Countdown to Mt. Pinatubo and Panagbenga 2009!

Some events that I've tried before and will be doing again with a (not so) different set of friends:

Ang Album Na May Puso

Yes, it's Pokwang's debut album (finally!). Naagaw lang ang attention ko sa cover. The album is entitled "Ang Album na May Puso" and look closely, there's a "puso ng saging" (banana blossom) on her chest! Brilliant. Kudos to the think tank. I did not bother looking at the songlist though.

Chinese New Year’s Resolution

Sa natitirang Chinese sa aking dugo (yep, meron, believe it or not, hahaha), heto ang aking New Year’s resolution (na sana ay ma-accomplish lahat):

1. MAS MAGING FAN NG PAGBABAGO

‘Di kasi ako masyadong risky. So kung kailangang lumabas ng comfort zone, go and just do it! Last year, inisip ko lang na maging open sa mga stuff na ‘di ko pa nagagawa in my entire 31 years. This includes trekking, traveling abroad on my own (well, this is easy, hehehe), driving and watching a 9-hour film. This time, gusto ko lang maging mas ready sa changes.

2. WATCH MORE FILMS

Again, this is easy and doable. ‘Di ko pa naa-account lahat ng napanood ko (except d’un sa mga nasa Movie Digest series) pero sana mas maraming mapanood this year. Meron akong yield time n’ung nasa Kentucky dahil pangit ang sinehan d’un at limited ang number na puwedeng panoorin. Plus ‘yung mga dibidi-dibidi ko sa probinsya na mabagal kong nauubos panoorin. Siguro may 200+ pa sila. Minsan kasi, kailangan mo nang bilhin sa Quiapo (or Makati Cinema Square, kapag tinatamad) dahil hindi sila nagre-replenish. Kapag wala na, wala na, kaya kailangan nang bilhin agad.

3. BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET

Siguro, less pampering ng sarili. Kailangang mag-ipon for the future and this is something that I’m not really motivated about. It would be different if I have a younger sibling or if I have a family of my own. Wala namang item na gusto kong bilhin this year. As for the last two years, may resolution ako not to buy an iPod/iPhone. At some point, naiirita ako sa mga naka-earphones (hahaha). Parang naging status quo na kasi kahit pakiramdam mo eh wala namang hilig sa music ‘yung tao. Besides, what’s the concept of sounding off kapag nasa EDSA ka? Baka mamaya eh masagasaan ka pa. Kapag ‘di mo na naririnig ang ingay ng kalye, baka mabawasan ang identity ng pagka-Pinoy natin. Oh, well, this is a different topic.

4. MORE PLACES TO SEE

Given na ‘to. Sana meron ulit travel outside the country pero ayos lang kung wala. Sabi ni Rocky (a former colleague), kailangan daw magkaroon ng impression ang mga bosing na kunyari ay ayaw mong mag-travel para lalo kang ipadala onsite (hahaha). On my list, dalawang countries na lang ang sobrang eager akong makita: Egypt and Mexico. But I wouldn’t mind if it’s Portugal or Brazil or Japan or Denmark. Sa Asia, Vietnam sana. Kasi isa sa mga things to do before you die ay ‘yung mag-bike sa ricefields d’un. On local front, I want to see Corregidor for a taste of history and any destination in Mindanao (probably Davao). Kahit saan basta kasama ang aking little red backpack (or my big blue bag named Fincher).

5. STICK TO POINT-AND-SHOOT

Next year na ang SLR (hehehe). ‘Di kasi kakasya sa little red backpack, ‘yun lang ‘yun. Besides, hindi ako mabusisi lalo na kung weekend travel. Siguro kapag nag-mellow na, kailangan ko na ‘yan. At kung kasing galing ko na si Topeng (sa pag-take ng pic ha, hindi sa pagjo-joke kasi kayang kaya kong i-outwit ‘yan, bwahahaha).

6. LAUGH MORE (OR MAKE OTHER PEOPLE LAUGH MORE)

Personal rule of thumb ulit ‘yan. Madali namang i-explain ‘to. Siyempre, harsh ang mundo (naks!) at kailangan mong mag-detoxify from time to time. The cheapest form, I think, is laughter (Edrik might think otherwise). May Biblical reference din ito na dapat pasayahin ang nalulungkot, etc. Merong fulfillment dito. Una, gets mo ang kiliti (oh, yeah! mischievous smile here). Secondly, ‘yung health benefit (though may sariling therapy ang pag-iyak). At ikatlo, ‘di ka raw agad tatanda. I guess this is a fitting resolution for the Year of the Ox kasi dapat “oks” ka parati (hehehe). Quick wit: mabuti’t hindi naging sperm na lang si Benjamin Button. Another quick wit: Ang Kamangha-manghang Kalagayan ni Benjamin Butones.

