1. Paper checking season has officially started. I usually have a stack of CDs with me when I hole myself up in the office. Just my way of measuring how many hours it takes me to finish a particular stack. The longest I've gone is 11 CDs. Mostly it's house or trance or extended/Vol. 2 OSTs, a lot of chillout, dance music. Trippy happy stuff.
You wouldn't want to check papers while listening to, say, Chicosci, Wolfgang, any Lito Camo composition. Or even girls who like to punish their vocal chords. They're fun to listen to any other day, but not checking day. I once made the mistake of popping in a mix CD and then Hole's "I Think That I Would Die" came on in the middle of a research paper on BT corn. There were like five papers on weird corn that term, in different classes. Why people insist on writing about genetically modified corn is beyond me. But I'm digressing. Not that I have a beef against Cheese or Sandwich or whoever, but I don't want to get agit when checking papers. It makes you want to commit murder every time you come across a mangled sentence.
2. The lit class had their poetry exam the other day, and there was a Pablo Neruda poem in the mix. I'm not really a big Neruda fan or anything but I found out that the kids like him and his poems are easily "gettable." So anyway, he has this poem called "Too Many Names." (Here's a flickr rendition.) Something about Mondays meshing (or was that "moshing"?) together with Tuesdays. When I got to the part about "all of us are rain under rain" this song started playing in my head:
Too many walls have been built in between us
Too many dreams have been shattered around us
If I seem to give up they'll still never win
Deep in my heart I know the strength is within
Imagine Neruda voiced by Cathy Dennis. So I stopped and did other stuff. But as soon as I got back to my desk, as soon as I read the title, I instantly get a playback around the part that goes "If I could change the way of the world / I'd be your girl" and there's the chorus again. It's madness. I think I need to get out.
Saturday, March 25
Wednesday, March 22
Keanu Reeves is hipper than a Japanese schoolgirl
Or so Wired Magazine claims. That's #8 in their list of reasons of why Keanu Reeves rules. So does that means he's also cooler than Gwen Stefani and Madonna? Hehehe.
But the clincher is really this:
Now I'm very willing to suspend my disbelief when he's wearing a t-shirt that stretches just right around the shoulders. But I wouldn't dare trust him with a syringe.
But the clincher is really this:
10. He's smart. No, really.Someone once said that The Matrix gave Keanu the perfect movie role--a computer generated character. That seems a bit unfair. But one weekend morning, I was having breakfast and Something's Gotta Give was playing on HBO. In that film, Keanu Reeves plays Julian, a doctor smitten with the more mature Diane Keaton. A doctor, imagine that.
Reeves has called himself a "meathead," but Matrix producer Joel Silver insists he's "very well read, very conscious of the world, politics, the economy." He can talk about the differences between the theories of Schopenhauer, Hegel, and Kant. And he's even a crack chess player.
Now I'm very willing to suspend my disbelief when he's wearing a t-shirt that stretches just right around the shoulders. But I wouldn't dare trust him with a syringe.
Saturday, March 11
Lambanog
Taken from the presskit:
Lambanog is a collection of the intertwined sensory stories of Mark (Luis Alandy), as he goes back to visit his best friend Eric (Lauren Novero--"Dodong" in ZsaZsa Zaturnnah) in their hometown of Los Banos, Laguna. He passes by his old home and meets Rico (John Lapus), the landlord. After, Mark buys a bottle of lambanog from Maria (Danica Sotto), a mysterious lambanog vendor. During the drinking session, Eric introduces his new girlfriend, Hasmin (CJ Mercado).
Each character has a love story to tell, and when the alcohol level gets high, it brings out more secrets than what these characters would want to tell.
The film’s setting is by the feet of the mystical mountain of Maria Makiling. It is this mysticality and this rustic milieu that coincides with the Filipino experience of storytelling as magically real in the film.
About the director/writer:
Paolo Herras, 24, a BA Comparative Literature graduate and a M.A. Philippine Studies student at UP Diliman is the 3rd Prize winner of Star Cinema’s 1st Scriptwriting Contest. He is also a part-time faculty at the DLS-CSB where he teaches under the Arts Management Program of the School of Design and the Arts.
Paolo was also my batchmate in the 11th Ricky Lee Film and TV Scriptwriting Workshop. Lambanog comes after the other full length film debit efforts of other batchmates JP Carpio (Balay Daku), Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez (Cinemalaya's Lasponggols and Cinema One's Anak ni Brocka), Shugo Praico (who wrote the script for Sa Aking Pagkagising sa Kamulatan) and Gabby Fernandez (Nasaan si Francis?).
