Rock 'n Roll heart

Repeat While Fading

Aldus Santos' collection of articles on pinoy rock

(Basta ako pupunta.)

UP student ka ba? Siguro naalala mo si Mang Meliton (sya yung "singing janitor")

If he had ever acted as your guarantor for a student loan, this is a direct call to you (especially if you forgot to pay). If he never did, there must have been at least 1 day in your 4 (or more) year stay at the University that his toothy smile cheered you up.

My little Mang Mel story:

I vaguely remember having this really shitty day back when I was an undergrad. I saw Mang Mel mopping up the FC floor and singing! Singing with all his heart and mopping, like no one and nothing else existed but him, his floor, and the music he was creating then and there. Mang Mel was such a picture of devotion and passion, I just stood there, watching him. After his song, I think I applauded and complimented him, after which he asked if I had a "request." I forgot which song I requested (probably a Carpenters ditty or was it Smile?), but I do remember feeling much, much better afterwards, not because he sang for me but because he was kind enough to entertain this child who was obviously having a bad day.

As it turns out, that little song number for me (and all other song numbers that followed) was nothing compared to the hundreds of students Mang Mel helped enrol in his 45-year service to UP. Mang Mel not only gave away impassioned performances, he also risked his name (and pension) so other students could enrol.

Please take the time to read this and, if you may, pass it on until it reaches those forgetful people. The guy surely deserves a whole lot better. Sana magkaron naman ng accountability yung ibang tao.

The text that follows is a repost from this site.

-----------------

Meet Meliton Zamora, a retired University of the Philippines janitor and my hero.

For forty-five years, he swept floors, cleaned up trash, watered plants and did odd jobs at the University.

I met him when I was active with the UP Repertory Company, a theater group based (then) at the third floor lobby of the Arts & Sciences (AS) building. He would sweep and mop the hallway floors in silence, venturing only a nod and a smile whenever I passed him.

Back then, for me he was just one of those characters whom you got acquainted with and left behind as soon as you earned your degree and left the university for some big job in the real world. Someone whose name would probably ring a bell but whose face you'd have a hard time picturing. But for many UP students like me who were hard up and had a difficult time paying their tuition fees, Mang Mel was a hero who gave them the opportunity to finish university and get a big job in the real world.

The year was 1993 and I was on my last semester as a Clothing Technology student. My parents had been down on their luck and were struggling to pay for my tuition fee. I had been categorized as Bracket 9 in the recently implemented Socialized Tuiton and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP). My father had lost his job and to supplement my allowance, I worked part time as a Guest Relations Officer at Sam's Diner (back when the term GRO didn't have shady undertones) and took some odd jobs as a Production Assistant, movie extra and wardrobe mistress.

To be eligible for graduation, I had to enroll in my last three courses and pay my tuition fee. Since my parents didn't have enough money for my matriculation, I applied for a student loan hoping that my one of my Home Economics (HE) professors would take pity on me and sign on as a guarantor for the student loan. But those whom I approached either refused or were not eligible as guarantors. After two unsuccessful weeks of looking for a guarantor, my prospects looked dim, my future dark. And so, there I was, a downtrodden twenty year old with a foggy future, crying in the AS lobby. I only had twenty four hours left to look for a guarantor.

Mang Mel, with a mop in hand, approached me and asked me why I was crying. I told him I had no guarantor for my student loan and will probably not be able to enroll this semester. I had no hopes that he would be able to help me. After all, he was just a janitor. He borrowed my loan application papers and said softly, "Puwede ako pumirma. Empleyado ako ng UP." He borrowed my pen and signed his name. With his simple act of faith, Mang Mel not only saved my day, he also saved my future.

I paid my student loan the summer after that fateful day with Mang Milton and it has been 15 years since then. I am not filthy rich but I do have a good job in the real world that allows me to support my family and eat three meals a day. A few weeks ago, a friend and UP Professor, Daki, told me that Mang Mel recently recorded an album which he sells to supplement his meager retirement pay, I asked another friend, Blaise, who's taking his Master's degree at UP to find out how we could contact Mang Mel. My gesture of gratitude for Mang Mel's altruism has been long overdue. As fate would have it, my friend saw Mang Mel coming out of the shrubbery from behind the UP library, carrying firewood. He got Mang Mel's address and promised him that we would come over to buy his album.

Together with Blaise and my husband Augie, I went to pay Mang Mel a visit last Sunday. Unfortunately, he was out doing a little sideline gardening for a UP professor in Tandang Sora. We were welcomed into their home by his daughter Kit. As she pointed out to a laminated photo of Mang Mel on the wall, she proudly told us that her father did retire with recognition from the University. However, she sadly related to us that many of the students whose loans Mang Mel guaranteed neglected to settle their student loans. After forty-five years of service to the University, Mang Mel was only attributed 171 days of work for his retirement pay because all the unpaid student loans were deducted from his full retirement pay of about 675 days. This seems to me a cruel repayment for his kindness.

This is a cybercall to anyone who did not get to pay their student loans that were guaranteed by Mang Mel. Anytime would be a good time to show Mang Mel your gratitude.

Mang Mel is not asking for a dole out, though I know he will be thankful for any assistance you can give. So I ask those of you who also benefited from Mang Meliton's goodness or for those who simply wish to share your blessings, please do visit Mang Mel and buy his CD (P350 only) at No. 16-A, Block 1, Pook Ricarte, U.P. Campus, Diliman, Quezon City (behind UP International House) or contact his daughter Kit V. Zamora at 0916-4058104.

2008 Round-up

What did you do in 2008 that you've never done before?
Travel alone – and I loved it! The concept had always seemed somewhat scary to me (especially in a country whose language I grapple with everyday), but in the end curiosity won out. I just had to visit places like Kyoto and Osaka and don’t really have anyone to go with so kebs na sa pag-aalangan.

Both were immensely fulfilling experiences, and I know I would want to be doing more traveling in the years ahead (like nextyear), preferably with a friend (ahem!), but if no one’s available and the place looks safe, kahit solo ako ulit, sige!

Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Hmm…I don’t really “make” New Year’s resolutions and don’t intend to for next year either. :p Siguro ano na lang, I should exercise more next year, keep clutter at bay, and be more productive.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
No one did this year, but Checo is due really soooooon! Mine, Anj, and I are all excited titas.

Did anyone close to you die?
Not this year, thank god. Skip muna sana ako dito, our family has had too much in the years prior to this.

What countries did you visit?
Went back to the Philippines last September, then stayed in exotic Japan.

Was able to go to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kagawa, Hakone and Palawan!

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A great boss (the brilliant, unselfish, decent, honest and without racial prejudices kind) and the kind of work which would allow me to teach and write (kung pwede yung may kinalaman sa sining).

What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Hmm…ano nga ba. Yung mga biyahe:

Sept. 15-18, Palawan trip; because it was the first time I went snorkeling and totally fell in love with it, and because I went with Marco and we both had a blast.

