Log 131
November 24, 2006

THE Shindig.

On the eve of No Parking's anniversary, this Manager Ys-organized party (in her own crib) is the biggest vote of confidence.

There are six million or God-knows-how-many bands in the Philippines. Suddenly everyone is a band member. Everyone has a band with a usually funny name, trying to be different. It has become a faceless underground unsigned scene.

But few have friends like this,

who believe in you, and what you can do.

I am touched. And when I'm touched, I work harder.

Roll Call.

Manager Ys. When I discreetly told you about the birth of the band last year and when you instantaneously said "What, you want me to manage?," did you stop to think you'd register for this wreck of a shindig? Seriously, we need your guidance now more than ever, now that we've only just begun. Had fun corrupting your crib. Don't worry, Im'a make you proud. Thanks.

Keina. When you come to think of it, you were essential behind the birth of the band. I hope that sticker business blooms into a profitable one. Next up, shirts! With someone as supportive as you, many would want to trade places with me. Aya.

Icang. You weren't there but you've been with us when we needed someone to believe in us in the beginning. That has been very, very big. I will always treasure your not-so-cautionary, cautionary insights.

Klara. We always feel your presence. Your  valuable, virtual contributions. The website. The 3/f bootlegs. The design for the stickers. There's always that love we'll never forget. Ever.

My Father. You're coming home this Monday, a surprise coming-home, at that. And this is a perfect opportunity to put you here without you being in your office abroad and being online the whole day. It was always in the genes. My mother told me you had predicted I'd be in a band one day. And you've been as encouraging with your advices, answering all my technical questions.

I already know how to play the drums, though not at your level yet. I had you in mind when I started NP. You led your band, taught your officemates all the instruments from the guitar, the bass, and the keyboards, to the drums. And you sang. Your voice will always be better than mine.

My Blockmates.

BELOT. The works at the Quezon Hall. MRT and dota will be timeless.

RORO. A scar to remind you of us. C'mon that screams Harry Potter! EDI. Thanks for playing our song on Generation Astig. That was fun! Just don't play that track again! :)

YANDAI. Iya Villania, move over.

MICHI. I won't leave MBB, just call me up.

OLAN, KEKS, KAREN. Buscopan!

FLO. Amoy Queso ang drumset sa shindig, bakit kaya?.

RICA. Will always remember the help packages you'll be sending from the States.

DANDY. For sticking with us about that Soundskool shit.

ANGEL. This is an advanced thank-you for being our lamppost at The Blue Room.

BEBANG, ISA. For... uyy teka, may nagalabit sa akin!

NP.

NORMAN, JEFF, LOVE. We've been together for very long, beyond NP. There have been countless signs. You know we are meant to work together. I've never doubted your talent since NP started, one bit. Now let's stop this roll call. We've reached nothing yet. Work, work.

Simplest Pleasures.

We take things for granted when they have settled into a routine. Many do not believe in successful long-term relationships, posing the question "what's next?" when it is so successful.  I disagree. What I don't believe is settling in the territory of the monotonous and the routine. That is when it becomes boring.

But what's difficult with knowing when something is routine is that it becomes comfortable when it becomes routine. It just jumps at you that you are already bored.

Routine comes when we ignore the simplest pleasures. We always chase the big picture that we forget some of the most beautiful details.

Don't.

I have taken it as a challenge to not.

Life is beautiful, even to its most trivial manifestation.

Like hugging.

Or lying down on the lawn.

Or eating home-cooked pita pockets.

Log 130
November 17, 2006

Balik-tanaw. . .

Nakapagdasal na kami. Kami ang una. Siyempre. Wala nga kami dapat dito. Nakapasok lang kami dahil umatras ang dalawang naunang banda. Wala naman sigurong mali sa pagiging maliit na pangalan sa ilalim ng Agape, Pupil, 6CycleMind, Kjwan, at Imago.

Handa na ang lahat. Mga kable. Ang kahon. Ang mga gitara. Hanggang dito lang daw muna kami. Magkasingkahulugan ang amateur at acoustic.

Ngayong iilang minuto na lang at kami na ang sasalang, maihihiwalay ko na ang sarili ko. Mahirap gawin. Pagkat bahagi ako nito. Ang mga bakod, mga tolda, at iba pa...

