Movies, Art and Music (Last Part)

MUSIC

Music is my life. Way back in college, I would always tune in to MTV. Daily. I never missed a day without watching MTV. I thought I would get sick if I don't get to watch MTV (babaw college problem).

Whenever a new album is released in the market, I automatically dash to the nearest music store to buy a cassette tape. Yes, i grew up in an era where cassette tapes were the medium of music. I still have them in my room in Davao City. I don't know if they still play as I don't have a cassette player anymore.

This year was packed with concert scenes, both by international and local artists. I watched Tears for Fears last August.

theultimatefan.blogspot.com

 Hail to the duo: Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith!

Opening number: Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

Believe me, Araneta Coliseum was full to the brim. Old and old alike were everywhere, mga batang 80's. That night was like a big videoke party, as everyone was singing with the duo. I think most Filipinos are familiar with their songs.

Eager audience and fans.

 
One of my favorite songs from the group is "Sowing the Seeds of Love". Just imagine my singing voice rafting through the coliseum walls when they actually performed the song, lol.

They still have the IT.

These guys were amazed at how well the Filipinos received their songs. For a little country like ours, they couldn't believe that their music has reached our islands. They have been coming back for concerts, and in all instances they were warmly received, and concert tickets were always sold out.

There was too much audience participation that I left the site with a sore throat from too much singing, lol.

Neon lights flashed all through out the night.

I went to a street party months ago, for a tribute to The Beatles called Fete de la Musique. It happened right in Kalayaan Ave. The street was closed for the night where a mini stage was set up.

Photo owned by Tiger Lila

I didn't hear a single Beatles song that night. Mostly were raps by local artists, like "Kung ikaw ay Pinoy sumigaw ng Hoy!"...mga ganung songs. Songs were patriotic as well. We left right after Megan Aguilar's stint.

One Friday night, I spent it with Side A Band in Baga Berde. I just love their songs! I was in high school when I first saw them perform live. I was ecstatic for weeks, haha.

With good friends, Mike and Kittycat.

 
Then there was this very good local singer in Sea Slugs Bar, El Nido. She was very Adele. She can sing Adele's songs effortlessly. I was impressed. We spent 3 nights in this bar (I already memorized her repertoire), and she was the performer. 

Some kinda Adele holding her glass of iced tea =)

This week is extra special, as 2 of my favorite artists are set to perform!

Artist No. 1:

pinoythinking.com

The City Hunter. Gu Jun Pyo. Lee Min Ho.

This handsome Korean will be at the Araneta Coliseum on November 16, 2012, courtesy of Bench. Invite is free. All you have to do is purchase some Bench items:

INVITE	MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIREMENT
PATRON	PHP 1,500.00
LOWER BOX	PHP 1,000.00
UPPER BOX A	PHP 800.00
UPPER BOX B	PHP 500.00

Click/copy the link for promo mechanics in detail:  
http://www.bench.com.ph/news.php?benchsetter-fun-meet-lee-min-ho=62

Artist No. 2:

Ely Buendia, the lead singer of the bands Eraserheads and Pupil, in a rare performance with a 15-piece orchestra on November 17, 2012 at the Music Museum.

*Jumping up and down*. I just love Ely Buendia! I love him most during his time as the front man of the Eraserheads. He is one of the brilliant composers I know, with music that's swak na swak to my liking.

The last time I saw Ely perform live was during his birthday show in Republiq, Resorts World way back in 2010. He turned 40 then, and celebrated his day with a mini-reunion show with the rest of the E-heads members.

Ely is XL. Taken during his birthday show.

 I'm a fan! Always will be...

I have all the albums of the Eraserheads. Never a day goes by that I don't play any of their songs.  I was in high school when this band was introduced, and until now, I never grew tired of them.

Their songs are the theme songs ng buhay ko =) 
 
Cheerios!

The Hands of My Father: Update

I wrote about my dad's condition last January. It wasn't that bad or alarming. He could still walk normally and use his hands normally. We only worried about his diet so as not to further trigger his arthritis attacks.

Hard-headed as he is, he kept eating those food not recommended by his doctors. When I went home last June, i was shocked to see him walking with crutches. His leg was hurting, he couldn't use it due to excruciating pain. He didn't see a doctor, actually doesn't want to see  a doctor, because he is okay with taking painkillers from time to time.

A week after that, he couldn't walk anymore. There was just too much pain. And he was left with no choice but to see a doctor. The doctor immediately recommended surgery so as to remove the gout/uric deposits that have been causing the pain. However, he would have to get clearances from his cardiologist and pulmonologist to ensure that he is physically well to undergo surgery.

