Spare Us The Drama

Posted by special_child at 05:29 PM on January 7, 2006.

I have a lot of pending entries queued in my mind, but I have to push them back a bit because of Mother Lily's so-called anger.

Christmas time is not movie time for me. It's been a long time since I watched a Filipino-made film, and honestly if I do watch, my critiquing can be compared to assessing something really bad. So instead of feeling remorse for the Philippine film industry, I just let people do the talking.

With the encouragement of peers, we watched Shake, Rattle and Roll 2K5. It's funny how their advertisements run on TV with the tagline, "Magdasal ka na." If they're pointing out to the audience to pray out of fear, clearly they are mistaken. It's a pseudo-comedy and cannot be considered horror. Where is the problem? I think it's with the script, and a considerable amount from casting. See the reviews (and other happenings from yesterday) from the entries of Mito, Jaja, and Love.

Arriving, I saw the TV still on, and mom was watching the awards night of the Film Festival. I was surprised by the winners of this night, particularly because there were no sure bets this year. There was only one drama film; the others were comedy, action, and pseudo-comedy. Considering that most awards go to the drama films, some winners were actually unexpected to win. But they did.

Today, I did not expect to see or hear that despite their numerous awards, Mother Lily and Joel Lamangan were contesting Kutob's win and even Joey Reyes's win. Since the organizers and the involved people haven't given their side, I'd just express mine.

Not everything can be given to you, Mother Lily. It doesn't mean that if you have majority of the entries in the festival, then you'll have all the awards you wish for. You don't have to go ranting about your concerns in public so as to see that you have worked so hard for the festival entries. And please don't threaten that you would boycott the festival. I personally have had enough of your bias in your own production house, and with your not-so-quality films, and if you don't participate in the festival, it is not our loss.

Spare us the drama.


Blogger's Note: If I only knew the Top Ten Regal Films I Despise Most, then I would be glad to let it out here.


In the first place, how did Mulawin: The Movie even manage to get an A rating from the CEB when it's just (I think) a repeat of what the telefantasya was?


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. A prosperous new year to one and all! And a very wonderful birthday and year ahead to the following people: Neil Blankas, Dulce Tan, Zeri Yulo, Kris Icasas, Joseph de Jesus, Angeli Umali, and RJ Ronquillo!

Currently enjoying Mother Lily's Chinese English rants.
Currently deciphering "One Hundred Years Of Solitude", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Currently checking "Wish Ko Lang", shown on GMA 7.
Currently feeling unsympathetic.

6 kid/s drank Promil®

Happy 2006!

Posted by special_child at 02:51 AM on January 8, 2006.

After letting out my sentiments in the previous post (I haven't commented on Imelda's stint in Kontrobersyal yet), it's time that I give my year-ender post.

But first I have to share the words I quote from the character of Grace McCallister in the series "Jack and Bobby", which I watched a few hours ago. She said, "College is not the culmination of your high school career. It is the beginning of your adult life." (I wanted to quote the whole speech, but I'd save it for a rainy day.) This I have to agree with, as seen in this entry.

Year 2005 draw its curtains a week and a few hours ago. Yet it left me with a number of things to be thankful for and to cherish for the rest of my life. This is the year that gave me a lot of opportunities, and I must say that it has been full of blessings for me. Truly, my 19th year of living in this world counts as the most memorable, along with my 16th year. I just postponed this post (supposedly this should be posted after I turned 20) as a summary of the year that was.

Of course, the past year had had its shares of solitude and sadness. There have been mishaps along the way... challenges, mistakes, paranoia, pain, guilt... even death. But there is a greater plan for all of these, I must say.

Though this year was busy enough for me not to make a lot of blog posts, the few ones I did helped me paste the events that had transpired the past year. And the highlights of which will be posted in the Top Ten List.


Top Ten Things I'm Happy For In The Year 2005

10. Though I know I'm a bit slow in reading, I have finished the following novels this year: Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides, Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club, Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet In Heaven, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Laura Esquivel's Like Water For Chocolate.
9. Movies, again, are part of my life... maybe even bigger than last year. I couldn't enumerate the movies I've watched, though. But I'd say the best I saw this year was King Kong.
8. This blog right here turned one this year! Hooray! And the best part is... it's still active!
7. I had rediscovered (and now a certified guru of) Dance Maniax 2. So much so that this year, I earned my Gold Card in Timezone! My arcade-addict self has never grown to this extent.
6. My revenues this year had been the biggest so far in my entire life. I had a fat Christmas because of my credit cooperative shares and some winnings.
5. I had the chance to experience first hand what it feels like to be in the corporate working world through my Citibank internship. And yes, I also earned money here.
4. My frustrations have finally reached an end. After years of dying to get in the show and kick some a&$, I finally did get in Pilipinas: Game KNB? and won (for a day, at least)!
3. This year saw light in me getting my first taste of life as a tourist, getting my passport stamped for visits to Singapore and the USA. Not only that, I had that opportunity thanks to a conference grant I won!
2. Finally, I ended my picture-devoid life. I got my digital camera this year! It provided me not just mere pictures worth 1GB, but solid memories I'd hold on as long as my hard drive's with me.