Oct. 1, Osaka, day of my US visa interview + Radiohead concert. Parehong masaya.

Nov.30-Dec.2, Kyoto. It’s an unbelievably beautiful city, worth all the hype.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I was able to combat homesickness (sa Multiply at sa lahat ng well-meaning friends who made themselves available to me online: thank you.)

What was your biggest failure?
I didn’t assert myself as much as I should have done. I think I need to work on this, especially when it comes to work and letting myself to get what I rightly deserve. But we all learn, don’t we? I sure hope I did.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Minor sickness like pagod-related fever early this month, extremely sore leg muscles from too much walking (blam it on the exuberance of a tourist).

What was the best thing you bought?
Sunshine the Ipod and my grungy black boots. Oh, and my pair of happy Chucks.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
He-who-shall-not-be-named, for referential purposes.

To sum the person up, capitalist racists make you believe the worst in mankind and even make you doubt a culture (just because it’s the environment that raised him).

Where did most of your money go?
Travel and travel paraphernalia (oooh, walking shoes! Camera! Etc.,etc.)

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Kyoto just because I’ve heard so much about it and coming home after ten months of being away.

What song will always remind you of 2008?
The whole In Rainbows album, I think I’ll always feel a certain thrill listening to it, yung awe at pagiging surreal nung experience na once upon a time, napanood ko yung Radiohead live.

Compared to this time last year, you are:
i. happier or sadder? -- Definitely much happier. I’m not as homesick anymore compared to last year (and most part of this year), I still do miss home pero nakapag-adjust na yata ako kahit papano and made a few good friends along the way (haha, after a year and a half!).
ii. thinner or fatter? -- Fatter, because I’ve also been doing more cooking (and luvin’ it).
iii. richer or poorer? -- By some standards richer, but only because I was sort of penniless before and couldn’t even afford to take short trips without blowing all my savings (lakwatsera talaga ko). I’m kinda glad to have the resources to do what I want. Sana magtuloy-tuloy.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
Write and read about art.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Desired things I couldn’t and shouldn’t have.

How did you spend Christmas?
Currently answering this meme! Might go out later with Nat, his girlfriend and some people for a proper Xmas dinner (kung hindi ako tatamarin).

Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yep -- with a job that’s based in Singapore, but it didn’t love me back, boohoo.

Sa rela-relasyon, considering that I’m in an LDR, we didn’t fall out of love so hurrah to that!

How many one-night stands?
Sa totoo lang I don’t understand the logic of one-night stands, so no and maybe never.

What was your favorite TV program?
No Reservations (dinner on Thursdays), The Situation Room (morning newspaper), Gossip Girl (weekday break)

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don’t hate him, but I got (and still get) appalled by his dodgy behavior and decision-making numerous times. Pricks do exist.

What was the best book you read?
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (Haruki Murakami) re-read it a lot this year, particularly the short story “The Kidney-Shaped Stone.” May mga epiphanies ako sa tuwing binabasa ko yun.

Norwegian Wood, another Murakami. Fell in love with Midori’s character. She’s like a Cameron Crowe girl. Gusto kong maging Midori (o kaya sana isa akong Midori).

There’s something about reading Murakami while in Japan. Parang mas ramdam ko sya. Gusto ko ring bumalik ng Tokyo and do my very own Murakami tour; traverse the streets he mentioned in the book. :p

Another author discovery: Eileen Chang, Love in a Fallen City, she's a gem. Ang galing nung paglalawaran nya sa old Shanghai.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Drumroll please (because this would prolly sound pretentious, haha): jazz. Parang finally, I know how to listen to it now (somewhat). Sabi ko kay Marco, I owe it to him cause’ he taught me how.

That and Velvet Underground.

What did you want and got?
Adventure (and a dash of kitchen sense)!

Objects-wise, a camera

What was your favorite film of this year?
My Blueberry Nights (Norah Jones’ performance somewhat fell short, but Rachel Weisz and David Strathairn were brilliant. Ang heartbreaking nung segment nila.)

Favorite soundtrack: Juno

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
26 (fak)! I just worked the whole day; spent the day with my adult learners (one gave me a bar of Willy Wonka chocolate), the afternoon with my kids (a naughty, handful, but somewhat endearing bunch) and then after work, there was the sorta expected surprise party with the evening students, Nat and Takumi.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having Marco and my friends logistically near, hindi lang through the internet. A better boss would have helped too.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Comfy teaching clothes – suits, shirts, turtlenecks, plaid pants
Lakwatsa wear – boots, black leggings + mini-skirts, t-shirts
Heaps of black stockings and black tights.
Lots of black, period.

What kept you sane?
Chatting with Marco, Mine, Rach, Michelle, Ysa, Sandi, atbp., your Multiply replies, and making new travel plans; basically having something to look forward to never fails to paint the world in a better light.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Barack Obama! Hahah, there goes the suspicion that I find men who exude power and the smarts sexayyy

Who/What did you miss?
People: a lot (you should know)!

Events: every Centennial celebration event and (gaddamet) the Eraserheads Reunion Concert (I don’t think I’ll ever get over this)

Food: Isaw and Balut (they’re pretty hard to export)

Who was the best new person you met?
The award goes to Nat my co-teacher, just because he’d sometimes act as my lobbyist against our office imperialist (and he’s proving to be a good friend too).

Tell us some valuable life lessons you learned in 2008.
When it comes to dealing with others, no matter how decent or fair you are some people will still fuck you up. In fact, a select dodgy few will even choose to take advantage of you.

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
”You also happen to be cute and caring.” (haha)

The most touching experience you've had this year?
There were the unexpected moments courtesy of Marco (I feel very lucky to have a rather expressive boyfriend) and friends saying they miss me (kurot sa puso yun!). It made me feel loved, haha.

What did you like most about yourself this year?
I took the challenge to live away from all that’s comfortable and familiar and embarked on a teaching job and managed to do not-so-badly on both counts.

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
I still sometimes whine a lot and buy things/food because they appear cheap and end up just wasting cash because they don’t get used or eaten.

How are you different now that the year has ended?
I hope I’m wiser and more realistic now especially where working and dealing with higher-ups are concerned. Also, I have started to use mascara, lipstick and eye liner (this newly-acquired skill rocks!).

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Do you go to the country
It isn't very far
There's people there who will hurt you
’cos of what you are

Your ears are full of their language
there's wisdom there you're sure
Till the words start slurring
And you can't find the door

So give me coffee and TV easily
I've seen so much, I'm going blind
and braindead virtually
socialability is hard enough for me
Take me away from this big bad world
and agree to marry me so we can start over again

What are your plans for 2009?
Go back to graduate school. Get a jumpstart on a more stable profession (yung totohanan na), yung related sa pinag-aaralan ko. Travel more. Learn new things, like driving.

