Today, I lay off the politics for a bit.
One of the odd things I like to do is watch the BBC Food channel a lot. Of course, I can't turn on a stove, let alone cook, but I still like to watch. It's very relaxing.
Anyway, I discovered that from 6 am to 12 nn on the same channel, BBC Food is off the air and they show this MTV channel. I don't know if it's MTV Kano or MTV Europe but I've found some surprisingly good songs that I otherwise wouldn't have seen/heard on our local music channels, heavily saturated as they are with hip hop and R'n'B videos. For some reason, your average young Pinoy identifies heavily with the thuggin-pimpin-chillin-at-the-Holiday-Inn African-American subculture. Please clue me in.
Two of my favorite songs I've found there are strangely by bands fronted by the most unexpected actors. Check 'em out.
That was Juliette and the Licks' Hot Kiss. And yes, that was Juliette Lewis. I first saw that video early in the morning. Seeing Juliette Lewis being a crazy dancing lady in a leotard woke me up real fast.
They've had Dave Grohl play for them and played alongside his group (and if you don't know what his group is, you're a lame ass). Neat huh?
And that was 30 Seconds From Mars' From Yesterday. I didn't even realize anyone I knew was on the band till I looked them up on Wikipedia. Yes, that is Jared Leto singing. Who knew huh? I thought he was just that guy who managed to make out with both Claire Danes and Colin Farell (and how many people can say that?).
The video's based on The Last Emperor, which I think I watched as a child. I'm not sure... Anyway, the band's opened for Linkin Park and The Used, though, personally, I think they sound a little too edgy to be opening for those two bands, who've gotten pretty tame and generic over time.
A note to Jared though. Avoid gratuitous abs exposures in your videos, unless you're being weird at the same time, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. You risk being labeled a pretty boy by the rock crowd, and then you'll end up like Maroon 5, who seem to be going to the same people that George Michael and Enrique Iglesias go to for their videos. I mean seriously, and no offense to gay guys, but their latest video was the gayest thing I've ever seen. At one point, that plane they were on was even shooting out pink smoke. Is Adam Levine trying to come out or something? But that's fodder for a whole other blog entry.
P.S. While looking up the band I found out Jared Leto is like 37 na pala.
Jeez, how long ago was My So-Called Life? I feel old.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
I saw Prospero Pichay the other day...
I feel soiled.
***
I was leaving a building the other day and boom! There he was, entering that very same building. I recognized him instantly, as he had on that same dopey expression he has on all his posters and TV ads. I belatedly realized I should have yelled "Loser!" as I passed him, and then run like hell. Damn.
***
Pichay isn't conceding. My mom told me he said, "There's honor in losing." Well, Prospy, prepare to get really honorable.
***
So what else is happening in my world?
***
It's been almost a month and they haven't completed counting our votes! Fuck that, they haven't even completed administering the elections! I hear they're planning to redo it in Maguindanao...
Meanwhile, President Bitch is gallivanting around the world. She was just in China, after having been to Australia, New Zealand and Italy. And selling us to Australia, let me add. We now have an agreement with their armed forces that's the same as the VFA we have with America. Whoop-dee-doo. Now we're going to have Aussie soldiers running around our country, turning it into their personal military base. Jeezus.
I hope we don't have another Nicole incident. Whatever happened to that Daniel Smith anyway? I bet he's now running free in the US. So much for justice...
***
My dad says she's just trying to get away from her stunning defeat in the Senate race. Don't worry Ate Glo, you still have Congress. So you'll still be able to hold on to the presidency like the leech that you are for the next three years.
***
And on to less substantial matters...
***
I have these pants from this British brand we shall leave unnamed. I noticed a tag on it the other day that said "Keep away from fire." Hmmm. Well I try to keep all my things away from fire.
It's like this sign I saw one time, "Residential houses for sale." Well duh. Is there any other kind of house?
***
I've been taking a bunch of my boys to the National Center for Mental Health. No, none of them are mad. I've just been getting psychological evalutions for them, which the DSWD requires us to get for all our wards. Anyway, as you enter the NCMH, there's a big statue of... Sisa. Yes, the nutty "Crispin! Basilio!" mother from Rizal's Noli.
Now there's an encouraging sight to greet the relatives of anyone being admitted there. Really now.
***
I'm a little sad. I've gone back to watching just white-people shows now. Not that they're bad, mind you. My faves right now are Heroes, Ugly Betty and 30 Rock (and man, those are some good shows). But I kinda miss the days when my nights would come to a stand-still because Encantadia and Darna were on. Now those were some great shows and, in a way, they helped me to understand the Philippines a little more. I felt kinda good that for the first time in the fifteen years I'd been living here, I was watching something Pinoy on TV, and thoroughly enjoying myself.
