Puckering Time

As the title goes. At the Alabang Town Center today.

1. I planned to give myself a wonderful present: a new pair of Havaianas Top. I wanted the plain black variety, size 9. At RusTan's the only size left was 5; at All Flip Flops size 9 was absent, same with Stoked and Celio. I felt bitter. I didn't buy even if there are alternatives.

2. Summer is coming. I'm running out of Coppertone 25 sunblock lotion. Again, RusTan's did not have it - why don't they just close, for crying out loud. At PCX they have it overpriced: P479 calls for injustice. Makati Supermart said they'd have new stocks next week. Mercury Drug was out of question.

3. I still don't have Twisted V by Jessica Zafra so I went to Powerbooks to check. Nada. Instead, I went to buy Kikomachine Komix 1 and 2 by Manix Abrera.

4. At Music One I had a Philips headphones reserved on the phone three days ago. Upon inquiring at the sales person he said all the five stocks left have been bought separately yesterday, but I need not worry for new stock will arrive. On Saturday. I told him I had one piece reserved. He said he didn't know. I was too tired from all day's voyage that I couldn't bring myself to be atrocious. Oh well, sales persons.

I'm off to Sagada-Banawe for a trip on Friday to Monday. Finally, my long-awaited hiatus has come.

For the past few weeks I've been watching stage plays as a requirement for my Theater 100 subject. I feel like I'm getting information overload for I have to see all those plays, analyze them, and put my analyses in black and white. And I'm being a lucky guy because all those plays are - how shall I put it - pa-deep, so to speak. Upon learning all those theatrical concepts by different people I really find it hard to put everything into one piece. By now it's all muddled and confusing.

Roll call.

Basilia ng Malolos. A feminist play by Nicanor Tiongson. Or at least I think it's a feminist stage play because of the proliferation of female characters, and the ladies seem to dominate with their ideals. A three-hour play could often equate to boredom but Basilia ng Malolos is a musical so I enjoyed much. Unlike Hamlet.

Kundiman ng Senyorita. A thesis play by Jeremy dela Cruz which is based on the Legend of Banana (okay, Alamat ng Saging). Purely a movement play, I still couldn't get over the way it was presented. It's actually a love triangle between Babayi, Bana Sang Babayi (husband of Babayi), and Lalaki. This is the description of their play: "...exploring an alternative design in movement for theater, called PUPPETRY of the BODY by eliciting the extremities as 'puppets'." It's an "all-male ensemble." I had to leave the Sunken Garden grounds to watch this play because it simultaneously went on with the UP Fair on a Friday.

Belong Puti. A postmodernist play by Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero staged at the PETA Theater in New Manila. I said postmodernist because it perfectly fits the concepts of the postmodern theater. Lou Veloso makes for a great versatile actor, playing various characters ranging from a grandmother, Grim Reaper, a funny driver who upon retiring is planning to work as a call center agent, among other characters. The actors and actresses emerge from the audience, and it fosters the impression of making the spectators as if a part of the whole play. It's like peeking through a scene that is very close enough to be touched - fourth wall? I'm not sure. Beautiful. Fantastic. Magnanimous. Worthy of a 30-minute applause. I rest my case. Just watch the play - it runs until March 4. Cough out P300. But it's worth it, I'm telling you.

Mefisto. A thesis play about, well, Mefisto based on another play Faust, but here Mefisto the devil is the center of attraction. It talks about disassociation for instead of literally showing to the audience the elements of the play, it somehow makes use of symbolisms that are still comprehensible, but as I've said, pa-deep masyado. Very artsy. Good play, though. There were parts when actors have to cavort and struggle inside a long sheet of polyethylene plastic for the movement scenes. It bothered me. It must have been suffocating. Breast exposures, ha ha. I saw my friend's. Whoopee. Directed by Ole Tiangco.

In lieu of a written final examination in the said subject, I will have to make critique papers on all four of these plays. The question is, How?

Okay, this would be my last post about the sudden disappearance of Campus Radio on air. This text message came a little late, hence the delay of my post.

From Mr. Rodrigo Villaroman, a.k.a. Joe Spinner slash Boy Tisoy. Almost in verbatim.

"Hi Mike. Sorry if I wasn't able to reply much earlier. It has gotten very busy at the station lately, and you already know that. I'm sure you are very surprised at [the] sudden change of format. I assure you that you are not alone. None of us saw it coming and we were as shocked about it as you are. It was a management decision based solely on one thing. Poor sales incurred through the incompetence of poor salesmen who failed to sell the station to advertisers. Most of us don't agree with the move. But we are broadcast professionals and we will accomplish our jobs to the best of our abilities. We will still strive to be innovative. Whatever the format. Thanks for being a part of Campus Radio. If you wish to air your comments there is an online petition set up by concerned listeners at petition.com. Do check it out. God bless and stay tuned. ;-)"

I received this message last 24 February 2007 at exactly 16.09.20 when I just got from my four-hour siesta. It was six parts long. So there's a credible explanation. That's just about it for Campus Radio; all we can do is to wait. Clamoring might also help.

