it's NOT just about the music

Yes, I was one of those people who moved from shock to disbelief to giddiness, when I first heard of the Eraserheads reunion concert. And I had to admit i flitted from getting a booking in cebu pac to checking the website of ****** ******, the supposed sponsor. So they say you have to be a smoker to register, be more than 18 years old, and you have to submit a valid ID. This whole fiasco has a name: viral marketing, or to be really straight about it, it's ****** ******'s way of getting around the Tobacco Regulation Act which bans them from advertising effective July 1st, 2008 (including sponsoring shows among other things).

Not a smokin' idea. While i love the music of the E-heads, let's call a spear a spear: this deal with ****** ****** is a sellout. Helping a tobacco company circumvent the law, allowing them to use your music and stature as one of the legends of Pinoy rock (yes we can call them that) is not acceptable and the E-heads must put themselves above that.

If you are a real E-heads fan, you know that the band is more than just the music. At one point in time, it became bigger than them and they have evolved into the voice of the youth as they spoke so truthfully about growing up in the 90's. The themes weren't new: love, heartbreak, experimentation, awareness of the world (and rebelling against the world), but the E-heads' spin on things was charming, simple, humorous, tongue-in-cheek. And we loved it, we lapped it up like our parents lapped up anything by the Beatles. They can do better than this. In fact I think they should just tell ****** ******, to go f*** off.

***

What's your E-heads story? Everyone has one, something like the six degrees of Kevin Bacon. I met Ely once in 70's Bistro because he was my papa's friend. I think they were then rehearsing for Beatles Night. I don't really remember much, except that I shook his hand and his hand was just very noticeably soft. Like maybe he lathers lotion on them every night? :) Not typical for a guitar player. Pretty weird because that was such an exciting night for me and all I could remember were Ely's soft hands. I remember though that my papa had only good things to say about him, insisting "maayos si ely, di mayabang." On one of his trips to the states, my papa had asked him to look for a music gadget (i forget what) and he came back buying it for him and refusing to be reimbursed. Perhaps there is a kinship amongst musicians that the more successful ones would help others who were still struggling out there. Or maybe some people as really just nicer than others.

I'd see Ely from time to time, but not in the music scene (one time i saw him in Smart paying for his bill), but I was too shy to approach him and teel him we had met before. If I did I know he'd be gracious. I met Buddy once too and remembered that he was a very down-to-earth guy, makes you feel comfortable and he has none of the "suplado" vibe Ely can sometimes project (even without meaning to).

What's your favorite E-heads song? Let me just say I loved every song in Ultraelectromagneticpop and Circus. My all time faves are "Wag Mo Nang Itanong", "Ang Huling El Bimbo" (classic!), "Ligaya", "Alapaap", "Overdrive", and for some reason "Julie Tearjerky" also get to me. It will be priceless to hear them play again, let the curtain fall properly for this band that shaped the best times of our lives. Maybe that will finally give us closure.

So I really wish somewhere out of the blue, some company would step up and sponsor this instead.

Yes to the reunion, No to the (rumored) sponsor!

5 years

* "Bagyo, Bagyo" released by Grupong Pendong in their Panahon CD. Music and lyrics by Jovi Abella. Reggae version remade by Tropical Depression (some people think original was by Trop Dep, it's not). Has been sung at weddings, funerals, jamming sessions, rallies...

I found this on the net:

"Bagyo (storm) is a song of hope. The song espouses solidarity to pursue collective ideals. The lyrics is (sic) inspired by the plight of fisherfolks in the Philippines during their hardships for survival during stormy seasons."

I don't know if that's true (I never got the chance to ask). Ang pakiramdam ko, masyado atang literal yung pagka interpret. It may have been inspired and meant to describe many, many things as some songs are capable of doing. Personally, the song just makes me sad. It brings back memories of cold, dark, hopeless nights in the hospital bargaining with God and fate for just a little bit more time.

We found his notebook of unfinished songs and poems a few years ago. Maybe one day, one of my brothers will put music to the lyrics.

When a person dies, they live.