7. FINISH (SOME OF) THE BOOKS!

Medyo mabagal ako sa book kapag walang motivation to finish it. Nakapila ngayon ‘yung “The Road Within: True Stories of Transformation and the Soul”. It’s a collection of travel stories from around the world. Siguro may ¼ pa akong kailangang matapos. Then nakapila rin ‘yung bio ni Robbie Williams authored by Chris Heath (isang contributor sa Rolling Stone Magazine). Docu-style ang pagkakasulat at walang structure. Parang snippets lang sa mga moment within three months na kasama n’ya si Rob. A nice read, actually. Naunahan lang ng ibang books na mas interesting. At marami pang ibang nakapila (Jostein Gaarder’s “Sophie’s World”, Catherine Millet’s “Sexual Life of Catherine M”, Katharine Hepburn’s biography entitled “Me” and a lot more).

Pagharap sa "Melancholia"

Kuha ang mga larawan mula sa site ni G. Oggs Cruz, isang film critic.

Medyo mahirap i-assess kung ano talagang na-experience ko after watching Lav Diaz' 8-hour film entitled "Melancholia". Parang hindi na lang talaga ito tungkol d'un sa pelikula kundi 'yung buong experience na rin.

THE FILM

To summarize the film, it's about three characters who are trying to cope with depression. May isang elite na teacher na naging desaparasidos ang asawang komunista. Isa pang akademista naman ang namatayan ng asawa. At isa pang karakter. Inumpisahan ang pelikula habang nasa Sagada ang tatlong karakter na ito. Si teacher ay isang puta. Si akademista ay isa namang bugaw at 'yung ikatlo ay isang madre. They're trying a particular program that should help them overcome their sadness. Tinapos ang Sagada episode sa magkakahalong epekto. Ipinakita sa mga huling parte na 'yung "madre" ay hindi nakayanan ang buong proseso at nagpakamatay.

Tumuloy ang pelikula pagkatapos ng Sagada. Si teacher/puta ay merong struggle sa kanyang ampon na anak na madalas lumayas at nagpuputa. Si akedemista/bugaw naman ay tuluyang nabaliw sa dulo. May naka-allot na mga eksena para sa asawang komunista ng teacher/puta. Sa gubat ay namatay rin ito matapos isulat ang ilang angst sa buhay tungkol sa kalungkutan. Dito na itinanong kung bakit nga ba malungkot ang mundo.

Understatement nang sabihin na mahaba ang pelikula. Kung ang tanong ay hindi ba ito pwedeng gawing dalawang oras na lang, ang sagot ay hindi. Tingin ko ay marami ang mawawala kung ito'y kakapunin sa maikling oras. Merong gustong ipakita ang direktor kung bakit kailangang nakakapagod panoorin ang movie, kung bakit hindi kina-cut ang mahahabang sequence. Halimbawa, mahigit isang oras ang inilaan sa struggle ng komunista sa gubat. Halos walang dialog, naglalakad lang sila sa gubat, natutulog o nakamasid lang kung merong kalaban. Kung puputulin ito, mawawala 'yung magic na totoo ngang mahaba ang struggle ng asawa ng isa sa mga karakter. Kung ito'y Star Cinema movie, malamang ay nakapag-away na sina Piolo at Angel at hihintayin mo na lang magkabati sila sa susunod na 30 minuto.

Napansin ko rin na ang unang tatlong oras ay puwedeng magkaroon ng sariling buhay. Nakaka-fascinate actually 'yung puta, bugaw at madre na kunyari ay hindi sila magkakakilala. Sa ikatlong oras na nalaman ng viewers na role playing lang pala lahat. Maganda 'yung twist sa part na 'to. Hindi rin masyadong alienating, makakapasa sa mainstream kumbaga.

Tinapos ang pelikula na lumayo ang akademista/bugaw habang tinatawag ni teacher/puta. Sabi ni akademista/bugaw, "Hindi ako si Julian." Isang execution ng eksena na mapapatanong ka kung role playing pa rin ba ang lahat o katotohanan na. Sa ganito ring doubt ipinasok ang mensahe ng pelikula: malungkot ang mundo dahil mula rito tayo mabubuhay. Sabi nga ng isang karakter dito, wala raw music, walang pelikula, walang nobela kung walang sadness.

