MY GIG IN BILIBID

yes. the new bilibid prison in muntinlupa city.

we were invited to play for ex-congresman jalosjos' birthday last wednesday. u think i'm crazy?

i am.

People know that I am this very adventurous person. Whatever’s weird, whenever it’s totally uncalled for and wherever it’s risky – you’ll find me there. That’s why I never had any second thoughts in doing this gig. Then I learned that my bandmates and another friend (who played as our manager, hehe) were just as adventurous. So last Wednesday at around 1pm my band, 3AM, head on to bilibid.

Upon parking, eloi briefed us not to bring cellphones and digicams. Just whatever we need for the gig and IDs. Before entering the bilbid community (yes, it does look just like a village inside), we were body searched twice. And I have never seen our guitars and k-hon searched by the inch! As we entered the gate that actually led us to the bilibid community itself, all eyes were on us. Four girls with two guitars and a k-hon. A number of them rushed to open their umbrellas and escort us to the place where the party was held. Man.. it was approximately a 200-meter walk. On a rocky road. At around 230pm. Inside the bilibid prison. For a time, I just wanted to laugh my heart out for doing such a thing, but then I realized that my escort must have gotten in there because he stabbed someone or raped his daughter or ate his victim’s brains.. So I behaved, like a queen. Reserved but at the same time, I was projecting that i had power. I had that “screw-with-me-and-I’ll-make-you-sorry-you-were-born” look. Haha. Tapang noh? Nasa bilibid pa ako nyan! Hehe..

In the venue, we played in front of the ex-congressman, his wife, mother, children, and other close family members. Nancy castilogne was there. If you ever heard the news about her break-up with paolo contis because of a politician’s son, well, it’s true. Mr. Jalosjos’ son and nancy are an item. I was wondering how Hubert webb looked like in person, but darn, he wasn’t there.

Bob Teehankee, was there though. And among the guests, he was the one we interacted with most. He was very cheerful and talkative. We would talk about the band, the schools we graduated from, and different diet programs. He even joined us in eating when we finished playing and everybody was gone. He offered us to taste his drink. A mixture of 7-up and fundador. Eloi tasted it. I was hesitant at first (I hate brandys!), but he insisted that I taste it. Do your research about his case. And you’ll know why I eventually said yes to him even though I really didn’t wanna drink. Hehe.

Generally, it was fun. Really. while eating, may taga-bugaw pa kame ng food. o diba. astig? hehe. when we were headed to the exit, that was the time when i felt not so awkward anymore. while walking, i noticed there were basketball and volleyball courts inside. a hospital. a chapel. a billiard hall even. tapos ganun din, this guy-escort-convict was insisting to help me with my guitar. shempre pumayag na din ako. hehe.

on our way home nga, i was like "shocks, nasa labas na ako. nakaka-sad. sa loob para akong diyosa." hehe..

And I guess you were wondering how much we were paid for playing for an hour in bilibid prison for ex-congressman Jalosjos’ birthday..?

Let me put it his way: the price was right.

BATO-BATO SA LANGIT (R-18)

Kagabe nagpunta kame sa handaan ni Karen tangkad. (happy birthday cuzinlo!!!). tapos bago kumain napag-usapan namin yun mga description sa mga tao. so eto.

First up. HIPON. tapon ulo, kain katawan. Una ko ‘tong narinig, grabe, naaisip ko napaka-rude talaga ng dating pag sinabihan ka nito. nabigla talaga ako. Pero at least daw, may kinain naman. Pero hindi ko pa rin inakalang may ganitong colloquial term. Actually, hindi nga sha colloquial saken e. a few months ago ko nga lang nalaman ‘to eh.

Akalain niyo, meron pa palang dalawa pang terms bukod sa hipon? Pero not as rude naman na.

CRAB. On the outside, nakakatakot ang crab. Kumbaga hindi pleasing ang physical pero pag binuksan mo, masarap sa loob. “Maganda daw ang kalooban”, as my friend put it. (haha. Natawa ako sa delivery niya.) masnatawa sila sa aken kase sabe ko, “baket?! Kase ulo lang ang kinakain?!” ooops.. hehe.. sorry! R-18!

CHICKEN. Pleasing ang labas, lahat ng parts kinakain. Legs, wings, ulo, pati laman loob. Sabi ng friend ko “sagad to the bones”. Wala ka daw maaangal. Akala ko naman dahil iba-ibang luto ang pwede.. hehe.. R-18 sabi eh!

So ayun. Bago kame umupo, may turbo broiled chicken at crispy pata sa dining table. Tinuro ng friend ko yun chicken, “gaya niyan. SAGAD TO THE BONES!” with a naughty smile on her face. E napatingin ako sa crispy pata.

