lasted through all time and space, friends with beautiful souls and minds who do just that. And I love all of them (my 'forever friends' you all know who you are) for everything they've taught and done for me.
We live in a world with so much cynicism and negativity that it's hard to believe that there IS goodness out there. But after everytime I spend time with my friends and loved ones, I just can't help but see all the goodness and love around. You just have to be open to it and allow for all that good energy (aka good vibes hehe) to permeate through you, in everything you do, with the choices you make and how you relate with and treat other people. I find myself in awe with how genuinely kind some people are. When these people do good, it really does comes back to them in great amounts. Fortunately, I'm feeling that many things are coming back to me as well. Conversely however, it's disgusting to see how pretentious and user-friendly some people can be. Big plastic smiles, fronting a facade of hidden agendas and endless pursuits of ego-boosting. It's a sad reality and such a shallow way to live ones life. But there really are some people out there who don't see the beauty that lies in kindness and goodwill.
Now to my 'causality' theory or the manifestation of 'karma'. Everything happens for a reason. And if we all volunteer ourselves more often and let courtesy and genersity run free, then there's bound to be something good to come back to us. Trust me, it's a beautiful cycle of trust and goodwill. People WILL return the favor, not as a debt but as a sign of gratuitude. So with that, I think we should all start 'paying it forward' (as the movie so aptly put it) and be kinder to everyone around us. We've got to stop all the fake and egotistical bullshit. Try to have a positive aura that invites people towards you. Be the first to say hi to someone you know, open doors for strangers and make sure you thank all the people that help you during the day, including security guards, janitors, househelps, cash register attendants, who are all paid measely amounts just to make our lives that little bit easier. So why don't we return the favor? And to think its for free. People like having thier existance noticed and it doesn't take much, even just a smile should do the trick. There's nothing to be embarassed about by being friendly. Cheers! And good vibes all around!
* This entry was inspired by a great convo I just had with some of my bestest friends in the whole wide world Cat Juan and Tals Diaz (lyrical genius of The Inquirer's SUPER team) at tonight's opening of Embassy and my most recent bargain books find - 'What Does It Mean To Be Human' by a series of key international figures and authors from around the world (National Bookstore Glorietta, P140). Check it out!
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*Disclaimer* I may sound pissed in this article, but I'm not. I'm just extremely passionate about music - my one and truest love. Thanks guys.. ;p
Everytime I discuss this topic (one of my faves), a poster from my friend Mark Dela Rama's room always comes to mind, which says "Good Music Doesn't Exist Anymore". Ok fine, this is an exaggeration. But recently, I've found myself rejecting the current surge of plastic, bubblegummy and manufactured music and embracing music from the past. Ever since, I've always had a soft spot for the classics because they felt more authentic and real. This sentiment has only grown by the day. What I've written here are just some thoughts of mine on the trend of music nowadays. Viewpoints and opinions that I've formed on my journey to appreciating, understanding and becoming more tolerant of ALL kinds of music, as both a listener and musician.
Real Artists = Real Music = Real Fans (an inter-related cycle)
Music then was created by REAL musicians. Musicians who spoke truths about thier time, who expressed raw and non-tainted emotions that were drawn from personal experiences that meant something to them (not just what thier producer told them to sing about). That's why REAL fans existed as well. Fans that were so passionate about thier idols, that they would hurl themselves off a building and into oblivion just because thier favorite group disbanded (do you see any disallusioned 98 Degrees fans jumping off any buildings? I dont. Instead they moved on to watch Nick on reality TV arguing with his wife about canned tuna that tastes like chicken). I'm not in anyway promoting suicide (hello), but you've got to see past my pathetic excuse for sarcasm and look at the immense passion these fans had. It was a kind of passion that drove bands and artists to thier graves. Thier love for thier idols naturally transformed into pressure for these artists. As demand grew, artists were forced to produce newer, and more likeable (not to mention 'sellable') music, as money became more and more the driving force in the industry. Thus, the devolution of pop music started and manufactured music was born.
