December 4th, 2006 at 1:40 am Borat.
Me and You and Everyone We Know..
Entourage 1,2 and 3 .
Roughly 22 hours spent this week in front of the boob tube catching up on all the bestselling plots on film that I have missed. Quite insane for a supposedly workaholic kind of person that I am.
But there I was, a delighted recluse gorging on sumptuous spaghetti and iced tea while spending half of the long weekend in our new couch. Easily the simplest joy in life.
But this week was far from uneventful.
Last Tuesday, I received word that a 6-month long writing project that I thought had been junked will be pushing through after all. It starts January but meetings will begin this month, and should satisfy my insatiable thirst for new clothes. I also received an auspicious blessing to pursue another writing project which aims to inspire the youth but also personifies Pandorra s box in our social context.
That should be exciting and worthwhile. After that intimate dinner in UP, I headed to Gateway to hook up with the boys to watch Borat the SOB who left me in stitches the whole night. This movie was totally hilarious!
We couldn t stop dissecting it over beers at neighboring Oyster Boy. The next day, I met up with my PDF counterpart at Rockwell after hitting the weights at the Fort and then headed to practice at 9:30. Thursday, I had to dress up a bit for my drinking shindig with my Shang officemates, which was preceded by a meeting with my boss and our friends from the World Bank regarding some serious social development issues, and a simple gathering at the office for my boss, who would be celebrating her birthday the next day.
I slept at 4am because I was compelled to watch another movie! Friday, I had an awesome workout thanks to Teng, saw some episodes of Entourage and then got ready for my Handlebar gig. That event was monumental man it was a reunion of the original Rats, with Dave A and J Lupito jamming on stage.
It was actually fun being in the audience for the most part, hanging out with my surprise guests from Shang and my UP college friends. Splendid!!
! Then I headed north to 70s to drink some more with the boys and there were still Pinoy rock celebs there from the Jerks and Color It Red. As normally practiced, we capped the night with a 430 breakfast in a nearby pares station.
The next day, I just decided to slack off and make the couch my home for the next 12 hours to give my skin a break. Mind you, I still managed to squeeze in 2 speeches in my Saturday to-do given my lackadaisical demeanor. I m still a responsible bugger I guess
November 6th, 2006 at 1:10 am There is no better way to start a long week than by spending Sunday with kids.
I learned this last week when I was invited by my friend from Ictus, Ina Juan, to come to her birthday party at the cancer ward of V. Luna General Hospital in QC. Our orgmates from Ictus chimed in and we all helped the sick kids, most of whom I think are terminally ill, paint colorful masks.
Ina s parents and brothers were also there to help out. There was spaghetti and fried chicken for everyone, and all the kids went home with goodie bags filled with art materials and toiletries. Everyone was happy, and I told Ina I ll probably celebrate my birthday the same way she did.
For me it was the perfect party simple yet very meaningful.
That night, I rehearsed with Zann for my cousin s debut the next day where my aunt commissioned me to sing. I think we finished at about 3, talking more than practicing just like Moira days.
The songs I chose were Have A Little Faith In Me by Jewel and Time Of Your Life by Green Day, which I selected at the last minute because I thought it fit the occasion perfectly. Have A Little Faith In Me was a bit high for my range, but I insisted on doing it on the same pitch mainly because I really wanted to do that song for the longest time in the way it was performed exactly. That song carries a distinct quality that has always had a huge impact on me I guess it s the way Jewel just brings it, y know?
Woke up early and skipped gym because I had to be in UP by 830am to participate in another Social Protection forum, work-related of course. I headed straight home because I wanted to get some sleep before the party at 7, despite the work for the Singapore trip that has been piling up on my desk. Zann and I did a pretty good job with the surprise number for my cousin I think, because even though I was almost gasping for air at the bridge part, I got the overall effect I desired.
Can t explain how though. Then of course we finished a bottle of red to load up before hooking up with Ruben who s anxiously waiting at 70s watching AC on his lone ass. AC we paid 150 bucks to watch this band drill a hole in my head.