What are your wishes for the new year?
I have yet to make a list, but it’s somewhat related to the things mentioned above.

coffee prince

Taken some two years ago before leaving for Japan. I think it was right after getting a haircut and during my no-meat phase (I was really thin!).




:D

winter blues

* Been knocked down by fever + nausea in the last 3 days (and counting). I smell gross, feel gross, and my apartment looks awful. Good thing I'm staying in tomorrow so I might finally get some cleaning up done.

* Planned a trip to Hiroshima to go see the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, a huge complex dedicated to the victims of the atomic bomb (which I was excited to see because a former professor, Ma'am May Datuin, talked about it at length in an art history class I took), and Miyajima (this awesome shrine with the torii built right into the sea!). Booked my bus (actually got a really good deal) and was about to book a hostel. Then I found out that the Museum would be closed on the days I was supposed to be there. Drats. Sayang. I wouldn't have time to go in January, and I'm going home soon.

---

* On a chipper note, Blur announced they're actually reuniting. Yay.

oh, Japan

Where the clueless homemaker end up paying a hundred and fifty pesos for one clove of garlic (in fairness, odorless naman), and then a year later, the same clueless person in backpacker mode sits through a tedious 3-hour train ride (of what could've been just an hour and a half) to save a measly 900php -- only to end up blowing around the same sum for a 10-minute cab fare! (E P I C pagtitipid fail. sniff.sniff.sniff.aaaaaarrrrgh!!!!!)

Great taxi remorse aside, I had a really memorable trip: Kyoto is worth every hype heaped upon it.

So, how are you? Salamat pala sa lahat ng nag-haberday. (In Nyel's barok Nihonggo, "Anatawa wakaru watashi no ai tai desune?" You do know i miss you, right?)

Will be uploading photos soon! :)

All about Calendars

Since Mama is currently in Manila, I was left to my own devices. It was a pretty nondescript weekend spent walking around downtown, celebrating two birthdays, and dining at kaiten sushi (fast and cheap sushi, yum!).

1. Halloween is so over, and I guess so is Fall. The malls are in full-on Winter mode already. Coats, boots, different versions of Ugs, even Ugly-fied Crocs(take an oridnary croc, attach a bota-body to it), abound. And the weather seems to be cooperating (or is it the weather dictating the seemingly accelerated arrival of Freezy Winter?). Our Fukui Fall evenings have gotten as chilly as 5 deg Celsius (Lord help me in December!).

2. Japanese Christmas has begun to rear its kawai head. Adverts for Christmas cakes are everywhere. Families traditionally eat slices of pretty cakes on the 25th of December. No present-exchange here. Orders are placed at least a week ahead.

3. And speaking of cakes, I had a slice of one of these last Friday.

Yoshino and Keiko celebrated their birthdays (one day apart from each other) in our brand-spanking new school building:





At 32 years old, one could easily mistake them for 23 (okay, maybe that's stretching it, but they would each pass for 25 no?). And since Japanese women seem to be outliving everyone on the planet (an average Japanese obasan - grandma- reaches 86 years old), they both have a looong way to go (fifty years at least). I asked them what their wishes are -- Yoshiko wishes for more travel and Keiko wishes to get married. Sabi ko bata pa sya, and then that's when she said she's turning 32. Still young, I think. Pero sige na nga, I wish them both not marriage just yet kontrabida! :D), but wonderful boyfriends first. Ones they could travel with and celebrate happy birthdays til they reach their 80s. :D

3. Speaking of brand spanking new, yep, Will Be just moved a couple of blocks down Omiya road. It was a bit farther from my house (now it takes me 10 minutes by bike) but the new school comes with a bigger room for Grace, and a computer inside that room so no one's complaining -- especially since presumably I won't be around to complain once snow season begins. Hah! Score one for Grace. :D

4. Oh, if Christmas is not a big deal here, New Year is. It could be comparable to our Filipino Christmas. They have a host of traditions associated with New Year (it could merit an entire blog post). Upscale mall Seibu, aside from being Winter-crazy, is most definitely calendar and planner crazy! Andaming cute na calendars and planners swarming around, like this one:

pink goth calendars

Eyecandy talaga. It was fun just looking and watching shoppers furiously pick out their calendar of choice for 2009. I saw a Moomin planner I really liked, but managed to control myself (later you'll see why). However, I did fall in love with these:

Art-themed calendars printed on hemp paper.
They could be framed like that main display, made by a Russian artist.

This one, most especially:

I have an awww-spot for the Peanuts, lalo na yung vintage Peanuts where Snoopy looked more like an ordinary dog with really cute dog-antics. The vintage Peanuts calendar is also available in wallpaper format, yung pwedeng i-frame. I know I shouldn't even be thinking of getting it (if oggler's memory serves me right, it's about $20), but darnit, it's the Peanuts gang! Vintage Charles Schulz! Cuuuuuuuute!

5. So I wiped the slobber off my face and proceeded instead to the 100yen store -- yes, where everything costs around 46pesos! This reliable-looking 2009 planner included: AGENDA

Never go looking for trouble,
Seek and you shall find.
A near friend is better than
A far dwelling kinsman.

Let's disregard the proselytizing (and I kinda liked the screaming yellow cover and the word "agenda") since it can do this anyway:


plan, baby, plan!

Tsk. A sign of advancing years, the urge to make concrete plans and see your goals on paper. ;)


6. Speaking of advancing years, since my, uhm, boitday is coming up, I got meself this a month ago (yung sumisilip kanina sa ilalim ni Yellow Agenda):

Murakami Diary

Ordered it from Amazon (evil, evil Amazon!). The size was a lot smaller than I had expected and the price was like one Murakami book already. But it does have beautiful images like this:


First time I've gotten myself an expensive notebook, and it doesn't come without a pinch of guilt. So how do I justify this purchase? Sabi ko sa sarili ko, it will serve as an "ode to my more than 1 year stay in Japan"; para maalala ko yung buong Nipon experience next year (at syempre kelangan tunog-madrama. :p) Sabi ni Mine, gusto ko lang daw talagang i-justify yung purchase. :p


Haha, baka nga tama sya.

I know I've constantly complained about the loneliness, gig-lessness, lack of accessible friends, etc. that comes with life in Fukui, but I think I would sincerely miss living here - the solo apartment, proximity to my Mom, the Japanese city trips, fresh sushi, even my students (some of them especially ). So I'm resolving to just enjoy the remaining two months, biting weather aside. ;)

The Expatriates, p. 5

Five young expatriates hunch around an undersized cafe table: a moment of total insignificance, and not without a powerful whiff of cliche.

Unless you were one of them. Then this meaningless, overdrawn moment may (then or later) seem to be somehow the summation of both an era and your own youth, your undeniably defining afternoon (though you can hardly say that aloud without making a joke of it). Somehow this one game of Sincerity becomes the distilled recollection of a much longer series of events. It persistently rises to the surface of your memory - that afternoon when you fell in love with a person or a place or a mood, when you savored the power of fooling everyone, when you discovered some great truth about the world, when (like a baby duck glimpsing your quacking mother's waddling rear for the first time) an indelible brand was seared into your heart, which is, of course, a finite space with limited room for searing.