For some backstage photos click here. Photos swiped from the film's graphic artist's livejournal.
Lambanog has an advanced screening today at the UP Film Institute, 5 and 7pm. Tickets are at Php110.
Wednesday, March 8
The Piggy Personality Test
The DrawAPig website says that how you draw a pig determines your personality. Well, this little piggy went dancing:
At least if I can't dance IRL, my online pig thinks it can. Talk about bringing home the bacon and eating it, too.
At least if I can't dance IRL, my online pig thinks it can. Talk about bringing home the bacon and eating it, too.
Sunday, March 5
Thursday, March 2
De-likely: Crucifying the Verse
The SMS currently making the rounds today says that GMA is "likely" to lift 1017 today.
So even with all the protests going on, even with the various groups questioning the constitutionality of the thing, she's still not inclined to lift it. "Likely" lang daw. Pero di pa rin sure.
Somebody should tell her that 1017 thing is not loverly at all. Itanong pa niya kina Audrey Hepburn at Cole Porter.
The ways of RetroRevo don't seem to work anymore. Maybe it's really time to think up of new things. Somebody suggested this Starbucks Protest, which seems like a very ex-pat thing to do. Something to consider: How about going en masse to The Castle by the River and sing at the top of our lungs? If you can't carry a tune, all the better. I don't think we're going to need a Magic Sing for this one.
1017 ACTIVITIES FOR TODAY:
There's going to be another walkout in UP Diliman at 4pm today. Gathering place is at the AS Steps.
I just hope this doesn't turn out to be a campaign sortie, like what happened last Tuesday at the teach-in. I know it's student council election season, but guys, can't you just keep your young trapo tendencies in check?
So even with all the protests going on, even with the various groups questioning the constitutionality of the thing, she's still not inclined to lift it. "Likely" lang daw. Pero di pa rin sure.
Somebody should tell her that 1017 thing is not loverly at all. Itanong pa niya kina Audrey Hepburn at Cole Porter.
The ways of RetroRevo don't seem to work anymore. Maybe it's really time to think up of new things. Somebody suggested this Starbucks Protest, which seems like a very ex-pat thing to do. Something to consider: How about going en masse to The Castle by the River and sing at the top of our lungs? If you can't carry a tune, all the better. I don't think we're going to need a Magic Sing for this one.
1017 ACTIVITIES FOR TODAY:
There's going to be another walkout in UP Diliman at 4pm today. Gathering place is at the AS Steps.
I just hope this doesn't turn out to be a campaign sortie, like what happened last Tuesday at the teach-in. I know it's student council election season, but guys, can't you just keep your young trapo tendencies in check?
Tuesday, February 28
The Greatest Love of All feat. Whitney vs. Ka Andy
Earlier, Prof. Edru Abraham urged people to share their thoughts through music. So in the hours between three and six, there were speeches, there were poems, there were songs about the greatest love of all--and it's definitely not by Whitney Houston.
Prof. Abraham reminded us that whoever is in power will want to use the arts to legitimize their agenda, and not a few people fell for that tactic before. This is why Teo T. Antonio insists that poetry still matters: "May makatang sa mata'y may muta; May makata na may tabak ang dila."
Prof. Abraham then read out Mrs. Carmen Diokno's statement which discourages us from "choosing the lesser evil" as it leads to further suffering: "Out of 80 million Filipinos, Mrs. Arroyo is not the best we can produce. She does not even come close to the best. But Mrs. Arroyo’s display of arrogance is not what disturbs us, though I must admit it is irksome. It is, rather, the implicit assertion that we deserve her kind of leadership — for our people do not — and that there is no alternative to her, when there are."
In order to avoid falling into this trap, we must be able to discern what was actually meant by what was not said. The subtleties we ignore or fail to notice will eventually trap us in.
Carol Bello of the Pinikpikan got the crowd to chant with her and share their prayers for the nation.
National Artist Virgilio S. Almario urged people to use their texting powers for a good cause.
Finally, fellow DECL instructor and UP Press Deputy Butch Guerrero also suggests that in case you cannot be physically present in gatherings (for reasons of safety and otherwise), you may still express your solidarity by using the information highway. If for some reason you don't fancy staging a retro revolution, then maybe you can engage in a virtual one.