THE EXPERIENCE

Nag-lunch ako ng mga bandang 12:15pm sa Pho Hoa (reception sa binyag ng aking bagong inaanak, si Zaccheus Nigel Quincina) at mula Libis ay sinundo na ako ni Jaejay papuntang UP. We're using his Garmin GPS on his mobile. Mayabang, I agree (hehehe). We reached UP Film Center/Cine Adarna 10 minutes before the screening. I didn't manage to buy chicha and Kopiko and water. For eight hours, walang food, walang pee break at walang break at all except during disc switches. And I survived it. Pati na rin si Jaejay, nakalabas ng sinehan nang buhay (hehehe).

To cope with "Melancholia", Jaejay and I ended tagging the actors with names from the office. Kapag kamukha ni officemate ang isang karakter, we utter the name. Merong Jubs, Mel, Jim, Donna, Louie, Joey, Jen, Ge Tan (dito lang kami pareho nang inisip), Beth, Chochoy (surprisingly, 'yung torero na karakter sa film) and Angie. But don't get us wrong. We have nothing against our officemates, of course, and the actors. Kailangan lang talagang matawa minsan para hindi antukin. Jaejay, at one point, even invented concoctions like "Kung magkakaanak sina Topeng at Ben, ganyan".

As reward, we had dinner at Chocolate Kiss Cafe at Bahay ng Alumni (which is just on the other side of the theater). I had mushroom soup, chicken kiev and bottomless iced tea (unsweetened) while Jaejay had Salisbury steak and same soup and drink.

CAVing In

Last Friday, I, along with five other colleagues, went to this wine bar called Cav in High Street at The Fort. For the record, it was my first attempt to untie my jologs cape and be sosy for a night (well, just roughly three hours).

Only two or more tables were occupied when we arrived. I was, first and foremost, attracted by a little painting on the right side.It looks like a Renoir from a far. The mood was all in all artsy and classy.

In the center of the whole bar, right after you get in, is a shelf of dispensable wine. That is the most interesting piece inside the bar. To get your wine, you have to secure a "passport" card where you can accumulate all your expenses. Only one card per table is allowed so it's inconvenient when you're going Dutch. On top of each wine bottle (which is covered by a glass, with only a metal tube attached to it for dispensing), is a set of three buttons. One for "one sip", then for "half glass" and "full glass", each has a corresponding amount depending on the wine and how difficult the name is pronounced. I assume that the harder you can pronounce the name, the more expensive you will get. Prices per sip range from P35 to P810. The first sip I had, by the way, was from a bottle of wine by a certain "Manny O" from France.

As for pulutan, we had three cheeses (brie, goat cheese and another one which I can't remember) and a plate of pizza-like finger food with salmon (this one's yummy). Nice conversation, beautiful people (including Allan's longtime friend, a female to be exact) and fun that's worth P737.

Ilang Paghahanda para sa 8-hour Film na "Melancholia"

Pic is taken from this site.

Ayun, nacha-challenge na naman akong tapusin ang isang film ni Lav Diaz entitled "Melancholia" (Venice Film Fest Best Pic winner). Ipapalabas ito sa UP Film Center sa Sabado, January 24, from 1 - 9pm. Pero hindi sa nacha-challenge lang ako. Maraming puwedeng mapulot sa mga pelikula n'ya. Tingin ko, si Lav Diaz lang ang may karapatang tawaging artist/filmmaker. Having said that, here's my preparation checklist on watching the 8-hour B&W film.

1. No rigorous physical activity on Friday night. Got a wine night so that's definitely fine. Not to mention that I have to attend a baptism on Saturday morning, somewhere in Libis (care to know where's Green Meadows Avenue?);

2. 7-11/Mini-Stop shopping with Kopiko (LSS: coffee candy, Kopiko!), chicha like Tortillos and Cheese Rings (Wet Ones should be in place, too), bottled water, chewing gum (big help on long drives in the US) and dinner (sandwich, perhaps);

3. No celfone on Saturday (big distraction);

4. Breaks will only be done during tape switches, I was informed. If they're generous with 30 minutes, I might get a coffee from Chocolate Kiss (just across UP Film Center); and

5. Psyche myself that I'm melancholic this week.

Oscar 2009 Nominees!