Ms. Melanie Marquez. We were talking about her Melanisms, a collection of her grandest statements which make fatal attempts at levity but which make perfect sense. Of humor. For some reasons people would label her "speech impediment" a variation of the English carabao - why would someone call it that way? I have nothing against Ms Marquez; she still manages to look beautiful despite her age, and her career is still, uhm, alive. A little more improvement with voice and diction, Ms Marquez, and you're a demigod. Get my professor, Ma'am Monette Flores for Speech 111 (Voice and Diction), CAL 510. Yes, fifth floor. Work those thighs so you won't get cellulites.

Note: These examples are gratefully ripped from one blog source in the net.

(During her acceptance speech at a Metro Filmfest awards night where her bioflick, directed by her late father Temyong Marquez, won an award.) "Eto na po ang pinakamaligayang pasko at manigong taon sa inyong lahat."

"Sumasakit ang migraine ko."

(When asked on S-Files if her present husband, Adam Lawyer, is her Mr. Right.) "Period na talaga; wala nang exclamation point."

(While waiting backstage during a noontime show, after watching Nikki Valdez do her dance number.) "Nikki, you're so galing. You should go to the States. You will sell hotcakes."

"I don't eat meat. I'm not a carnival."

"Eh, ikaw ba naman, durugin ang ari mo... Pag di ka naman manutok ng baril."

***

I got this from a friend's story. She was unsure with the plot but the statements are pretty much accurate.

Melanie Marquez was commenting on the lechon she was munching on. I believe it was from a certain restaurant which serves the dish. She called on the waiter and confronted him, "This lechon...is not!"

Melanie Marquez was accosted by a certain guy from a certain TV network. He shouted, "Hey bitch," upon which Melanie turned around and retorted, "Don't you ever, ever call me...hey!"

At which point we double over with laughter.

Oh, and one more thing. They switched back to their former slogan "Forever," right? One proof that Barangay LS would eternally make our ears bleed. And our mouths to utter foul curses. Not that I advocate such sort of thing but I think it's strangely apt, yes?

The corniest joke I've heard from their resident DJ, Johnny Baby. (This being uttered in the morning of the 14th, the official launch date of BrgyLS. Upon hearing this I hurriedly took the remote controller and changed the frequency to 89.9. I felt better.)

"Oh, may joke ako. (Something like that) Anong gatas ang hindi iniinom?"

"Eh di, panis na gatas!"

To quote a title from a book, Ngwek ngwek ngwek ngwek. Oh, I'm sorry but I think I missed the joke. What was that again?

To all sleep deprived people, I think it's high time for us to take that long-awaited slumber while we look forward to some sort of a miracle to happen here.

It's final. Barangay LS is here to stay whether you like it or not. Joe Spinner and I, together with some friends, had this bit of premonition-ish thing about LS-FM's future plans about the station sometime last January. He said we should all look out for possible changes within a span of 16 years - uh Joe, like, it was barely a month that had passed. He added that due to the current fad nowadays in the broadcasting scene a station must not merely stick to what they have got; it must "evolve," or else you'll lose in the long run. You see the paradox here? Campus Radio is doing verrry fine, and then what. Yeah, yeah, I get it. Reformat so you'd attract more audience? Hello. Instead of inviting the listeners GMA Network has just concocted a possible solution to the eventual extinction of LS by warding off the previous target audience, i.e. the youth.

Jaybee has got something to say about it: (Note: Some parts were excluded)
"i know how u and ur friends feel.. its really devastating, and believe me, no one is more disappointed and shocked. it was a decision from the bosses of GMA, and as much as i'd love to say this will only be temporary, it is not, and won't be temporary... its all part of the business...

if u really want ur voice to be heard, there's this petition site brought up by a concerned listener, u might wanna check it out...
www.petitiononline.com/boolsfm/petition.html

thanks for all the love and support! let's pray something good will come out of this..."

There you go. That's Jaybee Jariol for you, the host of the Afternoon Delight (and obviously one of the hottest DJs in LS).

As for me, all I can say is that if station reformatting is indeed the answer, make the changes in such a way that listeners would still appreciate. Okay, we cannot please everyone but that exactly is the challenge to it. Some stations have successfully done it, and the formula simply did not materialize in a matter of weeks or months; it took years for the audience to somehow formally accept them. And I guess Barangay LS wouldn't so make it. Guys, you're losing track.