Prof. Abraham reminded us that whoever is in power will want to use the arts to legitimize their agenda, and not a few people fell for that tactic before. This is why Teo T. Antonio insists that poetry still matters: "May makatang sa mata'y may muta; May makata na may tabak ang dila."
Prof. Abraham then read out Mrs. Carmen Diokno's statement which discourages us from "choosing the lesser evil" as it leads to further suffering: "Out of 80 million Filipinos, Mrs. Arroyo is not the best we can produce. She does not even come close to the best. But Mrs. Arroyo’s display of arrogance is not what disturbs us, though I must admit it is irksome. It is, rather, the implicit assertion that we deserve her kind of leadership — for our people do not — and that there is no alternative to her, when there are."
In order to avoid falling into this trap, we must be able to discern what was actually meant by what was not said. The subtleties we ignore or fail to notice will eventually trap us in.
Carol Bello of the Pinikpikan got the crowd to chant with her and share their prayers for the nation.
National Artist Virgilio S. Almario urged people to use their texting powers for a good cause.
Finally, fellow DECL instructor and UP Press Deputy Butch Guerrero also suggests that in case you cannot be physically present in gatherings (for reasons of safety and otherwise), you may still express your solidarity by using the information highway. If for some reason you don't fancy staging a retro revolution, then maybe you can engage in a virtual one.
Monday, February 27
Rules of (Dis)Engagement
Somewhere in the metropolis, in an unnamed building, along a dark hallway sometime after lunch, we ran into three goddesses, who warned us about protesting. Here's their advice:
1. Yes, the University of the Philippines is a free zone. Armed and uniformed police and military cannot come in and arrest you. However, if you publicly announce or call for the downfall of the government, they can haul you off for sedition. Counter measure: Call them panget, call them whatever name you want, but don't say "Ibagsak si *toot*!"
2. Yes, the University of the Philippines is a free zone. Pero bawal ang prayer rally sa UP Diliman, sabi ng Chancellor. Bawal daw kasi ang any form of rally sa bansa lalo na't state of emergency. Kaya kahit sina Cory Aquino, di puwedeng mag-gather para mag-rosary at mag-pray over. Counter measure: Call it a "teach-in," call it a "congress" and it sounds so much more impressive than a rally.
3. Yes, the University of the Philippines is a free zone. Black is fashionable and it's the default color of protesters--para di kita ang blood stains, among other things. But it's too too obvious. Counter measure: Wear pink. It's girly and incongruous. Nobody would ever think you're anti-anything. Gentle subversions are the way to go.
1. Yes, the University of the Philippines is a free zone. Armed and uniformed police and military cannot come in and arrest you. However, if you publicly announce or call for the downfall of the government, they can haul you off for sedition. Counter measure: Call them panget, call them whatever name you want, but don't say "Ibagsak si *toot*!"
2. Yes, the University of the Philippines is a free zone. Pero bawal ang prayer rally sa UP Diliman, sabi ng Chancellor. Bawal daw kasi ang any form of rally sa bansa lalo na't state of emergency. Kaya kahit sina Cory Aquino, di puwedeng mag-gather para mag-rosary at mag-pray over. Counter measure: Call it a "teach-in," call it a "congress" and it sounds so much more impressive than a rally.
3. Yes, the University of the Philippines is a free zone. Black is fashionable and it's the default color of protesters--para di kita ang blood stains, among other things. But it's too too obvious. Counter measure: Wear pink. It's girly and incongruous. Nobody would ever think you're anti-anything. Gentle subversions are the way to go.
Retro Revolution
Just came from the presscon lead by Prof. Randy David at the Palma Hall steps in UP Diliman. There were probably a hundred people or more gathered at the steps, most of them students wearing black. He says that we must condemn Proclamation 1017 and make a stand as an academic institution. Because if we fail to do anything against it, we lose the essence of what it really means to be a university.
Panelists included former VP for Academic Affairs Maris Diokno, Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, Rolando Simbulan. Meanwhile, former UP President Nemenzo said that he has no memory of the First Quarter Storm because he was in prison then. Mostly everyone gave their own recollection of the First Quarter Storm and the Diliman Commune. Of how the youth were involved, and the Philippine Collegian and the Diliman Review were the only uncensored and/or unbiased periodicals of the time.
For people who only view Martial Law, FQS and the Diliman Commune as events they read about in history books, or for those who can barely remember EDSA 1, we are living in providential times. While there are some people who claim to be T.I.R.E.D.,and there are some who see protests as the chance to dress up in black and wear cowboy hats, I think that this is a chance to prove that we can step back and look at the big picture, to go beyond our everyday concerns of getting our errands and homework done, and to stop yapping that our country is doomed and there's nothing we can do about it.