-- Prague, Arthur Phillips

Mark, p. 29

excerpt from Prague, Arthur Phillips,

Like a dying man railing against an unfamiliar God, Mark kept asking, "Why?" And every academic question was merely a restatement of a more pressing personal one, one he had been asking nearly as long as he could remember thinking, one he was embarassed to ask even as he kept asking it despite himself, one he would only share with a friend while drunk or laughing:

Why am I unhappy in the era and place I was given?

It did not take a very long acquaintanceship before Charles labeled Mark "sad beyond help, unfit even for commodities trading." Scott, in turn, had identified the Canadian as "prematurely elderly."

kitchen confidential

mr. anthony bourdain,

i love you! thank you for coming to the philippines.

i hope you get to try at least 80% of the food in this awesome list cooked-up by paul catiang.

when you do try the lechon (which i'm sure you will, given your love of Its Succulency, Mr. Peeeg) - sample both the luzon kind and the cebu variety. pair mr. lechon-peeeg with bottles of beer, san miguel and red horse (my personal choice)!

try the kare-kare. be generous with your bagoong. have bagoong from different locales - manila bagoong, pampanggueno bagoong, ilocano bagoong.

and yes, don't leave out the puto, kuchinta, and biko.

again, iloveyou mucho. enjoy your stay in the philippines. and whatever they tell you, never belt "my way" in any street videoke.

much girlish love and adoration, nyel

p.s. maybe i'll get to stalk you soon. i hope i bump into you when i someday travel to new york. expect a hug from me. (don't worry, i'll most likely ask for permission first.)

year-end resolutions

1. Lessen obsessing over things, spend more time acting on them.

2. Try not to let the house (and other things related) gather dust again.

***

Must-dos the first half of 2009:

1. Go home.

2. Leave some more to set foot in other cities and towns.

3. Then come home and get a dog.

What Peter Pan had to do with my short trip home

May theory ang matalino kong syota na, "garbage in, garbage out," kaya siguro dahil puro katamaran ang iniinhale ko nitong mga nakaraang linggo, katamaran din ang dinidighay, binubuga at inuutot ko. Oh well. Let's try to shake off the laziness and do something productive here. Let's catch up! Hullo, my faithful onion-peeler blog.

Getting Over My Fear of Airports and Being Home

One day and a month ago, I was in that airplane en route home. Giddy and excited, I couldn't wait for the plane to finally land so I can run the length of NAIA, gather my things fast, and give my aunt, who I'm sure was waiting outside, the moment's tightesthuginthewholecity.

As soon as the plane landed, I jumped to my feet, got my stuff from the overhead compartment, and was just about prepared to remove anyone standing between me and my love(s). Until finally -- the sight of mousy brown interiors so unlike any other airports in the world colors my view. Hello, Manila! I've missed you.

Doctor-cousin-Jengot was waiting for me outside. And then, we proceed to exchange the tightest hug we've ever given each other in all the 22years we've been cousins.

Let the mush-fest begin!

Finding rhythm

Earlier today, I was chatting with a cousin over at YM. She was telling me how recently she has been feeling like an absolute wallflower. But in the whole 25 years I've known her, "boring" or "uninteresting" would probably be the last adjectives I'd associate with her. She kicks major men's ass playing basketball, never had trouble using her wit, and has been to so many amazing places I can only dream of exploring, so she certainly doesn't need help in the interesting department. However, I do think her present environment isn't doing much to make her more interesting.

I think when people stay in a lackluster environment for so long, especially when they keep to themselves for a long stretch of time, there's a tendency to burn out and just let yourself fade. Like you forget how it is to be the person in your old photos, the one smiling genuinely because you're someplace that feels so comfortable.

Embracing Familiar Objects

The first morning in my old room was both strange and familiar. A bit strange because, heller, I slept in my old room! In a new bed! And the walls have been repainted hospital-green! How my old room looks now certainly is weird, mukha syang supot-na-joke, but I could forgive whoever did that to her because I was just glad to be waking up in a very safe place; one that knows no insomnia and offers the kind of weather that was far from being alien.

(It's bedtime, let me fastrack a bit) Seeing friends bit by bit, getting to bug my titas, receiving hugs from Marco, inhaling the air, walking around UP, conversing with manong taxi drivers were like taking these small steps leading to Maniel. Not to say that they've led me to "rediscovering the old nyel," definitely not because in the course of a year, it's only logical to expect that things would be different -- look what it has done to my old room (made it look like a joke! heheh), to my old familiar Munoz feels new (which underwent a major upgrade - it now boasts of a cinema-equipped Walter Mart!), and to the people I was only too happy to see.

So, no, it wasn't a trip that made me "rediscover my old self". But it was rather similar to Peter Pan seeing his old shadow again, chasing after it, then catching it, and, finally, sewing it on the soles of his feet just so he could walk with more ooomph knowing he has the shadow following him.

There's nothing like a 10-day-break to regain the spring in your steps you have been sorely missing.

Postscript 1: Sorry sa mga hindi ko na nakontak, like Emma, JPaul, Polly, Ian, Charls, Claire and Rach. Kinapos lang talaga kasi sa oras. Promise, babawi ako sa January. :)

Postscript 2: Art studies posse, I left my SD card, the one with all our photos, in Manila. Paumanhin. Um, popost ko na lang next year. :D

post-osakaquickie

jeezezit!

mad packing frenzy aside, i really am happy (too happy, in fact) to be coming home. ten months is just too long to be away.

:)

oh, and i did get to vacuum and do a gazillion other things before leaving the fukui home. now, one more class to get through and then i'm off.

**do pray for my trip. and i'll probably (reallyreally, not-just-for-pleasantry) see you soon. ;)

boarding fish

supposed to fly in in less than 2 days but i'm too frakkin' busy to feel psyched. today i worked 13 hours straight that i neglect: (a) feeding my facebook dog, (b) doing facebook mob jobs (c) deciding how and where to pack my clothes and (d) what i'll wear to the airport. (cries in panic).

last year's flashback of that time i checked in isn't helping either. last year, my baggage was about 3kgs too heavy. had to unload stuff (well, bags of chocolate) crouched in one corner near the check-in counter. oh the horror. (cringes in shame and prays to the airport gods it doesn't happen this year).

in panic, i might end up at the airport without a passport, without money, or without a clue how to get to the airport from nagoya (sudden amnesia!). and at the airport, what do i do with my fatgiantbag before it's time to check in? i don't really want to spend a penny on those expensive lockers but i want to be like those cool passengers at the airport, the kind with teeny-tiny baggages. plus, i haven't really written a word to start that green raket, which leads me to think i'll probably be working while on vacation. and i don't really want to vacation home with a flu, with a guilt-inducing deadline or with my period (which tends to dropby when it's most inconvenient).

somehow i ended up with a big bag chocfull of japanese pasalubs again. i think i need help, i suspect i'm a souvenir whore.