***
But Channel Seven hasn't put out anything as good since those two. I mean, come on, after hearing a character on one of their new shows yell out "Super Duper Sword!" while summoning a weapon, do you really expect me to stick with them?
***
And the crying drama-fest that are Channel Two's shows was never for me, even when I was super-into Encantadia. So I guess it's back to the American shows for me...
At least Lost is back.
***
So who watched Miss Universe 2007? Come on, admit it.
***
Now I, unlike 90% of this country, stopped watching beauty pageants a long time ago. People, these are not internationally-significant events. People are still not going to give a flying fuck that we exist just because our candidate wins.
But after my mom excitedly texted me that (1) Miss USA fell on her butt during the evening gown competition, and (2) Miss USA got booed to the high heavens during the question-and-answer portion, you just know I had to watch.
Come on! No offense to Americans (and to Rachel Smith) , but your government is such a global bully, I get a little thrill when any American gets humiliated in public. It's the only time we in the rest of the world can get anything in against all of you.
***
So what's changed in the world of Miss Universe?
Well, they've decided to go high fashion now, playing Nelly Furtado and Sean Paul songs while their candidates make rampa, instead of those old boring instrumental bits.
And they had this bikini fashion shoot portion. I guess the pretense at social relevance has been dropped in favor of swimsuits eh? Good. At least that's more honest.
***
To be fair, we had some variety in the top 15. There was this really hot (and bald) Tanzanian, with legs uptohere. It's good to know you don't have to (a) be white, (b) have generic wavy, flowing hair to get picked anymore. Maybe we're developing a more real standard of beauty huh?
***
I loved Miss India. And not just because I'm half-Indian. I loved her because, throughout the pageant, she had on this bored, I'm-too-classy-for-this-crap expression. She didn't make it to the top 5 but I would have liked to see her win, if only to see if she would have given a fuck.
***
Miss Japan won, and she deserved to. She had presence and personality, and she got that across without even being able to speak in English. Top that.
***
Of course, Miss Philippines won Miss Photogenic. Why? Because she was actually photogenic? No. Because one thousand gay Pinoys got on NBC.com and voted for her furiously. Whatever.
***
But come on, Dave Navarro as judge? His question to one of the contestants: Would you rather be with a wild and sponstaneous man, or a safe and predictable man? Please. Why didn't you just ask her, "Would you rather be with me, or everyone else?" What a transparent, macho question.
Luckily, the candidate answered it in such a roundabout fashion that she really didn't answer the question at all. And I think she did it on purpose, because it was such a dumb question. Good for her.
Which braniac picked him as a judge anyway? I still can't believe the Chili Peppers though he could replace John Frusciante...
***
And give it up for the Mexican crowd! All each candidate had to do was say something in Spanish, like "Hola" or "Mehico" (yes, with an "H"), and they'd go into frenzied cheering. You better believe each candidate hammed it up for the crowd. And you better believe Mario Lopez over-emphasized the pronunciation of every Spanish word that came out of his mouth. Yes. We get it. You're ethnically Latino. Give it a rest.
***
So did I watch it again and again (three channels showed it here)? O yes. You can't watch Miss USA falling on her butt too many times. I wonder if they have that clip on Youtube...?
***
But, all in all, watching this year's pageant convinced me of the irrelevance of beauty pageants. We Pinoys cheer outrageously and give our candidates who win these things parades and such. We don't realize that the rest of the world still doesn't care about us (or know we exist).
Even if Anna Maria whatshername won, there'd still be guys out there naming biscuits after Filipinos and arguing that we're Pacific Islanders, not Asians. Maybe we shouldn't care so much what the world thinks of our beauties, and start caring more about what we think about ourselves, huh? Self-esteem starts with yourself. Kaya nga SELF-esteem.
***
And maybe we should pay as much attention to that Pinoy director who had his movie shown at Cannes, or those Pinoy kids who won that international science contest eh? I think those are even more worthy achievements than being pretty.
***
It has been SO LONG since I got good and drunk. I miss having Saturdays and Sundays off, and going out at nights boozing, then crawling in at 4 am, hoping my dad isn't awake. I haven't behaved myself like this since forever...
Work's fun and all, but I could really use the weekends off eh? I get half of Saturday and Tuesdays off. I spend five and a half days behaving myself for the kids. I'd really like to be able to misbehave on the weekends.
