5 Minutes and Days Delayed

I've thought about it. For about the ten minutes that it took for me to get my car out of the parking lot, I've thought about whether I should blog about it or not. Well, sue me. It's my blog. I can bitch if I want to, whine and be the bratty bitch I wish I was sometimes.

Putang ina.

Sure I've got faults. I just don't think it meritted that much concern. If I take a step back, I can say that it's just a misunderstanding. But still. Ayoko nang kinukulit, at nagkataon heto pa ang kulit kulit. Every hour hinahanap ako. Mamatay lang cellphone ko, hinahanap na ako sa buong sambayanan. Lahat mine-message, tinatawagan. Nasan si Sym? Di ako superman, pasensya na. Di rin ako magaling na communicator, napatunayan nyo na yan.

Sa limang taon na nagta-trabaho ako, pag tinatanong sa mga interview, "tell me an instance where you disagreed with a coworker," wala talaga ako masagot. Wala naman akong kaaway. Wala akong sama ng loob. Up until now. I guess I just didn't work in the right company.

O baka isipin niyo di ako nagta-trabaho dahil I took 5 minutes to write this blog piece. I haven't slept since Monday morning. It seems it's going to be another long night. There's a reason they call it "above and beyond" the call of duty. It's because it is.

Star Wars Fever

Yup...the big movie event this weekend is Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith. I'm no groupie, but I did watch the re-released Episodes IV-VI when it was re-edited and re-shown around 1997. I've also wanted a dog named Chewbacca ever since then. So I was pleasantly surprised that Chewbacca was there in Episode III. Akala ko Wookies lang....di ko ine-expect na buhay na si Chewbacca nung mga panahon na yun. Tanda na pala ni Chewie!

Sure, Episode III tied up some loose ends in the story. But I kept wondering -- if Hayden Christensen was Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader, whatever happened to the actor who appeared as a hologram in the end of Episode VI (Return of the Jedi)? One of my friends insisted that he didn't appear as a human hologram at all. "Natakpan nga ng prosthetics diba, kasi nga nasunog sya." But I distinctly remember that Obi Wan and the "good" Anakin appeared as holograms at the end of that movie, after Darth Vader "dies". And since Anakin now looked like Hayden Christensen, what did they do with the hologram? How did they resolve that inconsistency? Ayan, napa-google tuloy ako. =p

So this is what they did:





The solution was actually simple. The original actor (played by Sebastian Shaw) was erased and Hayden Christensen's face appeared as Anakin.

And just for curiosity's sake...this was how Darth-Vader-Unmasked looked in the original version of the sequels. Try to compare that with how he looks in Episode III.

** Pictures and info from digitalbits.com

Once on this Island

For days now, I had been bugging B to accompany me in watching Once on this Island at the RCBC Theater. My girlfriends and I had planned to watch it last weekend, but one of them got sick, so we weren't able to push through with that plan. The musical will only be running until the end of May however, and with shows only on the weekends (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays), it seemed like we didn't have enough free time to catch the show, and it would end up on my wish-i-did-but-i-didn't-have-time-for-it list.

But it turns out B also wanted to watch the show (because of Jett Pangan). Finally, last Friday, 10 minutes before showtime, we were able to buy some tickets to watch Actor's Actors Inc. staging of Once on This Island at the RCBC Theater.

The musical itself debuted on Broadway in 1990, and was nominated in that year's Tony Awards for Best Score, Best Book and Best Musical. It didn't win, but nevertheless, it's a fun musical worth catching.

Here's a short summary I lifted from somewhere in the web (sorry, didn't feel like summarizing it on my own):

Freely adapted from the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, Once On This Island is a twist on the traditional Little Mermaid tale, as it tells of Ti Moune, a poor,orphaned, peasant girl who falls in love with Daniel, an upper class boy whose life she saves after a car crash. There are four gods that the peasants believe rule their lives; Erzulie (the goddess of Love), Asaka (Mother of the Earth), Agwe (God of Water), and Papa Ge (The Demon of Death). These gods cause the lives of the young lovers to intersect, and Ti Moune leaves her adoptive parents and village on the fateful journey that tests the strength of her love.

Ti Moune's story is told by the villagers (or should I say islanders) as a story that happened "once on this island". The island, as they tell it, is divided into two worlds -- the world of the rich foreigners, and the world of the poor native peasants. The first scene shows the villagers, huddling together in the midst of a storm, telling Ti Moune's story to a little girl. The Caribbean beach-y island theme is carried out in the whole musical -- even the costumes are in various shades of flowing tie-dyed island wear. The set is simple, just a bare stage with lots of bamboo banigs hanging all over the place. The effect however, is great. Lighting carries a big part in how the characters are depicted. There are scenes of Jett Pangan (as the Demon of Death), looking menacing under the yellow-red spotlight.