Superficial II: Frailty at Pablo Gallery, Cubao Expo

I'm about 4 work-filled days away from home. Looking forward to seeing everyone, eating plenty (chinese dimsums, i'll chew you soon!), and getting my fill of gigs and exhibits. This one should be REALLY good:

Superficial ll: Frailty - a group show featuring the works of 33 female artists opening September 13, Saturday 7pm at Pablo Gallery, Cubao Expo.

The participating artists are:

Carina Almonte, photographer / Jessica Antonio, student, visual artist / Cynthia Arre, graphic designer / Bru, visual artist, graphic designer, Electrolychee / Mara Bernaldo, video director, motion graphics editor / Mica Cabildo, visual artist, musician, graphic designer Team Manila / Bea Camacho, visual artist / Denise Castillo, video director, motion graphics editor / Abi Dacayap, illustrator, graphic designer Osomundo / Liza Flores, illustrator, graphic designer / Lala Gallardo, set designer, illustrator, graphic designer Team Manila / Marie Gan, visual artist / Garovs Garrovillo, stylist, graphic designer EveryWhereWeShoot / Abi Goy, illustrator, graphic designer / Honey Hipe, graphic designer / Wiji Lacsamana, illustrator, graphic designer / Ene Lagunzad, mixed media artist, musician / Hannah Liongoren, interior designer, graphic designer / Mitch Mauricio, photographer / Feanne Mauricio, student, visual artist / Jhoan Medrano, graphic designer, illustrator / Gabie Osorio, visualizer, craft artist / Katwo Puertollano, illustrator, musician, graphic designer 27+20 / Genie Ranada, mixed media artist / Sunshine Reyes, photographer, writer / Pepper Roxas, illustrator, graphic designer / Sharon See, stylist, craft artist / Mia Singson, visual artist / Joyce Tai, graphic designer Inksurge / Lette Teodosio, graphic designer / Pauline Vicencio, photographer, motion designer Acid House Post / Shawn Yao, photographer / MM Yu, visual artist, photographer

(Posters and text grabbed from graphic designer extraordinare Cynthia Arre's multiply page)

let the countdown begin

I've been away for more than 9 months. Grabe, miss ko na LAHAT ng pwedeng mamiss -- traffic, streets/highways with no sense of order, crazy packed malls, laughterlaughterlaughter, gigs(!), beer, bumming around with ghastly expensive cups of coffee, KYUSI, cubao, makati, manila, arguing, UP, sisig, isaw, church, FRIENDS(mine checo anji trixie jess avie laya frannie yayo randel ian ian manoxchix rom grace paul manoxboys gwen etcetcetc!!!), OYEKS, Marco and the Harders.

Shet, hindi nako makapagantay. thue-ni-wahn days tah ghooOo!

fear

You know how some people live with the fear that one day they’d wake up realizing that they’ve fallen out of love with someone? That when that finally happens, they would know what a terrible thing it is their mind has done. Maybe part of them would lament the loss, they'd feel betrayed, but no matter how sincerely sorrowful they are, there is nothing they could do to bring back what has slipped away and all they’re left with is a feeling of helplessness.

I grapple with a similar fear. But my version is that one day I would wake up and I would forget my father: how his voice sounds like, how his eyes could carry so much amusement, wisdom, and intensity, the shape of his brown glasses, the clothes he used to wear - a shirt with a side pocket, brown, gray, or blue slacks, the way he walked, and how kindly he spoke towards me and other people.

Truth is, I’ve forgotten most of his jokes. All I remember is that he used to make me laugh, but I can't recall how. So I’m scared that in this state of slow deterioration, one day all his memories would disappear. That he would fade and become just a tiny, optional footnote.

My mind could erase him in many different ways. Like, one day, maybe it would refuse to echo back to me the way Papa used to say my name or his peculiar way of pronouncing, “hambur-ger.” And, in an act of betrayal, I would stop holding on to the last lingering look he gave - me in a telephone booth decked in stupid adolescent rebellion, while he was outside, gazing at me in his blue hospital robe with a look that encapsulated the saddest and yet most hopeful gaze he alone could probably give me in this lifetime.

I'm scared that as I go on with my life, as I become wrapped up in my responsibilities as an adult and as I take on new roles, my memories of him would suffer in the process. That eventually the daughter in me would die so it could give way to another person. Someone more whole; someone lighter, someone less fragmented.

when you can't decide, consult the tarot

keywords: going home crossroads staying leaving

Three of Wands in the "Self" Position

Main (positional) Meaning:
You are prepared to take risks to explore new opportunities or enterprises.

The card in the Self position reveals aspects of how you perceive yourself right now.

When the Three of Wands is in this position an adventure is about to be set in motion. This card represents the burning drive that compels a person to risk his or her worldly fortunes for a chance at greatness. Committed to a plan of action, you have gathered resources and designed the step by step procedure.

An enterprising spirit inspires you to strike out in this new direction rather than stay with the status quo. Now you can confidently set out on this journey of exploration and hopefully, enrichment.

The Magician in the "Situation" Position

Main (positional) Meaning:
Allow genius to operate in this situation and creative solutions are sure to arise.

The card that lands in the Situation position refers to social or circumstantial factors which could be affecting your life at this time.

Allow imagination and originality to operate in this situation and creative solutions are sure to arise. People become less judgmental in a stimulating atmosphere.

This is a good time to become involved with a person of genius who can intuitively transform chaos into a higher order. The situation at hand provides fertile ground for unorthodox approaches. It looks like it's going to be a fun ride.

The Lovers

in the "Challenges/ Opportunities" Position

Main (positional) Meaning:
Opposites can be brought into harmony.

The card that lands in the Challenges/Opportunities position refers to ways that you can turn obstacles into stepping stones.

The Lovers challenge you to distill the best from seeming opposites and create a new mixture. Rather than thinking of them as opposing each other, consider these two elements as right and left hands.

Harmonize these opposites and you will heal a rift that will greatly expand your awareness. If you pit one side against the other, however, you will slide back into unconsciousness. Share whatever you learn from this experience.

***

So in this current situation, what is the status quo? What is the "unorthodox decision"? And how do I harmonize the opposites? *bangs head against the wall* I wish I could have more obvious answers, even though I know in the end, my decision would prevail. I'm just not sure if they're always the wisest/right one.

Any thoughts, closet tarot-lovers?

RU Listening?

Yes, I am. And you should, too! Catch The Purplechickens and band friend, Ang Bandang Shirley, perform at the "RU Listening Tour" on JULY 25 at 6Underground on Pearl Drive.

(Plus, plus The Wuds and UpDharmaDown will also be there. Seriously, may mas masaya + sulit pa bang gimik dito?)

Entrance at P50 with free flowing vodka? Hello???