-and... (drum roll please)-

1. More friends and colleagues, appreciated and re/discovered in different events this year (to name just some, in groups: S14 blockmates in a wonderful retreat, EA Family, Green & White 2006 people, my dear CSB friends, my Citibank Comrades, my relatives particularly my second cousins)!


That was one heck of a year. Before I end, another part of that speech, which in my opinion should be the ideal thought of every person. "You have the front row seats to your own transformation, and in transforming yourself you might even transform the world."


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. May 2006 be as big, if not bigger!

Currently enjoying the neighbors' dog barking.
Currently deciphering my blog entries for 2005.
Currently checking MemTurbo do a RAM recovery.
Currently feeling blessed a hundredfold.

4 kid/s drank Promil®

Of Love And Other Stuff

Posted by special_child at 01:10 AM on January 15, 2006.

This is supposedly a fun week (really), but since a lot of my blogmates are in the mood for some loving, and as the love month, love day, and love whatevers all comes near, consider this post.

I had a lot of fun this week, having spent majority of my time with friends in different activities. But somehow I looked again at something. How come I have a lot of friends but I can't find someone who can be better than a friend? Why isn't there anyone who's more than a friend?

I'm sure I can answer that question, but I don't seem to have the courage to face the answers. And while this post should contain my official Christmas-ender entry, I have to push it back to a later one. This is what's going through my mind now.

Why do people try to find love when it's not there? Why do people force love to appear from someone they barely know? And why does love appear in the most unexpected of times or places or events?

But before you even try to answer that question, consider this: How do you define love?

A few moments ago, I read my friend and blogmate Biey's entry, and her latest post contains something that she got from a thread. I have some excerpts from that, and I'm sharing it here:

"May isang popular thread sa OT Forum under the category Sa Aspeto ng Pag-ibig.  A member shared his theory which he based on 'his understanding of human psychology.'  It is about love or loving and he said:

"you might confuse infatuation as being love
it is virtually impossible to fall in love in a personal level
i mean, hindi pwedeng maramdaman ng isang party na in-love sya
mararamdaman nyo both na in-love kayo
otherwise, infatuation lang yun."

Or in short:

"love is never love unless it's reciprocated...
some may think na it's loving someone pere in essence
that just doesn't happen."

 

We've had a little debate about this kasi hindi ako agree dito (and so were other members).  I've been thinking about this ever since nabasa ko siya pero hindi ko talaga tanggap ito.  Ang masakit dito eh lahat daw eh included sa theory niya, it doesn't matter if you don't want yourself to be included in it.  Teka teka teka!

As I have said in the forum, being in love and loving someone is different.  I hate generalizations about people kasi nga, human thinking / behavior is much too complex to be contained in a theory.  There are generalizations, pero sa tingin ko for the sake of studying about humans lang yun.  Kasi pwede ka lang mag-generalize kung na-meet mo na ang lahat ng subjects mo."


Blogger's Note: No Top Ten List. Ponder on the previous statements, though.


It looks as if friends and family are enough for me. But then again, it is my own friends and family who's asking me otherwise.


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. Alam ko maraming beses na akong nahulog. Pero bakit wala akong ginawa?

Currently enjoying "Ordinary People", performed by John Legend.
Currently deciphering "One Hundred Years Of Solitude", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Currently checking "Sports Unlimited", shown on ABS-CBN.
Currently feeling split.

19 kid/s drank Promil®

Sunday Antics

Posted by special_child at 04:12 PM on January 17, 2006 as a favorite post.

That was an hour of different scenarios.  

Sunday mass is a great venue for one to have a sociological observation. With this thought, I decided to look around for various activities that the church is now a venue of. Just last Sunday, there are a lot of things one can see. Just imagine if all Sundays of the month, these things would go over and over again. Hmmm... this is a long read, but should be quite interesting to the normal massgoer. Look at my observations and tell me if they are true.