The Gall

I didn't bother monitoring the SONA, knowing it would all be lies. But I couldn't help myself today and read some parts of it in inquirer.net (I could spare some energy for scorn today, i figured).

She didn't say some things, and i took the liberty to share what really goes on in her head.

***

I address you today at a crucial moment in world history.

Just a few months ago, we ended 2007 with the strongest economic growth in a generation. Inflation was low, the peso strong and a million new jobs were created. We were all looking to a better, brighter future. (And I was looking to get away with the NBN deal plus many others but damn that Jedi).

"Neither we nor anyone else in the world expected this day to come so soon but we prepared for it. For the guts not to flinch in the face of tough choices, I thank God (Actually I thank the Devil but we are a Catholic country and i must pander to the Catholic Church so it would be scandalous to say that).

For the wisdom to recognize how needed you are, I thank, you Congress. For footing the bill, I thank the taxpayers." (And helping me get away with murder again, I thank my friends on my payroll who have been covering up for me all these years).


"How do we solve these many complex challenges?" (At this point, I will regale them with my economic know-how, mixed here and there with my so-called compassion to appeal to their hearts).


The result has been, on the one hand, ito ang nakasalba sa bayan; and, on the other, more unpopularity for myself in the opinion polls. Yet, even unfriendly polls show self-rated poverty down to its 20-year low in 2007." (My numbers of course, come from the same people who counted my non-votes).

"Nag-aalala ako para sa naka-aawang maybahay na pasan ang pananagutan para sa buong pamilya. Nag-aalala ako para sa magsasakang nasa unang hanay ng pambansang produksyon ng pagkain ngunit nagsisikap pakanin ang pamilya. I care for hardworking students soon to graduate and wanting to see hope of good job and a career prospect here at home." (I say this with barely contained insincerity).

Edwin Bandila, 48 years old, of Ugalingan, Carmen, North Cotabato, cultivated one hectare and harvested 35 cavans. Thirteen years na ginawa iyong Malmar. In my first State of the Nation Address, sabi ko kung hindi matapos iyon sa Setyembre ay kakanselahin ko ang kontrata, papapasukin ko ang engineering brigade, natapos nila. With Malamar, now he cultivates five hectares and produces 97 cavans per hectare. Mabuhay, Edwin! VAT will complete the San Roque-Agno River project. (My tactic has always been to drop the names of the hoi polloi and pretend that I know them and are one with them in their triumphs. I think it works, but that's just me).

Sa sunod na katas ng VAT, may P1 billion na pambayad ng kuryente ng mahihirap; kalahating bilyon para sa matatandang di sakop ng SSS o GSIS; kalahating bilyong kapital para sa pamilya ng mga namamasada; kalahating bilyon upang mapataas ang kakayahan at equipment ng mga munting ospital sa mga lalawigan. At para sa mga kalamidad, angkop na halaga. (Of course for all my efforts it is only right that some of those VAT billions go to me).

We released P1 billion for the victims of typhoon Frank. We support a supplemental Western Visayas calamity budget from VAT proceeds, as a tribute to the likes of Rodney Berdin, age 13, of Barangay Rombang, Belison, Antique, who saved his mother, brother and sister from the raging waters of Sibalom River. (Here I drop names of the masa again, for more effect).

Mula sa buwang ito, wala nang income tax ang sumusweldo ng P200,000 o mas mababa sa isang taon - P12 billion na bawas-buwis para sa maralita at middle class. Maraming salamat, Congress. ( 10 more mentions of Congress and then I would have reached my quota for my friends in Congress. I hope they are noticing it).

"The Land Bank has quadrupled loans for farmers and fisherfolk. That is fact not fiction. Check it. For more effective credit utilization, I instructed DA to revitalize farmers cooperatives." (This line I must say it with righteous indignation lest they still think of questioning my numbers).

To our investors, thank you for your valuable role in our development. I invite you to invest not only in factories and services, but in profitable infrastructure, following the formula for the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway. (I invite you to invest directly with the Office of the President so I can "grow" your money, and mine).