Continue voting and requesting for "Girl of Frost" by texting MSGRJURGirl of Frost by The Purplechickens to 2959.

(reposting this from armycraeg)

I’ve got romance on the brain and it starts with the letter P

(An overdue music meme from no1fan)

1. (The) Path of the Wind (piano version)

From the anime Totoro. Like Cat-bus and Totoro, this composition is a bottomless pit of calm and cheer. It saw me through numerous frustrations + bouts of homesickness late last year and unfailingly took care of me. In a nutshell, it’s a companion P: pantawid-lungkot.

2. Piazza, New York Catcher

I’ve never been big on weddings but always did think eloping is romantic. I love the mix of naiveté and cynicism present in this song. To me, it’s about 2 people doing something possibly scandalous, and they do it not in the (abused) name of love but for the promise of adventure.

Elope with me, Miss Private, and we’ll sail around the world
I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl
How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?
How many nights of limping around on pagan holidays?
Oh, elope with me in private and we’ll set something ablaze
A trail for the devil to erase

(…)

I love you, I’ve a drowning grip on your adoring face
I love you, my responsibility has found a place

(…)

I wish that you were here with me to pass the dull weekend
I know it wouldn’t come to love, my heroine pretend
(...)

Meet you at the statue in an hour

3. Para sa Masa (The Eraserheads)

Naalala nyo pa ba?

Binigyan namin kayo ng ligaya.

In the post-Eheads breakup years, this song has always struck me as an impending goodbye song. In it I hear the band struggling to bring back to the consciousness of the audience how they were once significant to their lives. It’s like a song about an affair that’s on the verge of ending because the parties no longer held the same priorities, no longer cared for the same things, or one of them chose to change. The chords and lyrics contain immeasurable frustration, disappointment, sadness.

Now I hear they’re reuniting in a concert touted to be legendary. Admittedly, I’m bummed because there’s really no way I’d be able to go. I think of all the years I fervently wished they’d play just one set, just one secret surprise gig and now it’s happening! Just great, it’s on the year I’m not home. I do hope that when the four of them share the stage again, they’ll do so sans any tinge of animosity because it’s not just about hearing the old songs being played and sung by the original lineup. You know what would really make the day legendary is if we see them sincerely enjoying playing together again.

(Another thing, I hope the buzz about Marlboro being the company behind this “legendary” event turns out to be just a legend.)

4. Paperbag (Fiona Apple)

Hunger hurts but starving works when it costs too much to love.

Because no one has to endure something so pointless.

5. (The) Perfect Love Song (The Divine Comedy)

This is love whistle sent through YM and serves as a reminder that though I may not be the best gambler there is, there's that one lucky day I did manage to score the jackpot.

Give

Me your love
And I'll give you
The perfect lovesong.
With a divine Beatles bassline
And a big old Beach Boys sound.
I'll match you pound for pound.
Like heavy-weights in the final round,
We'll hold on to each other
So we don't fall down.

aug 30

excuse me while i weep.

Sugarcane

I will never forget the 1^st time I tasted this humble drink. It was sometime in the 80s in a little hole-in-the-wall FujiFilm shop in Ongpin St. in Chinatown, Manila.

My Dad and I were traversing our regular route. From Zacateros St., we would walk along Alonzo then Ongpin St., passing through numerous hardware shops, pipe and tube stores, pet shops and a fire station until we reach Sta. Cruz. The distance usually takes about 30 minutes on foot. While walking, I would be gawking at the very Chinese-looking people manning the stores, marveling at the cacophony of their rapid Fookien and wondering what they were saying. From time to time, to the tune of my Daddy saying “Jump!” my legs hefty with kiddie muscles would manage to make big leaps to avoid tripping on the logs being unloaded to the various hardware stores. I endured that section of the mercantile street on foot only because next to it came my favorite part: the traders who specialized in pipes and faucets! As we passed by the pipe shops, I would gleefully stretch out one of my bony arms to feel the strong and cold force of the water gushing from the shiny pipes and faucets. And then, after walking some more, I would beg my old man to carry me again. In the chaotic district that was 80s-era Chinatown, being cradled by my Dad’s arms made everything feel safe.

Aside from begging him to carry me, I would also usually complain of thirst. That day, my Dad didn’t immediately stop to get me a drink. He told me to wait. Whether I was actually thirsty then or just looking for an excuse to drink Coca Cola or ice water escapes me now, but that warm day, I think I bugged him twice or thrice more than the usual, not understanding why I was being made to endure the thirst.

Clearly, my Dad had something planned. Somewhere along the walk from Zacateros to Ongpin, he must have thought the time was just ripe to let his daughter have her first sip of sugarcane.

The store that sold sugarcane lay somewhere near the Ongpin arch, just a few blocks after the fire station, and a few meters away from where we would wait for jeepneys that would bring us to Quiapo, then home to Munoz. We usually bought stuff there before or after the walk to/from Zacateros - like a pack of Hi-C juice, a plastic pouch of Coke or some cigs for my father. Of the numerous times I accompanied my Dad to his office, the two of us mostly ignored those stacks of cut sugarcane pipes. From time to time, I would wonder to myself what those cut bamboo-like shoots were used for or how the yellow-greenish juice tasted like. Sometimes I’d even sneakily touch the dried sugarcane, but I never really got curious enough to bug my father to let me try it.

For all the ingenuity of being the only store to sell sugarcane juice and sugarcane in that busy and hectic street, the little FujiFilm shop lacked any aggressive signage promoting their unique product. Instead of screaming banners, they just put out a sign written on the back of an empty cigarette carton pack that said, “Sugarcane, S - P 2.50, M - 5.00, L - P 10.00.” From what I remember, their major trade was the selling and developing of film rolls, while specializing in a bevy of other rakets. And the well-used up space reflected these concerns. Walls lined with photos of That’s Entertainment stars, shelves filled with stacks of batteries and films of different brands, types and ISOs took up about two-thirds of the space. The remaining third crammed a mini sari-sari, where a pedestrian can buy candies, like Stork, Snowbear (?),White Rabbit (the kind imported from China), some cigarettes, as well as a variety of other refreshments. I’m sure banana cue and even fishballs had also been tenants of the store at one point, tempting pedestrians and camera enthusiasts alike.

“Natikman mo na ba yung sugarcane, Niel?”

“Hindi pa.”

“Gusto mo?”

“Ayaw.” (After all, it was green. It looked like a veggie, never mind the “sugar” part)

And then (my curiosity got the better of me), “Ano ba yun, Papa? Sarap? Sige.”

First sip and it was love. I looked at my Dad, my face conveying a mixture of glee and shock. How was it possible that something so ticklishly amazing could come out of a plain-looking green tubo? I was stunned not only by how sweet it was but also by how unimaginably refreshed my throat felt after one gulp. This was definitely better than Coca Cola and it sure was worth the lengthy walk and the long wait. From that day onwards, I made sure to have my Dad buy me a cup whenever we would pass by the Ongpin arch, to the point that I got tired of it and had him stop buying me one. But eventually, I’d come around and start craving for a cool cup again.