Top Ten Activities Inside The Church During Sunday Mass

10. the priest's blessing. Remember when it's the first Sunday or there is a special occasion on that day? The priest would call people (most especially children) to the altar for them to be blessed. This is a good way of looking at people's prejudice. When you carry a child, it is automatically assumed that you're either a parent or a yaya. If you're too young or too old, more talks will be ensued. I was a victim of this myself (did I look like a fatherly figure? ).

9. prayer. Usually done after the mass, maybe before the mass (if one ever comes before the mass). Different wishes from different people... so much for giving thanks. I'm not generalizing here, it's just that most of the time people ask in their prayers and not thank enough. Sana Lord ganito, sana Lord ganyan.

8. the mass itself. The mass has always been the most underrated of all activities in the church, though it's the primary reason why people go to church. As a priest said, the mass beats a film. Some people go to mass late, and with the mentality common to moviegoers, attends the next mass until the point when they arrived, then quietly stands up and leave, mindful not to disturb others.

7. the sermon. This is the best time to catch up on missed winks. Once the words "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ" is heard and people take their seats, it's time to close those eyes and pretend to pray or listen to the poor priest. With the fact that not all of these priests are that adept to giving lively and meaningful homilies, it's starting to get some closure. Sermons are now close to being sedatives.

6. picture taking? I have no idea what's with this. Last Sunday, when I was going out of the church, I saw a family posing with all their teeth out. I'm not against taking pictures (I'm a pseudo-photographer myself), but come to think of it, the church is not a studio. And the mass is not a wedding, baptismal, confirmation, nor a necrological service.

5. singing your lungs out. Who cares about your sleeping seatmate? Go sing to your desire! Now the bathroom or shower stall is quite paralleled by the echoes the halls of the church produce. I am personally inspired to be attentive in the Eucharistic celebration if there is a good choir backing it up.

4. wiping. Nope, it's not the tears of penance I am talking about. I am talking about the numerous statues of Jesus and the saints (and all the prophets, and yeah, yeah, God is great...). But first you have to dab on some Holy Water, to protect you from all harm. Then you go get your handkerchief (or towel or any cloth, maybe that good old Good Morning towel) and pass by the saints one by one, offering a prayer while wiping the statue then wiping some part of your body. I thought the Church is against idolatry... why so many statues?

3. offerings. The Liturgy of the Eucharist starts with the offertory, and with it comes the baskets and long-handles-with-open-clothlike-materials-on-one-end things designed to drain your pockets of money. I am not saying that this is negative; most of them go to the maintenance of the church you're at, the rest go to charity or other expenses. But it's also the caste system behind the minds of people. If you give more, you are richer. My seatmate last Sunday pushed a bill with three heads inside the small opening of the basket. Even I thought, "When will be the time I can give such a big amount of money?" before pushing my 20-peso bill inside the same basket.

2. fashion show. This is where people can showcase the best of their clothing to everyone. For sure there are no tattered clothing (except for that newly torn jeans, which is now back in fashion). If it's Christmas, almost everyone's in red. Same with the New Year. Only a few people come in white during Easter, while almost none wear black during Holy Week. Some girls take their time to put on espasol powder (foundation - loads of it) and wear their newly bought spaghetti strap blouse and micro-skirts. Men put on their flip-flops with that muscle shirt, torn jeans, and not forgetting those garters hanging way up and pants swinging way low. And from inside those garters come the towels used for wiping in number 4 (ack if this last sentence is true, I'd never wipe another statue again).

-and... (drum roll please)-

1. the weekly conference of children. Didn't you know that churches are a child's biggest playground? All that yelling, crying, and spilled milk scattered around the pews. Wouldn't you agree?


I am not banning children from entering churches, nor am I forcing them to understand the true meaning of the mass at an early age. Let them have their childhood with the Lord and the biggest playgrounds they have seen. Besides, their bigger counterparts are just dozing off their seats.


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. I can't wait to see these things again next Sunday.

Currently enjoying "Don't Forget About Us", performed by Mariah Carey.
Currently deciphering "One Hundred Years Of Solitude", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Currently checking "The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards", shown on Studio 23.
Currently feeling amused.

3 kid/s drank Promil®

Pinoy: Malibog?

Posted by special_child at 03:01 AM on January 18, 2006 as a favorite post.

Opo, wikang Filipino po ang gagamitin ko sa paksang ito.

Isang Paalala: Ang mga sumusunod ay naglalaman ng mga salitang maaaring di-angkop sa mga konserbatibong mambabasa. Ngunit sa aking naisip, sino-sino na lang ba ang hindi konserbatibo?