I mean COME ON, that must have been the lousiest parody of rock and roll fusion I would never have paid 150 bucks for. Funny that I came all dressed to the nines at bistro, pearl bag and all, but with a Red Horse in hand. Hehe.
Beats staying at home man, spending a night with the boys even though I could care less about the band which was begging for a death sentence. On the way home, I was uber hungry as usual so thanks to Ruben s leftover onion rings, my tummy s anguish was immediately resolved.
Boy was I a work horse on this day!
Had an eventful meeting with my boss in the morning, which is always a good way to start any day. She told me that she already submitted my recommendation to Annenberg, and will submit the one for Harvard soon. What could I ever ask for pa in a boss?
! I was busy the whole freakin day revising the country reports for the ministerial forum on families I just found out that one of the reports did not respond to one of the agreements in the first ministerial. Nerd stuff forget it.
But what really ticked me off was the artwork that I was asking for that came so late and me catching the people working on it playing games in their computer. Tangina nila, engaging in recreation while I was slaving my ass off waiting for their final lackluster output. Aaaargh
That night, I celebrated Halloween with my choir mates in our traditional yearly get-together, brought a hat (which was supposed to be a headress, but it wasn t), ate lots, played Invisibles and saw The Others.
We also planned our upcoming Christmas party, which is like the icing on the cake of every year. The theme that was agreed on? The Christmas Belen, each of us portraying one of the characters: Joseph, Mother Mary, the 3 kings, shepherds, angel and even the darn animals.
And among all of those, guess which I was auspicious enough to pick? The fuckin donkey. I raised hell, but of course had no other recourse but to concede.
Later the idea was questioned because it may be sacrilegous, so we might actually change the theme, which is very good news on my part.
The Rats struggled with CSNY s Carry On the harmony parts were just impossible to weave together. Had a great talk with Andy and Butch afterwards, mostly about politics.
Talk about spacious in the tiny cocoon that is mag:net on a Friday night. We generated a measly 11 walk-ins, but the night was still incredibly fun. Every gig night is fun.
But Butch, Johnny, Tom and Andy chiming in about their carefree days is something you don t experience very often so that was a major highlight of the evening.
Went to Conspiracy for the Rakrakan Blueskrieg event, where our friends from Snakecharmer and Firebottle performed. Blueskrieg is a 15-song compilation of original blues songs, in which unfortunately, the Rats was not able to participate.
The night was fun, and despite the early warnings to Deltaslim that there was no way I m gonna get up on stage to sing, I relented at the jam sessions. I can t say no to these guys. It s always fun just hanging out with all of them.
After the gig, we went to an obscure kebab place along Congressional where we fancied stories about weird movies and enjoyed the surprisingly sumptuous servings of chicken kebab and barbecue. Only then did I realized that there was also someone who appreciated the movie Adaptation apart from myself and it was really great knowing that, because for me that movie is a work of understated genius. The same guy also saw Happiness, which is arguably the most disturbing collection of mishaps and daily atrocities which will leave an equally disturbing effect on the viewer.
See it for yourself
David Bowie s A Reality Tour - the highlight for me was Under Pressure, which was sang with Bowie by the bassist, a gifted woman named Gail Ann Dorsey. Galing!!
!
The Break-Up - 5 stars, every man should see this film
September 25th, 2006 at 12:01 am I think I just spent 3/4 of my weekend writing, writing and writing. I did something for work then devoted the rest of my time writing an article for a food magazine, which looks into the relationship of aural ambience to the dining experience.
It took me 17 hours to do, with too many munchie breaks in between. It was exhausting, but fair enough since I had my share of extremely fun gimmicks this week. My mom said she just hopes I m getting paid really well for staying up until 6 in the morning.
I said no, because writing, just like music, can t pay the bills 
The week swung by like a blur, but it was eventful and fun.
Tuesday, we had an impromptu gig at Conspiracy, which was good rehearsal for the Friday gig. Wednesday, I took the train to Ayala to have lunch with my dear old friend Dawn who now works as Bollywood s communications manager. (I met Dawn at Shang, when I was the communications coordinator there.