Now that's one of the things about college I miss...
***
My dad is really set on packing me off for a masters abroad REAL SOON. I haven't been able to properly tell him that I plan on spending at least two years where I'm working.
He's taken to strategically placing ads for masters and scholarships around my room, and dropping statements like "You should work for a year, then study again, as the mind gets dull if you stay in work for too long."
I would have agreed a year ago. But, after working where I am for eight months, I don't think I can just pack up and leave my boys just yet.
Besides, all the job openings I've looked at for international aid agencies ask for people with at least 2 years work experience, so my plan's good.
***
I guess Papa's just concerned about my future, given that my position isn't particularly prestigious, and my pay is kinda chump change compared to what everyone else in the family is making. He's hoping I don't die hungry or something.
But I've kinda conditioned myself to a life of obscurity and low pay. People who help other people are usually not famous and well-paid. Unless you're a celebrity giving away money and that's good and all, but someone once said it's always easy to practice charity from a distance, and that's just not me.
***
So, the point is, I do have plans for myself beyond my current work. But right now, I'm happy where I am, and I'm staying put.
But I appreciate the concern.
***
But enough of this. A Makati mall's cinema and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 await. Later.
***
I was leaving a building the other day and boom! There he was, entering that very same building. I recognized him instantly, as he had on that same dopey expression he has on all his posters and TV ads. I belatedly realized I should have yelled "Loser!" as I passed him, and then run like hell. Damn.
***
Pichay isn't conceding. My mom told me he said, "There's honor in losing." Well, Prospy, prepare to get really honorable.
***
So what else is happening in my world?
***
It's been almost a month and they haven't completed counting our votes! Fuck that, they haven't even completed administering the elections! I hear they're planning to redo it in Maguindanao...
Meanwhile, President Bitch is gallivanting around the world. She was just in China, after having been to Australia, New Zealand and Italy. And selling us to Australia, let me add. We now have an agreement with their armed forces that's the same as the VFA we have with America. Whoop-dee-doo. Now we're going to have Aussie soldiers running around our country, turning it into their personal military base. Jeezus.
I hope we don't have another Nicole incident. Whatever happened to that Daniel Smith anyway? I bet he's now running free in the US. So much for justice...
***
My dad says she's just trying to get away from her stunning defeat in the Senate race. Don't worry Ate Glo, you still have Congress. So you'll still be able to hold on to the presidency like the leech that you are for the next three years.
***
And on to less substantial matters...
***
I have these pants from this British brand we shall leave unnamed. I noticed a tag on it the other day that said "Keep away from fire." Hmmm. Well I try to keep all my things away from fire.
It's like this sign I saw one time, "Residential houses for sale." Well duh. Is there any other kind of house?
***
I've been taking a bunch of my boys to the National Center for Mental Health. No, none of them are mad. I've just been getting psychological evalutions for them, which the DSWD requires us to get for all our wards. Anyway, as you enter the NCMH, there's a big statue of... Sisa. Yes, the nutty "Crispin! Basilio!" mother from Rizal's Noli.
Now there's an encouraging sight to greet the relatives of anyone being admitted there. Really now.
***
I'm a little sad. I've gone back to watching just white-people shows now. Not that they're bad, mind you. My faves right now are Heroes, Ugly Betty and 30 Rock (and man, those are some good shows). But I kinda miss the days when my nights would come to a stand-still because Encantadia and Darna were on. Now those were some great shows and, in a way, they helped me to understand the Philippines a little more. I felt kinda good that for the first time in the fifteen years I'd been living here, I was watching something Pinoy on TV, and thoroughly enjoying myself.
***
But Channel Seven hasn't put out anything as good since those two. I mean, come on, after hearing a character on one of their new shows yell out "Super Duper Sword!" while summoning a weapon, do you really expect me to stick with them?
***
And the crying drama-fest that are Channel Two's shows was never for me, even when I was super-into Encantadia. So I guess it's back to the American shows for me...
At least Lost is back.
***
So who watched Miss Universe 2007? Come on, admit it.
***
Now I, unlike 90% of this country, stopped watching beauty pageants a long time ago. People, these are not internationally-significant events. People are still not going to give a flying fuck that we exist just because our candidate wins.
But after my mom excitedly texted me that (1) Miss USA fell on her butt during the evening gown competition, and (2) Miss USA got booed to the high heavens during the question-and-answer portion, you just know I had to watch.
Come on! No offense to Americans (and to Rachel Smith) , but your government is such a global bully, I get a little thrill when any American gets humiliated in public. It's the only time we in the rest of the world can get anything in against all of you.