Nasabi na rin ng aking kaibigan na si Mito sa kanyang blog na mahirap gumawa ng isang script na may halong mga kalibugan at dyug-dyugan gamit ang Tagalog. Ngunit sa kadahilanang sa mga Pilipino rin naman umiikot ang aking ilalahad ay ninais ko nang gumamit ng aking sariling wika.

Nung nakaraang araw, hindi na ako kumonek sa Internet dahil sa maaga rin naman akong dapat gumising kanina (para sa 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards live on Studio 23). Sa halip ay nanood na lamang ako ng mga dokumentaryo ng nag-uumpugang mga istasyon ng telebisyon, ang ABS-CBN at GMA.

Dahil nakita ko na ang trailer ng The Correspondents ay alam ko na kung ano ang ipapakita nilang dokumentaryo. Ito ay tungkol sa mga nangyayari sa likod ng text on-air o yung mga television chatrooms. Sa unang kita ng mga tao, ito ay isang simpleng programa kung saan mabibigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga tao upang makabati sa telebisyon sa pamamagita ng pagtetext. Ngunit ang Pilipino ay sadyang mautak, at ito na ngayon ang nagsisilbing hulmahan ng kung anu-anong mga bagay.

Sa programa, gumawa si Gigi Grande (ang nagsilbing correspondent) at ang kanyang mga kasama ng mga pagsusuri at mga eksperimento sa kung hanggang saan ang makukuha nila mula sa mga ganitong programa. At sa pagtatapos ng programa, nakakuha sila ng mga sumusunod: isang 17-anyos na babae na sobrang libog sa text, pati na rin sa pakikipag-SOP (Sex On the Phone, para sa mga hindi nakakaalam); isang 18-anyos na masahista na nagbibigay ng konting gudtaym o extra service sa kanyang mga kliyente kapalit ng dagdag na pera (sabi nya hindi raw sya tumutuloy all the way); at isang babaeng nanghihingi ng isang libong pisong deposito sa kanyang bank account dahil sya ay isang date-for-hire. Nagpakita pa nga sya ng mga larawan sa kanyang Friendster® account.

Ito ang hindi ko inaasahan. Nilipat ko ang TV habang patalastas pa sa ABS-CBN upang tingnan ang inihain ng I-Witness para sa kanilang mga manonood. Nagulat ako nang makita si Kara David na may hawak na mga VCD na may mga censor. Ang kanyang istorya pala ay tungkol sa Pinoy XXX o ang mga triple-X na VCD at kung paano napapasama ang Pinoy sa mga ganitong aktibidad. Sa kanyang kwento, nakapanayam nya ang mga sumusunod: isang madalas bumili ng mga ganitong VCD, dalawang callboy na kinunan ng bidyo ng isang bakla sa halagang P700 na ngayo'y kumalat na sa buong bansa, at ang iba pang mga babaeng nagpabayad din upang sila ay matampok sa isang sex video.

Nakakagulat isiping kahit na sagradong Katoliko ang malaking bahagdan ng Pilipinas ay talamak pa rin ang ganitong mga gawain. Kaya hindi lubos na maalis sa isip ko ang tanong na ito: Sadya nga lang bang malibog ang mga Pilipino?

Malamang dahil na rin sa libog na ito kaya lumalaki ang populasyon ng Pilipinas. Baka nakadaragdag na rin sa problema ang Simbahang Katolika sa halip na ito ang maging solusyon. Ang paggawa ng bata ang nagiging pangunahing pampalipas-oras ng mga taong sadyang walang ginagawa sa buhay. Marami sa mga taong ito ang may mentalidad na ang pagkakaroon ng maraming anak ang kanilang sandigan upang makaahon sa hirap ng buhay.

Naaalala ko ang pambungad na kuru-kuro ng aming propesor sa relihiyon nung ikatlong taon ko sa pamantasang De La Salle. Tinanong nya ang buong klase (na karamiha'y lalake) at pinatataas nya ang kamay ng mga taong hindi pa nakakapagjakol sa kanilang buhay. Dalawa o tatlo lamang ang nagtaas ng kamay. At hindi ako kasama roon.