The educators and academics present in the presscon today suggested activities that were totally reminiscent of their times--let us hold teach-ins, another Diliman Commune, let's use rock music to protest against 1017. Copies of the Proclamation were distributed and then torn as a sign of protest--the way that Bonifacio and the Katipuneros tore their cedulas in 1896. Yes, it seems sototally retro.
There are camps who cry that EDSA was a unique event which can never be duplicated again, and I have to agree. I'm not saying that we replicate it, because the times were different then and we probably need to think of an entirely new way to deal with the situation. How we deal with it now: we fwd and txt brigade announcements and warnings, we blog about it. Someone once said that the revolution will not be televised, and I don't think it will be waged and won by blogging and texting either, but it's a start.
More retro/past-fwd ways of how to deal and protest Proclamation 1017:
Read the University of the Philippines' statement regarding 1017. Print it out and then do whatever you want with it. Somebody suggested that we all flush it down the toilet.
College of Law, Malcolm Hall. 3pm. There will be a forum that will try to determine and discuss the legalities of Proclamation 1017.
Quezon Hall, 3pm. Prof. Edru Abraham announced that his Kontra-Gappi will hold a concert in front of the Oblation. There was an open call to anyone and everyone who wants to express their discontent via song and rock music. Bring your own minus one and http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifmagic sing.
AS Steps, 28 February, Tuesday. Whether or not there will be classes tomorrow, everyone is invited to broaden education by taking it out of the classroom and into the streets. Free your critical faculties, free the text from the double-spaced tyranny of Times New Roman font 12. Join the teach in at the AS Steps, 9am tomorrow. This is open to the public.
Panelists included former VP for Academic Affairs Maris Diokno, Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, Rolando Simbulan. Meanwhile, former UP President Nemenzo said that he has no memory of the First Quarter Storm because he was in prison then. Mostly everyone gave their own recollection of the First Quarter Storm and the Diliman Commune. Of how the youth were involved, and the Philippine Collegian and the Diliman Review were the only uncensored and/or unbiased periodicals of the time.
For people who only view Martial Law, FQS and the Diliman Commune as events they read about in history books, or for those who can barely remember EDSA 1, we are living in providential times. While there are some people who claim to be T.I.R.E.D.,and there are some who see protests as the chance to dress up in black and wear cowboy hats, I think that this is a chance to prove that we can step back and look at the big picture, to go beyond our everyday concerns of getting our errands and homework done, and to stop yapping that our country is doomed and there's nothing we can do about it.
The educators and academics present in the presscon today suggested activities that were totally reminiscent of their times--let us hold teach-ins, another Diliman Commune, let's use rock music to protest against 1017. Copies of the Proclamation were distributed and then torn as a sign of protest--the way that Bonifacio and the Katipuneros tore their cedulas in 1896. Yes, it seems sototally retro.
There are camps who cry that EDSA was a unique event which can never be duplicated again, and I have to agree. I'm not saying that we replicate it, because the times were different then and we probably need to think of an entirely new way to deal with the situation. How we deal with it now: we fwd and txt brigade announcements and warnings, we blog about it. Someone once said that the revolution will not be televised, and I don't think it will be waged and won by blogging and texting either, but it's a start.
More retro/past-fwd ways of how to deal and protest Proclamation 1017:
Read the University of the Philippines' statement regarding 1017. Print it out and then do whatever you want with it. Somebody suggested that we all flush it down the toilet.
College of Law, Malcolm Hall. 3pm. There will be a forum that will try to determine and discuss the legalities of Proclamation 1017.
Quezon Hall, 3pm. Prof. Edru Abraham announced that his Kontra-Gappi will hold a concert in front of the Oblation. There was an open call to anyone and everyone who wants to express their discontent via song and rock music. Bring your own minus one and http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifmagic sing.
AS Steps, 28 February, Tuesday. Whether or not there will be classes tomorrow, everyone is invited to broaden education by taking it out of the classroom and into the streets. Free your critical faculties, free the text from the double-spaced tyranny of Times New Roman font 12. Join the teach in at the AS Steps, 9am tomorrow. This is open to the public.