Check out this site for the complete list of nominees. Awards night is on February 22. Hopefully the nominated films will finally reach our shore (not in the form of dibidi, I suppose), with more focus on the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Ennui 101: Cutting Out a Jack ‘n Jill Pretzels Box

There. Right after munching some Jack ‘n Jill Pretzels, I can’t resist to just throw the boxes without giving in to the back label’s The Great Safari Fun-tasy. Since I’ve got nothing else to do and the temptation of doing a childhood activity was that high, I gave in.

It was an easy task. Easy and therapeutic. The lines for cutting have been laid out so you only have to cut it. Then just follow the guide on where to stick the legs or the stern, etc. Voila! I now have a giraffe and a safari boat (whatever that is). There are a total of 20 items but I don’t have plans of collecting it. Be back to work tomorrow.

Ilang Thought sa Nahuhulog na Elevator

Kagabi ko lang nalaman (through Benjie and Ruth’s instant message) na meron daw nahulog na elevator sa Net Square (kung nasaan ang office). As per Ruth’s link (na isang blog), nahulog daw from the 14th floor. Fortunately, walang pasahero n’ung nahulog. Kinilabutan ako nang konti kasi nga naka-VL ako tapos may nangyaring ganun. May mga ganyan na kasing scary thought n’ung college dahil may ganyang aksidente na raw r’un sa isang elevator at meron daw namatay.

Ruth said, konting ingat. But I think I replied something like “Balewala naman ang pag-iingat dahil aksidente ‘yun.” Pero s’yempre, na-appreciate ko ‘yung concern. It’s just that sa mga ganung pagkakataon, wala ka nang kawala. Unlike sa isang bus na babangga sa isang puno, pwede ka pang tumalon mula sa window. Pero kung eroplano na, wala ka nang magagawa kundi i-initiate na mag-flashback ang iyong buhay mula sa mga bagay na kaya mong i-recall.

According to this link, di naman daw pala nakamamatay ang isang elevator na nahuhulog. At ‘wag mo na ring tangkain na tumalon bago ito bumagsak (as if alam mo kung kelan tatama sa lupa, hahaha).

Accidents happen. Kahit nasa pinakakomportable ka pang lugar, kung oras mo na, oras mo na. I believe merong God’s timing na tinatawag. Di ba nga, kahit nasa isang five-star hotel ka, puwedeng lumindol o puwedeng mabomba? Walang ligtas na lugar (I remember my highschool PE teacher saying that). Pero hindi ko ito sinasabi para manakot. Ang motibo ko talaga ay para bisitahin natin ‘yung faith. As Rogue said in the first “X-Men” movie, “You have to hold onto something”. Wala na akong sasabihin pa.

Ang Chic Sako Bag

Two days na akong nasa kuwarto lang, blogging and surfing. So far, so good. Puwede siguro ako sa Big Brother kung sakali. Lumalabas lang ako to buy food, deposit money para isang shirt na binili ko rito sa Multiply at para mag-scout ng sako bag sa palengke sa may Olympia. Gagamitin ko ‘yung sako bag para iuwi ‘yung mga biniling dibidi at para sa mga CDs na na-rip ko na.

Sabi ng landlady ko, wala raw mga ganung sako bag sa palengke. Alam ko rin eh sa Divisoria nga nakakabili n’ung mga ganun. Ito ‘yung makukulay na bag na may print ng Disney characters. Most famous design ay ‘yung merong Winnie the Pooh. Surprisingly, nakakita ako sa palengke namin. Since, magkakamukha na ‘yung iba, pinili ko na lang ‘yung isang design na hindi mukhang sako bag. I ended up having a chic sako bag na parang masyadong maporma. Anyway, iuuwi ko naman sa probinsya at nanay ko na ang gagamit. Didiskartehan ko na lang kung paano ito isasakay sa bus na hindi naman ako masyadong pagtitinginan. P85 pala ang isang piraso. Meron silang tig-P100 hanggang tig-P65, depende sa size.