Marahil ay nadadala lang tayo ng pagiging liberal ng ating mga katoto sa ibang bansa. Marahil ay nakikisabay lang tayo sa teknolohiya at nakikiuso sa mga nakikita natin. Marahil ay nagiging basehan na rin ang init ng panahon sa Pilipinas, o di kaya'y ang lamig ng amihan kapag ganitong natutunaw na ang yelo sa hilaga. Marahil ay kahirapan lamang ang tumutulak sa mga tao upang maging puta. Kahirapan din lamang ang tumutulak sa mga tao upang maging bugaw. Pero saan ang hangganan nito?


Galing Sa May-Akda: Wala akong maibabahaging listahan sa ngayon. Baka kasi malibog lang talaga ako (ano'ng kinalaman?). Hahaha.


Sabihin na nating green-minded ako mula pa nung elementarya. Pero may iiwanan akong tanong sa inyong mga makakabasa nito. Bakit nung kinanta ni Kuh Ledesma ang kanyang awiting "Bulaklak" ay walang kabastusan ang nabigyang-kulay, samantalang ngayong kinanta ng Viva Hot Babes ang kanilang kantang "Bulaklak" ay sandamakmak na batikos ang kanilang natanggap?


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. Ano pang scandal ang lalabas balang-araw?

Currently enjoying "Have You Ever", performed by Brandy.
Currently deciphering "One Hundred Years Of Solitude", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Currently checking "Pipol", shown on ABS-CBN.
Currently feeling explosive.

6 kid/s drank Promil®

Little Manhattan

Posted by special_child at 02:06 AM on January 22, 2006.

I wouldn't usually rant about anything other than the different issues that surround us, my constant search for love, and my daily whatevers.

But let me reconsider by plugging a movie. The one I last watched as of the moment preempted my posts for the things that happened the past week/day and the continuation of my discussion on certain issues. For those of you who would be able to read this (I'd be spreading it by word of mouth as well), I would like you to watch Little Manhattan.

I had a really good time watching it, and for me it will be placed as one of my favorite movies in my Friendster account. I won't keep this long, though. I just need your reactions on the movie and how was it compared to your lovescapes. And no, your reactions won't be used against you nor in a reaction paper.

Yes, they say that things can be learned quite differently through the eyes of a child. This movie surely shows that. Oh and also, as it's said in the poster, nothing's bigger than your first love.


Blogger's Note: The Top Ten Quotes list can't be filled in as of the moment, as I can't find any transcript of the movie.


Oh by the way, the lead star Josh Hutcherson has an aunt who's Filipino! Imagine that cute boy with a bao hairstyle has plans on visiting the Philippines! And by the way, he also plays lead in the upcoming movie Zathura (which was what I intended to see today, or The Family Stone; thank goodness both of them didn't play in Glorietta).


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. If a ten-year old can do it, why can't I?

Currently enjoying "In My Life", performed by Dave Matthews.
Currently deciphering lyrics of "The Very Thought Of You", included in the soundtrack.
Currently checking some video of two people dancing together *wink wink*.
Currently feeling like I wanna be ten again.

8 kid/s drank Promil®

A Different Meaning

Posted by special_child at 05:13 PM on January 28, 2006 as a favorite post.

I want to share something in this blog entry.

Normally the National Anthem is a bore to many Filipinos. Its singing is just another chore to be done with. It eats up time instead of getting on with the last full show; it eats up time before people go on with their classes. For some, it's just another song. And for others, it's not a shame if they don't know it by heart.

But with every event that involves a Filipino, it takes on a different meaning. It shows pride and praise to the nation, even for a minute or two. It gives us a feeling of being Filipino, even if a lot of people have denounced it one way or another. And if the song serves its purpose even for those small ways, I, as someone proud to be a Filipino, would even be prouder to find that nationality never gone from my countrymen.

Lupang Hinirang
performed by Jennifer Bautista and Yours Truly

Bayang magiliw, perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso, sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang, duyan ka ng magiting
Sa manlulupig, 'di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok, sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula at awit sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y tagumpay na nagniningning
Ang bituin at araw niya, kailan pa ma'y 'di magdidilim.

Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na 'pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa'yo.

June's still a long way from now. Despite that, I hope that whenever this song is sung, even if the person who leads might make flats or sharps, those who hear it realize the true idea of the song: that of being a Filipino.


Blogger's Note: No Top Ten list for this entry. Haha. It seems that ideas for this list get less and less these days.


But I really noticed she was flat on her last note. I don't know if I was in my rendition.

Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. Are we really united as one nation now? Or is it just publicity?

Currently enjoying "The Day You Went Away", performed by M2M.
Currently deciphering my resume.
Currently checking "Little Big Star", shown on ABS-CBN.
Currently feeling like time flew SO fast.

2 kid/s drank Promil®