Anti-climactic.

It has been said time and again how the journey is more important than the destination. And I've always believed it. Everytime I have achieved something I had always waited for, I feel as if there is still something lacking��something anti-climactic. But in actuality there is none. The thing I usually waited for is just that. It is only me that gave meaning to it. Case in point, I'm already 20 years old since yesterday. It was something I once thought as life-changing. At the very instant I turned 20, I am still who I am. Change is gradual, or comes along at unexpected junctures. Once expected, it will always come as something anti-climactic.

Look Before You Leap.

This was a brief ambush interview on me for some paper.

1. Not all bands are recognized by recording companies, how do you (No Parking) intend to penetrate the market?

AAAA: I am always of the belief that there is always room for something good. Right now, the market don't know what it wants. It searches for a tried-and-tested formula, at the same time, it searches for something fresh. It has to earn��that's the bottomline. We try hard to be the best at what we do, get some people to notice... that's the plan really. Nothing thought about in detail.

2. What qualities did you see in each members that made you form the band?

AAAA: Foremost of all, the four of us were high school classmates, all in the same circle of friends. Chemistry is important above all. And it came as a surprise that the musical talents of my bandmates have blossomed late into college, as they were minimal in high school. The band scene in the Philippines, although it is booming right now, is still harsh for starters... so it is always important for us to stick together with a good fight. Our band profile can be found here: http://www.noparkingphilippines.tk

3. A lot of bands write songs about how and what they feel and it just so happened that people can relate. Have you writen any song that's itended to communicate?

AAAA: The songwriting process really involves a lot of personal attachments for me, especially in the early stages of trying it. There are songs I find more difficult to write and express since it has no specific personal attachment. But these kinds of songs are fun nonetheless, since they are done outside of my comfort zone.

"D.o.t.A." (Dec 2005) is a softsell sarcastic commentary on the phenomenon that is the computer game. It is basically an a-day-in-the-life narration. The song is quite popular in our neighborhood. "Tata, Nana" (June 2006) is a song I started writing in the early phases of 2006. Staged in 2nd person-point-of-view, the song is an address to a fictitious greedy person.  It was an entry for an anti-corruption contest that was never submitted. Maybe next year, we'll try again.  "Stereo" (Aug 2006) is a short stab at breaking stereotypes, a song intended as a jingle, and as a favor to a friend for his class.

Nowhere Man.

He's a real Nowhere Man,
sitting in his nowhere land,
making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view.
Knows not where he's going to.
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

 
Nowhere Man, please listen.
You don't know what you're missing.
Nowhere man, the world is at your command.

He's as blind as he can be.
Just sees what he wants to see.
Nowhere man, can you see me at all?

Nowhere Man, don't worry.
Take your time. Don't hurry.
Leave it all 'til somebody else
lends you a hand.
 

Doesn't have a point of view.
Knows not where he's going to.
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

 
Nowhere Man, please listen.
You don't know what you're missing.
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command.

He's a real Nowhere Man,
sitting in his nowhere land,
making all his nowhere plans for nobody,

making all his nowhere plans for nobody,

making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

-- (Lennon/McCartney) The Beatles, Rubber Soul, 1965.

Bitter Medication.

Nowhere Man, I know it was tough. But you wanted to know. And so you did. It had been a long time running, Nowhere Man, and I guess you really believe how the truth really hurts.

If ignorance is bliss, why do we seek to learn? That has been a question asked to me in high school, Nowhere Man, and I couldn't answer then. I can tell you now though. Even if we are ignorant the truth still exists. Like what the climbers of Mt. Everest say when they are asked why they still scale the mountain: because it is there. The truth still exists when one is ignorant. Why not know it? It may hurt but it is liberating.

Living is easy with eyes closed / Misunderstanding all you see. So said Lennon. If ignorance is bliss, why do we seek to learn? I don't know about you, Nowhere Man. But I don't want to limit myself.

Chin up, Nowhere Man. It's not too bad. Really.

Think What You Will. I Don't Mind.

For a moment I was distraught. But no longer. Thanks for the fire. If it weren't for the way you see us as from down there, we wouldn't be so motivated.

Everyone's Invited.

The UP College of Mass Communication Student Council
and
Campus Radio 97.1 WLS FM

present

MULAT! The Mass Media Awareness Concert

featuring performances by

Pupil
Itchyworms
Giniling Festival
No Parking
Cambio
Narda
Kampai
The Barpins

and more!

September 26, 2006.

Tickets @120php. UP Bahay ng Alumni.

Gates Open at 7pm.

Losses.

It's your loss, if you miss the concert. Ely Buendia's Pupil and his former Eraserheads bandmates Raimund Marasigan and Buddy Zabala from Cambio are reuniting (at least on the line-up). Buendia and Marasigan by the way are former Maskom students.

Anyway, I lost my cellphone. It slid from the loose pockets of my ukay jogging pants. Bonehead. I had been having a premonition weeks ago that I must write my phonebook entries on a computer notepad file just to keep the numbers safe. Well too much for that.

And besides losing my cellphone, I'm feeling bad again. Like an artist who has much to say and show but could not be understood by a common person. It's hard to be unconventional sometimes, but there's no other way I'd rather do it.

Biglang Sulpot.

Isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit namatay ang blog na ito ay dahil sa wala akong oras para umupo nang matagal sa PC. Dati akala ko, kung gaano katagal inupuan ang isang entry, ganoon din ka-profound. But no. The thoughts that come to us out of the blue are as important as those achieved by careful meditation.

[Sinusubukang i-justify ang katamaran] (",)

Minsan kailangan talaga nating mag-desisyon in a split-second. Sabi nga ng aking favorite post-mortem source ng quotes: kapag nalulunod ka hindi naman natin magagawang humingi ng tulong in a polite manner. We scream. Sa mga ganitong split-second decisions, you will have feelings of what is right or wrong. Just trust that feeling.

Instant National Treasure.

Kakagaling ko lang sa bahay ni Olan (na naging official headquarters na ng aming block over the past few days dahil Mecca ito ng makinarya sa pag-e-edit). Sa sobrang lugmok ng mga tao sa kaka-edit ng aming brainchild TV program, nagiging national treasure na ang instant pancit canton.

Wag tayong mag-alala. Masarap kung masarap ang pancit canton. Pero mas sasarap ang lasa nito (lalo na yung variety na may kasamang calamansi) pag nakakain na tayo ng mamahaling pagkain mula sa ating mga trabaho.

Huh? Basta.

Basta.

Basta ako nahuhumaling ako sa instant carbonara. Mali ang mahumaling sa instant... Pero paano, puppet ako?

Positive Spin.

I had been telling Keina a day ago while on an MRT-bound jeep that giving things a positive spin, no matter how full of shit the situation may be, is the best approach on things. Somehow, somewhere, there must be a reason why a bad thing happened.

And I must have bothered her quite enough that she has begun to stonewall herself. I was preaching this as though it were a part of my body, as though I have been practicing this since I was a Ninja-Turtle-driven tot��when in actuality I have just bought into the idea recently.

Do I practice what I preach? I try. Really. I really am trying... today. The nationwide band competition that has been NP's short-term goal for a while now have went through its elimination phase. And sadly, we didn't fit into their plans.

The positive spin is possible. But only after I have given myself a few moments to grieve. NP is young. These are growing pains. We learn something everyday.

Never be hypocrites, people. If you are sad or whatever you are feeling, don't keep it. Express it and let go. It is with accepting that the cure begins. That goes too with things that make you happy. Just savor the moment, as it will not stay forever. I'm thankful to the Lord for today. Happiness is indeed a warm gun.

Not by Design.

I have been blogging for over a year and a half, and thus I've been feeling like a veteran already. I've seen myself work at it like a mad carabao in the fields, and conversely I've seen myself avoid it as though it was a chickenpox infection.

For the most part, I always spend my time designing the layout of my page, thinking of ingenious ways to embellish it to attract more readers. I hardly have time to sit in front of my monitor and think of something to write. And when I do, it's always a dead end. You've tried it with your papers��crammed papers if I may add. Sitting in front of a blank monitor thinking of something to write... nada.

I have gone away from what made me blog in the first place. And that's to write, to write with substance, to write for an audience.

So nothing fancy here in the meantime. No Manila Bulletin mindset for me now. Enough with the ad-like gimmicks. Let's put some chocolate in the middle of the donut.

Siksik, Liglig, Umaapaw.

Nilalabanan ko pa rin ang pakiramdam na parang may mali kapag sumulat ako sa Filipino nang katatapos ko lang magsulat sa Ingles.

Kung tututuusin wala naman talagang mali. Pero awkward talaga ang malalim na Filipino. Mas casual at mas expressive sa popular culture ang pidgin na Filipino-English.

Bakit ko ito natalakay? Kasi dati issue sa akin ang wikang gamit sa pag-ba-blog. Nagagamit ko tuloy itong dahilan para hindi magsulat, kung bakit wala akong masulat.

Sa totoo lang madalas akong naging makakalimutin nitong mga nakaraang mga buwan at semestre, marami akong naiisip na kung saan-saan lang lumilitaw. Habang nakasakay sa MRT. Habang nasa banyo. Atbp. Kaya benta na sa akin ngayon ang diskarte sa Blue's Clues na may Handy-Dandy Notebook. Pero sa notepad sa PC lang.

Withdrawal Syndrome.

Dalawang linggo akong walang internet sa bahay. Walang dialtone, nakidlatan ang isang poste ng PLDT malapit sa amin. Kailangan pang umorder sa Germany ng spare parts na pagkatagal-tagal dumating (Naisip ko nga baka natagalan dahil lahat dun e di-magkaugaga sa World Cup).

Malakas ang tama sa akin ng withdrawal syndrome. Bakit nga naman hindi, araw-araw akong suki nito. Hirap. Lalo na nung unang tatlong araw. Pero nakasanayan ko rin. Kaya noong naibalik ito noong nakaraang linggo, hindi na ako masyadong hayok dito. Ibig sabihin lang nito, karamihan sa inaakala nating kailangan natin ay luho lang.

Linggo ngayon, pero hindi ko alam kung anong araw ko ma-a-upload ang born-again na blog na ito at ng isa pang site na kakatapos ko lang din banatan.

Dahil nawalan na naman ng dialtone dito. Ngayon-ngayon lang.

Hay.

Happy Father's Day!

: )