My mom panicked with all the lab tests that my dad will be going through. That time, my dad had cough and colds that went on and off for days. My mom worried that dad might be ill with pneumonia, and if ever, he wouldn't be operated on.

Thank heavens, my dad passed all his lab exams. He was actually healthy and strong as a stallion, sans the arthritis. We couldn't believe it! Sugar level, normal. BP, normal. Lungs, clear. Liver, clear.

And so the surgery was pushed through. My dad was in the Operating Room for more than 4 hours, attended by 4 doctors. The surgeon was my cousin's husband, who called on the help of his interns upon seeing the numerous gout to be removed.

Most joints were inflamed, especially the joints in his feet and hands. This was his right hand last January:

Not all those bulges were removed. Some uric deposits already hardened like stones and are embedded in the bones, and removal was not advised. The doctor said it will be dangerous to scrape everything, as the possibility of hitting the nerves/muscles is high, which could lead to paralysis. Those deposits are now part of his bones, and my dad will just have to live with that.

This is right hand after the operation last July:

Big improvement, right?

 And this is his left hand:

 

Arthritis is hereditary. I am becoming more conscious with my food intake. I don't want to go through what my dad went through. I need healthy hands and legs for my mobility. 

You are what you eat.

I must stay healthy. We must stay healthy. All the time.




 

Movies, Art and Music (Part II)

ART

If the good Lord showered talents when I was young, I must have been asleep. I lack talent when it comes to art --- creative art. I am better in performing arts, but painting, sketching....nah. Totally talentless. I can't draw an apple, maybe I can, however it wouldn't look like an apple.

For lack of talent, I am big on appreciation. I appreciate art. That's why i visit museums and go to art exhibits. I am just at awe with man's creative hands.

manilaart.com

The Bonafide Art Galleries Organization (BAGO) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) held a 5-day exhibit at SMX MOA dubbed as Manila Art 2012 - Asia's Hottest Contemporary Art Fair. The site was packed with artworks from various galleries.

I was impressed. This was painted by a 6-year old:

Cute little kitten.

 A self-portrait of a 14-year old:

There were paintings that looked like enlarged photographs:

Most were bursting with colors.

 

My good friend, Tiger Lila, has a thing for orange. We were housemates before, she painted her room California Sunset..while my room was just plain white. Here she is:

 Fat is art.

How curvaceous!

This is cute. Perfect for a child's bedroom:

 This, as well:

 
There were some sculptures on display. I particularly liked this:

This really caught my attention. Hand-compressed feathers on canvass by Augusto Elopre, Philippine Art Awards 2012 Grand Prize Winner.

Beautiful, right? I could just imagine the hardwork exerted to come up with this masterpiece.

Another masterpiece on exhibit was the Allegory of a Farce by Romulo Galicano. The painting was huge, and here is a portion of it:

I have secretly been wishing to pose naked for an artist. Not in an obscene manner, ha. Just like Rose in Titanic, or like this:

I think I can pull this off.

 

Happy long weekend! 

  

Movies, Art and Music (Part 1)

MOVIES

The Cinemalaya 2012 Film Festival was celebrated last week of July 2012. 25 featured films were shown at the CCP and in different Metro Manila cinemas. I was able to watch 7 films only…7 beautiful films.

Inside the CCP

I did not dare miss Bwakaw, the movie in which Eddie Garcia bagged the Best Actor ward. 

angkulet.com

A light comedy film, appropriate to watch with your beki friends.  If you're over 60 and single, you might be able to relate with the pains of living alone. Or with a dog. Unless you come from a big family, then there's nothing to worry.

Bwakaw is the pet dog of Eddie Garcia, which predeceased him. Bwakaw had been with him for so long, accompanied him to work and wherever. The scenes were Bwakaw was slowly dying were really heart breaking. 

In this movie, you can truly say that a dog is a man's best friend.

cinemalaya.org

Kalayaan. This came as a big surprise for me. There were several scenes not suitable for young audience. A film by Rodolfo Alix, Jr., shot mainly in Kota Island of the Kalayaan Group of Islands. The movie centers around a soldier who was stationed alone in the the island for 3 months. Being detached from the rest of the world, the main actor indulged in obscene acts just to pleasure himself.

On its first scene, I gasped right away =). The butt of Zanjoe Marudo was also shown in all its naked glory.

During premiere night, the movie's actors were around. I caught a glimpse of them.

Zanjoe Marudo and Luis Alandy

 

Luis being interviewed by the press.

 
Other celebrities who supported the festival were:

Pops Fernandez and Aiko Melendez

Yes, they came together. I was standing behind them, i didn't know they were celebrities until the press swarmed the two. Pops was really skinny. She was like a beautiful version of Wednesday Addams for me. Her black hair came out too strong for her face though.