The Reality of 'Keeping it Real'
In the past, music became a drug for many fans. A drug that healed heartaches, quelled sorrows and guided lost souls. Music during those days involved an introspective and inside-out approach, where artists looked into themselves before trying to satisfy any outside audience. Bands/artists during those days couldn't take that kind of pressure, which led to the many break ups, drug addictions and inter-band squabbles that happened so often in the past. For example, Kurt Cobain and Elvis Presley (R.I.P) were two extremely talented artists who couldn't understand the reason for thier huge success. To them they were just people who just did what they loved doing, creating and sharing thier passion for music. They, like many other musicians such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and more recently Dimebag Darell of Pantera, were REAL artists, who bled, cried and shared their dreams and inner most darkest secrets with thier fans. For many of us, we can still remember those days.. and we eternally thank them for thier contribution to music and the inspiration, guidance and comfort they gave us in our lives.
The Mark of 'Good' Music
Good music lasts forever. Good music trancends time and space, prevails and lives on through all generations. It reaches out to any person (of any age) who is willing to listen and be open-minded enough to understand and feel what the music really meant when it was first created. There may be big differences in rhythm, beat and melody and the subcultures/style trends that grew around them (another 'who came first, the egg or the chicken' debate), but in the end, they are all just artists expressing themselves and thier ideas. Clinging to what every human is in search for, the feeling of belonging and acceptance. We are all alike in that manner, and must accept our differences and understand one another for what we do have in common. 'One love' - our passion for music (all hail the almighty Bob Marely!).
The Music Industry Has Gone to the Pits (refering to current trend in US pop music)
Unfortunately, no one can be blamed directly for this. It has all been a natural evolution and always will be. Before musicians were being exploited by record labels, now there are kids lined up, just to have thier faces on the idiotbox. It's probably the most lucrative industry in the world, second only to Hollywood. There are many reasons for the evolution/devolution of the music industry. MTV and the fragmentation of media has much to do with it. Given more channels of communication, where listeners can learn and hear more about music, people have more choices now, but too many to the point of confusion. With this, they end up grabing what is most listened to or most avaliable - pop music. When it comes to MTV, I don't know whether to thank it or hate it (so I'll just do both haha). Since it started in the early 80's, it has become the main driving force for music all around the world. It gave birth to the mass audience and created a new meidum for artists all over the world to share thier music. However, with the domination of the US (by nature hegemonic and over-commecialized) it has over-powered much of the world and has become the mainstay for musical influence in most modernized nations globally. I believe MTV to be both the instigator and perverter of pop music (pop music being defined as 'popular music' during a certain time). Despite all that, Im still glad that MTV is around. Because without it, I wouldn't have the music knowledge to be bitching about anything right now. I wonder what it would be like without it though. God gave us the apple and evidently, the world has given us Music Television.
I Have the Power! (No not He-Man - the producers ;p)
The power over what's 'in' and what's not, has moved from the artists to the producers and those who invest in making stars out of the most recent 'discovery' (yah right). I'm not saying all new artists aren't talented (though most of them aren't), but it's hard to believe what you see on TV knowing the amount of airbrushing and post-prod magic that goes into making these artists look and sound THAT good. Ironic thing about it is, while the listeners are the ones who buy the music, the producers are really the ones who dictate what is or is not 'in'. Fans and music listeners have been exploited by the nature of the industry, with the youth being the most affected while talents are packaged and manufactured rather than discovered. Of course, this is all just my opinion and something open to discourse and debate. I welcome a healthy exchange of ideas. Bring it on!
What Can We do To Save/Promote 'Good' Music?