Talk about switching roles :p) Anyway, the resto was going to be featured in the piece I was writing so I was really hitting two birds with one stone. That day was also my Dad s birthday so dinner was good at home.
On Thursday, I went with Chikki and Reg to St.
Luke s Medical Center to visit our high school classmate Donna Molina who is in ICU due to a ruptured brain tumor. That was a shocker 
Friday was the big gig at Handlebar (We looooove that place. It s always a party when we play there.
) I wore a tube top which I accented with a thick belt I snagged at Greenhills that morning. (The beaded bracelets Chix? P30 for a necklace and bracelet pair.
So cool.) I went there right after gym at Ortigas (that s an awesome FF branch!!
! Penthouse, wow!) and my meeting with Ms.
Dinx. Anyyyyyway, that gig was HOT HOT HOT!!
! 3Beers worked the slide like a maniac, I sang Neil Young s Motorcycle Mama like a real mama haha (ahem, 2 of my bandmates already declared that I made them get off with that song just to let you know I m not making this stuff up) and Lefty freakin lefty was the star of the second set. I mean DANG!
I have never EVER seen a Filipino guitarist do a backflippin guitar-growlin power stance in my entire life! The rock and roll in that guy s bone is seriously made of steel. For me, it s up there in the ranks with some of the best Razorback shows I ve been to.
It just really rocked. I think Cowboy S. should consider a solo career he ll go places with that awesome gift that he has
But something else made Handlebar extremely fun that night.
Ok, I was hanging out with Chikki and Lester, Mike (Johnny s brother) and Susan, when all of a sudden this foreigner, a woman, approached me to ask. Hi. I was just wondering.
Where did you get your hair done? It s my moment, I could tell. Uhm, actually I just had my hair blown dry tonight.
And she goes. Well actually, I ve seen you several times, not just tonight, and I like your hair. I was already ecstatic.
Well, it s a salon in Quezon City called Salon de Manila. But they have a branch here in Makati too. Right now I just want to kiss my stylist, Merly wherever she is haha.
And the girl goes Uhm, oh well. Anyway, your hair looks great, or something to that effect. CAN YOU FREAKIN BELIEVE THAT?
!?!
And the best part was, Chikki, my best friend, was right there to witness it!!!
It is defined here as my first celebrity moment. Sooooo cool 
It s still making me smile The girl s name is Sheila and I love her na. HAHAHA.
Photo of my hair I know it s malabo but hey, that s the nice looking crown right there!!!
3beers, blue buddha, whitey and I capped the night, este morning na pala, with a meal at North Park. That was crazy-ass fun!
3beers was still drunk, couldn t even muster a drink order ( Miss, ako iced tea na hot LABO!) and we were all in stitches. Some masculine humor was stirred in the pot, of course, but we just all talked and laughed and talked until it was 4am na.
(Time really flies when you re having fun) I told whitey we should do that with the rest of the band more often. It s really cool to get to know the people behind the musicians for a change
August 27th, 2006 at 3:10 pm Hey girls,
Atenista, medyo sheltered, ngayon lang nakakita ng civil servants!
One of them said to me afterwards (and take note, he is the little
smart and hardworking people in it.
Another one said that because
political stand on issues, it made him feel that he wanted to, just to
in-fighting.
themselves, kahit 1.5 hours lang.
Thanks again!
Learning about this was truly heartwarming. You see, I ve always thought that in order for us to effect positive change in our country, we, the people, must be willing to participate.
No more apathy, just prompt action. I guess in a way, the talk enabled 2 students to consider being participants of this long road to reform and value government as a reform agent rather than a tarnished institution. I m so glad that I was able to influence and elevate (somehow) our role as civil servants.
August 25th, 2006 at 1:55 am Today I had the opportunity of sheding light on my profession as a speechwriter and government worker to a class of college seniors from the Ateneo de Manila University under the instruction of my dearest friend Julia Abad (it s weird seeing her teach! but she s great). Julia invited me and Joanne, all of us former Dinky s EAs, to share our experiences with government (apparently, these coeds are clueless about current events.
militant is synonymous to military according to them ayayay).
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