Doobie-Dibidi Weekend

Wala lang maisip na title kaya hiniram ko ‘yung “doobie” but nope, I did not try dope this weekend. Corny/cheesy (what’s with these food?) to say, the result is more intoxicatingly high (whoa!). Friday was spent with food critiquing at Malacca, a Malaysian restaurant, and watching TP’s “Pamaypay, Kutsilyo at Yantok”, while the whole Saturday was a nirvana of dibidi shopping (plus a little hangover on the next day). Sunday was rest (while lying in bed, ripping CD’s and other stuff) and a whopper (Repertory Philippines’ version of “Portrait of the Artist as Filipino”). Below is a capsule report on my weekend getaway:

MALACCA


Isa sa mga last minute decision ‘to for a Friday lunch out. It was suggested by Iam (check out her reviews at http://iampugeda.multiply.com/reviews), as suggested by Anton, with other options like Teriyaki Boy at Net Quad and the like. But what Iam wants, Ge also wants. Eh wild card ako so outnumbered si Hubes. The place is posh (well, too posh for me kasi pang-Wok Inn lang talaga ako AND I might be saying the same adjective for the rest of my resto reviews, hahaha). Parang ibang Chinese resto ‘yung nand’un (the likes of Mann Hann) though araw-araw kaming dumadaaan ng mga cabmates ko sa Jupiter, di ko masyadong napapansin.

We had a short-order serving of Chicken Rice each plus a bah ku teh for sharing. The very smell of Chicken Rice reminded me of my 9-month stay in Singapore (scene in mind: Anton Ego’s childhood flashback in “Ratatouille”). It was the stench in the hawker near Plaza by the Park, just the opposite of their national library. Parang nagbalik lahat ang mga alaala. I can say that I’ve tried the best Chicken Rice in Singapore and the chili crabs and Old Chang Kee and the Breadtalk and what you can get in Malacca is candidly authentic (naks, critic na critic, hahaha). I just wish that they provide each dish with a pair of soy and ginger sauces. If I’m not mistaken, bah ku teh is supposed to be served in a clay pot but it doesn’t matter if they served us the dish in a white zen-like plate. Just the same, it’s great!

We spent roughly P400+ each (I had a hot milk tea for a drink) but it was sulit. Service is also good as most of the staffs are very sophisticated when asking for orders (read: not jologs). The owner (presumably) even attends to each table asking how’s the food and making bola. Great lunch-out!

PAMAYPAY, KUTSILYO AT YANTOK



Honestly, I’m not really sold to the idea, as the production is a collaboration of Tanghalang Pilipino and GMA Artists Center. I don’t see much talent over that fence. When Paulo Perez of TP first disclosed to me about the show, while waiting for “Mga Gerilya ng Powell St.” to start, I uttered something like “Uy, joke ‘yan ‘no? Eh wala namang may talent d’un”. He was shocked and a bit embarassed as other spectators in Tanghalang Huseng Batute might be listening. But maybe it’s just the Kapamilya in me (di kasi ako UP, di rin ako La Salle o Ateneo so ABS-CBN na lang ang second religion ko, hahaha). So I gave it a try. And the destiny might be poking fun. I arrived in the middle of the first act.

Episode One is called “Ang Balutan ng Gamot at Pagkain” (written by the great Nick Pichay) which was about Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra as they discuss, subversively, a little politics and sexuality in a punchline type of dialogues. Next is entitled “Kabanata X” (by Chris Millado) which tackles what’s inside the mind of Salome and Elias when they met for the last time. Last episode is called “Ang Nazarena”, also written by Millado, which is about Sisa and her husband Pedring. The whole play lasted for about one hour and a half.

First things first. What’s promising in the material is the concept of intertwining the three one-act plays. Its director, Tess Jamias, made a devise that at one time on each act, the three female lead characters recite the same exact line, conveying parallelism on casualty of war/revolution/abuse to women. That’s a good one, actually. Siguro, kung merong kulang, ‘yung maturity ng acting mula sa cast. Most of the actors, except Jonathan Tadioan, showed rawness but I think this is the thing that the collaboration between TP and GMA-7 is addressing.

Seen inside the LRT: poetry (called “Berso sa Metro”, as sponsored by Instituto Cervantes).

DIBIDI SHOPPING


Happiness is dibidi shopping in Quiapo, hands down. To prepare for this, I had a serving of my favorite goto at Lugawan sa Pasong Tamo (near PRC/JP Rizal) and off I took a jeep to LRT then to Quiapo. I was already at Greenwich branch near the underpass entrance at 8am. The next two hours were spent digging and locating some good titles. This includes Slumdog Millionaire, Milk and Happy-Go-Lucky. I left Quiapo at 10am-ish and continued the dibidi sting at Makati Cinema Square. Guilty pleasures include Zapped, Flashdance, Revenge of the Nerds and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. All in all, 45 goddamn titles!

Other points of interest along the way: Quiapo Church and Kilometer One post near the National Museum.