Everyone must uphold the baston of musical universality, while beating thier chests and chanting 'Music Lovers Unite' at the top of thier lungs. We all have to be well informed listeners. Who are mature and open minded when it comes to the appreciation of ALL kinds of music. You can't leave it to today's music industry to promote value of any sort. Look at it now for Godsakes, you've got delinquent-looking 'dawgs' with thier bling blings and perpetually pre-pubescent 'punk' kids singing about why thier gfs dumped them last week. In the past I used to be very judgemental and very 'genre-ist'. However through the years, I've found a certain affinity to almost every genre out there. As I try my best to look back and appreciate how a piece of music came into existence. Whether it be social, political or cultural influences, each type of music tells a different story and exudes a variety of different emotions. You may not like it from first listen, and you may never like it, but you should try to remain tolerant and non-judgemental about it (the manifestation of certain genres and subcultures through style and speech is another discussion alltogether, my pertaining to some of my less-liked genres out there). All music lovers should learn how to accept music for what it stands for, as an expression of the soul, to touch and reach out to all those who understand and take heed of it.
It's Just A Phase *crosses fingers*
I may sound angry right now, but I'm not.. really. I'm trying to sound, 'passionately positive' (haha). There is no ONE reason for the devolution of pop music and it can't be blamed on anyone or anything. It was and will always be an evolution. For all you know, this could just be a phase leading to something greater (I'd like to stay optimistic here) as music continues to keep surprising us with newer (however not necesarily better unfortunately) material year after year. There's nothing we can do but sit tight, share our insights and do our best to spread 'musical universality' to all those willing to open thier minds and ears. For the sake of all music lovers, past, present and future.
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I've been glued to the news and the papers for the past month, trying to keep abreast with the devastation that has swept over much of the Southeast Asian region. With the countless lives lost and homes destroyed, it really puts ones life into perspective. We should all count ourselves lucky, and extend our prayers to all of the unfortunate people affected by the disaster.
However my friend Aye Navarro has taken it a step further, and has journeyed to the center of the tsunami's aftermath, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, with his father (a renowned cinematographer) to film a documentary on the undergoing international relief effort there.
Please check out Insights : A Photo Essay on Banda Aceh to get a first hand account on the present situation there and other ways we can extend our help. It is a beautifully documented experience, and one he wants to share with as many people as he can. I urge everyone to please take this opportunity to do so. If you would like to help out, or join the yahoogroups for updates on future aid efforts to Banda Aceh please feel free to leave him a msg. Thanks.
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| Date: | 2005-01-30 13:04 |
| Subject: | Digicam Delirium! |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  Excited | | Music: | Pennywise - Dying to Know |
I've been saving up to buy a new digicam for ages. After losing my handy Sony Cybershot DSC-U30 last year, i'ts been frustrating having to borrow other peoples cams for trips, projects and random photo tripping sessions. I still have my trusty Canon Rebel X film SLR, but with the convinience and prevalence of digital photography abound, I NEED a good digital camera.
Thanks to my recent trip to Iloilo, I've been able to save up enough money to buy a new one. I'm looking to upgrade to an slr-like pro-sumer cam. Essential features being an on-lens manual focusing ring, manual aperture/shutter speed/white-balancing, 5 megapix or above, 8x zoom (at least) and a flash hot shoe, with a budget of around $500 (excluding accesories). After searching online and talking to some friends, I've finally found my new baby!
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20! Isn't she a beauty?!
* FINALLY figured out how to post up pics/links! Apparently a little patience with instructions goes a long way.. ;p
'Sitting at the top of Panasonic's deservedly popular super zoom range, the FZ20 gets as close to the handling, versatility and quality of a digital SLR as any compact yet; offering superb, responsive handling, masses of control, a stunning 12x F2.8 LEICA lens (huge 36 - 432 mm equiv.) and very high resolution (5 megapix effective) results that produce beautiful prints. The image stabilization system allows you to hand-hold at the 12x end of the zoom range at speeds as low as 1/30th second (if you've got a steady hand), which transforms the experience of using a big zoom absolutely; and the short end (36mm equiv.) is wider than many 3x zoom cameras, which is an additional bonus. Throw in the ability to use add-on converter lenses, external flash compatibility, an excellent screen and good battery life and you've got a very capable system camera that offers excellent value for money. Given the high resolution, sharp results produced, the excellent overall performance, lack of optical problems in 99.9% of shooting situations and keen pricing, it's impossible not to recommend the FZ20'. - DP Review
If any of my fellow photography enthusiasts out there have any comments about this cam or know of any other cams within this price range with comparable functions/features, please let me know asap! Thanks!