Naglalaro sa isipan ko ang entablado, dati pa. Marami ang nakikinig. Nakatingin sa akin. Sa amin. Dadalawang buwan pa lamang simula nang sumagi ito sa isip naming apat. May kumukurot sa bituka ko. Araw-araw naman akong nandito. Bawat sulok, bawat puno, kabisado ko ang parking lot ng Maskom.

Kung bakit ang iniisip ng mga nanonood sa akin ang nasa isip ko...

Paikot-ikot.

"Kung bakit ang iniisip ng mga nanonood sa akin ang nasa isip ko..."

Simula ng mga nakaraang buwan, wala na akong pakialam sa iniisip ng mga tao.

Sinungaling siguro ako.

UP BROADGUILD and 99.5 RT present
ROCK BACK TO SCHOOL

--the hottest concert
that will get you rocking back to school! Proceeds
will be for the benefit of the He Cares Foundation
 

Dicta License

Kjwan

Imago

Stonefree

Chubibo

Juana

Protein Shake

Makopa

Wake Up Your Seatmate

and

No Parking

Rockin' on November 17, 6pm at the University of
the Philippines Diliman--College of Mass
Communication Parking Lot! Tickets at only
P30.00!

Matagal ko itong hinintay. Marami pa nga siguro akong gustong patunayan.

Nakakabulag.

Wala na akong makita kundi silaw ng mga naglalaksang mga ilaw noong kalagitnaan na ng aming palabas.  Nakaramdam ako ng pag-iisa. Parang wala ng tao, puro liwanag.

Bakit nakaasa ako sa mga tao? Sila ang nakaasa sa akin.

Nakakataba ng puso ang mga narinig ko matapos. Ngunit marami pang lihim ang entablado. Marami pang dapat malaman.

Isang taon pa lang.

Juana.

Marami na akong nakasabay na mga malalaking pangalan sa backstage. Sa sobrang sikat, lagi akong nahihiyang makipag-usap.

Gustong-gusto ko pa namang magkaroon ng mga mapagtatanungan ng mga naranasan.

Dalawang taon pa lang ang bandang Juana, ngunit mayroon na silang recording company. Namigay lang sila ng demo. Mamigay lang daw kami. Mag-iisang taon pa lang kami sa susunod na linggo. Abaot-tanaw pa ang lahat.

Hindi rin Juana ang pangalan ng bokalista. Pangalan nila iyon dahil sa drummer nilang hawig ni Aleck Bovick. Sa kanilang apat, siya ang nauna sa marijuana.

Pa'no ko nalaman? Nakadaldalan ko si Charlene... makulit din, kuha nang kuha ng mga litrato. Pati nga litrato naming apat e.

Kjwan, Dicta License.

May ihahatid kami nina Norms, Love, at Jeffrey sa Grepawalk nang Kjwan na ang nakasalang. Nang marinig ko ang Daliri, iniwan ko sila at nagtatakbo pabalik.

Natakot kaming mga Guilders habang inaayos ang parking lot kaninang hapon. May mga apat na kiddie moshpit people in black a.k.a. JJB na napadaan sa aming venue. At nang nakita nilang may kaganapan mamaya, sabay-sabay silang nag-ngitian. Parang mga langgam, magtatawag ito mamaya ng mga kasama.

Inaasahan naming magkakagulo ang mga batang nakaitim (na may mga nakasuot pa nga ng kalansay) kapag nakasalang na ang mabibigat na Kjwan at Dicta License.

Ngunit kahit nasa may bahaging Bastusan na! ang kinakanta ni Marc Abaya, hindi pa rin masyadong magulo ang mga bata. Tinanong pa nga sila ng gitaristang si Jorel kung paano sila uuwi.

Lalo rin noong Dicta License. Tahimik pa rin ang mga bata. Si Pochoy lang ang magulo, dalang-dala sa mga awit niya tungkol sa bayan kahit araw-araw niya halos ito kinakanta.

Husay.

Pareho lang ako sa mga JJB kaya ako nagtatatakbo pabalik... dahil sa mga bandang tulad nila.

Log 129
November 12, 2006

Nobyembre.

May mga xmas lights na ang mga kapitbahay ko. Nobyembre na nga.

Amoy Misa de Gallo na ang umaga. At parang sinisipag akong magsulat nitong mga nakaraang araw. Hindi naman ako mahilig masyado sa malamig. Sa loob ng sinehan, pinapasok ko yung mga braso ko sa loob ng t-shirt. Lagi rin ako nagpapakulo ng tubig pampaligo. Nagtataka nga rin ako kung bakit sa Tagaytay sana kami pupunta ngayon para mamasyal. (Hindi tuloy natuloy).