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS FILIPINO


How to enjoy a Sunday afternoon? Watch a famous Filipino play as staged Broadway-like by Repertory Philippines. The whole stint was a killer. First, I availed Rep’s subscription for the first time! I used to see those season tickets through my brother ages ago but I wasn’t enticed to get one (an all-Broadway repertoire is a little boring). They normally send the tickets first then you can just pay out upon watching the play. Same system is still in place.

Season opener (weird it may sound but Rep starts the season on January) is the great Nick Joaquin’s equally great play entitled “Portrait of the Artist as Filipino”. It’s an old-school take on, again, women (and family and anything about pre-war Manila). All the traditional theatrics are in the play: nice blocking, simple set for movements, acting highlights for any aspiring actress and an ending with a heart. Rep’s production is simply above average and beyond expectations. They managed to sophisticate a post-war material that used to be staged in a small barangay theater. It’s also different from the musical version (which was good and sincere to the material) and Nonon Padilla’s rendition of the play for Tanghalang Pilipino. It must be the set. It must be the lighting. It must be Irma Adlawan (no doubt, her generation’s best asset) playing Candida or Jose Mari Avellana directing the play (his parents were INTO “Portrait….”).

Just a side note, before the play began, I went to the john. There were a bunch of guys there wearing the infamous black pants and white shirt. Siguro, sa isang resto sila lahat nagwo-work. I think it was their break time. Two were toothbrushing while the rest were just there. When I was peeing, I heard two of them fighting on the floor. Parang nagkapikunan yata at hinayaan lang n’ung iba na mag-away (for fun?). One guy even said something like “O, magsuntukan lang kayo ha, walang gagamit ng tinidor”. Well when I was about to leave, I noticed that everything was in order and as if nothing happened. Err, Portrait of the Waiter as Filipino? I enjoyed the hiritan and the suntukan though.

I capped the night by visiting Makati Cinema Square again for more dibidis, dinner at Super Sinangag with sundried prime beef tapa (with two eggs, P95) and a taste of dusk in Makati.

Movie Digest # 051

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Glorietta 4, Cinema 3, January 8, 7:05pm

The film’s first come-on is definitely the make-up and the CGI used in the film. Maybe a lot are curious about Brad Pitt’s physical transformation (which was done great, probably a frontrunner for Best Make-up and Costume). But it’s more than that. It’s a bold attempt to tell a story about time and how you make use of it. Except for the last frames, the film is just like any other Hollywood film (grand in scope, big budgeted, bankable actors). Its epilogue provides a thought-provoking experience, a notion that contradicts the whole point. My verdict: an Oscar nominee for Best Picture (though it will not win).

Friends who might appreciate it: those who crave for David Fincher films.

THE SPIRIT
Glorietta 4, Cinema 1, January 8, 10:25pm

I almost fell asleep with the film. Too talky (read: Tarantino kind of talky) for me for a film adapted from a graphic novel.

Friends who might appreciate it: those who expected a lot from “Sin City”.

CHANGELING
Power Plant, Cinema 2, January 15, 7:30pm

An eventful tale of mother’s journey to look for her missing son, set in 1920’s Los Angeles. Too eventful that you sometimes diss out the possibility that it was a true and documented story. Taking the film as a Clint Eastwood film, it is too dramatic for me (breakdown scenes are left and right) but could be effective as a tearjerker (which is expected for subjects as such). Acting-wise, it’s just OK for me. Angelina Jolie shows what she’s got (I am not referring to the nude shower scene) as she portrays a layered character. As for the title, you may find this link helpful.

Friends who might appreciate it: those who just saw “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.

LOVE ME AGAIN (LOVE DOWN UNDER)
Power Plant, Cinema 4, January 15, 10:25pm

This is the second Pinoy film I’ve seen this year. First being “Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat” for the MMFF which I did not bother writing down about because I already did a note on the said festival. Well, Piolo and Angel did an OK performance but the film is so passé. From the story down to the way it was directed, everything is a thing of the past. It would make a difference, I guess, if the film was shown during the late 90’s when we don’t expect much from Star Cinema. Direk Rory Quintos should prioritize doing soaps and MMK episodes over filmmaking. She hasn’t really shown yet what she’s got. A big disappointment (even for a Star Cinema “standards”).

Friends who might appreciate it: those who wish to see Angel Locsin’s bare back and Piolo’s you-know-what.

Trip to Quiapo

Dahil award season na, oras na para bumisita sa Quiapo. Maraming OK na films based sa huling Golden Globe at mukhang deserving naman. For instance, grand slam si Kate Winslet for winning both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Plus siyempre, ang nakaka-excite na "Slumdog Millionaire" or even Mickey Rourke's acting piece for "The Wrestler".