"I ask business and civil society to continue to work for a socially equitable, economically viable balance of interests. Mining companies should ensure that host communities benefit substantively from their investments, and with no environmental damage from operations" (Because God knows, I do much damage already).


"I call on all our government workers at the national and local levels to be more responsive and accountable to the people. (Kayo na lang, kasi ako di ko keri yang mga ganyan).

We are three branches but one government. We have our disagreements; we each have hopes, and ambitions that drive and divide us, be they personal, ethnic, religious and cultural. But we are one nation with one fate. (And your fate lies with me *insert evil wicked witch of the west laugh* and if I can extend that fate beyond 2010, i will!)

"As your President, I care too much about this nation to let anyone stand in the way of our people's wellbeing. Hindi ko papayagang humadlang ang sinuman sa pag-unlad at pagsagana ng taong bayan. I will let no one - and no one's political plans - threaten our nation's survival." (Unless they tamper with my survival of course. Damn that Jedi talaga).

Our country and our people have never failed to be there for us. We must be there for them now
Maraming salamat. Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. (Thank God this show is over, a little more of that expressed compassion I might gag in front of millions. I must ask my advisors next time if that much drama is really necessary).

***

And that this point, the country collectively sighs in gratefulness too that the great big show of lies and gall is over. Of course some people at home may have destroyed their TVs and radios, and then start a spirited discussion with their friends and family, wishing her bad, bad things.

And then they proceed to watch their afternoon soaps to erase that terrible memory of yet another useless State of the Nation Address.

I say the next one must be ended with a revolution.

spin me

I decided it was time to stop complaining about gaining weight that was mostly centered on my puson and do something about it.

So I signed up for spinning class in this relatively new place called Nutrifort (it sounds like healthy, fat free food noh?). Their main program is spinning and they also have personalized programs for weight loss. I wanted to try the Pilates but the only schedule available was mornings. My classes start today at 6:30.

I hope i don't fall off the bike cause i heard that there are sections where they make you stand while you spin (uh-oh).

It won't be so great if I brought sexy back.. with injuries.

(To be continued)

the rain is on in saigon

This morning when i woke up there was strange sound coming from our balcony door. I looked out and saw darkness everywhere at 7am. The rain was threatening to fall and the winds were just going wild out there.

The sky was lined with dark rain clouds like this:



I'm at work now but can hardly concentrate. I wanna go home and sleep! It's rockin' and rollin' out there.

It's only wednesday???

Mailer

A few years ago, my Uncle, R, gave me two presents for Christmas. One was a book by Gore Vidal entitled "Kalki" and the second, Norman Mailer's biography. Upon giving it to me he says tells me that the two were rivals for many years and I could read about it in Mailer's biography. Naturally inclined to chismis and controversy (hehe), I picked the biography.

And I got hooked. Hooked enough that I read it til 6am. My eyes hurt so much that I had to sleep and woke up at 2pm and started reading again. I finished it before New Year's and for months was obsessed with learning more about Mailer. I totally forgot about Gore Vidal's book and I don't even know where it is now. Their legendary rivalry makes for an amusing read, and one was actually documented in the Dick Cavett show.


Snippets:

"Mailer: You're a liar and a hypocrite...Will you apologize?
Vidal: I would apologize if it hurts your feelings, yes."

"A few seconds later, Mailer insults the guests and Cavett, calling them all intellectually inferior, then moves his chair away from the group. Cavett: "Perhaps you'd like two more chairs to contain your giant intellect?"
(http://www.reelpopblog.com/2007/01/sigh_youtube_me.html)

So, last June when I went home, I started sifting over my old stuff, mostly books to bring back to Vietnam because there was a shortage of English books here (unless you were still into the Mills & Boon types). I saw my Mailer biography book and brought it with me. It was time to read it again now that Mailer is dead, the experience may be different. And I got hooked again. His life was so colorful, dark,full or struggle and provocation. But what really emerges is his brilliance and wit that he has kept intact even at 84 years old, a few months before he died. when he granted this interview . After his first novel, "The Naked and The Dead" (incidentally it's a book which was inspired by his WWII experience as rifleman stationed in the Philippines),which cemented his stature as one of the great post-war writers at age 25. His next few novels and writings would receive mixed, even atrocious reviews. But those served a purpose for he re-emerged then as a voice of activism in the 60's & 70's and up until his death in 2007, he spoke strongly against the Iraq war and Bush, here. He would never give up on writing novel, though.