***
So what's changed in the world of Miss Universe?
Well, they've decided to go high fashion now, playing Nelly Furtado and Sean Paul songs while their candidates make rampa, instead of those old boring instrumental bits.
And they had this bikini fashion shoot portion. I guess the pretense at social relevance has been dropped in favor of swimsuits eh? Good. At least that's more honest.
***
To be fair, we had some variety in the top 15. There was this really hot (and bald) Tanzanian, with legs uptohere. It's good to know you don't have to (a) be white, (b) have generic wavy, flowing hair to get picked anymore. Maybe we're developing a more real standard of beauty huh?
***
I loved Miss India. And not just because I'm half-Indian. I loved her because, throughout the pageant, she had on this bored, I'm-too-classy-for-this-crap expression. She didn't make it to the top 5 but I would have liked to see her win, if only to see if she would have given a fuck.
***
Miss Japan won, and she deserved to. She had presence and personality, and she got that across without even being able to speak in English. Top that.
***
Of course, Miss Philippines won Miss Photogenic. Why? Because she was actually photogenic? No. Because one thousand gay Pinoys got on NBC.com and voted for her furiously. Whatever.
***
But come on, Dave Navarro as judge? His question to one of the contestants: Would you rather be with a wild and sponstaneous man, or a safe and predictable man? Please. Why didn't you just ask her, "Would you rather be with me, or everyone else?" What a transparent, macho question.
Luckily, the candidate answered it in such a roundabout fashion that she really didn't answer the question at all. And I think she did it on purpose, because it was such a dumb question. Good for her.
Which braniac picked him as a judge anyway? I still can't believe the Chili Peppers though he could replace John Frusciante...
***
And give it up for the Mexican crowd! All each candidate had to do was say something in Spanish, like "Hola" or "Mehico" (yes, with an "H"), and they'd go into frenzied cheering. You better believe each candidate hammed it up for the crowd. And you better believe Mario Lopez over-emphasized the pronunciation of every Spanish word that came out of his mouth. Yes. We get it. You're ethnically Latino. Give it a rest.
***
So did I watch it again and again (three channels showed it here)? O yes. You can't watch Miss USA falling on her butt too many times. I wonder if they have that clip on Youtube...?
***
But, all in all, watching this year's pageant convinced me of the irrelevance of beauty pageants. We Pinoys cheer outrageously and give our candidates who win these things parades and such. We don't realize that the rest of the world still doesn't care about us (or know we exist).
Even if Anna Maria whatshername won, there'd still be guys out there naming biscuits after Filipinos and arguing that we're Pacific Islanders, not Asians. Maybe we shouldn't care so much what the world thinks of our beauties, and start caring more about what we think about ourselves, huh? Self-esteem starts with yourself. Kaya nga SELF-esteem.
***
And maybe we should pay as much attention to that Pinoy director who had his movie shown at Cannes, or those Pinoy kids who won that international science contest eh? I think those are even more worthy achievements than being pretty.
***
It has been SO LONG since I got good and drunk. I miss having Saturdays and Sundays off, and going out at nights boozing, then crawling in at 4 am, hoping my dad isn't awake. I haven't behaved myself like this since forever...
Work's fun and all, but I could really use the weekends off eh? I get half of Saturday and Tuesdays off. I spend five and a half days behaving myself for the kids. I'd really like to be able to misbehave on the weekends.
Now that's one of the things about college I miss...
***
My dad is really set on packing me off for a masters abroad REAL SOON. I haven't been able to properly tell him that I plan on spending at least two years where I'm working.
He's taken to strategically placing ads for masters and scholarships around my room, and dropping statements like "You should work for a year, then study again, as the mind gets dull if you stay in work for too long."
I would have agreed a year ago. But, after working where I am for eight months, I don't think I can just pack up and leave my boys just yet.
Besides, all the job openings I've looked at for international aid agencies ask for people with at least 2 years work experience, so my plan's good.
***
I guess Papa's just concerned about my future, given that my position isn't particularly prestigious, and my pay is kinda chump change compared to what everyone else in the family is making. He's hoping I don't die hungry or something.
But I've kinda conditioned myself to a life of obscurity and low pay. People who help other people are usually not famous and well-paid. Unless you're a celebrity giving away money and that's good and all, but someone once said it's always easy to practice charity from a distance, and that's just not me.
***
So, the point is, I do have plans for myself beyond my current work. But right now, I'm happy where I am, and I'm staying put.
But I appreciate the concern.
***
But enough of this. A Makati mall's cinema and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 await. Later.
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