(**Pictures from oarhouse.blogspot.com and thespoke.net)


If you look hard enough, the story tackles racial differences, culture, family, love. The circle of life (enter soundtrack of The Lion King) is emphasized. The musical starts as a story being told to a young girl, and ends with the young girl now telling the story. "Our lives become the stories that we weave...", her audience chants. Praise should be given to how the story is told. I found it fascinating that despite the tragic story of Ti Moune, one leaves the theater happy, the cheery island music humming in one's brain.

Fellow UP graduate and former Smokey Mountain member Jeffrey Hidalgo plays Daniel, the male love interest. Since he's supposed to be "upper class", he prances around in an all-white suit with a white bowler hat, in contrast to everyone else who're dressed in island attire. Though he falls in love with Ti Moune, he actually is engaged to marry someone from his class. "Some girls you marry, some you love," he sings, just before Ti Moune finds out about his engagement. And you just know this weak man is going to break her heart.

"Born Diva" winner Raki Vega is great as Ti Moune. I wasn't able to watch "Born Diva" on TV, so I didn't really know how Raki Vega would look like. I was expecting someone with a boob job (Born Diva sponsors free plastic surgeries as part of its bid to 'better' the contestants), but she's this thin girl with the great voice, and she really did do justice to her role as Ti Moune, singing her heart out with great emotion. Others in the cast include Kuya Bodjie (as Ti Moune's adoptive dad), Jett Pangan (God of Death), Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (swirling in a pink dress as the goddess of love), Michael Williams (as God of Water), Micheal de Mesa (chorus/Daniel's Dad), and Bituin Escalante as Mother Earth. Although when we watched last Friday, it was Bituin's alternate Radha who played Mother Earth. I remember Radha from Kulay, and now she's even chubbier than Bituin, but she still does justice to her solo, "Mama Will Provide".

"Once on This Island" is at turns touching and funny. It runs until May 29 at the RCBC Theater, Makati City. It is directed by Bart Guingona (Actor's Actors). For tickets, contact Ticketworld.

A Love Story

Dear Ate Charo, itago nyo na lang ako sa pangalang RR....

RR is married. He has a kid. He is married to his college sweetheart. And he's hitting on my naive single female friend, who I'm afraid may have a tendency for falling for the wrong kind of guy. I'm afraid she might be looking for love in all the wrong places, to compensate perhaps for that lack of fatherly love?

I vaguely remember an MTV by some band. I can't remember the band right now, nor the song. (Was it Blur? Sorry, bad memory. Really bad memory. It was from the 90s. I think.) But I remember a scene from that video. A girl was crying on the sidewalk, nurturing her small deflated heart. A guy comes along, and they have fun. Along the way, she falls in love, and her small deflated heart becomes this huge pink larger-than-life heart which she wears on her chest. All along, the girl becomes very happy, but the big big heart scares the guy and he leaves. Ironic isn't it.

It's really none of my business, I mean, who am I to fix her up when I'm just barely surviving in fixing me up. But I am concerned my friend might be skidding to the wrong conclusions about life and love.

She's not like anyone I know. She projects this tough cookie facade, but she's really easily hurt, very sensitive, and very much concerned about other people's opinions. So isn't it ironic that she puts herself into such compromising situations? She has a tendency to be needy, and maybe these guys latch on to that neediness, to that need to be loved. It would be great if they'd do right by her, but sometimes, you can already see "DISASTER" written on the wall. Her other prospect is this guy who has a girlfriend. They have both admitted that they like each other, but he just can't leave his girlfriend. "DISASTER". Or maybe I'm wrong. Who knows. In some way, though I know her from way back, I can't figure out if she's gullible and idealistic and really thinks that these relationships will work out, or she's really just grabbing at love anywhere that she finds it.

slipping down the slimy pathways
holding on to love in the darkness
her fingers dirty
her hands bruised.

Heartbreak and disappointments change people. It can make them stronger, wiser, more interesting. Honestly, I am concerned. But I cannot do anything about it. It is her life, her lesson, her realizations. I can only try to be a good friend. And honestly again, I'm not being a good one either. :(

A New Job For B.

As I woke up today, I felt it in my gut. He's going to get a job offer. He said he had an interview at 10:30 this morning, and I wanted to text him "Congrats!" already. But what if I really had faulty ESP? So I took the conservative route and texted "Good luck" instead.

Well, he got the job. It's one step closer to his dream job. And I wish him luck.