Tinanong ko sha, “Sige nga. Eh ano ang CRISPY PATA?”

Sagot sha, “hindi ko alam. ano?”

Sabi ko, “ang crispy pata kase very deceiving. Masarap tignan. Masarap kainin. But it’s BAD FOR YOU.”

At lahat sila tumingin saken with a look na ‘hay.... there she goes again....’

Bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan wag magalit...

The New Medical City

I had the privilege to have a ‘tour’ at the New Medical City in Ortigas Avenue a couple of weeks back. I was just about to have coffee at their Starbucks (oh yes, they have their own Starbucks outside the lobby!!!), when my intern friend asked me if I would like to check out the building. Needless to say, the place was really .. very .. impressive. It only started operating last June (i think) and was inaugurated during the last week of October.

Highlights:

Outside. There’s a huge fountain. On the left of the fountain is a 24-hour pharmacy, a 24-hour convenience store and the starbucks I was talking about which closes at 12mn. A little far ahead is The Plaza, a restaurant from which I heard has a bit pricey menu, but there are value meals din to choose from. daw ah.

Escalators and elevators. And a separate elevator for patient’s use only. stig.

The over-all ambience. The atmosphere along corridors was not eerie, unlike most hospital corridors are. It was definitely light.

The Chapel. This I wasn’t able to enter because it was already closed (it was already 10:45pm), but I still found solace just looking at the place from outside. The back of the pews were made of glass. Whoa.. Ganda. as in.

The Food court. Yes, food court. We finally have the option not to eat hospital food! Hallelujah!!! There’s Max’s, Binalot, Pizza Hut, Big Chill, Subway and I don’t remember the rest. I was overwhelmed eh. Hehe..

The 15th floor. Being in the top floor was fascinating. Although I could see the Ortigas area from my office window, the site from the New Medical City was even better. It covers the Ortigas area, Pasig area, from Rosario to Cainta to the hills of Antipolo. Aliw!

Nice people. To top it all, the hospital personnel were really friendly and courteous! From the guards to the interns, residences to the doctors.


Oops! Why do I seem to promote the place? As if it’s like a gimmikan ah.. hehe.. wala lang. Share ko lang yun first actual hospital tour ko. ikaw, you like? Just text me for bookings. Haha. Kidding.

I DON’T WANNA BE YOUR FRIEND

I don’t wanna see your face
I don’t wanna hear your name
Don’t want a thing
Just stay away baby

Don’t wanna know if you’re alright
Or what you’re doing with your life
Don’t wanna hear that you’ll stay in touch maybe
I’ll get by just fine
So if you’re going darling
Goodbye, goodbye



Don’t call me in the middle of the night no more
Don’t expect me to be there
Don’t think that it’ll be the way it was before
I’m not over you yet
Don’t think I care
And I don’t wanna be your friend
I’ll forget we ever met
I’ll forget I ever let
Ever let you into this heart of mine baby
You just gotta let me be
Gotta keep away from me
Cause all I wanna be is just free of you baby
Don’t you come around
And say you still care about me
Go now, go now

You’re taking it casually
And that’s what’s killing me
I’ll get by just fine
So when you’re going then, goodbye, goodbye

tama na yan! inuman na!

exact location: SLACKER'S LAB, P. Campa Street, Manila. karlo on my left. paras on my right.
time: 7:50pm

after another sunday of badminton.

now everybody's bloggin'...

bumili na sila david ng gin. o yeah. gin. my gulay. good luck sa lahat.

ayaw naman daw ni aldwin uminom. pati si paras. so baka makalusot ako. hehe..

the last time we had an inuman session here, paras and i just sat in front of the computers and browsed on friendster pages.. haha..

at ngayon mukhang hindi na namin magagawa yun.. haha.. buking na ang style sa pagtakas sa inom..

tinatawag na kame ni gio... sabi ni david punta na kami dun at magbonding sessio. si meldonne ayun, as usual tahimik..

ayan na. tama na daw.

hoy paras! tama na yan. inuman na.

I DON'T KNOW

“I don’t know”. I probably say these words around 50 times a day. 50% of the time, I really don’t know the answer. Then, the other 50% of which I’m just pretending not to know the answer. It’s either I didn’t hear the question pretty well and I don’t care much to ask for pardon, or I don’t wanna say much because I’m still savoring the food that I am chewing. And sometimes I just find the question simply ... stupid.

These are some questions that leave me with no choice but answer “I don’t know.” Answer them for yourselves. Come on. Let’s waste some of your precious little time. Hihi...

how’s (name of your ex)?
What do you want for Christmas?
what do you think of genetic engineering?
when are you getting married?
Do you think he can pick us up later?
what’s the latest on (a telenovela)?
why are you gaining weight?
Who opened the door when we were out?
what’s a taxi in tagalog?
what are your plans tonight?
does bush deserve the presidency?
How come you lost with a 12-5 score? – ehem, daday? Pakisagot. Hehe.