Let's all sign the petition, won't we?

Are you in for Campus Radio's change of format from a motley assortment of pop, OPM, alternative rock, hard metal rock songs to uber-pop band arrangements? You might be surprised if one day you tuned in to LS and wonder why the station plays nothing but corny OPM and novelty songs gratefully performed by the Sexbomb Dancers, that stupid Crazy Frog, among other infuriating songs. I absolutely have no idea about this thing about LS.

Kayo'y nakikinig sa 97.1 Barangay LS Forever and ever. Manatiling nakatutok!

The concept of being a single well-travelled 19-year-old guy who would spend his time in utter loneliness on Valentine's is horrible for some, what more for the inflicted. No dates on Love's Day, the only time of the year when I could give in to special requests for some sweet nothings, stuff like those. Yeah, I'm such a sucker when it comes to girls; I find it hard to say a heart-breaking No when she asks for something her eyes had laid upon during the course of aimless wandering inside, uhm, malls. I remember one specific event when a girl (space) friend asked me if I could give her one of those cute little bears in Starbucks last year. She went like, "Mike, ang cute oh." I knew what that means. Then I replied, "Sige, kuha ka ng isa." And the girl (space) friend screamed with joy that she had forgotten that we were in a coffee shop. But that's okay. We ended up being an item, which lasted for some horrible three months.

I've been eyeing someone these days. Months, actually. (I hope she doesn't stumble upon this site and get to read this. Terrible when that happens.) She's an uber-good friend of mine who was introduced by a common friend way back when I was a college freshman. I didn't actually recognize her existence during that time; I'm Super Dense. But when both of us became classmates in most of our subjects it dawned to me that I was getting attracted to her. Ugh, cheesy stuff. Anyway, last semester was the best time of my life because I got the opportunity to be with her almost everyday. Reminds me of that Tuesday-something song. Yuck. We'd skip classes then proceed to Glorietta for some food migrations. Then we'd make tambay in Greenbelt 3 just below the lush vegetation of the place, specifically at...Starbucks. And this went on for some good two, three months I think, then from a heightened feeling of excitement and happiness it immediately plummeted to extreme depression.

No, we didn't end up being an item. For one, she's committed to someone else whose looks won't actually suffice the definition of "handsome, good-looking, or boyfriend material." I know some of you would say that I am also none of the above - go to hell. Just kidding. But I'm being transparent. She showed me the picture of her, uhm, boyfriend and like some reflex action I quickly made a comment: "Mukhang typical na taga-(province)." Which is true, and my comment was backed up by a friend whom she had also shown the picture. We were not making things up; we're simply stating the obvious. Where was I? I didn't want to meddle with other people's relationship so there's always a little gap between us which I feel is becoming bigger and bigger. (There are a few more reasons behind this which I deem unfit for public disclosure, but I might share them some other time.)

One timely song for this is Up Dharma Down's Oo. To quote Armi in one of her guestings in LS, the lyrics say it all. Yeah, they do, and I find it annoying and lovely at the same time. Consider the lines: Kahit tayo'y magkaibigan lang/Bumabalik ang lahat sa tuwing nagkukulitan. I've been sharing this to a friend girl who I think understands me better than I understand myself. She said "'Wag mong madaliin. If you and (name of girl) are not meant to be, darating din yung para sa'yo."

Uh, Kaye, kelan kaya yun?

My group's radio drama came to be successful. Yipee. 1.0 is a beautiful grade. Up next would be a live boardwork which, according to one credible source, would be broadcasted live via video streaming in I think Yahoo around the first week of March. If you have time to kill on Mondays and Thursdays for the whole month of March at around 1 pm to 2.30 pm, please give a listen. That is if the live streaming would actually happen. I'd be keeping you posted for details.

UP Fair 2007's just started. Yay. Have to get tickets for myself. Honestly if my plans to watch an event for just one night this week (it's a week long event) happens, it would be my first time to actually set foot inside the barricaded sunken garden and scream my lungs out. I'm looking forward to see Up Dharma Down in the backstage area; I have a friend who is one of the event organizers of the Fair and she told me that if I wanted to have backstage pass she's just one text message away. Connections. They always come in handy whenever I need them the most.

Maybe I'd be watching the Thursday event, the Loverage I think. There have been promotions of it in LS - CampusOrg.net - for the past weeks alongside other school-related events, and I hope it would be a sure-fire hit. I'll try to take photos while I'm there. Have to remind myself of unforeseen omens, viz. Pick pockets, malodorous creatures, armpits, and other icky and uber-disgusting stuff. You'll never know when you'll encounter them, so hope for the best and expect the worst.