I recommend reading the book, and of course his novels and prose, to find out more about this legendary writer. It is one thing to read about the man, and quite another to examine the evidence of that great mind. He wasn't a saint, and his inclinations especially in the earlier years of his life were sometimes reproachful (he has been accused of being the first chauvinist pig). But who can say their own lives are beyond all reproach? His life, demands one to pause and absorb his genius. In the twilight of his life, he was having conversations with God and it is interesting to know how he has evolved from the timid Jewish boy from Harvard to his later persona as the egoistic writer, activist and journalist. I personally will make it my goal to read all his works if I can, starting with the early works down to the last one until his death. After that I will read his biography again and I'm sure that will be a different experience still (of course maybe I will be 90 years old by then, hehe). He was very prolific and leaves us a voluminous legacy of writings that can last us for the rest of our lifetime, albeit a few sleepless nights.



"No, no, it's not. There's one good thing about old age that people don't recognize. Which is that if you have a reasonable old age, as I do, in that you're not in pain, and you're not in terrible trouble emotionally with your children, or your mate, then what happens is you're cool. And you finally are cool in a way that you never were before. And you realize that you won and you lost, and that's just what happens to everyone else. They win and they lose also. And what you didn't succeed in doing, you didn't succeed in doing, so f--- it." - Norman Mailer, on being asked by a reporter if this is the worst time to be alive

Mailer, in 1979 would write his then fictional obituary for the Boston Times, and which they reposted here after his death. It will be read in his actual funeral in November 2007, 28 years after.

Sa Reposo

May 31, 2008 - Landing in Manila, the first item on my list was to go to the street fair in Reposo. It was theright decision, since it proved to have all the things i missed about home: art, culture, sisig, gigs(noel!), nice looking people, and well the language that was just comforting. The event was called "Piging Sining sa Reposo". It had been going on for a few days and that night the performers were the Makiling Ensemble, followed by Noel Cabangon as the last performer for the night. Simultaneously there were other stuff happening like mural paintings, body painting (for free), a balagtasan session and a ballet. Artsy stuff which is so lacking in Saigon and which I love!

I met an old friend too - Ella's dad, S, who has now totally claimed his artistic side was involved the event's production. He has had a few exhibitions around town, and my hope is that he will keep at it and be successful.



The night was a treat, and i would have been perfectly content just with Noel's gig but the Makiling Ensemble part was also enjoyable. I would bet on Filipino talent any day. We're not just a country of cheesy show bands and karaoke you know (though i find both entertaining, in limited doses)!




Now, a little bit of history: Reposo Street in Bel Air Makati is actually now called Nicanor Garcia Street, but most people have stuck to calling it Reposo. It means "Repose" (to rest) in English and the street is located just beside a cemetery which accounts for its original name. They have beautified the street and have made it into a street of culture and art where among its more popular inhabitants are Budji Layag (the designer), the Alliance Francaise, and LRI Design Plaza (where one could see all original filipino furniture designs mixing the old with the new).




Noel's last song was "Ako' y Isang Mabuting Pilipino", and he made us stand and raise our right hands, which of course made us think Panatang Makabayan!



It was something like that, and it is best to hear the lyrics of the song to fully understand it. What I have always loved about Noel's music is that it tells a story, often poignant, funny but always true. Just think "Tatsulok" and the bittersweet "Kanlungan". It's music that makes you feel and think and want to do better. At the very least, be a better citizen.