This, as well as other stories, confirms how everything my Dad did was just tinged with magic. Whenever I would try to grasp memories of the man, I would be reminded of him by the little things he left me with. No, they are not material gifts, a great inheritance nor a precious heirloom, but rather a way of looking at things; of experiencing them. That humid afternoon in Ongpin, I would be discovering a new favorite drink; one I’d be having a lifetime love affair with. And in a sense, I owe this great fondness for sugarcane to him. Maybe the fact that he made me endure the thirst and heat made that first sip an extraordinarily sweet one because, come to think of it, never had sugarcane tasted as good as it did that afternoon, almost two decades ago.

missing the oyeks

found an old family photo while clearing my lappy-clutter. taken during one of our clan dinners. we would have these spontaneous get togethers when, i.e., someone comes home, somebody's turned a year older, or someone's about to go away (again).

of my cousins, at least 3 of us are working overseas. there's debbie (standing, 5th person from the left) who's in taiwan, alex (standing behind me, 2nd person from the right) who's in the US, and me. me-ann and jojo (couple in black, beside debbie) met and got married in the states but has since come back because they decided it's better to raise their family in the Philippines. they're dad and mom to 2 of my prettiest nieces, too -- lauren (the girl debbie's carrying) and nicole (front, seated, in white).

three of our cousins (jeffrey, julie and sallie) have gotten married and permanently relocated abroad -- in Canada, Russia, and San Francisco, repsectively. come to think of it, parang coming-of-age ritual samin ang paglalayag. must be our inner migrants (the o'yek patriarch and matriarch came from china).

since this photo, two babies have been added and the rest have been growing. (& i'm missing it! shets.)

*note to self: i looked so much thinner here! there goes my next hair-goal.

sleeplessness is a bitch and nightmare, its accomplice

On my previous blog post, I complained about badly wanting to go home. But I also said when I wake up the next morning, I'd probably be telling myself that "things are still okay and I should hang on until October because, hey, it'll be here before I even know it."

But this morning, there was no logical wake up moment because last night there was no sleep. Imagine lying in bed at 12 and 4 hours later, you're still there, wide awake. Tried counting sheep, counting months, counting every option I have -- but that usually never works anyway. It just wastes away precious minutes. San napunta ang oras? Nakahiga lang ako, and then, poof! 4 am na.

Somewhere between 12 and 4, I did the usual -- turned on the TV, tuned in to CNN, waiting for it to lull me to sleep. But nope. My CNN wasn't cooperating. If anything, the recent environmental tragedies - the Myanmar cyclone, the China earthquake - just made me more restless and paranoid.

---

A week ago, I had a nightmare. I dreamt I was in a big old house with lots of room. And in each room was a different personal terror. In Room A, my 2 aunts were lying side-by-side. One of them has been sick for a long time and in my dream, this aunt looked very sallow and was reed thin. I came up to her and touched her arms, almost skeletal, and the skin I touched was papel de hapon thin, really delicate, with the translucent color of onion paper. She didn't say a word and I coudn't make out the usual kind expression on her face.

Two other rooms held 2 different terrors, both of which seem a bit silly now. One had a friend I was hoping would offer comfort (I just came from the scary room), but the friend laughed at me instead. The third room had one of my junior high learner matched up with this high level boy with a British accent. And I had no idea how/what to teach them. And all throughout the dream, as I ran from room to room, I was frantically searching for my Dad. I was so sure he was still alive. But I couldn't find him anywhere. Later on, I would find out he died but nobody told me.

---

If something terrible should happen in Quezon City or Metro Manila, do I want to be here, away from everyone? Nope. I'd rather be buried alive, swallowed by the Earth, or drown with the rest of you rather than have the more "fortunate" option of escaping tragedy. Likewise, if something tragic should happen to this place, I don't want to be part of the body count.

---

Last week, I almost snapped at a low level student. And it made feel really bad because she's really cute and usually sweet. In the past, even though it was kind of a challenge to teach her, I'd usually be up to the task. Maybe I was more impatient than usual that day. I think that day in class I was more attuned to my needs and wants at the moment than her then-present need to learn English. I suck.

I have this theory that for teachers to be able to teach well in class, they should completely not listen to themselves and instead, like a mother beast, listen, observe, and be fully attuned to what their students are saying and not saying.

---

Lately, I've been feeling as if I'm just going through the motions beybeh. Sleepwalking through the weekdays, if you may. Sabi ni queerestofthequeer, she misses her self. Ako, I just miss my friends. I've been alone for too long now. A fortnight ago, I was chatting with Gwen, and out of the blue, we talked about colors. I complimented her recent photography work, saying the colors on her photos were as happy as an array of watercolor chips. And then she responded by saying how she thinks vibrant reds and greens just blend so well with the Antipolo sun. and then I remember how I used to have all these color talks with my artist friends. One of them, an architect/photographer, would tell me how the color blue attracts mosquitoes. And how does he know, you ask? Well, he knows because he observed it. "That's why you shouldn't wear blue if you're the type who always gets bitten by mosquitoes." I direly need these color talks.

---

And yeah, part of the sadness is the feeling that I've mostly milked this experience for what it's worth already. domesticated? check. spent time with mom? check. (feeling ko nga nagsasawa na sya sakin. :p) End of this month, Manyel-in-Japan is turning 10 months. She has somehow fought off homesickness. Loneliness kicks in with the realization that there's nothing much to look forward to anymore.

(well, there is. pero parang malaking balakid ang work. :p)

if i could just stop considering EVERY little thing

i will quit and take that early flight home.

gadget crush: creative zen

why it's more attractive than the ipod (to me at least): long time mp3 crush, ipod nano, requires installation of iTunes, which, according to one of Kjwankitty's previous blog entry, can be such a headache when you're reinstalling your personal workhorse of a computer. so creative zen's windows drag and drop feature is a big come on. i just want compact music-on-the-go (naks, "music on the go" -- how yuppy does that sound?), not something that would make my laptop's life even more complicated.

Not only does the Creative Zen have add-ons like an fm radio, a voice recorder, and video playback, it also boasts of having an expandable SD Card slot and a sleep timer! And I'm a sucker for sleep timers! I go to sleep with the TV on (a necessity when the person living above you fancies exercising in the dead of night) and have, for countless times, wished my radio has a similar sleep timer function.

does anyone own one? someone you know owns one? how is it? (would really appreciate personal reviews.)

IPod vs. Creative - let's slug it out!

take a leap.

i eat like a truck driver.

seriously, nyel. you start eating at 12.10 and finish at 1. you wolf down in one sitting nearly all the 1 takal of rice you've supposedly alloted for the whole day! you should listen to your mother more and stop deluding yourself: cook 2 takals/day instead.

oh, and maybe it's not a good idea to chat while you eat. thinking ups your demand for carbo and makes you lose count. your math skills have become rusty, remember?