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A good friend of mine once told me, "things happen because of three things, circumstance, chance and choice. You don't have control of the first two, so take hold of the last". And this got me thinking. I've always pondered about this question on 'signs', as it brings to the table questions of fate, destiny and how much control we really over our lives (which are probably unanswerable by nature, but hell - since when have humans ever been satisfied with not knowing?)
I've been pretty skeptical when it comes to believing in things that we don't have any control over. But sometimes I really can't help but notice per chance happenings, commonalities between things and people around me, and other deja vu occurrences that seem to point to someone or something. Whether it's just my mind decifering and tagging them with subjective meanings, my 'causality' phenomenon, or actual 'signs' leading to a certain end - I don't think I'll ever really know. But with the increased number of coincidences that have been happening to me recently, I'm starting to doubt even my own skeptisicm.
Is there anything wrong with believing in signs? And does it hurt to confide in something so floutingly unproven? I don't think so, just as long as we have clear in our minds the difference between what's real and imaginary (at times our minds have a great way of leading us astray) while always staying true to oneself. This belief in signs, comes with an understanding that this may be an opportunity not to let pass, for a chance not to be missed and a choice that should be made. What have we got to lose from believing? It all starts with that first step. There's nothing to lose with trying, but instead theres much to be gained - to which ever end it leads you to.
Example of a Sign (that just happened, within a span of 5mins): [Scenario 1] I was in the bathroom reading some random article about online dating from the onboard magazine of Singapore Airlines. There was a reference to the website www.lovecalculator.com, but I didnt take any heed of it, and just continued reading the article. [Scenario 2] While typing this entry, I was cleaning out my email on Yahoo and decided to go to the very first page of my inbox out of curiousity (emails from the late 90's). To my surprise, I opened one up from my first gf and VIOLA - she asked me to see to how compatible we were on (yes you got it) www.lovecalculator.com.
With that, I said what the hell, I won't lose anything from trying. So I just now went to the site and punched in a couple names... to only come up with suprisisngly disappointing results... haha. (apparently believing in signs is one thing, but believing love advice from a machine is another!)
'The future is a place that is created - created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The paths are not to be found but made, and the activity making them changes both the maker and the destination.' - Dr. John H. Schaar (proffesor and author)
'Life is a series of collisions with the future; it is not a sum of what we have been but what we yearn to be.' - Jose Ortega Y Gasset (Spanish philosopher and essayist)
We work hard to achieve our goals and we construct our lives as best we can, but we also sucuumb to events beyond our control. Throughout our lives we interact with chance. Like partners dancing, we lead part of the time, but our partner, Chance, swings and turns us and changes our steps. Wisdom lies in knowing how much to lead, how much to follow - and how to find beauty wherever the dance takes us.
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I'm sure many of you have no idea what Dinagyang is - as did I, before I met my very patient director and gracious host, Kevin Piamonte and all my new found friends in Iloilo (production and admin crew, all the dancers/drummers of Passi Highschool, Bobby, Susan, George, Archie etc.). I learned so much more on this trip than I couldve imagined. It became much more of a learning experience, than a money making one. I was emersed into something very Filipino by nature, something I've been wanting to do for a long long time. To give you guys a little background, here's a little about the festival and the concept of our performance as a tribe.