'lil gal is landing soon

June was up so quickly, especially the first week when I went home. Before I knew it, I was back in Saigon again missing home more than ever. Especially the 'lil gal I keep talking about in this blog. On my first week back here, she was literally hunting me in IM and getting mad when I didn't show up for our chat dates. "I think I'm depressed", she says. Yeah a 9-year old depressed over her "problems" as she puts them, one of them being the start of school again. :) What other problems there are she didn't want to share, but I was quite concerned that maybe she really is sad and not just overly dramatic, especially since her mom told me she had a crying spree for a day when I had left. So anyway. She's coming to visit me in July or August with my sister, J for at least a week!


It will be a lot of fun and I'm super excited to let her see my life here so she can be part of it if only for a short time. That way she can have fun memories to look back to when she misses me. It's an all-girl reunion I'm looking forward to this month!

(that's her obviously not asleep!)

***

It's July already! Can anyone believe how fast time is passing us by? Pretty soon 2008 will be finished and life decisions need to be made again. I wonder what I will be talking about next year?

text me not

See, the plan was for a relaxing Friday to celebrate the start of the weekend (yay!). I had booked for a "Hydra" facial that would hopefully put me to sleep while they slather my face with very nice things. That was the plan.

I get to the facial place at exactly 7pm. They asked me to wait while they fixed whatever it is they fixed in those rooms (the dream music, lighting, the creams...). While waiting I fished my phone out of my bag about to text someone when I see 8 unread messages. WTF?

It said in all caps: "ANH HOA DA LAM UECHU". 8 times.

And then my phone beeps again, and out came the same message. And again. This happened three other times with the last two ones having blank text messages coming from the same number.

It was getting too weird and my facialist, KN has come out to ask me to go to the room and I follow her slowly while I texted my friend, T for a translation.

"T, what does anh hoa da lam euchu mean? Someone texted me"

"Maybe they send wrong number. It said: have u back home yet?"

"Ok. How will I text, 'U got the wrong number' in Vietnamese?"

"Go lon so roi."

So I reply to my Anonymous Texter (AT). Meanwhile I am now sitting in bed being instructed by KN to put on the robe and she will be back in a few minutes.

I was expecting a "Xin loi" (Sorry) reply from my AT, but instead I get this:

"Thinh Nhien hong anh". Ok, i was getting annoyed and tried to call the number but AT didn't pick up.

KN has now started to clean my face with water and nice-smelling soap while I tried to frantically forward the message to T and asked what it meant.

"It says he name is Thinh. But do not reply anymore. never mine ha." (lovvve my friend T she's cute. I decided to correct her spelling another day)

I followed her advice, and tried to relax (maybe even sleep) while my face got pampered. But noooo. AT would not not allow it. In quick succession, I received not 1 or 2 but 8,9... 10 messages from this guy who calls himself Thinh texting me things I do not understand.

"Ga oi chut hom nay bi mo con ga ban hang chnoa co khoe khong."

A few blank texts were inserted, but the rest basically had the same message as above. I was royally pissed and before I knew it the facial session was finished, while my AT was not.

Over dinner with L I receive 5 more messages. Some blank some with the usual gibberish I cannot comprehend: was i being wooed or cursed? Maybe it was a mistake to reply in Vietnamese, cause he is thinking I understand him. I try another tactic hoping he'd go away, and managed a lame,

" Stop texting me!". Which of course did not stop him. At. All.

Because even now as I write this (it is 10 am, the morning after). I have received three blank messages from him. Times like these, i just hate being in this place. Whoever he is, I hope his Friday was ruined too (mine wasn't totally - just the facial part!). My weekend is packed and if it gets bad i can always report him to the HCMC police or text him in Tagalog, words he will not forget. Nor understand.

welcome to the end of the weekend

You know Monday is here because...

- you get a little bit sad on sunday night knowing what lies ahead (it usually starts at 9pm)
- the alarm clock keeps ringing and you keep pressing snooze for more shuteye
- you're awake but don't really want to get up
- but in the meantime, all you can think of is the day ahead
- your arse feels so heavy, dragging it is an understatement
- somewhere bet half awake and half asleep, you get confused and think it's sunday (or worse, saturday)
- your realize you have an 8:30am appointment and you get up faster than you can say "late"!
- you make a run for the bus with your hair dripping all over your shirt.

welcome to the end of the weekend.