Saturday, February 25
Post 24/02/06: The Superfacial Reports
Yesterday, I had a plan. After class, I would do my errands, like:
1. Find myself plain, solid-colored bedsheets so I can feel more like a grownup. I also thought of painting my electric blue and pink walls into something like beige or white, but that would be too much trouble so I settled on the bedsheets (and pillows, with new pillow cases, and a comforter too).
2. Since the shops in Mega did not have the long-ish pinstriped shorts I wanted in my size--the medium was kind of snug na, pakshyet--I thought of doing my shopping in Makati. Baka mas curvy friendly sila. Got to plan the summer wardrobe while I still have time.
3. The pinstripe shorts would go very well with plain white sneakers. Para kumpleto ang outfit. And maybe check out that Edsa 20/20 exhibit na na-feature sa Unang Hirit.
4. Pero my real objective was this: I had to get myself a facial. I haven't had a facial since late August, when The Show took over my life. Bluekessa claimed that ever since The Show, I had dark circles down to my jaws and it's only recently that I began to show some color. Konti na lang, I'd be the perfect example for The Seven Signs of Early Aging, so I decided to take action.
I wasn't able to do any of those things because when I woke up Friday morning, a rebellion was in the works. A coup plot has been thwarted. Classes were suspended. Sometime mid-morning, all dressed up but nowhere to go, Guerrero and I were texting each other. Should we go to EDSA?
The UP contigent was there. The Shrine is near Mega. I could still get my facial if we go there. But, no wait. GMA declared a national emergency. If we go to Edsa, we might get arrested because of this Proclamation 1017 thing. People thought it was really Martial Law, but she's not calling it such but we all know what it is anyway. Ano daw? They arrested Randy David. Should we still go?
Because if I get a facial then I can't go because raw skin can't be exposed to the sun and other harsher elements. I live near The Palace, all the exits around town are barricaded. Guerrero suggested I should buy mongo and candles and pancit canton. I go get groceries. Lots of people in the mall. They didn't look worried. So maybe we should still go. Where is Edsa again? Tamadita texts we really shouldn't, because it looked too dangerous. They even put a warrant out for former UP President Nemenzo. Maybe I really should be worried. Cops have already raided The Tribune office. I live near the depot. What if they bomb it?
If they do, then that J-pop thing won't push through anymore. If so, then there's no point in getting that facial.
1. Find myself plain, solid-colored bedsheets so I can feel more like a grownup. I also thought of painting my electric blue and pink walls into something like beige or white, but that would be too much trouble so I settled on the bedsheets (and pillows, with new pillow cases, and a comforter too).
2. Since the shops in Mega did not have the long-ish pinstriped shorts I wanted in my size--the medium was kind of snug na, pakshyet--I thought of doing my shopping in Makati. Baka mas curvy friendly sila. Got to plan the summer wardrobe while I still have time.
3. The pinstripe shorts would go very well with plain white sneakers. Para kumpleto ang outfit. And maybe check out that Edsa 20/20 exhibit na na-feature sa Unang Hirit.
4. Pero my real objective was this: I had to get myself a facial. I haven't had a facial since late August, when The Show took over my life. Bluekessa claimed that ever since The Show, I had dark circles down to my jaws and it's only recently that I began to show some color. Konti na lang, I'd be the perfect example for The Seven Signs of Early Aging, so I decided to take action.
I wasn't able to do any of those things because when I woke up Friday morning, a rebellion was in the works. A coup plot has been thwarted. Classes were suspended. Sometime mid-morning, all dressed up but nowhere to go, Guerrero and I were texting each other. Should we go to EDSA?
The UP contigent was there. The Shrine is near Mega. I could still get my facial if we go there. But, no wait. GMA declared a national emergency. If we go to Edsa, we might get arrested because of this Proclamation 1017 thing. People thought it was really Martial Law, but she's not calling it such but we all know what it is anyway. Ano daw? They arrested Randy David. Should we still go?
Because if I get a facial then I can't go because raw skin can't be exposed to the sun and other harsher elements. I live near The Palace, all the exits around town are barricaded. Guerrero suggested I should buy mongo and candles and pancit canton. I go get groceries. Lots of people in the mall. They didn't look worried. So maybe we should still go. Where is Edsa again? Tamadita texts we really shouldn't, because it looked too dangerous. They even put a warrant out for former UP President Nemenzo. Maybe I really should be worried. Cops have already raided The Tribune office. I live near the depot. What if they bomb it?
If they do, then that J-pop thing won't push through anymore. If so, then there's no point in getting that facial.
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