Heto ang mga plano kong i-shop:

1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Wrestler
3. Milk
4. Hunger
5. Revolutionary Road
6. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
7. Beaufort
8. XXY
9. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
10. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
11. In Bruges
12. Doubt

Pero siguradong meron pang madadagdag d'yan. Kung matutuloy ang plano, baka sa aking unang Jollibee ako kumain (that's in Ronquillo St. in Sta. Cruz, Manila, near my brother's boarding house when he was in college) or d'un sa katabi nitong fried chicken restaurant. We'll see, we'll see.

Anawangin, Version 2.0

More pics here.

Reaching Anawangin Cove on foot (from Brgy. Pundaquit) was a bit challenging. I thought that it was just an easy trek. I didn’t even prepare for it physically. In JEST, at least I attempted to jog for two weeks. It turned out that the trek, err, the climb is more draining. Now, that’s not in jest.

We took the 11:30pm bus trip from Victory Liner - Caloocan to San Antonio, Zambales. As expected, the town was still sleeping when we arrived and we ended up just having a piece of pandesal for breakfast. At 4:00am, our manong guide fetched us with five tricycles. We alighted at manong guide’s place and spent 15 minutes to freshen up and leave the heavy stuff. It wasn’t planned to leave the food for cooking but we were having some doubts that the fresh meats won’t make it. Plan B was to put the food in a cooler and bring it to Anawangin through a boat. We decided to leave the other items as well like water and tent for our convenience. That was an answered prayer for me as I was initially figuring out how to carry my weighty bag and reach the cove alive.

The whole trek took us four hours and 45 minutes to accomplish. It was tiring especially during sunrise when we can finally see what’s ahead of us. Trekking at night with moonlight and a flashlight is more fun. The peak overlooking the cove was great and it’s also a good spot to have a long rest and photo-op.

The rest of our Saturday was spent with setting up the tent, having siesta, swimming and of course, partying. Exciting part, of course, was the tsismis/The Buzz segment during the bonfire. But as a pact, what happens in Anawangin stays in Anawangin.

For lunch, we had fish stuffed with tomatoes, onions and ginger plus “baked” potatoes with cheese and bacon bits. Dinner was more like a fiesta as we cooked sisig, pork chop with veggies and optionally, the dreaded chicken meal (we were not sure if the meat was still fresh and we ended up just dissing it after overcooking it). Breakfast was an overload of TJ hotdogs, instant batchoy, fried sardines, Vienna sausage and coffee or Milo. Most of the dishes were cooked using an aluminum foil/wrap.

On Sunday, with muscle pain in tow, we opted to take a boat back to Brgy. Pundaquit. I thought that the whole Anawangin experience was over but the boat ride itself has a story to tell. Our pump boat, Prince Eb (Jay said it’s Prince Eyeball) stopped right after breaking the waves on the shore. Our bangkero tried to revive it but to no avail. It should be fun if it’s summer. Big January waves and me, a non-swimmer, is definitely not a good combination. My boatmates Benjie and Jay kept their cool while I was silently calling all the saints. To keep us from being stuck, another boat (with Allan and company) pulled our boat up to Brgy. Pundaquit. I thought it was really over. Before hitting the shore, our boat had to empty out its passengers, as our bangkeros will just paddle it out. This is to avoid capsizing when the boat arrives at the wavy part near the shore. Jay singlehandedly transferred to Allan’s boat and Benjie, to Ge’s. I had no choice but to do the same in Sadah’s boat. For the non-swimmer in me, of course, that was scary. Luckily, I did it. Imagine my left foot still in Prince Eb while my right, on Sadah’s boat. I don’t know how I did that but I remember bitching something like “Andaming bag, saan naman ako aapak dito?”

Similar to what we did on our first visit, we chose to go to Olongapo first and purchased our ticket from there to Pasay. Late lunch at KFC (subconsciously getting rid of the chicken scare) then at 5pm-ish, we’re off. Bonus along the trip was a cinematic view of the full moon.

Of Trek Bag, Bulalo and Pinabukang Tilapia

Just got back from an emergency shopping. I had to buy (with a forgiving emphasis on "had") a new trek bag for the upcoming hike to Anawangin Cove (starting point's at Pundaquit, both in San Antonio, Zambales). I've been to the place before but we went there through a boat one hot summer. This time, we're opting to trek it. Honestly, I don't know how physical it will be but at least I have a new bag to boot in case I pant like a dog along the trail.