And lastly – I’m sorry, but this is best written in tagalong:
“Ano ang masmakati? An-an o buni?” – courtesy of glenn. Hehe.

Jeez. This blog is getting nowhere, don’t you think so? Hmm. How would I end something like this? I don’t know.

Do you?

DETOXIFICATION

May mga bagay tayo na gustong tapusin pero ‘di magawa. Mga taong gustong kalimutan pero ‘di magawa. Mga alaalang gustong burahin pero ‘di magawa. mga pagkakamaling gustong ituwid pero ‘di magawa. mga nakaraang gustong ibaon pero ‘di magawa.

Marahil ay lahat ng tao, sa isang bahagi ng kanilang buhay ay nakakaranas ng ganito. Nasa huli ang pagsisisi, ika nga nila. Kaya lang may mga bagay din talagang nanjan na. wala na tayong magagawa. Kahit bumaliktad ang mundo na maging shorts ang sinusuot na pang-itaas at t-shirt ang isinusuot na pambaba. Hindi mo pa rin mababago ang nangyari na. ang dali sana ng buhay kung ganun-ganun lang diba? Eh hinde. Hindi mo na pwedeng baguhin ang nakaraan, pero pwede mong isantabi sa pinakasulok ng iyong isipan. Kung saan hindi ka na mabubulabog nito at pwede mo nang harapin ang bawat araw nang wala ito. Naks! Ipagpalagay na natin na ang ating isipan ay isang bodega. Kumbaga sa bodega, sa pinakasulok at pinakamaalikabok mo ilagay itong mga bagay gusto mo nang isantabi sa buhay mo. Gaya ng mga bagay na nasa bodega, na hindi natin maitapon ang mga ito dahil na sa kanya-kanyang personal na rason. Ganyan din ang nakaraan. Hindi ito tinatapon. Isinasantabi lang.

Paano? Napakagandang tanong. Para maisantabi ang mga hindi kanais-nais na bagay sa ating buhay, maging sa nakaraan at kasalukuyan, tayo ay kinakailangang sumailalim sa isang DETOXIFICATION. Sa tagalog – hindi ko po alam. Basta ito ang proseso ng pagtanggal ng mga hindi kanais-nais (toxins o lason) sa ating buhay. Ilan lamang sa mga detox method ay ang inyong mababasa. (hindi po mahalaga ang pagkakasunod-sunod.)

1 tumakbo sa barkada – wag tumakbo ng umiiyak. Tumakbo at magyaya ng gimik. Inuman, videoke, bilyar, darts, tambay, food trip o tamang kulitan lang.
2 wag mo sha tawagan, wag mo sha i-text – burahin lahat ng details niya sa phonebook mo at lahat ng pictures niyo sa phone mo. At wag mo isulat sa papel! No cheating!
3 wag mo sha pansinin – wag pansinin ang mga text niya, ang mga lambing na hindi mo usually matanggihan, at wag mo pansinin ang mga titig niya pag aksidente kayong nagkita! Delikado. Baka Mahulog ka lang ulit.
4 mag-tune in sa NU 107 - panigurado akong wala kayong theme song na ipapatugtog doon!
5 magtapon ng mga bagay na bigay niya – tanggalin sa pananaw ang kahit na anong magpapaalala sa kanya!
6 mag-shopping – bumili ng bagong damit para sa susunod na detoxification tip..
7 makipag-date sa iba – korek. Kaya kelangan mong mag-shopping. Makipag-date sa iba. Hindi na ata kelangan ng explanation nito.
8 dvd/movie marathon – humiga sa couch na para kang reyna, maglabas ng malaking bag ng potato chips at biggie iced tea. At mag-feeling reyna ka. Ayos!
9 burahin ang friendster account mo – nakakapanghinayang ang friends na nahanap mo dito, lalo nay ung mga long lost and found pero ganun talaga. Pinakamabuti ang wala kayon koneksyon, maski sa friendster!
10 i-libre ang mga magulang mo ng dinner – nakaka-relieve ang makikitang ngiti mula sa kanila. At least sila proud sayo!
11 magpaka-athletic – magswimming, mag-wall climbing, magjogging, magbasketball, magbadminton, magvolleyball, etc. mamamawala na sa isip mo, papayat ka pa. pwede ding magtaebo, magboogie at mag-cha-cha!
12 wag daanin sa sobrang kain, sobrang yosi at sobrang inom – lalo ka lang made-depress. Malaki na eyebags mo, ubos baga mo, malaki pa tiyan mo. Wag ganun.

