Helew, 2013

After what was quite possibly the most stressful holiday season in ages, I now face 2013 tired but eager. I realize that I went into 2012 with very little hope and even less preparation, but the year turned out to be far more exciting and wondrous than I could dare to imagine. Looking back, I now realize that despite all of Chinese astrology’s warnings to the contrary, 2012 was a year when many dreams and plans were fulfilled (or at the very least, the seeds for which had been planted, finally). Not a bad year for a dog after all. While I did spend quite a bit of money as predicted, I firmly believe that it was money well spent. As for last last year’s new year resolutions, I am proud to report that I have read at least four books this year (ok so it’s eight short of my resolution but hey still better than previous track record), managed to get enough boob tube time (six seasons of 30 Rock, 2 Broke Girls, Suits and Grimm) and gained an appreciation for Justin Bieber and David Guetta. And! Got to watch NKOTBSB LIVE in concert at MOA Arena with Beefy. To be fair, I did spend half the year without any shows on air so I have no excuse not to have found time for some R and R. I went abroad twice (once for work) and went to Boracay twice. Got a few “I’ve nevers” off my list, learned to cook, seriously looked at new cars, renewed my US visa and learned and taught new things. Finally got all my cavities filled, managed to get down to my ideal weight and maintain a doable regimen for a few months, opened a mutual funds account and developed a healthy saving habit. Most of all, guess you could say I pulled a Rihanna and found love in a hopeless place. And I really was hopeless. But as for the love bit…well I suppose only time will tell. So, moving forward and without further ado, here are my new year resolutions for 2013: 1. listen to a new album every week 2. read a new book every month 3. physical fitness: 5k in 30 mins and learn self-defense/martial art 4. travel at least twice a year 5. find and invest in my own property. My dream house will have/be: a. parking b. an entryway that opens up to living room/dining/foyer (NOT kitchen) c. balcony d. big windows e. two bedrooms f. en suite g. two toilets and baths h. minimum 65sqm. i. Located in the Greenhills/Scout/Timog/New Manila/Eastwood area j. RFO k. affordable at less than 15k per month :D 2012 was an awesome year, the kind I haven't had in a while. Here's to the hope that 2013 will be even better. Cheers!

if only

all time would stop, the world stands still in earnest watch of silent thrill with gentle gaze and warm embrace if only this could be

I DoBiDooBiDoo: Wala Nang Hahanapin Pa

Bilang isang taong taga-production (at likas na laitera), ito ang aking mga natatanging puna sa I Dobidoobidoo: Una, halata yung makeup ni Sam. Oo, gets namin, mahirap dapat siya at kung hindi siya paiitiman hindi niya magiging kamukha yung pamilya niya, pero sana dinamay niyo na rin pati leeg at braso diba? Pangalawa, off-sync yung audio sa video, medyo nakakadiskaril lalo na pag kumakanta sila. Pero ilang frames lang naman, at nang magtagal halos di ko na rin napansin (or baka nagkasabay na rin matapos ang ilang sequence). Bukod rito, wala nang hahanapin pa...pwera sa kantang iyon, na hindi kasali sa repertoire. Pero malay natin, magka-part two, at magkaron ng pag-asa ang mga nais makarinig ng remake ng Prinsesa, Kumot at Unan at Yakap sa Dilim. Sam does an exceptional job as Rock (I thought the siblings' names - Jazz and Raprap - were a cute touch, though I wonder how Tito Boboy feels about the dog being named after him), and Tippy shines in her film debut (laking gulat ko lang sa kissing scene, first movie palang may kissing scene na? Agad-agad?? PBB Teens??). They are believable as star-crossed young lovers as they harmonize Panalangin and Ewan. Gary V's rendition of Paano was particularly moving, and Zsa Zsa's Tuyo ng Damdamin strikes an all-too-familiar chord. Frenchie and Teacher Sweet are adorable friends with Awit ng Barkada, and Jaime Febregas rocks DoBidoo. But the scenes that take the cake are Neil Coleta's Kaibigan, which Chris Martinez presents with the most delicate delivery, cloaked in the most unassuming of ways; and, of course, the show-stopping Di Na Natuto with what is destined to be the most-talked about bed scene of the decade, performed by Eugene Domingo and Ogie Alcasid, wherein they strip down to their souls as they simultaneously strip down to their knickers. All in all, the movie was very well-made, halatang pinag-isipan at hindi tinipid. Pinaglaanan ng panahon at pera. Nasa tamang konteksto ang bawat kanta, maayos ang pagkakaset-up at hindi lang basta-basta kumakanta ng walang dahilan. Simple lang ang kwento, pero makulay ang produksyon, at mataas ang production value. Mahusay ang mga areglo at maganda ang pagkakanta ng mga awitin. Above all, masaya siyang panoorin. Definitely worth watching. Sana suportahan natin ang pelikulang ito. This film proves that Pinoys are capable of creating something of this calibre, it is a prime example of excellence in the form of entertainment. Kudos to the team behind it, my one regret is that I wasn't part of the prod team that did it. ;)