Anyway, it's a 65L blue Sandugo bag. Let me baptize it with the name Fincher, as in David Fincher of "Fight Club" fame. My departed Dutch bike, by the way, was named Scorsese, no pun intended (I should have named it Verhoeven). I got it from Sandugo Camp in Market! Market! for P2,925 (which, with less guilt, is 10% off). I also got a cheap waterproof flashlight from SM Makati (P399.75), a lighter, a pack of baby wipes and four liters of bottled water.

Oh well, as of this writing, I'm excited with the 15-man group of trekkers this Saturday (departure from Caloocan is at 11:3opm). It's gonna be my opening salvo for 2009.

P.S. Before I finally delve into a new series of adventures for 2009, let me share some of 2008's residue through the pictures below. One is a competitor of Rustan's while the other is a not-so-clever breakfast store. Next is one of SM Lucena's better food court stalls that sells a yummy serving of bulalo (and lumpiang sariwa) for P85 only (it's unusually called Bosbarnn and don't ask me why). The rest is a melange of lunch pictures taken this noon at Abe and some snapshots of Sandugo Camp.

High School (Crystal Reunion) Musical

Last December 30, we had our 15th year high school reunion. Antanda ko na pala. Buti na lang, 'di ko na kailangang i-spearhead 'yung for this year (pagbubuhat sa sariling bangko: I organized the first one, five years ago). Ang classmate ko nang si Niño Villamor ang nag-take charge. Napakataas ng sense of recollection ng taong 'yan. I admire people like him who are exerting effort just to catch up with old friends and familiar faces. Kung ang taong lumilingon sa pinaggalingan ay nakakarating sa pinaroroonan, baka andami na n'yang narating. True enough, he's now happily settled in Qatar with his wife Shiela and son Santino. Big time na, sabi nga.

At andami pang big time na dumating, each has his or her story to tell. Kukulangin ang isang araw just to see how things are and share a table with everybody. Our batch from Lopez National Comprehensive High School (it used to be "Lopez Nationalized High School" during our time and I wasn't sure what's with nationalizing a high school) has 400+ members, distributed to roughly 13 classes (I'm not sure now). Hey, public school ang aming high school. At nasa probinsya. Pero I don't mind. I'm proud of it, actually.

How to organize a reunion in the province? Simple lang. All those who are earning have to give their share. Sa mga wala at sa mga nagpapanggap na wala, they're not forced to pay up. We had meetings just to set a target budget then it's up to the president whatever means the fund has to be collected. Siyempre, expected na rin na malaki ang share ng sinumang nago-organize. This time, we roughly set a budget of P40k for 120 peeps (members and their family included). Sa dami namin sa batch, hindi lahat ay willing um-attend. Mostly, ang dahilan ay status sa buhay. Ang hirap mag-invite minsan kahit you have the resources and the energy. And thank God to those who can brave the social status wall. At the end of the day, pare-parehas din naman kayong iinom ng Fundador at magpapakalasing habang nagre-reminisce sa mga videoke songs n'ung 90's.

SOP na merong thanksgiving mass at 8am. Based on experience, kokonti lang talaga ang pumupunta rito. Considering na may kasabay kami sa mass (those who were having their first reunion after 10 years), halos quarter lang n'ung church ang napuno. Then motorcade will follow, that's from the church to our campus. Minsan, lahat naka-wheels or, at least, motor pero mas madalas na nilalakad lang namin 'to complete with a reunion shirt, a modest banner at, kung galante, with balloons pa.

'Pagdating sa campus, ayun, program na. Merong parang parade of sort na magpapakilala ka, introduce your family (my most dreaded part) then picture-taking. I was assigned to share a recollection but I did not prepare for it. Kung ano lang maalala ko, 'yun lang ang na-share ko (high school love teams are popular as ever). Around 4pm, wala na halos ginagawa except mag-videoke o sayawan habang nag-iinuman. That normally stretches until the evening.

Enjoy naman 'yung reunion namin. We punished our dear teachers by playing hip hip hooray a la "Wowowee". They seemed to enjoy it. It's good to see familiar faces na dati lang ay seatmate mo. On personal note, nakakatuwa to see them na successful na sa buhay. May sarili nang stable na trabaho, bahay, kotse, etc. Hopefully, they remain happy when I see them again after five years.

More memories kept here (my camera), here (Niño's) and here (my first Youtube upload).