Dalawang taon na ang nakakaraan, sinipag din ako nang ganito. Kung hindi ko pa inayos ang mga nakaraan kong gawa (na maaari niyo nang masilip sa Archives, diyan sa may bandang baba sa kanan), hindi ko pa malalaman na ngayong Nobyembre ang ikalawang kaarawan ng blog ko. Maligayang bati.

May pitak sa puso ko ang Nobyembre.

Nobyembre nang nagtungo ako ng Korea.

Nobyembre nang pinanganak ang mga nakapagbigay-kulay sa akin. 5, 27, 28.

Nobyembre din ang kaarawan ng mga bulateng Norman at Jayson, at ni Tita Lyn (ngayon, maligayang bati), na bakit kaya kamukha ni Keina? �

Nobyembre din ang No Parking. 25.

At dahil paborito ko ang Nobyembre, naisip ko noong freshie pa lang ako na gamitin ang ika-11 na buwan bilang numero sa aking Masscomm Wildcats basketball jersey. Nag-iisip pa ako noon ng mas magandang dahilan para gamitin ang 11 bukod sa ginagamit ito ngayon ng pinakamatangkad at pinakamaliit sa NBA.
Yao Ming (7'6"). Earl Boykins (5'5").

Hanggang sa dumating ang ika-11 ng Marso, 2006. Kani-kanina ko lang napagtanto, Nobyembre ko rin una nakita si Keina.

Log 128
November 11, 2006

DVDX.

Seriously, you should see the latest music video of the band Sandwich for their latest single DVDX. At the end of the video, Edu Manzano, chairman of the Video Regulatory Board (stalker of DVD pirates) makes a cameo appearance and kills all the Sandwich members.

Have I mentioned before that Raimund Marasigan, of Sandwich frontmanning and Eraserheads drumming fame, was once a student of Mam Pearl? Mam Pearl speaks fondly of him, but she seems to have no idea what Raimund has been up to this past few years. If you don't know Mam Pearl, she's one of the best our College of Mass Communication has to offer. And my cat Fabulosa is a dog.

Yesterday was my first time to buy pirated DVDs, monumentally in the Magallenes station of the MRT. And yes, I had a rough first time. I had a good price, three for a Manuel Roxas souvenir. I also had good titles: the complete episodes of Hunter X Hunter. (GMA 7 wins no award for being a bastard who does not finish what it started.) And a 5-movie single-CD collection of the Mexican Werewolf, Saw III, The Grudge 2, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Da Vinci Code.

But the hawker had no TV, not even a DVD player. I didn't even bother checking the goods. Walking people. Inaudible audio. Choppy. Only Da Vinci was spared.

Lesson learned. Hard way.

Log 127
November 9, 2006

Paranoid Parents.

Sometimes young parents, in their genuine desire to protect their children, become paranoid especially with health concerns. What was a simple giggling of a child can be mistaken as crying from pain. What may be a plain chill is confused with a seizure.

They are best served not worrying easily.

They should learn how to trust doctors.

Doctors have been treating for years.

They know what they're doing.

Doctors just want its patients to remember happy things.

Log 126
November 7, 2006

Lolo Tom.

Gusto ko pagtapak ko ng 79, mukha pa rin akong 69, nakakabiyahe pa sa iba't ibang bansa, nakakapagpa-pedicure, at maliksi at masiyahin pa rin.

Si Lolo Tom ay kapatid ng tatay ng tatay ko. Nag-immigrate siya sa San Diego, CA noong 1975; mas uso pa noon sina Pepe Smith kaysa pagbabakasakali at pagtambay sa US Embassy. Ngayong 2006, dalawang beses na siyang nagbabakasyon dito, nitong Abril at ngayong Nobyembre. Ngunit ang huli niya talagang uwi bago yun ay 1993 nang mamatay ang lola ko sa tuhod na si Lola Iding. Pitong taong gulang pa lang ako noon at ang natatandaan ko lang ay kamukha niya si Fidel Ramos.

Malayo kaya.

Siya yung lolo kong minsang tumalon sa pool noong outing namin at nakalimutan na may cellphone siya sa bulsa. Hindi naman siya makakalimutin. Hindi na lang siya talaga paalala, at tingin ko maganda yun.