---

it's 1:05 now. excuse yourself and make that mochi for dessert.

scatterbrained.

ngrrgnekrnkfljsnlekrnlekfmlskdnrienklmfne.

freaky first world - scars, limbs, and regrets

One

In Fukui, there's someone (could be one person, could be a gang of psychos) walking around victimizing innocent pedestrians. The crime: slashing the poor person's face and leaving permanent scars.

The first reported incident actually happened at the big park near my house (not the small one in my photos). I actually went there to jog by my lonesome a week before said incident.

Seriously scaring the hell out of me. Unlike the psychopath stories from pasig, this one's actually true.

Recently, the man struck again -- inside a mall! He was caught (of course), but there could be others like him.

Two

A story making the headlines these days: wife kills husband. Make that physically abused and emotionally battered wife finally saying ENOUGH! And then hitting her husband with a beer bottle on the head before proceeding to chop off his husband's limbs all the while talking to a friend on the phone describing each thing she's doing.

The catch: husband and wife were married professionals. They live in a very nice apartment in Tokyo. You could say they're rich even by Japanese standards. Both are quite goodlooking and young (29 and 31 y.o.).

Cultural tidbit: in Japan, they don't even perform organ transplants because it's against their religion. So I wonder how the chop-chop act makes the issue of body defilement worse.

Three

Early this morning, we were talking about regrets.

And one student tells this story:

A son of a family acquaintance holds a degree in Architecture. He graduated from Kyodai University (Kyoto University), one of the bestuniversities here (second only to Tokyo University, they say). Thing is, he wanted to change his career path and become a doctor. He was bent on studying medicine at Kyodai so he persistently took the examinations. He didn't pass the first time. Nor did he make it the 2nd time. Not even the 3rd.

Exam results were released the other day on the internet. Yesterday, poor guy hanged himself.

TutoK:2talk Creative Convergence -- music, poetry, live art, art-speak, impromptus, installations, atbp.

(Repost from Frannie's site. Pupuntahan ko to if I were there. )

Hey everyone, you're all invited to

TutoK:2talk Creative Convergence February 26-29, 2008
@ SAMBALIKHAAN grounds (pls refer to map)

2Talk Creative Convergence happens this February
National Arts Month 2008.

Music, poetry, live art, impromptus, installations,
grafitti, and video-- all happening at Sambalikhaan
from February 27 to 29.

tutoK:2talk creative convergence February 26-29, 2008


bulong
a prelude to TUTOK:2TALK creative convergence

organize by bulungan collective

The Rooftop, Metropolitan Tower
1746 Mabini Street, Malate, Manila
February 16, 2008, 8:00pm-12:00mn


opening night: tutok kargado
tutoK takes on charged works and responses to the gallery collection

Jose Tence Ruiz
Buen Calubayan
Mideo M. Cruz
Noel Soler Cuizon
Boy Dominguez
Alfred Esquillo, Jr.
Egai Talusan Fernandez
Karen Ocampo Flores
Emmanuel Garibay
J Pacena II
Kirby Roxas
Don Salubayba
Mark Ramsel Salvatus III

Curated by Jose Tence Ruiz

Ateneo Art Gallery,
Rizal Library, Ateneo de Manila University,
Loyola Heights , Quezon City
February 26, 2008, 6:30 p.m.


bull session
Round table discussion on globalization and altered/alternative aesthetics. Featuring local and visiting artists.

Facilitated by Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez

Sambalikhaan, Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music (AILM)
275 E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City
February 27, 2008, 3:00 to 6:00pm

surfacing
tarps and photos: essaying our decaperacidos

Estan Cabigas
Enrimand "Manman" Dejeto
Kenneth Guda
Diana Moraleda
Sandino Nartea
Judy Pasimio
Joseph Purugganan
Ilang-Ilang Quijano
Candice Anne Reyes
Leonard Reyes
Dennis Rito
Marc Talampas
Jenny Tañedo
Alanah Torralba

Curated by Nino Tagaro and Jes Aznar

Sambalikhaan Grounds
February 27-29, 2008


environmental state
installation projects on mental/ecological states

Clint Catalan
Rainer Cruz
Don Dalmacio
Dondi Fernandez
Enteng and Dessa Laput
Leeroy New
Leobensant Marquez
Marlon And Kelly Paraganas
Niel Pasilan
Alma Quinto
Oliver Ramos
Sawsawan
Paul Sena
Angelo Suarez
Wire Tuazon
Ugat-LAHI
Costantino Zicarelli

Curated by Buen Calubayan

Sambalikhaan Grounds
February 27-28, 2008


visual pollution
an infestation of (de)synthesized video installations

Anino Shadow Play Collective
Artist Arrest Movement
Elvert de la Cruz Bañares
Sigfried Barros-Sanchez
Ramon Bautista
Herbert Commendador
Khavn Dela Cruz
Ivan Despi
Tad Ermitaño
Ging Flores
Lea Lim
Treb Monteras II
Jet Pascua
RA Rivera
Jemina Rodriguez
Jun Sabayton
Rights
Southern Tagalog Exposure
Syke Dolero

Curated by J Pacena II

Sambalikhaan Grounds
February 28-29, 2008

common spot
spot-on urban graffiti invades idyllic setting

Pilipinas Street Plan (Philippines)
Killer Gerbil (Singapore)
Gene Pendon (Canada)
Ebliss (Malaysia)
BCBrutta (Spain)

Curated by Mark Ramsel Salvatus III

Sambalikhaan Grounds
February 28-29, 2008


surf plus shop
artists’ knickknacks on parade: art, food, books, etc.
Just bring ur stuff!

Sambalikhaan Grounds
February 28-29, 2008


authorize extremist
live art presentations by local and visiting artists

Buen Calubayan (Manila Philippines)
Nick Aca (Cagayan de Oro Philippines)
Ioana Gergescu (Quebec Canada)
Jef Carnay (Manila Philippines)
Noel Cuizon (Manila Philippines)
Soni Kum (Seoul Korea)
Shannon Cochrane (Ontario Canada)
Arai Shin-ichi (Tokyo Japan)
Mideo M Cruz (Manila Philippines)

Curated by Racquel de Loyola

Sambalikhaan grounds
February 28, 2008 3:00 to 9:00 pm


impromptus
open mike for all sorts of live and livid actions

Curated by Jef Carnay

Sambalikhaan grounds
February 29, 2008, 3:00 to 6:00pm


pasakalye
musicians feting all artists in an acoustic ensemble

Cynthia Alexander
Bobby Balingit
Lolita Carbon
Jess Santiago
Skarlet
Syke Dolero
Aya Yuson

Curated by JL Burgos and Mavi Deocampo

Sambalikhaan Amphitheatre
February 29, 2008 7:00 to 9:00pm