The Next Best Thing

The next best thing to winning is losing! At least you've been in the race.
--Nellie Hershey Tullis

Indeed. The fun is in the journey, or so we convince ourselves. =)

• Team Pyros, Atienza Cup, Manila Bay, May 14, 2005
  
  
  
• TODA, PUA Summer Tourney, Alabang Country Club, May 15, 2005
  
  
  

The Right Man

Mr. Right comes in all forms and sizes, and just like beauty, who Mr. Right is really depends on the eye of the beholder.

I came across an email regarding marriage and Mr. Right. Well, actually the email was in reply to another person's dilemma -- the girl's fiance broke off their 10-year relationship because the guy realized he was in love with his female best friend. Just some food for thought (with apologies to the actual person who wrote this).

One of the wisest things ever said to me by a friend was
this - when all your bad "boys" experiences are done and
over, you'd look back and laugh at yourself for your
reactions because you realize that man was so NOT WORTH IT.
This same friend also told me that the man you are
destined to marry, if you have prayed to God to provide you
with that man, is not supposed to make you cry. I believe
this. In fact, as i look back at all the "wrong" guys I've
gone out with, they all made me cry about our relationship
one way or the other. As far as my recent fiance is
concerned, he has never made me cry (not even once so far)
over our relationship and I have known him for about 10
years and we've been together for almost five years.

The right man for you will not make you:

• cry
• doubt your relationship
• doubt yourself
• doubt your respect and trust and LOYALTY for each other wherever and whenever
• question your relationship in any way

I really don't know if her definition of the "the right man" is true, or applicable to everyone. But whoever she is, she sure is lucky to have found someone who has never hurt her nor made her cry.

Daily Motivators

Today, I promise to think positive.

The other day, a friend introduced me to this Daily Motivator website. Every day, a new quote would come up to inspire and motivate you. All the quotes are made by one person, and yesterday's quote was about choices.

The choice is yours, in every moment, every situation, every dilemma, every decision.

Choose a life that is full, with meaning, with joy and with purpose.

-- Ralph Marston

Back by Midnite

Last night, B.'s friend Ricky invited us to watch Pop Filter perform at Mayric's. A lot of bands were performing that night, among them Pop Filter and Milk and Money (both bands have songs on rotation at NU). Ricky is an IT consultant/independent contractor/musician/composer, and he's writing some songs for Pop Filter's album.

We were watching the other bands perform, waiting for Pop Filter's set, and then this all-girl band came up on stage. There were only 3 of them, and we were thinking, "wow, all girls. ano kaya tugtog nila, acoustic? kitchie nadal?". Suddenly, the opening strains of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" came up. Cool! They were doing the ultimate heavy metal song! Everyone took a second look. Will the band do justice to Enter Sandman?

Say your prayers little one
Don't forget, my son
To include everyone

Tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
Till the sandman he comes

Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land

The lead singer growled. And I mean growled. While singing, both she and the bassist were swinging their heads round and round, their hair covering their faces Sadako-like. They did another Metallica song after that, and their original songs, all of which were totally growling heavy metal stuff. Her speaking voice was really normal, but when she sang, boy, her voice really changed. Check out their website. The band is Back by Midnite, and they're from Davao City.

Restaurant Uno

We were both craving for a CPK Barbeque Chicken Chopped Salad.

We went to CPK Tomas Morato, but there was no parking available. "Sabi na nga ba dapat sa may Crossing tayo nagpunta eh." But we were already in the area, so we drove around looking for available parking. And there it was, just right across CPK. Oodles of parking spaces available. Only, it was in front of another restaurant. Restaurant Uno. White tablecloth, wooden chairs, big wooden door. It looked pricey, and there didn't seem to be many people eating in that time. What the heck, we thought. Let's try out this new place.

Unfortunately, we only had 500 pesos in cash with us. And the place did not accept credit cards. Most of the appetizers and pastas average around 180-200 pesos, while the entrees cost an average 350 bucks. I even remember a dish that costs 750 pesos. Todo-compute tuloy bago maka-order.

The cheese cake displayed at the counter looked appetizing, and costs 47 pesos. Refillable home-brewed iced tea costs 50 pesos. Ayan, 97 pesos na. 403 pesos more to spend! We were very hungry, but we managed to squeeze in a shrimp pasta and chicken wing appetizers for our 500 bucks. Food was delicious and tasty, although the serving size was quite small. "Mas okay pa sa Katre, nabusog ako dun," B. said.

Afterwards, we were still a bit hungry, so we crossed the street and ordered what we wanted in the first place -- a BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad from CPK.

* Restaurant Uno, Tomas Morato sidestreet, beside Little Asia restaurant
Ambience: ***1/2 out of 5 (quiet, ideal for dates and private family gatherings)
Value for Money: *** out of 5 (small servings, good for one only)
Taste: **** out of 5

Song of the moment: Chocolate, by Snow Patrol.