See I started out just wanting to settle in and watch maybe The Lorax til I fell asleep. At about nine minutes into the movie though I just had to pause it and face something that's been bugging me since I don't even want to be aware of when. I don't wanna watch The Lorax. Don't wanna watch Dear John either. Even if it is (*sigh*) Channing Tatum. Tengene. Ganun katindi. Kahit si Channing Tatum di umubra. Waaah. Bakeeet. Bakeeeeeeeeet. Get it together. Umayos ka. Pagkagising mo bukas normal na ka ulit. Alak lang yan. Wag ka padala. Hinga. Ok. Keribels. Fight. :D

Hey I just met you And this is crazy But here's my number So call me maybe ... See I've been waiting all day For you to call me baby So let's get up Let's get on it Don't you leave me brokenhearted tonight ... QQ$*^@#^#@&^#*@#&$(*#&@^$ This is crazy nuts.

Self-confession

Five o'clock on a Sunday morning. Tired, sleepy, weary of work, little to look forward to and a lot to think about.

May bumabagabag sa isipan ko. Hindi ko alam kung cabin fever lang ba, or housemate syndrome, or wala lang akong ibang maisip bukod sa trabaho, or legitimate siya na concern.

Ayokong isipin na legitimate ang concern.

And yet, here I am blogging about it at this ungodly hour. At pinaglalaanan ko talaga ng panahon.

Wala ako sa huwisyo to be thinking of these things. I am not of sound mind nor body.

I think I may be going nuts. But then again, I've always been a self-professed head case naman diba?

I don't know how long I can keep this up...

I need a battle plan! Diba sabi natin we won't play these games anymore?

Ano ka ba. Day off lang ang solusyon dyan. Bukas, malamang, iba na. Liliwanag din ang lahat.

Find common ground. Have fun. Look on the bright side.

Alalahanin, hindi pangkaraniwan ang iyong pinagdaraanan. Maghunos-dili, huwag padalos-dalos.

My Birthday Wish List

Usually when people ask me what I want for my birthday, I honestly answer "Nothing." This year, however, there are a few things on my secret wish list:

1. Flowers. After watching Valentine's Day (where Ashton Kutcher plays a florist) I suddenly wanted to buy myself a nice bouquet for my desk at work (as if my table isn't cluttered enough with all the colorful little toys strewn accross it). Gerberas are my favorite :)
2. An iPad 2. I've been wanting an iPad for a while now (if only for stress relief and to play my favorite Story series games), and while it's great that my dad recently bought himself an iPad 2 and has left the old iPad at home for me and my brother to fight over, it might be nice to have one that's really mine, that I can bring everywhere and really abuse :p
3. The rest of Nick Bantock's Griffin and Sabine series of hardbound books. Purchased the first in the series a couple of weeks ago, I used to have the first three but for some reason can't seem to find them anymore, it would be nice to have the complete set again.
4. A pictorial. Of myself :p this is my last birthday before I turn 30 next year, it might be nice to have something to remember my youth before it fades away :p
5. My early twenties body :p hindi ko man lang nasulit ang kapayatan ko noon!
6. A recording session to record demos of some of the songs I wrote years ago (na ni wala pa ngang chords o areglo, pano kaya yun)
7. If I were to celebrate at all, I would like for my brother to sing for me. Kung ayaw niya, kahit si Sam Concepcion nalang. Kaso baka maiyak ako :p
8. Matauhan siya. O kung hindi na talaga mangyayari yun, Lord sana matauhan na ako.
9. A new car, or Red refurbished
10. For my show to do well, ratings-wise and money-wise, for my kids to grow as actors/actresses with a love for their craft and a passion for excellence
11. To love and be loved.

Happy 29th to me in six sleeps :)

Hello, 2011

Obviously, this post is a tad late. Needless to say, I will not even bother to put punctuality on my list of New Year's resolutions. But what I will put are the following:

1. listen to at least one new album every week (and if time or bandwidth doesn't permit, at least one per month. and hopefully write a pseudoreview. and hopefully learn something new in the process and broaden my musical repertoire, and sophisticaten my musical palate.)
2. read at least one book a month
3. create being the possibility of love. for that i give up that i can't :p it is possible to not let your rackets get in the way of your possibilities!
4. learn something new everyday
5. teach something new everyday
6. take better care of my health. eyes, teeth, skin, cardio/diet, etc.
7. learn how to make my money grow and work for me. what that would look like is annual increments saved and that ceiling untouchable to grow a nice nest egg. open a mutual funds account.

today's learnings: PMS is not an excuse to be sensitive or bitchy, hormonal imbalances really do exist (!) but! it's not an excuse, because hormones can be conquered. :) yay

also, there is such great joy in being able to come home early, scratch my kitty on the head as she closes her eyes and purrs, and listen to my brother sing "heaven is a place on earth" while taking a shower, at the top of his lungs, off key and with full conviction. :)