Dinagyang started in Iloilo in 1967 when a replica of the Sto. Niño from Cebu was brought to Iloilo City. To date, it is the city’s biggest tourism festival with activities that showcase the different cultures of the towns of Iloilo. The main event of the Dinagyang is the tribal competition which takes place on the 3rd Saturday and 4th Sunday of January. In honor of the Sto. Niño, the tribes painted in basic black, dance through the main thoroughfares of the city. Black is a required color for the tribes since they are supposed to project the revelry of the Atis who were believed to have first discovered the holyimage along the shoreline of Kalibo. Thus, Kalibo has Ati-atihan, while Iloilo City has Dinagyang. Dinagyang takes place a week after Ati-atihan in Kalibo.
There are 3 main events in Dinagyang. The first is called Kasadyahan (our category). In Kasadyahan, tribes are given a freehand in their concepts and interpretation. This is why in Kasadyahan, tribes are not required to paint themselves black. They are free to wear any costume suitable to their concept. Like the two other main events, Kasadyahan is also a street parade where tribes perform in 4 judging areas. Streets around the city have been closed off for the Tribes to parade and line up for each judging area where bystanders and paying spectators can watch all the performances on bleachers and a covered mini-grandstand. The competition takes place only in the morning of Saturday (Jan. 22.) This year there were 17 towns competing in the Kasadyahan. We represented the town of Passi (a town an hour away from Iloilo). As a tribe, they are known as Pintados or people who paint themselves in tribal fashion (like tattoos), so we used this a part of our performance concept as well. Every single performance has to start from a concept, and is judged by its execution as a dance drama, with awards given to the Best Peformance, Choreography, Music Score and Costume Design.
This was our concept for Pintados de Passi's performance. In the morning, the townsfolk are going about their usual way of planting and harvesting sugarcane and producing mascuvado. This is the main livelihood of people in Passi. They ignore the story of one person who has seen a strange creature in the nearby area. After a day’s toil in the field, the people celebrate. It has been another day of bounty. Suddenly the warning call of the budyong is heard. Creatures have arrived to attack the town of Passi. The aswang, the kapre and the tikbalang ravage the town and leave some of the townsfolk dead. Devastated, the townsfolk are desperate to seek help. In the dead of the night, a vessel of fire (yours truly) appears, guiding aerial spirits in their quest to help people who are in need. The wizened aerial spirits tell the people that in order for them to conquer the evil elements, they have to paint themselves. If they paint themselves (like tattoos) they will be brave and they will have the power to defeat their enemies since the paint on the bodies bring about the warrior nature of the person. Thus, the pintados. The townsfolk prepare themselves to fight the elements. And when the aswang, the kapre and the tikbalang appear once again, the pintados in their warrior-like attitude bravely attack the creatures. Victory comes swift and fast to the Pintados. However, success is never complete without paying homage to the Santo Niño. The wizened aerial spirits appear once again with their guide blazing in the sun (i can do a great sun impression haha, pero may extra bayad yan ha) and lead the people to the church to pay a rousing tribute to the most powerful of them all.
So there you go, an indepth background about Dinagyang and my tribe's performance concept. As to how everything went, Ill have to write another time cuz I'm spent... it hasnt been a good day. Though this journal entry-ing has helped, I think I really need some shut eye. So stay tuned for more details on happenings and my thoughts during the trip. Nitez..*s*
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'Faisca' (pronounced FA-YEESH-KA) is my Brazilian Capoeira name, given to me by our instructor. We all get one once our mestre or instructor finds a specific name-worthy trait about us. It's as much a sign endearment as it is a way to help us understand and embody Brazilian culture (EBC Phils!). 'Faisca' means 'firespark', for obvious reasons.. *s* Well day one has almost past, and I'm here in Netopia, an internet cafe in Robinsons Mall, Iloilo city.
