The Revolution

I was bored. Watching the rain outside, I decided to write a poem - it's been such a long while since I last wrote one.

The Revolution

quietly he started
a drop.
drip.
an incongruous tear
that fell into an ignorant vacuum.
noone noticed.
the warning fell
like an invalid that plopped unto the belly
of a panicking mob of ants.

he winked knowingly
and thus,
a flash.
the gurgling of the dimming clouds.
the allies assemble.

quietly he tried
once again.
drip.
a steady stream
of transparent milk fell from his breast.
the brewing of a storm
The skies turn gradually
into dark coffee marbled
with cream, humming the soft
grumble of a hungry tummy.

everyone was waiting.

it has began
he nods,
and then it poured.
a multitude of cold wet arrows
dancing violently with the bragadocio wind
blinded with a passion
pounding angrily as they hit the pavement
joining his brothers in a growing revolution.

in masses,
they piled onto each other
under the reign of their supreme master
their protest shall be felt.
and it is a dark dynasty, indeed
their pride, a parody against the world.

such dastard bufoons.

their mother's bosom
cannot sustain forever
and dust will one day squeeze out of her nipples
barren.
the arrows shall falter,
aimless, without cause

cease.
he says.
and the rain will
die as history has often so foretold.
the revolution halted.
anticipating
for the next call to arms.

Typhoon Ondoy

The rain has been pouring for hours now and frighteningly, this is one of the few occasions when our front porch gathered enough rainfall to flood. The wind bellows outside my window, as the rain crashes violently onto our rooftops. Unceasing, it has been like this for hours now - from the moment I got out of bed until this very moment that I've taken to my blog to write.

I found a video in Youtube that I want to post here. It was taken in Makati, on the street where I used to work. Totally alarming.

I've received news updates from many friends caught in the belly of this catastrophic typhoon - stranded in the flooded streets of the metropolis or unable to leave the comfort of their homes and offices bearing hour after hour of hunger and fatigue, without any means of attaining food and nourishment. Just seeing the video above, it would be completely heartless to have delivery boys or anyone at that, to brave these horrid conditions. Others have already resolved and resorted to staying in their offices for the night. What a sad picture this is to paint. This is absolutely going to be a "long" weekend for many.

Sometimes you wonder how things would be different if we had better drainage systems and more reliable roads, if we had a better emergency scheme in dealing with these sorts of situation; surely a handful of these inconveniences could be detoured. Then again, it is in situations like this that we get to test our resiliency and innovation - sigh, ain't it grand to live in the Philippines.

Related links:
Philippine Inquirer
Filipino News Network
A video circulating in Facebook
La Salle is flooded

High Fashion in UP. Photoshoot. 08.30.09

A few months ago, my boyfriend requested for some photos of me so he can display it in his newly decorated room. Being in a long distance relationship, we don't have many good photographs of each other - so I was more than willing to oblige this request.

I requested the help of a friend, Marlene Hsu to be so kind as to be my photographer for this endeavor. Having had taken a variety of photography classes under big names as Lito Sy, an avid photography enthusiast, I was more than confident that she would be able to give justice to the pictures and meet my boyfriend's stringent standards.

Marlene has just sent me the re-sized versions of my pictures, which I submitted to my boyfriend for his approval. Our deal though was that the photos were solely his and not meant to be shared with anyone else. I do want to credit Marlene for her incredible work - as I am observably not model material and yet she was able to pull something off. Thus, I had my boyfriend select a set of photos I can post in my blog to acknowledge my friend's talent and service.

Below are some of the photos he permitted me to post - not exactly the best ones, but still beautifully shot.

Location: University of the Philippines, Diliman (because it's free!)





I also asked my cosplay friend, Izabel Cortez to join me in this photo session, as this was my first and I'd really appreciate some help and direction with other models. Here are some of our photos.




Alright, so in general vanity has once again consumed me. But then again, you won't be young forever. The photo shoot was fun, and I wonder if there will ever be a next one for me. Hehe

Links:
Marlene Hsu: Multiply. Flickr.
Izabel Cortez: Multiply.

Sakamoto Ryuichi's Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

My boyfriend shared a beautiful video of Sakamoto Ryuichi performing the song Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. For music enthusiasts, this is one performance that is definitely something worth watching until the end. I recommend closing your eyes and just feel the music envelope you, and I believe then you'd understand the overwhelming beauty I encountered listening to this.

My heart melted listening to the very emotional and giving piece; like I was being pulled into becoming part of a surreal undefined story that could go by in so many ways - an indescribable feeling of peace. I am no music major to give a full and learned critique of the song, I can merely relay the emphatic motions that I can sense from this auditory delight. Absolutely breath taking.

Hello Philippines: Hangover

Another entry I've procrastinated so long to post. A couple of weeks ago, Kuya Sundee Guevara gave us our pictures from our Hello Philippines play. Aside from the photos I posted earlier in a previous entry, I'll be posting some more - others from our rehearsals, and others from the show itself. Here is a quick recap of what transpired in our lives the past few months.. and how it seems like an empty gap in our evenings now that it has ended. Enjoy.

P.S. Sorry nalang kung puros pictures ko, blog ko kasi ito eh. Hahaha

Rehearsals:
These are photos from our very first rehearsal at Pioneer, when we first laid eyes on each other and learned each others names. At the same time, this was the first time, we've really gone through the script until the end.



Music rehearsal with Ms. Pretty, a brilliant voice coach who taught us how to make sense of the techno-beat music we had to sing to, by Arkel - who happens to also be in the photo below.

Our rehearsal location has been moved to the MOO-something office in Shaw, and thus that's where we continued our practice. We were doing an "In-the-Round" setup, meaning audiences will be surrounding us, thus the four corner choreography.



Of course, who can forget our memorable guesting in Magic 89.9's Boys Night Out.




Finally, we moved to UP Vinzons Hall where we continued our rehearsals. This time, the stage setup has changed drastically. Most of our blockings were reevaluated and had to be relearned - in addition, choreography of the dances have been added. If you also notice, we also have subs now.



Prior to opening night, we all had a technical dress rehearsal, and I was late as always, coming from work. Kristel, my sub, had to play my role for the first part of the run.






Of course, the show itself.















I am still waiting for the cast party. :D

Nell Tu

Today, I attended yet another Cosplay event - once again, as Bleach's Nell Tu. This time though, I was accompanied by my siblings who are dressed up as Bleach characters as well. We didn't have any functioning camera so I won't be able to share any of the photos we had earlier. There were a lot of cosplayers and photographers and people in SM Megamall's Megatrade Center though, where the Cosplay Mania was held - which made the place dreadfully warm and crowded.

On a lighter note, I met Jon, the photographer from last Cosplay again, and he gave me copies of the photos he had taken of me. He had uploaded these photos in his Flickr account - and my friends who have seen them have all commended his wonderful work. Vanity once again consumes me and I've requested high-resolution copies of his photos to post here in my blog. I am so proud and happy, and that is as simple and candid a description I can give as possible.





To be honest, I'm looking forward to the next time I'd be able to participate in a Cosplay convention - though I am optimistic and hopeful that I would be wearing the costume of another character.

Once again, thank you to Jon for these wonderful photos.