Sabi pa nga niya sa akin:

"Don't get frustrated when things don't turn out as you want..."

May twang. Ilokano twang.

Log 125
November 5, 2006

Out of the Box, huh?

People always claim that they want to be different. That they want to do things their way. I personally believe that's 90% bullshit. Only a handful has the balls to pull it off. Because no matter how much hype there is about being unconventional, the fact remains that people, by nature, seek for approval. Aristotle was right when he said people are social animals. Simply put, they can't be islands (sounds familiar?). That's why there are barkadas, Rotary Clubs, Boy Scouts, TODAs, Homeowners' Association, and all those groups.

Everything in the beginning is awkward. Can you remember the first time you tried to pick up a new ability, say, like ride a bike or learn how to play a guitar? Or how about the first time you tried to sing or dance decently? It's hard. It's difficult. It tests your patience. It's a natural reaction. It's the same with people, in general. If you try to introduce something new, the best initial reaction you can have, in my opinion, is doubt. People can be harsh when confronted with something they don't know, or something they cannot fully grasp yet. They fear. Fear is brought by things unknown. At the very worst, they can scorn, ridicule, and bring the unknown down. It is like an itch, the reaction would be to scratch it. Once upon a time, Jesus Christ  was an itch at the side of the Pharisees.

So it's hard to oppose what has been established. Tradition is one of the hardest things to break. Tradition leads to expectations. Expectations lead to frustration. If you don't measure up to what is expected��stereotypes!��you get a lot of explaining to do or you get a lot of bashing. That's why I don't buy into those who claim they want to be different. It's a lot easier said than done. Just go ahead with it, if you really want to. And it is also why I have a lot of respect for people who are considered weird or eccentric. John Lennon, Dirk Nowitzki, Brandon Boyd, Peter Parker, Dr. Gregory House, Prof. Chito Avecilla, Prof. Antonio Santos.  They're high on my list.

The Bambam Template

I have always sought approval, even the expectations of irrelevant people. A classic pleaser. But as Dr. House puts it (in the medical drama, House, M.D.):

Dr. Wilson: You know why people are nice to other people?

Dr. House: Oh, I know this one. Because people are good, decent and caring. Either that, or people are cowards. If I�m mean to you, you�ll be mean to me. Mutually assured destruction.

Sometimes, being the ultimate pleaser, I can't stand for myself. When I make decisions, others' perceptions are part of the equation. It mustn't. Ever. (They're just perceptions. It's different when you're making a decision for  people who will be deeply affected.)

At the end of the day, I end up not making the most of my opportunities.

It is my dream to have my own template: a way of life, a course, a set of decisions independent from other people's ignorant or negative impressions. I dream of opening up the way people think about how things should be done. I dream of overhearing people argue:

Person A: "No way your way of life will prosper."

Person B: "How came that idiot Bambam did it?"

Person A: "Because he was an idiot!"

Person B: "Exactly! Because he was an idiot."

Log 124
November 4, 2006

World Trade Center.

A neighbor spreaded his opinion in our street like wildfire, saying that this movie by Nicolas Cage is plain ugly. He must have expected a blow-by-blow action film. Pity. I suggest he go watch this film Boa, a giant snake chasing people all movie long. Nothing more. Nothing less. Yup, you'd think it was Anaconda, only this one's a bit low budget. Could satisfy his desire for a testosterone movie though.

The film focused on the human aspect of  the tragedy, instead of the action. If you've been watching Marvel or DC superhero films, you'd have noticed the trend is to  focus on the emotions of the superhero, rather than his/her comicbook abilities.  It's the same with World Trade Center. It will make people put their selves in the shoes of the police and firemen who were trapped underneath the 9/11 rubble. It was scary, especially when the building collapsed on them. Really scary.

Of course, it did emphasize American superiority (they always do that in their films so there's nothing new). But more than anything, it did show goodness and unity in people. I'm just concerned about the implication of the film. Must there be diabolical evil first before this goodness comes out?

Casualty count of the tragedy was at around 2,500. I believe it was only fitting that the movie gave itself a happy ending for the trapped servicemen.

Keina said in her blog how afraid she was of death. But we will all die. It's a given. I just want to die with a purpose. I want to be remembered. In a good way, of course.

The trapped police portrayed by Nicolas Cage. How many days can you stay under there? Dare!

0-2 as of 11/5. On the other hand, how many more games before you finally win a game? Please give me one. Please.

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