*Brain Fart* The scene from 'The Beach' when Leonardo DeCaprio was in an internet cafe in Thailand surrounded by backpackers just whizzed through my head. I guess this will be the closest thing I'll ever get to that.. for now.. *s*
My day started like most trips, a groggy start, fumbling my way into the car, out the door and through the security check at the airport. I left the house at 7am, as my flight was at 9am to Iloilo. I spent the whole morning trying to figure out what was wrong with the MiniDV vidcam that I borrowed from a friend (thanks Tammy!), for some reason it wouldn't playback. I blamed Canon's super un-user-friendly design and complex user functions but soon found out that the tape head needed cleaning. Great. There goes all my 'on the way there' shots. This continued on to the airplane, where I finally gave up and decided to eat the disgustingly stale chips that the Cebu Pacific stewardesses served us. Good thing I was asleep during the games (that Cebu Pacific arderously believes in as a positive customer service) or else I wouldve complained or thrown it back at them haha. For some reason all the excitement that I had the night before had faded. Much of it was rooted in my inability to record the way there (but i promised myself. M m mmust not get to hung up on documenting!).
We landed in Iloilo an hour after as my director Kevin Piamonte picked me up at the gate. We then went to the Iloilo Grand Hotel, where I'm currently staying, which is just a block from where I am now (Robinsons mall). Nothing beats the feeling of walking into YOUR OWN hotel room - best thing about it was that I didnt pay for it, and I didnt need to wear a tie to get it. Absolutely lovely.
After settling in we went to 'Breakthrough' which is a famous seaside/seafood grill. We stuffed our faces with scrumptious seafood, crab rice, fresh crabs, oysters, grilled squid and chopsuey. The food was great and all for an extremely eyebrow-raising good price (the indigestion that came with it afterwards was for free unfortunately). We then went to the set designers house to check up on all the hydraulic 'monsters' that were going to replace last years floats. Truly they were monstrous. Made out of welded steel and foam, they were all great testaments of Filipino ingenuity and contruction art (you're a genius Boyet!). As I had to be measured for my costume, we then went to SM City to meet up with the costume designer. I was envisioning myself in a thong but Kevin promised me that he 'never embarasses his performers'. I just hope he's telling me the truth or else I'm going back home! No amount of money can pay for national (this will be covered by national television) humiliation. Period. After doing so, we went back to our hotel to do our rooms to freshen up. 15 mins after we met downstairs and took a pedicab (in the middle of the city! we were taking over trucks!) to this here mall where I am now.
We'll be going out of the city to the town of 'Passi' which is the barangay that we are representing. So as not to show off our 'secret' routines and performance concept (they actually have spies to snoop around eachothers groups!) they decided to keep rehersals outside of the city. I may not be able to update this till Friday since we'll be rehearsing there for most of the day, I'll just get back to you, when i get back to you... =P I promise I'll have much more interesting stuff to say. I should actually get going now, we've got my first night of rehersals later with the whole troop and the main streets have already been blocked of for us to practice on. I also have to buy a Cassette cleaner to remedy my playback problem... hassle. Peace.. =)
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What makes this upcoming fire-spinning trip to Iloilo so exciting is the fact that I'll be travelling alone. Many people don't really consider this as an option and some of those who have, are unfortunate not allowed to do so. But for those who can, I highly encourage it. It's a liberating and empowering experience. Its perfect for soul searching and the 2nd best thing to purposely getting lost or running away (haha!).
I've travelled alone several times and everytime is a growing experience. When you travel alone it allows you time to think and ponder on the many things that you for some reason cant think about when your stationary at home or are around familar surroundings. An internalized space is found, because everything on the outside is new and foreign to you. You have this certain feeling of empowerment, where you know that all your actions soley come from you. You're in control of your decisions, hence you're responsible for what happens to you. Guess thats where responsibility stems from, acting on your own and accepting the results that befalls you, whether good or bad. From losing a ticket, to get mugged, choosing where to eat, shop or even take a crap. These are all lessons learned on your own.
The last time I travelled alone was to Baguio (ukay run), I took a bus up for the weekend and stayed overnight. Not having to speak to anyone unless spoken to was strangely a refreshing experience (imagine hours of not talking, try it sometime.. you might be surprised with how you\ll feel). Whenever I travel I bring along with me a travel journal, where I can document things that happen and thoughts during the trip. In between ukay sessions, I would sit at a cafe or sari sari store to write. By relegating your thoughts, ideas and realizations to paper, your journal serves as a silent yet loyal companion during your journey. It leaves a great document for revisiting what you had experienced in the past, at a certain place, during a certain time. If your looking for personal freedom or independence, then travelling alone is a must.