Right now all that I'm wishing for is to have a great future ahead of me. (Not counting my yearning for a girlfriend because that's another story. Anyway.)

I think I've told you about this beforehand. Call me an irresponsible citizen but I wasn't able to register for the elections. It was too late when I found out that I have to have myself registered at the nearest Comelec office. Okay, I was too lazy then, and I've managed to kill a month or two for the necessary preparations. Queues are sssewww long that I couldn't even see myself queuing up as early as, say 5 am just to find out that the darn officials would only admit 300 people. Hello, what were they thinking? Are they capable of thinking at all? All their brain powers must have been spent just to remind them to breathe.

Which leads me to one point. I've never watched news programs or read the papers for the past weeks because they will only frustrate me. And it's due to infuriating reports that those who are filing Certificates of Candidacy to run as (government position) are mostly a) actors, b) has-beens in the politics, and c) members of the political dynasties, letter A being the worst candidates. I wouldn't be so much surprised if one of these would win any position they eyed after.

I heard Richard Gomez would run as governor of Bulacan, Manny Pacquiao as mayor of General Santos City I think, Lito Lapid as Makati mayor (he even transferred to Magallanes Village in Makati because those who are planning to run for a certain position must be a resident of that certain place for six months onwards - if this is inaccurate please tell me), and more on the list. Even relatives in politics get to "fight" for a position. Tessie Aquino-Oreta who is the sister of the late great Senator Ninoy Aquino wants to rerun as senator; Noynoy Aquino who is the son of FP Cory Aquino also wants to run as, uhh, senator. TAO who did the Dance of Joy during the Jose Pidal issue said that she is concerned about Noynoy something blah blah that instead of being a senatoriable he could just run for another position with the disclaimer that she's just making a suggestion. Oh come on. To quote Vilma Santos (which I have read somewhere else), "Been there, been that."

Welcome to the Philippines where we put people in office on the basis of their frequent TV guestings. Or the number of their public service ads along the streets of the Metro. Or the number of films they starred in. Or the manner on how they promote karaoke microphones with matching swaying of hips. In short, popularity politics.

If I were a registered voter, I might leave every space of the voting sheet blank.

Giniling Festival album launch poster.

Mixed emotions. I don't know. It's just that... How will I start this post. I was at the album launch of Giniling Festival last Friday at Freedom Bar and I could say it was the best night I ever had. I've never seen a proliferation of predominantly black-clad night-goers in such a small place that it looked like a public pot session.

From Max's Katipunan I went to Freedom together with my six friends all of whom were wearing casual attire. I raised the question to my friend if there was a dress code or something that would ruin our night, and she immediately retorted, "Kung may dress code, bawal pumasok ang Giniling dun." It made perfect sense. We arrived at 10 pm, and the place was already packed to the point that we're unable to enter the bar. And yes, setting our feet inside was indeed impossible because everyone's occupied every inch of Freedom. You see, in social gatherings like this one must be equipped with some sense of empathy and sensitivity or else you're doomed. When you go to Freedom, don't expect tranquility, an environment conducive to contemplating - they're close to impossible to happen.

Round 10.16 pm I noticed someone uber-familiar. He was wearing red eyeglasses, Adidas jacket over a red shirt, and a pair of khaki shorts and sneakers. My mental alarm went on - Paul of Up dharma Down! Then I turned around and saw Los, and a little later on they huddled together, gave each other a pat on the back then Ean entered the scene. I don't know what to say. Around 10.30 pm or so, Armi arrived. She was wearing a preppy kind of vest over a white polo, Adidas jeans, and white sneakers (I assume they're from Adidas). She is so cute and chubby I wanted to squeeze her cheeks but I'm worried about the security personnel dragging me out of the pub. Armi constantly feels her neck as if she was checking her temperature, then she confirmed to everyone that she was feverish. Awww. Get well soon, Armi.

Up dharma Down sang three songs from their album: Hiwaga, Oo, and Pag-agos. Then Radioactive Sago Project went out with cool music that reminds me of bands during fiestas and circus events. Great, great, great. Then Puny Earthlings. I thought they were someone else making an impression to the crowd but then I found out that their guitarist and the lead vocalist are an item. And the guitarist is the front act of Giniling Festival. Hmmm.

Giniling Festival opened their set with Tsong (Boypren mo Pokpok), then off with another one which title I forgot because I was screaming with the crowd. I remember McJolly, something Angelina, Psycho, a tribute to Linkin Park, and their carrier single Siling Giniling. By the way, part 2 of their album launch would be on the 21st of February at Saguijo in Makati. I'll try to go there.

***

This was the closest that I could get to Armi. Sorry for the grainy image.