13 mag-out-of-town – ang magical escape from the city. Isama ang barkada (uuyy.. madaming nagkakadevelopan sa mga out-of-town!) o kaya umuwi sa probinsya mag-isa nang makapag-isip, makalanghap ng preskong hangin, at makakain ng sariwang karne at gulay. ganun!

Sure ball ang detoxification tips na ito. Tested. Proven. Hindi mo mamamalayan, ayos ka na. pagkatapos mo ng detox ay lumabas ka na sa bodega, magpagpag ng kamay at magliwaliw. Masarap mabuhay ng walang humahadlang sa gusto mong puntahan. KAHIT DI MO ALAM KUNG SAN KA PAPUNTA! Tara na, biyahe tayo! and intoxicate yourself with someone else! Ü

Before Sunset Review

"Linklater gives his characters something we rarely get in real life: an opportunity to resolve the sense of loss and regret created by a blown chance at love and happiness." - John Beifuss, COMMERCIAL APPEAL (on Before Sunset)

I’ve heard extremely different comments about this movie. Some say it was a good one to see, while others didn’t even bother to finish it. But these really didn’t matter to me because I was planning to watch it since day one. Why? Three reasons.

1 I love Ethan Hawke

2 I liked Before Sunrise

3 I love good conversations.

First and foremost, I think everybody likes (if not loves) Ethan Hawke ever since he starred opposite Winona Ryder in Reality Bites. Second, you actually don’t need to have seen Before Sunrise to understand Before Sunset. The two can very well stand apart, both equally enthralling. But I guess the sequel is more interesting maybe because the characters have grown wiser and more mature. Lastly, my third reason is very vital. Before Sunset is far from the formula-based plot. I can’t even figure out its plot! To appreciate the movie though, you have to be a fan of good conversations. I mean, you just have to!

You see, it’s a talkathon where the art of conversation is fully put into a movie. You just have to keep up and pay attention to the film. The flow of the conversations can be really fast though. Sometimes before you can even absorb the last sharp line from Celine (Julie Delpy), Jesse (Ethan Hawke) would easily come up with a line with just as much, or even more, impact. The dialogues are full of richness. Very real, witty, and revealing. They glorify the minuscule things in life, love and relationships that actually matter most. There was no melodramatic punch lines, action-packed scenes, more so end-of-your-seats ending. (Sorry guys, but there's no erotic love scenes here either.) Just the poignant and honest conversations are enough to bring about excitement and interest in the film.

Tips:

1 Watch it with people who can appreciate good conversations as much as you do, the ones whom you can engage into good conversations with. Realistic, sensible, witty and lasting conversations on practically anything under the sun.
2 Detach yourself from your cellphone or anything that, you know, can divide your attention from watching. I tell you, you don’t wanna miss those well-delivered lines.
3 after the movie, talk about your favorite catchy one-liners over coffee and realize how they hit you in different ways. They are good topics to exchange ideas about.

* Recommended for people who want to see both something different and something more from a movie. *

For more, check out PDI's review on their website, Entertainment Section dated November 2, 2004 (yata). my link to it doesn't seem to work pa eh.

venom is the anti-venom

Sometimes our head aches not because we need an upgrade of eyeglasses. Sometimes our tummy aches not because we ate something that our stomach wants to reject. Sometimes these are just symptoms of severe stress. You know, that “it’s-all-in-the-mind” thing or as others would call it, psychological pain.

In such cases, are you aware that some doctors actually prescribe a pill called Placebo? Placebos may be water pills, sugar pills or starch pills. It results to the placebo effect, a response to the act of being treated, not to the treatment itself. The effect generally improves the state of health without any credit to actual medical treatment. Some doctors just want to see if the patient only feels pain caused by the mind.

Amusing. Psychological cure for something psychologically inflicted.

I mean, come on. Admit it. You get a headache when thinking of how to settle your credit card bills, so you take biogesic or you sleep. But the truth is, what can really take away that headache is cash, because lack of it caused it in the first place.

You see, we often tend to resort to escape hatches where in fact the solution (most of the time, only solution) to the problem is right in front us. You should not run away from your fears, just as you should not replace a stick of cigarette for a missed lunch and just as you should not lock yourself up in the room when your heart gets broken. On the other hand, you should cure your sickness with what actually caused it. Venom is the anti-venom.

Just like overcoming your fears requires facing it. Just like food satisfies hunger due to lack of it. Just like love healing a broken heart caused by love itself.

Psychological cure for something psychologically inflicted. Physical cure for something physically inflicted. Emotional cure for something emotionally inflicted.

I guess that’s the fastest way to cure our own diseases. Venom is the anti-venom. It’s basic knowledge as basic math.