Aiko on the other hand was huge. Sorry to all the fans. But she was beautiful and looking fresh. Because i was just behind her, I took a photo of her legs just to give you an idea regarding her weight :)

 

Certain entries to the festival are being shown in different cinemas nationwide right now. I hope you'll get to catch them and support the local film industry.

On another note, I watched this movie over the weekend:

bidakapamilya.blogspot

 I was bullied to watch this movie, hahaha. To set the record straight, I am not a fan of Vice Ganda. 

Mmmm...speechless. There's really nothing great about the movie. Except that Toni had beautiful shoes and that the flawed face of Vice was unsuccessfully concealed despite the heavy make-up. Yun lang poe.

 
Of late, I am not updated with new big screen movies. I'm so busy catching up on DVD my recent TV series discoveries.

I just finished the first season of The Good Wife.

bigtvfan.wordpress

 
A legal drama produced by Ridley Scott (of the Gladiator and Black Hawk Down fame), that got me hooked from episode 1. If you loved Ally McBeal, you will definitely come to love Alicia Florrick as well. The series focuses on her as the good wife, whose husband was jailed after a sex scandal while serving as the state attorney of Cook County. The title speaks for itself: Alicia stood by his husband, raised their kids, braved the public scrutiny and gossips, until freedom was attained by her husband.

The plots were fast paced, the characters evolved from one personality to another, the court cases were interesting in each episode.

According to wiki, the TV series was partly inspired by prominent American political sex scandals, particularly those of John Edwards and Bill Clinton.

Similar to The Good Wife, Suits is also making waves. I just love Mike Ross! He is a college drop out who got in as an associate of a reputable law firm, through Harvey Specter (the boss who hired him). Yes, he pretended to be a lawyer (in connivance with the boss, of course), but could get away with it as he is very brilliant and has a photographic memory. He could memorize everything and anything as long as he understood what he is reading. Amazing indeed.

spacefan.blogspot

These legal dramas kept me busy. But all so worth it. Go, watch!

Training in Baguio City

I recently attended a week-long training in Baguio City. That was the time when it incessantly rained in Manila, flooding at least 80% of the metro. Up north, it was freaking cold! Thank God for scarves and leg warmers, it somehow kept me warm. And of course, boots! I wore them everyday, European peg, hehehe.

Ms. Jenny and Sir Noel

Five of us from the office were sent for the training:

Girl Power: with Anne, Iriz and Avi

With Alex

The training was sponsored by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). Ms. Ethel Caasi, from PCW, was the lecturer on Gender Sensitivity.

Ms. Ethel Caasi

While Mr. Jeff Ordonez, the Executive Director of the Mindanao Microfinance Council, was the speaker on Social Performance Management and Client Protection.

Mr. Jeff Ordonez

Other participants were representatives from our partner institutions, hailing from different parts of Luzon.

The first 2 days discussed Gender and Development (GAD). For this topic, 4 premises were clarified: 

1) GAD is not a war of the sexes;

2) GAD is not anti-male;

3) Both women and men are victims of gender inequality, although the victims are more often women than men; and

4) Both women and men have a stake in the struggle for gender equality.

Several workshops were conducted, and everyone was given an opportunity to speak and contribute to the discussions.

Expectation setting.

Comparing the attributes of men and women.

This GAD and SPM training was the last leg of the series of trainings conducted by our company, in partnership with PCW.

The last 3 days were devoted to SPM. SPM is the effective translation of an institution’s mission into practice, in line with accepted social goals. We were made to review our Mission Statement and answered the following questions: 1) Who do you want to reach?, 2) How will you meet your clients’ needs?, and 3) What are the desired outcomes?

Everyone was participative, even during ice breakers =)

Morning exercise =)

Just because we were away from the office, it was not entirely a vacation for us. We did a lot of work…. hard work =)

Brainstorming for the presentation.

Discussing and evaluating the  Mission Statement.

Creating work plans.

 

One thing’s for sure, we never got hungry, hahaha. We ate 5x a day (breakfast, am snacks, lunch, pm snacks and dinner)! Lunch and dinner were buffet. We all gained weight after the training, I guess.

We had the freshest vegetables everyday.

Villa Cordillera deliciously prepared our meals.

 And since the training was conducted within the hotel where we stayed, this terrace was the most photographed for the entire week:

Alma and Ms. Ethel:  separated at birth?! =)

The Giggle Girls: Avi and Anne

Forest vixens =)

Thank you PCFC, for the opportunity. Cheerios!

The participants.