Ever since I was young I've always admired backpackers and adventure-seekers who have the guts to launch themselves into the unknown. Probably because of all the changes that constantly happened around me, it became second nature for me to take it as something to be excited about, rather than being something that incited fear. It was alluring to me, the idea of being surrounded by something new and unfamiliar. I find the spontaenity of it all addicting, which only fuels the wanderlust that I have within me. The comfort I find in exploring new places must be rooted from an un-quenchable thirst to learn and experience as much as I can in this life. And what better to achieve that than to travel? There's no better natural high. The fact that everything around you is new, stimulating all your senses, absorbing fresh information, with no one around you to influence or judge your actions and your thoughts as to how, when and why you should relate to your new environment - all of it to me is just blissful. The spirit of adventure in its truest form.
Well thats it for now. I've got a long day ahead and an early flight to catch in a couple hours. So get some shut eye I must. I'll try as best I can to keep my LJ updated for you all.
Bon voyage to moi!
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I've never been this prepared for a trip - ever.
It feels like I'm going off to battle. Not against an enemy, but a battle to conquer a quest. A quest to make the most out of THIS trip. I've gone on too many unforgetable out of town trips that I've failed to document properly and I'm NOT making the same mistake again. Which is why I'm armed with enough documenting equipment that I may as well be a journalist for CNN! A list of my armory would include; my new travel journal (to jot down random thoughts and happenings), digicam (for point-and-shoot moments), my trusty film SLR (for artsy-fartsy shots) and a miniDV vidcam (for my short documentary to be). Aside from my arson of documenting weaponry, I'm also packed with my beloved North Face backpackers backpack (you've got to have one if you're an avid traveller, its unbelievably practical and extremely comfortable to carry) full of clothes, day pack, sounds, books to read (Memoirs of the Soul by Nan Phifer - How to write your own spiritual autobiography and The Body Artist by Don DeLilo) and my fire-spinning paraphernalia. By golly I'm so set for this trip. I myself can't believe it (and that's a lot of believing to do).
The reason for all this unusual preparation (I'm oc, but never this bad) could be because of my readiness for this trip. Ever since I secured this fire-spinning deal in Iloilo (after a director approached me while spinning in Bora) to this moment now, its been all quite a blurr, very unreal to say the least. I can't believe I'm actually going on an all expense paid working 'vacation' (flight, hotel room, food allowance and talent fee of 15K+) to do something I love doing. It's a first and hopefully not the last.
Here's a run down of what I'm actually going to do there (aside from setting myself on fire in public and being paid to do so). I will be performing with a group at the Dinagyang Festival, similar to the Atiatihan in Kalibo and the Sinulog in Cebu. There are 17 'tribes' or barangays that will be competing. Each performance will last a maximum of 12 mins. Our group consists of 100 dancers and 30 musicians and (check this out) ONE fire-spinner (feeling! haha). We'll be practicing all Wednesday night, Thursday night, with a rest day on Friday and the competition proper (on the streets of Iloilo) on Saturday morning. Much of my excitement comes from the fact that I've never actually seen a festival here in the Philippines, much less be a part of it. There's going to be so much creative stimulae around me that I'll be hard pressed to pull myself away from using my documentary toys. But I've promised myself not to get carried away this time. In the past, I'd easily sucuumb to getting caught up with making sure that every moment was captured properly, every emotion, composition and action, that I would almost forget to enjoy THE actual moment! Mental note to self - enojoy 1st, document 2nd!
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lucid_dreamer81's journal
Surfs up!
I'm meeeeltiiiing...
Mushy Mushy?
Passionate
Empathetic
Who Would've Thunk?